The Holly Pivec Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Doug Geivett, my co-author and long-time colleague, to discuss a very popular teaching in the church right now: “hearing God’s voice” outside of Scripture.Doug and I have co-authored four books on the New Apostolic Reformation. In this conversation, which is part of my larger series on "hearing God's voice," we address why the modern expectation of daily private messages from God has become so widespread and why it is spiritually risky.We respond to real pushback messages I have received, including claims that relying on Scripture to mediate God's voice means you only have a “relationship with a book.” We explain why that argument undermines both biblical authority and true intimacy with God. We also dig into what the Bible actually teaches about the Holy Spirit’s role in the believer’s life, what “being led by the Spirit” means, and why obedience is the biblical foundation for intimacy with God, not chasing impressions, dreams, or inner promptings.00:00 Intro and who Doug Geivett is01:53 Why this topic hits a nerve and the pushback has been intense03:51 Why “hearing God’s voice” is so appealing and why it became mainstream now06:08 How expectations are shaped by church culture and imitation08:35 The personal draw: intimacy, immediacy, and “God speaking to me”10:35 Main dangers: replacing real intimacy with an artificial metric12:18 The irony: seeking intimacy but actually blocking it14:35 Social pressure, spiritual insecurity, and manufactured experiences19:06 Reading pushback comments: “relationship with a book” and “living God speaks”21:07 Why Scripture still governs the question, even if God speaks in other ways24:19 Psalm 119 and why God’s Word is not “just a book”28:35 Why impressions are also a medium, and the inconsistency in the critique30:37 A sincere concern: “being led by the Spirit” and daily guidance34:47 Acts, decision making, and “it seemed good to us” vs “God told me”37:09 John 14 and what Jesus actually promised about the Holy Spirit41:29 Fruit of the Spirit and what it means to be led by the Spirit43:34 “Does God speak English?” Clarifying what people mean by “God spoke”45:44 Guidance through maturity vs claiming private revealed words47:52 Imagination based practices and why that is a problem50:19 The core claim: intimacy with God is grounded in obedience, not voice chasing52:24 Outro

Seventh-day Adventists, NAR, and The Miracle Myth: Protecting the African Church from Heresy & ExploitationIn the concluding segment of our interview with Paul Carden (Centers for Apologetics Research) and Rodgers Atwebembeire (Africa Center for Apologetics Research), we expose critical doctrinal threats and challenges in Africa, including the rapid growth of Seventh-day Adventism, the stealth infiltration of the New Apostolic Reformation, and the massive amount of false miracle claims.This segment includes vital information on the Project Priscilla ministry, which is equipping vulnerable women against exploitation, and a powerful example of how small donations make a massive, life-saving impact on the front lines of global discernment.In This Final Segment, You Will Learn:* The Miracle Deception: Why claims of healing in extreme charismatic movements, including NAR, lack credible evidence and how believers are blamed for their "lack of faith."* SDA Exposed: Why Seventh-day Adventism is doctrinally cultic ("False Prophet, Wrong Jesus, Impossible Salvation") and how it uses fear tactics (like the "mark of the beast") to pull Christians out of sound churches.* NAR's Stealth Invasion: How the Seven Mountain Mandate and Dominion Theology are infiltrating major denominations amd traditions, like the Anglican Church in Africa.* Dangerous Syncretism: The mixing of NAR spiritual warfare with African traditional religious beliefs (e.g., specific ancestral demons and curses).* Project Priscilla: The critical ministry focused on equipping women and girls who are culturally vulnerable to sexual and financial exploitation by predator "prophets."* Direct Impact: An eye-opening story showing how just $400 in funding resulted in outreach to over 400,000 people and brought victims out of cults.Timestamps (Jump to what interests you!):| 0:00 | The Miracle Myth: How Miracle Claims Lack Evidence || 3:11 | The Blame Game: Why Claimed Healings Fail and the Fault is Placed on the Victim || 4:25 | Project Priscilla: Equipping Women Against Spiritual Exploitation || 7:07 | Seventh-day Adventism Exposed: Why SDA Is a Cult || 11:00 | Investigative Judgment: The SDA Doctrine that Makes Salvation Impossible || 14:55 | The Stealth Infiltration of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) || 18:05 | Strategic Spiritual Warfare & African Syncretism (Targeting Ancestral Spirits) || 20:13 | The Global Challenge of Discernment (Are Evangelicals Aware?) || 23:17 | Partnerships and Ministry Needs (Literature, Prayer, Workers) || 26:50 | The Power of Small Donations: How $400 Reached 400,000 People || 28:48 | Call to Action: How to Partner with CFAR (Prayer & Support) |Connect with the Ministries and Support Their Work:The Centers for Apologetics Research (CFAR): thecenters.orgLIKE & SHARE this video to equip and warn others about these critical issues!SUBSCRIBE for more essential discussions on theology, discernment, and global missions.#SDAExposed #NARHeresy #FalseProphets #AfricanChurch #Discernment #ProjectPriscilla #Cults #SeventhDayAdventist #WordOfFaith #Apologetics

