The Longsuffering of God Has a Limit by Michael Brown

"How do You live with it, Lord?"

That's a question I recently asked God in prayer as I thought about all of the suffering taking place around the world today, especially as human beings slaughter one another in the most horrific and barbaric ways, including reports of Muslim radicals beheading Christian children.

"Lord, how do You live with so much suffering and pain when you see it and know it all?"

As Basilea Schlink once said, "Anyone who loves as much as God does, cannot help suffering. And anyone who really loves God will sense that He is suffering."

For our finite human minds, this is a great paradox, since the Word tells us that in God's presence is fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11), and yet we know that His heart also grieves over humanity's broken condition. Did Paul experience this on some level when he said that he was "grieving yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor. 6:10)?

But there is not only divine grief over human suffering. There is also divine grief over human sin, as Genesis 6 tells us immediately before the flood: "And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (Gen. 6:6).

There was so much wickedness, so much violence, so much depravity, so much sin. What happened to this exquisite race of people created in His own image?

My precious wife, Nancy, who sometimes weeps in prayer for hours because of human suffering, suggested to me that God's pain over His sinning creation could be likened to the pain experienced by parents who waited for years to have a baby, and then, after what seemed like an endless wait, found out they were having a child.

The parents got the baby's room all ready and bought all kinds of little toys and clothes in readiness for their child's birth, and when that amazing day came, they showered their priceless newborn with love and affection—only to have that child grow up to be a depraved and ruthless serial killer.

Who can describe an agony like that? Yet God, in His longsuffering, has endured thousands of years of even greater agony because of human sin—look at what His creation has done and continues to do—yet somehow, He has withheld the full force of His judgment and wrath.

That's why the Word reminds us over and again that He is slow to anger and great in mercy (see, for example, Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8). As one man once cried out in a small prayer meeting I attended, "God I thank You that You are slow to anger and great in mercy, because if You were great in anger and slow in mercy, we would have all been destroyed many years ago."

And yet there is a limit to His longsuffering. One day the wrath of God will come.

Paul warned about it repeatedly—yes, the same Paul who wrote so much about God's grace also wrote about His wrath—and we would do well to follow his lead.

To a judgmental sinner in Romans 2, Paul wrote, "Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." In other words, the reason He has not yet judged you for your sins is not because He is looking the other way or because He doesn't care. Rather, it is because He is being extraordinarily kind to you to give you the opportunity to repent.

But Paul didn't stop there, as many teachers do when they simply state, "The goodness of God leads you to repentance" (which, again, is only part of the point Paul was making). Instead, Paul continued, "But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed" (Rom. 2:4-5).

This is a truly staggering thought. Nonbelievers are "storing up wrath" for themselves in the day of wrath. Can you imagine what this will look like?

With all the sins being committed every single day—from rape to torture to mass murder to every kind of defiling, unclean, idolatrous act—how much wrath is being stored up by humanity as a whole? How intense will that be? (Under no circumstances can this be applied to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD or to some other past event, as some preterists attempt to do; this speaks of a day of wrath that has not yet come.)

That's why Paul, after listing sins of the flesh that all of God's people must turn away from, could write: "Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God's wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners" (Eph. 5:6-7; see also Col. 3:6).

He was saying, "Since you don't want to partake in the wrath that is coming on the disobedient, don't partake in their sin either."

According to Peter, on that day, "the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed" (2 Pet. 3:10).

And Peter was not exaggerating in the least. How "hot" it will be when God's anger, justice, and judgment are poured out on a sinning world?

And just like Paul, Peter explained that there was a practical application for our lives as well:

"Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell" (2 Pet. 3:11-13).

Peter was simply reiterating what the Old Testament prophets spoke about over and again, a major theme of God's Word: There is a limit to His longsuffering, and one day, His wrath will be poured out like fire.

Shouldn't this be part of our preaching today?

Shouldn't this be part of our warning to a sinning world?

And doesn't this highlight the power of the cross and the Blood of Jesus, who died so that we would not have to suffer that wrath in this world or the next?

Paul warned sinners about future judgment (see Acts 17:31; 24:24-25) and reminded God's people that it was coming (Rom. 2:6-10).

Shouldn't we do the same?

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Piper Addresses Strange Fire and Charismatic Chaos by John Piper

One month ago, John MacArthur hosted a conference titled “Strange Fire.” The conference opposed the so-called “prosperity gospel” and with it the excesses of “charismania.” But somewhere along the way all things charismatic and continuationist got swept up into the conference conversation, too, igniting a strange online conflagration of its own.

The conversation prompted a variety of questions from listeners of the Ask Pastor John podcast. Before boarding a flight for the Middle East, John Piper agreed to field a few of the questions, particularly:

If you’re a continuationist (believing the supernatural gifts of the Spirit continue still today), why doesn’t this show up more often in your ministry?

Why do you not seem persuaded enough to advocate that others pursue the gifts of tongues and prophecy today?
How do you define contemporary prophecy?
Are there charismatic abuses that need to be addressed?
Open, Cautious, or Advocate?

At the conference, Piper was characterized as open to the gifts but not advocating for them or encouraging others to pursue the gifts themselves. This is a misunderstanding, says Piper. “I advocate obedience to 1 Corinthians 12:31, ‘earnestly desire the higher gifts.’ And I advocate obedience to 1 Corinthians 14:1, ‘earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you might prophesy.’ And I advocate obedience to 1 Corinthians 14:39, ‘earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.’ I want Christians today to obey those texts.”

And Piper seeks to obey those texts himself. “I pray for the gift of prophecy almost as often as I pray for anything, before I stand up to speak.” This prayer for prophecy is a desire to preach under an anointing, in order to “say things agreeable to the Scriptures, and subject to the Scripture, that are not in my manuscript or in my head as I walk into the pulpit, nor thought of ahead of time, which would come to my mind, which would pierce in an extraordinary way, so that 1 Corinthians 14:24–25 happens.”

But has Piper advocated for gifts like prophecy enough over his decades of pastoring and writing? “My effort to prioritize may be imperfect, but my answer is that I try to live up to what I see in the text and advocate for it as I see it in relation to all the other things that I preach on.”

A sampling from his ministry shows Piper’s consistency both in his definition of prophecy and in his encouragement that others pursue the gift (see resources from 1981, 1990, 1991, 2004, and 2013).

What Is Prophecy Today?

Piper’s view on prophecy raises another question. If MacArthur believes the gift of prophecy has ceased, what exegetical proofs would Piper argue to the contrary?

Four crucial texts came to Piper’s mind. First, 1 Corinthians 14:29 seems to indicate New Testament prophecy endures in the church age, but not as a prophecy that’s on the same level of authority as Scripture. It’s fundamentally a different type of prophecy.

Second, 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 makes the same point. This passage indicates that the discernment of prophesy in the local church takes on a different shape. “You are not choosing between people here [false prophet/true prophet], it seems to me, like in 1 John 4:1. Rather, you are choosing between what they say [true prophecy/false prophecy], which you would not do if they spoke with infallible, inerrant Scripture-quality authority.”

