Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

Safe or Dangerous?

Notice

Notice: the below work is original research. I, David Wolcott, have a physical copy of an original Jesus Calling printing, ISBN 978-1-4041-1409-8, 2004, from which I’m documenting these changes. I am comparing these also against my second 2004 edition, ISBN 978-1-59145-188-4. These are not changes made years after the publication, but within weeks or months of the original publication.

I have all of the below edits documented in a public Logos Bible Software notebook titled "TDW.Jesus Calling Edits."

God Calling

While there are various theological concerns, I will let others handle those. The issue I want to focus on are the substantial edits made in the text nearly immediately after publishing. I could understand edits made years later, or if these were merely minor edits, but these are substantial revisions.

The most notable revision is the removal of the reference to The God Calling, as seen:

[2004 revised]

...also preparation for helping others.

The following year...

The revised editions are missing an entire paragraph, included here:

[2004 original]

...also preparation for helping others.

During that same year I began reading God Calling, a devotional book written by two anonymous “listeners.” These women practiced waiting quietly in God’s Presence, pencils and paper in hand, recording the messages they received from Him. The messages are written in first person, with “I” designating God. While I was living in Japan, someone had mailed this book to me from the U.S. I had not read it at that time, but I had held onto the book through two international moves. Six or seven years later, this little paperback became a treasure to me. It dovetailed remarkably well with my longing to live in Jesus’ presence.

The following year...

What is described by The God Calling is a process called "automatic writing," which is the same occult practice used by Enneagram inventors Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo. This is not a Christian practice. 

New Age Manifestation

[2004 revised]

Our combined ministries subjected our family to intense spiritual warfare, and I prayed for protection every morning. 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. When I prayed for myself, I was suddenly enveloped in brilliant light and profound peace. I had not sought this powerful experience of God’s Presence, but I received it gratefully and was strengthened by it.

 The original has some additional content starting at "then Steve encircled":

[2004 original]

Our combined ministries subjected our family to intense spiritual warfare, and I prayed for protection every morning. One morning as I prayed, I visualized God protecting each of us. I pictured first our daughter, 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. I had not sought the experience, but I received it gratefully and was strengthened by it.

This is a standard manifestation practice. Compare that to this, out of A Beginner's Guide to the Chakras, by Marion McGeough, especially point number 5:

1. ​Begin by sitting quietly in your healing space.
2. Put both hands palms down in the area of your heart.
3. Feel your heart beating, pumping blood and your life force throughout your body. ​
4. Now concentrate on your heart and feel a wall of healing energy around it. ​
5. ​Feel the energy expand as you begin to think of all of the people and things that you are grateful for. If you do not feel that you have much to be grateful for at the moment, be grateful for even the most simple of things such as having clean water, fresh air and a mind that can take to you in your imagination to any place you would like to go.
6. Now just sit quietly for a few moments and make a mental note of any thoughts and feelings you have been experiencing. ​
7. When you are ready, take a deep breath in through our nose; hold it, and now out through your mouth. ​
8. Now take your attention away from the heart and slowly become more aware of your environment.

Additional Resources

•  Tim Challies
  • Jesus Calling
  • 10 Serious Problems with Jesus Calling

If you'd like to add anything, or have corrections or recommendations, don't hesitate to reach out.