It never ceases to amaze me how false teachers use the Word of God as just another product in their bag-o-heresy. I’d respect many of these vipers much more if they owned and operated liquor stores or casinos, and just “preached” on the side.
But alas, this is another example of how you can attempt to “sell Jesus”:
A California businessman sued the Rev. Creflo Dollar, his son Jeremy Dollar and his businesses Wednesday, saying the high-profile preacher misappropriated a business idea they developed together to text devotional messages to followers for $4.99 a month.
Dollar and his son reneged on the deal, took the businessman’s trade secrets and started the “Word on the Go” texting service in 2006, the suit by Devone Lawson of Marina del Rey claims. They are making $50 million a year through subscriptions, Lawson claims.
James Evangelista, Lawson’s Atlanta attorney from the Page Perry law firm, said Dollar also bumped up the price to $5.99 a month.
“The word from the preacher ain’t cheap,” Evangelista said.
The attorney goes on to say:
“Apparently, the Rev. Dollar and the Dollar Ministries do not practice what they preach, unless the prosperity gospel they preach justifies fraud and theft in the attainment of material wealth,” Evangelista said.
Umm, counselor, that’s exactly what the false prosperity gospel justifies – a “quid pro quo god” who must be handsomely paid – through the pulpit pimp, of course – in order to perform on command. It’s hard to read the words of the Apostle Paul and try to recognize what has become of Christ’s Bride today:
2 Corinthians 2:17 (New American Standard Bible)
17For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
At the end of almost every pentecostal, charismatic, or evangelical church service, there is the ubiquitous call for sinners to “give their lives to God”. Generally, there is a fever pitch of pleading mixed in with a healthy dose of threats of eternal hellfire and damnation – all to the tune of a Hammond organ that is being plucked to within one inch of it’s life.
Unfortunately, alter calls have become synonymous with “salvation” – particularly because they are seen as the surrender of one’s life to Christ. Some even argue that you are not “really saved” unless you “got up off the mourners bench to walk down to the alter in front of everybody” – implying that the will of God can only be accomplished in a room full of people.
Thus my interest in a recent article from Gotquestions.org(reprinted entirely below – emphasis in bold):
What does the Bible say about altar calls? Are altar calls biblical?
The practice of altar calls—calling people forward after an evangelistic sermon to make a public confession of faith in Christ—has gained prominence in the 20th century primarily through “crusades” such as those of Billy Graham. Also known as the “invitation system,” altar calls are regularly practiced as part of some church services, especially in many Baptist denominations and other evangelical churches where altar calls are an integral part of the services.
While altar calls as practiced today are not found in the Bible, their advocates cite several biblical examples as support for using them. First, Christ called each of His disciples publicly, telling them “follow Me” (Matthew 4:19, 9:9) and expecting them to respond immediately, which they did. Jesus was demanding an outward identification with Himself on the part of those who would be His disciples. Of course, the problem of Judas, who also responded publicly by leaving his life behind and following Jesus, is that the “call” Judas responded to was not synonymous with salvation.
Proponents of the altar call also cite Matthew 10:32 as proof that a new believer must acknowledge Christ “before men” in order for Him to reciprocate. Calling people to the front of an arena or church is certainly acknowledging before men that a decision has been made. The question is whether that decision is genuinely motivated by a sincere repentance and faith or whether it is an emotional response to external stimuli such as swelling music, heartfelt pleas from the pulpit, or a desire to “go along with the crowd.” Romans 10:9makes it clear that genuine salvation comes only from heartfelt belief, which will then result in a verbal confession of that faith.
Just like the sinner’s prayer, altar calls can be an outward expression of genuine repentance and faith in Christ. The danger is in looking to the prayer or the response as evidence of salvation (Matthew 7:22). True salvation results in a life of continual sanctification as the Holy Spirit within the true believer produces more and more of His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) as evidence of the reality of saving faith.
