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Misled: 7 Lies That Distort the Gospel

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The gospel is under attack today--not only from outside cultural forces but also from within the church. In Misled , popular YouTuber and Bible teacher Allen Parr equips readers to identify and withstand seven of the most common false teachings that undermine the gospel and lead many well-meaning Christians astray. For an anxious and weary world, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the one true source of deep peace and lasting joy. But today, many supposedly Christian teachers are spreading ideas that amount to what Paul called "another gospel." The result? A generation of believers confused about what God really says, what he offers, and what he wants for his children. From the heavy burden of legalism to an overemphasis on prosperity or spiritual gifts to warped understandings of grace, every false teaching has two things in they all use half-truths that look and sound biblical (making them very difficult to identify) and they all harm and discourage those who are trying to follow the way of Jesus. In Misled , Allen Parr weaves together stories from his own spiritual journey and the lives of those he's ministered to in order to show the painful consequences of following false teachings and to provide clear explanations of what the Bible really teaches about the gospel. Readers will With the same balanced, Bible-based approach that has made Parr's YouTube channel a go-to resource, Misled offers clarity and hope for anyone who has felt discouraged or confused in their spiritual journey—and invites readers to find everything they've been searching for in the true gospel.

240 pages, Hardcover

Published June 13, 2023

209 people are currently reading
626 people want to read

About the author

Allen Parr

22 books12 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Amanda E. (aebooksandwords).
152 reviews62 followers
March 22, 2024
The subtitle of Misled rightly describes what you will find in this book: A presentation of things that distort the Gospel of Christ, how they affect people, and how biblical truth compares.

As someone who used to be stuck in false teaching myself, I first found myself interested in this book because I wanted to see if it could be a helpful resource for others, especially concerning things like positive confession, the prosperity gospel, and progressive Christianity. Misled is an excellent asset in this endeavor. The book simply and succinctly explains these false teachings and how believers can be affected by them.

UPDATE to my review (06/21/2023): After a friend pointed out some info about the topic of eternal security to me, specifically how this book presents it, I want to add that I think one should be more careful in how they present views on certain topics that have a range of different biblical positions and are secondary issues vs essentials, particularly in a book seeking to share about lies that misled believers. For example, with Calvinism—as the author leans—versus Arminian views, it probably isn’t best to say that one or the other is “misled” in a book that is talking about “lies that distort the Gospel” (as the book’s title and subtitle express) on a topic like eternal security when there are Scripture passages that can be interpreted to support with the other position as well. Perhaps it could have been presented differently, perhaps not included at all; it’s hard to say. If I share this book, it will have to be with that caveat in mind.

As the author writes,

“Above and beyond anything else I could pray for you as we conclude our journey together is that this book has taught you the importance of having discernment. . . We all need to be more like the believers of the Berean church of whom it was said, ‘The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so’ (Acts 17:11).”

I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher and I am reviewing this book voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Becky.
847 reviews18 followers
May 16, 2023
I've encountered many of the lies included in this book, some personally, some vicariously and I appreciate the way that Allen Parr parses the truth from the Word of God and brings these false teachings to light. I appreciate his teachings on YouTube and find that this book only adds to his position as a teacher of God's word.

Allen does what few people try to do--expose lies, but at the same time, he exposes the truth behind the lies. He's not afraid to name names on either side of the table. What I got most from this book is how God must be grieved by our willingness to be deceived. I feel bad for the poor fictional character who
set up each chapter by going from pillar to post among the false teachers. To hit all seven of them breaks all the odds.
This book is not to be missed. Five Stars

