Friday, 12 February 2010
Page 13
This movement is so
seriously dangerous that I just have to paste everything here as taken from the
link below This movement will be better understood if I mention Benny Hinn,
Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, Oral Roberts and Morris Cerrullo are just a few
of the many well known names who belong to it. Generally are known as the
prosperity and slain in the spirit preachers.
Please read the
section that talks about the origins of Word Faith (i.e, from Scientology
- a recognised cult) and their cultish views of the "non"
atonement of Jesus. It is full of error and abuse of clear scriptural
teaching.
We should always compare scripture with scripture and never ignore
any parts of scripture, as all scripture is inspired by God. It is worth
looking at their view of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is "another
Jesus" they preach.
They are not a sect but a heretical cult. I have
thoroughly investigated this cult from my own experiences of them and from
those I know to a full extensive search from a vast number of reputable
websites. If you don't believe me, check it out yourself. http://www.thechristianexpositor.org/page7.html
THE WORD FAITH MOVEMENT
Who are the Leaders of the Word-Faith Movement?
A growing number of pastors, teachers, and evangelists within the
Charismatic/Pentecostal circles of the Christian church are advancing what has
come to be known as the "Word Faith" movement. Its major leaders
include such prominent figures as Kenneth Hagin; Kenneth Copeland; Frederick K.
C. Price; and David (Paul) Yongii Cho, who pastors one of the largest churches
in the world in Seoul, Korea.
Other well-known Word Faith personalities
include Gloria Copeland, Robert Tilton, John Avanzini, John Osteen, T. L.
Osborne, Charles Capps, Marilyn Hickey, Jerry Savelle, Joyce Meyer, Morris
Cerullo, Casey Treat, Dwight Thompson, and Oral and Richard Roberts.
In the USA Word Faith
doctrines are commonly
disseminated through radio broadcasts, tapes, books, and
tracts, primarily through the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which
regularly airs the programs of more than a dozen of these teachers. Paul
and Jan Crouch, the directors of TBN, who are themselves deeply involved in the
movement, have also featured Word Faith teachers as special guests on their "Praise
the Lord" and "Praise-a-thon" (fund-raiser) programs. The
Crouchs' worldwide platform has mainstreamed Word Faith theology to the lives
of millions of Christians who would not otherwise have encountered Word Faith
theology.
Christianity in the western world has
been heavily influenced in many quarters by this movement to the point where
many consider it the main thrust of the charismatic movement. In Europe
these doctrines are brought in through visiting USA speakers and their
materials, and by influenced pastors and leaders - and also through the
"GOD Christian Channel" which concentrates on many of tese teachers
via Satellite and Cable TV. In South Wales the main adherents are
pastored by Ray Bevan in King's Church, Newport, but the influence is also
noticeable in the Elim and Assemblies of God Pentecostal movements.
What is the attitude of Word-Faith
teachers?
Such people are
called "nay sayers" and negative influences. If such people
cannot be won over to Word-Faith teachings, the listener or reader is told,
they should be avoided. An example of the kind of sneering and contradictory
attack launched on anyone who questions their beliefs and doctrines can be
heard from Ray Bevan's ministry (King's Church, tapes - 6th &
13th September '98). Often when a Word-Faith teacher or their
teachings are criticized, there will be allegations of "sowing division in
the body" or lack of belief in healing, or demons, or the miraculous.
A classic example of
this can be seen in a quote from Word-Faith teacher Kenneth Hagin: "When
the Lord was dealing with me concerning the prophet's ministry, He said that if
a church doesn't accept my ministry then I should go my way, shake the dust off
my feet against them so to speak; but He would remove their candlestick.
He would take away from them what power they had left. .... He said that
judgment must begin in the house of God, and if the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear. If a church won't
accept this ministry, then they wouldn't accept His Word and He can't help
them" (The Ministry of a Prophet, p.19).
We believe in divine healing, both instantaneous and gradual, the
existence of demons and deliverance from them; and that the gifts of the Spirit
are for the church today as they have been since its beginning.
Criticizing a body of teachings is not the same as judging one who accepts
those teachings. However, Christians are told to compare any teachings,
and the gospel they bring, to the Word of God and to cast off any that
contradict Scripture (Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Thessalonians
5:21).
If a person reads
into the sacred text something that does not belong there and is not consistent
with sound exegesis and hermeneutics, then Christians have a right to challenge
and expose error and point out to brethren who these mistaken teachers are (Acts
20:28-31 & 2 Timothy 2:16-18). It does not mean that these
teachers are not true brethren, although they may not be. It does not
mean that we should love them any less. It simply means that an error has
been found and exposed and should be dealt with in love for the
truth, and compassion for those damaged by the
deception.
Word-Faith Origins
You will be like God - says Satan! (Genesis 3:5)
When that happens one
is "a new species of being that never existed before" (Kenneth
Copeland,Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p. 5). Hagin
says "the believer is as much an Incarnation as Jesus Christ" (Faith
Food, p. 23). Kenneth Copeland says "Jesus is no longer the
only begotten son of God" (Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p.
24). "We are the Word made flesh, just as Jesus was." (Gloria
Copeland, quoted in Crenshaw, Man as God, 202). So, in the
Word-Faith teaching, Jesus loses his uniqueness. The believer is elevated
to the position of being a God-man the same way Jesus was a God-man. They
claim that the only difference is Jesus obtained his position by birth and the
rest obtain it by a re-creation of the spirit. Read Isaiah
44:8: "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not
any" (cf. Isaiah 43:10; John 1:18; John 5:44; John 17:3;
James 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:5; Colossians 1:14-17; Hebrews 1:2-3).
What happened to the Blood Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ?