So there you have it - alter calls are not “unbiblical”, but they generally appear to be overhyped conclusions to religious stage shows. The important point to remember is that alter calls DO NOT replace the fruit of repentence in the life of the believer.
There certainly is liberty in Christ – through prayer, worship, and more. There is also common sense and overall reverence for the House of God, particularly because of the weight of the Gospel message that should emanate from the pulpit.
Believers should always rely on 1 Corinthians 14(and sound judgement) where matters of church conduct are concerned.
That said, what do you do with a pulpit: Preach about the Doctrines of Grace? Expound on the state of unregenerate sin? Exhort believers in the hope only found through Christ?
Nah, you have a “Holy Ghost Dance Off”!:
A tip of the hat goes to Ann over at the blog The Old Black Church. Notice Gospel artist (and now “Bishop”)Hezekiah Walker getting jiggy with it at the 1:18 mark.
Ann gives a great commentary, so I won’t add anything else…I’ll turn the comment thread over to you folks. Personally, I’m grateful that God led me to historically biblical Christianity through Reformed Theology, and away from such theatrics.
There have been documented allegations against Brian Houston and his Hillsong Church (Australia) for years, but now the clamor is beginning to grow. My kids LOVE Hillsong’s albums (and I have a few loaded into my BlackBerry MP3 player as well), and Hillsong is HUGE in Australia…so this headline caught my attention:
Celebrity evangelist Brian Houston has defended his Hillsong ministry against allegations it is a “cult-like” organisation as the Sydney megachurch opened a “campus” church on Brisbane’s southside yesterday.
He also denied Hillsong had misspent Commonwealth grant money or recruited students in NSW schools.
Mr Houston and his wife Bobbie were installed as the new senior pastors of one of Brisbane’s largest Pentecostal churches, the 1000-member Garden City Christian Church.
[...]
Criticism that Hillsong is overly focused on money, flashy entertainment and fund-raising, were rejected.
“We’re big and because we’re big people wonder what all this is about,” he said.
Hillsong critics, including politicians who have been contacted by former Hillsong members, have accused it of cult-like behaviour, including psychologically abusing people who questioned the church’s practices.
These allegations are pretty troubling, and I can relate to some of the former member’s concerns – after having escaped a cult myself. If true, then Hillsong is clearly practicing the same intimidation tactics that mega-churches here in the US have perfected: the “you’re either with us or against us“ mantra.
For all of my faithful readers/contributors in the UK, Australia, and overseas, please weigh in on this. You’re all closer to Hillsong and may know more than those of us in the States know concerning this matter. All in all, another reason to pray for the Body of Christ – and that the Lord will continue to raise pastors after His own heart and not His hand.
I guess I’ll wait a little longer before I erase Hillsong’s music. No matter what happens, God is STILL“mighty to save”!
Last week, ABC’s “Nightline” program aired a story about yet another parent who is grooming their child for future employment in a particular vocation. The video below depicts yet another soccer/little league mom and dad pushing their kid to fulfill a fantasy that they could not fulfill for themselves. The only difference is that these guardians are pimping their kid to peddle the Gospel:
There’s not much to be said after that display – the footage says enough. While some will accuse the bedeviled “mainstream media” for “blowing this out of proportion”, you can’t deny that these nutty guardians provided the wood for the fire – an innocent child, a child that is clearly adept at mimicking the stage craft he’s seen most of his life.
Sadly, at this age, Terry Durham has no idea about how to soberly preach or teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ – instead, he has an idea of how to put on a religious show. Even sadder, young Terry (who doesn’t want to perform for his handlers for the rest of his life, by the way) will probably be handed off to a high-profile pulpit pimp for further grooming.
Many people mistake my advocacy of sound & sober preaching for the advocacy of passionless and somber teaching.
On the contrary, I believe in passionate preaching – primarily when the preacher is passionately pointing to Christ as the ONLY hope of salvationandAWAY from his own talent and charisma.