Nelson Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Profile Image for Cathryn.
401 reviews39 followers
October 30, 2023
Allen Parr has given straightforward answers to big questions in his book Misled. I watched him for a while on YouTube and found his book to be a great accompaniment to his ministry. Several questions are ones I have dealt with myself, so it’s very relatable. He responds to prosperity gospel, progressive Christianity, NAR, New Thought, etc. I liked how you follow Jarren along his journey with the different churches. I’d recommend this for any Christian, but feel high-school/college students would benefit mostly. This is one of the most accessible Apologetic books on the market today.
Profile Image for Read-n-Bloom.
411 reviews9 followers
December 11, 2023
This is a wonderful book on how there are some ways that leaders or others mislead others, young Christian or not, and this book names those misleadings. With young Christians it’s like we’re trying to show someone how to walk and he doesn’t know what to do or how to do it. So some of us jumps in and shows how we need to walk for God, but some can be wrong and mislead instead of helping. Those are who we need to watch out for because they could lead us astray from God. Most of the misleadings I agreed with, but the one I mostly disagreed with was the “you can lose your salvation” The author wrote that you can’t lose your salvation, a kind of “once in grace always in grace” belief. I don’t disagree completely. I do believe it takes a lot and just willful sinning again and again to lose our salvation, but I believe you can. It’s usually because a person just stops caring about their salvation or they get caught up in sin and just won’t let go. But I do believe we can lose it, but we CAN get it back if we’re sincere in our repentance. I know some may not believe this and I understand , but this is my belief and others as well. I don’t believe it can happen in an instant t happens over a period of time. We must always keep ourselves in tune with GOD and our election sure. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review #Misled with my honest opinion and thoughts.
Profile Image for Meg.
118 reviews23 followers
July 21, 2023
Oh, man. I REALLY wanted to unequivocally LOVE this book. I will say that I did unequivocally love about three-quarters of it.

I am not an adherent to the doctrine of eternal security, and I was disappointed that Parr opted to take a very strong position on what is a complex and disputable matter amongst genuine believers. It took this book out of the category of being universally useful and acceptable across denominations and plunked it into a theological niche that will alienate some people who otherwise could have really benefited.

Parr had other options. I wish that instead of leaning so hard on eternal security, he had focused on the universally accepted biblical truth that salvation is not something we can “lose,” like losing your keys. To my knowledge, every position on eternal security still acknowledges that the devil cannot snatch us from God’s hands and that slipping into sin does not disqualify us from the Kingdom of God. There is no need to consciously repent of every single sin, and failure to live perfectly does not disqualify us for salvation. Parr could have written a much stronger and more universally useful book by focusing on these truths that have broad consensus, rather than taking a strong position on a controversial issue. And by doing so, I think he could still have accomplished his purpose in that chapter, perhaps even more effectively.

In the chapter on discipleship, I felt he spent more time calling out the Church for not discipling well than he did helping the individual believer understand what a life of discipleship looks like. The critique of the Church is warranted - we have certainly failed at discipleship - but it felt like the wrong book for it and like Parr forgot for a little while who his audience was.

This book is SO strong in the other chapters that these two were an absolute heartbreak for me. I think there was a lot of potential lost. I will likely still use this book for teaching, but I will skip those chapters and cover that material using different resources.

I have a boatload of highlights and notes from this read; if anyone is interested, I can make them viewable.
Profile Image for Kristen Zimmerman.
47 reviews23 followers
November 2, 2023
So many people who are new to faith, young, or finding their own faith aside from their families are searching for a church home. It's very easy to be caught in the lights, the welcoming community, the worship - it's hard to discern the truth. Allen Parr does a phenomenal job of creating real life instances of the different ways that churches can lead you down the wrong path. The character, Jarren, is experiencing different things as he moves from church to church trying to find the ONE church that will teach him the truth. I've seen how churches/pastors/congregants can distort the truth to fit their narrative. The best thing about this book isn't how Parr introduces these ways that lead people astray, but he backs up everything he says with Scripture. He is showing what the Bible, the truth, says about these specific topics. This is a book that I will recommend to so many who question the teachings of "famous" churches, and even small churches that do things that just don't sit right with them. Thank you for speaking truth and focusing it on the ONE.

