The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer | Chapter-by-Chapter Study & Reflection

A.W. Tozer: The Pastor Who Told the Church It Was Headed for Hell

Roundtable: Brown & Storms vs. Peters & Osman

 

Biblical scholars from different theological backgrounds engaged in a vigorous debate over the biblical definition of a "false teacher" and "false prophet" — and whether or not controversial evangelists like Benny Hinn, Mike Bickle and Sid Roth belong in such a category. 

In a four-hour roundtable discussion, Justin Peters, leader of Justin Peters Ministries and Jim Osman, author and pastor of Kootenai Community Church, debated the issue with Michael Brown, host of the “Line of Fire” podcast and Sam Storms, pastor emeritus of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City.

The first hour of the debate opened with a focus on the biblical criteria for labeling someone a false teacher or prophet, with all participants agreeing that a false teacher promotes heresies that are fundamentally at odds with the core doctrines of Christianity, such as the deity of Christ, salvation by grace through faith and the resurrection. 

However, the conversation quickly delved into more contentious territory, with the four men examining whether individuals who have made significant errors in their teachings but later repented could still be considered false teachers.

A significant portion of the discussion centered around Hinn, who has come under scrutiny for his adherence to prosperity theology, teachings on prophecy and supernatural healing.

Both Brown and Storms referred to Hinn as a “brother” they said had made significant errors in his teachings but later repented. The four men debated the effectiveness of such repentance, with Peters and Osman contending that true repentance must be accompanied by a complete cessation of ministry and restitution. Brown and Storms, however, suggested a more nuanced approach that allows for the possibility of genuine change and continued ministry under accountability.

“Speaking personally ... I am reluctant to pass judgment on the eternal state of an individual's soul so long as that individual does not overtly and explicitly deny foundational, biblical fundamental truths of the Gospel,” Storms said.

“They may be quirky in terms of their personality. They may be manipulative in terms of their ministry style. They may have distorted views of money. The whole prosperity gospel, I think we all agree, it's abominable. But many of those who affirm it believe they have biblical grounds for it; they actually believe in their heart and their soul that that is God's design for how Christians are to live. … I'm not going to consign [Hinn] to Hell until I see explicit unrepentant immorality, idolatry and denial of the foundations with faith.”

Osman pointed out that Hinn never publicly repented for teaching a “nine-member godhead” heresy several decades ago and continues to use the prosperity gospel to fleece the poor, which he said qualifies him as a false teacher. 

“You think that Benny Hinn is a man who loves Jesus, loves Christ,” Osman said, addressing Storms. “I would submit to you that any man who gives false prophecies, doesn't care enough about God to put words in His mouth that He does not say, bring reproach on God, who knowingly puts forth false miracles, fake signs and wonders, does that knowingly, intentionally, and for decades tells the poor and sick people, ‘Give me money and God will bless you’ — that's not someone in my book who loves Christ. That's someone who hates Christ. That's someone who hates the Christ of the Bible. He may love a Jesus that he's created out of his own image, but he doesn't love the Jesus of the Bible. Where is the conviction of the Holy Spirit in this man? Where's the correction?”

The conversation also touched on the dangers of extreme judgmentalism within the Christian community. Storms and Brown expressed concern that the term "false teacher" is sometimes applied too broadly, potentially condemning individuals who hold different but non-heretical views on secondary issues, such as eschatology or the operation of spiritual gifts. This, they argued, could lead to unnecessary division and hinder the church's mission.

Brown shifted the conversation to Martin Luther, the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation. Brown asked if Luther’s antisemitic writings and calls for harsh treatment against Jews, which were later used to fuel Nazi propaganda, could classify him as a false teacher despite his foundational contributions to Protestant theology.

“He promoted things that undermine the Gospel,” Brown said. “Many Jewish people think that Christianity is miserable and despicable because of Martin Luther … there is at least from our perspective ... a glaring double standard, an unequal weight measure and God hates unequal weights and measures.”

Peters replied that while he does not consider himself a “Luther apologist” and disagrees with the late theologian on a number of issues, he doesn’t believe he was a “false teacher.”

