NEW BOOKLET: The New Age Implications of “Jesus Calling”

The New Age Implications of Jesus Calling by Warren B. Smith is our newest Lighthouse Trails Print Booklet. The Booklet is 16 pages long and sells for $1.95 for single copies. Quantity discounts are as much as 50% off retail. Our Booklets are designed to give away to others or for your own personal use.  Below is the content of the booklet. To order copies of The New Age Implications of Jesus Calling, click here

Jesus Calling: The New Age Implications

By Warren B. Smith

In my book “Another Jesus” Calling, I describe many problems regarding Sarah Young’s best-selling book Jesus Calling. In particular, there are some serious New Age implications to what her “Jesus” is presenting in his “messages” to Young and her countless readers. Nevertheless, Laura Minchew, a Senior Vice-President at Thomas Nelson publishers, adamantly defends Jesus Calling and defiantly denies that the book has any New Age implications. She told World Net Daily, “I will tell you that should anyone hint of New Age teachings in Jesus Calling, they would be sorely misinformed.1

But Minchew’s statement is both ironic and untrue. It is ironic because even as she was issuing her denial, Thomas Nelson editors were busy deleting some of the very New Age material in question. I’m not sure what Laura Minchew’s understanding of the New Age is, but as a former New Ager, I can assure you there are many New Age implications—both direct and indirect—in Jesus Calling In this booklet, I am going to present ten of them.

New Age Implications: Ten Examples

1) The New Age Book God Calling
In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Sarah Young said she was inspired to receive “messages” from “Jesus” after reading the book God Calling. She stated:

My journey began with a devotional book (God Calling) written in the 1930s by two women who practiced waiting in God’s Presence, writing the messages they received as they “listened.” About a year after I started reading this book, I began to wonder if I too could receive messages during my times of communing with God. . . . So I decided to “listen” to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever I sensed He was saying.2

Unfortunately, Sarah Young and her Thomas Nelson editors missed the fact that God Calling is a channeled New Age book. The “messages” received by the two women appear to be legitimate to the undiscerning reader because they are presented in the form of a daily devotional. Ironically, God Calling could have been titled Jesus Calling because its messages were reputedly dictated by “The Living Christ Himself.”3 It is worth noting that Jesus Calling is similarly titled and similarly presents its reputed “messages” from “Jesus” in the form of a daily devotional.

In The Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs published by Harvest House Christian publishers, authors John Weldon and John Ankerberg provide ample evidence as to why God Calling is a channeled New Age book. In their chapter on channeling—under the subheading of “Impersonations of Christianity”—the two respected apologists describe God Calling as a book “replete with denials of biblical teaching”4 as it “subtly encourages psychic development and spiritistic inspiration under the guise of Christ’s personal guidance . . . and often misinterprets Scripture.”5 Citing a number of passages in God Calling that are unbiblical and have New Age implications, the two authors explain that channeling is a form of occult mediumship and according to the Bible “is a practice forbidden (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).”6 Yet Sarah Young stated it was God Calling that inspired her to receive her own “messages” from “Jesus.” In her original introduction to Jesus Calling, Young went out of her way to praise God Calling as “a treasure to me.”7 Sadly, her lofty endorsement greatly popularized this New Age book within mainstream Christianity. As a result, God Calling is now commonly found in great numbers in various editions in both secular and Christian bookstores. In fact, it is often shelved alongside Jesus Calling.

Note: Young’s only response to criticism of God Calling has been to quietly remove all her previous references to God Calling from the new editions of Jesus Calling. No explanations. No apologies. No anything. Like the missing 18½ minutes from Richard Nixon’s Watergate tapes, God Calling has disappeared from the pages of Young’s book.