“The issue here is that some in the church are despising not the prophets, but the prophecies. Now why would that be? Probably because they are sometimes whacko. Despise is a very strong word. Paul says, ‘don’t despise.’ So somebody in the church at Thessalonica is saying, ‘Look. You told us that prophecy is a gift from God. Frankly, we do not like what we are hearing, because it is stupid. It is weird. They are saying things that are off the wall.’ And so they tend to despise them. And Paul seems to be trying to keep the people from throwing the baby of true prophecies out with the bathwater of weird ones.”

Third, 1 Corinthians 11:4–5 encourages prophecies from women in the church. Said Piper, “I don’t see how women prophesying in the assembly fits with an infallible Scripture-level authority when Paul forbids that kind of authority to be exercised over men by women in the church in 1 Timothy 2:12. So the fact that women are encouraged to do this, and yet women are told not to exercise authority over men, says to me that we have got something going on here besides what is Scripture-level authority.”

The fourth text, 1 Corinthians 13:8–10, is “a pretty clear argument, I think, that the gift of prophecy and tongues will continue until Jesus comes back. And it seems to me that the reason they pass away, it says, is precisely because they are imperfect; they are not Scripture-level authority. Verse nine says we prophesy ek meros (Greek for ‘in part’), just like a little child trying to reason and think and talk. And when he grows up and becomes a man in the age to come, he won’t need that kind of help anymore.”

These few texts don’t settle all the issues, but they do combine to establish a legitimate exegetical basis for an ongoing gift of prophecy, distinguished from Scripture-level authoritative prophecy, a unique channel of prophecy to be discerned and then embraced in the healthy local church.

Charismatic Abuses?

Looking more broadly at the Church today, Piper was eager to address charismatic abuses and excesses (charismania). “But,” he began, “we really need to keep in mind that every charismatic abuse has its mirror image in non-charismatic abuses. Nothing I am going to say is unique to charismatics. In some of these cases, the non-charismatic church is more guilty than the charismatic.”

He addressed four abuses in particular: doctrine, emotion, discernment, and finance.

Doctrine Abuses

“There are many doctrinal abuses in the charismatic church where experience is elevated above doctrine, and doctrine is made minimally important. I think that is a huge defect in many charismatic churches. The fear is this: if you try to study the Bible with a view to assembling a coherent view of doctrine, you are going to quench the Spirit, and you won’t have as much vitality in your heart, because the mind and the heart are at odds with each other. That is a mistake, I think, and it is an abuse of experience to make it the enemy of — or the alternative to — doctrine.”

He shared a firsthand example. “I have been in prophetic meetings with charismatic groups where the Bible was treated like the priming of the pump for phenomena. So what you really want in this room is some fireworks: you want somebody to fall down, or somebody to laugh, or somebody to tremble, or somebody to raise their hands, or somebody to hear a word of extraordinary prophecy like, the man in the red shirt is going to Argentina next week, and nobody could know that, but the prophet. You want all that stuff to happen. And so what do you do with the Bible? You use it like pouring water into a pump. And everybody knows you don’t care about the text, you don’t care about this sermon; you are using the sermon to get us ready for the fireworks at the end. Wherever I saw that happening, I knew we were in trouble. I knew that no matter what kind of fireworks were coming they were going to be skewed and misused because the speaker, the one in charge, was not God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated.”

Emotion Abuses

Second, Piper addressed emotional abuses.

True prophecy is displayed not in emotional madness, but in orderliness (1 Corinthians 14:29). “If you are a true prophet, if you have got the Holy Spirit, if you are real, . . . you can sit down and wait your turn. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is patience, and kindness, and meekness, and thankfulness, and self-control. So sit down Mr. Prophet and wait your turn.

“And I think there are a lot of people who don’t think that way. They don’t think that biblically informed principles of good behavior can trump the ecstasies of a person who is, say, speaking in tongues or prophesying,” he said. “Application of the Word governs life in the church, not the emotional sway of some strong person in the moment.”

Both these doctrinal and emotional abuses can be flipped around.

“Think of all the doctrinal errors in the history of the Church. Those weren’t charismatics, by and large. Think of all the dying mainline churches today with all their moral and doctrinal aberrations. These aren’t charismatics. And think of the emotional deadness in thousands of non-charismatic evangelical and mainline churches. Those are deadly emotional abuses. And we just need to remember that if we target the charismatic church because of things that are happening there doctrinally and emotionally, let’s remember the mirror images which are equally deadly, that are happening among non-charismatic churches as well.”

To reiterate this second point, Piper said, “There are emotional abuses in the non-charismatic church, namely the absence of emotion, which is probably more deadly than the excesses.”

Discernment Abuses

Another abuse is a failure to differentiate genuine prophecies from hollow ones. This helps explain why Paul says, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything, hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21).

“That is very strong language,” commented Piper. “And I think it is because some of those folks were claiming to speak for God, and it resulted in foolishness. They weren’t speaking for God. And it resulted in an emotional pushback in the church. The church said, ‘We don’t want that.’ And Paul was trying to rescue prophecy from a broad brush sweeping it away entirely by saying, ‘Whoa, wait a minute. Discern what is good here and discern what is bad here. Don’t throw it all away. Make distinctions in the various claims to hold it fast.’”

Again, Piper shared from experience. “I have been prophesied over numerous times, and two of them were just whacko. It was so hard in those [early ministry] days to take prophecy seriously. I resonated with the folks who were starting to ‘despise prophecies.’

“A lawyer one time prophesied over me when my wife was pregnant and said: ‘Your fourth child is going to be a girl, and your wife is going to die in childbirth.’ And that lawyer with tears told me that she was sorry she had to tell me that. So I went home and I got down on my knees and I said, ‘Lord, I am trying to do what you said here in 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21. And frankly, I despise what that woman just said.’ It proved out that my fourth child was a son, and I knew as soon as he came out that that prophecy was not true, and so I stopped having any misgivings about my wife’s life. She is still with me now thirty years later. That’s the sort of thing that makes you despise prophecy.”

This failure to discern prophecies within charismatic churches tempts others to simply dismiss all prophecies outright.

Finance Abuses

Finally, there are financial abuses. The key text here is 1 Timothy 6:5. Some false teachers within the charismatic movement “imagine that godliness is a means of gain.”

“So it is possible to have a teaching gift or a healing gift, some kind of a remarkable gift that is so popular you make millions of dollars. And you start feeling entitled to all the lavish clothes, lavish cars, lavish houses, lavish jets, and lavish hotel accommodations, turning godliness into a means of gain, and justifying it by the fact that you are so gifted and so many people are benefiting from what you say. To whom Paul would say: ‘But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction’ (1 Timothy 6:9).

“My alternative is to preach ‘Christian Hedonism’ that says: pursue contentment in God, not in things. ‘But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content’ (1 Timothy 6:6–8).”

But this abuse, too, can be flipped. “We tend to think of charismatics when we think of people abusing finances in this way. All you have to do is listen to the Twittersphere to know that is not the case. There are just as many non-charismatic leaders who are using their status as an effective spiritual leader to make a lot of money, and accumulate a lot of money, and look like they have a lot of money. And I want to say that there are a lot of simple, honest, humble charismatic pastors living on modest salaries who are less guilty than many non-charismatics when it comes to financial abuses.”

