Hearing from Spirit Helpers

Makestraightpaths.com examines the teachings of the religious group variously known as “the Family,” “The Family International,” the “Children of God,” or the “Family of Love,” and evaluates these teachings from a Christian perspective.

This page is the first in a series examining the Family teachings about spirit helpers.

Spirit Helpers

One of the most controversial Family teachings concerns their long-standing belief that Christians may freely communicate with “spirit helpers.” To the Family, spirit helpers are people who have died, or angels, or other spiritual beings who are active in the ‘spirit world,’ an unseen dimension that coexists with the visible material world. According to the Family, these beings are unrestricted by human limitations and actively assist Christians in their work for the Lord.

The Bible recounts numerous incidents of angels manifesting to people on earth, usually bringing messages from God, and sometimes intervening in the affairs of men. The founder of the Family, however, extended traditional teaching about angels far beyond that normally accepted. Thousands of pages of teaching has been published on the subject, cementing these doctrines firmly within Family theology.

Notably, the Family believes that:

Christians who have died may be given permission to return to earth as spirit helpers in order to render assistance.
In fact any person who has died may be given such permission.
The Family believes that these spirit helpers may communicate with Christians, and that Christians may converse with them via the gift of prophecy.
The Family believes that they may actively attempt to contact these spirit helpers in order to avail themselves of their assistance.
The Family believes that they have received messages and/or assistance from numerous well-known people, including Elvis Presley, General Douglas Macarthur, Marilyn Monroe, Richard Nixon, Joan of Arc and others. They have also named many spirit helpers who are said to be the spirits of lesser-known people.
The Family believes that these spirit helpers may actually use the bodies of living people to accomplish their purposes. For example, a spirit helper may control the mouth of a Christian in order to give a prophetic message, or influence a person's thoughts or movements.
Family members are encouraged to identify their personal spirit helpers, to contact them and to communicate with them. Children in the Family are given comics depicting spirit helpers and are taught that they too may contact and communicate with their own spirit helpers.

This question is extremely controversial: the practice of contacting the dead is strenuously condemned by mainstream Christianity yet hotly defended by numerous Family publications. Most churches categorically condemn the practice as akin to witchcraft or the occult, saying it is categorically forbidden by God, carrying with it dire eternal consequences. The Family disagrees, claiming that there is nothing inherently wrong with the practice, and even claims that certain Bible passages justify their beliefs.

The following series of pages addresses various issues concerning spirit helpers and contacting the dead and examines the scriptures used by the Family to justify their doctrines.

Saul and the witch. The Bible recounts that on the night before his final battle, King Saul went to a witch in order to contact the prophet Samuel, who had died some time before. The Family claims that this story sets a precedent for contacting people who have died, especially as Samuel was a godly man, a true prophet of God. In general, the Family does not condone going to witches, but this passage is used in the Family as proof that contacting the dead is in fact possible.

The Transfiguration. This is another passage where godly people who had died were seen and heard by those still living. In this case Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus while Peter, James and John stared on in amazement. The Family claims that this passage proves that not only is it possible to contact the dead, but that it is legitimate to do so.

The messenger in the book of Revelations. The Family believes that much of the book of Revelations was given to the apostle John by a departed saint. Therefore, according to the Family, Christians may contact the spirits of the dead in order to receive prophetic messages.

Lazarus and the rich man. In this parable, the paths of two people are followed after they die. It has much to tell us about communication between the world of the living and the realm of the dead.

Angels and demons. Over the years, the Family has developed its theories about angels, claiming to know the names and roles of many angels. This page contains excerpts from two dictionaries articles about angels and a number of useful links.

The great cloud of witnesses. Hebrews 12:1 says that believers are surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses.” The Family believes that this means that the spirits of dead believers are actually present to render assistance when needed, and therefore maybe contacted at will.

Bible commandments regarding contacting the dead. The Bible has a number of specific commands regarding contacting the dead. This pages discusses these passages in light of the Family's beliefs.

Trying the spirits. The First Epistle of John contains an enigmatic passage encouraging its readers to “try” or “test” the spirits whether they are of God. The Family believes that this passage means that Christians have the power, authority and means to evaluate whether a certain spirit being is of God or of the devil. In other words, according to the Family, Christians may determine whether the “spirit helper” they are in contact with is the spirit of a departed saint or actually a demon in disguise.

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