“Judging from the teachings that he gave concerning the Gospel, I can't on the basis of that and the things that he taught in those regards, call him a false teacher,” he said.

The discussion then turned to contemporary Christian leaders, including Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC). Six months after this roundtable discussion was filmed, Bickle was accused of sexual abuse, an allegation Brown and Storms acknowledged in a joint statement shared in this video.

Bickle's claims of supernatural experiences and his association with controversial figures raised questions about discernment and the validation of prophetic experiences within the Christian community. Peters, Osman, Storms and Brown discussed the challenges of verifying such experiences and the importance of empirical evidence and biblical alignment in evaluating modern-day prophets and teachers.

“I believe that Mike Bickle has lied about a number of things. In fact, not the least of which he claims to have been to Heaven at least twice. I don't believe that,” Osman said.

Storms, defending Bickle, highlighted the complexity of discerning true from false teachings in the context of charismatic experiences. He pointed to instances where Bickle's prophetic experiences were said to be empirically verified, emphasizing the need for a careful and nuanced approach to discernment that considers both the content of the teachings and the character of the teacher.

“Mike Bickle is probably my best friend in this world,” Storms said. “When I hear people say they think Mike Bickle is a false teacher, it angers me. It really does, because I know the individual. We're not talking about just watching ministry. I know the man personally.”

The four also discussed the case of Roth, host of the "It's Supernatural" television program. Brown, while acknowledging his long-standing acquaintance with Roth, defended him against the accusations of being a false teacher, emphasizing Roth's personal integrity, lifestyle and commitment to outreach. 

“I've known Sid … for almost 40 years. He's never once even had an accusation of immorality, a single time, let alone lived in unrepentant sin. He's not enriched himself off of the Gospel over the decades. He has never denied a fundamental of the faith or taught a fundamental heresy, as far as I know, in all the years with him. He loves the Lord, is constantly doing outreach,” Brown said.

However, Osman and Peters raised concerns about Roth's platforming of individuals with questionable teachings and claims of supernatural experiences, suggesting that either Roth's discernment or his intentions were problematic.

“Roth has many many, many times said that God has told him things that theologically are untenable, and quite honestly just don't even pass the common sense test,” Osman said. “I don't doubt that Sid Roth is a nice guy, seems like a very personable guy, seems like he's kind of a funny guy at times. But I would say he is absolutely, completely unqualified to be in any kind of ministry.”

Despite disagreements, the four men expressed a shared commitment to discernment, biblical fidelity, and the pursuit of truth and demonstrated a willingness to engage in constructive dialogue. 

“Let's try to work together, see the good, and we can have our biblical differences,” Brown said. 

“I'll go toe to toe with anybody on the planet. … I'd love to have the conversations … to talk together rather than to be so put off by the differences. I'm not trying to be naive or overly simplistic, but I think there are things that we each have that we need, and I say in humility that there are things you brothers have that are important .. and I think it’s the same in the other direction, and the Body would be so helped by that.”

Once Saved Always Saved Discussion WIth Dr Leighton Flowers

 

The Gospel of the Kingdom | Frank Viola

Reimagining Church | Frank Viola

 

Pagan Christianity | Frank Viola & George Barna

 

Francis Chan On The House Church Movement

Left Behind or Led Astray?

'ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED' is NOT BIBLICAL

 There is NO 'ETERNAL SECURITY' and 'ONCE SAVED; ALWAYS SAVED is NOT BIBLICAL.

Consider the following quote from A.W. Tozer:

   "One distinguishing mark of those first Christians was a supernatural radiance that shined out from within them.  The sun had come up in their hearts and its warmth and light made unnecessary any secondary sources of assurance.  They had the inner witness.  They knew with an immediate awareness that required no jockeying of evidence to give them a feeling of certainty.  Great power and great grace marked their lives, enabling them to rejoice to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

   It is obvious that the average evangelical ['christian'] today is without this radiance.  The efforts of some of our teachers to cheer up our drooping saints are futile because those same teachers reject the very phenomenon that would naturally produce joy, namely, the inner witness.  In their strange fear of the relgious emotions they have explained away the Scriptures that teach this witness, such as, 'The Spirit itself beareth witness' and 'He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.'