A further denial of the uniqueness of
Jesus occurs in Word-Faith teachings on the atonement. According to their
interpretation of Scripture, much more happened during Christ's crucifixion and
death than is orthodox or Scriptural. "Jesus went into hell to free
mankind. … When His blood poured out it did not atone." (Kenneth
Copeland, quoted in McConnell, Different Gospel, 120). "When
[Jesus] said 'it is finished,' on that cross, He was not speaking of the plan
of redemption. The plan of redemption had just begun.
... Jesus was a
born-again man" (Gloria Copeland, God's Will For You, p.
50). "Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross?
If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price. No, the
punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from
God." (Frederick K. C. Price, "If Christ Did Not Rise … What
Then?" Ever Increasing Faith Messenger (June 1980): 7).
"Jesus went into hell to free mankind. … When
His blood poured out
it did not atone." (Kenneth Copeland, quoted in McConnell, Different
Gospel, 120). Read Hebrews 12:2: "Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the
cross [not torture in hell], despising the shame" (bracket added).
"In whom [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians
1:7, emphasis added).(cf. Psalm 139:7-8; John 5:26; 10:17-18;
19:30; Colossians 1:19-20; 2:13-15; Revelation 1:5).
In summary, the
Word-Faith plan of redemption says: Man was created as the "same
order of being as God." A spirit temporarily housed in a body.
He was given dominion over the Earth. When he committed "high
treason" by following Satan instead of God, man then gave up the divine
nature and took on the nature of Satan. Satan then became the god of this
world and man thereafter was born with the satanic nature.
"Suddenly, God was on the outside looking in" (Kenneth
Copeland, Our Covenant With God, p. 8).
Jesus came so that
man's spirit might be re-created (i.e., man might reclaim the divine
nature). On the cross, the plan of redemption merely began. It was
there that Jesus took on the nature of Satan, lost his divinity, became a
mortal man, and went to hell. There he suffered torture at the hand of
Satan until God said "enough." Having kept the Law of God perfectly,
the man Jesus was declared to be "illegally" in hell. At that
point, Jesus' spirit was re-created. He again had the divine nature -
Jesus was then born again! The way was then clear for man to have his
spirit re-created - to receive the divine nature and to become as much an
incarnation as Jesus was! Re-created men "now have the nature of
God... the ability of God" (E.W. Kenyon, What Happened from the
Cross to the Throne, p. 82). There are no verses in
Scripture to support this blasphemous theology - read Exodus 8:10:
"There is none like unto the Lord our God" (cf. Exodus
9:13-14; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:9; Jeremiah
10:6; Hosea 11:9).
Word of Faith Wrests Scripture!
This scenario is read
into the Bible so that it may be extrapolated again in several ways. The
first is a fanciful system of Scripture interpretation that arbitrarily assigns
new meanings to words and has no regard for the context of passages. For
example, Kenyon says: "Adam gained an education through his five
senses. His spirit was being made prisoner of his five senses.
Many other ploys are
used to read Word-Faith doctrine into the Bible. Space allows examination
of only two of the most outrageous. The first is that of interpreting
certain verses to mean the opposite of what the writer intended.
Referring to the King James Version's John 14:14, where Jesus says,
"if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." Hagin says:
"Here, the Greek word translated 'ask' means 'demand.'... You're not
demanding anything of the Father. ... You're demanding of the devil" (Faith
Food, Winter Edition, p. 58).
When this kind of
fanciful 'cultic' Bible interpretation is used, the Scriptures can be made to
say anything you want them to say.
Now you are "Divine" you can "Name It And Claim It!"
Clear Scripture
passages are altered to fit the Word-Faith system to establish the believer as
one who possesses the divine nature so that he can realize his "legal
authority." With this realization comes the knowledge, power, and ability
of God. Kenyon says you can "walk as Jesus walked, without any
consciousness of inferiority to God or Satan" (The Hidden Man, p.
24). Once the position of being "the same order of being as
God" has been established, then it becomes necessary to demonstrate that
this "re-created spirit" has unlimited power to create his own
reality through positive confession.
The Scriptures used
to support this position are selectively chosen from verses affirming that God
will give believers what they ask (demand) from Him (Mark 11:23-24, John
16:23-24) to the exclusion of the verses that put these petitions in the
perspective of God's sovereign will (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 5:14).
In Word-Faith teaching, man is given the position of a god on Earth. At
the same time they denigrate the position of the Lord Jesus Christ on
earth and declare that, although Jesus walked with God and that God was in Him,
he never actually claimed to be God (Kenneth Copeland, "Take Time to Pray," Believer's
Voice of Victory; February 1987: 9). This nonsense is amply refuted
by the scriptures, for instance John 1:1; 5:18-23; 8:24,58; 10:1-39;
and 20:28 all clearly testify to Jesus' claim to equality with
Almighty God.
In common with
similar cultic heresies, such as that of the Mormons, man is now raised to a
position never given to him in the Bible: "Well, now, you don't have a
human, do you? No, you areone. You don't have a
God in you. You are one," Copeland declares (The
Force of Love, cassette tape). "I am a little God! Critics,
be gone!" (Paul Crouch, Praise the Lord, Trinity
Broadcasting Network, July 7, 1986) "We are a class of
Gods!" (Copeland, quoted in Hanegraaff, Crisis, 116).
"As a believer, you have the same spiritual capacity that Jesus has. …
Your spirit is just as big as God's because you are born of Him."
(Copeland, Realm, 16).
Despite all the
fantastic convolutions that Word-Faith teachers go through to try to explain
the nature of Paul's thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), it is a
clear-cut situation where Paul praysand God answers in the
negative! Even though it seemed harsh at the time, it was
the act of a loving Father and worked ultimately to Paul's benefit. It is
clear from Scripture that God will refuse some requests and this makes the
whole idea of faith as a 'force', operating unalterably in accordance with a
formula, unsustainable. Further, once we have affirmed that requests must
be evaluated in some way, then we have put it back in the hands of God to
evaluate all requests. No longer can faith be considered a tool to create
realities in accordance with our will, but a trust that God will answer our
requests in accordance with His will. (1 John 5:14).