2) Channeled “Messages” from “Jesus”
Ruth Graham, writing about Jesus Calling in The Daily Beast—a popular online news organization formerly associated with Newsweek magazine—reported that Thomas Nelson had specifically requested that she not use the word “channeling” to describe how Sarah Young was receiving her “messages” from “Jesus.” Graham wrote:

Thomas Nelson specifically requested I not use the word “channeling” to describe Young’s first-person writing in the voice of Jesus—the word has New Age connotations—but it’s hard to avoid it in describing the book’s rhetorical approach.8

In Jesus Calling, Young writes that “Jesus” told her “to be a channel of My loving Presence.”9 Obliging his request, her book is filled with channeled “messages” and “directives” she claims to have received from God. In her original introduction, she wrote:

I have continued to receive personal messages from God as I meditate on Him. The more difficult my life circumstances, the more I need these encouraging directives from my Creator.10 (emphasis added)

Regarding this type of spiritualism, Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the word “channel” as follows: “to serve as a medium for (a spirit).”11 It defines the word “directive” as “a general instruction or order issued authoritatively.”12 And by Sarah Young’s own description in her original introduction, this is exactly what she is doing—being “a channel” for “encouraging directives” from a spiritual “Presence” that presents itself as “Jesus.” After receiving these “messages” and “directives,” she arranged them in the form of a daily devotional—just like God Calling.

Note: The paragraph cited above—where Young originally described how she has “continued to receive personal messages from God” and “encouraging directives” from her “Creator”—has been completely removed from the new editions of Jesus Calling.13

3) Visualization
Sarah Young engaged in the occult/New Age practice of “visualization” when she “pictured” her family “encircled by God’s protective Presence.”

One morning as I prayed, I visualized God protecting each of us. I pictured first our daughter, then our son, and then Steve encircled by God’s protective Presence, which looked like golden light. When I prayed for myself, I was suddenly enveloped in brilliant light and profound peace. I lost all sense of time as I experienced God’s Presence in this powerful way.14 (emphasis added)

In the same Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs that described God Calling as a channeled New Age book, a specific chapter on visualization warns about the spiritual dangers of this New Age practice:

“Visualization” and “guided imagery” have long been recognized by sorcerers of all kinds as the most powerful and effective methodology for contacting the spirit world in order to acquire supernatural power, knowledge, and healing. Such methods are neither taught nor practiced in the Bible as helps to faith or prayer.15

Sarah Young just assumed that the “light” she visualized enveloping her family and herself was from God. But one cannot assume anything in regards to spiritual experiences and spiritual encounters—especially after engaging in the occult practice of visualization. Because “many false prophets are gone out into the world,” we are told to “try the spirits” to see “whether they are of God (1 John 4:1). The apostle Paul warned of deceptive “seducing spirits” (1 Timothy 4:1) and how Satan can come as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Also, Jesus specifically warned us to beware of a light that appears to be light but is actually darkness (Luke 11:35).

Note: Recent editions of Jesus Calling have attempted to subtly demystify Sarah Young’s mystical New Age “prayer” process. The phrase “looked like golden light” and the trance-like sentence “I lost all sense of time as I experienced God’s Presence in this powerful way” have both been deleted from recent editions of Jesus Calling.16 However, even with these deletions, Young—at least for now—continues to include her visualized prayer in the newer editions of Jesus Calling.

4) Meditation
Jesus Calling readers are led to equate Sarah Young’s contemplative prayer process with biblical meditation. But to “make your mind like a still pool of water” as you passively wait “to receive whatever thoughts” Young’s “Jesus” may “drop into it” is much more akin to Eastern/New Age meditation. Biblical meditation, if you will, is an active attentiveness and thinking upon Scripture. Eastern/New Age meditation is more subjective and open to spiritual suggestion. In his August 5th message, Sarah Young’s “Jesus” promotes this New Age form of meditation and contemplative prayer:

Make your mind like a still pool of water, ready to receive whatever thoughts I drop into it.17

Stilling and quieting one’s mind may seem to be peaceful and godly, but passively stilling the mind (i.e., putting the mind in neutral) can provide an opening for seducing spirits to communicate with an undiscerning meditator—all in the name of “Jesus,” “God,” and the “Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:27, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Corinthians 11:4). Sarah Young describes how she receives these “thoughts” as “messages” and “directives” as she meditates on “Jesus”:

I have continued to receive personal messages from God as I meditate on Him. The more difficult my life circumstances, the more I need these encouraging directives from my Creator.18 (emphasis added)

But this kind of spiritual activity is not scriptural, and it is not biblical meditation. This is Eastern/New Age meditation. This type of meditation is what New Age channelers do to make contact with the spirit world.

