A Blog by Steven Kozar
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
A Very Confused "Word of Faith" Man Writes Me an Email
From the intro: Holy Spirit Uses Smart Phone to Help Shawn Bolz Do Cold Readings
For further reading on this topic:
Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know!
The Hyper-Charismatic House of Cards-Let It Fall and Be Free
The Word of Faith Cornucopia of False Doctrine
Assertions are Assumptions are NOT the Foundation of the Church
Here's an email I just received from a well-meaning, but very confused man; he didn't write this to ask my opinion or start a conversation-he wrote this to correct me. Specifically, he wanted to correct my recent article The Hyper-Charismatic House of Cards-Let It Fall and Be Free. I decided to respond to his false "Word of Faith" doctrine in this article, because I hope it will be helpful for people who are trying to think through these issues. This man's words are in bold and my comments are in italics and in parenthesis:
Hi Steven,
While you likely meant well with your post titled the "Hyper-Charismatic House of Cards", you are actually doing more harm than good. While there are many excesses and problems in the charismatic church, there is an underlying spiritual reality that they have built these ministries upon (this is simply a gigantic assertion; this "underlying spiritual reality" is never defined or proven from Scripture). Think about how Satan operates - he takes something good that God has created and provided and corrupts it and distorts it so that it no longer functions properly. In doing so, Satan is then able to discredit God's original working or plan or intention and seed the sin of unbelief in its place (so these charismatics are almost completely smothered in the lies of Satan, but they also have great power against Satan?). By going along with the lie that there is so much smoke in the church and no real fire, you are promoting the anti-christ agenda (No, I'm pointing people back to Christ and Him crucified for our sins, as opposed to the confusing charismatic world that is largely incapable of fending off imposters and frauds and is often guilty of ignoring Christ and Him crucified for our sins.).
It is really hard to separate the false from the true, and in fact without the Holy Spirit's guidance and the Bible as a spiritual mirror it is impossible (Actually, it's not that hard, charismatics make it hard by constantly adding new revelation that competes with God's Word. They love their personal revelation and signs and wonders so much that simple Bible study is neglected, or the Bible gets misinterpreted in order to confirm their false teachings.). Take 'word of faith' doctrine as one example. Word of faith teaches that God created the universe by speaking it into existence, and He created us in His image and likeness. Given that Jesus received all authority in heaven and on earth from the Father and made us joint heirs with Him, we also have access to that same power (That's just another ridiculous assertion. Let's use that same deeply flawed logic in a similar way: "Given that Jesus received all authority in heaven and on earth from the Father and made us joint heirs with Him, we also have the ability to raise ourselves from the dead." or: "..we also have the ability to throw ourselves down from the pinnacle of the temple so the angels can catch us."). If you study the relevant Scriptures (Chapter and verse, please..), you will find that this is unrestricted power and authority (Really? UNRESTRICTED POWER AND AUTHORITY?? Why didn't Jesus or any of the Apostles tell us about our ability to speak things into existence with our unrestricted power and authority?). Now if you stumble over the sin of unbelief by refusing to believe what the Bible says this regard, you will not be able to activate your faith so as to speak and receive from the Father (Why are you bothering to write this email? Why argue your point using thoughts and words? Why are you not using your UNLIMITED POWER AND AUTHORITY to declare whatever it is you want to come true? You should just "declare that Steven Kozar will remove his article from the internet because it is causing unbelief!" Don't you have enough faith?)
While it is true that many teachers have abused this spiritual truth (What "spiritual truth?" The spiritual truth of casting spells with our unlimited power & authority?) by pandering to baser human nature while teaching this, that abuse does not invalidate the teachings found in Scripture (except that they are not found in Scripture). However, if we fall into unbelief on account of that abuse then that biblical truth is nullified and can have no power in our lives. See Psalms 78:41 and following verses for context and Hebrews 3 for further Biblical discussion of this concept. (These verses have NOTHING to do with Word of Faith doctrine or how we must activate our faith so we can have unlimited power & authority. These verses are about becoming disobedient and having a hardened heart. Wait a minute-is that supposed to be for me?!)
Kind regards,
(I didn't include his name)
“For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
If you've been a part of a church that adheres to some of the "New Apostolic Reformation/Signs and Wonders" teachings, there's a good chance that you have nagging doubts and concerns that keep popping up from somewhere in the back of your mind.
That's actually good.
For example, you've been told something like this: The Christian who gets baptized in the Holy Spirit, speaks in tongues and then... jumps aboard the hyper-charismatic NAR/Signs & Wonders bandwagon, will get a bunch of things that "regular" Christians don't have. You've gone to a lot of services, conferences & revival meetings so you can get "the anointing," and you've read a lot of "anointed" books and watched a lot of "anointed" TV and video presentations. And now you're supposed to have more. More blessings; more power; more prosperity; more confidence; more effectiveness; more intimacy with God... on top of that you've been taught to keep asking God for more because God is waiting to see how hungry and desperate you are before He does anything more.
But admit it, you don't really have more of those things. In fact, you probably have more questions, more confusion, and more doubts.
On top of these personal difficulties and inconsistencies, you've watched men and women who were supposed to be great spiritual leaders prove themselves to be regular sinners with all of their divorces, financial scandals and confusing teachings that seem to get made up on the spot. These are the people who claim to have great power because they get "built up in the Holy Spirit" by speaking in tongues, and they know the secret key to "resist the devil" and get radical results. Bill Johnson even claims that he can change the atmosphere of a room just by walking in the door. They know exactly how to brag about their amazing walk with God while maintaining a facade of humility.
But lets be honest. These are people just telling stories on a stage; they're really professional speakers. They have little to no proof of all the amazing things they claim to have done. All the miracles happen somewhere else (and nobody takes a video). These people are very good at telling compelling stories. They are very good at sounding humble as they attract and retain more followers for themselves. "Aw shucks, it's all the Lord; but He works through me a lot more than He does through you" is the overall attitude.
It's a house of cards.
You've been tricked. You've been sold a bill of goods. You've been bamboozled.
Now it's time to move on and find rest. Rest in the true freedom that comes from the unaltered Gospel: Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins. You've been forgiven of your sins, not because of anything you've done, but because Jesus took your place on the cross. You can stop trying to be more desperate to show God how serious you are (yet again). You can stop trying to be more passionate than you were the last time you mustered up a bunch of passion. You can stop trying so hard to feel something to convince yourself of God's presence. You can stop wondering why you still haven't gotten your "breakthrough." You can stop trying to get a "fresh word from the Lord." You can stop trying to figure out your Destiny so you can Change The World.
God does not require these things from you, and He never has. You've been ensnared by the teachings of men.