   Instead of the inner witness we now substitute logical conclusions drawn from texts.  A conversation between a seeker and a worker in an inquiry room is likely to run about like this:  'Do you want the Lord to receive you and make you His child?' 'Yes.' 'Well, read this:  "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  Do you believe that?'  'Yes.'  'Now if He doesn't cast you out, what does He do?'  'I suppose He takes me in.'  'Amen.  Now He has taken you in and you are His child.  Why don't you tell others about it.'  So the bewildered seeker forces a waxy smile and testifies that he has been converted to Christ.  He is honest and means well but he has been led astray.  He has fallen victim to a Spiritless syllogism.  There is no witness, no immediacy of knowledge, no encounter with God, no awareness of inner change.

   Where there is a divine act within the soul there will always be a corresponding awareness.  This act of God is self-validating.  It is its own evidence and addresses itself direct to the religious consciousness.  Abundant external evidence may exist that a work has been done within, and in this the reason may rejoice; but such evidence cannot be sufficient to guarantee that a saving work has been wrought.  Whatever can be judged by reason is subject to the limitations and errors of reason.  God waits to assure us that we are His children in a manner that eliminates the possibility of error, that is, by the inner witness." (A.W. Tozer, Born After Midnight, p. 13-14)

Here are some verses on the inner witness:

Romans 8:16:  "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God"

1 John 4:13:  "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit"

1 John 3:24:  "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."

   A pastor asking members of the congregation to raise their hands if they can give a Bible reason for going to heaven is a completely false and misguided approach as the above Bible verses and Tozer's explanation point out.  Tozer further writes "When Jesus was here upon the earth and walked among us, He used no fancy evangelistic maneuvers.  He never said, 'Now raise your hand; now put it down!'"  (A.W. Tozer Faith Beyond Reason p. 46-47)  The question to ask would be whether or not a person knows that he has the Inner Witness, the Holy Spirit.  

    Now, what if someone does have the Inner Witness, is there eternal security for that person?  Is he guaranteed a home in heaven?  The Bible pictures us as becoming one with the Lord Jesus Christ (as in marriage).  He saves us by becoming one with us.  1 John 1:2  calls the Lord Jesus "that eternal life".  It is only if we are in the Lord, one with the Lord that we have eternal life.  Jesus said  “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25)  God won't divorce us, but we can divorce Him.

 Consider these Bible verses: 

 Hebrews 6:4-6:  "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." 

Mark 13:13:  "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

Mark 4:13-20:  "And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.  And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.  And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."

2 Peter 2:20, 21:  "For if after they have escaped the  pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus  Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end  is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. "

Revelation 3:21:  "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

 John 15:5-6:  "....I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. "If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is  withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are  burned." 

 Romans 11:21-22:  "....For if God spared not the natural  branches, take heed lest he also spare not  thee.  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

1Cor. 3:16-17:  "....Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God  destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are..."

Colossians 1:21-23:  “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”

1 Timothy 1:5-7:  “From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;”

1 Timothy 1:18-20:  “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

Jude 12:  “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;”

 1 John 5:16:  "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it."

11 Chronicles 14-16 - read the story of King Asa

 Philippians 2:12:  “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

If there is no need to be faithful to the end, than why would all the martyrs down through the centuries have died – why bother?  Revelation 2:10b:  “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Some of the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are warned to repent - read it and see the consequences for not repenting.

Ezekiel 21-30 - "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?  But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.  Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?  When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?  Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin."

Podcast: Celebrities for Jesus

 Celebrity culture has invaded the church. Pastors, who should be shepherds serving the flock, have become idols attracting adoring fans and commanding six- and even seven-figure salaries.

What has happened to the church? How did we get here? And what can be done to counter this truly anti-gospel culture? On this latest podcast, host Julie Roys explores this pervasive problem with Katelyn Beaty, author of ‘Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church.’ In light of scores of people becoming disillusioned with the church, Katelyn describes the historical development of celebrity culture in the church, the three major temptations celebrity culture has spawned and what believers can do to counter celebrity culture in the church. This program was also released as an audio podcast and transcript on December 7, 2022: https://julieroys.com/podcast/celebri...

