Culture Conference - Duane Sheriff Ministries

Culture Conference | Part 1 | Awake or Woke

April 26, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • Isaiah 5:20, Romans 1:18, 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Corinthians 15:33–34, Proverbs 13:20

In this thought-provoking message, Duane exposes the cultural war raging between light and darkness. Referencing Ephesians 5:8, he warns Christians not to be deceived by the lies of the "woke" ideology that promotes moral relativism. The "woke" movement's advocacy for numerous genders beyond male and female exposes the devil's ploy to confuse God's people and lead them astray from biblical truth, as prophesied in Isaiah 5:20. The church must remain awake and stand firm on God's unchanging Word, which teaches in Genesis 1:27 and Matthew 19:4 that there are only two genders designed by God - male and female. It is imperative to expose and avoid the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Any ideology claiming more than the two God-ordained genders is an insidious deception from the Enemy, whose ultimate aim is to destroy God's beautiful design for human sexuality and the sacred family unit. The "woke" movement's redefinition of truth and morality is a tactic straight from Satan himself, who disguises himself as an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). However, the path of supposed enlightenment it offers is a lie that leads to spiritual darkness. The church must resist this false path and instead boldly walk as true "children of light" (Ephesians 5:8), holding forth the light of Christ's transformative truth in an increasingly secular world.

Culture Conference | Part 2 | Darkness vs. Light

April 27, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • Matthew 5:13–16, Romans 13:8–13, John 3:17–21, Acts 26:18–20, 1 Peter 2:9

According to the scriptures in Matthew 5:13-16, Romans 13:11-14, and 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, Christians are called to be the "light of the world" and not partake in the darkness around us. As "children of light," we should live holy, exposing evil, which will point people to the light of Christ. Duane contrasts the "woke" movement with being spiritually awake, saying the woke agenda loves darkness because "their deeds are evil" (John 3:19). This movement is a wake-up call for Christians to embrace their identity and embrace a "great awakening" for the church. Just as Jesus came as the 'great light' to shine on those living in darkness (Matthew 4:16), we, as believers, have a crucial role. We cannot condone sin, quoting Jesus telling the adulterous woman, 'Go and sin no more' (John 8:11). Duane urges believers to repent of any areas of spiritual slumber and numbness to the darkness encroaching in society. Using Acts 26:18, he reiterated our calling is to turn people' from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.'

Culture Conference | Part 3 | Armor of Light

April 27, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • Isaiah 54:14–17, Matthew 4:1–10, 1 Thessalonians 5:3–5, James 4:4, Ephesians 6:10–18

Believers must put on the whole armor of God, as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18, to engage in today's culture war. According to Duane, we are not merely fighting against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Duane breaks down the six pieces of spiritual armor as follows: 1. The Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14): He stresses the importance of being grounded in God's truth, as it is the weapon against Satan's lies. 2. The Breastplate of Righteousness (Isaiah 54:14): Our righteousness comes from God, not our efforts, protecting us from the enemy's accusations. 3. The Gospel of Peace (Psalms 28:3): We should not compromise for a false peace that demands disarmament from our spiritual weapons. 4. The Shield of Faith (Romans 10:17): Faith comes from hearing God's Word, enabling us to extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one. 5. The Helmet of Salvation (Isaiah 26:3): Protecting our minds and thought life, allowing us to think biblically and experience God's life. 6. The Sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 1:16): The Word of God is a sharp, two-edged sword that divides truth from lies and pierces spiritual darkness when spoken in love. These spiritual weapons are not mere metaphors but have real power to defeat the enemy's schemes. Believers are encouraged to embrace these truths, stand firm in their God-given authority, and boldly proclaim the truth in love to impact the culture for Christ.