Not on a Warpath

On each point, it is surely misguided to single out charismatics, says Piper. “Charismatic doctrinal abuses, emotional abuses, discernment abuses, financial abuses, all have their mirror image in non-charismatic churches.” Of charismatics and non-charismatics alike, “we all stand under the word of God and we all need repentance.”

But those charismatic abuses remain. So how are these excesses best policed? How are Christians today protected from the abuses of the charismatic church? Is it through attack-centered books and conferences?

“I don’t go on a warpath against charismatics. I go on a crusade to spread truth. I am spreading gospel-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated, Calvinistic truth everywhere, and I am going to push it into the face of every charismatic I can find, because what I believe, if they embrace the biblical system of doctrine that is really there, it will bring all of their experiences into the right orbit around the sun of this truth.”

‘Health and Wealth’ or Signs and Wonders? Discover the Difference and Unleash God’s Supernatural Power in Your Life by Larry Sparks

This article covers one of the most vital, misunderstood and controversial topics of debate in modern Christianity—the supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit. I pray that the following words cause you to rethink the evaluations people have made concerning the charismatic expression of the faith, writing off an entire move of the Holy Spirit due to the grievous error and, yes, downright heresy of a few.

Yes, there is a major difference between those who ascribe to a shallow "health and wealth" ideology (not even worthy of being called a theology or gospel) and those who hunger for a resurgence of authentic, supernatural, New Testament Christianity in a day of gimmicks and self-help sermons.

My heart burns to see all believers encounter a glorious Person—Jesus Christ. The supernatural is not about mankind simply using God to get what we want out of Him. Rather, it is about God's character being revealed to the world, the supremacy of Jesus being displayed and the livingness of the Holy Spirit being made known to a people (and a church) who are often convinced that God is detached and disinterested. Such could not be further from the truth!

Knowing This Difference Will Transform the Way You Live

The following article gives you a clear idea of why it is absolutely vital for all Christians to know the one fundamental difference between those who embrace a "health and wealth" ideology and those who legitimately want to see God move with New Testament signs, wonders and miracles once again. Merging the two perspectives is costly because it buys right into the lie that all charismatic Christianity is created equal. Not so. Discernment is not writing off an entire movement due to imbalance; it is learning to separate the authentic from the counterfeit.

I do not believe this is a trivial matter. In fact, how we respond to the topic at hand will dictate what we expect from our Christian lives. Our concept of who the Holy Spirit is and what He does actually defines what dimension of power we actually walk in. I dare say, it is not up to God. There is no outpouring left to release out of heaven. The Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. If you are born again, congratulations—God Almighty lives inside of you! There is no upgraded Holy Spirit. I believe in fresh fillings and fresh touches (Acts 4:31, Eph. 5:18); I do not believe in asking for a new Pentecostal outpouring. We don't need God to send a new Pentecost down from heaven; instead, we need to begin living like the first one we received is a precious inheritance, sufficient for the task at hand.

Stewardship is the key issue here. Unfortunately, we will neglect certain aspects of stewarding the Holy Spirit's presence and power when we believe they are heretical, fanatic and self-consumed. This is not the Holy Spirit!

If we continue to demonize all forms of supernatural activity, lumping it together as "health and wealth" or "name it, claim it" me-centric heresy, we will never place an appropriate biblical demand on the faith that has been miraculously entrusted to us by God Himself (Eph. 2:8-9). If our vision of the supernatural is tainted by the gross misrepresentations we see from certain TV preachers, we will probably ignore anything to do with the power of the Holy Spirit.

On the flip side, if we sit down and become honest—with ourselves, with the biblical text—and accurately observe these two contrasting groups in modern Christianity, we will reap a powerful reward. What is this reward? Depending on how you respond to the challenge, it is highly likely that you will bring your Christian expression into agreement with every miraculous possibility that Scripture has made available to you. You will launch out on the greatest quest of any believer—the quest for more of God.

Remember, the Holy Spirit is living within you. You are not getting more of God out of heaven; you are experiencing more of the One who has made your body His dwelling place on earth. If Scripture says the Holy Spirit's supernatural power is legal for us to experience, steward and release, I want us to press in for everything that is available.

Open Your Mind—But Don't Throw Out Your Brain

I just ask you for one thing: an open mind. I am a student of theology, currently pursuing my Master of Divinity degree. When I say "open mind," I am not inviting you to toss thinking out the door to embrace some flighty experiential faith. I do ask that you open your mind to the facts as they are presented clearly and contextually in Scripture. I encourage you to temporarily press "pause" on some of the prejudices you may have embraced from a denomination, church, Christian TV or theological viewpoint before you continue reading. Above all, I humbly ask that you invite the Holy Spirit to come and reveal Jesus in all of this. At the end of the day, He is what this is all about.

There is a vast chasm separating those who pervert Bible principles to simply enhance their quality of life on earth and those who desire to see Jesus' prayer fulfilled—"on earth as it is in heaven"—through the release of signs, wonders and miracles as the gospel is proclaimed (1 Cor. 2:1-5).

So, what is the one key difference between the two camps? Simple. You will know the genuine based on how they respond to Jesus.

Camp 1: The Health-and-Wealth Brigade

Where do we begin?

1. "Sow your seed" me-ology. "Just sow your $1,000 seed right now—come on, that's right! Run right on up here to the altar and write that check! There is a strong anointing flowing here for $1,000 donations!" This is tame language compared to some of the gimmicks being used to manipulate people into giving money to a church or ministry. Talk about the exact opposite of the apostle Paul's perspective on giving! He wrote, "Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion" (2 Cor. 9:7, AMP). Compulsion and manipulation are not godly.

I am sure you may have run into some of these shenanigans while channel surfing at night. Boom! You hit a Christian TV channel where they are hosting a giving telethon or pledge drive. I do not believe fundraising is wrong or sinful, but I am strongly opposed to people using the Holy Spirit, God, Jesus or promises of blessing and anointing to hype people up to make financial contributions—often well beyond their means to give. This is not Christianity. This is the Steve Martin huckster evangelist of the film Leap of Faith being personified.

2. Vending machine Christianity. The "health and wealth" teachings emphasize acquiring more stuff, tithing to increase personal financial wealth, and walking in physical health while ignoring what they consider to be more elementary subjects, such as intimacy with God, sin, repentance, taking up your cross and giving all for the cause of Christ. God becomes a cosmic vending machine, and the Bible is handled like a divine blueprint for pressing the right buttons in order for heaven to deliver on mankind's demands.

This perspective sells books, sells out conferences and peddles teaching series all while grossly misrepresenting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are these people heretics? Some, maybe. Many do boast orthodox statements of faith and preach an accurate salvation message.

This is not my effort to engage some type of witch-hunt, calling out who is going to heaven and who is hell-bound. Rather, this is all about helping you experience clarity on the difference between two contrasting perspectives.

3. Extreme, imbalanced and dangerous. When it comes to extremism in the area of "health and wealth," I have seen and experienced a lot (although I am sure some of you have seen and personally experienced worse than I have). This camp promises much but delivers little. Confess it and possess it. Name it and claim it. Blab it and grab it; doubt it and live without it. If you are not part of the "confession clique," you are basically a less-than, immature Christian who needs special enlightening. Oh, how backward this line of thinking truly is!