So here's the bottom line to this article: If you're confused by all the stuff you've been taught, start reading your Bible again, and stop listening to all the people who've been telling you these things. Just take a little time off and see what happens. Here's a truly radical idea: read entire books of the New Testament all of the way through (most of them are really short). If God's Word is actually God's Word, then He will you use it to speak to you. Stop trying to hear God's voice in your constantly changing imagination; the Word of God is unchanging and it's outside of you, and that's a very good thing. Clear out all the false teachings that have cluttered up your mind and discover the simple Gospel message.
He's given you His Word, now simply read it and be free!
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”
“Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.”
“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”
“And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God’s Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God’s Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people.”
If you found this interesting and thought-provoking, you might also enjoy the following articles:
Assertions and Assumptions are NOT the Foundation of the Church
Cognitive Dissonance and the Silly Putty Jesus
The false teachers who have invaded many of the Pentecostal and charismatic churches do NOT want you to know about The Charismatic Day of Infamy!
-This article by Steven Kozar
Mike Bickle's multi-million dollar "International House of Prayer" is an outgrowth of the heretical "Latter Rain" movement that began in 1948, even though IHOP has only been an official organization since 1999. Before IHOP, there was the "Kansas City Prophets" which basically turned into IHOP. Here's a brief overview of the Latter Rain Movement and how it leads to IHOP: Latter Rain: The Spawning of Apostasy
Mike Bickle is a passionate and convincing speaker who has built a world-wide ministry based on something that seems like a great idea: 24 hour a day prayer and worship. Underneath this simple idea of praying and worshipping are a number of unorthodox, strange and unbiblical teachings. His entire ministry is built upon convincing stories of miraculous prophetic words that God supposedly gave men like Bob Jones and Paul Cain (two very influential but discredited false prophets). Some are now claiming that IHOP has become a full-fledged cult that separates young people from their families and creates zombie-like adherents. If you Google "IHOP cult" you will find many blogs written by former IHOP students and staff that are now warning others about the troubling experiences they had. And experience is what IHOP is all about. The Bible takes a back seat to the exciting and ever-changing "prophetic words" that keep IHOP followers coming back for more, but ultimately leaves them confused, hurt and, many times, angry. Of course, like any gigantic organization there are a wide variety of opinions about IHOP and there are many Christians involved that sincerely believe they are serving God. Instead of focusing on individual opinions & experiences, the links below are largely addressing the flawed teaching that comes from Mike Bickle and IHOP; this is not intended as a personal attack on the many people involved.
The following articles are written by a number of Christians from many different denominational and theological backgrounds. These various writers don't agree on every aspect of Christian doctrine, but they do all agree that Mike Bickle and IHOP's false teachings should not be ignored.
The Dangers of the International House of Prayer by CARM
What is the International House of Prayer (IHOP)? by Got Questions
Multiple Articles about Mike Bickle and IHOP by Berean Research
Multiple Articles about Mike Bickle and IHOP by Deception in the Church
The Hard Truth About Mike Bickle and IHOP on Fighting for the Faith
Bickle's Bible Botching by Spirit of Error
Is Mike Bickle Biblical? by Holy Bible Prophecy
The 2nd Coming of the "Presence" (5 Part Series) by Herescope
Kansas City Prophets Exposed-Ernie Gruen's Report "Aberrant Practices"
Mike Bickle and IHOP Resource Page (Many links/articles) by Beyond Grace
Bill Johnson, IHOP, & Ancient Heresy Reborn (Interview with Bob DeWaay) by Echo Zoe Radio
The Over-Sexualization of Christ and the Heretical Bridal Paradigm by 828 Ministries
The Fatal Flaws of the Renewal (Part 1) by Watch Your Life and Doctrine Closely
IHOP "Explain" Their Concept of the House of Prayer from the Bible by Churchwatch Central
The Apostolic and Prophetic Movement by Keith Gibson
Mike Bickle Quotes from the Zedekiah List
Chris Rosebrough Reviews Mike Bickle's Sermon "Blow the Trumpet in Zion" by Churchwatch Central
Forerunner Eschatology: Mike Bickle’s End-Time Teaching and the International House of Prayer by CRI
Bill Johnson & Mike Bickle's Mutual Admiration Society by Spirit of Error
Why I Believe IHOP is a Cult by Gospel Masquerade
Bill Johnson, IHOP and the "Passion" Translation by Spirit of Error
“For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.”
“And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God’s Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God’s Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people.” -Jonathan Edwards
Here are some examples of the worst kind of manifestations that sometimes occur at IHOP:
Want to watch a man sawing off the branch he's sitting on? Here's Mike Bickle's very own youTube video where he begins by saying "anything that's not in the written Word of God I reject" but then he goes on to promote and encourage things that aren't in the written word of God:
Here he is again trying to explain why it's okay to have lots of FALSE prophecies:
Here's Bickle spending 28 minutes confusing a room full of people; this is where he explains that 80% of the manifestations and prophecies are FALSE, but that's okay:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”
“An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”
“And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord has not spoken.”
“Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity
to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.”
“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
Mike Bickle probably doesn't want you to know what his friends did at The Charismatic Day of Infamy
Mike Bickle is a key player in The New Apostolic Reformation
Here is some Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know!
For further reading and research:
Confirmation Bias: Why You Are Protecting Your False Beliefs
Assertions and Assumptions are NOT the Foundation of the Church
The Hyper-Charismatic House of Cards-Let It Fall and Be Free
Here's a great article to help you be more discerning and less gullible:
-This article by Steven Kozar
Dr. Michael Brown is a very smart man. He knows exactly what the New Apostolic Reformation is but, like fellow NARpostle Bill Johnson, he wants everyone to believe he's not really a part of the NAR. Instead, he wants us to believe it's a fictional movement that was invented by its critics (that's why he calls it the "so-called" NAR). In the following article, he is clearly shown to be a key player in the NAR:
Further Evidence of Michael Brown’s Ties With the NAR by Churchwatch Central
Kenneth Hagin ("DAD" Hagin)
The Word of Faith movement is the predecessor to the New Apostolic Reformation and the two movements share a lot of overlapping beliefs. The Word of Faith (WOF) movement developed in the 1940's & 50's under the teachings of E.W. Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin (who plagiarized Kenyon), Oral Roberts, A.A. Allen, T.L. Osborn, William Branham and others. Like the NAR, the WOF never had an official leader or official statement of beliefs, so it is difficult to determine exactly when it started or exactly what it taught. And like today's New Apostolic Reformation it has been a "moving target" that could morph and rearrange itself in order to avoid critical analysis. The WOF emphasis on guaranteed physical healing & prosperity and the "power of our words/positive confession" teachings are largely being continued by many NAR teachers. Perhaps the most prominent WOF teacher still active today is Kenneth Copeland, who learned directly from Oral Roberts and studied at (the then newly formed) Oral Roberts University in the 1960's. It could also be argued that Joel Osteen is the most prominent WOF teacher active today, since the core of most of his teaching is WOF doctrine. Joyce Meyer is another extremely popular WOF teacher (See article: Is Joyce Meyer Word of Faith?), as well as Benny Hinn.