Thank you NetGalley, Nelson Books, and Allen Parr for the ARC copy!
Profile Image for Moski.
18 reviews
July 14, 2023
This is A MUST READ for any Christian who wants to grow and develop their faith THE RIGHT WAY! I was blown away by all the modalities that I assumed was okay because I was either taught that by pastors in the past or because that’s what everyone else was saying or doing. I really didn’t put any thought into my walk with God and my faith until Allen Parr’s book. I wasn’t aware that some of the churches I visited were practicing in some of the very concerns he lays out quite clearly and straight to the point in this book! One of the reasons why this book was a five start for me was because Allan doesn’t deviate from his personal beliefs about Christ and the church. He gives it to us straight with NO CHASERS! This book will elevate your mindset and would have you question, what have you been taught from churches from your past and your present. I must say that chapter 7, was my CHAPTER! You won’t be disappointed. If you ever want to know how to be sure you’re not getting played or aka misled them you need to pick up Misled! It’s a Christian game changer!
Profile Image for Jessica.
62 reviews
May 10, 2023
Misled is a book that anyone who has experienced confusion based on false teachings they have encountered in their church. Many people have felt disillusioned when they didn't receive the promised healing or planted their"seed" money but never saw the return. Many false gospels and teachings are out there and Misled tackles them one by one in a Biblical way. This would also be a great book for those who are speaking with people who are hesitant to go to church again because of being previously misled and disappointed in their past church experiences.

I enjoyed the author's approach of using a fictional character going to various churches to illustrate false teachings within some churches. Parr is very fair and Biblical as he points out the error in these teachings. So many people don't understand the true Gospel and Parr really lays it out in a clear and understandable way.
Profile Image for Leslie.
97 reviews12 followers
July 17, 2023
This was a fun, engaging and eye-opening read. It helps us to understand how we can be cautious of the teachings we hear in churches, online, or even anywhere. Allen Parr encourages his readers to use their discernment of whether something is from God or not.

I may not agree with everything Allen Parr stands for, and some things he’s said had confused or upset me, but he’s on point in this book.

Well done, Allen Parr!
Profile Image for hannah cottrill.
426 reviews10 followers
December 13, 2024
|| 5 ⭐️ ||

A remarkable overview of some of the biggest misleading doctrines that plague Christian and “Christian” spheres today. The author does an excellent job of sifting and discerning false and flawed teachings such as the prosperity gospel, word of faith/positive confession, progressive Christianity, continuationism, and the idea that one can lose their salvation. Very theologically sound and well-rooted in a proper interpretation of Scripture. It provided a lot more clarity for me on these issues—while I know that these misleading beliefs aren’t scriptural, it’s easy to forget exactly why and good to be reminded. In addition to being encouraging for brushing up on discernment for my own personal walk, it’s also helpful in providing some talking points for when I find myself discussing these things with people who have gravitated toward false teaching in the church. One of those books that any believer could benefit from, newer and mature Christians alike.

Profile Image for Chris.
625 reviews2 followers
November 24, 2023
Interesting book that brought into perspective a few different religious faction beliefs and how they attempt to use the Bible to defend their teachings. This author did a nice job digging deep into scripture and defending Christianity by quoting the word of God. The chapter on what the Bible teaches about salvation was very interesting and how some religious groups teach this falsely is mind boggling. Quick read that helps analyze the scriptures to defend the Christian faith.
Profile Image for Dan Mingo.
255 reviews5 followers
January 7, 2024
Incredible book! This would be an amazing resource to anyone searching for answers on what a godly fellowship should have or not have. I personally plan to get copies of this for my kids as they start their senior years. This would add clarity to their walk with Christ as well as discerning steps to choosing a good church when they leave the house.
Profile Image for Dwain Minor.
360 reviews3 followers
May 30, 2025
Good and straightforward look at distortions of the gospel that Christians run into today.
Profile Image for Julia Dekker.
2 reviews
July 10, 2025
Was het niet met alles eens, maar een heel goed boek over geloven in de 21e eeuw!!
Profile Image for Susan Mather Barone.
156 reviews16 followers
May 6, 2023
I have a list of Bible teachers I tune in to listen to on YouTube. Allen Parr is on that list. With well over a million subscribers, he hosts The BEAT (Biblical Encouragement And Truth) where he provides succinct lessons in scripture on what God has to say about some of the problems Christian face today. He wants to help people become students of the Bible, so they will become equipped to discern truth from lies. He has answered many questions Christians have about their salvation, the end times, and how to hear from God. Allen doesn’t shy away from talking about what God has to say about some of the serious issues within our culture.