I ask you, please do not equate this imbalanced camp with those who are pursuing the authentic, Jesus-exalting move of the Holy Spirit. Even though the "health and wealth" group might mention the Holy Spirit, the supernatural, signs and wonders, or miraculous power, this does not confirm that they are legitimate representatives of Jesus. Remember the sobering words of our Messiah: "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you'" (Matt. 7:22-23, NIV).

Recognize the Counterfeit

Be warned: This perspective is out there—and often in a grossly public spotlight. But also be encouraged: This fringe movement does not accurately represent the thrust of true supernatural Christianity that is making significant headway throughout the nations. For too long, we have approached counterfeits the wrong way. Counterfeits are evidence of the genuine artifact. The devil is incapable of creating anything new; all he can do is malign and pervert what is true, pure, holy and God-originated. It is actually irresponsible for the body of Christ to respond to counterfeits by throwing out all forms of the truth.

There is nothing representative of Holy Spirit in extreme "health and wealth" ideology. I am not saying that all Word of Faith churches, teaching or preachers are bad; they are not. Also, I am not offering some blanket statement, saying that in order to be spiritual, we need to be poor and sick or healthy and wealthy. I do not believe this either. Financial prosperity, in and of itself, is not wrong. Physical health is not wrong; healing is actually an extension of the kingdom of God. These things become dangerous pursuits when they become the driving force of an entire movement.

At the end of the day, you will know a leader, church, book, teaching or televangelist is off when the road they present does not lead to Jesus Christ receiving all the glory. Jesus is not a side issue. His glorious name is not some secret code that we insert at the end of our prayers to ensure that we "signed off right." He is the Lord of all. He is the Son of the living God. He is the worthy Lamb slain for the sins of the world.

Camp 2: Signs and Wonders That Point to Jesus

Consider the approach of pastor John Piper, who famously denounces the prosperity gospel, but also hungers for a resurgence of authentic New Testament signs and wonders in the church today.

In his sermon "Are Signs and Wonders For Today?" Piper states, "We ought to be open to the real possibility that this too might be a unique moment in history, and in this moment it may well be God's purpose to pour out His Spirit in unprecedented revival—revival of love to Christ and zeal for worship and compassion for lost people and a missionary thrust with signs and wonders."

I specifically reference Piper because of my great respect for his integrity, consistent humility, spiritual hunger and unceasing devotion to the sacredness of Scripture. While he makes his disdain for the "health and wealth" perspective abundantly clear, he is likewise a proponent of the Holy Spirit's authentic supernatural activity in the modern church. This perspective is possible! Not only is this possible, but Scripture paints a clear picture of a faith community where signs, wonders and miracles are normative elements of the Christian experience (Acts 5:12; 9:34-35, 40, 42).

Sadly, the world is often denied a church that hosts God's presence and releases His power because of incorrect information circulating throughout the Christian community. Many have bought into the lie that you cannot walk in supernatural power and maintain your integrity. Their response to the "health and wealth" perversion is strong: "The last thing I want to do in life or ministry is be like that guy!" Fair enough. However, that guy or that lady who appears to be perverting the gospel for personal gain is not an accurate representative of the true supernatural New Testament community.

I could list leader after leader whom I have not only heard from the pulpit but have known behind the scenes and am absolutely convinced that they are examples of the real deal. They are not perfect, nor do they claim to be. However, they exhibit the one characteristic that definitively separates the "health and wealth" crew from those longing to walk in authentic signs and wonders: They are hungry to experience and glorify Jesus.

What Is Jesus' Rightful Place?

Health and wealth ends with man, but signs and wonders end with Jesus Christ. He receives the glory. He is where the signs are pointing. He is the One whose miracles stir us to awe. It is true foolishness for any of us to worship a sign. Such a response is downright contrary to the fundamental purpose of a sign. Signs point to something beyond them.

Think about it. Could you imagine what would happen if people all gathered around an exit sign, stared at it, but never actually followed where the sign was leading them? That area would become severely congested by a people pileup. However, the incorrect response from the people's end is not the sign's fault. The sign functions according to design; it is man who chooses whether or not he is going to respond to it appropriately.

Such was the case when Israel was miraculously delivered out of Egypt. Their eyes witnessed a consistent flow of signs and wonders, but Scripture makes it clear that, in the end, the people did not properly respond to what their eyes beheld (Ps. 78:11, 42; 106:7). They kept on complaining. There was a disconnect, and ultimately the testimony of God's mighty acts did not pass on to future generations as it should have (Judg. 2:10-15).

Likewise, this was the case when Jesus walked the earth. There were many who responded to Him because of the miraculous signs He performed, but others' hearts hardened even more. Just because people respond correctly or incorrectly to signs and wonders does not negate their purpose and value.

The basis for our faith is never signs, wonders and supernatural phenomena—it is always the Person and truth of Jesus Christ. Yes, the Bible validates the reality and availability of miracles. No question that Jesus invites all of us into a lifestyle of faith where such supernatural demonstrations should be normative, not unusual or uncommon. Nevertheless, when we start celebrating the signs for the sake of the signs instead of being rightly awestruck by the glorious One whom every authentic sign and wonder points to, we are heading into dangerous territory. Jesus is eternally the cornerstone of our faith, our theology and our experience. Any person or any experience that does not lead me toward the truth of Jesus Christ should be avoided like the spiritual plague.

It Is Legal for You to Desire and Cry Out for Miracles!

In Acts 4, the early church actually prays for God to stretch out His hand and perform signs and wonders. Read their bold prayer:

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus" (Acts 4:29-30, NKJV).

I would be more apt to accept the whole "It's not biblical to pray for signs, wonders and miracles" idea if the Holy Spirit responded to this prayer with a rebuke; He did not. On the contrary, we see that "when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness" (v. 31).

I feel like the building shaking was God's amen to the disciples' prayer. I am confident that almighty God is able and willing to move through His people in great power—greater than we have seen or experienced. However, He is looking for a people that He can trust with the miraculous. While this mandate does not demand absolute perfection, it does require a lifestyle of integrity and relentless commitment to make Jesus Christ front and center. The disciples were not about putting on a "miracle show" for the sake of spectacle; they were driven to see signs and wonders done through the name of Jesus. Jesus was their pursuit and delight. May the same be said of us and our generation.

As mentioned earlier, what separates the "signs and wonders" camp from the "health and wealth" proponents is simply what they do with Jesus. "Health and wealth" ends with man; "signs and wonders" end with Jesus.

Are You Ready to Reconsider Normal?

Scripture constantly summons us to live a supernatural life. The statements made by Jesus and, later, the apostle Paul are nothing short of stunning. When responded to correctly, these ancient words call us into lives of ever-increasing hunger to experience every miraculous inheritance we have received in the Holy Spirit.

Feast on these two final truths. I know they are familiar passages, especially to those in the charismatic movement. But truly consider their radical implications. Meditate on what they are summoning you into:

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12).

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Rom. 8:11).