Note: It bears repeating that the above paragraph containing the words “meditate,” “messages,” and “directives” has been deleted from recent editions of Jesus Calling.

5) New Age Terminology
Throughout Jesus Calling, Sarah Young’s “Jesus” casually introduces New Age terminology in his channeled messages. Not that long ago terms like co-create,19 divine alchemy,20 Love-Light,21 Light-bearer,22 supernatural plane,23 living channel,24 paradigm shift,25 true self,26 ultimate reality,27 universal presence,28 etc., were sure indicators of someone’s metaphysical/New Age orientation. But now these terms are commonly found in “Christian” books like Jesus Calling and are rapidly becoming part of the everyday language of the church.

Sarah Young’s “Jesus” also makes indirect reference to two of the mega best-selling New Age books of the last thirty years—Shirley MacLaine’s Out on a Limb and M. Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled. Young’s “Jesus” invites her millions of readers to “go out on a limb” with him and to take “a road less traveled”:

Be willing to go out on a limb with Me.29

You, however, have been called to take a “road less traveled.”30

Note: Obviously, these two phrases can be used in other contexts. However, the true Jesus Christ is quite aware of these groundbreaking New Age books, and it defies reason that He would make any reference—direct or indirect—to these hugely popular metaphysical books. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). And He is not going to introduce anything that might stumble someone—like nonchalantly referring to two New Age books that have already stumbled the millions of people who have read them and been influenced by them. (1 Corinthians 8:9).

6) Divine Alchemy
Regarding other overlapping New Age terminology in Jesus Calling, Sarah Young’s “Jesus” states:

I can glean Joy out of sorrow, Peace out of adversity. Only a Friend who is also the King of kings could accomplish this divine alchemy.31

However, the term “divine alchemy” is an ancient, mystical, occult/New Age term that raises multiple spiritual concerns. The word “occult” is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as follows:

. . . designating or of certain alleged mystic arts, such as magic, alchemy, astrology, etc.32 (emphasis added)

The Oxford Classical Dictionary underscores the fact that the “art” of alchemy has serious New Age implications. The very first sentence of the definition states:

Alchemy in antiquity was a mixture of chemical, metallurgical, and glass technology, Greek philosophy, mystical and syncretist religion, and astrology.33 (emphasis added)

The same Oxford Dictionary explains the occult/New Age underpinnings of alchemy itself:

The art is distinguished from the pure science of chemistry by its mixture of mystical and magical elements with the technology . . . Alchemy in late antiquity was born of the confluence of three streams: (1) technology . . . (2) theory . . . (3) occult religion.34 (emphasis added)

By Googling divine alchemy on the Internet, one will see countless references to the occult. The term divine alchemy is frequently found in the teachings of New Age leaders such as Marianne Williamson. She uses the term divine alchemy to reference the same practice of meditation Sarah Young’s “Jesus” is advocating. She writes:

Meditation is time spent with God in silence and quiet listening. It is the time during which the Holy Spirit has a chance to enter into our minds and perform His divine alchemy.35 (emphasis added)

The Oxford Classical Dictionary describes the origin of alchemy and how it is linked to other occult sciences:

The inventor was said to be Hermes [Trismegistus], and alchemy is linked with other occult sciences in the Hermetic literature of the first three centuries A.D., along with neo-Pythagorean, Neoplatonic, and Gnostic ideas.36

Note: Once again, it is inconceivable that the true Jesus Christ would ever use a term like divine alchemy that is so highly identified with the occult. This is yet one more troublesome New Age aspect to Jesus Calling and one more reason to question the validity of Sarah Young’s “Jesus.”

7) Co-creation
Sarah Young’s “Jesus” also introduces the key New Age concept of “co-creation.” This is a New Age evolutionary concept that falsely teaches that because man is God, he can therefore co-create with God. But man is not God.