Bring on the Rolls-Royces - give us the cash!
Financial prosperity
to those in the Word Faith movement is more than just a blessing. It is an
absolute right. In Kenneth Copeland's words, "Jesus bore the curse
of the law on our behalf. He beat Satan and took away his power. Consequently,
there is no reason for you to live under the curse of the law, no reason for
you to live in poverty of any kind." (Copeland, Laws, 51).
The Bible names
countless individuals who, although they were righteous before God, were poor:
Paul the apostle (Philippians 4:11-12) who, if you believe
Copeland et al, must have lacked faith because he wasted his time
making tents (Acts 18:3); his companions (1 Corinthians 4:9-13);
the Old Testament faithful (Hebrews 11:37). Even the Lord Jesus lived in
poverty (Matthew 8:20)!
Jesus himself said,
"Lay up not for yourselves treasures upon earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: for where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
What happens to the victims - those who lose "Faith in Faith"?
In counselling those
who have been caught up in the Word-Faith doctrines and then have been
disillusioned, one finds many who have difficulty breaking free of these
teachings. A consistent pattern of behaviour can be observed in these
people. First, as with all cultic teachings, no one has ever come up with
this teaching through Bible study alone. People generally find it through
the influence of Word-Faith churches and the literature, tapes and
seminars which originally promulgated from the USA. At this level, strong
indoctrination takes place. It is through the literature and seminars
that people become "positive confessors." At this point, no negatives
are allowed. God wants you healthy, wealthy, and wise. Sickness,
poverty, and want are signs of spiritual weakness. If something does not
go right, lack of faith is at fault. There are unfortunates, deceived by
this heresy, who are still awaiting the replacement of an artificial leg or eye
"when they have enough faith." Unfortunately the Word-Faith teachers
never mention the casualties of their deception which are often picked up by
orthodox Christian counsellors.
At this stage, Word-Faith adherents
often gain an attitude of superiority. Word-Faith adherents consider any
criticism of their doctrine to be an attack by those who are not
"spiritually mature," and have not had this "higher
revelation." Then, some time later, after all the teaching,
confessing and testifying, reality begins to rear its ugly head. Common human
suffering teaches Word-Faith adherents that their system just does not
work!
By embracing a faulty view of faith,
thousands have exposed themselves to the power of Satan and the results are
seen in the depression which results from inevitable failure to achieve the
claimed results. Breakdown of relationships, loss of faith and personal
tragedies at work and in the home result - with inevitable breakup of families
through divorce and despair. People have died or lost their children
because they denied the reality of sickness and were persuaded not to take
medical advice but to rely on this "faith in faith!" Once faced
with this, they either admit hat Word-Faith teachings are fallacious and throw
themselves into the arms of a loving, sovereign God, or they begin to
consciously deny reality. Word-Faith victims who seek counselling often
display three characteristics: confusion, guilt, and fear. The confusion is
usually the result of inner conflicts set up by contradictions between what is
taught by Word-Faith teachers and what is in the Bible.
But "Confessing It Means Possessing It"?
Word Faith celebrity
Kenneth Copeland says, "What you are saying is exactly what you are
getting now. If you are living in poverty and lack and want, change what you
are saying. … The powerful force of the spiritual world that creates the
circumstances around us is controlled by the words of the mouth."
(Copeland, Laws, 98). Kenneth E. Hagin, who served for many years
as Copeland's mentor, echoes his protégé: "Your right confession will
become a reality, and then you will get whatever you need from God."
(Kenneth E. Hagin, Right and Wrong Thinking for Christians (Tulsa:
Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1966), 30).
Faith in Doctrines of Demons (1 Timothy 4:1-5) leads to Fear and Death!
Guilt is generally
brought about by the tension generated when one was positively confessing but
getting no results. According to the Word-Faith position, no results
equals lack of faith or open sin in one's life. This can, and usually
does, cause excessive introspection and a tremendous guilt feelings.
Sometimes the guilt is real and needs to be dealt with, but often there is no
reason for the feelings. Whatever the person was positively confessing
was not in God's plan and He is not going to bring it about.
Fear comes from two
areas. First is the obsessive compulsion to be positive in every
word. Even using phrases such as "I'm just dying to do that" or
"that joke just tickled me to death," release satanic powers, say the
Word-Faith teachers (The Tongue - A Creative Force, p.
90-92). People become afraid that they are going to slip up, utter a
negative word, and give a place to Satan. Secondly, fear is a corollary
to the guilt mentioned above. Fear and guilt usually work in a downward
spiral. One feels guilty because of supposed lack of faith, then afraid
because the confession is not "working." Then there is more guilt,
then more fear, and so on down into further despair. This cycle can be
extremely spiritually and physically debilitating. All of these spiritual
and psychological difficulties can be directly attributed to elevating man to
the false position of being a god and saying that he has powers far greater
than he really does.
Unfortunately, Word
Faith proponents explain suffering through a convenient appeal to the
sovereignty of man. There are no victims, nothing is out of control, and
everything can change because those afflicted are calling the shots. As long as
someone possesses enough knowledge about what God has promised, says the right
words, and has enough faith, all will be taken care of--bills will get paid,
family members will be healed, and money will fall like manna from heaven. One's
own words control life because words "are the most powerful things in the
universe today." (Capps, Creative Power, 25).
"HEALTH, SUCCESS, HAPPINESS and PROSPERITY are God's Will for YOU when you
believe His Word enough to ACT ON IT." (T. L. Osborne, quoted in
Hanegraaff, Crisis, 361). In the Word Faith movement, all
suffering is caused by man, rather than God. As Frederick K. C. Price says,
"You are suffering because you're stupid!" (Price, quoted in
Crenshaw, Man as God, 156). The only alternative they suggest is
blasphemous: "If God is running everything, He does have things in a
mess." (Hagin, The Interceding Christian (Tulsa:
Kenneth E. Hagin Ministries, 1978, 14). The stupidity to which Price
refers is expressed either through speaking negative confessions or through not
realizing that positive confessions will bring about good things.