Allen reveals seven major ways false teachers have corrupted the Gospel message in “Misled: 7 Lies That Distort the Gospel (and How You can Discern the Truth).” He created a fictional character, Jarren, who is a new Christian looking for a church to attend. In each chapter, Allen progresses from the not-so-bad to deadly lies some professing Christians claim are true of God and His Word. I’ve tried to condense the main message about each of the ways people have been duped by deceivers. Allen uses more scriptures than I have listed here. He demonstrates how to defend against lies with truth found in the Bible. Here are the 7 lies he worked through:

Speaking in Tongues
False teachers tell Christians they aren’t saved if they can’t speak in tongues, Allen said. They claim it proves the Holy Spirit is within us, and if we can’t speak in tongues then we’re not Christians. Some even tell Christians they have to wait for the Spirit in the same way as the early church, but Paul tells us it happens when we are saved. (Read Ephesians 1:1-14) He said when we “believed in him, [we] were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13-14)

Health and Wealth/Prosperity Theology/Word of Faith Movement
Many televangelists have promoted this second false teaching. They have amassed wealth and large congregations. They call it “sowing seeds” when they assure their audiences that God will either multiple the money that is sent to them or provide them with healing for their illnesses. Our relationship with God becomes transactional at that point, Allen said. God doesn’t serve us by making us well and prosperous if we send money to a ministry, no matter how much these men and women claim that is true. Allen pointed out several flaws in this chapter, but the one that stood out for me: Jesus warned that we’ll experience suffering and persecution. Health, wealth, and happiness in the here and now are not promised. Just look at Paul’s experience. How many times was he jailed? Beaten? In 2 Corinthians 12, he said he asked God three times to remove his “thorn in the flesh,” but God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Did that mean Paul didn’t have enough faith? Did he not “sow” enough seeds?

Speaking Things Into Existence
Allen has discussed a few of our worship songs today that talks about Christians having God’s power to manifesting things into existence through our words. Christians are afraid to say anything negative. They believe their words have the same power as God’s when He created the world. But Allen said we cannot create like God. He created out of nothing. We can use paints, wood, butter and flour, in other words, created things to make something new. We can’t speak things into existence. We are not God, nor are we “little gods.” We are made righteous by Jesus Christ’s blood. We are coheirs with Christ, and we are children of God when we accept Christ. But God’s power is not our own. False teachers would have us believe we can “manifest” healing or wealth on our own, but they seek to steal God’s glory. Many end up placing their faith in a person then and not God. These false teachers ultimately want the glory for themselves.

Prophets and Prophecies
Allen introduced two words that spell check hated: cessationists vs. continuationists. As the word implies, the first group believe that “certain miraculous spiritual gifts, such as divine healing, speaking in tongues, and prophecy ceased when the apostles died, and the canon of the Scripture was completed.” (Source for this quote.) The apostle Paul predicted these special gifts would cease in verses 8-10 of the love passage, 1 Corinthians 13.

The second group, continuationists, believe that the Holy Spirit still gives Christians miraculous spiritual gifts and prophetic words to speak over God’s people. Allen said spiritual gifts should edify the church and point to the power of Jesus Christ as the apostles did in their day. But many use these so-called gifts to want to appear more spiritual than other Christians. False teachers lie about having these special healing powers to dupe them into sending in money in exchange for healing they can’t give. The fraudulent faith healer actually handpicks people with unverifiable illnesses to heal them. Allen cracked a joke here: a friend tells Jarren they need to show up early so they can find front-row seats. God does His best healing there.

