Building a Foundation on Sand – Modern Day Apostles & Prophets

24 Pages·2008·0.55 MB·English

VOL. 23, NO. 1 JANUARY-MARCH2003 EDITOR:KEITH A. MORSE
Avoiding Growth-Stunting Detours
by G. RichardFisher
B.B. Warfield once observed, ‘‘It is Israel’s covenant relationship to
mere superstitionto imaginethatonly God began at a mountain and often
goodbookssellwell.’’ Israel’s great events and turning
points took place on mountains, as in
Every road leads somewhere, even
Deuteronomy 27-28 and 1 Kings 18.
if it is to a dead end. In life it is not
The Christian life could be viewed
just where I have been, but where I
from the perspective of a mountain
am going, how I am going to get
called “sanctification.”Caleb’s request
there, and what it will be like upon
was, ‘‘now therefore give me this
my arrival. Not any old road will do,
mountain’’(Joshua14:12).
and so the urgency and practicality of
rightviewsofsanctification. There are some religious groups
that thrive on strange and unhealthy
The little-known book, Preaching on
views of sanctification. The Bible pre-
the Life of Christ, published in 1958,
sents the view that sanctification is an
studied Jesus from the standpoint of
ongoing aspect of one’s salvation re-
the mountains in His ministry. From
ceivedat conversion.It is an outwork-
Bethlehem (built on the ridge of a
ing of conversion just as human
mountain), author W.S. McBernie
growth flows from human birth. It is
traces Christ’s life to the Mount of
not a separate and distinct work apart
Temptation and on to the Mount of
fromsalvation.
Beatitudes. McBernie then goes from
the Mount of Beatitudes to the Mount Sanctification is a progressive out-
of Transfiguration; from there to the High Peaks in Redemption. It was dedi- working of the grace that is in every
Mount of Olives and Mount Calvary. cated to ‘‘All Spiritual Mountain believer, as we will see. It is a lifelong
The book concludes at the Mount of Climbers.’’1 (continuesonpage15)
Ascension. This is a great way to
encapsulate the highlights of Christol-
Inside this Issue:
ogy. The mountain theme in Jesus’
ministry is a fascinating paradigm for Rebecca Brown’s Axis of Evil ........................................Page 2
theChristianlife. Building a Foundationon Sand...................................Page 4
Four years earlier, a missionary to A Journey into Mysticland .......................................... Page 5
Mexico, F.J. Huegal published his
REBECCA BROWN’S calls itself the PFO, or Personal Freedom Outreach,
publishes vicious lies and attacks against nearly every
AXIS OF EVIL
Christian out there who has a ministry of any sort. They
declare that ALL testimonies are false. They maintain
President George W. Bush has his axis of evil: Iran, various web sites on the internet; and, unfortunately, just
Iraq, and North Korea. Apparently, so does Dr. Rebecca because they are on the internet, people are stupid
Brown, the self-proclaimed occult expert. Brown, along enoughtobelievethatanythingtheywriteistrue.’’
with her husband, Daniel Yoder, state that Christianity is
They went on to write: ‘‘Christian publishers are
under attack and Satan is moving from many different
terrified by this group! They are afraid to take a stand
directions.
against them, and they no longer want to print books by
Brown gained popularity in the late 1980s when anyone the PFO attacks. Many churches and groups will
Christian tract and comic book entrepreneur Jack Chick no longer allow anyone to speak in their churches this
published her first two books. Yoder claims to be group attacks either.’’ The pair asks, ‘‘How long are
‘‘powerfully anointed as a prophet, healer, and evange- Christians going to tolerate such groups in their midst?’’
list.’’ Together they operate Harvest Warriors, a ministry and then requests ‘‘Christians everywhere to pray
basedinClinton,Ark. mightily, asking our God to deal with these people and
putthemoutofbusiness.’’
For themostpart,Christiansshould not be surprisedat
the makeup of Brown and Yoder’s axis of evil. However, Brown and Yoder provide their readers with a Who’s
within their list of bad guys, which includes Islam, Who of those being ‘‘attacked’’by PFO: Benny Hinn; Bill
Freemasonry, and witchcraft, is Personal Freedom Out- Gothard; Tommy Tenney; T.D. Jakes; Mike Bickle and
reach. Kansas City Fellowship; Finis Dake (producer of the
Dake Study Bible); Joyce Meyer; and Charisma magazine.
BrownandYoder,in theirApril 2002newsletter,wrote:
Two conspicuous particulars of the list demonstrate just
‘‘In talking with our own publisher, we were told that
how far outside the realm of honesty and orthodoxy
Christian publishers no longer want to print anything
BrownandYoderoperate.
with personal testimonies, because these cannot be
‘proved.’Thisis mostlybecauseof an organizationthatis First, the pair failed to provide their readers with a fair
rapidly gaining power within the Christian community. and balancedregister of groups critiqued by PFO. Brown
It claims to be a Christian group; but by its actions, it and Yoder failed to include in their listing religious
clearly is not serving Jesus Christ. This group, which (continuesonpage21)
Personal Freedom Outreach
P.O. Box 26062 • Saint Louis, Missouri 63136-0062 • [phone]
VisitPFO’sWebSiteat: http://www.pfo.org
Board of Directors:
JamesBjornstad................................Cedarville,OH StephenF.Cannon..............................Glendale,AZ
JoanC.Cetnar................................Kunkletown,PA PhilipC.Cetnar.................................Bellefonte,PA
G.RichardFisher...............................Bricktown,NJ M.KurtGoedelman........................SaintLouis,MO
RobertL.Griffin...............................Florissant,MO KeithA.Morse.......................................Denver,CO
DavidM.Tyler................................GraniteCity,IL
Board of Reference:
Dr.JayE.Adams.....................................Enoree,SC Dr.NormanL.Geisler.......................Charlotte,NC
Dr.EdmondC.Gruss...........................Newhall,CA Dr.JohnP.Juedes...............................Highland,CA
©2003–PFO.Allrightsreserved.ThesearticlesmaynotbestoredonBBSorInternetsiteswithoutpermission.ISSN:1083-6853.TheQuarterlyJournal
isthenewsletterpublicationofPFO.PublishedbyPersonalFreedomOutreach,P.O.Box26062,SaintLouis,MO63136.PFO’sJournalfilesmayalso
beobtainedonfloppydisketteforIBM-compatiblecomputersfromPFO.