I know that many of you will comment on how much you disagree with Washer on many things – primarily his Southern Baptist background – and accuse him of being a legalist and much more, but you cannot ignore the merit of his passionate plea for truth and honesty in the pulpit in evangelizing the Gospel.
As sad as it seems, many who are deceived are no longer victims of their deceivers – if they remain under teaching that is in direct opposition to the Gospel then they are aiding and abetting in the apostasy. The lust of the flesh and the desire for the material riches that the vipers have attributed to “gawd” is what keeps many tethered to false churches across the globe. As the Apostle Paul succinctly warned his young protege’ (and Washer repeats in the video):
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (New American Standard Bible)
3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
False teachers feed, nourish, and grow on the lust of their followers. The sheep have essentially created “teachers” based on their selfish desires, attracting wolves to feast on their flesh like a thrashing victim attracts sharks in the ocean.
The only way to combat false teaching is to continue to present the truth of God DIRECTLY from His Word. The more we combat lies with THE TRUTH, the chasm between God and His enemies becomes even more evident.
I don’t think ministers are to be blamed for raising the affections of their hearers too high, if that which they are affected with be only that which is worthy of affection, and their affections are not raised beyond a proportion to their importance, or worthiness of affection. I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with.
It is completely admirable to bring passion into the pulpit – passion to know and evangelize the message of Christ, His Cross, and His mandate for our lives. When preachers stir the hearts of the sheep for God’s glory – and not their own – then it is a very good thing (as Martha Stewart would say).
Oh that more preachers would “raise the affection of their hearers” so high that they are continually chasing Christ.
It’s been awhile since I wrote an article on effective methods of studying the bible, and I thought it was time to (once again) advocate for the diligent study of scripture. I found a video of John Piper describing the “arc method” and thought it would benefit the body:
I know – it sounds a bit confusing, so watch the video a few more times (it’s short) to pick up on what Piper is saying. This method sort of reminds me of a method that my Hermeneutics instructor shared: when you see “therefore” in the bible, ask yourself “what is that there for?” – then read 5 or more of the verses that appear before and after the verse that contains the word “therefore”. It’s an oversimplified tool but worth noting.
The important thing to remember is that we are called to study the Word of God.
As a sidenote, take a look at Piper’s sermon notes from his address to The Gospel Coalition a few weeks ago, demonstrating his arcing technique (click on the image to zoom in):
Remember – Piper has been doing this for years, so don’t let this picture discourage you from trying
I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Pastor Tony preach a few times – and I’ve met him once. He is truly a man after God’s heart – not in the “word of faith/mand of gawd” way, but the true discipling of God’s people by presenting truth line upon line. Pastor Tony was nice enough to take time away from his schedule to talk to me about his latest work:
ST: Why this book?
Carter: Well, one of the great deficiencies in the church today is spiritual discernment. It seems people are open to anything that gives the slightest indication of being Christian, or just even spiritual. I wrote this little booklet in hopes that people would realize that when Jesus said that there would be wolves in sheep clothing among the flock of God, he was not just referring to the church in his day, but was declaring an ongoing threat in the church. Likewise, the Apostle Paul picked up on this teaching and warned those in the church in his day of the same threat. So this booklet is just taking the warnings of our Lord and his apostle seriously and seeking to make application of this truth in our day.
ST: Your current book seems to diverge from your earlier works “Experiencing the Truth: Bringing the Reformation to the African-American Church” and “On Being Black and Reformed”. Is there a sense of urgency with this book?
Carter: The urgency is to declare the gospel and the full counsel of God. In doing so, we must not only declare the truth, but also be prepared as our Lord was to refute falsehood and guard the people of God with the word of God. My other books are more comprehensive than this booklet. They sought to address a broader subject and with more in-depth analysis. This current booklet is meant to be a brief, but clear clarion call to God’s faithful people to beware and not get duped by the fancy-talking, high-living, but self-promoting so-called prophets of our day.