In a nutshell, there is little practical difference between the older heretical teachings of Kenneth Hagin and Oral Roberts and the newer "Super Pastors" like Bill Johnson and Brian Houston; it's more a difference in style, approach & emphasis. In fact, Benny Hinn recently made a special appearance at Bill Johnson's church:
Benny Hinn with Bill and benni Johnson in 2017
Here's a brief video showing Bill Johnson, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland and Todd White all teaching the WOF idea that Jesus needed to be "born again:"
False teachers are always dressing up their bad doctrine with new catch-phrases and new "direct revelations from God," but the resulting beliefs end up directing our attention away from the finished work of Christ and focusing on ourselves and the teachings of men.
Here's a really great summary of the Word of Faith movement in seven minutes:
If you want to understand all the false doctrine in today's "Pop Evangelical" churches (especially the New Apostolic Reformation), you really need to research the Word of Faith movement that brought us to where we are today. Here are a number of articles that will shed light on this important topic:
What's Wrong with the Word of Faith Movement (Part One)
What's Wrong with the Word of Faith Movement (Part Two)
Word of Faith Movement (with many links) from Berean Research
Three Errors of the "Word of Faith" Preaching by Josh Buice
Prosperity Gospel Born in the USA
Word-Faith Movement Profile by Watchman Fellowship
WOF Sacred Cow #1: Jesus Was Very Wealthy by Discernment Ministries International
WOF Sacred Cow #2: Jesus Ministered Only As a Man by Discernment Ministries International
WOF Sacred Cow #3: Jesus Died Spiritually by Discernment Ministries International
WOF Sacred Cow #4: The Laws of Faith & Confession by Discernment Ministries International
WOF Sacred Cow #5: It Is God's Will To Always Heal by Discernment Ministries International
Physical Healing and the Atonement-Is it Always God's Will to Heal Now?
That Time God Destroyed Oral Roberts' Healing Tent, And He Made a Point by Pulpit and Pen
4 Ways the Prosperity Gospel Twists Christianity by Jeff Sanders
10 Ways the Word of Faith Movement Went Wrong (Written by a Charismatic pastor who still somehow loves the WOF teachers he studied)
Compilation of Word Faith articles from Deception in the Church
The Demotion of Christ & Exaltation of Man by Discernment Ministries International
Justin Peters has some of the best lectures on the history & teachings of the Word of Faith movement; here is one of his many YouTube videos:
This video (3 hours long), produced by Keith Thompson of Reformed Apologetics Ministries, documents the errors and origins of Word of Faith teachings:
Just for fun: At Long Last: Toyota Releases A Car That Runs On Positive Faith Declarations
-This article by Steven Kozar
Here's a really interesting interview with Bart McCurdy, from Redding, CA:
Bart's Facebook page: Bethel Church and Christianity
Bart and Tony Miano's YouTube video: On The Road: The Dangers of Bethel Redding
Other articles of interest:
The Bill Johnson Cornucopia of False Teaching
What a Bargain-Bill Johnson's $400.00 Thumb Drive!!
Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know!
Cognitive Dissonance and the Silly Putty Jesus
Confirmation Bias: Why You Are Protecting Your False Beliefs
A recent YouTube clip from Todd White on TBN has become popular. In this clip, he makes some staggeringly bad statements about the very core of Christian doctrine: the meaning and purpose of the cross of Christ (he made the exact same comments earlier in the year). Like many of the New Apostolic Reformation teachers, Todd White tells stories and invents analogies to replace the true teachings of the Bible. For instance, White tells people that you wouldn't spend $150,00 for a $3,000 car. So if someone pays $150,00 for a car it must really be worth that much. He then says that since God paid a very high price on the cross we must be very valuable, as opposed to being guilty as sinners. It could just as easily be said that Jesus had to die on the cross because of how bad our sin is; the "high price" of the cross shows us how terrible our situation was before Jesus paid our debt. (Here's a shorter edited version of the video, that focuses on the worst comments in his talk).
It only takes a little skepticism and a quick look at God's Word to see how backwards this teaching actually is. If we are so valuable, as White tells us, why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Why was Jesus punished in our place? Todd White's teaching is very confusing, but it really appeals to our selfish nature. It makes no sense to die on the cross just to show people how valuable they are. There has to be a reason why Jesus was punished in our place. Otherwise, why didn't Jesus simply tell us how valuable we are and encourage us to continue doing all the wonderful things we were doing? He could've just sent us a fruit basket or given us a pat on the back, instead of dying a horrible death on the cross. John the Baptist said (about Jesus): "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" According to Todd White, John the Baptist should've said something like: "Behold, the Lamb of God who comes to tell you how valuable you are! You're doing great, now just remember your true identity!!"
The Bible says we are sinners who deserve God's wrath, but our sin is removed because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross in our place.
Todd White says we are really valuable, but the problem is, we just don't understand our value; we don't "know our true identity." So Jesus paid a really high price to convince us of our value.
Instead of focusing on God's gracious free gift of salvation, which was given in spite of our sin, Todd White flips the Gospel upside down and says that Jesus had to pay a high price to get us back, because we are so valuable. Although White mentions our sin, it starts to sound as if we deserve God's salvation because we're so valuable. It almost seems as if White thinks we shouldn't be in awe of the amazing grace that God bestowed upon us, instead, we should puff ourselves up with the fact that God paid such a high price for us. This is a completely false gospel.
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
Here's a very brief video that contrasts the false Gospel message of Todd White compared to a Biblical Gospel message (in these clips, explained by Paul Washer):
Here’s a more detailed video from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:
Here's a very helpful little When We Understand The Text video on this topic:
For a little more detail on this topic, listen to Chris Rosebrough on this episode of Fighting for the Faith (at 53 minutes into the show): Benny Hinn Partners with Chuck Pierce?
Here's Todd White with his spiritual mentor, Prosperity Preacher Kenneth Copeland:
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we now have been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
“But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
“And you, who once were hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him...”
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast”
Here's another article about the same Todd White video:
NARcissist Todd White: Jesus Saved Us Because We Are "So Valuable"
Here's a LOT more info concerning the false teachings of Todd White:
The Todd White Cornucopia of False Teaching
-This article by Steven Kozar; check out the new and improved Messed Up Church website!