The future of global Christianity is African, but this explosive growth is under massive attack. Join us as we interview Paul Carden (Centers for Apologetics Research) and Rodgers Atwebembeire (Africa Center for Apologetics Research) to discuss the hidden dangers, manipulative movements, and organized cults aggressively targeting Christians across the continent.This is a deep dive into the "flip side of the Great Commission"—the vital work of doctrinal polemics and counter-cult ministry needed to prevent spiritual disillusionment and protect millions from toxic, heretical teaching.In this Urgent Discussion, You Will Learn:* Why the Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel movements are devastating in Africa.* The difference between general apologetics and cult-focused doctrinal polemics.* How aggressive international cults like Shincheonji (South Korea) and UCKG (Brazil) are operating.* The terrifying reality of indigenous false prophets—from those commanding followers to eat grass to those causing mass starvation deaths (e.g., the Shakahola Forest tragedy).* Why the chaos of extreme charismatic groups, including the New Apostolic Reformation, makes orderly cults, like Mormonism, appealing.* The danger of spiritual inoculation: when false doctrines turn people away from true Christianity.Timestamps (Jump to what interests you!):| 0:00| The Mission: Apologetics & Dealing with Cults ||1:22| What Sets CFAR/ACFAR Apart From Other Mission Agencies? (Doctrinal Polemics) || 3:43 | Why Counter-Cult Ministry is Necessary (The Biblical Mandate) || 7:49 | The Danger of Spiritual Inoculation and Disillusionment || 10:00 | The Staggering Demographics: Africa is the Future of Christianity || 13:17 | Why African Believers are Especially Vulnerable to Cults || 17:07 | The Allure of Order vs. Chaos (Mormonism vs. NAR) || 18:49 | Unmasking the Biggest Threats: International & Indigenous Cults || 20:16 | The Shocking Reality of Local False Prophets (Shakahola, Mbonye) || 25:00 | The Devastating Impact of the Word of Faith Movement (Hagin, Oyedepo) |Connect with the Ministries and Support Their Work:The Centers for Apologetics Research (CFAR): thecenters.org LIKE & SHARE this podcast to equip and warn others about these critical issues!SUBSCRIBE for more essential discussions on theology, discernment, and missions.#ChristianApologetics #Cults #Heresy #AfricanChurch #ProsperityGospel #WordOfFaith #FalseProphets #Missions #DoctrinalPolemics #ChristianDiscernment

Many Christians assume that if a sermon is biblically sound, it must be expository, but is that always true? In this conversation with my husband, Adam Pivec, we look beyond the label to explore what genuine "expository preaching" is. And we provide a checklist of things to listen for during your next Sunday sermon to know if your pastor is exegeting the text.This episode examines subtle, but crucial issues:• Why “using the Bible” doesn't guarantee that a sermon communicates the biblical author's intent• How some sermons begin in the text but drift into opinion or agenda• The role of the pastor as a messenger, not an originator of truth• Why faithful preaching often corrects our expectations rather than confirming themUltimately, this discussion reminds us that true expository teaching does more than reference Scripture, it submits to it. When the Word leads, the church is not shaped exclusively by the imagination or creativity of the preacher but by the voice of God Himself.

How to know if a sermon is faithful to the biblical intent? In this episode, I sit down with my husband, Adam Pivec, to talk about something we care deeply about: expository preaching. We explore what it really is, why it's essential for the church today, and why so many sermons drift away from Scripture without people recognizing it.We explain the difference between exegesis (drawing meaning from Scripture) and eisegesis (reading our own ideas into it), and why getting this right is foundational for faithful Christian teaching and discipleship. We also discuss how sermons can subtly shift into opinion, trends, or personality-driven messages, even when pastors still quote the Bible. And Adam shares the concerning methods regularly used to preach within the New Apostolic Reformation movement.If you've ever struggled to find a church that teaches the Bible faithfully, or wondered whether topical sermons can be biblical, we address those issues, too. We also share encouragement for believers who feel discouraged by the lack of churches that teach exegetically, and what to do about it.#exegesis #doctrine #bibleverses #hermeneutics #hollypivec