The New Age “Christ” has a plan. He is promising the world that Armageddon can be avoided and world peace can be achieved if everyone collaborates and “co-creates” with him. Speaking through top New Age leader Barbara Marx Hubbard in her book The Revelation, the New Age “Christ” uses the terms co-create, co-creation, co-creative, co-creator, and co-creatorship over 100 times. This is because co-creation is a key element in the New Age Christ’s counterfeit plan of salvation for Planet Earth. At one point Hubbard’s “Christ” states:

Here we are, now poised either on the brink of destruction greater than the world has ever seen—a destruction which will cripple planet Earth forever and release only the few to go on—or on the threshold of global co-creation wherein each person on Earth will be attracted to participate in his or her own evolution to godliness.37 (emphasis added)

New Age author Neale Donald Walsch has been taking spiritual dictation from his New Age “God” for many years now. Soon after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, “God,” speaking through Walsch, proclaimed that “the era of the Single Savior is over.” He said:

Yet let me make something clear. The era of the Single Savior is over. What is needed now is joint action, combined effort, collective co-creation.38 (emphasis added)

In Jesus Calling, Young’s “Jesus” introduces the idea of co-creation in conjunction with the term “collaborating.” Webster’s New World Dictionary’s sole definition of a collaborationist is “a person who cooperates with an enemy invader.”39 Sarah Young’s “Jesus” plays right into this New Age collaboration when he talks of humanity collaborating and co-creating with him:

This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me. I, the Creator of the universe, have deigned to co-create with you.40 (emphasis added)

Co-creation is a crucial New Age concept that entails the necessity of man recognizing he is God and then acting as God to affirm, visualize, envision, and to ultimately co-create with God a positive peaceful future. Thus, there is a definite overlap of terms as Sarah Young’s “Jesus” similarly teaches that humanity can partner with God through the co-creation process. Barbara Marx Hubbard’s New Age “Christ” refers to a future world peace that can be visualized and co-created by mankind. This co-created world peace is referred to as the “alternative to Armageddon.”41 But the prophet Jeremiah warned about a peace that seems to heal but is, in reality, no peace at all (Jeremiah 8:11).

Note: This “alternative to Armageddon” peace process is described by New Age leaders as an important part of God’s Dream for the world. Not surprisingly, “God’s Dream” is another New Age concept that is introduced in Jesus Calling.

8) God’s Dream
Consistent with many of the other New Age implications contained in her channeled messages, Sarah Young’s “Jesus” introduces the New Age idea of “God’s Dream” in Jesus Calling when he states:

I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach.42

In Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids, the January 6th message/devotion is titled—and has “Jesus” telling the children—“Dare to Dream My Dream.”43

“God’s Dream” is a Deceptive Scheme
The term “God’s Dream” is yet another part of the overlapping New Age language streaming into the church. God’s Dream is a vague, loosely defined New Age metaphor that attempts to unify different religions and faith groups in an unbiblical effort to attain world peace. However, the true Jesus Christ warned that deception and the coming of Antichrist—not a “God’s Dream” peace movement—will be what actually precedes His ultimate and glorious return (Matthew 24:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5). The prophet Daniel warned that Antichrist will “destroy wonderfully” and “by peace he shall destroy many” (Daniel 8:24-25). In the future, what may appear to be a “wonderful” worldwide revival and a “wonderful” world peace will actually be a false revival and a false peace—the kind of peace that Daniel said will be associated with the coming of Antichrist, not the true Christ.

The New Age concept of God’s Dream was introduced at least as far back as 1916 by New Age theosophists in their Theosophical Path Magazine.44 Since then it has been used by numerous New Age sympathizers that include Oprah Winfrey,45 Wayne Dyer,46 former United Nations Indian guru Sri Chinmoy,47 and African bishop Desmond Tutu.48 The concept of God’s Dream was introduced into the church in the 1970s by former Crystal Cathedral pastor Robert Schuller49 and later adopted by Rick Warren,50 Brian McLaren,51 Joel Osteen,52 Bruce Wilkinson,53 Leonard Sweet,54 and many other Christian figures. The overlap factor is very apparent when comparing statements made by Oprah Winfrey, Joel Osteen, and Sarah Young’s “Jesus” :

Oprah Winfrey: God can dream a bigger dream for you than you can dream for yourself.55

Joel Osteen: God’s dream for your life is so much bigger than your own.56

Sarah Young’s “Jesus”: Dream your biggest, most incredible dream—and then know that I am able to do far more than that, far more than you can ever ask or imagine. Allow Me to fill your mind with My dreams for you.57

Rick Warren, Brian McLaren, and Leonard Sweet all used the God’s Dream metaphor to stress the urgency of achieving world peace—but at what compromised New Age cost?