2 · The QuarterlyJournal January-March2003
PFO CONTINUES U.S. NEWS SPOTLIGHTS
TO GROW M PHERSON HOAX
C
Growth prompts the need for change. Personal Free- What do Aimee Semple McPherson, Piltdown Man,
dom Outreach was a counter-cult, apologetic ministry and crop field circles have in common? They all earned
conceived in the mid-1970s,when several of the mainline recognition in a recent edition of U.S. News & World
cults were experiencing tremendous gain. It was also Report dedicatedto ‘‘The Art of the Hoax’’ (Aug. 26-Sept.
during a time when the Church was giving way to the 2,2002,specialdoubleissue). Themagazinestated,‘‘Our
advancingofaberranttheologies. team of writers presents the best deceptions, scams, and
gags,pastandpresent.’’
PFOsawits ‘‘infancy’’in thelate1970s,its ‘‘childhood’’
in the 1980s, its ‘‘teen years’’ were in the 1990s, but now McPherson weighed in as the magazine’s Hoax #10,
— for the 21st century — the ministry has grown to being ‘‘the evangelist [who] was tried for a tall tale.’’ On
‘‘adulthood’’ and with it, added responsibilities and May 18, 1926, at age 35, the celebrated female evangelist
demands. and founder of the International Church of the Four-
square Gospel went swimming in the Pacific Ocean at
Duringthepast couple years,PFO has soughtthateach
Venice, Calif. When she did not return, her flock feared
of its directors become more involved in their personal
the worst. For weeks there was no sign of McPherson.
devotion and duty to help realize its goals. At a recent
Then, five weeks after vanishing without a trace,
board meeting, it was determined that PFO would add
McPherson turned up in the Arizona desert. She claimed
twonewmemberstoits Boardof Directors.Appointedto
thatshehadbeenabductedbythreepeoplewhoheld her
serve on PFO’s board are Dr. Robert L. Griffin and Dr. prisoner. However, news reports disclosed quite a
DavidM.Tyler. different scenario. Reporters stated McPherson ‘‘had
joined the one-legged engineer from her radio station in
Robert Griffin has served as pastor of Parker Road
acycleofsinataCarmel,Calif.,‘lovenest.’’’
Baptist Church in Florissant, Mo., since 1992. He earned
his Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Despite the reports, McPherson insisted the abduction
Theological Seminary in 1973. His ministry opportunities was legitimate and said it was ‘‘my story’’ and that she
include preaching, teaching, writing, mission work, and was ‘‘sticking to it’’ — a pronouncement later echoed by
Bible Camp direction throughout the world. Bob served Mae West on the big screen and President Bill Clinton
as the Executive Director of the Bible Memory Associa- during the Monica Lewinsky episode. McPherson was
tion International from 1977-1989. He currently serves on charged with a felony, obstructing justice by falsely
the Board of Trustees for the InternationalMission Board reporting a crime. Finally, litigation against McPherson
oftheSouthernBaptistConvention. was dropped as ‘‘the state’s key witness altered an
accountoncetoooften.’’
DavidTylerhaspastoredchurchesin Illinois andSouth
Carolina.He holds a B.A. in Theology,a M.A. in Pastoral McPhersonstucktothestoryuntilherdeathin1944.
Ministry, and a Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling, all from
—MKG
Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Ind.
Presently, David is a Regional Director for Church and
Community Ministries for the Illinois Baptist State
WATER UNDER THE
Association. He is a member of the National Association
of Nouthetic Counselors and the Southern Baptist BRIDGE?
Association of Biblical Counselors. He co-edits, along
with fellow PFO director Kurt Goedelman, SBABC’s Less than a decade ago, The Liberty Flame, a periodical
QuarterlyNewsletter. on religious liberties published by the Rev. Jerry Falwell,
called into question the life, practice, and theology of
Both men have been active in and supportive of PFO
populartelevisionpreacherJohnHagee.TheMay6, 1994,
prior to their appointment as directors, including partici-
Flamedisplayedabold,frontpageheadlineasking,‘‘John
pation in a teaching capacity at its Saint Louis Conference
Hagee: Heretic?’’However, more recently, Falwell’s view
onBiblicalDiscernmentheldlastApril.
of the San Antonio-based minister has apparently
—MKG
(continuesonpage21)
January-March2003 The QuarterlyJournal · 3
Building a Foundation
on Sand:
The Modern Day Apostles
and Prophets Movement
by G. RichardFisher
In certain ‘‘Christian’’ camps, be- the program of God. This shift can be
coming an ‘‘Apostle’’ or a ‘‘Prophet’’ traced back to the 1940s and the
“prophets,” even though the Bible
is as easy as saying it is so. The Latter Rain Movement. The New Or-
teaches that spiritual gifts are be-
Charismatic fringe is filled with self- der of the Latter Rain originated in
stowed on individuals by the Holy
proclaimed spokesmen for God who the late 1940s as a breakaway of
Spirit, who gives them as He wills (1
are building their kingdoms on a Pentecostalism. Initially, it was con-
foundationofunbiblicalclaims. Corinthians 12:11). Bill Randles re- demned by the Assemblies of God
ported on a ‘‘Seers Convocation’’ ad- and most mainstream Pentecostals. It
Peter Masters and John Whitcomb vertisedinCharismamagazineasan: was considered a lunatic fringe look-
laybarethesinful and arrogantstance
ing for immediate immortality and
‘‘INTERNATIONALSEERS
ofsuchteachers:
“heavenonearth.”
