There is no small concern among some of us as the growing gathering in Kansas City at Mike Bickle’s International House of Pancakes Prayer. Lou Engle, the person who calls for martyrdom, is involved as is a growing list of ElijahList (read: Dominionists) participants, including Bill Johnson and John Arnott. Some have said that the infamous Todd Bentley has shown up as well, although not in any official capacity.
Sep 22 2009
Vetting the New Living Translation (NLT)
As many of my readers know, I come from a King James Only background (KJVO). It took me several years to build up the courage to actually read another version, much less actually buy one. Now, I have many different translations – print and electronic – and enjoy nearly everyone of them and from time to time will read one just to read it.
Aug 06 2009
Pentecostal leader paints bright future for Assemblies of God
More on the Assemblies of God:
The head of one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the US encouraged struggling leaders not to be weary in their ministry work even if the harvest may not come in their lifetime.
Continue reading “Pentecostal leader paints bright future for Assemblies of God”
Jan 01 2009
Pentecostalism's Pope – E. A. Adeboye
You may never have heard of E. A. Adeboye, but the pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God is one of the most successful preachers in the world. He boasts that his church has outposts in 110 countries. He has 14,000 branches—claiming 5 million members—in his home country of Nigeria alone. There are 360 RCCG churches in Britain, and about the same number in U.S. cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Tallahassee, Fla. Adeboye says he has sent missionaries to China and such Islamic countries as Pakistan and Malaysia. His aspirations are outsize. He wants to save souls, and he wants to do so by planting churches the way Starbucks used to build coffee shops: everywhere.
“In the developing world we say we want churches to be within five minutes’ walk of every person,” he tells NEWSWEEK. “In the developed world, we say five minutes of driving.” Such a goal may seem outlandish, but Adeboye is a Pentecostal preacher: he believes in miracles. And Pentecostalism is the biggest, fastest-growing Christian movement since the Reformation.
Remember, these are the same Pentecostals (Trinitarian) which Sarah Palin and her – We killed Mother Theresa – group is associated with, and the same group with the UPCI’s General Superintendent is scheduled to meet with next year.
Dec 20 2008
Bad Timing: Fall of Jim Bolin
Like the biblical mustard seed, Trinity Chapel Church of God has experienced amazing growth.
In 1983, Jim Bolin and wife Robin had a storefront worship center near Powder Springs with five families. Twenty-five years later, the charismatic preacher extolled the faithful in a vast, theaterlike sanctuary, had more than 7,000 church members and oversaw a vibrant international ministry.
But the church was shaken to its foundation this month when the 56-year-old Bolin resigned after admitting to “inappropriate, consensual sexual conduct” with a woman. The reins of his ministry were handed to his 32-year-old son, Jason Bolin, a low-key, fresh-faced man who can be seen in home movies preaching the good word as a boy in his backyard.
I thought that the concern expressed on this blog concerning Jim Bolin merited another story. I am interested in hearing from those who have personal experience at Trinity Chapel. It concerns me that no one really knows what happened – and are unlikely to – and that no one thinks to question themselves over following a pastor who for who knows how long committed adultery. Bolin is going to be held accountable to the CoG, but what about to the congregation? Further, where there is one sin of this magnitude, there are usually others.
Dec 20 2008
Ruling on Copeland Ministry jet sets stage for salary disclosure fight
It appears that we will soon know the salary of Kenneth Copeland.
FORT WORTH, Texas—A $3.6 million jet owned by Kenneth Copeland Ministries will remain taxable property after a Tarrant County, Texas, Appraisal District review board on Monday denied a protest filed by Copeland’s attorneys, who were seeking to make it tax-free.
The district had denied the jet’s tax-exempt status because Copeland’s ministry refused to disclose salaries of its directors and employees, including Copeland, his wife and other ministers. The ministry has also refused a U.S. senator’s request for compensation information.
David Middlebrook, an attorney for Copeland, said the ministry, also known as Eagle Mountain International Church, will consider its legal options but declined to elaborate on what those may be. The jet in question is a 1998 Cessna Bravo 550, which seats nine people. Taxes on the jet would be about $75,000, a district official said. The ministry is based in Newark, Texas, northwest of Fort Worth.