How should the church respond?
We have seen enough
evidence to conclude that the Word-Faith message is a dangerous soul-destroying
heresy that simply does not work. It is a body of
presumptuous teachings that lacks the authority of the Word of God. It is
a system of thinking that has been generated by a group of men drawing from
each other's teachings with an amalgamation of Christian theology, mysticism
and Gnosticism bound together by one of the most fanciful methods of Scripture
interpretation ever devised. All of this is buttressed by a mutual
admiration society among the most popular of the Word-Faith teachers that
admonishes critics to "touch not the Lord's anointed," often under
dire threats of divine displeasure.
The Word-Faith
movement has done more than its share of producing strife in the body of
Christ. Scores of well-meaning Christians are in bondage to this
unscriptural philosophy. The results of the Word-Faith teachings is to
leave many people full of confusion, guilt and fear - the very things that the
Word-Faith movement professes to eradicate.
The time is long due for Christians to take a serious look at the
teachings of the Word-Faith movement. Very little has been written or
said about the defective Christology of Word-Faith believers which is utterly
blasphemous! We criticize such groups as the Mormons, Jehovah's
Witnesses, the Christadelphians, or the United Pentecostal Church because of
their unscriptural views of the Godhead. We expose the Mormon teachings
declaring that men can become gods (the first Satanic lie! - Genesis 3:5) or
the Witnesses heretical view that Jesus is "a god", and not Almighty
God, and was pre-existent as Michael the archangel. Can we do any less
when the Word-Faith groups have introduced equally heretical teachings into the
Body of Christ?
Addition Nov 2014
Anyone who reads this, who is still in Word of
Faith, I strongly urge you to leave it now. They are charlatans and wolves,
deceivers and thieves and are dragging you into heresy. They are also NOW
dragging you into Rome and Papal worship. If you do not believe me then
please check this latest article written in November 2014:
And watch these videos on:
I am glad of this article. I have printed off a copy in the hope I can pass it
on to a family member.
Your advice please on the present A.O.G. Is it now the cult I percieve it to
be?(Latter Rain Movement). Reading their statement of faith seems relatively
innocuous, yet their 'deeds' appear to belie their claims?
Thanks
As I understand it (from my dealings with Elim and AOG)AOG are different from
Elim in one major way - the individual churches are self governing (autonomous.
So, though most of the churches allow themselves to be influenced by their
national/international leaders, they don't have to preach/teach the same things
in all the churches.
They are allowed to be independant.
However, I think the relaxed style changed somewhat just before the end of the
1990's. At this time Elim and AOG went to bed together in a united front. So
both denominations I believe are being pulled together by the same wanton
spirit.
It seems now that the independant AOG churches are being watched much more
closely than before. What I am saying is that it is still possible to have a
sound AOG church, if you have sound leadership who will not be too influenced
pressurised by the top leadership (but for how long?).
Also bear in mind that much of the prosperity gospel in USA was started within
AOG churches as Word Faith preachers got their foothold's in there and then
reached Britain via Elim. But David Wilkerson's church was also AOG, so there
can be some isolated "good" churches.
I went to an AOG conference in the mid 1990's in which the emphasis was how to
grow cell groups learning from The South Korean and Columbian churches.
At the conference I attended the leaders meeting in which pressure was being
put on church leaders for church growth. Basically, if the numbers do not
increase, then they face the prospect of being replaced.
It was shortly after this that the purpose driven church mentality, friendship
evangelism and seeker friendly started spreading like wild fire.
So, it seems that the leaders of most AOG churches and Elim are pressured into
church growth by whatever means (so that they are not sacked).
What sort of church does that produce?
During this time I saw some very strange things. They introduced
"christian" karate, Seeker friendly approach, Purpose Driven study
groups, soft emotional music to stimulate seekers emotions (even using soft
music whenever someone prayed). Loud (high decibel) music during worship.
Basically, the Word Faith ways of priming up a congregation to become
vulnerable to suggestion.
The worrying thing is that these methods DO work in gaining church growth. It
is amazing how many people are gullible once their emotions are stirred.
Apparently "Word Faith" is the fastest growing sector of Christianity
today. Probable because of sheep stealing.
I did write an email to the pastor about 1-2 years later warning him about Rick
Warren and about Word Faith. His response was " I visited Saddleback a
little while ago. Rick is very misunderstood. He is a good man and though I may
disagree with him in some things he has a good heart and he has
something". This pastor also asked me to remove his name from my contact list.
Soon afterwards all the other leaders (whom I was close to) also became
unfriendly/aggressive with me. They also insisted I do not send them any of
this stuff, anymore.
I am giving you my first-hand experience of AOG. It does not mean that they are
all like this. They could be better or worse!
Word Faith follows (or maybe introduced it) these also.
Know that for every gainsayer, there are dozens more who are unbending in the
pure Word of God. It is to your discretion should you choose to share this
article publicly but kindly inform me when you do. Thank you. L.J
WORD-FAITH PANDEMIC. Here in cosmopolitan Singapore we have our fair share of a
different gospel running the gamut of local churches (Galatians 1:6-10; 2
Corinthians 11:4). As a matter of fact I’ve even attended New Creation Church
for two and a half years as part of an ecclesiastical study apart from serving.
Whilst in the pews of a hyper grace seeker-sensitive church, I’ve heard the
sounds of perversity from the horse’s mouth--Joseph Prince himself--and his
minions twisting scripture that is sadly regurgitated by mindless shepherds to
their sheep at home cell units.
