John and Chino explore the dramatic rise of megachurch culture and how American consumerism reshaped faith into a spectacle. They compare intimate home-based congregations with today’s oversized entertainment venues, asking whether the push for bigness has come at the cost of discipleship, accountability, and authentic community. With humor and candor, they share personal experiences from cult exits to high-tech worship environments that feel more like sci-fi productions than spiritual gatherings.
They also dig into the historical roots behind the phenomenon—from the early revivalists to the strategic church-growth movement—and expose how power, money, and celebrity have created a modern cult of personality. This conversation challenges listeners to consider what truly defines a healthy church and whether the biggest churches might be obscuring the smallest, most essential aspects of faith.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K______________________– Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham– Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ– Visit the website: https://william-branham.org– Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WilliamBranhamOrg – Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@william.m.branham– Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wmbhr– Buy the books: https://william-branham.org/site/books
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1:08:44
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1:08:44
Miracles, Manipulation, & the Myth of Faith Healing
John and Jed explore one of the most sensitive and emotionally charged topics in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles—the world of fake miracles, resurrection claims, and manufactured hype. Starting with Bethel Church's "Wake Up Olive" tragedy, they trace the long lineage of miracle stories from Smith Wigglesworth through William Branham to today's New Apostolic Reformation leaders. Their discussion examines how sensationalized testimonies shape belief, manipulate emotions, and reinforce authoritarian control within high-demand religious groups.Through deeply personal stories, including experiences from within Branhamism and IHOP, they unpack how false faith-healing narratives prey on trauma, obscure genuine spirituality, and keep followers trapped in fear of doubt. This conversation dives into the emotional cost of such beliefs—the shame, confusion, and psychological damage caused when "miracles" fail—and the deeper truth about where real faith should be placed.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
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1:12:09
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1:12:09
Spiritual Covering or Cult Control: Escape From City Reach
John invites Priscilla Cyanni Morris to discuss her time inside City Reach Church, where revival culture and "spiritual covering" turned into authoritarian control. Priscilla describes how obedience was demanded, critical thinking discouraged, and loyalty to leadership elevated above faith in Christ. Through emotional stories of public rebukes, deliverance rooms, and "prophetic activations," she reveals how City Reach's vision replaced the gospel with coercive loyalty tests.Together, they unpack how fear, phobia indoctrination, and "decision paralysis" can follow people who escape high-control churches. John explains the biblical case against "spiritual covering" and the manipulative use of honor language, while Priscilla shares how she rediscovered freedom through Scripture and genuine Christian community. The conversation offers hope to anyone recovering from spiritual abuse or wondering if their "revival-focused" church has crossed the line into control. ______________________Priscilla's Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@priscillacyanni______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
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56:43
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56:43
From Savitri Devi to the Devil to the NAR
John and Steve trace the ideological roots of mystical fascism and its unsettling influence on modern religious movements. They uncover how thinkers like Savitri Devi, Helena Blavatsky, and Alice Bailey shaped occult traditions that fed into Nazi spirituality—ideas that later resurfaced in Christian Identity, Latter Rain, and the New Apostolic Reformation. Together they explore how mysticism, dominionism, and political power converge into what Steve calls a "weaponization of Christianity," connecting early 20th-century esoteric fascism to the rhetoric of modern revivalists.Through themes like divine unity, eugenics, and "ongoing revelation," they reveal how the same doctrines once used to justify racial purification now appear repackaged as "kingdom power" and "apostolic authority." This episode dives deep into the historical cross-pollination of mysticism, nationalism, and religion—showing how the pursuit of a "divine world order" has too often led to destruction instead of redemption. ______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSpezVG15TVG-lOYMRXuyQ
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57:49
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57:49
Charismatic Language: Modern Tower of Babel
John and Christian discuss how "loaded language" within cults and charismatic movements creates communication barriers, spiritual elitism, and moral confusion. They explore how words like faith, doubt, spirit-filled, and Jezebel spirit carry entire doctrines that alienate others and discourage honest inquiry. Drawing from their experiences leaving high-control religious groups, they show how language can shape identity and restrict thought—turning simple words into tools of control.Together they examine how even well-meaning Christians can drift into self-righteous rhetoric and "church-speak" that isolates them from both outsiders and fellow believers. The conversation connects biblical examples, psychology of cult speech, and cultural references like Harry Potter to show how prideful communication dehumanizes others and undermines the gospel's inclusivity.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
The William Branham Historical Research Podcast investigates the life, teachings, and legacy of healing evangelist William Branham—one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th-century Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
Hosted by researcher John Collins, the series documents Branham’s public record with verifiable sources: sermons, newspapers, archival materials, and eyewitness accounts. Each episode examines how his message evolved—from early Pentecostal roots to apocalyptic mysticism—and how his ideas shaped movements such as the Latter Rain, Deliverance revival, and today’s New Apostolic Reformation.
This is not an exposé or a sermon. It’s a historical investigation: one that follows the evidence wherever it leads. Whether you’re a former Message believer, a student of revival history, or simply curious about how spiritual movements grow and fracture, this podcast offers a clear, factual lens into a story that continues to shape modern faith and culture.
New Zealand