Rick Warren: This weekend, I’ll begin a series of five messages on God’s dream to use you globally—to literally use YOU to help change the world! I’ll unvail our Global P.E.A.C.E. plan, and how God has uniquely prepared you for this moment of destiny.58

Brian McLaren: That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we’re seeking to align our wills with God’s will, our dreams with God’s dream.59

Leonard Sweet: The time to save God’s Dream is now. The People to save God’s Dream are you.60

“God’s Dream” is a False Dream
“God’s Dream” may seem to be inspirational and have a godly feel to it, but there is nothing in Scripture to even hint, much less substantiate, the New Age concept of God’s Dream. God doesn’t dream in any way, shape, manner, or form. God’s Dream is definitely one of those crossover terms like “co-creation” and “divine alchemy” that attempt to “shift” everything into a New Age context and towards the universal acceptance of a New Age/New Worldview. Sarah Young’s “Jesus” plays right into this clever conditioning when he introduces the concept of God’s Dream in Jesus Calling and in no less than three of Sarah Young’s other books.61 The prophet Jeremiah warned about those who prophesy and present false dreams like God’s Dream:

Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:32)

Note: Because so many Christian leaders have adopted the concept of God’s Dream, it has become a popularly accepted “Christian” term and is now virtually indistinguishable from its New Age origins.

9) God “in” Everything
The New Age teaches we are all “One” and we are all “God” because God is “in” everyone and everything. This belief is referred to as panentheism and is the foundational teaching of the New Age movement. In my 2004 book Deceived on Purpose, I describe how long-time New Age evangelist Benjamin Creme, speaking on behalf of the false Christ Maitreya, presents the concept of “God in everything” as the bottom line teaching of the coming New World Religion. Creme said:

But eventually a new world religion will be inaugurated which will be a fusion and synthesis of the approach of the East and the approach of the West. The Christ will bring together, not simply Christianity and Buddhism, but the concept of God transcendent—outside of His creation—and also the concept of God immanent in all creation—in man and all creation.62 (emphasis added)

But the true Jesus Christ never taught that God was a universal Presence that is “in man and all creation.” He did not teach that God is “in” everything. Yet the July 8th “message” that Sarah Young said she received from her “Jesus” definitely presents this false New Age teaching:

I am above all, as well as in all . . . 63

The true Jesus Christ knows that the foundational false teaching of the New Age/New Worldview is the concept of immanence—God “in all.” The true Christ teaches that God—in the Person of the Holy Spirit—is sent to indwell those who believe and follow Him (John 14:23). But He would never teach that God is “in man and all creation” or “in all” as Sarah Young’s “Jesus” states in Jesus Calling.

Note: Many Scriptures refute this idea that God is “in” all—Ezekiel 28:2, Galatians 6:3, Psalm 9:20, Isaiah 31:3, John 2:24-25, etc. Psalm 39:5 makes it very clear that “every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Man is not God or a part of God because God is not universally “in” everything—God is not “in all.”

10) Sarah Young’s New Agey Mystical Moonlight Conversion
In the original introduction to Jesus Calling, Sarah Young described how it was a walk in “God’s glorious creation” that led to her mystical moonlight conversion—that her “heart” was “converted” to “Jesus” when she “felt” “enveloped” by the “warm mist” of His “Presence.” Her account is reminiscent of how many of us fell prey to deceptive spiritual experiences rather than heeding warnings from the Word of God about “another Jesus,” “another gospel,” and “another spirit.” (2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6-7; 1 Timothy 4:1). Note how Young clearly transitions right from “it was God’s glorious creation that helped me open my heart to Him” into her walk in the “snowy mountains” with its “cold moonlit beauty.” It is a continuous flow from one paragraph to the next. Young wrote:

It was the intellectual integrity of Francis Schaeffer’s teaching that had drawn me to that pristine place. Though the quest that had taken me there was a search for truth, it was God’s glorious creation that helped me open my heart to Him.