In part one of this fascinating & eye-opening series, Steve Kozar interviews Mishel McCumber about her deliverance from the "Luciferian Gospel" of Rick Joyner & Morningstar Ministries:
For Further research:
Michel McCumber's book on Amazon: The View Beneath: One Woman's Deliverance From the Luciferian Gospel
Mishel McCumber's website: Deception Bytes
The Rick Joyner Cornucopia of False Teaching, Bible-Twisting and Overall Wackiness
Rick Joyner's Demonic Voodoo "Church"
Cognitive Dissonance and the Silly Putty Jesus
Confirmation Bias: Why You Are Protecting Your False Beliefs
Holy Spirit Uses Smart Phone to Help Shawn Bolz Do Cold Readings
The following is a real devotional email sent by the pastor of a large charismatic church to his congregation. This pastor had recently been confronted by a few of his church members who didn't like his "Signs and Wonders/Rick Joyner/Bill Johnson/IHOP" teachings and asked that he only use the Bible and stop referencing those other teachers and teachings. He was never asked to adopt a cessationist position; just to hold more closely to Scripture alone. Several weeks after he had the meeting with those people, he wrote this devotional message/email and then preached a sermon based on it. I think this is a good example of what happens when a pastor wants to divert attention away from a valid theological discussion and continue teaching his version of "Signs and Wonders" Christianity. His original article is in bold; I will make comments (in parenthesis) throughout the article. This article originally appeared in October of 2014.
A Personal Relationship
"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." John 5: 39
(This verse is the "set-up" for the rest of the article; it's supposed to make Christians who demand adherence to the Bible look like Pharisees, but it's taken completely out of context. These Pharisees were unwilling to recognize that the Messiah had come-it was Jesus! The Scriptures pointed directly to Jesus and they were guilty of not going to Him. Jesus was not saying that you should come to Him instead of the Scriptures, He was saying that they should have found him in the Scriptures.)
I believe many things about my wife, Jane (not real name). Some are just facts, like her birthday, her place of birth, her parents' names, and her general history which anyone who is interested could easily learn. Other things require more personal involvement like knowing her character and her heart's desires. My current beliefs about her are numerous, but my relationship isn't with my beliefs about Jane, it's with her. She's a person. Because of this reality, my beliefs are always growing and deepening as we walk together. (This line of thinking utilizes the common method of telling stories instead of teaching from the Bible; this way you can make any point about anything. The implication here seems to be that the Bible is not enough-it's just a bunch of facts and figures about God. We can't really know God through the Bible-we need a "relationship" with Him; which appears to be shorthand for "a subjective experience of God.")
But what if I no longer lived with my wife? Wouldn't my belief system become static? I would still believe things, but they wouldn't deepen or grow because of a lack of present experience with her. In the text above, Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees because their relationship isn't with God Himself; it's only with their beliefs about Him. (God was rebuking the Pharisees because their relationship was only with their beliefs about God? What the?? No, that's totally wrong!! Their beliefs were just plain wrong-they didn't believe in Jesus! This is not hard to understand. This is a total mishandling God's Word. This is such a gigantic error that I really want to end the critique right here... but let's keep going.)
There is a great danger in evangelical Christianity today of making our beliefs about God an idol that takes the place of an actual relationship with Christ. (Where do we read about this "belief in God" idol in the Bible?) How can I tell if I'm in danger of this idol? Here are five symptoms:
1. We become unteachable. We no longer believe what we read in the Bible; we only read what we already believe. (Yes, we should want people to accurately and faithfully understand God's word-not read into it whatever they want, this is very true. But how does this pastor define "unteachable?" He could be referring to anyone that disagrees with him; hmmm...)
2. We become divisive with Christians that don't believe exactly what we believe about God and Christ. We're experts and everyone else needs to listen to us to get it right. (This point is very important for what it doesn't say; it fails to mention that some people want a teaching to line up with Scripture. These people aren't commended for being good Bereans, they're condemned for being "experts" who want everyone to listen to them. What if they really just want everyone to listen to the Bible?)
3. We become suspicious of any fresh moving of the Holy Spirit that doesn't fit into our box of who we think God is and how He should act. (Just as in the previous point, this fails to mention that people might be suspicious of a so-called "fresh move of the Holy Spirit" not because it doesn't "fit into our box," but because it is false and/or doesn't line up with Scripture. This pastor believes that subjective experiences are good and acceptable, but an objective evaluation of an experience compared against Scripture is to be avoided. No wonder so many people leave Charismatic churches confused and hurt.)
4. We find ourselves bored with worship because our hearts actually love what we believe about God more than we love God Himself. (This point is just too weird to analyse very much. Somehow, this pastor can see into the hearts and minds of people and discover that they love their beliefs so much that they become bored with worship... insert creepy 50's Sci-fi music here.)
5. We realize we're no longer growing. We're no longer amazed by God or ever surprised by anything He does. We're sure we're doctrinally "right", but if we're dead, we can't be right because Jesus came to give life. (Let me see if I understand this; I need to be surprised or amazed by something God does in the present tense to prove that I'm growing? And if I'm sure I'm doctrinally "right" that proves that I'm dead. I would think that Jesus coming to earth as a virgin-born baby, living an amazing life full of teachings and miracles, giving His life on the cross as a penalty for our sins, rising from the dead on the third day, etc. etc. are all good enough things to embrace, celebrate and remember for all of our days, aren't they? Is it not enough to be surprised and amazed by what He's already done? Do we really need something "new" to validate our faith? Does "growing" mean that we should adopt new and different beliefs every time the latest "prophet" has a "word for us?" The clear implication here is that just studying God's Word isn't enough to get "God's Word;" we need extra-biblical revelation through some kind of subjective experience. Is it any wonder that Christians are biblically and theologically ignorant? If you put Post-Modern Subjectivity and Hyper-Charismatic Anti-Theology into a blender this is the kind of nonsense that comes out...)
The Scriptures are not an end in themselves, they direct us into a personal relationship with the God who loves us and died for us. We all know "in part" and the even the part we think we know is only a seed of all that is true about the transcendent, majestic, unchanging, and uncreated God of the universe. I think we would all do well to examine our hearts and humble ourselves before Him every day acknowledging that the mystery of who He is in Himself goes far beyond our present beliefs about Him. (But does it go beyond God's Word??) Getting to knowHim is the greatest adventure of our lives and will last for all eternity!
(After His resurrection, Jesus met two of His followers on the road to Emmaus and didn't reveal himself; He first asked them a series of questions to see what they knew and believed about Himself. When they said that they basically didn't know what was going on even though the empty tomb had been discovered and angels had said He was risen, Jesus said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself." Luke 24: 25-26.
Why did Jesus do this? Didn't He know that "the Scriptures are not an end in themselves, they direct us into a personal relationship with God..." like this pastor claims? Jesus wasted all that time explaining the Scriptures when He should have been developing His personal relationship with them. They could have, I don't know, exchanged recipes or sung show tunes together-that would have been more personal.)
Here's what God's Word says: "Now He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.' Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them 'Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sin would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:44-48 "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
Btw, here's a follow-up article I wrote about this same pastor: Hey Pastors-Wanna Protect False Teachers? Here's Your Template!
This is not intended to be a personal attack on this particular pastor; I'm using this to explain vital differences in theology, and to explain how bad theology (un-Biblical teachings) can be promoted and protected.
