Gossip is often dismissed as something normal or harmless, yet if you’ve been engaged in receiving or delivering gossip you know how hurtful it can be. In this conversation with Doreen Virtue on her YouTube channel, Amy and Michelle examine gossip through the lens of Scripture.
Doreen is a Christian author and sister in Discernment who once was heavily involved in the New Age before the Lord graciously saved her.
In this discussion, we define what gossip actually is, and how it differs from slander, so you can discern what honors the Lord in your conversations. We also address what God’s Word says about the use of our words, and why this issue matters for every believer.
Whether you’ve struggled with gossip, been hurt by it, or want to grow in wisdom and discernment, this conversation can help you to think more carefully about how you speak about others and how to manage situations that involve gossip. We address honest questions many Christian women have: are women more prone to gossip than men, or is that a cultural assumption? What should you do when someone gossips about you? And how do you navigate social settings, friendships, or workplace conversations where gossip is common and often expected?
We also discuss whether Christians should engage with celebrity gossip, even if it seems harmless or entertaining. This discussion may be convicting, and yet the intent is for all of us too grow in love, learn more about God, and honor Christ in the way we speak.
Links for Doreen Virtue:
“How to Avoid New Age & New Thought Deception” read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Instagram.com/DoreenVirtue
Facebook.com/DoreenVirtueForJesus
Twitter.com/DoreenVirtue
It’s another episode of The Pew! Not The View, The Pew! All of the joy, none of the Behar. It’s our view from the church pew on some important issues in evangelicalism. There’s a lot happening out there in the visible church, and we’ve got some interesting stories coming your way today! That’s why we do The Pew, so we can grab some of those headlines we’re seeing – oftentimes UNbiblical headlines – and talk about them biblically.
Is a Christian woman who was promiscuous prior to salvation ineligible for marriage to a Christian man? What does the Bible say about those who forbid the marriage of Believers? We’ll tackle this recent social media dumpster fire and share with you the story of one couple who are walking out God’s redemption of their past.
What does it mean for our lifestyle and season of life to “be Holy?” Isn’t that just legalism or self righteousness? Nope. Find out why in this episode on basic, everyday holiness.
Spoiler alert: We haven’t come up with anything fresh or innovative, here. In fact, you’ll probably hear us say a lot of things in this episode that we’ve said before. We’re not breaking any new ground or coming up with any sort of new approach, because, when it comes to basic, everyday holiness, you can’t improve on the perfection that is God’s Word.
The sin of gossip can be really hard to define precisely for every possible situation. Is it gossip anytime two or more people are talking about someone else? Does gossip always include revealing a confidence or spreading a rumor? Is it gossiping to warn against false teachers, implement church discipline, or discuss a widespread, public news story? Join us as we tackle these scenarios and more, and see what Scripture has to say about gossip, slander, rumors and secrets.
For most of us, social media plays at least a small part in our lives. And, just as with every other aspect of our lives, we want to use social media as a tool for glorifying God by what we take in and what we put out there. Let’s look at some ways we can wisely use social media according to biblical principles.
Have you heard of the Seven Mountain Mandate? It is an unbiblical movement within modern churches that has moved from fringe charismatic circles into broader evangelical denominations and non -denominations. At its core, this is a theology of dominion: the belief that the Church is called to take authority over society’s major institutions or spheres of influence in order to establish God’s kingdom on earth in visible, cultural ways before Christ returns.
The Seven Mountain Mandate is one of the Hallmarks of the New Apostolic Reformation. The mandate claims that God wants Christians to take control of 7 areas of influence in our culture: The Economy, Government, Media, Arts/Entertainment, Education, Family, and the Church. Not to be merely an influence, but to control and reclaim those areas by force for Christ, as mentioned earlier. The Seven Mountain Mandate sounds compelling because it promises that your career, your influence, even your position can have eternal impact. It feels ambitious and spiritual, like you’re high up in God’s grand, kingdom-level plan. But here’s the danger: it shifts the church’s focus from surrendering to Christ to human control of an earthly kingdom, from obedience to ambition. Success becomes cultural influence, not faithfulness to the Gospel.
The concept goes back to 1975, when Youth With a Mission or YWAM founder Loren Cunningham and Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) founder Bill Bright, independently claimed to receive similar, extra-biblical divine revelations about influencing seven cultural spheres for evangelism and discipleship purposes. More recently, pastor Lance Wallnau made the “Seven Mountain Mandate” popular by reframing it as a call for aggressive cultural conquest. Wallnau, along with Bethel Redding church’s Bill Johnson, teamed up in 2013 to co-author the influential book titled, Invading Babylon: The 7 Mountain Mandate.
We don’t need conquest in any earthly sphere, and Jesus doesn’t promise to come back if we do. Evangelism builds the Church, not the state.
Amy Spreeman recently sat down with our good friend Dave Jenkins on his podcast called Contending for the Word to define the Seven Mountain Mandate in plain terms, clarify why the
distinction between influence and authority matters and show how this teaching can subtly replace gospel proclamation with power-centered strategies. Scripture calls believers to faithfulness, obedience, and disciple-making. It does not authorize the Church to “take the mountains,” occupy cultural systems, or measure success by political and institutional control. What do Christians need to know about this movement seeping into many churches, and how can we contend for the faith?
What You’ll Hear on This Episode
What the Seven Mountain Mandate teaches: the push to “take” seven cultural spheres (government, education, media, business, family, religion, entertainment).
Influence vs. authority: why “influence” language often functions as a softer entry point to a dominion-driven agenda.
Mission drift: how the Seven Mountain Mandate can reshape the Great Commission into cultural conquest rather than gospel proclamation.
Scripture in context: how commonly cited passages are broadened or repurposed to justify a modern strategy Scripture does not teach.
Kingdom now claims: why the New Testament presents the Church as ambassadors and disciple-makers—not rulers in waiting.