One night I found myself leaving the warmth of our cozy chalet to walk alone in the snowy mountains. I went into a deeply wooded area, feeling vulnerable and awed by cold, moonlit beauty. The air was crisp and dry, piercing to inhale. Suddenly I felt as if a warm mist enveloped me. I became aware of a lovely Presence, and my involuntary response was to whisper, “Sweet Jesus.” This utterance was totally uncharacteristic of me, and I was shocked to hear myself speaking so tenderly to Jesus. As I pondered this brief communication, I realized it was the response of a converted heart; at that moment I knew I belonged to Him. This was far more than the intellectual answers for which I’d been searching. This was a relationship with the Creator of the universe.64 [emphasis added to indicate what has been removed from the most recent editions of Jesus Calling].

But after nine years of publishing the mystical conversion account above, this original account has been suddenly replaced by a different, more traditional conversion account that Young now claims to have had prior to her moonlight walk. Instead of “God’s glorious creation” transitioning into her mystical moonlight conversion, now it’s her new conversion account that transitions into her considerably toned down walk in the moonlight. The new account reads:

Shortly after I settled into the home I shared with other students, I met a gifted counselor who had come from the Swiss branch of L’Abri to talk with some of us. I went into the room where she was waiting, and she told me to close the door. Before I even had time to sit down, she asked her first question: “Are you a Christian?” I answered that I wasn’t sure; I wanted to be a Christian, but I didn’t really understand why I needed Jesus. I thought that knowing God might be enough. Her second question was: “What can you not forgive yourself for?” This question brought me face-to-face with my sinfulness, and immediately I understood my need for Jesus—to save me from my many sins. Later, when I was alone, I asked Him to forgive all my sins and to be my Savior-God.

One night I found myself leaving the warmth of our cozy chalet to walk alone in the snowy mountains. I went into a deeply wooded area, feeling vulnerable and awed by cold, moonlit beauty. The air was crisp and dry, piercing to inhale. After a while, I came into an open area and I stopped walking. Time seemed to stand still as I gazed around me in wonder—soaking in the beauty of this place. Suddenly I became aware of a lovely Presence with me, and my involuntary response was to whisper, “Sweet Jesus.” This experience of Jesus’ Presence was far more personal than the intellectual answers for which I’d been searching. This was a relationship with the Creator of the universe—the One who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6 NKJV)65

This new conversion account immediately begs the question of why Young didn’t include this recent conversion account in her original writing. For nine years she described how her “heart” was “converted” in the “cold moonlit beauty” of “God’s glorious creation.” Now we are being told that her heart was converted previous to her walk in the moonlight after talking with a L’Abri counselor. The skeptical reader might see the author attempting to do some quick damage control—especially in light of the fact that a number of the controversial statements from her original conversion account have been completely deleted from the most recent editions of Jesus Calling. Gone is the original statement that transitioned to her mystical conversion—“it was God’s glorious creation that helped me open my heart to Him.” Gone is the “warm mist” that “enveloped” her. Gone is the “utterance” that was “totally uncharacteristic of me.” Gone is her being “shocked” to hear herself “speaking so tenderly to Jesus.” Gone is her realization that her “response” was that of “a converted heart.” Gone is “at that moment I knew I belonged to Him.” More succinctly—gone is her whole mystical moonlight conversion and gone are the New Age implications of what she actually experienced. Also gone for many of us is any real credibility for an author and publisher who are trying to edit their problems away without any explanation or apology to anyone—much less the millions of readers who read her original version.