ST: The book is pretty direct in exposing the motives and tactics of the wolves of today – why not mention some of them by name?
Carter: Actually, the tendency is to want to mention them by name. Living here in Atlanta where many of their voices are so prevalent, calling names would surely invoke a reaction. And if a reaction was all I wanted to get out of the booklet, then calling their names would have been the way to do it. However, I am not after a reaction, but rather to encourage biblical thinking and discernment. Thus, rather than an emotional reaction to a certain bishop or pastor, I hope people will read the book and make application as the Spirit leads them. Furthermore, in calling names you run the risk of people focusing the discussion just on the one or two individuals you call rather than the broader application that is really required. There are more than just one or two wolves out there.
ST: I presume that many who flee false doctrine seek you out because of your honest and heartfelt delivery of the true Gospel message. How do you minister to those who have been hurt by the modern day “Church, Inc.”?
Carter: When people come to our church from these false prophetic ministries, I am always moved by the faithfulness of Christ to call his sheep and how they hear his voice – just as he said they would. And so, when they come to us we are reminded that Christ calls us to feed them. We seek to give them the only food that really satisfies a true child of God, namely the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the gospel that binds up wounds and give spiritual sustenance in order to strengthen weary souls. We try to do as our motto says, and “point people to Jesus.”
Praise God that He stills sends men like Carter into the mission field to minister to the lost and deceived. Be sure to get your copy of “Wolves Among The Sheep” (it’s free, remember?) and be equipped with the words and Spirit of Christ in spreading His truth.
7But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,
At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.
For many, the church sanctuary is a symbol of reverence and holy worship unto the Lord. The speaking elder stands in the pulpit with the sober responsibility to preach the Word as Paul directed Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). The assembly joins together in prayer, singing songs of praise and worship to God, and to receive instruction for righteous living to the glory of God.
Now, some pastors have added “tweeting” to the assembly’s activity list:
John Voelz isn’t trying to brag, but it’s fair to say he was down with Twitterbefore most people knew it was a proper noun. Last year, Voelz, a pastor, was tweeting at a conference outside Nashville about ways to make the church experience more creative — ways to “make it not suck” — when suddenly it hit him: Twitter.
Voelz and David McDonald, the other senior pastor at WestwindsCommunity Church in Jackson, Mich., spent two weeks educating their congregation about Twitter, the microblogging site that challenges users to communicate in 140 characters or less. They held training sessions where congregants brought in their laptops, iPhones and Blackberrys. They upped the bandwidth in the auditorium.
As expected, banter flourished. Tweets like “Nice shirt JVo” and “So glad they are doing Lenny Kravitz” flashed across three large video screens. But there was heartfelt stuff, too.
“I have a hard time recognizing God in the middle of everything.”
“The more I press in to Him, the more He presses me out to be useful”
“sometimes healing is painful”
Call it the latest salvo in the “seeker-sensitive” movement, or the church needing to remain “relevant to the culture of today”, the reality is that technological advances will continue to make their way into the sacred sanctuary. And you thought the lady sitting next to you speaking in tongues was distracting during service? Imagine ignoring the sermon while daydreaming and watching all of the “tweets” flash across the large monitors in the sanctuary.
I have a hard enough time trying to concentrate while making my youngest sit still, now this? For those who consider me to be a legalist – especially since I have stated my objections/reservations to the entire seeker-sensitive movement, this post will probably soldify that label.
To me, the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a very sober and sacred affair. While it should not be done in a whisper chamber were cracking a smile could get you sent to the hallways, sound preaching and teaching works best in a distraction-free zone. I contend that when pastors allow (and encourage) “tweeting” during services (and broadcast those tweets across the Jumbo-Tron for all to see), they take the focus off of Christ and place it on the latest nifty technology. Much like I disdain the wanna-be Grammy-award wining soloist’s extended LP version of the latest Gospel jam, tweeting places another layer of distraction between congregants and the unfettered Word of God.