Kenneth Hagin is the "father" of the Word of Faith movement; the movement that brought us Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar and a million other false teachers spreading heresy. Although he died in 2003, he's as influential and important as any man could possibly be, in the charismatic world. Hagin plagiarized many of his ideas and writings directly from E. W. Kenyon, who lived a generation earlier.
This video shows him casting a spell (or something) to this audience. He never actually preaches; in fact he rarely even talks. Most of the time he just laughs and hisses at people. Here's a longer, unedited version of this same event, which happened in 1997. Here are some quotes from Hagin on the Zedekiah List.
For those who think it's mean, judgmental and un-loving to criticize Kenneth Hagin (or any other popular teacher) here's something just for you: Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know.
If you're having a knee-jerk reaction to try and defend Kenneth Hagin, check out: Confirmation Bias: Why You Are Protecting Your False Beliefs.
Finally, here's an article that will help you be more discerning and a lot less gullible: Defusing Demonic Dirty Bombs.
Here's a great article from Nathan Busenitz at The Cripplegate:
John MacArthur's book "Strange Fire" is a fantastic resource on this topic. The true history of the charismatic movement has been whitewashed and glossed over until it's become almost complete fiction. Perhaps most interesting is the story of Charles F. Parham-the founder of the entire Pentecostal/charismatic movement-whom Busenitz details in his article. Parham initially believed he and his students were all speaking real languages and so they could go overseas and preach immediately without needing to learn languages the "old-fashioned" way. Until some people actually went to other countries and spoke gibberish and turned around and came home, having communicated (and converted) no one. Here's newspaper from May 31, 1901 where Parham is boasting of their newfound ability:
After it became painfully clear that none of his followers were speaking real words, Parham changed his beliefs to fit the situation-he invented the idea that tongues were a private prayer language in order to fit his predicament! But his bad ideas were just beginning; he still had racism, murder and more bad teaching to come.
Charles Fox Parham-The Founder of Pentecostal & Charismatic Christianity
More on this vital topic in the future...
Johnson & Vallotton (and all of their NAR allies) have simply put a new layer of icing on a rotting heretical cake.
In the following video, Bill Johnson and his associate pastor Kris Vallotton make it clear that they want God to "give them the mantle" of false teacher William Branham:
In this excellent article on Cross Wise, the false teachings of William Branham and other NAR leaders like Earl Paulk and Bill Hamon are connected to the currently popular false teachings coming out of Bethel Church in Redding, CA.
Here's an entire episode of Fighting For the Faith about William Branham; with more resources about Branham below the audio link.
William Branham was a strange guy with some really bizarre beliefs-he actually had similarities with Jehovah Witness teachings, just like Bill Johnson. Although he died in a car crash (that he did not predict in advance) in 1965, his teachings are still influential today-and need to be refuted. Anyone who wants his "mantle" is to be avoided!
Bill Johnson and the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) "Super Apostles" don't want you to know about their involvement in the Charismatic Day of Infamy.
For those of you who think it's mean and un-loving to criticize Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton (or any other popular teacher) here's a list of Bible verses to consider: Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know.
Finally, here's an important article that will help you be more discerning and a lot less gullible: Defusing Demonic Dirty Bombs.
The "New Apostolic Reformation" is a loosely knit association of churches and ministries with no absolute statement of beliefs or specifically defined doctrine. In this regard, it is true that the NAR is not a global conspiracy that is secretly holding meetings and making plans to dominate the world. On the other hand, there are millions and millions of people around the world who are unaware that their church or favorite ministry has all or most of the characteristics of the NAR. There's a good chance that a person holding to all, or most, of the NAR beliefs doesn't know that they've subscribed to those beliefs because they think it's just "ordinary Christianity."
C. Peter Wagner (1930-2016) invented the term "New Apostolic Reformation" and then pronounced himself God's appointed leader of it:
“I needed a name … For a couple of years I experimented with ‘Post denominationalism’. The name I have settled on for the movement is the New Apostolic Reformation.” (Source: C. Peter Wagner, The New Apostolic Churches, Ventura CA; Regal, 1998, p. 18.)
Wagner presided over the commissioning ceremony of fraudulent preacher, Todd Bentley, at the "Lakeland Revival" in 2008. This is the day that the New Apostolic Reformation was at its most glorious and self-congratulatory peak. This day turned out to be The Charismatic Day of Infamy, and all of its "Super Apostles" were proven to be incompetent, unqualified and full of hot air.
This loosely knit association of churches and ministries has much in common with the Latter Rain movement and the Word of Faith movement. Supernatural Signs & Wonders; Dominionism; Joel's Army; The 7 Mountain Mandate; Third Wave Revivalism; Mike Bickle's IHOP; Bill Johnson's Bethel Church, The Hillsong Media Empire, Rick Joyner's MorningStar Ministries, Todd White's Lifestyle Christianity, Che Ahn's Harvest International Ministries, Randy Clark's Global Awakening, Lou Engle's The Call, John & Carol Arnott's Catch the Fire/Toronto Blessing,... these ministries share much of the same theology and so they all a part of this shape-shifting movement in one way or another. It is gobbling up churches and deceiving millions around the world.
N.A.R. "Founder" C. Peter Wagner
Some key beliefs of the NAR are:
We've entered a "2nd Apostolic Age" that is marked by increasing Signs & Wonders. In order for the Church to accomplish its mission, we need to be under "Apostolic Alignment," which means that God will fully function once the new instructions from these new apostles and prophets are obeyed.
Christians should somehow take over the world in a way that's never happened before; the "7 Mountain Mandate" is the means for this to happen. Christians now have a great "Destiny" to achieve as royalty on the earth. We are to "Bring heaven to earth."
The Holy Spirit has introduced new demands that aren't taught in the Bible; fresh "Revival" is His new emphasis, so ongoing meetings, conventions and lengthy worship sessions are needed with rock bands, smoke machines and emotional speakers (who tend to yell a lot). The institution of the Christian Church is not nearly as important as this new move of God. We are told to constantly ask for more: "More Lord... more." (One thing for sure: there are always more and more conferences to attend.)
Jesus is the example for us to duplicate-in fact, we should literally be doing "greater works than Him." This means we should all expect to raise the dead and heal anyone we want to at anytime. There are no leaders in the NAR who are actually doing these things, but they make great claims of having extraordinary power and ability. And if you buy their books/DVDs/conference tickets they promise to give you the "secret formula." This is the Theology of Glory, as opposed to the Theology of the Cross.
A great end time harvest/outpouring will occur once we battle enough demons, perform enough miracles and unify under these new Apostles, (who tend to yell a lot). There is supposed to be a "billion soul harvest" according to many in the NAR, although the Bible only speaks of an end time falling away defined by great signs and wonders.
Although God is giving new revelation to his Prophets/Apostles they will make many mistakes in the process and that's okay, but following the Bible too closely makes you a "religious" and narrow-minded Pharisee. In the NAR, using your mind is generally bad but having a mystical and subjective experience is very good.