In John 14:12, Jesus describes what normal Christianity looks like, and then, in Romans 8:11, Paul explains how you can experience it. Let's not allow the "health and wealth" abuses to distract us from pursuing the life of greater works. This is what we have been authorized and empowered to walk in through the power of the Holy Spirit, all for the glory of the name of Jesus.

Larry Sparks is the author of Breakthrough Healing (Destiny Image, 2014). He is a conference speaker, blogger, columnist and host of the weekly radio program Voice of Destiny (www.thevoiceofdestiny.org). Featured in Charisma magazine and on CBN's Spiritual Gifts webcast, Larry is also founder of Equip Culture—a ministry that equips believers with the tools and resources to live victoriously through the supernatural power of God. Subscribe to his blog at www.lawrencesparks.com. 

Attack of the Super Apostles!

Are you hearing phrases like “Obey, Apostolic Mandate, Five Fold Ministry, Tithing, Honor the Pastor, Set Man, Theocracy, Under Authority, Covering, Robbing God, or Submit” at your church?

Cultwatch’s web servers are running hot as Christians rush to download Cultwatch’s in depth expose of the “Super Apostles”. If you are a Christian you need to read these articles. Get informed and get warned about the Super Apostles’ clandestine push to mainstream Mind Control practices in the Christian Church. Protect yourself, your friends and family.

Note: Cultwatch helps people of all belief systems. This article is aimed at a Christian audience and so contains discussions of specific Christian beliefs. People who are not Christian may not find it Interesting.

Warning Introduction

It all started several years ago as Cultwatch began receiving isolated reports of the same Mind Control techniques usually found in the cults being used in certain New Zealand Christian churches. The reports were concerning enough for Cultwatch to start an investigation. Since then these reports have increased in frequency and intensity. Numerous people have independently reported that the techniques detailed in the Cultwatch web site www.HowCultsWork.com are becoming common place in more and more Christian churches both in New Zealand and around the world. Our research has confirmed that certain Christian Pastors have turned to Mind Control as a technique for growing their church. We have copies of their tapes, sermons, seminars, courses, and other documentation, that provide solid evidence of their deliberate employment of Mind Control (see the Cultwatch web site www.HowCultsWork to learn more about Mind Control). Unfortunately these Pastors have done significant damage to individual Christians.

However something was puzzling us. During our investigation we began to notice a disturbing trend relating to the spread of these underhanded techniques. These were not isolated instances; instead their spread seemed to be carefully orchestrated. Were there masterminds behind this phenomenon?

Was someone, or some people deliberately promoting these unchristian practices?

This text you are reading is Cultwatch’s initial warning regarding this threat to the Body of Christ. It is a summary, which avoids mentioning names, for now. Its aim is to alert Christian leaders to the danger of this insidious movement so that they can avoid being tricked themselves. It is also our hope that the Super Apostles themselves will realize the error of their ways and pull back from propagating these illegal practices. Otherwise we will be forced to publicly expose them.

The Warning

False apostles are rising up in New Zealand, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and in other countries. They plan to subjugate (to bring under control and governance as a subject, to conquer) Churches and their leaders. From what we can tell these “Super Apostles” aim to build a fiefdom (a medieval feudal estate) of churches with themselves as the lords, second only to God himself (the King). What these self-proclaimed apostles lack in solid Biblical Doctrine they make up with cultic Mind Control techniques (also known as spiritual abuse) and hyped prosperity preaching.”

The Super Apostles claim that the Biblical ministry of an apostle has been forgotten, and God has called them to restore it. Of course it is presumptuous of the Super Apostles to think that this God ordained ministry has died, but that is what they claim. The Super Apostles are in effect promoting a false apostolic ministry.

Now a biblical model of an apostle can be found in Paul, a hard working humble man who was not rich, except in his incredible passion for the gospel and correct doctrine. Paul was an apostle who knew the bounds of his authority, for example in 2 Corinthians 8:8 where he refrained from commanding the Corinthians to give money.

However these Super Apostles do not follow Paul’s example. They are rigorous self-promoters who see power and wealth as important goals. They demand that you cede (to yield typically by treaty) to their authority. Church members must sign “covenants” stating that they will obey the church leadership. Church leaders themselves must “submit” their lives to the Super Apostles. To not submit is to rebel against God’s will and condemn you to a barren Christian life outside the protection of the Super Apostles magical “umbrella of authority”. For those who do not yield it is claimed God will leave them to fend for themselves when the enemy comes. Also rebels will suffer a life of physical poverty, not to mention terrible accidents and diseases. To reject the Super Apostles themselves is the greatest sin. Do not even suggest that they are wrong; the spiritual repercussions could be horrendous!

Authority is a key word for this clandestine movement. Everyone must be under authority. That is, under their authority. Now of course apostles did have authority in Scripture, but these new apostles claim that authority as their own, and a great deal more too. Under the catch cries of “Church Governance” and “The Church is a theocracy not a democracy” they employ standard cultic Mind Control methods. They practice “enforced giving”, where tithes and offerings of church members are recorded. Members who do not give the “correct” amount are disciplined and held back from leadership. People are banned from going to other churches and working for Para church organizations not under the apostle’s control. They control relationships, ordering people to stay away from friends and family outside the movement. Some even demand Christian members seek permission to marry each other. They run a reporting structure where members watch other members, and confidential information is passed up through the leadership pyramid. Some members have even had their rooms searched. People who wish to live in cities where there is no branch of the Super Apostle’s church are told not to go. Time control sees endless compulsory meetings. Failing to attend a meeting is noticed and the member is spoken to Breaking sessions are employed where leaders “character assassinate” a member until they break down. Church members are given the impression that they can only be saved by being part of the Super Apostles church. Churches outside the “kingdom” are fallen and dead. Not all of these apostles state this so blatantly, but this is the impression they cultivate within their churches. However some do allude to this in the public arena, so confident they are that God is on their side.

“The term “Local Church” is an important phrase in their onslaught. They claim that no Christian work can be outside of the Local Church. Para church organizations are in error for not being controlled by a “Local Church”. Of course what they really mean is that no Christian work can legitimately exist outside of the control of a Super Apostle. The idea that those Christians under the Super Apostle’s control cannot work outside of a “Local Church” has already lead to an increased disunity in the Body of Christ. Carried through to its logical conclusion this exclusive doctrine will result in extreme disunity since no one will work together. Also their concept of the Local Church will lead to turf wars analogous to those seen in medieval Europe as the lords of that time fought to increase their fiefdoms at the expense of others. Already this sort of behaviour has been reported. For example recently an itinerant preacher who held a seminar in Palmerston North was challenged by a local pastor to what he was doing ministering in their area.”

How do they justify their stance? The Super Apostles look to pragmatism as their justification for practice, rather than Scripture. What works becomes standard operating procedure; hardly any consideration is given to whether it contravenes Scripture. Where a practice is questioned Scriptures are taken out of context, or twisted, to give the illusion that the Bible allows these methods.

These apostles surround themselves with “bodyguards”. People who isolate them from the workings of their churches. In all probability the Super Apostles do not know the extent of damage their reign is causing, since their bodyguards shield them from the hurt that is resulting in their followers.