Eternal Security - Once Saved, Always Saved? By Joe Sweet

 Preaching the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD not HALF-TRUTH

GRACE: Salvation...Generous, Undeserved, Cooperation

 

Once Saved Always Saved?

The majority Evangelical view is that once someone has accepted Christ as Saviour, they are guaranteed salvation. But is it safe to assume that once we are saved, we are saved for always?

This talk helps us decide whether "once saved, always saved" is real assurance or a misleading assumption. The answer will have profound effects on the way we live and disciple others. 

Free resources and a library of David's teachings are available from www.davidpawson.org

Creflo A. Dollar announces a major shift in his doctrine - True Repentance?

 

Tithing is not Biblical - Creflo Dollar

American Preacher Creflo Dollar Says Tithing Is Not Biblical, He Also Orders Congregation To Destroy Books And Videos He Released About Tithes Before 

Creflo Dollar, the preacher who has been preaching the prosperity gospel for decades and the subject of tithes told his congregation to get rid of books, tapes, and videos he has preached about tithing.

He admits that he’s been preaching the wrong gospel when it comes to tithes. 

He added that tithes are Old Testament teaching and longer relevant for New Testament believers and also said that he will lose friends for speaking the truth about tithes.

The video where he said that comes from a teaching series he released on his YouTube channel on 26 June 2022.

Creflo Dollar who owns private jets and in recent years began to change his teaching on prosperity gospel has now confessed that he failed when it comes to the teaching of tithes.

Who are the experts when it comes to the Scriptures? Should we not test them? By Dave Hunt

 

Question: You have attacked the teachings of Calvin and Augustine. We’ll see which lasts the longest and stands the test of time—the writings of Augustine and Calvin and their contribution to orthodox theology or those of the writers and staff of TBC. Sorry, but history shows that in the world of art, music, literature, and theology God has given some to be head and shoulders above the rest of us. If I was sick I would seek the best, most brilliant surgeons possible. When studying Scripture I will continue to trust and rely on the great theologians, flawed as they may be.

Dave's answer: It is good counsel to “seek the best, most brilliant surgeons possible.” However, regarding spiritual matters, the intent to lean upon “the experts” clearly avoids the scriptural admonition to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Who are the experts when it comes to the Scriptures? Should we not test them? We are all flawed. More important, do Augustine and Calvin consistently and accurately “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)? We have simply pointed out some of their obvious contradictions and errors.

The Lord notes on a number of occasions that “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5). Are we to place people up on pedestals? Even the Old Testament priests were told to not “go up by steps unto my altar, lest thy nakedness is discovered.” We are living in a time when socially, politically, and most important, spiritually, men are turning from their responsibilities and surrendering their thinking to “the experts.” The failure of this approach is becoming only too obvious.

If people regard us as the “answer men,” then we have failed in the task the Lord has given us. We seek to point individuals back to the Scriptures, following the example of the Bereans (Acts 17:11). What you advocate is contrary to the Lord’s admonition and is detrimental to the health of the Body. Those who accept the pronouncements of “big names” such as Calvin or Augustine without “searching the Scriptures daily” are insubordinate to the commands of the Lord.

When Christ rebuked individuals, it wasn’t because they failed to listen to Gamaliel or other prominent teachers. He went to the heart of the matter. The Scriptures were sufficient for the Lord Jesus Christ when He confronted the two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27). He told them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets [not the commentators] have spoken.” And, “...beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (v. 27).

Again, we have not advocated our “TBC opinion” as the standard, and any accusations to the contrary are unsupported and very selective generalizations. What about Calvin and his abuses in Geneva? What about the anti-Semitism/Replacement Theology generated by the teachings of Augustine? It is more than the fact that these men were flawed. As we acknowledged, we all are. The problem is that what they taught is at times greatly in conflict with what the Scriptures say. The Great Physician is the “best, most brilliant surgeon possible.”

It is He who warned against the traditions of men. Now, let’s be obedient to the commands of Christ and although we may find the comments of “great theologians” helpful at times, like all commentaries, the inspiration ceases when we move from the biblical text to the comments of men. We would greatly encourage a prayerful and scriptural reexamination of the position that you have advocated.