I asked about the pros and cons of “tweeting in church” on Twitter (why not go straight to the community in question, right?) and got back a few interesting responses:
Re: tweeting in church. I often do not, not for my sake, but because of others. There is quite a bit of stigma attached.
I will go out on a limb and say that I am not a fan of the idea. Isn’t our minds meant to be on God during worship service?
Well, I suppose one pro is that it allows people to think through points of the message as they share ‘em
Perhaps in the right context and with full support from the pulpit the stigma will be removed from t*ing in church.
Saw it with my own eyes… some dude tweeting in church. Funny thing: he looked up Romans 3:23. You think not paying attention in church is a sin?! Just a thought.
I posed the question to Dr. Albert Mohler(ok, I ”tweeted” him). Dr. Mohler is a noted Thelogian, and the President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – he’s also an avid twitterer. Dr. Mohler tweets before and after sermons, from the lecture circuit, from banquets and dinners, and more – and he even sends pictures from his travels. I haven’t revecieved a “tweet back”, but I suspect that Mohler frowns upon the idea of tweeting during church service – and encouraging the act from the pulpit.
Mark Lamprecht over at the blog Sweet Tea & Theology wrote an interesting article on the subject as well, stating (emphasis added):
Recently, a local news station reported on using Twitter at church: ‘Twittering’ encouraged at Seattle church. It’s an interesting report and I might like to hear more about it. However, is that really helpful to one’s spiritual growth? I have to wonder that if we cannot even sit and listen to a sermon which is normally less than an hour how will we ever study and pray at home with ourselves and family? Just because tweeting is silent does this mean it is now acceptable to whisper on your cell phone during the worship time? Why not? I mean, would we stop in the middle of a prayer to re-tweet? This is just all strange to me. What is it that makes tweeting acceptable and ever other medium off limits? Can you see the pastor stopping in the middle of a corporate prayer to tweet something?On the other hand, if your pastor encourages you to tweet and every is pretty much on board, go for it! I still don’t get it, but that’s okay. I just don’t see how it adds anything to God feeding you through worship.
And therein lies my concern – if we encourage “microbursts” of information sharing during worship services, are we making it even more difficult to encourage sacred quiet time with the Lord and His Word? Are we sending conflicting messages – “take deliberate time to study and know the person and work of Jesus Christ, but be prepared to discuss it in less than 140 characters”?
That said (as Mark point’s out), you’re not “out of order” if the pastor encourages and facilitates the activity.
Still, I can’t help but think that it is distracting.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just a legalistic prude…with a blog…and a twitter account…and two BlackBerries…I’ll stop there.
I am a contender of the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). I wasn’t always able to say that, particularly when I aligned myself with false doctrines that presented a skewed view of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 18 months, I have evolved from many things: being a subservient “yes man” in a mega-ministry, being a dutiful “son” who loved his “spiritual daddy” more than he loved God, being an ignorant Christian who consulted the Word of God only after consulting with the “mand of gawd”.
In that time, the Lord has allowed me to create this blog to not only expose false teachers and false doctrine, but to present His Gospel – unmolested, unvarnished, and true to it’s historical roots.
I don’t really like the name “Calvinist”. I have nothing against Calvinists (some of my closest friends identify themselves as such). I just believe that the term is too misleading overall, as evidenced by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon’s defense of Calvinism:
[...] It is unfortunate for Calvinism that it is called Calvinism. Charles Spurgeon rightly stated that “Calvinism is nothing more than a nickname for Biblical Christianity.” He was right. The name is often a warrant for despisement though. People say because we follow a man named Calvin, we are not following God. Does not Paul say in 1 Cor. 1:12, “Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or I am of Christ.” is Christ divided?” Paul is right. We are not to follow after men. We are to follow after God for sectarianism is a sin rebuked by the 1st chapter of 1 Corinthians. But do Calvinists really follow Calvin? No. It is actually wrong to call Calvinists “Calvinist” because they are doing nothing other than using the same body of doctrine that Calvin used, who in turn copied Augustine, who in turn copied the church fathers and they, who in turn, followed Christ and the Apostles.