Continue reading “Ruling on Copeland Ministry jet sets stage for salary disclosure fight”
Dec 11 2008
Kim Clement – A Day Later and a Prophesy Short
As usual, the people at Elijahlist bring us ‘prophesies’ that occurred a few weeks before the actual event. Here, we have Kim seemingly prophesying that ‘Chicago will be shaken’. Kim, the capital of Illinois is Springfield the last time I checked. They of course, he mentions the earthquakes in California. Again, weeks before it happened, but the prophesy makes it to the email box after it happened. He mentions the ‘key of David’ which is found only once, in Revelation 3.7. Again we return to Robertson (remember, rightly divide)
He that hath the key of David (ho echōn tēn klein Daueid). This epithet comes from Isaiah 22:22, where Eliakim as the chief steward of the royal household holds the keys of power. Christ as the Messiah (Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:16) has exclusive power in heaven, on earth, and in Hades (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 28:18; Romans 14:9; Philippians 2:9.; Revelation 1:18). Christ has power to admit and exclude of his own will (Matthew 25:10.; Ephesians 1:22; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 22:16).
Are we God, Kim? Are we Christ? Surely, he is not implying that all power in heaven and in earth has been given to us.
Prophesied on November 23, 2008 in Sugarland, Texas:
“For there shall be two more catastrophes that shall not bring great numbers of death, and they will not be in the obvious places where people so easily can predict. No more on Louisiana, no more on Texas! There shall be little ones but they shall be laughed at.” Remember the words of the Lord tonight.
“Chicago shall be shaken and they will say, ‘Oh my God, this is one of the worst,’ and then suddenly it will turn around and go the other way to a place where there are no people. But there shall be a lesson learned.”
God says, “There will be another place and it is unfortunately California, so easy to prophesy about it because of the earthquakes, but one shall surely happen and there shall be such a divine intervention.” God said, “The people that have lifted their finger and used the news media to mock Me and those that have said, ‘We will never bow our knee,’ as Voltaire said, will bow their knee.” And God says, “I will shake the very homes and lives of certain ones.
I will Bring Forth a Righteous Media
“Michael Moore, do you really believe that I will kill innocent lives? I will shake you and you will make public appearance with your lip hanging,” and God says, “I will keep you alive, I will not allow death to take you until you have sputtered out My name. This shall shake the community in Hollywood,” and God says, “out of that shaking I will bring forth a righteous media that shall affect your children,” says the Lord!
We declare righteousness on this Nation. God’s going to invade the news media. God’s going to invade every media that there is. He’s going to challenge them. Oh yes, they will carry on reporting the bad news, but God said, “I will interrupt them and there shall be a shaking. And once I’ve shaken California, I will move to New York into Chicago, and you shall hear the sounds of victory,” says the Lord of Hosts!
The Key I Give will Unlock Resurrection
Lord, You have given unto us the key of David and so it is, we shall unlock the mysteries of the Scriptures, for we have not unlocked everything. And these mysteries in the Scriptures that will be unlocked shall once again reveal the awesomeness, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence of our God in America.
Third world nations will no longer laugh at You and say, “Where are Your miracles? Look at ours.” For God said, “The key that I give to you will unlock resurrection. Tonight, you prophesied ‘rise up’ and so it shall be even in your economy,” says the Spirit of the Living God.
Dec 07 2008
Leaders of Todd Bentley’s Former Ministry Break Silence
I wonder if Charisma will say anything about their involvement in supporting Todd? One of the responsibilities that lay at the feet of leaders is the care of all the flock, especially the weakest. If Charisma is trying to be the leaving voice in print of a movement, then where was the care of the weak in protecting them from Todd and his ungodly doctrine?
Leaders of the Canadian ministry evangelist Todd Bentley founded a decade ago say the one-time revivalist is “intent” on divorcing his wife and is yet to begin a restoration process.
In a six-page letter to ministry supporters, the board of Fresh Fire Ministries (FFM) released more details about the circumstances that led to Bentley’s departure in August from the Lakeland, Fla., revival meetings he led for four months.
Continue reading “Leaders of Todd Bentley’s Former Ministry Break Silence”
Dec 04 2008
Todd Bentley Controversy Continues as he Defends himself
Todd id defending himself against Freshfire. Todd is still intent on moving to South Carolina to go through some sort of counseling with Rick Joyner. It is not just counseling (although nothing with Rick Joyner merits fruit anyways) that Todd needs, but God. Not restored, as he has not proved himself ever there, but a true repentance.
Controversy continues to swirl around Todd Bentley, the evangelist who led a faith-healing revival that drew thousands to Lakeland from around the world.
Within the past few days, a phone conversation between Bentley and the pastor who invited him here and a letter from the board of Bentley’s ministry have revealed new details about Bentley’s conduct and raised questions about the legitimacy of the faith-healing revival he led between April and August.