Finances are an important area they seek to control. Some of these Super Apostles are more open with their church finances than others. These apostles and their families (nepotism is rife) receive significant incomes from their work. They drive expensive cars, live in luxury homes; some are given cash gifts, jewellery, ocean cruises, and other expensive holidays. Some have even formed an inner circle of the very rich within their churches who in return for their significant giving receive privileges other church members do not (James 2:1-9). Apparently being good stewards of the money people give to God is not high on these apostles’ priorities. No one would object to a pastor who has earned wealth through his business, with the caveat that he was not a lover of money. But no example can be found in Scripture of Jesus or the apostles gaining temporal wealth via the taking of gifts given to God. “Do not muzzle the Ox” these apostles retort, but they forget the other side of this biblical word picture, that the ox is a slave tethered to a pole. Christian leaders are slaves to the gospel, they deserve their due, but it is wrong for them to be gluttonous.

Having examined the teaching of the Super Apostles it makes us wonder about their true purpose. So often do the Super Apostles rave about financial matters we must ask if money is not their primary goal. New recruits converted on Sunday sign an automatic payment forms on Monday. Some of the Super Apostle’s ranting’s about “robbing God” by not giving their church your tithe, plus offerings of course, border on maniacal. Members have reported many of these over-the-top speeches are often deleted from tapes and videos of sermons, which implies someone in their leadership knows they are wrong. For those who are fans of the movie The Matrix, Morpheus’s speech to Neo regarding the purpose of the Matrix comes to mind. If we were being cynical we could imagine that Morpheus was talking about the Super Apostles instead of the Matrix.

Morpheus:

“And standing there, facing the pure horrifying precision.

I came to realize the obviousness of the truth.

Continue reading HERE!

Can Spirit-Filled Christians Be Oppressed by Demons?

How can Spirit-filled Christians be oppressed by demons? Watch deliverance minister Don Dickerman answer this question and offer guidance on casting out evil spirits in the videos below.

6 Ways to Prevent an Embarrassing Ministry Scandal

The recent sentencing of Dr. Yonggi Cho of South Korea is a reminder that we need a fresh commitment to integrity.

I was devastated to learn last week that South Korean megachurch pastor David Yonggi Cho was found guilty of embezzling $12 million in church funds. I was aware that the famous hero of faith was struggling with problems at his massive congregation, Yoido Full Gospel Church, which is in Seoul. Cho’s 56-year effort to build what is now the world’s largest church made him one of the most respected spiritual fathers in thePentecostal movement.

Some American leaders knew that Cho’s problems were linked to his son Cho Hee-jun, who was also convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for his role in an elaborate stock scheme that involved millions of dollars of church money. Hee-jun was immediately jailed. Thankfully, the elder Cho will not have to serve his prison sentence (it was suspended), but he will have to pay a $4.7 million fine.

I still respect Dr. Cho. A former Buddhist, he had a dramatic conversion to Jesus and was used by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to a nation that for centuries was closed to Christianity. Cho remains a legend. But the events of last week serve to remind us that even the greatest spiritual giants have feet of clay, and even the biggest ministries can fall into scandal if principles of integrity are not practiced.

This seems the best time to offer the simple reminders below. Today a new generation of megachurch pastors and ministry leaders has emerged, and this generation may not be aware that a few wrong moves could put them in the middle of the next big ministry scandal. If you are a leader, please post these rules in your board room, in your CEO’s office and in your ministry’s employee manual. If you are not in leadership, please pray that these rules are followed at your church, no matter how big it is:

1. Never build a cult of personality. The top reason ministries fail is that the organization starts revolving around a person instead of Christ. I don’t care how gifted or anointed the leader is—if he (or she) allows others to put him on a pedestal or if he climbs there himself, a fall is coming. Paul told the Corinthians, “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11, NASB). Paul didn’t build his ministry on himself. In addition, he shared the spotlight with his successor, Timothy, and his other team members. If a leader can’t share power, he is headed toward disaster.

2. Develop a culture of openness. Healthy ministries encourage staff members and church members to give input. I’ve found that in ministries that experienced scandal, employees constantly felt intimidated, controlled or even threatened. Did you know that the word occult comes from a Latin word that means “secret” or “covered up”? Ministries that engage in cover-up or secrecy are not managing their work in a Christian manner.

3. Insist on financial transparency. Churches and ministries are funded by donors, and donors have a God-given right to know that their funds are being used properly. Ministry leaders also have a God-given stewardship, and they must acknowledge that the funds given to them are not for personal gain. All financial transactions of a ministry should be scrutinized by designated leaders (including an outside accountant) to prevent corruption.

4. Don’t build a family dynasty. There is nothing in the Bible that says a Christian leader is supposed to turn his ministry over to his family. And nepotism is often the cause of financial scandal. If a leader stacks his board or church staff with family members, they will be tempted to make financial decisions that benefit themselves. And in many cases, parents who employ their children find it difficult to bring correction when there are serious offenses.

5. Beware of creating a greed monster. In today’s megachurches, huge amounts of money begin to roll in on Sundays—and if leaders are not careful, this kind of success can eventually destroy them. We must remember that God entrusts us with these funds in order to engage in the work of ministry, not to provide leaders with mansions, luxury vehicles, bodyguards, private jets, shopping allowances and second or third homes. When you feed greed, it will always come back to bite you. I personally believe that pastors and ministry leaders should voluntarily put a cap on their salaries instead of insisting on being treated like corporate bigshots.

6. Never tolerate a spirit of entitlement. Financial blessing can affect people in dramatically different ways. One person can humbly receive it, thank God for it and live in constant gratefulness and humility. The next person can accept the blessing and then begin to think they deserve royal treatment. This spirit of entitlement can invade a church or ministry subtly at first, until leaders begin to make demands. I once knew a preacher who asked to be driven from her hotel to the conference in a limousine—yet the distance was less than one block! This insane behavior should be confronted, not coddled.

Paul told his spiritual son Timothy that church leaders must be “free from the love of money” (1 Tim. 3:3) in order to assume that responsibility. We would do well to revisit that mandate today. Instead of tarnishing ourselves with another scandal, let’s show the world that we can handle money properly.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of the Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org).

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

2. The courtesy drop. We’ve all done it. Many people fall while receiving prayer because they figure it’s the spiritual thing to do. But there is nothing in Scripture that says you have to fall to receive healing or an anointing. You receive by faith. It’s perfectly fine to stay standing. And you may actually protect yourself from getting stepped on!

3. The song that never ends. I used to love the chorus “Let It Rain” until some churches drove this tune into the ground by playing it 159 times in a row. After the first 30 go-rounds, I want to scream, “Change the channel!” God doesn’t listen to us more intently if we are repetitive, as if we were doing a rain dance to make Him hear us. It’s OK to end the song and start a new one!

4. The amateur flag corp. Banners and flags became a hot worship trend in the 1980s, and pageantry can still be effective when practiced and performed for an audience. But where did we get the idea that waving flags, sticks or other sharp objects within two feet of people’s faces was a smart idea?