CONVOCATION
‘‘The attitude of people in the EASTMEETSWESTANDSUNRISE In 1976, Latter Rain advocate J.
charismatic and similar move- MEETSSUNSET Preston Eby summed up what the
ments today runs something like PROPHETE.BERNARDJORDAN movement’s teachers had been saying
this: ‘This is unfair! I want to be ANDPROPHETVERNONASHE
for three decades would happen at
a prophet. Why did God only COMINGTOGETHERTOUNVEIL
virtually any moment. Preston said
teach through them? I have ANCIENTTRUTHS
there would be an imminent outpour-
equal, if not greater faith. I want FORTHENEWMILLENNIUM
ing of the Spirit like never before
to be a channel of new revela- TRUTHSTHATWILLHELP
‘‘which shall finally bring the FULL-
tion; I want to be a spokesman, a YOUUNLOCKYOURPROPHETIC
NESS, a company of overcoming Sons
voice, a mouthpiece for God. I ABILITY....’’3
of God who have come to the mea-
want divine words to come from
Jack Deere tries to interpret the two sure of the stature of the fullness of
mytongue.’’’1
witnesses of Revelation 11 as being Christ to actually dethrone Satan,
THE PEOPLECALLED fulfilled in the current Charismatic casting him out of the heavenlies, and
PROPHETS prophets: finally binding him in the earthlies,
bringing the hope of deliverance and
Anyone familiar with the Charis- ‘‘Revelation 11:3 you know those life to all the families of the earth.
matic scene has heard the names: two powerful witnesses in Rev- This ... great work of the Spirit shall
Benny Hinn, Kim Clement, Mike elation? You know what — they usherapeopleintofull redemption—
Bickle, Joyce Meyer, Juanita Bynum, are first and foremost? They are free from the curse, sin, sickness,
Francis Frangipane, Bob Jones, Paul prophets.’’4 death and carnality.’’6 With a stroke
Cain, Peter Wagner, Rick Joyner,
Deere goes on to name Paul Cain of the pen and some outlandish
Cindy Jacobs, James Ryle, Jack Deere,
and Bob Jones of Kansas City Fellow- claims, this movement substituted a
and a host of lesser-known names.
ship fame as last-days prophets sent classofsupermenforJesus.
Charisma magazine advertised a
justbeforethereturnofJesusChrist.5
World Congress in Guatemala for last In 1991, Jewel van der Merwe put
October-November, calling it ‘‘A Pro- ROTTENROOTS out a strong warning regarding the
pheticGathering!’’2 extreme claims of the Latter Rain. She
Such error prospers because of the
presented biblical evidence and made
Some of these “prophets” hold con- shift over the past six decades in the
an appeal to close the doors of the
ferences to help others become basic view of the Christian life and
(continuesonpage10)
4 · The QuarterlyJournal January-March2003
Charismatics and their
Insufficient Word of God
by M. Kurt Goedelman
If one had to determine a motto for God in this manner and look ‘‘And I want you all to listen
leaders in the Charismatic movement, down on the ‘peons’ who try to carefully to what I’m going to
it would be ‘‘God told me.’’ Of findGodintheScriptures.’’1 say. ... And it’s not a very easy
course,if their‘‘Godtoldme’’claim is thing to understand, but let’s —
UNDERMININGAND
challenged or proved wanting, they let’s pray that the Holy Ghost
fall back on the old chestnut, ‘‘Touch PUMMELINGSCRIPTURE will help all of us. ... Man, I feel
nottheLord’sanointed.’’ Benny Hinn is unquestionably the revelation knowledge already
The ‘‘God told me’’ motto is indeed most popular and controversial figure coming on me here. I want you
dangerousandheretical.It opensboth in Charismatic circles today. He to lift your hands. Something
speaker and hearer to confusion, openly admits a lack of formal Bible new is going to happen here
chaos, deception, disappointment, training, but makes up for this inad- today. I felt it just as I walked
mysticism, subjectivism, and perhaps equacy by regularly appealing to down here. Holy Spirit, take over
evendemons. other authorities to establish his unor- inthenameofJesus.’’2
thodoxy. These include ‘‘revelation
Scripture is all-sufficient. Second After he preached his heretical the-
knowledge,’’ ‘‘words of knowledge,’’
Timothy 3:16-17 declares, ‘‘All Scrip- ology, he admonished his congrega-
personal interaction with members of
ture is given by inspiration of God, tion with: ‘‘You say, ‘Ahh, I never
the Trinity, an insider’s knowledge of
and is profitable for doctrine, for heard that.’ Well, you think you’re in
the Bible, and spiritual intuition to
reproof, for correction, for instruction this church to hear things you’ve
in righteousness, that the man of God reveal the deeper meanings of the heardforthelastfiftyyears?’’3
biblicaltext.
may be complete, thoroughly
Hinn later tried to circumvent the
equipped for every good work.’’ It is Those familiar with Hinn will recall
heretical implications of his state-
complete, thoroughly equipping us his infamous teaching on the triune
ments by calling the comments a big
for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We nature of God. During a sermon,
joke. He really didn’t mean it or
neednotlookelsewhere.
