There was a time when we used to associate magic with sorcery and occult practices. Not anymore. Now we are actively engaging with magic. On August 17, 2023, the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists published on its Facebook page a promotional video advertising the 2023 High School Bible Retreat scheduled for October 5-8 at Camp Kulaqua, a church-owned facility. [1]
The Adventist promotional video says:
“Are you ready? It’s time to connect. It’s time to learn. It’s time to venture. High School Bible Retreat 2023. Melina Thomas, Speaker; Isabella Lopez, Speaker; Rodney McFadden, Speaker; Manuel Gomez, Speaker; Jared Hall, Christian Comedian & Illusionist; Markis Zarate, Worship Leader. Join us October 5-8 @ Camp Kulaque. Venture, Embracing Danger. Register Today: FloridaYouth.com” [1]
As you can see in the above video, Jared Hall calls himself a “magician” who performs “magic,” including making tables levitate in the air. However, the Florida Conference only describes Jared as a Christian comedian and illusionist. Not only will this so-called Christian magician be captivating our Adventist youth in our church-sponsored events, Jared Hall also mesmerizes young audiences in various Sunday-keeping protestant churches across the country. [2]
The Bible condemns anyone who is involved with divination, familiar spirits, wizardry, witchcraft, and sorcery (Deuteronomy 18:10–12). The Apostle Paul compared the work of sorcery (witchcraft) to the works of the flesh, and he clearly taught that those who practice these arts will be left out of the kingdom of heaven (Galatians 5:19–21). In fact, Paul spent time, as part of his pastoral ministry, combating these magicians:
“In the days of the apostles, the city of Ephesus was famed for the worship of the goddess Diana and the practice of magic. There were many devotees of magic arts, and numerous and costly books had been written in explanation of these mysteries. Here, in this stronghold of superstition and sorcery, the apostle Paul labored for several years. And the power of God was mightily displayed through his servant in the healing of the sick and the casting out of evil spirits.” (Signs of the Times, February 18, 1886).
But today, instead of casting out these demonic spirits, the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is inviting them in to entertain our young people with magic shows. What was once condemned in God’s word is being welcomed as part of a new program for Adventist youth.
There will be some who will try to justify this by claiming that they are just pretending to do magic, at $225 per student. [3] In other words, it’s perfectly fine to be entertained by the powers of Satan because they are only pretending to do magic. No, my brothers and sisters, we should not have anything to do with Satan’s devices because doing so allows us to have contact with evil spirits. These magic shows have nothing to do with entertainment and everything to do with the master illusionist, Satan himself:
“The Word of God and the stern testimony of facts declare that sorcery is practiced in this age as verily as in the days of the old-time magicians. The ancient system of magic was, in reality, the same as what is now known as modern Spiritualism. Satan is finding access to thousands of minds” (Review and Herald, September 7, 1911).
“The magicians of heathen times have their counterpart in the Spiritualistic mediums, the clairvoyants, and the fortune-tellers of today. The mystic voices that spoke at Endor and at Ephesus are still by their lying words misleading the children of men. Could the veil be lifted from before our eyes, we should see evil angels employing all their arts to deceive and to destroy. Wherever an influence is exerted to cause men to forget God, there Satan is exercising his bewitching power. When men yield to his influence, the mind is bewildered and the soul polluted ere they are aware. The apostle’s admonition to the Ephesian church should be heeded by the people of God today: ‘Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them‘.” (Review and Herald, September 7, 1911).
Where are the God-fearing leaders who, like the Apostle Paul, will denounce the work of bringing magicians into our meetings? The Florida Conference is actually preparing our young people to accept the miracle-working power of Satan during the future Sunday law crisis. This entertainment apostasy is turning our people from truth to darkness, and it is an indication that there is something completely rotten operating in the church, especially when we can invite non-Adventist magicians to entertain our children while refusing sincere, faithful Seventh-day Adventist ministers, like Stephen Bohr, from preaching in our pulpits. We are certainly living in perilous times. The following pointed testimony clearly describes what is happening today:
“We are living in the last days of this earth’s history, and we may be surprised at nothing in the line of apostasies and denials of the truth. Unbelief has now come to be a fine art which men work at to the destruction of their souls. There is constant danger of there being shams in pulpit preachers, whose lives contradict the words they speak; but the voice of warning and of admonition will be heard as long as time shall last; and those who are guilty of transactions that should never be entered into, when reproved or counseled through the Lord’s appointed agencies, will resist the message and refuse to be corrected. They will go on as did Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, until the Lord takes away their reason, and their hearts become unimpressible. The Lord’s word will come to them; but if they choose not to hear it, the Lord will make them responsible for their own ruin” (Selected Messages, Vol. 2, p. 147).