With the likes of Word-Faith proponents such as Matt Crouch, Richard Roberts,
Kenneth Hagin, Judah Smith, Darlene Z etc. gracing the stage, imagine that
after JP’s debut at Osteen’s Lakewood Church in 2011, a home cell leader could
actually ask us, “Do you think its ok to adore Ps Prince?” No, that’s not the
straw that broke the camel’s back. Imagine the superstitious embrace of the
Eucharist and the anointing oil for the miraculous if not grotesque--should one
heed their promptings that ply the crude and silly.
Furthermore, should one duly discern, JP’s focus on the bane of the Law is all
but a distraction and a cop-out from a sincere exegesis of the Gospel and
Pauline epistles in its entirety. Just as conjured parallels between Judaism
and Islam seem amazing, amazing yet is one who preaches Jesus with a different gospel
and misses Him entirely! What more then when the nation boasts of yet another
heretic that has some 36,000 sheep under his watchful gaze--Kong Hee of City
Harvest Church. Cho Yonggi, Benny Hinn and Phil Pringle are but the few that
have hitched this wagon to only God knows where.
Isn’t it amazing that God had vouchsafe for the worthless even though all
nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than
nothing and worthless (Isaiah 40:17)? Should USA be judged, she’s better off
alphabetically. Should the scales fall from the eyes of the deluded, they will
vomit the filth fed by these hireling shepherds that have crept in unawares to
pollute every nook and cranny of the body of Christ.
For that matter, Beyonce’s performance at Super Bowl 2013 can hardly differ
depicting the deluded, be it the masses or a select few, that are ushered in
rank and file, week in and week out to unwittingly channel in their alter ego
plying the pulpit and yet be harnessed by deceit for merchandise. Madness. Or
better yet the caption that says ‘Think--while its still legal!’ Never mind the
gainsayers, should it baffle us when some make a defense of their pet heretic
if only to confirm their delusion? Just get the full Monty out folks--before
its way too late!”
Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give
to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His
commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter
through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and
sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a
lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the
churches.
Please read the section that talks about the origins of Word Faith (i.e, from Scientology - a recognised cult) and their cultish views of the "non" atonement of Jesus. It is full of error and abuse of clear scriptural teaching.
We should always compare scripture with scripture and never ignore any parts of scripture, as all scripture is inspired by God. It is worth looking at their view of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is "another Jesus" they preach.
They are not a sect but a heretical cult. I have thoroughly investigated this cult from my own experiences of them and from those I know to a full extensive search from a vast number of reputable websites. If you don't believe me, check it out yourself. http://www.thechristianexpositor.org/page7.html
THE WORD FAITH MOVEMENT
Who are the Leaders of the Word-Faith Movement?
A growing number of pastors, teachers, and evangelists within the Charismatic/Pentecostal circles of the Christian church are advancing what has come to be known as the "Word Faith" movement. Its major leaders include such prominent figures as Kenneth Hagin; Kenneth Copeland; Frederick K. C. Price; and David (Paul) Yongii Cho, who pastors one of the largest churches in the world in Seoul, Korea.
Other well-known Word Faith personalities include Gloria Copeland, Robert Tilton, John Avanzini, John Osteen, T. L. Osborne, Charles Capps, Marilyn Hickey, Jerry Savelle, Joyce Meyer, Morris Cerullo, Casey Treat, Dwight Thompson, and Oral and Richard Roberts.
In the USA Word Faith doctrines are commonly
disseminated through radio broadcasts, tapes, books, and tracts, primarily through the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), which regularly airs the programs of more than a dozen of these teachers. Paul and Jan Crouch, the directors of TBN, who are themselves deeply involved in the movement, have also featured Word Faith teachers as special guests on their "Praise the Lord" and "Praise-a-thon" (fund-raiser) programs. The Crouchs' worldwide platform has mainstreamed Word Faith theology to the lives of millions of Christians who would not otherwise have encountered Word Faith theology.
Such people are called "nay sayers" and negative influences. If such people cannot be won over to Word-Faith teachings, the listener or reader is told, they should be avoided. An example of the kind of sneering and contradictory attack launched on anyone who questions their beliefs and doctrines can be heard from Ray Bevan's ministry (King's Church, tapes - 6th & 13th September '98). Often when a Word-Faith teacher or their teachings are criticized, there will be allegations of "sowing division in the body" or lack of belief in healing, or demons, or the miraculous.
A classic example of this can be seen in a quote from Word-Faith teacher Kenneth Hagin: "When the Lord was dealing with me concerning the prophet's ministry, He said that if a church doesn't accept my ministry then I should go my way, shake the dust off my feet against them so to speak; but He would remove their candlestick. He would take away from them what power they had left. .... He said that judgment must begin in the house of God, and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear. If a church won't accept this ministry, then they wouldn't accept His Word and He can't help them" (The Ministry of a Prophet, p.19).
We believe in divine healing, both instantaneous and gradual, the existence of demons and deliverance from them; and that the gifts of the Spirit are for the church today as they have been since its beginning. Criticizing a body of teachings is not the same as judging one who accepts those teachings. However, Christians are told to compare any teachings, and the gospel they bring, to the Word of God and to cast off any that contradict Scripture (Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).
If a person reads into the sacred text something that does not belong there and is not consistent with sound exegesis and hermeneutics, then Christians have a right to challenge and expose error and point out to brethren who these mistaken teachers are (Acts 20:28-31 & 2 Timothy 2:16-18). It does not mean that these teachers are not true brethren, although they may not be. It does not mean that we should love them any less. It simply means that an error has been found and exposed and should be dealt with in love for the truth, and compassion for those damaged by the deception.