5. The wannabe telethon offering. I have been in meetings where the preacher gave a 25-minute offering sermon (before the main message) and then asked everyone in the audience to parade to the front for the next 15 minutes. Yes, giving money to God is worship. But when the offering takes longer than any other part of the service, I start to wonder if we are being taken for a ride.

6. The sermon with seven endings. Speaking of money, I wish I had a dollar for every time a preacher has said, “I’m starting to close.” I don’t mind a long sermon, and I’ve been guilty of going over my time limit. But you are flat-out lying if you tell an audience you’re finishing when you actually still have half an hour to go.

7. The praise-a-go-go dancers. I love to dance in church—and it’s normal in many of the ethnic congregations I visit. But I fear we unleashed a monster when we encouraged amateur dance teams to hop around on stage in unitards—in front of visitors! It’s not unspiritual to ask: “Will this look goofy?”

8. The ear-shattering amp. When the early church prayed, the buildings shook. Today we shake our buildings by turning up the volume of our sound systems. You know they are too loud when church members pop in earplugs during worship. “Charismatic” does not mean “loud,” and our spirituality is not measured in decibels.

9. The "jump-start" glossalalia. I will never apologize for the gift of tongues, and I believe it is a wonderful gift every Christian can have. But someone got the idea they could “prime the pump” by asking people to repeat certain phrases in order to uncork a prayer language. Asking someone to say, “I tie my bow tie, I tie my bow tie,” is not going to prompt a miracle. Quit manipulating the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul, in laying down guidelines for charismatic gifts, told the Corinthians, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). As we embrace the Spirit’s work, let’s allow Him to guide us into maturity so we don’t foolishly squander His power.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project(themordecaiproject.org). You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady. He is the author of 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale, Fearless Daughters of the Bibleand other books.

Does Our Love of Christ Make Us Easy Pray For Hustling Preachers?

Preacher Bureau of Investigations

New Orleans, Louisiana - Christianity at its core is a religion that encourages its believers to represent Jesus Christ in all interactions and to respect the head of the church, but does our faith make us easy prey for False Prophets? Like many of you I grew up in a very traditional Baptist church where the Pastor’s most famous rebuttal was “don’t question it because it’s God.”

My Grandmother really took this literally and never ever questioned the Pastor regardless of his lifestyle or offset doctrine. As we all grow older many of us left that Church to find ministries that were more in line with our interpretation of scriptures, but my grandmother stayed there. It was hard to leave her behind but she had been in that church ever since she was a little girl and could not imagine joining another church.

Eventually a coup erupted in that church which split it directly up the middle and the Pastor was forced out after almost 25 years of stealing and depleting the resources of the church.

Every accusation you can charge a Preacher with this guy was accused of by his members, yet many in the church would not leave. My Grandma would always tell us with a very firm tone in her voice to keep our lips off the Pastor; therefore many of my siblings and cousins grow up with a fear of even questioning the integrity issues of that Pastor.

We had witnessed with our own eyes the Pastor’s romantic involvement with a 19 year old church member, even driving up to Southern University on Saturdays to date her. Eventually she became pregnant with his second child born outside of his marriage by a member of the congregation, but my Grandmother reply was always the same “keep your lips off the Pastor.”

Even now, with the creation of the Church Folk Revolution I can still hear her voice and being that she is still with us (and is mentally sharp as a mathematician) I wouldn’t dare let her know about this site (LOL). My question now is the same as it was in 1989; as faithful believers how do we remain faithful servants in the mist of corrupt leadership?

Many of us were programmed with the same command which states that you don’t question it because it is God’s will, but is it really? Whenever I hear that statement it reminds me of the biblical mind control tactics that the American Slave Master would employ in order to physically and spiritually control the minds of my ancestors.

The role as Pastor presents a few wonderful opportunities for an opportunistic Pastor.

As Pastor of a church you are entitled to a very generous salary for only a few hours of work. As Pastor, you often make the final decision on the investment of Church resources as well as the salaries of staff members. As Pastors there will always be someone in the church that is star struck by your charismatic gifts, making them easy prey for sexual encounters. As pastor you have the opportunity to monetize your salary with books and CD albums of your sermons.

As you can clearly see, the role of Pastor comes with many benefits, some far too great for a hustler to resist.

I’m sorry Grandma but keeping my lips of the Pastor is becoming almost an impossible task in this day and age, especially since many of these Pastors provide us with enormous amounts of scandalous content every day. Our respect for the Pastor and our love for Christ have left the door open for some very questionable characters to enter our ministries, but all is not lost.

As the body of Christ we still have the same rights as the Children of Israel to demand men of integrity to sit as Sheppard’s of the church. How to raise the standard and quality of the men who would serve as Pastors of the church is not for me to mandate but is the sole responsibility of the congregation. If your church is in need of a Pastor then I strongly advise you against selecting one simply based on their ability to preach.

History has taught us that standing in the pulpit and delivering a message is the easy part, resisting the temptation to sleep with the women in the congregation and indulging in the church resources takes a real man of God.

PBI - Preacher Bureau of Investigations 2010 All Rights Reserved

Evander Holyfield & Creflo Dollar - Proof That You Can't Buy God

by Preacher Bureau of Investigations

Atlanta Bureau - If there was ever proof that giving 10% of your income to a Prosperity Preacher is not a good idea then all anyone has to do is look at Evander Holyfield. In a climatic legal setting that once featured Evander Holyfield, Janice Holyfield (his 2nd wife), Judge Miller, and Creflo Dollar, the actual battle was over the amount of money that was donated to one church.

For those in the church community who may have missed this story, listed below you will find a brief summary of the legal battle that ensued over donations made to Creflo Dollar Ministries as reported to us.



Act 1 -Attorneys for Mrs. Holyfield requested a deposition from Creflo Dollar in order to determine the exact amount of donations made to Creflo Dollar Ministries by former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield. Creflo Dollar refused to comply with the court order stating that the order was it in fact a violation of constitutional provisions for the separation of church and state and pastor-parishioner privilege. With Creflo Dollar’s refusal to comply with a court order, Judge Miller found the minister in contempt of court.

Act 2 – Creflo Dollar makes an appeal to the Supreme Court of Georgia but his case was eventually dismissed by the court. As part of a divorce and paternity case, Mrs. Holyfield's attorneys sought a line item explanation for the donations (tithes) that Evander Holyfield gave to Creflo Dollar during their marriage which totaled close to $7 million. Holyfield claims in an interview with ESPN that he will tithe before any other obligations such as paying his mortgage. The interview was from a show ESPN produced about the relationships between stars and televangelists.

Act 3 – In February off this year Candi Holyfield (Evander Holyfield’s 3rd wife) accused him of a violent act against her in the presence of the couple's two children. Candi Holyfield filed for a protective order against her husband. The protective order states that Mr. Holyfield is not allowed within 500 yards of Candi Holyfield, and that he have no contact with the couple's two children. The incident allegedly began because the heat was cut off in the couple's home, and Candi Holyfield attempted to discuss it with her husband. During this same time frame Evander Holyfield faced a foreclosure auction of his famous mansion which could have added to the problems during his brief marriage to Candi Holyfield.