As another writer notes, “The reformers had proclaimed the priesthood of all believers, but the Anabaptists, their contemporaries, were not impressed with what they found in the reformers’ churches. The monopoly of the Catholic priest seemed to have been replaced by the monopoly of the reformed preacher. Experts were still disempowering the congregation and hindering it from becoming mature” (Stuart Williams, “Interactive Preaching,” 3/3/08, The Anabaptist Network).

David Charles Haddon Hunt (September 30, 1926 – April 5, 2013) was an American Christian apologist, speaker, radio commentator and author.

Joseph Prince Twisted The Words Of Jesus In Revelation Chapters 2-3

 

Start at

Can You Be a Believer Without Being a Disciple?

 BERT FARIAS

In the church today there is much deception because people have been made to believe that their entire consecration is not necessary for them to be followers of Jesus.

Many have never been made to see the degree of hindrance their flesh is having on their spiritual lives.

Most people attend church to learn to be a success in life or ministry, but only a few truly pursue the heart of God.

Charles Finney, the father of modern revivalism, made this piercing statement:

"There is a certain type of Christian that although being constructively involved in the Church and pass off as being very good Christians are useless in revival. I do not mean that they are wicked, but they have a form of piety which has no fire or efficiency and actually repels new believers, and wards off the truth."

True Repentance

True repentance is not what you can get out of God like "your best life now." But it's what God gets out of you, like death to your own plans and desires. At the cross, you surrender and die in order to live for Him and His glory.

True repentance leads to obedience to the faith. You cannot be saved without obedience.

"And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb. 5:9, NKJV, author's emphasis).

If your motivation is not to please God and obey Him, I must doubt your salvation. Your heart has not been changed. Your conscience has not yet been purged from dead works by the blood of Christ. You are still living for yourself.

The big lie of the Western gospel is "just say this prayer and accept the poor rejected Jesus into your heart."

Or "just confess Jesus and you're in." Make Jesus your Savior but not your Lord. Such deception. He is Lord of all or not at all! This is the greatest delusion in modern Christianity. We tell sinners to accept Jesus and He'll give you peace and joy. He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. He'll make all your dreams come true.

This concept has filled our churches with false converts and opened up the broad way to destruction for multitudes.

You cannot receive the Holy Spirit until your motivation is to obey Him.

"And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32, author's emphasis).

The foundation of today's church has cracks in it. "Repentance from dead works" and "faith toward God" are not accurately preached.

Or as Paul said it: "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21b).

If we could just fill our churches with true converts and move everyone toward the "obedience of the faith," the churches of Jesus Christ would come alive.

"Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name" (Rom. 1:5, author's emphasis).

As an apostle of Jesus Christ this was Paul's passion.

You must ask yourself why you are serving God. Is it for the blessings and what He can give you out of life, or what you can give back to Him for giving you His life? That's the basic difference between a true and false conversion.

True repentance leads to obedience and the pursuit of holiness.

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14, author's emphasis).

Without holiness, you won't see the Lord. Without purity of heart, you can't see God.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8).

We must recover the message of true repentance and the cross. The coming storm will sweep many away in the Western church until true repentance, obedience to the faith, and holiness are found among us.

Bert Farias' books are forerunners to personal holiness, the move of God, and the return of the Lord. They also combat the departure from the faith and turning away from the truth we are seeing in this hour. Bert's current passion is to promote a culture of the supernatural manifestations and ministries of the Holy Spirit in the church today and to pass it on to the next generation (Passing on the Move of God to the Next Generation). Other materials/resources are available on his website, Holy Fire Ministries. You can also follow him personally on YouTube (Holy Fire Ministries), Facebook, or Twitter.

An Open Letter to the Singapore Church Leadership (I’m writing in my personal capacity) – By Rev George Ong

 

Dr. Simon Chong’s article was published on this website on 4 Sep 2021, last Saturday and the following are amongst the many things he said:

“How much more than the countless souls at risk of hell? In Joseph Prince, the Church is faced with a perpetrator of falsehoods and twisted doctrines, with many of the flocks drawn to it, as well as non-believers being seduced into a completely new brand of Christianity that is totally unlike what the Church preaches. For years, what has the Church done? Our response…Silence.”

