The wife of televangelist Benny Hinn has filed for divorce from the high-profile pastor, whose reputation as an advocate of prosperity gospel has attracted millions of followers and criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups over his lavish lifestyle.
Feb 18 2010
Benny Hinn’s Wife Files for Divorce
Dec 26 2009
J. Lee Grady Stepped Down from Charisma
To critics that ragged Grady for continuing his employment years after beginning the exposing and asking the hard questions?
Can you cheer now since in your mindset, Grady has now ‘crossed the (your) line’ from being a ‘hypocrite’ to ’seeing the light’?
Nov 24 2009
Is J. Lee Grady really a Voice of Sanity?
I reckon he is. In all fairness, J. Lee has been coming around to the light for sometime now, especially since the fall of Todd Bentley.
Continue reading “Is J. Lee Grady really a Voice of Sanity?”
Jul 30 2009
Getting Back to ‘Classic’ Christianity
J. Lee Grady recently posted something that struck me as odd coming from the man who constantly seeks new things, new movements. Maybe something is going on with him?
When I read their words I feel much the same way I did after hearing my grandparents’ voices on that old tape. I feel as if I am tapping into a realm of spirituality that is on the verge of extinction.
Jul 01 2009
Charismatic Movement: Dead or Alive?
I’ve been reading J. Lee Grady on line, and on Twitter for a bit now. During the days of the Todd Bentley fiasco, he was wholeheartedly in the Dominionist camp – then he started to come around to what I like to call reality. He broke ranks with Rick Joyner and the New Apostolic Reformation, and declared the death of the Charismatic movement.
I don’t get Charismatics, I really don’t. I mean, I am not a cessationist, but I do not believe that the Spirit of God works here and doesn’t work at this time or in that place. Yet, J. Lee Grady speaks of waves and movements. Just how biblical is that? When God moves, He moves, doesn’t he? It is really based on waves, rains, and movements? He quotes from Isaiah 43.19, in which God speaks about the new things – the problem with these Charismatics is that for them, God is always doing new things. In this passage, it is singular, not plural; the ‘new thing’ was Christ and His Church (See Jeremiah 31.22).
In J. Lee Grady’s latest article, he says:
Rather than worshiping God around a monument to the past, let’s find out where He’s going and follow the glory cloud.
The problem that I have with this, is that God easily tells us where He is heading, and thus, where we are heading. It is supposed to wind down, at some point, but for Charismatics, it is always winding up with new movements, new subcultures, new things. Jude says that we have a faith once and for all delivered to the Saints – Charismatics say that better things are coming. Paul says that a great falling away will happen – Charismatics look for a great end time revival.
Like J. Lee Grady, these Charismatics make God look rather foolish – as if He is unable to fulfill His plans, rather, that His plans fail:
But He may not move today in the same way He did in 1975; the strategies He gave us in 1990 are not necessarily for churches now. The Holy Spirit doesn’t want us to follow a rote formula; He wants us to seek His presence as He moves through history.
We are told that God never changes, that Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday, and forever – but these Charismatics would have us believe that God changes from generation to generation. No one wonder people are lost – no one knows where to go.
Rather than worshiping God around a monument to the past, let’s find out where He’s going and follow the glory cloud.
May 22 2009
J. Lee Grady – The Moral Failure of Men is due to the lack of friendship?
Grady declares:
The epidemic of moral failure among men in the church today is directly tied to our lack of healthy relationships.
A few years ago, the same was thing was attributed as a reason the ‘growing’ trend of homosexuality among men. Is the lack of relationships among males the real reason of the downfall of society? And what is a healthy male relationship? Maybe the real reason is the lack of a healthy friendship between the husband and the wife. Maybe we need to focus on the family unit – as a unit – instead of a segment of that unit.
Dr. Grady writes -
Despite the proliferation of iPhones, Blackberries, e-mail and social networking Web sites—not to mention Starbucks locations—many Christian men, if they are honest, will tell you they are lonely. They may Twitter several times a day to co-workers; they may have occasional golf buddies; they may even grab coffee with colleagues from time to time. But so many men who attend church regularly are friendless.
(Me: Frankly, that is too true. Clicks are formed, new people have a hard time fitting in. It leaves people out in the cold.)
This was made real to me last weekend when I spoke to a group of men at a large charismatic church in Rochester, N.Y. I was talking about three different types of relationships we need: (1) “Pauls,” who serve as spiritual fathers; (2) “Barnabases,” peer-level encouragers who support and challenge us; and (3) “Timothys,” younger men we inspire and mentor.
“Jesus destroyed the macho myth by demonstrating that the strongest masculinity is gentle and approachable.“
I asked the guys in Rochester to write down the names of the men in their lives who fall into each category. When the session was over, one man went home to his wife and announced that he couldn’t write down one name in any of the categories. He had no meaningful relationships. Other men I spoke to that night admitted that they don’t have mentors and have never been transparent with a male friend about personal problems.
Men are disconnected. And we wonder why the American church is dysfunctional?