Hinn said he had received a divine
believe it, he said on several occa-
Dr. Jay Adams, in his volume on revelation that the Father, Son, and sions. Yet, he called this teaching
the119thPsalm,writes: Holy Spirit each possessed their own ‘‘revelation knowledge.’’ Hinn put
body, soul, and spirit. He said that
himself in a place far beyond the
‘‘Notice that the place to seek
each member of the Godhead was
pastoral ministry of expounding on
God is in the Bible. Counselees
and is a Trinity in and of Himself.
the Word into one of divine direction.
will find Him and His will for
‘‘There are nine of them,’’ he said of
Moreover, his alibis are as contradic-
their lives nowhere else. Mystics
the persons in the Godhead, demon-
tory and confusing as his statement’s
think that they can have encoun-
strating that while he had his Chris-
originaltheologicalimplications.
ters with God apart from the
tian doctrine all wrong, at least his
Scriptures. They think that noth-
arithmeticwascorrect. MOREOF HINN’SEYESEGESIS
ing need come between them
and God (not even Christ nor the While Hinn more recently has tried Hinn has made plenty of other
Bible). They therefore work up to distance himself from this bizarre spurious statements. He admits he
some sort of ‘experience’ they teaching, consider the source he said was puzzled by Jesus’ conduct with
suppose to be the presence of itcamefrom: theblindmanrecordedin John 9. But,
January-March2003 The QuarterlyJournal · 5
according to Hinn, the Holy Spirit people—I’mtellingyouIfeelthe ‘‘I’m talking about 1987. If we
gave him ‘‘a marvelous answer’’ to anointing talking here. People don’t turn it around by March,
solve the mystery. Hinn claims that are going to be canceling funeral God’s going to call me home.
the Holy Spirit told him that, ‘‘The services and bringing their dead Pleasehelpextendmylife. Please
reason Jesus put mud on a guy’s eyes in their caskets, placing them — help me open the nations. Please
was not because the man was blind. My God, I feel the anointinghere help me turn the medical school
It’s because he had no eyes and He — placing them before a televi- around. We’re well on our way.
justgavehimbrandnewones.’’4 sion set, waiting for God’s power We lack four and a half million
to come throughand touchthem. dollars between now and March.
The Bible, however, states that Jesus
It’s going to happen time and Help us. Help us. Help us. My
‘‘put clay on [his] eyes’’ (John 9:6, 11,
time [again], so much it’s going mailing address is Oral Roberts,
15), that the man was born ‘‘blind,’’
to spread. You’re going to hear it Tulsa, Oklahoma.... Pray with us
not ‘‘without eyes’’ (vv. 2, 13, 17, 18,
from Kenya to Mexico to Europe and as we pray with you. Father,
19, 20, 24, 25), and that Jesus
to South America where people I’ve delivered my soul today. I
‘‘opened,’’ not ‘‘created’’ his eyes (vv.
will be raised from the [dead]. So can do no more by myself than
10, 14, 17, 21, 26, 30, 32). The Holy
much so, that the word will what I am doing. Please help me.
Spirit inspired the Gospel’s author,
spread that if some dead person Give me new partners. Cause my
John, to record these facts. They are,
be put in front of this TV screen regular partners to pick up this
therefore, incontrovertible. Yet, Hinn
they will be raised from the burden. Extend my life. Let me
tells us that the same Holy Spirit
dead. And they will be, by the live beyond March. Let me finish
inspired his interpretation,whichcon-
thousands. You wait. Now the my work on earth. Give me
tradictsScripture.
Lord just told me — and I don’t twenty more years. Help us to
DEAD MEN WATCHING know whether this is true or not double the number of medical
— as I’m saying this, the Lord missionaries in the world. Help
One final example will demonstrate said he gave you that word us,Lord.’’6
his continued trip into mysticism and many,manyyearsago.... I see —
imagination. It also will reveal the I see quite something amazing. I Well, Roberts got his $8 million, the
reality that Hinn’s ‘‘revelations’’ are see rows of umm, cas—of caskets final part of which came from a dog-
no morethantheproductof his fertile lining up in front of this TV set. track owner in Florida. So the world
mind. Hinn told a Trinity Broadcast- And I see them bringing them is only left to wonder if God would
ingNetworkaudience: closertotheTVsetandas people have made good “His threat” against
Roberts’ life. We do know that Rob-
‘‘But here’s first what I see for are coming closer, I see — uh, erts’ City of Faith medical complex, a
TBN. You’re going to have actually— lovedones pickingup three-tower structure consisting of a
people raised from the dead the hands of the dead and letting 60-story clinic, a 30-story hospital and
watching this network. You’re them touch the screen and a 20-story research tower, sat vacant
going to have people raised from people are getting raised as their for years before being sold to a group
the dead watching TBN. Pro- handsaretouchingthatscreen.’’5 of investors for commercial develop-
grams, just plain programs. Pro- Hinn’s ‘‘revelation,’’ which he ment. Roberts’ vision of building the
grams that haven’t done much claimed came through his anointing, complex to bring healing to our
when it comes to supernatural is probably nothing more than a generationdidn’tcomefromGod.
manifestations. Teaching pro-
fabrication, but it is certainly not
grams. ... It’s going to be your ‘‘I DIDN’TKNOW
divine revelation. His words, ‘‘Now
average teaching program, your THE FULL STORY’’
the Lord just told me — and I don’t
normal Christian program that’s
know whether this is true or not...’’ is Justa few monthslater, Robertswas
blessing the Church. There’s go-
certainly a fitting indication of its true at it again. He ‘‘divinely berated’’ the
ing to be such power on these
source. And, needless to say, Charis- Assemblies of God leadership, the
programs. People will be raised
matics and TBN viewers are still Charlotte Observer newspaper, and
from the dead worldwide. I’m
buryingtheirdead. evangelist Jimmy Swaggart over the
telling you, I see this in the
disclosure of his friend Jim Bakker’s
Spirit. It’s going to be so awe- THE ORAL WORD
sexual and financial indiscretions.