As for prophets and prophecies, Allen said Old Testament prophets spoke for God who called His people to repentance and restoration. They warned people about God’s plans for them if they continued in their sin. These prophets were often reviled and tortured by their own people. Old Testament prophets knew that speaking for God is serious business. They would lose their lives if they lied and said something came from the Almighty when it came from their own hearts.

In the new testament, Allen said the prophets often spoke about the fulfillment of Old Testament promises to God’s people. He said pastors and teachers of scripture today do the same. They too need to ensure what they say is verified in scripture. Too many pick and choose what fits their narrative or what makes people comfortable. Allen said not to believe anyone who claims to have the authority to speak for God about the future of the whole Church outside of what scriptures tell us. The Bible is a closed canon.

Now, Allen does believe Christians can speak a prophetic word of encouragement over the lives of people of faith. But he wants us to test whatever “God told them” against scripture. Don’t accept everything spoken over your life as coming from God. If a prophetic word doesn’t come to pass, we will know that it doesn’t come from God. Just as in Old Testament times, God will hold false teachers accountable for saying they speak for Him when they speak only from their own hearts and minds.

Progressive Christians
I think this next group believes they’ve made “progress” when it comes to Christian beliefs by not believing in sound doctrine. They have a low view of Jesus Christ, Allen said. They think we should follow Him as a role model, but His death on the cross wasn’t necessary. (I know. How does that make them Christians then?) Their moto is:

“God loves you just the way you are. You don’t have to change a thing.”

Progressive Christianity has become wildly popular because they don’t tell people about their need for repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ. Their beliefs won’t result in transformation. You will remain dead in your sins. 1. The Gospel changes you, Allen said. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners when He died on the cross and paid our penalty. He defeated sin and death. He’s not an ordinary man. 2. Most churches say, “Come as you are,” Allen said, but if God calls you to Him, He isn’t going to leave you the way you are. If He calls you, He wants to give your soul a makeover.

You Can Lose Your Salvation
This is one I wrestled with when I was a teenager. Despite having been saved, I would have this thought: “How can I truly be saved if I’m still sinning? I remember telling a friend’s mama, about my deepest fears. I knew that Jesus Christ had defeated sin and death once and for all. I think younger me felt like I needed to do something extra. I don’t remember Mrs. Mullinax’s exact words, but I remember their impact: Did I think His death on the cross for me that day wasn’t enough? Did I want Christ to die again on that cross? No. It was a powerful lesson.

Jarren had been wrestling with sexual sin, and he had confessed it to someone. That person told him if he continued in “willful sin” he may not be saved anymore. Allen pointed out that all sin is “willful sin.” On our own, we are incapable of living perfect lives like Jesus. Even the apostle Paul noted that he too continued to sin despite his conversion. Allen said we are not immune to sin’s pull this side of Heaven after accepting Christ. We will not be happy to continue in sin though. God doesn’t want our worship motivated by fear, Allen said. He wants us to have deep assurance of our salvation. I will try to link to where he talks about each one, but Allen covered this topic in a video on YouTube titled, "7 Reasons Why a Christian Cannot Lose Their Salvation." They are

Pillar #1 Perseverance – “Those who are truly born again will be empowered by the Spirit to continue to believe until the day they die. We don’t persevere in our own strength. We do so because the Holy Spirit empowers us to do so.” (Phil. 2:12-13).

Pillar #2 Preservation – God started this work of salvation, not us, and He will complete it. (Phil. 1:6). Allen said it doesn’t say “only if” we don’t sin again. We can’t change God’s mind once we have placed our genuine faith in Jesus. (Jude 24). God won’t take us out of Jesus’ hand. God gave us to Jesus. (John 10:28-29) Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39).

Pillar #3 Predestination – God predestined believers to be conformed in the image of His Son. God knew beforehand what would happen because He is omniscient. (Romans 8:29-30) Allen said God does all the work, not us. Our part is recognizing our need for a Savior, saying “Yes” to Jesus, and giving our lives to Him. That’s it. God is the pursuer who is calling us to Him. (2 Tim 1:9) He chose us before He created the world. (Eph 1:4); He knew every sin, every decision we would make, Allen said, and still He chose us.