The Rev. Stephen Strader, pastor of Ignited Church, where the Lakeland Outpouring revival began, said he talked to Bentley by phone Monday. Bentley left the revival Aug. 5 under a cloud of rumors about infidelity and drinking bouts, and Strader had not spoken with him since then. He said Bentley called from California, where he has been staying since leaving the revival.
“It was a very good conversation. He wanted to make sure our church was OK,” Strader said Tuesday.
Bentley, a 32-year-old tattooed Canadian, was controversial for his unorthodox appearance, for his rambunctious antics on stage and for his claims of healings, which some religious leaders said were overblown.
Strader said Bentley defended himself against a couple of allegations contained in a letter from the board of directors of Fresh Fire Ministries, the British Columbia-based organization Bentley ran until August. The letter, released Friday on the ministry’s Web site (www.freshfire.ca), broke months of silence about Bentley’s status.
In the letter, the board stated that Bentley recently gave his formal resignation from the Fresh Fire board of directors. The board also criticized the evangelist for an ongoing inappropriate relationship with a former intern and for failing, until now, to submit to supervised rehabilitation.
“Todd Bentley has demonstrated himself unfaithful to his wife by entering into a relationship with another woman while still legally married. He has consumed more alcohol on a few occasions than is prudent or becoming a Christian leader (or any believer for that matter). His sins have been sins of the flesh and we do not defend them,” the letter said.
The letter described how Bentley’s downfall came about, blaming the stress of the every-night revival services that led to burnout and a lack of oversight. Bentley began having an “increased familiarity” with the intern, and in July, he told his wife, Shonnah, he wanted a divorce, the letter said.
“To our knowledge, Todd’s relationship with the female staff-member, who was a former intern and also, at his initiative, a live-in nanny in his house for over a year, is still ongoing. … While it has been maintained that no physical contact happened between Todd and the former female intern until after he filed for legal separation from Shonnah, in the Boards’ eyes, the nature of the present relationship between Todd and his former staff member is that of adultery,” the letter states.
Strader said Bentley did not deny the relationship, and Strader said he agrees with the position of the board.
“I’m uncomfortable with (the relationship). I would probably stand with their letter at this point,” he said.
But Strader said Bentley told him he did not have a problem with alcohol as described by the board’s letter. He said Bentley admitted he had gotten drunk in the weeks he was in Lakeland, but the incidents were isolated and he has resolved not to drink again.
“He was apologetic for the harm he caused to us and the body of Christ. … (But) he told me, ‘I’m not an alcoholic,’” Strader said.
The board’s letter said Bentley had not seen his wife and three children since July, but Strader said Bentley has maintained contact with them. Bentley has not been to their home in British Columbia because of visa problems, but he has talked to his family by phone and e-mail, Strader said.
The Lakeland Outpouring drew criticism from many in the evangelical and Pentecostal communities for its claims of hundreds of miraculous healings and even claims that people were raised from the dead because of prayers offered at the revival. The Assemblies of God and other groups also cautioned that some of Bentley’s claims of mystical experiences such as visiting with angels and figures from the Bible were suspect.
However, the Fresh Fire board’s letter praised Bentley’s leadership of the revival and reiterated earlier declarations that the miracles, prophecies and conversions that took place during the revival were authentic manifestations of God’s presence.
Strader echoed that point of view and said he continues to receive “testimonies” from people who believe they were healed as a result of the revival.
Both the letter and Strader indicated that Bentley intends to move to Fort Mill, S.C., in early 2009 to undergo supervised rehabilitation from Rick Joyner, leader of MorningStar Ministries and a fellow evangelist. The letter held out the possibility that Bentley could return to the ministry if he completes the rehabilitation process.
Strader said he has a new book about to be published that will give his perspective
on the revival. He said Ignited Church lost “several hundreds of thousands of dollars” during the past few weeks of the revival as expenses outstripped contributions, but he said the church had anticipated this, set aside a reserve fund and ended up breaking even financially. The church grew by about 10 percent and now has about 550 members, he said.
“We’re very happy. I gave Todd a great report,” he said.
via Todd Bentley Controversy Continues | theledger.com | The Ledger | Lakeland, FL
Nov 27 2008
Mercy Ministries (HillSong) exorcism books leaked
We have to remember that this is the same group which was unable to discern Michael Guglielmucci’s deception concerning his ‘cancer’. Now we see that they have a bit more explaining to do concerning their mental mistreatment of young women and others. This is what happens when you make the ‘worshiping’ the central part of the service, of that of the Worshiped. When you remove doctrine, there is no end to the amount of false teachings and practices that will arise.