In this new movement, we are to give people an Encounter with God, because the simple Gospel message is not enough. People need to see the power of God with their very eyes in order to believe (this is why we should be supernatural acts for people all the time). They do not need to understand the nature of their sin and their need for a Savior, however, as much as they need to know their identity as "sons and daughters of the King." So, fundamentally, conversion is a matter of finally understanding how special and lovable we are, not understanding how our sin deserves the wrath of God which Jesus took upon Himself on the cross.
Here are a number of different articles from different theological and denominational backgrounds that all agree that the "New Apostolic Reformation" isn't new, isn't apostolic and isn't a reformation:
Resource: What Is the New Apostolic Reformation? (Many links and articles) by Church Watch Central
New Apostolic Reformation 101-Interview with Holly Pivec and Chris Rosebrough
Debunking the False Kenotic Christology of the NAR by Chris Rosebrough
List of Direct Quotes from C. Peter Wagner by The Zedekiah List
Chuck Pierce Speaking Directly for God-Add This to Your Bible at the Museum of Idolatry
The New Apostolic Reformation by Apologetics Index
Interview With Sandy Simpson (with more links and info.) by Echo Zoe Radio
The Roots and Fruits of the New Apostolic Reformation by Bob Dewaay
The Changing of the Apostolic Guard: 13 Names to Watch by Holly Pivec
The C. Peter Wagner $400 Apostolic Bargain!! at the Museum of Idolatry
The Apostles Who Don't Do Anything by Grace to You
Interview With Caryl Matrisciana: New Apostolic Reformation by Amy Spreeman
Dominionism and The NAR by Berean Research
Apostles and Prophets are the Foundation of the Church by Bob Dewaay
Heidi Baker's Demonic Impartation at Bethel Church
The New Apostolic Church Movement by Let Us Reason
What Is The New Apostolic Reformation? by Got Questions
Do Miracles, Signs and Wonders Create Faith? by Robert Liichow
Christianity Today Should Correct Heidi Baker NAR Story by Talk To Action
Debunking the Seven Mountains Mandate and the NAR by Chris Rosebrough
What's Wrong With the Passion (NAR)"Translation" Bible?
The New Apostolic End Times Scripture by Steven Kozar
C. Peter Wagner's Apostolic Movement on Issues, Etc.
The Apostolic and Prophetic Movement by Keith Gibson
Why I Must Speak Out Against the NAR and Bethel Church by Tony Miano
The Latter Rain Movement on Issues, Etc.
The NAR: A Warning About Latter Day Apostles by Orrel Steinkamp
What Is Dominionism? by Apprising
I Refuse to Believe Bob Jones-I'm Staying Home by Steven Kozar
What Is The NAR? by Asleep No More
C. Peter Wagner Spins the NAR by Herescope
The NAR-You Will Know Them by Their Nuts by Church Watch Central
HAW and WOF NARpostles by Church Watch Central
The New Order of the Latter Rain by Spirit Watch
Quick Thoughts: What is the Seven Mountain Mandate? by Lyndon Unger
The Six Hallmarks of a NAR church by Berean Examiner
Todd White-How to Read Your(self into the) Bible by Steven Kozar
Magic Charms Enchant Apostolic-Prophetic Movement by Holly Pivec
The Charismatic Day of Infamy (The NAR doesn't want you to know about) by Steven Kozar
How to Spot a NAR Book by Holly Pivec
The Spiritual Map of George Otis and the NAR by Doug Evans
C. Peter Wagner Resource Page by Beyond Grace (multiple articles & links)
The Grip of the Cult-like New Apostolic Reformation by Famine in the Land
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
Here are some shocking things that NAR leaders don't want you to know. And here is an article that will help you see past all the layers of deception in the church.
The NAR "Super Apostles" don't want you to know about their involvement in the Charismatic Day of Infamy.
This is from the global harvest ministries (C. peter wagner) website
This article by Steven Kozar; check out his new and improved: The Messed Up Church website!
Attention: The following information could ruin Bill Johnson's lucrative career...
Here's a very short video that Bill Johnson's Bethel Church produced. It illustrates the technique Johnson uses a lot: he tells a story (any story will do) and from that story he asserts a principle, and he then teaches that principle as if it were universally true. This is how Johnson gets away with saying all sorts of ridiculous stuff all the time.
When a pastor takes his own ideas and inserts them into a Biblical text it's called eisegesis. Bill Johnson takes this bad method even further: he takes an idea that isn't even in the Bible and simply claims it as truth-no Bible necessary.
In this video he retells a story from Kathryn Kuhlman (not a good source for anything, but that's another issue) and from this story he makes this assertion: "The need to be right comes from a poverty of spirit." Almost sounds like a Bible verse, doesn't it? But it's not, it's just another saying that can mean anything. And, of course, it has some truth to it. But in the case of this little clip, it appears this might be Johnson's way of saying, "Hey all of you discernment Christians out there on the internet-you have a poverty of spirit!" Of course, he is ignoring the wealth of Bible verses about having good sound TRUE doctrine! And what you are not supposed to notice is that Bill Johnson thinks he's right about a lot of things-in fact, he has become very rich by standing up in churches all over the world and telling people what he thinks is true. His version of Christianity is, all too often, not derived from the Bible, but from stories, visions, dreams and ideas that come out of his head.
“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”
For further research, here's The Bill Johnson Cornucopia of False Teaching, Bible-Twisting and General Absurdity
Bill Johnson is a major leader in the New Apostolic Reformation.
Bill does NOT want you to remember his involvement in The Charismatic Day of Infamy
If everyone knew about what happened on this day (and stopped making excuses for it) a whole bunch of false teachers would put their tail between their legs, pack up their bags and go home. The "New Apostolic Reformation," the "Signs and Wonders Movement," the Hyper-Charismatic Movement (whatever it's being called at the moment) should not even exist.
Here's a video showing part of what happened on live television that day:
The "Super Apostles" were so proud of themselves that day; they could hardly believe that they were even gathered together at the same place. C. Peter Wagner (who does the official "commissioning" here) is the man who made up the name "New Apostolic Reformation" and then appointed himself God's leader of it. Other important "Super Apostles" on stage were Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, Che Ahn, John and Carol Arnott, and the Super Star of the whole, messed up day: Todd Bentley.
These men were all gathered in Lakeland, Florida, to officially "commission" Todd Bentley to become part of the "Super Apostle" club. This is what the founder of the New Apostolic Reformation, C. Peter Wagner, said:
"I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to you Todd Bentley:
Your power will increase.
Your authority will increase.
Your favor will increase.
Your influence will increase.
I also decree that a new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
A new life-force will penetrate this move of God.
Government will be established to set things in their proper order.
God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error.
New relationships will surface to open the gates for the future!"
And rainbow-colored unicorns will spread golden pixie-dust and shift the atmosphere!! (Okay, I made up that last sentence...)