Pillar #4 Propitiation – Jesus’ blood shed on the cross for sinners appeased God’s wrath. His sacrifice covered all of our sins once and for all, not just some sins. We are saved by grace through faith, not from works. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Here, Allen mentioned author Beau Lee’s formula: Jesus + Nothing = Salvation.

Pillar #5 Permanence – Jesus said we’ve passed from death into life when we accept Him. (John 5:24) We gain eternal life, not temporary life eternal. It’s immediate, not conditional in nature. (John 3:16) Either salvation is eternal, or it’s not, Allen said, if eternal, it’s not temporary.

Pillar #6 – Promises – God does not renege on His promises. God gave us the Holy Spirit when we accepted Christ. The Spirit is a deposit, not unlike a down payment for a new home, Allen said. We were sealed by that promise on the day of salvation. (Ephesians 1:13). If God were to remove the Holy Spirit, He would break that contract with us, and God doesn’t break His promises.

Pillar #7: Prayers – Jesus as our high priest sits at the Father’s right hand and makes intercession for us. (Hebrews 7:25); He constantly intercedes for us. He understands our weaknesses, our circumstances, and our temptations. (Hebrews 4:14-15).

Pillar #8 Pictures – The first is a picture of adoption – we are adopted into God’s family when we are saved. (Ephesians 1:5); The second picture is of slavery – we were slaves that God ransomed, Allen said. The third picture is of the criminal – we are forgiven of our sin, guilt, and freed of punishment. Our debt is cancelled. (Colossians 2:14) We are a new creation, (2 Cor. 5:17) that God is molding to look like His Son Jesus.

Grace may be free, but isn’t cheap
False teachers twist the truth in a way that what they say sounds correct. Jesus’ death on the cross ended sin’s curse on us once and for all. That’s true. This has led some to say we no longer have to confess our sins to God! Christ’s sacrifice for us covered past, present, and future sins, so why would we need to, they say. But the scriptures tell a different story. Christians still need to confess sins. Look at Jesus’ model prayer. (Matthew 6:5-15) If it’s not necessary to confess our sins, why did Jesus say anything about asking God to forgive us of our trespasses?

Allen gave one of the best ways Jesus illustrated this idea of confession while washing His disciples’ feet. When Peter asked Jesus why He would wash his feet, Jesus said to him in John 13:6-10,

“‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.’”

Christians who have received God’s saving grace are made clean, Allen said, but we still need to clean up any sin in our life that deposits on our heart, like the dirt on the disciples’ feet. The Holy Spirit convict us when we do wrong, so we will want to confess our sins. This is one way to tell if you are a genuine Christian, Allen said, because you care that you have sinned against God.

Allen showed how important it is to read and study scripture. Trust me when I say the more time you spend camped out in studying scriptures, the more the Holy Spirit has to work with to bring to mind those passages later. And He does! I hope Allen creates a study guide to go along with this book.
Profile Image for Winter.
4 reviews
February 12, 2024
This book is soo very good.If you wanna find the true church this book is for you.This book is talking about like false churches,and false teachers and even about repentance and salvation too but what those churches are trully like the speaking in tongues the prosperity teachers and soo one but in the way he talks about those lies and about those churches and how and what to do is amazing.And is following this person Jennifer who you will find out what will happen to this person wich I think this person is all of us and I think each of you you experience it,and I highly recommend this book even to the pastors and preachers cause wow this book is just soo good.And if you don't know who allen par is is a youtuber who preaches about Jesus churches and what you need is preaching and telling but man,this book is soo good.You will love it for sure.This book will definitely help you identify the false churches and teachers and soo one but definitely read this book and if you will read and you will meet like on the internet pastors preaching by this book you will see and identify it and even to recognize the truth and if you got misled it and stuck in a cycle of sin wich I personally I am or if you wonder if you are trully saved this book is for you cause is even talks about salvation also.I don't wanna talk more about it cause if I talk more you will know everything but what I'm saying it is.READ THIS BOOK!!!It will change you're life,and walk with God and you're relationship even better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1 review
August 28, 2023
Although we have slight differences in our beliefs, you cannot go wrong by reading , and applying, this book. I struggle with the section of eternal security, since I have personally seen two people, that at one time were pillars of the church, decide to reject the salvation that was freely given. The " They were never Saved" just didn't apply. I don't think you can lose your salvation; but I believe you can reject it. And although ,I agree with his position on tongues, I again know first hand that there can be and is a second act of grace, an infilling of the Holy Spirit, that comes with a complete surrender to Jesus Christ , and is similar to the filling of the spirit that happened on Pentecost. That being said, I do not believe our differences would keep either one of us out of heaven, so I can feel safe in recommending this book.
There are so many people confused by misleading ministries, which seems to proliferate our moment in history. As you read the word, it will be clear that these misleading ideas have existed from the beginning. The Holy Spirit will lead you in the proper direction, as you surrender your life to Christ.
Profile Image for Shari Torres.
63 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2024
Misled by Allen Parr
Thank you to NetGalley and Nelson Books for a copy of “Misled” to review