some. Jesus, I give you praise for
Robertstoldhisnationwideaudience:
this. That people around the Long before Benny Hinn rose to
world, maybe not so much in prominence, faith healer and televan- ‘‘And the Word of the Lord in
America, people around the gelist Oral Roberts was telling whop- my mouth is to you, my brother,
world who will lose loved ones pers of his own. Probably the most whom we all love, you’re sowing
will say to undertakers, ‘Not yet, notable one is his claim that God discord. And the Lord said, ‘Dis-
I want to take my dead loved would take his life if he did not raise cord will come back to you.’ Flee
one and place him in front of $8 million to keep his university’s my brother, repent, and ask God
that TV set for 24 hours. I’m medical program afloat. He told his to cleanse you. For you’re a good
telling you. People will be, followersinJanuary1987: man and we love you. And the
6 · The QuarterlyJournal January-March2003
Word of the Lord is saying to I also said some harsh words throughs and an increase in angelic
those people in the headquarters about a great church, the Assem- activity.All of the aboveare worn-out
of that denomination, where Jim blies of God, and a fellow promises uttered repeatedly by Char-
out of graciousness turned in his brother, Jimmy Swaggart. At that ismatic and Latter Rain exponents.
ordination papers because they time, I did not have all the Suchpredictionsarethefuel thatkeep
wanted him to, and you’ve not information that they possessed ‘‘partners’’ sowing their financial
accepted it. You’ve said, ‘No and I did not perceive that they seeds into the pockets of unscrupu-
we’re gonna strip him. We’re were ever going to forgive Jim louspreachers.
gonna strip him. We’re gonna Bakker in their hearts. I also did
HERETICALREVELATIONS
crush him.’ ... The Word of the not understand their full proce-
Lord is coming to you from Oral dure for withdrawing ordination Contemporary revelators will feign
Roberts’ mouth today, if you papers and working to restore a deference to the Bible by saying that
strip Jim Bakker, you’ve touched minister. Also, at that time I their prophetic utterances are “bal-
God’s anointed, you’ve harmed didn’t know the full story about anced by the written Word.” How-
God’s prophet. And the Word of the finances and other alleged ever, nothing could be further from
the Lord says, ‘Touch not my irregularities.’’8 the truth. Word-Faith advocate Ken-
anointed, do no harm to my neth Copeland bears this out. During
Roberts’ confession is revealing in-
prophets.’ ... I beg you, head- his three-day ‘‘Dallas Victory Cam-
deed, for the apology invalidates the
quarters of a great denomination, paign,’’ Copeland delivered the fol-
claim of divine origin he made for his
one that we respect and love, lowingprophecy:
original declaration. If Roberts genu-
desist, move back, and treat Jim
inely had ‘‘the Word of the Lord’’ in ‘‘It’s time for these things to
Bakkeraswhatheis, an anointed
his mouth, he would not have had to happen, saith the Lord. It’s time
man, a prophet of God. And the
‘‘possess all the information’’ and for spiritual activity to increase.
hand of the Lord will not fall
‘‘know the full story.’’ He also would Oh, yes, demonic activity will
uponyou.But theLord will bless
have been able to ‘‘perceive’’ that increase along at the same time.
you. And to that great newspa-
forgiveness to Jim Bakker would be But don’t let that disturb you.
per: You seem so immune to
extended. Roberts, without question, Don’t be disturbed when people
what our God can do. You’ve
is guilty of proclaiming his own accuse you of thinking you’re
touched God’s anointed and
ill-conceived conclusions and attribut- God. Don’t be disturbed when
you’ve tried to harm God’s
ingthemtoGod. people accuse you of a fanatical
prophet, Jim Bakker. You’ve
way of life. Don’t be disturbed
come into an unholy alliance OUT OF HIS MIND?
when people put you down and
with these others in the name of
Undaunted, and despite having to speak harshly and roughly of
religion and morality. You’ve set
disavow previous divine utterances, you. They spoke that way of Me,
yourself up to be a standard of
Roberts charged forward with more should they not speak that way
morality, when you’re not and
claims. He said that ‘‘the Lord mani- of you? The more you get to be
you know you’re not. The Word
fested the gift of prophecy through like Me, the more they’re going
of the Lord comes unto you from
me’’ when he presented to his follow- to think that way of you. They
my mouth. And the Lord says
ers ‘‘11 Major Prophecies for You in crucified Me for claiming that I
that He’ll create great dissension
1992.’’ These oracles, Roberts said, wasGod.ButI didn’tclaimI was
in your ranks. You’ll have such
‘‘did not come out of my mind, but God;I just claimedI walkedwith
dissension that it’ll spread across
by the Holy Spirit revealing them to Him and that He was in Me.
the news media of America and
be in harmony with the inspired and Hallelujah. That’s what you’re
you will not know what you’re
infallible Word of God.’’9 Roberts told doing.’’11
doing. There’ll be much falling
his‘‘partners”:
out and falling apart, anger As criticism and denunciationsfrom
among yourselves. And you’ll • ‘‘1992 will be the year when Evangelicals mounted against Cope-
wonder why this has hap- great numbers of people will land, he tried to quell the cries of
pened.’’7 hear the voice of God speaking heresy. He wrote in a subsequent
tothem.’’ issueofhismagazine:
However, when the facts all con-
• ‘‘1992 will be a pivotal year of ‘‘The phrasing of the statement
firmed the allegations and vindicated
end-timeprophecy.’’ you referredto is very important.
Swaggart, the Assemblies of God de-
I didn’t say Jesus wasn’t God, I
nomination, and the Charlotte Ob- • ’’... the fact that revelation
said He didn’t claim to be God
server,Robertsadmitted: knowledge,balancedby the writ-
when He lived on the earth.
ten Word of God, will be mani-
‘‘Out of this experienceI wenton Search the Gospels for yourself.
fested in God’s people to a much
nationwide television and If you do, you’ll find what I say
greaterdegreethanin1991.’’10
preached a message of forgive- is true. During His earthly minis-
ness and that after a period of Also included were promises of try, Jesus acknowledged that He
time, there should be restoration. ‘‘mass miracles,’’ financial break- was the Son of God, the Messiah.