But within two months Todd Bentley's "revival" completely fell apart and these men were proven horribly wrong; they were proven to be false prophets on television for all the world to see!
Todd Bentley was having an affair with a woman from the church and abandoned his wife and children.
He was also found to be a fraud who couldn't provide any evidence for his claimed "healings" on national television.
And, it was revealed that he was showing up to these "revival" meetings drunk, as he went on stage and told elaborate stories about raising people from the dead, kicking people in the face and having regular contact with an angel named "Emma."
Here's Bentley telling the audience to call down angels at the Lakeland "Revival:"
ALL of these "Super Apostles" claim to hear directly from God and claim to have special "powers" and "anointings." They claim that they are part of a new and better church-not like the old, stuffy Bible-focused churches. They claim to "move in the prophetic" and some even claim to be "seers" who can predict the future. Rick Joyner claims to go to heaven on a regular basis-he evens claims to talk to the original (real) apostles, and he claims they wish they were him! Why didn't God tell any of these people the truth about Todd Bentley?
They were 100% wrong about Todd Bentley, and they were clueless about it! They stood up on that stage like blathering buffoons, talking all about how great Todd Bentley was, and all about the great things that were going to happen. Stacy Campbell even went through the trouble to hiss like a snake as she violently jerked her head back and forth, while she "prophesied over" Todd Bentley:
A few years later, Todd's new wife (the woman he had an affair with) showed that she could hiss and shake her head, too.
C. Peter Wagner should have tried to disband this New Apostolic Reformation, but he didn't; instead, he made excuses for what happened. Rick Joyner and Bill Johnson should have admitted that they don't really hear directly from God, but instead they decided to take Todd Bentley under their wing and tried to "restore" him to ministry. You can read more about this (and see more videos of the entire bizarre "commissioning") here: Grace to You.
These men and woman have all proven that they do not know what they're doing.
They do not know what they're talking about.
They do not rightly handle God's Word.
They do NOT speak for God.
Lastly, it needs to said that not all Charismatics and Pentecostals are in agreement with the leaders in these videos (The NAR leaders). They've fought against the ideas in "The New Apostolic Reformation" and they are to be commended for that. Unfortunately, their voice is largely being drowned out by the much more prominent and popular leaders who've declared themselves the Super Apostles. God help us all to be faithful to His Word, and to ignore the teachings of men.
Here are few more articles about this event:
Here's recent case where Todd Bentley claims to be raising the dead with absolutely no proof: My Phone Conversation With TMU RE: Bentley's Resurrection Claim (Audio)
Here are some things the Super Apostles do NOT want you to know: Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know
"Smart phone prophet" Shawn Bolz and Todd Bentley together at "Azusa Now" in April 2016:
Here's a recent video showing Bill Johnson endorsing his good friend Todd Bentley:
Check out the new and improved: The Messed Up Church website!
Bill Johnson has a warm and likable personality, and he comes across as a knowledgeable and godly man; but beneath his charming personality is a specific theological viewpoint that must be evaluated (just like any pastor). Although he uses Biblical words and phrases, Johnson preaches a Word of Faith version of Christianity that has no legitimate connection to Bible-based Christianity. He spends the vast majority of his time talking about his own ideas, visions and "downloads" from God, and very little time even quoting from God's (actual) Word.
He is proud of his friendship with prosperity preacher and obvious fraud, Benny Hinn, whom he had as an honored guest speaker at his church in 2017.
He was declared a top leader ("Apostle") by C. Peter Wagner in the New Apostolic Reformation, but he claims to be unaware of the very movement he's a prominent leader of. Bill Johnson does NOT want you to know about The Charismatic Day of Infamy. Bill Johnson and his co-pastor, Kris Vallotton have become extremely influential to millions of people around the world, but many Christians have simply assumed that these men must be trustworthy since they are so "popular" (rich and famous).
The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of good doctrine and the necessity of confronting false teachers.
An example of the utter nonsense coming from Bill Johnson
In the following Bill Johnson/Bethel Church memes, notice the emphasis on how important we are, and how the Christian life is not centered around worshipping Jesus, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (that is never mentioned), but instead it's a Word of Faith/Dominionist/Gnostic belief system, with a little bit of Chinese fortune cookie theology thrown in to tickle itching ears. Also, notice how many of these sayings directly contradict the Bible and don't even make sense (click the photos to view):
Here are a whole bunch of articles from different Christians from various theological and denominational backgrounds who all agree on the very un-Biblical and downright dangerous beliefs of Bill Johnson:
The New Age Propensities of Bill Johnson by Lighthouse Trails Research
Bill Johnson's Christology-A New Age Christ? by CrossWise (with links to more articles)
Bill Johnson-A Comedy of Errors by Marsha West (with links to more articles)
[Bill Johnson-Bethel Redding by Apostasy Watch]1] (with links to more articles and videos)
Bill Johnson's $400.00 Thumb Drive
The Physics of Heaven by Herescope (multi-part series)
The Charismatic Day of Infamy by Steven Kozar
List of Fighting for the Faith episodes with Bill Johnson
Errors of Bethel and Jesus Culture by Tony Wood
Cross Encounters Radio: Bethel Church by Tony Miano
Bill Johnson in Denial by Bud Press
Bill Johnson Uses Non-Biblical Story to Correct Bible-Believers by Steven Kozar
Bill Johnson, IHOP & Ancient Heresy Reborn Interview with Bob Dewaay
Book Review: When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles by Eric Davis
Bill Johnson Resource Page by Beyond Grace (multiple articles & links)
False Prophet Bill Johnson EXPOSED video
Bill Johnson and his false god video
Michael Brown's Spin Control for Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton Want the Mantle of False Teacher William Branham
Kris Vallotton: Prosperity Preacher Exchanging Love for Wealth
Kris Vallotton RUNS From His Own Facebook Post!!
Bill Johnson, IHOP and the "Passion" Translation by Spirit of Error
Interview With Bart McCurdy: What's REALLY Happening in Redding
The Mike Bickle and IHOP Cornucopia of False Teaching, Bridal Weirdness and 24/7 Confusion
"Getting Wasted with the Holy Spirit" at Bethel Redding
Kris Vallotton: "We Shouldn't Confess Our Sins to Each Other"
Bill Johnson Accepts Full Responsibility for Raging Fires in Redding, CA
Did this article really get you upset? Do have an urge to retreat back into your comfortable (and wrong) beliefs about Bill Johnson & Company? PLEASE read the following articles!
Confirmation Bias: Why You Are Protecting Your False Beliefs.
Assertions and Assumptions are NOT the Foundation of the Church
The Hyper-Charismatic House of Cards: Let it Fall and Be Free
Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Benny Hinn and thousands of prosperity-preaching, false teachers around the world hope you never read this: Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know!