Word-Faith Origins
You will be like God - says Satan! (Genesis 3:5)
When that happens one is "a new species of being that never existed before" (Kenneth Copeland,Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p. 5). Hagin says "the believer is as much an Incarnation as Jesus Christ" (Faith Food, p. 23). Kenneth Copeland says "Jesus is no longer the only begotten son of God" (Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p. 24). "We are the Word made flesh, just as Jesus was." (Gloria Copeland, quoted in Crenshaw, Man as God, 202). So, in the Word-Faith teaching, Jesus loses his uniqueness. The believer is elevated to the position of being a God-man the same way Jesus was a God-man. They claim that the only difference is Jesus obtained his position by birth and the rest obtain it by a re-creation of the spirit. Read Isaiah 44:8: "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any" (cf. Isaiah 43:10; John 1:18; John 5:44; John 17:3; James 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:5; Colossians 1:14-17; Hebrews 1:2-3).
What happened to the Blood Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ?
... Jesus was a born-again man" (Gloria Copeland, God's Will For You, p. 50). "Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price. No, the punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God." (Frederick K. C. Price, "If Christ Did Not Rise … What Then?" Ever Increasing Faith Messenger (June 1980): 7). "Jesus went into hell to free mankind. … When
His blood poured out it did not atone." (Kenneth Copeland, quoted in McConnell, Different Gospel, 120). Read Hebrews 12:2: "Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross [not torture in hell], despising the shame" (bracket added). "In whom [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7, emphasis added).(cf. Psalm 139:7-8; John 5:26; 10:17-18; 19:30; Colossians 1:19-20; 2:13-15; Revelation 1:5).
In summary, the Word-Faith plan of redemption says: Man was created as the "same order of being as God." A spirit temporarily housed in a body. He was given dominion over the Earth. When he committed "high treason" by following Satan instead of God, man then gave up the divine nature and took on the nature of Satan. Satan then became the god of this world and man thereafter was born with the satanic nature. "Suddenly, God was on the outside looking in" (Kenneth Copeland, Our Covenant With God, p. 8).
Jesus came so that man's spirit might be re-created (i.e., man might reclaim the divine nature). On the cross, the plan of redemption merely began. It was there that Jesus took on the nature of Satan, lost his divinity, became a mortal man, and went to hell. There he suffered torture at the hand of Satan until God said "enough." Having kept the Law of God perfectly, the man Jesus was declared to be "illegally" in hell. At that point, Jesus' spirit was re-created. He again had the divine nature - Jesus was then born again! The way was then clear for man to have his spirit re-created - to receive the divine nature and to become as much an incarnation as Jesus was! Re-created men "now have the nature of God... the ability of God" (E.W. Kenyon, What Happened from the Cross to the Throne, p. 82). There are no verses in Scripture to support this blasphemous theology - read Exodus 8:10: "There is none like unto the Lord our God" (cf. Exodus 9:13-14; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:9; Jeremiah 10:6; Hosea 11:9).
Word of Faith Wrests Scripture!
This scenario is read into the Bible so that it may be extrapolated again in several ways. The first is a fanciful system of Scripture interpretation that arbitrarily assigns new meanings to words and has no regard for the context of passages. For example, Kenyon says: "Adam gained an education through his five senses. His spirit was being made prisoner of his five senses.
Many other ploys are used to read Word-Faith doctrine into the Bible. Space allows examination of only two of the most outrageous. The first is that of interpreting certain verses to mean the opposite of what the writer intended. Referring to the King James Version's John 14:14, where Jesus says, "if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." Hagin says: "Here, the Greek word translated 'ask' means 'demand.'... You're not demanding anything of the Father. ... You're demanding of the devil" (Faith Food, Winter Edition, p. 58).
When this kind of fanciful 'cultic' Bible interpretation is used, the Scriptures can be made to say anything you want them to say.
Now you are "Divine" you can "Name It And Claim It!"
Clear Scripture passages are altered to fit the Word-Faith system to establish the believer as one who possesses the divine nature so that he can realize his "legal authority." With this realization comes the knowledge, power, and ability of God. Kenyon says you can "walk as Jesus walked, without any consciousness of inferiority to God or Satan" (The Hidden Man, p. 24). Once the position of being "the same order of being as God" has been established, then it becomes necessary to demonstrate that this "re-created spirit" has unlimited power to create his own reality through positive confession.
The Scriptures used to support this position are selectively chosen from verses affirming that God will give believers what they ask (demand) from Him (Mark 11:23-24, John 16:23-24) to the exclusion of the verses that put these petitions in the perspective of God's sovereign will (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 5:14). In Word-Faith teaching, man is given the position of a god on Earth. At the same time they denigrate the position of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth and declare that, although Jesus walked with God and that God was in Him, he never actually claimed to be God (Kenneth Copeland, "Take Time to Pray," Believer's Voice of Victory; February 1987: 9). This nonsense is amply refuted by the scriptures, for instance John 1:1; 5:18-23; 8:24,58; 10:1-39; and 20:28 all clearly testify to Jesus' claim to equality with Almighty God.
In common with similar cultic heresies, such as that of the Mormons, man is now raised to a position never given to him in the Bible: "Well, now, you don't have a human, do you? No, you areone. You don't have a God in you. You are one," Copeland declares (The Force of Love, cassette tape). "I am a little God! Critics, be gone!" (Paul Crouch, Praise the Lord, Trinity Broadcasting Network, July 7, 1986) "We are a class of Gods!" (Copeland, quoted in Hanegraaff, Crisis, 116). "As a believer, you have the same spiritual capacity that Jesus has. … Your spirit is just as big as God's because you are born of Him." (Copeland, Realm, 16).
Despite all the fantastic convolutions that Word-Faith teachers go through to try to explain the nature of Paul's thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), it is a clear-cut situation where Paul praysand God answers in the negative! Even though it seemed harsh at the time, it was the act of a loving Father and worked ultimately to Paul's benefit. It is clear from Scripture that God will refuse some requests and this makes the whole idea of faith as a 'force', operating unalterably in accordance with a formula, unsustainable. Further, once we have affirmed that requests must be evaluated in some way, then we have put it back in the hands of God to evaluate all requests. No longer can faith be considered a tool to create realities in accordance with our will, but a trust that God will answer our requests in accordance with His will. (1 John 5:14).