The good news for Evander Holyfield is that he was able to get his house off in the auction block as confirmed by the lender. Despite the fact that Evander Holyfield’s 54,000-square-foot home is no longer in foreclosure it still brings into question the claims made by prosperity preachers that giving large sums of money to their ministries will gain you favor with God.

Whether Mr. Holyfield is actually flat broke is not the question. What really is at stake is the truth behind the prosperity gospel propaganda that your blessing is connected to the amount of money you give to the ministry. According to the top three prosperity preachers (Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, and Benny Hinn) if a believer faithfully gives 10% of their income to the church then blessings will start to pour in.

As we examine the Evander Holyfield story in which he has donated millions of dollars to Creflo Dollar ministries, it has many people asking where are the returns on investment for Mr. Holyfield.

Evander Holyfield's home = 54,000 Square FT

Evander Holyfield is just one in a long list of faithful members of prosperity preachers who donated millions of dollars only to discover that the only person who prospered was the Pastor of the Church. Ron Collins a spokesperson for the Church Folk Revolution says that prosperity preachers are doing more harm than good when it comes to the issue of tithes & offerings.

“This idea that you can buy your way into heaven by donating large sums of money to prosperity preachers has left the door open for all sorts of scams and cons. On one hand you can't claim that God is sovereign and powerful but on the other hand you present him as broke and in desperate need of money. We believe that God values our time in worship and charity far more than the money we donate to a charismatic preacher. “

The Church Folk Revolution’s website www.PimpPreacher.com, has experienced a nonstop flow of unique visitors to the site ever since the Bishop Eddie Long Scandal made breaking news. Ron Collins says that many of the people that visited the site had no idea that prosperity preachers were indulging themselves in lifestyles that many members could only dream of.

“If you really want to do something for the Kingdom of God then take the money that you would normally send to one of these prosperity preachers and pay the light bill for an elderly person within your own community. When you give money to these mega-churches you are actually funding their lavish lifestyles.”

If the claims of the prosperity preachers were actually true then Evander Holyfield would be a poster child for peace, prosperity and tranquility but based on recent court filings we now know that's far from the truth. Evander Holyfield has given over $20 Million to date to Creflo Dollar’s World Changers Ministries as reported by John Barr of ESPN.

Spiritual Mind Control - How Prosperity Preachers are Able to Control You

by Preacher Bureau of Investigations

Everyone has heard, read or discussed “church mess” whether it’s the allegations of Bishop Eddie Long, mega and mini church pastors “prosperity gospel” or any abuse/misuse of authority by a Pastor and in every conversation there is at least one person who cannot believe how this abuse/misuse could take place in a church – HOUSE OF GOD!

"How can anyone be that naive or gullible?”

To those people I say, you have to understand that most devout church goers trust and believe their pastor to be a true man or woman of God and they slowly get caught up in the “man or woman” instead of God. They start trusting the “words” of this man or woman more so than the unadulterated Word God. It’s a gradual, non-conscious process. Oftentimes they do not realize it is happening.

These “questionable pastors” use the basic doctrine of the Christian faith and then add their extra “personal doctrine/interpretation of scriptures”. They incorporate their own interpretation and use their authority and leadership to play on the emotions of their members and this is the key they use in mind control and undue influence on their members – much like in a CULT. The members become more submissive and have unquestionable acceptance of anything the Pastor says or does. This acceptance includes things that are not even scriptural-based. For example: multiple offerings, pastoral offerings, anniversary offerings, dictating how their members dress, who they can befriend, where they can go, etc.

It’s a very seducing spirit. These pastors are very strategic in making the members feel connected to them by using a false sense of love, care and protection. They manipulate the scriptures and subliminally create an unnatural submission to their authority, leadership and guidance. These pastors take an interest in the members, seemingly interested in their families and their issues and/or problems. Little do they realize these pastors are gathering “INFORMATION” that will later be used as ammunition to manipulate the member. If a member discloses a financial need, the pastor may “testify” as how they were in a similar situation and God they started giving more money and God blessed them. Famous words – “You can’t beat God in giving”!

Luke 6:38 King James Version (KJV) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Amplified Bible (AMP) Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.

New Living Translation (NLT) Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.]”

Who wouldn’t want to believe that this is true…why wouldn’t you believe it…it’s in the bible? The scriptures are indeed true, but how we are blessed may vary. It’s not as simple as they lead one to believe. This scripture doesn’t necessarily refer to money, but that is how it is explained – “if you need a $1000.00 – give $$$$!

“Follow Me As I Follow Christ”

I Cor. 11:1 - King James Version (KJV)
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

I Cor. 11:1 - Amplified Bible (AMP)
PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).

Initially, these pastors lead lives that exemplify a lifestyle of holiness in which they are following Christ, but slowly as the money starts coming in and they get bitten with the power bug, something snaps within them. They start feeling as a sense of entitlement. They feel as if they are entitled to certain privileges, rights, and control. The more they get the more they want and feel as if they deserve. They start manipulating the scriptures that dealing with giving, tithing and blessing. These pastors tell the congregants how they are great “givers”. But if they take $1000 out of their pockets and place it in the offerings…don’t they get it back because they control how the offering is spent and who’s to say that that $1000 came out of last Sunday’s offering. One favorite scripture that is often used to manipulate congregants to bless them individually is:

Matthew 10:41 King James Version (KJV) He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Matthew 10:41 Amplified Bible (AMP) He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

New Living Translation (NLT) If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.

Receive = believe everything the pastor says, the more you bless (give financially) to the prophet (pastor) the more you are going to be blessed by God…in fact the ONLY way you are going to be bless by God is by blessing the pastor.

Members start believing that the reason they didn’t get that job, car, financial blessing is because they do not bless their pastor enough. And any member that does get blessed with a new car, new job, increase in finances, healing in their bodies, etc these pastors will immediately correlate this to how much that member has given.



ACCOUNTABILITY

Pastors and Leaders need to be held accountable for their roles as Pastors…

Jeremiah 3:15 (King James Version)
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jeremiah 3:15 (Amplified Bible)
And I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart [in the final time], who will feed you with knowledge and understanding and judgment.

And the members need to take accountable for their own spiritual growth and relationship with God (not the church or Pastor)…they need to be held accountable for this knowledge and understanding that is being fed to them by the pastors.

II Tim 2: 15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Amplified Bible (AMP) Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

New Living Translation (NLT) An Approved Worker - Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

See it’s that first word that stops many of these members – STUDY! No one wants to study for themselves. It is so easy to rely on the Pastor to give the Word, and believe everything the pastor says without studying the Word. And that is understandable because you want to trust and believe that the Pastor is a true man or woman of God. You want to trust and believe that everything they are saying is correct. But believers are suppose to “correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth” that is being fed by the Pastors.

Unfortunately the members rely solely on what the pastor says and they continuously get manipulated by the “interpretation of the scriptures” .

And when some of these members who do study and find out that what the pastor is saying contradicts what they are studying, they are fearful in speaking about because of this main scripture

1 Chronicles 16:22 Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.

That’s why even with all the media about the allegations surrounding Bishop Eddie Long, so many faithful followers refused to engage in any dialogue about it because they have been taught that if you repeat anything or discuss any of the negativity surrounding Bishop Long that you are “touching” him with your words.

By "Just Sayin"