“And yet some people actually imagine that the revelation in God’s Word is not enough to meet our needs. They think that God from time to time carries on an actual conversation with them, chatting with them, satisfying their doubts, testifying to His love for them, promising them support and blessings. As a result, their emotions soar; they are full of bubbling joy that is mixed with self-confidence and a high opinion of themselves. The foundation for these feelings, however, does not lie within the Bible itself, but instead rests on the sudden creations of their imaginations. These people are clearly deluded. God’s Word is for all of us and each of us; He does not need to give particular messages to particular people.”
This is one of "pastor" Bill Johnson's cars:
Here's "pastor" Kris Vallotton bragging about his brand new sports car on Facebook:
Mathew 12: 38-41 "Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here."
Matthew 24: 3-14; 24-25 “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Vs. 24): For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you in advance.”
2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Romans 16:18 “For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
2 Corinthians 2:17 “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
-This article by Steven Kozar
Here are a whole bunch of articles from different Christians from various theological and denominational backgrounds who all agree on the very un-Biblical and downright dangerous beliefs of Rick Joyner:
Rick Joyner: False Teaching About False Teaching by Steven Kozar
The False Teachings of Rick Joyner By Joseph R. Chambers
Rick Joyner and Morningstar Ministries by Apologetics Index
Climbing Rick Joyner's Gnostic Mountain by Orrel Steinkamp
Rick Joyner's book "The Call" reviewed by Kevin Reeves
Various Direct Quotes from Rick Joyner by the Zedekiah List
Rick Joyner's book "The Final Quest" reviewed by Holly Pivec
Chasing the Delusion of Power and Dominion by G. Richard Fisher
The Charismatic Day of Infamy by Steven Kozar
List of Fighting for the Faith episodes with Rick Joyner
Rick Joyner's Demonic Voodoo "Church"
Rick Joyner, Todd Bentley and the New Apostolic Reformation by Slaughter of the Sheep
Rick Joyner-False Teacher of the Year 2016
The NAR's Infallible Prophet Rick Joyner by Churchwatch Central
Rick Joyner is a major leader of the New Apostolic Reformation.
-This article by Steven Kozar
1. Always think to yourself: "I know what he meant" when false teachings are taught; don't listen to the actual words themselves. Pretend you are giving someone the "benefit of the doubt" when you're actually permitting bad teaching. Also, bad teaching isn't so bad if the pastor tells an emotional story to drive home the heresy; and he must be telling the truth if he starts to cry, especially at the same point of the story in multiple services!
2. Here's a handy saying: "No church is perfect!" The assumption here is that it's not of any value to carefully examine doctrine because all churches are wrong in one way or another, so just accept anything. If you go to the church because "you feel comfortable there" and the "worship team really rocks" you'll probably never have to think much about doctrine anyway. This can also be modified as: "No pastor is perfect!" False teachers and mediocre pastors really appreciate it when you think this way.
3. Focus on your feelings rather than the clear teachings of Scripture. Because you're a sinner, this will be very easy. For added validation of your false beliefs, convince yourself that God told you to disobey Him and somehow violate His word; but don't use such obvious language. For example, say: I really feel that God spoke to my heart, that's why I believe it's okay to.. (fill in the blank with whatever sin and/or false doctrine you want). A great little catch phrase to instill this principle would be something like this: "Theology will never change a man as much as a direct encounter with God." Of course, if you really had a direct encounter with God you'd probably be dead...
4. Allow false doctrine from a teacher because "he has some good things to say, too..." A handy little phrase to repeat is: "Chew on the meat and spit out the bones." Although this concept isn't Biblical, pretend that it is. It will probably help you to imagine yourself "open-minded" and "non-judgmental" when you repeatedly ignore God's clear instructions to hold fast to correct doctrine.
5. Consider "doctrine" the same thing as "religiosity" or "legalism." If you realize that doctrine is just another word for teaching (and the Bible demands correct teaching) you might decide to become more discerning, and remember, false teachers everywhere are counting on you to stay ignorant and gullible.
6. Promote false teaching "for the sake of the un-churched." You want to have lot's of new people coming to church, don't you? Well, give the public what they want and watch attendance skyrocket! Remember, the unrepentant sinners out there will show up if they are promised something to appease their selfish desires. Better sex? Bigger paychecks? Well-behaved children? God can give your unsaved neighbor all of that-and more! The seeker-friendly pastor already knows this dynamic growth program, and with your blind support (and weekly tithe checks) he will craft emotionally appealing motivational speeches to convert pagans into regular attending members! And let's not forget that these same pastors ("leadership experts") will provide your community with a sense of purpose and identity (and a six-figure salary for themselves), so don't bog them down with Biblical requirements that would stunt the growth of the organization.
7. "Group Think" is a major component of false doctrine, so, "go with the group!" Fortunately for you, there are plenty of groups that are teaching and promoting false doctrine, so just pick the one you're most comfortable with and buy into their twisted version of Christianity. Here are some of your choices:
First, there's the "What do we believe this month?" "Emerging", "Post-Modern" church (think: Rob Bell, Brian McClaren, etc.). Millennials love this one; it's hip and it only get's hipper as it dumps Biblical doctrine in favor of pagan mysticism and cultural sensitivity (which is usually just capitulation to the culture). Remember, you're never actually believing false doctrine, you're just "having a conversation!" Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Second, for the suburban soccer-mom crowd, there's the "seeker-friendly" mega church (think: Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, etc.). These churches are a mash-up between a cinema-plex, a shopping mall and a Starbucks. Bigger is better, right?! And if you ever (accidentally) start to question whether anything lines up with Scripture, you can just take a look around the vast auditorium: this many people can't be wrong! As long as you think so, you clever little conformist!
Thirdly, for the truly adventurous, you can find a vast number of Charismatic churches that aren't even close to orthodox Christianity! (Think: Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, T.D. Jakes, etc.) What's not to like about a church that believes anyone can come up with new doctrine anytime by hearing directly from God?! Oh sure, they give lip service to the Bible, but with proof-texting they can make the Bible appear to say anything! Does God just want you to be rich, happy and successful? Sure He does! Do we just have to "speak that into existence?" Sure we do! Remember, the Holy Spirit is your personal genie in a bottle, and after you've swayed back and forth with the praise band for an hour or two, you'll actually start to believe that. Key words and phrases: "Woooo!" "Fire!" "More, Lord, more!" "Shabba!" "I feel a releasing of the anointing that is beginning to shift the atmosphere, and the mantle of His Presence is about to come down so that the glory of His anointing can release His manifestation into the manifold destiny of His glory, so that the seven mountain mandate can be established in abundance and victory..."
Here's an important article that will help you be more discerning and a lot less gullible: Defusing Demonic Dirty Bombs.
If you think it's mean and unloving to be critical of false teachers in the church, please consider what the Bible actually says: Shocking Stuff You're Not Supposed to Know
© Steven Kozar for Pirate Christian Media & Messed Up Church. Read a little about Steve on "Kozar's Korner." Prints of his paintings are available on our Bakesale and on his art website stevenkozar.com.
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“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
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