Bring on the Rolls-Royces - give us the cash!
Financial prosperity to those in the Word Faith movement is more than just a blessing. It is an absolute right. In Kenneth Copeland's words, "Jesus bore the curse of the law on our behalf. He beat Satan and took away his power. Consequently, there is no reason for you to live under the curse of the law, no reason for you to live in poverty of any kind." (Copeland, Laws, 51).
The Bible names countless individuals who, although they were righteous before God, were poor: Paul the apostle (Philippians 4:11-12) who, if you believe Copeland et al, must have lacked faith because he wasted his time making tents (Acts 18:3); his companions (1 Corinthians 4:9-13); the Old Testament faithful (Hebrews 11:37). Even the Lord Jesus lived in poverty (Matthew 8:20)!
Jesus himself said, "Lay up not for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
What happens to the victims - those who lose "Faith in Faith"?
In counselling those who have been caught up in the Word-Faith doctrines and then have been disillusioned, one finds many who have difficulty breaking free of these teachings. A consistent pattern of behaviour can be observed in these people. First, as with all cultic teachings, no one has ever come up with this teaching through Bible study alone. People generally find it through the influence of Word-Faith churches and the literature, tapes and seminars which originally promulgated from the USA. At this level, strong indoctrination takes place. It is through the literature and seminars that people become "positive confessors." At this point, no negatives are allowed. God wants you healthy, wealthy, and wise. Sickness, poverty, and want are signs of spiritual weakness. If something does not go right, lack of faith is at fault. There are unfortunates, deceived by this heresy, who are still awaiting the replacement of an artificial leg or eye "when they have enough faith." Unfortunately the Word-Faith teachers never mention the casualties of their deception which are often picked up by orthodox Christian counsellors.
But "Confessing It Means Possessing It"?
Word Faith celebrity Kenneth Copeland says, "What you are saying is exactly what you are getting now. If you are living in poverty and lack and want, change what you are saying. … The powerful force of the spiritual world that creates the circumstances around us is controlled by the words of the mouth." (Copeland, Laws, 98). Kenneth E. Hagin, who served for many years as Copeland's mentor, echoes his protégé: "Your right confession will become a reality, and then you will get whatever you need from God." (Kenneth E. Hagin, Right and Wrong Thinking for Christians (Tulsa: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1966), 30).
Faith in Doctrines of Demons (1 Timothy 4:1-5) leads to Fear and Death!
Guilt is generally brought about by the tension generated when one was positively confessing but getting no results. According to the Word-Faith position, no results equals lack of faith or open sin in one's life. This can, and usually does, cause excessive introspection and a tremendous guilt feelings. Sometimes the guilt is real and needs to be dealt with, but often there is no reason for the feelings. Whatever the person was positively confessing was not in God's plan and He is not going to bring it about.
Fear comes from two areas. First is the obsessive compulsion to be positive in every word. Even using phrases such as "I'm just dying to do that" or "that joke just tickled me to death," release satanic powers, say the Word-Faith teachers (The Tongue - A Creative Force, p. 90-92). People become afraid that they are going to slip up, utter a negative word, and give a place to Satan. Secondly, fear is a corollary to the guilt mentioned above. Fear and guilt usually work in a downward spiral. One feels guilty because of supposed lack of faith, then afraid because the confession is not "working." Then there is more guilt, then more fear, and so on down into further despair. This cycle can be extremely spiritually and physically debilitating. All of these spiritual and psychological difficulties can be directly attributed to elevating man to the false position of being a god and saying that he has powers far greater than he really does.
Unfortunately, Word Faith proponents explain suffering through a convenient appeal to the sovereignty of man. There are no victims, nothing is out of control, and everything can change because those afflicted are calling the shots. As long as someone possesses enough knowledge about what God has promised, says the right words, and has enough faith, all will be taken care of--bills will get paid, family members will be healed, and money will fall like manna from heaven. One's own words control life because words "are the most powerful things in the universe today." (Capps, Creative Power, 25). "HEALTH, SUCCESS, HAPPINESS and PROSPERITY are God's Will for YOU when you believe His Word enough to ACT ON IT." (T. L. Osborne, quoted in Hanegraaff, Crisis, 361). In the Word Faith movement, all suffering is caused by man, rather than God. As Frederick K. C. Price says, "You are suffering because you're stupid!" (Price, quoted in Crenshaw, Man as God, 156). The only alternative they suggest is blasphemous: "If God is running everything, He does have things in a mess." (Hagin, The Interceding Christian (Tulsa: Kenneth E. Hagin Ministries, 1978, 14). The stupidity to which Price refers is expressed either through speaking negative confessions or through not realizing that positive confessions will bring about good things.
How should the church respond?
We have seen enough evidence to conclude that the Word-Faith message is a dangerous soul-destroying heresy that simply does not work. It is a body of presumptuous teachings that lacks the authority of the Word of God. It is a system of thinking that has been generated by a group of men drawing from each other's teachings with an amalgamation of Christian theology, mysticism and Gnosticism bound together by one of the most fanciful methods of Scripture interpretation ever devised. All of this is buttressed by a mutual admiration society among the most popular of the Word-Faith teachers that admonishes critics to "touch not the Lord's anointed," often under dire threats of divine displeasure.
The Word-Faith movement has done more than its share of producing strife in the body of Christ. Scores of well-meaning Christians are in bondage to this unscriptural philosophy. The results of the Word-Faith teachings is to leave many people full of confusion, guilt and fear - the very things that the Word-Faith movement professes to eradicate.
The time is long due for Christians to take a serious look at the teachings of the Word-Faith movement. Very little has been written or said about the defective Christology of Word-Faith believers which is utterly blasphemous! We criticize such groups as the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Christadelphians, or the United Pentecostal Church because of their unscriptural views of the Godhead. We expose the Mormon teachings declaring that men can become gods (the first Satanic lie! - Genesis 3:5) or the Witnesses heretical view that Jesus is "a god", and not Almighty God, and was pre-existent as Michael the archangel. Can we do any less when the Word-Faith groups have introduced equally heretical teachings into the Body of Christ?