CONCLUSION
It seems a bit disingenuous for Thomas Nelson Vice President Laura Minchew to deny the various New Age implications of Jesus Calling—even as they are deleting much of the very material that substantiates the New Age implications charge. A rose by any other name is still a rose. Same with the New Age. Like an octopus that shoots ink at its perceived adversaries to cloud the waters, Minchew’s attempt to intimidate critics and to dispel legitimate criticism is not credible. Laura Minchew, Sarah Young, and Thomas Nelson editors must know this or they wouldn’t be removing so much controversial material from their new editions of Jesus Calling.

When the author and her Thomas Nelson team choose to protect their multi-million dollar Jesus Calling industry rather than the truth, they betray the countless readers who have put their trust in Sarah Young’s “Jesus.” Nevertheless, some will still say—“but there is so much truth and so much Scripture, and I was so encouraged by Sarah Young’s book.” Or, “Hey, so what if they changed things. They were just trying to make it right—so what’s the problem? But it is a sad day when avowed Christians find themselves encouraged by a deceptive mix of truth and New Age error. And when an author and a publisher make significant changes to spiritually controversial material, they should provide some kind of explanation as to why those changes were made.

This much is for sure. The true Christ doesn’t mix truth with New Age teachings. This is what a false Christ does. When asked by His disciples what would be the sign of His coming and the end of the world, the true Jesus Christ said that deception would be the sign—that many would come in His name and pretend to be Him (Matthew 24:3-5). And while this might be hard for some people to accept, His warning specifically applies to false Christs like Sarah Young’s “Jesus.”