Apparently, many others have also embraced historical biblical Christianity. According to a recent article in Time magazine, Calvinism/Monergism is “making a comeback”:
[...] Calvinism is back, and not just musically. John Calvin’s 16th century reply to medieval Catholicism’s buy-your-way-out-of-purgatory excesses is Evangelicalism’s latest success story, complete with an utterly sovereign and micromanaging deity, sinful and puny humanity, and the combination’s logical consequence, predestination: the belief that before time’s dawn, God decided whom he would save (or not), unaffected by any subsequent human action or decision.
Calvinism, cousin to the Reformation’s other pillar, Lutheranism, is a bit less dour than its critics claim: it offers a rock-steady deity who orchestrates absolutely everything, including illness (or home foreclosure!), by a logic we may not understand but don’t have to second-guess
[...] Neo-Calvinist ministers and authors don’t operate quite on a Rick Warren scale. But, notes Ted Olsen, a managing editor at Christianity Today,“everyone knows where the energy and the passion are in the Evangelical world” — with the pioneering new-Calvinist John Piper of Minneapolis, Seattle’s pugnacious Mark Driscoll and Albert Mohler, head of the Southern Seminary of the huge Southern Baptist Convention.
[...] “A lot of young people grew up in a culture of brokenness, divorce, drugs or sexual temptation,” says Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists.“They have plenty of friends: what they need is a God.” Mohler says, “The moment someone begins to define God’s [being or actions] biblically, that person is drawn to conclusions that are traditionally classified as Calvinist.” Of course, that presumption of inevitability has drawn accusations of arrogance and divisiveness since Calvin’s time.
I also found an article on John Piper’s “Desiring God” blog (published in 2007) that also dealt with the accusation of arrogance in Calvinist circles:
[...] There is a letter on Scot McKnight’s blog from a pastor who is very frustrated with certain Calvinists in his church. It would be easy enough to disregard it, pointing out that not all Calvinists are like that or that his use of the word “hyper-Calvinist” doesn’t match correct theological jargon. But that would be missing the point. And, ironically, that reaction would only lend credence to the frustration that motivated the letter in the first place.
[...] Calvinists come across as self-righteous, condescending, arrogant, unfriendly, argumentative, and even stingy. The fact that we’re not all that way is irrelevant in the same way that it didn’t matter to Molly that I had done three things to show I appreciate her—she still felt unappreciated. Her frustration was true because, whether or not I was grateful to my wife, I was perceived as an ingrate. Similarly, the frustration in the letter is true because, whether or not the Calvinists in the letter-writer’s church are good folks, they come off as proud and divisive jerks. Those Calvinists, as church members, and I, as a husband, should change based on this information, regardless of how “inaccurately” the frustration may be worded.
[...] It won’t be easy to change the pejorative stereotype that clings to Calvinism, but we can start by admitting that it is accurate far too often. Then we can make sure we are manifestly not self-righteous, condescending, arrogant, unfriendly, or argumentative.
I’m sure that many of you who absolutely abhor me and this blog will contend that I have come across as arrogant, condescending, argumentative, and more that can’t be shared in a “family-friendly zone”.
Those of you who would defend me, save your breath – I agree with the detractors on this one…sort of.
While I strive to be balanced, fair-minded, objective – I can get pretty snarky, sarcastic, and downright mean to those who taunt me. Sometimes the pain of my former allegiance to false gospels is mixed in with my love for God’s true Word, and I take the bait and “give it” as good as I “got it”.