Secular psychologists can tell you why men struggle to build close relationships with each other. But we rarely address this issue in the church—and as a result many men who love God live in painful isolation. I’ve identified the three biggest barriers to healthy male bonding: (read the rest at the link above)
And all this may be true, indeed, but does this lead to the moral bankruptcy that we see in various congregations and denominations? I admit that this is a problem, but I simply cannot see it leading to the major issues, such as the corrupt of adulterous members, etc…
May 05 2009
J. Lee Grady declares the Charismatic Movement Dead
That’s right, J. Lee has seen the light, so to speak, on the Charismatic movement:
The charismatic movement as we know it has ended. I celebrate what God did in recent years to bring the Holy Spirit’s renewal to the church. My life was totally changed by it. But the cloud is moving, and we cannot pitch our tents around the revivals of the past. While we embrace the eternal things He gave us in those days, we must discard the styles and methods that are no longer fruitful so we can advance.
That doesn’t mean we throw the baby out with the bathwater. We cling to what is good. But we must leave behind the excesses, extremes and flaky doctrines that give us a bad name. The one-man show is over. The prosperity circus was a failure. We must abandon the deceptive hype of the past. People today are craving authenticity—not shallow words and empty promises.
He then goes on to speak of a new generation of church folk with a heart more for compassion than events, and “They are relational, not event-driven. And they demand character from leaders rather than simply celebrating a man or woman’s spiritual anointing.”
It sounds like this man has started the civil war that the false prophets like Rick Joyner spoke about. Why? Because J. Lee is attempting to reground the Charismatic movement and will be faced with stiff opposition.
He says one thing, though, that does not sit will with me -
No one has coined a term for this movement yet, but it is growing—and it represents the future of Christianity in our country.
Why do we need a new name or a new movement? He needs to let go of the ‘new’ and take hold of the ‘old.’ I like the new J. Lee, to be honest, and I pray that he continues on his journey.
Apr 10 2009
J. Lee Grady – Stop listening to 'Super Apostles' and the New Mystics
Finally, it is coming to a head at the NAR. J. Lee Grady is now stating in no uncertain terms not to listen to the likes of Rick Joyner.
Something amazing happened to me last week during a ministry trip to Texas and Oklahoma. God sent three unexpected visitors over the course of four days to confirm something He is doing in the church today.
Last Thursday when I was speaking at Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, my friend Sujo John called to say he wanted to drop by the campus and attend the conference with me. Sujo is a full-time evangelist who is originally from India. He surrendered to the ministry on Sept. 11, 2001, when he was buried under the rubble of the World Trade Center.
In this turbulent season when our movement is being shaken, refined and redefined, we must return to the simplicity of our mission to reach the lost all around us.” On that horrific day as Sujo lay under the concrete and twisted metal, he wondered if he would live until nightfall. But that did not stop him from praying with about 20 people who were trapped with him. They all died before Sujo was rescued, but they stepped into eternity with faith in Christ as their Savior because Sujo led them in a sinner’s prayer. (Not to get into a theological debate here, but show me where the sinner’s prayer is?)
Continue reading “J. Lee Grady – Stop listening to 'Super Apostles' and the New Mystics”
Mar 20 2009
J. Lee Grady hits back at Rick Joyner – No more monkey business
Friends, this is getting interesting. First, J. Lee comes out against Todd’s adulterous remarriage. Then Rick comes out against J. Lee. And now this. What is this? This is a pretty good less than subtle hint that J. Lee is getting tired of the New Apostolic Reformation. It has been reported that his name has been removed from their list of Apostles. I never thought that J. Lee Grady would become a sane voice in all of this. Bully for him.
Almost two years ago a dynamic preacher from a growing church in the Southeast was caught in adultery. His distraught wife talked with the “other woman,” an exotic dancer from another country, and shared Christ with her. Meanwhile a small group of pastors “covered” the situation and hurriedly sent the embarrassed pastor to a few weeks of counseling. In the end, the pastor and his wife divorced and members of the congregation who didn’t have all the facts blamed her for the breakup.
Continue reading “J. Lee Grady hits back at Rick Joyner – No more monkey business”
Mar 15 2009
Rick Joyner slams J. Lee Grady for questioning Todd Bentley
Rick Joyner, one of the so-called Apostles and leaders of the New Apostolic Reformation, as well as the man who is ‘restoring ‘ Todd Bentley responds to J. Lee Grady’s article this past week – which I thought was pretty good. When you are done reading it, go here for some commentary (here as well). Never thought I would be defending J. Lee Grady, but he was right about Todd.
Lee, I think what you call “the Lakeland disaster” would be disputed by multitudes of people who got healed or touched there. If you are such judge of this what gives you the credentials? What moves of God have you led? What have you built? Paul the apostle claimed to have authority for building and for tearing down, but what gives you authority to tear down the work of others is having built something yourself.
Continue reading “Rick Joyner slams J. Lee Grady for questioning Todd Bentley”
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