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Endnotes
1. Jim Fletcher, “Top Christian Bestseller Accused of Heresy” (World Net Daily, http://www.wnd.com/2014/05/top-christian-bestseller-accused-of-heresy).
2. Q&A with Sarah Young, Author Profile (The Christian Broadcasting Network http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/books/jesuscallingqa.aspx).
3. Two Listeners; Edited by A.J. Russell, God Calling (Grand Rapids, MI: A Spire Book published by Jove Publications Inc., for Fleming H. Revell, 2005), p. 5.
4. John Ankerberg & John Weldon, Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1996), p. 103.
5. Ibid., p. 104.
6. Ibid., p. 80.
7. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson, 2004), pp. Xl-XII, Printing 12 13 14 15 RRD 49 48 47 46.
8. Ruth Graham, “The Strange Saga of ‘Jesus Calling,’ The Evangelical Bestseller You’ve Never Heard Of” (The Daily Beast, 02/23/14), http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/23/the-strange-saga-of-jesus-calling-the-evangelical-bestseller-you-ve-never-heard-of.html).
9. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 94.
10. Ibid., p. Xll.
11. Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, Webster’s New World Dictionary: Third College Edition (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1988), p. 234.
12. Ibid., p. 389.
13. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling; 10th Anniversary Edition (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson Inc, 2004, 2011, 2014), Printing 14 15 16 17 18 DSC 5 4 3 2 1.
14. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., pp. X-Xl.
15. John Ankerberg & John Weldon, Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs, op. cit., p. 578. Quoted from Dave Hunt & T.A. McMahon, The Seduction of Christianity: Spiritual Discernment in the Last Days (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1985), p. 123.
16. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, 10th Anniversary Edition, op. cit.
17. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 228.
18. Ibid., p. Xll.
19. Ibid., p. 362.
20. Ibid., p. 260.
21. Ibid., p. 139.
22. Ibid., p. 214.
23. Ibid., p. 241.
24. Ibid., p. 303.
25. Ibid., p. 85.
26. Ibid., p. 381.
27. Ibid., p. 209.
28. Ibid., p. 5.
29. Ibid., p. 360.
30. Ibid., p. 313.
31. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 260.
32. Webster’s New World Dictionary; Third College Edition, op. cit., p. 937.
33. Edited by N.G.L. Hammond and H.H.Scullard, The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, Second Edition, 1970), p. 36.
34. Ibid., pp. 36-37.
35. Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 1996), p. 281.
36. Edited by N.G.L. Hammond and H.H. Scullard, The Oxford Classical Dictionary, op. cit., p. 37.
37. Barbara Marx Hubbard, The Revelation: A Message of Hope for the New Millennium (Novato, CA: Nataraj Publishing, 1995), p. 174.
38. Neale Donald Walsch, The New Revelations: A Conversation with God (New York, NY: Atria Books, 2002), p. 157.
39. Victoria Neufeldt, Editor in Chief, Webster’s New World Dictionary; Third College Edition, op. cit., p. 273.
40. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 362.
41. Barbara Marx Hubbard, The Revelation, op. cit., p. 264.
42. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 6.
43. Sarah Young (adapted by Tama Fortner), Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids (Nashville, TN: Tommy Nelson, 2010), p. 7.
44. Katherine Tingley, Editor, Theosophical Path Magazine, Volume X, February 1916, p. 159.
45. Ann Oldenburg, “The Divine Miss Winfrey” (USA Today, May 10, 2006, http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-05-10-oprah_x.htm).
46.Wayne Dyer, You’ll See it When You Believe It: The Way to Your Personal Transformation (New York, N.Y.: HarperCollins, First Quill Ed., 2001), p. 108.
47. Sri Chinmoy; late resident Indian guru at the United Nations (http://www.yogaofsrichinmoy.com/god_the_author_all_good/mangod).
48. Desmond Tutu, “Archbishop Desmond Tutu Speech” (March 18, 2004, Bender Arena at American University, http://wwwl.media,american.edu/speeches/desmondtutu.htm).
49. Robert H. Schuller, Your Church Has Real Possibilities (Glendale, CA: Regal Books Division, G/L Publications, 1974), pp. 176-179.
50. Rick Warren, Saddleback Church e-mail, October 27, 2003, “GOD’S DREAM FOR YOU—AND THE WORLD!”; Warren Smith, Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church (Magalia, CA: Mountain Stream Press, 2004), pp. 131-142.
51. Brian McLaren, The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything (Nashville, TN: W. Publishing Group, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2006), p. 161.
52. Joel Osteen, “God’s Dream for Your Life”—Joel Osteen Ministries daily devotional 28 July Monday” (http://devotion.wedaretobelieve.com/2014/07/gods-dream-for-your-life-joel-osteen.html).
53. Bruce Wilkinson, The Dream Giver (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 2003), p. 77.
54. Leonard Sweet, SoulTsunami: Sink or Swim in the New Millennium Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999), p. 34.
55. Ann Oldenburg, “The Divine Miss Winfrey” (USA Today, May 10, 2006, http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-05-10-oprah_x.htm).
56. Joel Osteen, “God’s Dream for Your Life-Joel Osteen Ministries daily devotional 28 July Monday,”
57. Sarah Young (adapted by Tama Fortner), Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids, op. cit. p. 7.
58. Rick Warren, Saddleback Church e-mail, October 27, 2003, “GOD’S DREAM FOR YOU—AND THE WORLD!”; op. cit.
59. Brian McLaren, The Secret Message of Jesus, op cit., p. 161.
60. Leonard Sweet, SoulTsunami, op. cit., p. 34.
61. Sarah Young, Dear Jesus: Seeking His Light in Your Life (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2007), pp. 68-69; Sarah Young: Jesus Lives: Seeing His Love in Your Life (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), p. 124; Sarah Young (adapted by Tama Fortner), Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions For Kids, op. cit., p. 7.
62. a) Benjamin Creme, The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom (London, England: The Tara Press, 1980), p. 88, Cited from Deceived on Purpose (Magalia, CA: Mountain Stream Press, 2nd ed., 2004), p. 156. b) Alice Bailey and Djwhal Khul, The Reappearance of the Christ, Chapter 6—“The New World Religion” (Caux, Switzerland: Netnews Association and/or its suppliers, 2002), http://netnews.org), http://web.archive.org/web/20070220093122/http://laluni.helloyou.ws/netnews/bk/reappearance/reap1025.html).
63. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling, op. cit., p. 199.
64. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (original introduction), op. cit., pp. Vll-Vlll.
65. Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (revised introduction), (10th Anniversary Edition), op. cit., p. xiv.

Editor’s Note: Our attempts to speak with Sarah Young about the problematic issues in Jesus Calling have been to no avail. Thomas Nelson has repeatedly stated that she is not available for interviews.

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