“Hence to say one is ignorant and lacks information, that is totally inexcusable. But to have the inertia within to do or say anything, then that is disobedience, a spiritual malaise to a task or responsibility placed on every Christian and even more so Church Leaders & Pastors! For church leaders to continue to treat a heretic like Joseph Prince as a fellow shepherd is just unthinkable!”

“Will you continue to allow falsehood and lies to reign in your midst? Particularly as spiritual leaders, you must take responsibility and do what’s right!”

(If you have missed reading Dr. Simon Chong’s article and my response, please click here)

Upon reading Dr Simon Chong’s article, a friend of mine (who is willing to be identified by name if it becomes necessary) wrote the following to me on 4 Sep 2021:

“Hi George, just to let you know that I have written to the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) about 2-3 times about 1-2 years ago on what are they going to do with Joseph Prince and his teachings. I was met with silence.”

The Singapore Church leadership cannot remain silent anymore. If leaders choose to stay cowardly silent against the onslaught of Joseph Prince’s heresies, the Church is in dire straits. Silence is not an option. “To stay silent against the onslaught of false teachings is to acquiesce.” (George Ong)

They must demonstrate the courage that is expected of Christian leaders. They must come up front and state their stand. Is Joseph Prince a fellow shepherd or a heretic? They must examine what he said in his sermons and wrote in his books throughout his last 25 years of ministry.

If they can prove that he is teaching sound doctrine according to the scriptures and the church fathers, I will publicly apologize not only to Joseph Prince but also to the entire Christian Community – not only in Singapore but the whole world for falsely accusing him. If need be, I will make amends with concrete works or deeds of repentance.

But if they can’t, they must disfellowship and expel Joseph Prince from the Christian Community if he still chooses to remain unrepentant.

Allowing a heretic to operate under the official umbrella of the Singapore Church and preaching the false gospel for so many years leading many to their destruction is totally intolerable, unimaginable and starkly going against the scriptures.

Because of the inaction (irresponsibility to be exact) of the Singapore Church leadership (not just the present council but also the past councils throughout all these years; not just the council but also every pastor in the Singapore Church, including myself) to deal with Joseph Prince, it has somewhat caused his heresies to spread to the nations worldwide. Germany, which Timo Giesmann hails from (see below for his article) is just one of these nations.

Do we, as leaders of the Singapore Church even feel responsible to start with? Are we going to remain apathetic and pretend that everything is as normal? Are we so afraid of rocking the boat that we have become paralyzed to what needs to be put right? Can we be true to our conscience for failing to act for all these past 25 years and still refusing to act? Have we forgotten that Joseph Prince hails from our own nation of Singapore? So cleaning up the heretical dirt in our own backyard is our basic duty and obligatory responsibility. Period!

Continue reading Rev George Ong

Hillsong admits it knew about 'serious allegations' against the megachurch in 2018 and 'found some were true' after ex members claim it is a 'cult' with 'slave labor' where pastors 'choose members' partners'

 By KAREN RUIZ FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 20:48 GMT, 23 December 2020 | UPDATED: 00:35 GMT, 24 December 2020

• Former Hillsong members have compared the megachurch to a 'cult'
• A spokesperson for the church said in February 2018 they received 'a letter with serious allegations' regarding 'specific members of the Hillsong NYC teams'
• 'Sadly, we learned that some of the allegations were true,' they added
• LA service pastor Nicole Herman said it was like working for a 'corporation'
• Another NJ staffer claims she spent five years babysitting for various pastors
• Allegations have emerged following the termination of Pastor Carl Lentz, who last month was revealed to have engaged in multiple affairs with women

Hillsong on Wednesday admitted it knew about 'serious allegations' against the church in 2018 and 'found some were true' after ex-members claimed it is a 'cult'. 

In a statement to The New York Post a spokesperson for the church said: 'In February of 2018, Hillsong Church received a letter with serious allegations regarding specific members of the Hillsong NYC volunteer and staff teams.'