Publish date June 13,2023

First and foremost, I love when books make you think. Allen has brought up some very good points about 7 different false teachings in the church that can lead Christians astray. Some of the most (as I would call them in my sphere ) controversial teachings, are the requirement to speak in tongues and promoting a prosperity gospel. Allen backs up his points with sound biblical arguments. I also enjoyed the last chapter on “cheap grace” - I felt it is a good eye opener for christians who feel they’re faith has been stagnant and without growth or for “ lukewarm” believers and I’ll admit I felt a bit of conviction which is exactly what I need to continue to grow.
One thing I did not like is that there are specific pastors named when talking about beliefs he doesn’t agree with and to me that feels like throwing people under the bus. Nobody is going to get everything right and calling out the issues would be enough to let readers discern for themselves what doctrines are healthy for their spiritual growth or not.
27 reviews
March 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I really enjoyed this book. Allen Parr explores 7 common ideas that can be misused to mislead believers in their walk with God. These range from speaking in tongues and prophecy to health and wealth to the question of can we lose our salvation. Some of his perspectives are clearly Calvinist (take that as you will), but his commentary is deeply rooted in scripture, which he shares much of - including context and a few discussions of the Greek and Hebrew. Overall, a great exploration of things to look out for and fantastic reminders to use discernment and seek the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance always.

“Many false teachings are circulating around the body of Christ today. Solid Bible teachers won’t be able to track them all down, no matter how hard we try. Above and beyond anything else I could pray for you as we conclude our journey together is that this book has taught you the importance of having discernment. Not everyone who says, “I believe in Jesus” is a Christian. Not everyone who uses Bible verses to support what they believe is teaching truth.” (From the Conclusion)
Profile Image for Cedricsmom.
321 reviews2 followers
August 28, 2023
Prosperity gospel. Speaking in tongues. Having "enough" faith. Who's a prophet. All these topics can destroy the tender faith of a new believer. I know because they almost destroyed mine. I wish I'd had MISLED 30 years ago when I was a new believer. I survived my trials with false interpretations, but it would've been great to have the reality check this book provides.

Allen Parr’s narrative style reminded me of Pilgrim's Progress a little bit. Jarren and I would've gone from one church to another looking for the truth. I know exactly how my boy feels.

Thank God for Allen's ability to use simple language and real examples to expose this lunacy. I love the way he gives us the backstory on where, when, how, and with whom these movements came into being. I love the history and the naming of names. That allows the reader to go deeper into their own research.

This book is simply an excellent addition to Christian apologetics. Thank you, brother Allen! Keep writing!
Profile Image for Annette Dye.
3 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2024
I am not a huge fan of modern Protestant beliefs because a lot of the issues that Allen outlines with Protestant churches in Misled. He goes through a lot of distorted false gospels with a fictional character whom visits churches that have issues with prosperity gospel, using the prophetic incorrectly, no relationship with sinfulness, or are too progressive to be Christians.