I’ll do my part – I’ll try earnestly to defend the Word of God without being arrogant and condescending, particularly because it is only by God’s grace that I am no longer chasing false gospels and false teachers. I know where I came from, and it is my humble prayer that many more join me on the “outside” of what I consider “the cult”.
That said – can you passionately pursue the truth of the Word of God without being labeled “divisive”? Apart from semantics and an occasional flare up, is the “divisive” label liberally applied to any believer who dares offend the delicate sensibilities of others - particularly sinners – by stating what God said from His Word?
Chicago was a virtual “pulpit pimp/minstrel free” zone this past week (well, parts of Chicago, anyway) because The Gospel Coalition brought sound biblical teachers to the city! Men like Driscoll, Carter, Anyabwile, Carson, Dever, Piper, and many more descended on the Windy City to present the pure Gospel - devoid of fluff, “kick your neighbor in the gut and say…”, sacrificial conference offerings, and other mess:
We are a fellowship of evangelical churches deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures. We have become deeply concerned about some movements within traditional evangelicalism that seem to be diminishing the church’s life and leading us away from our historic beliefs and practices.
[...] We have committed ourselves to invigorating churches with new hope and compelling joy based on the promises received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
The sermons are simply too plentiful to add to my Sermon RSS feed Section (on the right side of this page), so please bookmark this article so that you can return to access the sound preaching recorded at this year’s conference:
***UPDATED*** Thanks to those of you who alerted me of Mark Driscoll’s “preaching style” (i.e. His crudeness). I humbly accept your godly rebuke. Unfortunately I just learned of Driscoll’s afinity for lewd preaching last night (I read MacArthurs article “The Rape of Solomon’s Song). I have tremendous respect for Pastor John, and I will not endorse Driscoll’s preaching as pure gospel. Again, thanks for caring enough to weigh in…
hat tip to Lavrai for the “pre-buzz” on this story
When I was a member of Eddie Long’s churchclub, it never ceased to amaze me at how Eddie collected celebrities and athletes as “sons and daughters”. He loved to parade around with Usher, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Quincy Carter (former NFL quarterback), Brian Jordan (former Atlanta Brave), and various other local celebrities and politicians. These folks always got prime parking, front row seats AND a private meeting with “the bishop” every service – except Montell Jordan(you know…”this is how we do it…”). Jordan would always attend services with his wife and children and sit on the back row, shunning the ushers and Deacons who tried to get him to “come up front”. He would sit quietly and leave right after service was over – no fuss, no entourage, no drama.
I am reminded of those days because ESPN aired a very interesting story (with an accompanying article) exploring the relationships between pulpit pimps and their famous congregants. Specifically, the focus of inquiry was the law of the tithe that mega-pimps throw around the necks of star athletes – and their lust for the star’s cash. Below is the full video presentation in two parts (less than 12 minutes for both videos). The videos and the host commentary pretty much says it all, so there’s no need for a thesis from me. I have written extensively about the tithe and the unbiblical practice of using it to extort followers as well, so this is simply an illustration:
“Pulpit Pimpin’ + Rich Athletes = $$$!”
In all honesty, does any of this surprise you – especially coming from the likes of Creflo Dollar, TD Jakes and Randy White?
I am keenly aware of how the pimps watch their weekly cash grabs like you and I watch our 401K statements (or least how we used to watch them). The pimps are not stupid – blindly ignorant of the Word of God? yes – but smart enough to know that you rob a bank because that’s where all the cash is.
If the vipers read the Word of God as much as they read the Robb Report, they would see (yet again) that they are in direct violation of the Word of God:
James 2:1-9 (New American Standard Bible)
1My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
2For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
3and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
5Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?
7Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
8If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.
9But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
If you are a member of a mega church and your pastor caters to the rich and famous, how does it feel to know that you can’t crawl on your belly over cut glass to get within spitting distance of your pastor, yet for a little cash you can summon a meeting – even a counseling session- with the mand of gawd?