Sources
[1] https://www.facebook.com/reel/1991543177851146
[2] https://jaredhall.com/schedule/
0
0
0
God is not pleased with this. There’s going to be a lot of people who will have to answer for this. I never thought I’d see our churches get this bad
Who is coming up with these diabolic ideas? And how does the committee in charge of these youth retreats approve such nonsense? And will anybody be held accountable for this catastrophic moral failure and administrative ineptitude? Someone or some people need to be fired.
Exactly my thoughts!
Are we ready to connect to whom? The evil one?
This is completely diabolical and it is preparing the minds of people to believe and accept satan’s acts of deceitfulness in the near future. If they will applaude and be overjoyed with this, then how they will respond when satan comes claiming to be Christ? They will believe in what they see.
One of the reasons we left the Pentecostal fellow ship 30 years ago and joined the SDA and its missions as an elder and teacher, and now one of many reasons we left the SDA.org for home study group six years ago. Many good people but the system is corrupt to the core. The three angels message will go forth but apart from this sort of apostate example. Makes ones heart cry for our children.
Right on Verne. The corporate GC SDA has sold out to the enemy. If you have children in it get them out before it is too late.
Sadly one of the reasons we left the city 30 years ago only to have the church reek havoc later with our children as young adults hungry for fellowship, not finding good fellowship 3 left and slowly drifted into the world disillusioned with it all. One returned to Christ but not the church, 2 stayed but accepted the liberal theology and so on. Grieved to say the least. Not the safe house of healing for sure if we could do it again we would have left the church (any modern church) and nurtured in solitude in the wilderness, the prophet spoke about the wisdom of this. Sadly we thought we knew better, even in the quiet country living we were to busy and from time to time visited the city churches a big mistake.
Are they that stupid? Because they certainly are NOT ignorant. If this can be approved by leadership, then the announcement should be made loud and clear: Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone. Hoshea 4:17 and to say it another way…Florida Conference has apostacised, stop sending it your tithes and offerings.
The Adventists living in Florida should call or write the Florida Conference and tell them how they feel about this!!! This man is totally of the devil. I live in Florida, and thank God, I have no young children.
The phone number for the Florida Conference is (407) 644-5000. The phone number for Camp Kulaqua is (386) 454-1251. I urge everyone that sees this message will call and complain about what is going to happen in October!!!
I will be calling and complaining about this. I hope and pray that everyone, whether you live in Florida or not will call…………….
Amen
What about Potomac Conference and their brazen bullying of churches? What about Texas conference and their rapping pastor? What about ArkLa Conference taking possession of churches that they invested nothing in, disbanding the church, selling the property and pocketing the money (happened a few years ago, but mimics the more current actions of Potomac Conference)? What about the various conferences, unions and divisions approving and promoting women’s ordination? What about the California conferences heavily promoting the LGBTQ lifestyle (not to mention Potomac Conference again as well as Kansas-Nebraska)? What about the equally if not even more worldly “religious services” that take place in divisions worldwide? What about the silence and/or inaction from General Conference on these issues, contrasted with their aggressive action not so long ago in promoting and even requiring vaccination for all regardless of conscience, as well as prohibiting any sort of intelligent discussion on the issue? I hope you have a lot of time, paper and ink… because it’s going to require nearly supernatural effort to write all the letters that are necessary.
Brother Verne has it pegged right, but he wasn’t the first to see it coming…
Isaiah 1:6-8 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. (7) Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (8) And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
its Florida conference. Anything they do doesn’t surprise me.
Roman’s 1:31, 32
It is an abomination in God’s sight. And by just even being entertained by it, it is as if you are doing it yourself.
I know we are told that we should be praying for just a little more time. By at the same time, “oh Lord please come quickly”
Actually this is the time to begin Corporate fasting and prayer on a weekly basis for all that has been mentioned and so much more to come….
“Pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the Sabbath”!
Our flight is soon to happen.
“He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary?” Ezekiel 8:6.
Three angels messages are now entertainment messages instead!
Perhaps the magic that this believer is sharing isn’t the “magical arts” forbidden in the Scriptures. Stage entertainment magic and that of the occult/spirituality types are quite different. I am a believer and a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and understand fully this topic. The magic you see on stage and in most venues is entertainment that brings wonder. The reason you don’t call 911 when a magician saws a woman in half is because you know or suspend reality long enough to enjoy wondering how a trick is done. As with any field of entertainment there are unbelievers that are opposed to the Gospel and Christian living. The field of magical entertainment is no different. If you don’t understand this point then please don’t take your children to DisneyWorld because you will freak out when a large mouse walks up to you and says Hello!