Addition Nov 2014
Anyone who reads this, who is still in Word of Faith, I strongly urge you to leave it now. They are charlatans and wolves, deceivers and thieves and are dragging you into heresy. They are also NOW dragging you into Rome and Papal worship. If you do not believe me then please check this latest article written in November 2014:
I am glad of this article. I have printed off a copy in the hope I can pass it on to a family member.
Your advice please on the present A.O.G. Is it now the cult I percieve it to be?(Latter Rain Movement). Reading their statement of faith seems relatively innocuous, yet their 'deeds' appear to belie their claims?
Thanks
As I understand it (from my dealings with Elim and AOG)AOG are different from Elim in one major way - the individual churches are self governing (autonomous. So, though most of the churches allow themselves to be influenced by their national/international leaders, they don't have to preach/teach the same things in all the churches.
They are allowed to be independant.
However, I think the relaxed style changed somewhat just before the end of the 1990's. At this time Elim and AOG went to bed together in a united front. So both denominations I believe are being pulled together by the same wanton spirit.
It seems now that the independant AOG churches are being watched much more closely than before. What I am saying is that it is still possible to have a sound AOG church, if you have sound leadership who will not be too influenced pressurised by the top leadership (but for how long?).
Also bear in mind that much of the prosperity gospel in USA was started within AOG churches as Word Faith preachers got their foothold's in there and then reached Britain via Elim. But David Wilkerson's church was also AOG, so there can be some isolated "good" churches.
I went to an AOG conference in the mid 1990's in which the emphasis was how to grow cell groups learning from The South Korean and Columbian churches.
At the conference I attended the leaders meeting in which pressure was being put on church leaders for church growth. Basically, if the numbers do not increase, then they face the prospect of being replaced.
It was shortly after this that the purpose driven church mentality, friendship evangelism and seeker friendly started spreading like wild fire.
So, it seems that the leaders of most AOG churches and Elim are pressured into church growth by whatever means (so that they are not sacked).
What sort of church does that produce?
During this time I saw some very strange things. They introduced "christian" karate, Seeker friendly approach, Purpose Driven study groups, soft emotional music to stimulate seekers emotions (even using soft music whenever someone prayed). Loud (high decibel) music during worship.
Basically, the Word Faith ways of priming up a congregation to become vulnerable to suggestion.
The worrying thing is that these methods DO work in gaining church growth. It is amazing how many people are gullible once their emotions are stirred. Apparently "Word Faith" is the fastest growing sector of Christianity today. Probable because of sheep stealing.
I did write an email to the pastor about 1-2 years later warning him about Rick Warren and about Word Faith. His response was " I visited Saddleback a little while ago. Rick is very misunderstood. He is a good man and though I may disagree with him in some things he has a good heart and he has something". This pastor also asked me to remove his name from my contact list. Soon afterwards all the other leaders (whom I was close to) also became unfriendly/aggressive with me. They also insisted I do not send them any of this stuff, anymore.
I am giving you my first-hand experience of AOG. It does not mean that they are all like this. They could be better or worse!
Word Faith follows (or maybe introduced it) these also.
Know that for every gainsayer, there are dozens more who are unbending in the pure Word of God. It is to your discretion should you choose to share this article publicly but kindly inform me when you do. Thank you. L.J
WORD-FAITH PANDEMIC. Here in cosmopolitan Singapore we have our fair share of a different gospel running the gamut of local churches (Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Corinthians 11:4). As a matter of fact I’ve even attended New Creation Church for two and a half years as part of an ecclesiastical study apart from serving. Whilst in the pews of a hyper grace seeker-sensitive church, I’ve heard the sounds of perversity from the horse’s mouth--Joseph Prince himself--and his minions twisting scripture that is sadly regurgitated by mindless shepherds to their sheep at home cell units.
With the likes of Word-Faith proponents such as Matt Crouch, Richard Roberts, Kenneth Hagin, Judah Smith, Darlene Z etc. gracing the stage, imagine that after JP’s debut at Osteen’s Lakewood Church in 2011, a home cell leader could actually ask us, “Do you think its ok to adore Ps Prince?” No, that’s not the straw that broke the camel’s back. Imagine the superstitious embrace of the Eucharist and the anointing oil for the miraculous if not grotesque--should one heed their promptings that ply the crude and silly.
Furthermore, should one duly discern, JP’s focus on the bane of the Law is all but a distraction and a cop-out from a sincere exegesis of the Gospel and Pauline epistles in its entirety. Just as conjured parallels between Judaism and Islam seem amazing, amazing yet is one who preaches Jesus with a different gospel and misses Him entirely! What more then when the nation boasts of yet another heretic that has some 36,000 sheep under his watchful gaze--Kong Hee of City Harvest Church. Cho Yonggi, Benny Hinn and Phil Pringle are but the few that have hitched this wagon to only God knows where.
Isn’t it amazing that God had vouchsafe for the worthless even though all nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless (Isaiah 40:17)? Should USA be judged, she’s better off alphabetically. Should the scales fall from the eyes of the deluded, they will vomit the filth fed by these hireling shepherds that have crept in unawares to pollute every nook and cranny of the body of Christ.
For that matter, Beyonce’s performance at Super Bowl 2013 can hardly differ depicting the deluded, be it the masses or a select few, that are ushered in rank and file, week in and week out to unwittingly channel in their alter ego plying the pulpit and yet be harnessed by deceit for merchandise. Madness. Or better yet the caption that says ‘Think--while its still legal!’ Never mind the gainsayers, should it baffle us when some make a defense of their pet heretic if only to confirm their delusion? Just get the full Monty out folks--before its way too late!”
Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.
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