January-March2003 The QuarterlyJournal · 7
He referred to God as His Father tion of the ‘‘biggest failure in all the ized the Bible as a ‘‘fellow witness,’’
(which enraged the Pharisees), Bible’’: all the while denying that they are
but He never made the assertion adding to it. Even more alarming is
‘‘Study your Bible sometime and
that He was the most High God. the way they exalt their ‘‘words’’
find out who the biggest failure
In fact, He told His disciples that from God and their prophecies and
in all the Bible was. You’d be
the Father God was greater and revelations.
shocked to find out who it is. It’s
mightier than He (John 14:28).
God. What?! Yeah, God was the Another clear example of Charis-
Whydidn’tJesus openlyproclaim
biggestfailure in all the Bible. He matic disregard for Scripture is best-
Himself as God during His 33
just — He just wouldn’t call it a selling author and revival celebrity
years on earth? For one simple
failure. He just kept on. He Tommy Tenney. Tenney has gained
reason. He hadn’t come to earth
didn’t accept it. He lost His great prominence within the Charis-
asGod.He’dcomeasman.’’12
archangel,athirdof the heavenly matic world and has been promoted
Copeland’s explanation only adds hosts, everything He created on by the Trinity Broadcasting Network,
to the confusion and gets him further earth up till that time, whatever Charisma magazine, and at the Pensa-
mired in heresy. First, he writes, ‘‘I it was. He lost all of this earth cola Revival. He hails from a Oneness
didn’t say....’’ The original pro- and the authority over it — background and states in his best-
nouncement was supposed to have completely, totally, just lost the sellingbook,TheGodChasers:
been a prophecy — it was Jesus Christ whole thing. Lost man, lost his ‘‘Truth is where God’s been. Rev-
speaking. Copeland has tipped his wife, and everything that was to elation is where God is. ... A true
be born of his flesh. I mean that’s
hand here and revealed the true God chaser is not happy with
— that’s close to bankrupt,
source of the revelation. Secondly, just past truth; he must have
man!’’13
Jesus very clearly and emphatically present truth. God chasers don’t
stated He was God. At John 8:58, Scripturedeclaresotherwise: want to just study from the
Jesus ascribes to Himself the absolute moldy pages of what God has
‘‘I will proclaim the name of the
phrase used of God in Exodus 3:14. done; they’reanxiousto see what
LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of
The Jewish leaders got it. Regrettably, Godisdoing.’’14
our God! He is the Rock, His
Copelanddoesnot.
works are perfect, and all His GOD AT A LOSS FOR WORDS?
Finally, Copeland employs Watch- ways are just. A faithful God
And then there is Joyce Meyer,
tower logic and Scripture-twisting who does no wrong, upright and
Charisma cover-girl and Charismatic
when he appeals to John 14:28 as a justisHe’’(Deuteronomy32:3-4).
prima donna. Meyer, like her Charis-
basis for his theology. Even more
‘‘Hear, O my people, and I will
matic and Word-Faith colleagues,
disturbing, he adds words to the text.
speak, O Israel, and I will testify
claims divine inspiration for her he-
Copeland contends that Jesus stated againstyou:I amGod,your God. retical theology. In a message where
the Father to be ‘‘greater and mightier I do not rebuke you for your she fills in the blanks as to what
that He.’’ While Scripture does ad- sacrifices or your burnt offerings, happened to Jesus while He was in
dress the Father as positionally which are ever before me. I have thegrave,sheadvisesherlisteners:
greater than the Son, it nowhere no need of a bull from your stall
designates the Son as absent of deity or of goats from your pens, for ‘‘And you’ve got to really glean
while on earth, rather just the oppo- every animal of the forest is some things out of the Word of
site(Matthew1:23). mine, and the cattle on a thou- God to really get hold of what
He did for you during those
sand hills. I know every bird in
Moreover, true prophets of God three days. What happened from
the mountains, and the creatures
never have to rescind their prophe- Friday between 9:00 o’clock and
of the field are mine. If I were
cies. Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Paul never noon to Sunday morning? Do
hungry I would not tell you, for
backtracked or tried to explain away you know something? A large
the world is mine, and all that is
their pronouncements. It is ludicrous majority of the Church really
init’’(Psalms50:7-12).
to even think that Paul, or any of the doesn’teven know.Honestlyand
prophets or apostles, would have God’s Word couldn’t be more clear. truly they really don’t even
presented doctrine and teaching only Theworksof the Lord are perfect,His know, what you’re gonna know
to have to say, in effect, ‘‘Here’s what ways are just, and the world — and when this night’s over. ... There
Isaid,butthisiswhatImeant.’’ all that is in it — is His. Copeland’s is no way I could even hope to
teaching that God is the biggest fail- explain this to you. If God
FROMBAD TO WORSE
ure in all the Bible, and that He lost doesn’t give you revelation on it,
Yet, Copeland’s unbiblical delusion the authority over the earth, is hereti- you won’t understand a thing
doesn’t stop there. Copeland’s her- calandblasphemous. I’m saying. ... The Bible can’t
meneutics are also shockingly flawed. even find any way to explain
TOMMYAND HIS
For his devotees, he will give them this. Not really. That’s why
MOLDYPAGES
unimaginable insight never previ- you’ve got to get it by revelation.
