Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk are American charismatic evangelists and online influencers known for their teachings on deliverance, spiritual warfare, and the supernatural. Both have gained significant followings through social media, YouTube channels, and their involvement in conferences and ministries that focus on deliverance from demonic forces, healing, and experiencing the supernatural power of God in everyday life.
- Isaiah Saldivar is based in California and became known for his dramatic conversion experience and subsequent ministry that emphasizes deliverance, miracles, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Vlad Savchuk is originally from Ukraine and leads Hungry Generation Church in Pasco, Washington. He is known for teaching on deliverance, spiritual warfare, and the believer’s authority over demonic forces.
Why Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk Should Be Regarded as False Teachers and Avoided
1. Emphasizing Unbiblical and Sensational Deliverance Practices
One of the most concerning aspects of Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk's teachings is their emphasis on deliverance ministry, which often involves casting out demons, breaking curses, and engaging in spiritual warfare. Their deliverance practices are frequently dramatic, sensational, and often border on being unbiblical, as they claim that Christians can be demon-possessed or heavily influenced by demonic forces that require repeated deliverance sessions.
However, the Bible teaches that believers who have genuinely placed their faith in Jesus Christ have been set free from the power of darkness and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 1:13, Romans 8:9). The idea that a true Christian can be demon-possessed or in need of ongoing deliverance is inconsistent with the biblical teaching that "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). The emphasis on repeated deliverance sessions shifts the focus away from the finished work of Christ and places undue emphasis on the believer’s ability to "free themselves" from spiritual bondage, which undermines the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work.
2. Promoting an Experience-Driven Faith Over a Christ-Centered Gospel
Saldivar and Savchuk often encourage their followers to seek supernatural experiences, encounters with demonic forces, and manifestations of spiritual power as evidence of their relationship with God. This experience-driven approach leads people to prioritize personal encounters and feelings over the central message of the Gospel—repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and growing in holiness and obedience to God’s Word.
The Bible teaches that true faith is rooted in the knowledge of God’s Word, not in subjective experiences or emotions. The apostle Paul warned against being led astray by those who promote an experience-centered faith: "Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind" (Colossians 2:18). A mature Christian faith is grounded in the truth of Scripture and seeks to grow in knowledge, understanding, and obedience to God, not in chasing after spiritual experiences.
3. Twisting Scripture to Support Unbiblical Teachings on Spiritual Warfare
Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk often misuse and misinterpret Scripture to support their teachings on deliverance, spiritual warfare, and the believer's authority over demons. They frequently take passages out of context or apply them in ways that are inconsistent with the original meaning of the text, leading to a distorted understanding of spiritual warfare and the Christian life.
For example, they often use verses like Ephesians 6:12 ("For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places") to justify their extreme practices. However, the Bible instructs believers to stand firm in their faith, put on the armor of God, and rely on His strength rather than engaging in dramatic, ritualistic confrontations with demonic forces (Ephesians 6:10-18). By twisting Scripture to fit their deliverance agenda, Saldivar and Savchuk lead people away from a biblically balanced understanding of spiritual warfare.
4. Teaching a Works-Based, Performance-Oriented Approach to the Christian Life
Both Saldivar and Savchuk often emphasize that believers must perform certain actions, rituals, or techniques to achieve victory over demonic forces or experience freedom. This performance-oriented approach suggests that deliverance, spiritual power, or blessings depend on the believer’s ability to engage in these practices, rather than on God’s grace and the finished work of Christ.
The Bible clearly teaches that salvation and sanctification are works of God’s grace, not of human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9). Believers are called to trust in Christ alone for their deliverance from sin and the power of Satan. Colossians 2:14-15 tells us that Christ has already "disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." By promoting a works-based approach, Saldivar and Savchuk undermine the sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross and lead people into bondage to performance-based religion.
5. Associating with and Endorsing Other False Teachers
Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk frequently associate with other false teachers, such as those in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and Word of Faith movements. These associations lend credibility to movements that promote unbiblical teachings, such as prosperity theology, modern-day apostleship, and an overemphasis on signs and wonders. By endorsing and partnering with other false teachers, they create confusion about sound doctrine and lead their followers into a web of false teachings.
The Bible warns against false teachers who promote doctrines that deviate from the truth of God's Word. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:13). True teachers of God's Word are careful to avoid associations that could lead others astray, but by endorsing other false teachers, Saldivar and Savchuk demonstrate a lack of discernment and commitment to biblical truth.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible repeatedly warns believers to be vigilant against false teachers who distort the truth and lead others into deception. Paul warned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 that "the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk’s teachings, which emphasize unbiblical deliverance practices, an experience-driven faith, and a works-based approach to Christianity, align with teachings that deviate from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). True teachers of God’s Word will always point people to Christ, call them to repentance, and uphold the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. In contrast, Saldivar and Savchuk’s teachings lead people into a form of spirituality that is more focused on sensational experiences, deliverance rituals, and human effort than on the grace and truth of the Gospel.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Isaiah Saldivar and Vlad Savchuk should be regarded as false teachers, and their teachings should be avoided. Christians are called to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word, which is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).
The true Gospel is about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the transforming power of God’s grace. It calls believers to live lives of holiness, obedience, and submission to the Lordship of Christ, not to pursue unbiblical experiences, deliverance practices, or works-based spirituality. Therefore, believers should reject the teachings of Saldivar and Savchuk and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God's Word, which offers the way to eternal life, true spiritual freedom, and growth in Christ.