I identify with the fictional character through my Christian history as well and it's a stark reminder of what happens when we stop fact checking our beliefs with scripture. A large take away for me was how to identify a cult, how to correctly speak about sinfulness, how to mature as a believer, and how to spot false doctrine.

The author, Allen Parr, is from the modern YouTube apologetics movement. I didn't expect such a powerful book from a man whom produces 10 minute videos or such a relevant book to 2024 but his background and Biblical literacy really got me to trust his perspective.
Profile Image for Bekah Heintz.
320 reviews
February 14, 2025
3.75 stars. Allen Parr addresses many issues facing Christians today, but I found that the majority of the book focused on things I have never had to deal with. While I certainly am aware that there are churches and people who profess some of these more flamboyant lies, I personally have no encountered them and so gained less from those chapters than I would from other topics. The last couple chapters in the book focus on more personal (as opposed to congregational) beliefs and I did find I benefitted from those topics. However, I often felt like the author was really ramping up to give some hard hitting evidence just to end the discussion on that particular topic, which is quite jarring. Overall, the book was interesting and I think anyone with an open heart can learn from it, but I also think it is not necessarily the best resource for everyone.
Profile Image for Ashley Luxton.
48 reviews2 followers
June 25, 2024
It’s rare that I agree with everything an author says but I found Allen Parr to be absolutely spot on with each issue he discussed. I appreciated his well-structured explanations with plenty of Scripture. He loves his alliteration!
The first several chapters dealing with specific issues in the charismatic movement (eg tongues, word of faith, prosperity gospel, etc) were well-written although I didn’t really learn anything new from them.
His final 3 chapters about progressive Christianity, eternal security, and discipleship were excellent, I couldn’t put the book down at that point. It was a great challenge and he raised the bar for what it means to be a Christian.
I would recommend this book to any Christian - new or seasoned - as there is plenty of wisdom to be gleaned.
Profile Image for steffy ✿.
223 reviews37 followers
March 26, 2023
3.75

This is a book I feel any Christian could really benefit from and I feel like a lot of us need it. Especially in a today’s climate where many are too afraid at the possibility of offending, even if it means following Jesus.

I really appreciated how much Parr referenced the Bible throughout this book, giving context to all he was saying. Having a relationship with Jesus and confidently knowing the Word is so vital for being able to have a strong ability to discern. This book was a great stepping point at learning how to look toward the Word for answers.

Thank you so much to Nelson Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance!
96 reviews
December 20, 2023
Highly recommend

The book spoke to me in many ways as I have been misled by some of the pastors I've listened too or books I've read.
It encourages to ask God, the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin when you need to repent but understand that this is not affecting your salvation.
It encourages you to ask God for discernment, understanding, as you read the Bible, listen to sermons (Are they in alignment with the Word of God?), read other Christian books as they too can be misleading.
I recommend this book to all who are reading this commentary, as well as to the Christians I know.
Profile Image for Allen.
44 reviews
October 14, 2023
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I found his fictional introduction to each chapter about a character,Jarren, helpful for unpacking the truths in each section. I began watching Allen Parr on YouTube years ago and he has a lot of good Bible teaching videos there. It was there that I learned about his book. Highly recommend. Ps. His older videos are in my opinion better than his most recent content.
Profile Image for Erika  Imhoff.
101 reviews
November 6, 2023
Ever since I heard the author, Allen Parr, speak at our church, I knew I wanted to read his book called Misled. In this illuminating book, he dives into myths and mistruths that hinder the growth of Christians. My favorite chapter was on the health and wealth idea that many prosperity pastors preach to their churches today. I’m looking at you, TD Jakes, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth Copeland.

5 reviews
June 2, 2024
A convicting and edifying book! Way to go, Pastor Allen Parr. Praise God!

Many of the topics discussed in the book are relevant concerns that affect the church and lead people to a false gospel. I appreciated how Pastor Parr used scripture to support His points and to the lies that are plaguing the faith. Do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book. You will be convicted and edified. May God continue to bless your ministry, sir.
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