ously available. Consider his revela- Other Charismatics have character- There are no words to explain
8 · The QuarterlyJournal January-March2003
what I’m telling you. I’ve got to TELLINGIT LIKE IT’S NOT I am against those who proph-
just trust God thatHe’s puttingit esy false dreams,’ declares the
In the first edition of her booklet,
intoyourspiritlike Heputit into LORD. ‘They tell them and lead
mine.’’15 The Most Important Decision You Will my people astray with their reck-
Ever Make, Meyer further stresses the
less lies, yet I did not send or
The teaching which ‘‘The Bible can’t gravity of believing that Jesus suf-
appoint them. They do not ben-
even find any way to explain’’ and fered and paid for your sins in hell.
efit these people in the least,’
which ‘‘you’ve got to get it by revela- Shewrites:
declares the LORD’’ (Jeremiah
tion’’ and which God must put ‘‘into
your spirit’’ is, according to Meyer, ‘‘There is no hope of anyone 23:30,32).
the Word-Faith heresy of the spiritual going to heaven unless they be- GETTINGONTO
death of Christ in hell. Here’s the lieve this truth I am presenting.
BIBLICALGROUND
teaching in Meyer’s own ‘‘revelatory’’ You cannot go to heaven unless
words: you believe with all your heart Charismatics and Word-Faith ad-
that Jesus took your place in herents are far too quick to keep open
‘‘Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ And
hell.’’18 the canon of Scripture and accept
He meant the Old Covenant. The
novel interpretations. As shown, once
job He had to do was just getting Onthenextpageshesays:
one has opened up at these crucial
started. He really did the job the
‘‘Jesus went to hell for you. He points, it is possible to go beyond the
three days and nights that He diedforyou.’’19 Word and become subject to all kinds
was in hell. That’s where the job
was done. ... He was pronounced Twopagesearlier,shesays: of chaos and confusion. We must
never lose sight of the fact that while
guilty on the cross but He paid ‘‘He was resurrected from the
biblical prophets all stood against
thepriceinhell.’’16 dead — the first born-again
heresy, modern-day ‘‘prophets’’ foster
man.’’20
Meyer’s description takes her and andpromoteheresy.
herlistenersfurtherfromScripture: Yet, despite these repeated procla-
O. Palmer Robertson, in his book,
‘‘All the hosts of hell was upon mations, Meyer denies ever having TheFinalWord,givessaneadvice:
Him. Up on Him. They got on taught this doctrine. Charisma’s cover
Him. They got Him down in the storyonhersays: ‘‘The church needs neither
pseudo-prophetism nor pseudo-
floor and got on Him. And they ‘‘The criticisms are of the variety
tongues. It needs no diversion
were laughing and mocking. ... that have dogged other Word of
All right, now get a picture of Faith figures. Citing her booklet, from the plain declaration of the
this. If God ever paced in His The Most Important Decision You divine mystery that now is re-
whole life He was pacing during Will Ever Make, Hank Hanegraaff vealed in all its fullness. The one
these two days. God just kind of of the Christian Research Insti- thing the church and the world
showedit tomethatway.Now, I tute has taken her to task for the needstodayis thefaithfulprocla-
don’t know if He actually paced controversial teaching that Jesus mation of the Word of God once
or not, but He showed it that was born again in hell, a doctrine given.Itneedsnomore.’’22
way. You see the Father could she does not believe and has In his Quarterly Journal article on
seedownthereandsee whatwas nevertaught,shesays.’’21 ‘‘Why People Are Deceived,’’ G.
going on. He was watching what
How ironic for the Charismapiece to Richard Fisher listed 12 ‘‘Whys of
they were doing to His beloved
be titled, ‘‘The Preacher Who Tells It Gullibility.’’ His concluding item
Son. ... Sunday morning. Sunday
LikeItIs,’’whenMeyerlies to conceal aptly fits Charismatic and Word-Faith
morning, here comes the Son.
teachings that now cause her embar- believers:
Sunday morning. God gets Him-
rassment. If she has abandoned this
self together. Ho, hoooo. Justice ’’... people have become ‘cliché-
belief, she is further embarrassed be-
has been met. Somehow the bound.’ They are gullible and
cause she earlier claimed to have
thing’s been taken care of. And become easily subservient if
received this knowledge from God
ol’ God gets His voice together someone says, ‘God told me,’ or
Himself.
and He hollers out three words ‘the Lord said,’ or ‘the Lord
and they go roaring through the Meyer’s teaching is not new and spoke to me,’ or ‘the Lord im-
universe and entering the gates does not have divine origins. It is the pressed upon me.’ After all, who
of hell. He said, ‘It is enough! It is regurgitatedteachingof E.W. Kenyon, can argue with God? The Church
enough!’’17 Kenneth Copeland, and others within finds itself drowning in a sea of
the Word-Faith camp. God sternly subjectivism away from the safe
Scripture never says God said, ‘‘It is
warnsus: moorings of the objective Word
enough! It is enough!’’ Likewise,
of God! ‘I feel’ and ‘I sense’ have
Scripture never states Jesus “paid the ‘‘‘Therefore,’ declares the LORD, cometoreplace,‘Itiswritten.’’’23
price in hell.” Meyer can only claim ‘I am against the prophets who
her ‘‘revelation knowledge’’ as a steal from one another words Today, most Christians are spiritu-
sourceforsuchinformation. supposedly from me.’ ... ‘Indeed, ally handicapped and find themselves
January-March2003 The QuarterlyJournal · 9
ensnaredin all sortsof heresy because unlike[ly] to make you orthodox Life,September-October1987,pg.9.
they do not know the difference andsound.’’24 9. Oral Roberts, 11 Major Prophecies For
You in 1992. Tulsa, Okla,: self-published,
between objective and subjective rea-
Those words were penned over 325 1992,pp.iii-iv.
soning. Far too many Christians will
years ago by Richard Baxter, a British 10.Ibid.
scorn the written Word of God in
pastor! They are relevant to us today 11. Kenneth Copeland, ‘‘Take Time to
favoroftheirfeelings. Pray,’’ Believer’s Voice of Victory, February
as false teachers and false prophets
1987,pg.9.ThisarticleisfromCopeland’s
‘‘God told me’’ is a dangerous proliferateamongus.
message given at the Dallas Victory Cam-
motto and methodology. It opens you As children in Sunday school, we paign,Oct.30-Nov.1,1986.
to confusion, mysticism, deception, were taught, ‘‘The Bible: nothing 12. Kenneth Copeland, ‘‘Question & An-
heresy,andsubjectivism. swer,’’ Believer’s Voice of Victory, August
more, nothing less, nothing else.’’ As
1988,pg.8,italicsinoriginal.