Former Hillsong members continue to come forward with allegations against the church, with some comparing it to a 'cult' where volunteers are allegedly used to perform manual labor and fulfill the personal needs of its leadership. 

The spokesperson added Wednesday: 'We were very concerned to learn that any church member, volunteer or staff member would feel unsafe. Immediately, we launched a comprehensive three-month inquiry into the claims made in the letter.

'Sadly, we learned that some of the allegations were true.' 

Hillsong say they took 'immediate action' following the claims. Even those they later deemed 'inaccurate' were said to have 'required care and concern as well', the church said. DailyMail.com has contacted Hillsong for comment. 

The non-denominational Christian church, which was recently rocked by revelations that former celebrity pastor Carl Lentz cheated on his wife of 17 years, demanded 'industrial slave labor' from its volunteers, ex-members have claimed.    

Hillsong Church was founded in Sydney, Australia in 1983 and has since expanded into a global chain with locations across the US, UK, and other countries. 

But former members say the church's alleged 'toxic' work culture appears evident across the board with some sharing horror stories from their experiences as parishioners in Sydney, New Jersey and LA.  

Nicole Herman, who served as a service pastor for seven years after helping found Hillsong Los Angeles in 2013, said working for the church was more like working for a 'major company.'

'I was beneath [the senior pastors] but I did everything,' Herman told the New York Post this week.

During her time there, Herman claimed she witnessed 'volunteers and real, amazing people' be taken advantage of and used to fulfill the 'petty needs' of church leaders. 

Herman made the decision to publicly speak out against Hillsong in an Instagram post on Saturday, offering support to any former members 'with a broken heart as well as a million other amazing people who left this cult.'

Over on the east coast, one woman who attended Hillsong in Montclair, New Jersey, claimed she spent five years babysitting for various pastors for which she was sometimes underpaid.  

'It was the most toxic work environment I've ever been a part of,' the woman, who wished to stay anonymous, told the Post.   

'You get up there on a Sunday and talk about tithing and giving and you literally don't do that to your workers,' she added.

 The woman said she became involved with the church branch in 2013 and after one year, she was introduced to Josh and Leona Kimes, now lead pastors at Hillsong Boston, to babysit their children. 

Once she began taking babysitting jobs with the couple, she was then passed down 'the line of pastors,' she claimed.

Although the babysitting gig was paid work, the woman claimed she was rarely paid the $15 an hour she was promised and was instead given a lower rate of $8 or $10 an hour each shift.

In addition, she says she was often paid weeks late or sometimes not even at all.

'I would be working 10, 11 hour days. I would get paid and then I would go in my car and count my money and nine times out of 10 the amount wasn't correct,' she added.

The former member also described the bizarre culture within the church, where she claims high-ranking staff members are viewed as celebrities.

She alleged people would 'flock' to her when she took the children to church services because members were 'obsessed' with those who had some kind of connection with anyone on staff.

Eventually, other babysitters who were not associated with church stopped taking jobs and criticized Hillsong for operating like a 'cult', the Post reported.

The woman however said she defended the pastors, but now in retrospect admits: 'When you're in that deep, you can't see the red flags or warning signs.'

The former staffer said she ultimately stopped taking babysitting jobs last year after hearing similar stories of abuse among other sitters.

A former student at Hillsong College, the Sydney-based school where members go to become pastors and church leaders, said she believes Hillsong is only a place of worship in name and prioritizes fame instead.

'A church is supposed to stand for honor, grace, and love, to help the widow and the orphan. If you read the Bible it's clear what you need to do, but that's not the way they operate — they're all about the fame and how things look for them,' Yolandi Bosch told the paper.

 Bosch said she and former staffers plan to file a legal complaint against Hillsong in Australia over its alleged culture of 'slave labor', and are currently looking for representation.

She said she was made to work 20 consecutive hours at one stage.

A spokesperson for Hillsong said: 'Like all students and volunteers on the Refresh team, when Ms. [Bosch] was a student in 2012, she would have helped maintain the building during special events and conferences.

'Our guidelines would have prohibited any student or volunteer from performing a single task for 20 consecutive hours as part of this program.'