Handbooks allegedly used to perform exorcisms on sick girls at the controversial Mercy Ministries residences in Sydney and on the Sunshine Coast have been leaked to LIVENEWS.com.au.
Mercy Ministries, which is bankrolled by the Pentecostal Hillsong Church, has previously denied performing exorcisms on residents.
The documents, obtained clandestinely by a girl who “escaped” the group’s clutches, shows counsellors how to rid ‘demons’ from girls struggling with anorexia, depression and drug addiction.
Mercy Ministries’ activities hit the headlines in March this year when former residents claimed they were subjected to exorcisms, were cut off from friends and family and had to sign over their Centrelink payments to the group.
Some of the young women say they had little or no access to the promised psychologists and other mental health professionals but were instead counselled by bible studies students whose solution to all problems was prayer.
Earlier this year the then head of Mercy Ministries, Peter Irvine, said exorcisms were not practised at the residences. Mercy Ministries has been forced to shut their Sunshine Coast residence.
“There’s no exorcism, no driving out of spirits it’s not how the program works,” he told Today Tonight’s Marguerite McKinnon earlier this year.
But the handbooks tell a different story and corroborate accounts given to LIVENEWS.com.au by former residents of Mercy Ministries.
In the handbook, under a section entitled ‘Identifying Additional Demons’ those practising the exorcism are advised to ask the demon’s name, but not for any more details.
“They sometimes talk: they may threaten the person or you. They have been know to say, ‘I am going to kill you,’ and other unsavoury phrases. Command them to be quiet in the Name of Jesus,” the book advises.
Later, the book, Restoring The Foundations, published by an American Christian group, warns those exorcising demons to be firm.
“The minister’s attitude is one of commanding,” it reads.
“He needs to be firm and prepared to press in. He does not need to be loud. (Demons are not deaf.) The ministers’ commanding attitude resembles that of a person speaking to a little “yappy” dog commanding him to go home and stop barking.
“We also want the ministry receiver to set his will to resist and then command the particular demon or grouping of demons to leave him, in Jesus’ name. This is repeated until the demons are gone.”
Later in the book, those performing the exorcism are given more complex techniques in a subheading called ‘What to do With Obstinate Demons’.
Later a list of ‘Scriptures that Demons Hate’ is provided.
“But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you,” is one such passage singled out.
The emergence of the exorcism handbook lends weight to other claims made by girls who went through the Mercy Ministries program.
Megan Smith (not her real name), who spoke to LIVENEWS.com.au earlier this year, said her panic attacks only got worse.
“I was self-harming,” she said.
“I was cutting my arm with anything I could get my hands on – scratching with anything from my nails to paper clips.
“I never really had a problem with self-harm beforehand. When you tell them about self-harming they said I was trying to get attention and I was taking their valuable time away from girls with real problems.”
Finally, she was subjected to an exorcism.
“The counsellor gave me a list of different demons – demon of anger, demon of unforgiveness, demon of pride, there were lots of them and I was told to go away and circle the demons I had in me or around me,” said Smith.
“I was really scared… they cast demons out of me, one by one, and they became quite excited and animated during the process, and spoke in tongues.
“It was the counsellors and myself and they put their hands on me and started praying one by one for each of the demons that were on the list to be cast out of me.
“After each demon was cast out I had to say ‘I confirm the demon of X has been cast out of me in the name of Jesus and is unwelcome to return.’
“The whole time I was there, all I heard was that I’m demonic.
“Even after the exorcism, when I had the next anxiety attack, I was told that they had already cast the demons out, so therefore I was obviously either faking it, or I had chosen to let the demons come back, in which case I was not serious about getting better.
“They kept telling us that the world can’t help us, professionals with all their ‘worldly qualifications’ can’t help us, only Mercy could because only they have God’s power.
“So when I was kicked out for being ‘demonic, unable to be helped, not worth a place at Mercy’ and because I had taken too long to pray to become a Christian… it left me worse than I had ever been before in my life.
“They told me I would never get better now because I had blown my chance. I started cutting my arms and wrists more than ever, with their voices echoing in my mind as I did it.”
Suicidal and self-harming after being removed from the program, which she now thought was her only hope, she went to see a “proper psychologist to prepare me to go back to Mercy to help me fit in better.”
“The psychologist had never heard of them but told me to stay away from them… that person helped me more in the 40 minute session – really listening to me and understanding me.”
via EXCLUSIVE: Mercy Ministries exorcism books leaked > National > LIVENEWS.com.au
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