Beware of the "IF Gathering" for Women

Please note: This article is filled with links to verify the quotes and statements, offering additional details.

When it comes to professing Christians, the most dangerous false teachers are not those who are obvious. Most Christians recognize and avoid such people. 

The greatest enemies we face are those teachers who mix a little bit of error with a little bit of truth. Accurately sharing a Scripture along with a lie is always more effective than simply sharing the lie. And if the truth can be watered down a bit, that's even more effective. 

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15

When I heard about the IF Gathering women’s ministry I did some research, and I was surprised that it's so popular among Bible-believing Christians. But then I realized that it's a perfect example of mixing truth with error, good teachers with bad teachers. And like most false teachings, it’s presented attractively. We must remember that there are “false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light...” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

The IF Gathering is a yearly presentation that is taped or live streamed to women’s ministries across the globe. Jennie Allen, the woman who started the ministry, holds some biblical views but she also promotes the enneagram, a New Age tool (The Enneagram: Cross Examined), she incorporates secular psychology into her teachings, and she consistently invites false and compromised teachers to be a part of IF Gatherings, acknowledging many of them as dear friends. 

“There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies.” 2 Peter 2:1

For example, Jen Hatmaker was a featured speaker at the 2016 and 2018 IF Gathering despite the fact that she is what is called a “progressive Christian” or “ex-vangelical” – a person who has “deconstructed” her faith and redefined which parts of Scripture she believes and which she doesn’t, creating a Jesus who fits her purposes and is well-liked in culture. 

For more on ex-vangelicals, see a general overview: Wilderness Wanderers and a collection of specific articles: Beware of Ex-vangelical Teachings.

In 2016, Hatmaker affirmed gay lifestyles as legitimate and godly, but this didn’t keep Jennie from inviting her to speak in 2016 and 2018. When Hatmaker came out in favor of gay marriage, Jennie got some pushback, and she issued a statement saying Hatmaker is one of her best friends and they agree on so much, but she disagrees with Hatmaker’s view on gay marriage. But she also let her followers know that it was Jen who chose not to keep speaking at IF: “Jen speaking at IF Gathering isn’t even on the table, because she took herself out of IF many months ago for reasons that are her own.” (Church Leaders)

For more details on Hatmaker, see Jen Hatmaker’s Journey from Evangelical to Pro-Gay to Pro-Abortion.

Allen has also had best-selling authors Sarah Bessey and the late Rachel Held Evans speak at IF. They represent feminist ex-vangelicals who promote a number of unbiblical beliefs. 

Latasha Morrison, is another featured speaker at IF and she teaches a “Christian” form of critical race theory that claims reparations are a necessary part of “corporate repentance,” because all of us living today have played a part in white supremacy. If you are not familiar with the WOKE theology, it is not about overcoming legitimate racism. It’s about creating a new form of anti-white racism. (The Gathering and Capturing of Weak Women).

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.” Romans 16:17

Christine Caine has been a featured speaker at several IF Gatherings and she is “an ordained pastor who preaches at various churches across the globe. She is rooted in the NAR and the prosperity gospel. She calls Joyce Meyer her spiritual mentor and ‘prayed for an impartation of that teaching anointing and revelation’ as she placed her hand on Meyer’s Bible.” Caine is “officially part of the Hillsong church and has partnered with Joel Osteen, Paula White, TD Jakes, Beth Moore, and many others.” (IF Gathering: A Biblical Evaluation)

Meyer, Osteen, White, and Jakes are health and prosperity teachers, who mix truth with various degrees of error. Jakes teaches a false doctrine called modalism. 

If a teacher rejects one biblical truth, more will follow. That's certainly the case with Rick Warren, a featured speaker at IF this year (2025). More than a decade ago, Warren participated in an exchange with Muslim leaders and signed a statement affirming that the Muslim God is the same as the God of the Bible: Rick Warren, Emergents, and Muslims. 

He's been caught lying in regard to his views about gay marriage: Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Pragmatic Deception and Rick Warren’s Forked Tongue. 

And most recently, Warren changed his views on women pastors using a false method of scholarship which lets culture define Scripture instead of letting Scripture define culture. See A Well-Known Pastor Changes His View or Rick Warren shares 3 Bible passages that changed his mind on women pastors. 

Jonathan Pokluda, is another featured speaker at IF 2025 and, like Allen, he features false teachers in his ministry events.

Pokluda “founded and led The Porch, a young adult-focused parachurch ministry.” During his leadership, he featured speakers like David Marvin who teaches Side B Theology, claiming homosexual desires are not sinful. (Is Johnathan Pokluda a False Teacher?)

2 Timothy 3:1-7 says “There will be terrible times in the last days” because people will have a “form of godliness” while denying the power of God’s Word. They will “gain control over gullible women.”

This is just a sampling of IF Gathering teachers. There are others of concern as well, but I offer these as proof that the ministry intentionally includes those who teach half-truth doctrines along with those who don't.

There are good solid Bible teachers and good ministry materials available through other sources. Please avoid the IF Gathering. Whatever good it brings cannot be justified by the errors it promotes and the women it deceives.