A good homework assignment is to adults we need to return to the 13. Kenneth Copeland, Believer’s Voice of
devote oneself, over the next month, profound substance of that simple Victory broadcast, Trinity Broadcasting
to include in one’s daily devotions a statement. Curtis Crenshaw expounds Network,May8,1994,videotapeonfile.
readingof the119thPsalm. The Psalm onthismaximwhenhewrites: 14. Tommy Tenney, The God Chasers.
Shippensburg,Pa.:DestinyImagePublish-
is divided into twenty-two sections of ‘‘If anything is contrary to Scrip-
ers,1998,Introduction.
eight verses. Take one section each ture, it is wrong. If anything is the
15. Joyce Meyer, From the Cross to the
day, read and meditate upon the same as Scripture, it is not needed. Throne, sermon from Life in the Word
verses. Nearly every verse of the If anythinggoes beyondScripture,it Ministries, exact date unknown, cassette
psalm proclaims the importance of hasnoauthority.’’25 onfile.
Scripture using one of eleven terms. 16.Ibid.
Each day while contemplating the We need not ‘‘God told me,’’ for the 17.Ibid.
Bible is complete; Scripture is suffi- 18. Joyce Meyer, The Most Important Deci-
verses, try to grasp the meaning and
cient. sion You Will Ever Make. Fenton, Mo.:
strive to apply it. May you be like the
JoyceMeyerMinistries,1991,pg.37.
psalmist who proclaimed: ‘‘See how I Endnotes: 19.Ibid.,pg.38,underlininginoriginal.
love your precepts; preserve my life, 1. Jay E. Adams, Counsel from Psalm 119. 20. Ibid., pg. 36, bold and underlining in
O LORD, according to your love’’ (v. Woodruff, S.C.: Timeless Texts, 1998, original.
159). pg.3,boldinoriginal. 21. Ken Walker, ‘‘The Preacher Who Tells
It Like It Is,’’ Charisma, November 1998,
2. Benny Hinn, ‘‘A New Spirit,’’ Orlando
One Christian author offered wise Christian Center broadcast, Trinity Broad- pg.55.
directionforunderstanding: castNetwork,Oct.13,1990,tapeonfile. 22. O. Palmer Robertson, The Final Word.
3.Ibid. Carlisle, Pa.: The Banner of Truth Trust,
‘‘Read and meditate on the holy
4. Benny Hinn, ‘‘Who Is This Jesus?’’ 1993,pg.49.
Scriptures much in private, and sermon from San Antonio Miracle Cru- 23. G. Richard Fisher, ‘‘Can You Be
then you will be the better able sade,March3-4,1994,videotapeonfile. Deceived?’’, The Quarterly Journal, Vol. 20,
to understand what is preached 5. Benny Hinn, Praise the Lord show, No.3,pg.18.
on it in public, and to try that Trinity Broadcasting Network, Oct. 19, 24. Richard Baxter, Christian Directory,
doctrine, whether it be of God. ... 1999,videotapeonfile. cited in J.I. Packer, Truth and Power.
Live under the clearest, [most] 6.OralRoberts,ExpectaMiraclebroadcast, Wheaton, Ill.: Harold Shaw Publishers,
distinct, convincing teaching that Jan.4,1987,tapeonfile. 1996, pg. 178, ellipsis and brackets in
7.OralRoberts,RichardRobertsLivebroad- original.
you possibly can procure. ... Ig-
cast, exact date unknown, c. March 1987, 25. Curtis I. Crenshaw, Man as God, The
norant teachers ... are unlike[ly] tapeonfile. Word of Faith Movement. Memphis: Foot-
to make you men of understand- 8. Oral Roberts, ‘‘The media have had stool Publications, 1994, pg. 222, italics in
ing; as erroneous teachers are theirsay,NOWTHETRUTH...,’’Abundant original.
(cid:103)
AFOUNDATIONONSAND rather than the coming kingdom of the Charismatic and Pentecostal bod-
(continuedfrompage4) Christ. They do not look for the ies. It is religious heroin that kills true
return of Christ as much as a great, understandingand right doctrine.The
Pentecostal world to these gross er- last-days revival upon the earth. They leaders of this movement not only
rors. Her book, Joel’s Army, was a see themselves in the forefront of this promulgatefalse doctrine, but disdain
wake-upcall,butfewlistened. revival. Earl Paulk has taught that the orthodox Christian teaching. TBN
Church must make the earth God’s
President Paul Crouch himself has
Though Latter Rain was seen as a
footstool, a task Psalm 2 says is left to
labeled tenets of the Christian faith as
fringe element in the 1940s, parts of
theSonofGod.
‘‘doctrinaldoo-doo.’’7
its message crept into Charismatic
churches. Modern prophets have ex- Teachings such as this have become
KINGLESSKINGDOM
ploited the framework of Latter Rain a lethal drug which the likes of the
teachings to promote themselves and Trinity Broadcasting Network and Another premise articulated by
perpetuate their individual kingdoms Charisma magazine have injected into some in the movement is that Christ’s
10 · The QuarterlyJournal January-March2003