And poor (literally), pitiful Evander Holyfield. This man has been taken advantage of by Don King AND Creflo Dollar – what a dubious distinction, indeed! Here is a man who has baby mamas and babies across the country (as a self-professed die-hard Christian, mind you) AND HE DOESN’T TAKE CARE OF THEM!…but he sure makes certain that Cashflow Dollar is well-fed and can fly across the country at his leisure.
It’s sad to see a grown man manipulated into giving by being told that everything in his life is in order EXCEPT his tithing – especially since he was fathering children out-of-wedlock during that same period. So if I’m to believe the pimps twisted tithe logic: sow a financial seed and you’ll be blessed with victory; sow your …um…personal seed (out of wedlock) then it doesn’t matter. A REAL pastor would’ve taken Evander to the side and read him directly from the Word of God:
1 Timothy 5:8 (New American Standard Bible)
8But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Stories like this ESPN piece continually throw back the curtains of the mega church pimps so that the sheep can see their REAL intentions.
Be certain, the wolves and vipers will still have their unfair share of apologists – and more stars and athletes are willing to line up to kiss the gold ring of “da bishop” so that God will bless them (i.e. excuse them for the wickedness in their lives). These donations are nothing more than the 2009 version of indulgences.
Yesterday, I posted part 1 of ”Bishop” Johnathon Alvarado’s personal philosophy regarding his affinity for spiritual fatherhood and his perception of the ministerial order of Jesus Christ. I specifically used the term “personal philosophy” because the more I researched scripture to disprove his “sermonette”, the more I realized that his was not an exegesis at all – and it went far beyond an eisegesis.
Yesterday’s post was to show the dangerous teaching that Jesus’ ministry was only legitimized because of His submission to John the Baptist. Alvarado’s advancement of the “ministerial legitimacy only through the anointing of a spiritual father” is clearly illustrated in most charismatic churches operating today – large and small. This contemptible thinking creates strife in the Body by purporting the false teaching that you are ineffective and impotent in ministering the Gospel UNLESS another man “launches you”.
In the previous video I posted, Alvarado clearly stated that you can only hear God through a spiritual covering!
I gathered even more of Alvarado’s interview to post today, and I purposely posted the most egregious example yesterday so that today’s examination will only make you shake your head in pity, as opposed to yesterday’s offering that made you want to “reach out and touch” Alvarado directly:
“You’re NOT anointed UNLESS somebody over you says you’re anointed!”
In this episode of “The False Gospel According to John Alvarado”, we learn of Alvarado’s belief in infant evangelism:
“I started preaching when I was 12…I sat next to Jared Sawyer…y’all put that camera on that handsome young man right there. That young man is 11 years old, he’s a licensed minister, God’s gone use him in tremendous ways…”
So, God can’t use His Son unless and until He submitted to John the Baptist, and He won’t use someone who hasn’t been “launched out” by a pulpit pimp…but an 11 year old kid? Oh, God can use him! Riiiiight.
Jared Sawyer is a child preacher currently popular along the charismatic circuit. Sure, he’s cute in his Easter suit, and he’s an articulate and motivating speaker – but he’s not a pastor. As I wrote in a previous article on the importance of sound expository preaching, what does this child (or any child) know about regeneration and the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation? What does this or any other child preacher know about the doctrine of grace? Can this kid properly exegete the Book of Job and detail the complex posture and pattern of Godly suffering?
Nope. But he sure can sing – and he looks cute standing behind that big ol’ bookboard entertaining the sheep. This is not a personal attack on Jared Sawyer or any other child minister, but I believe that they need mature teachers to nourish the gift of God in them (because they are literally children) until they are able to lead others themselves.
Interestingly, Alvarado next mentions leaders who are “jealous” of those in their care, and how many “spiritual fathers” misuse the leaders under their care, yet he saves his direct ire for those who flee the jealous and abusive “spiritual fathers”!:
“…[Timms: 'the anointing can get you drunk']…the first time somebody stands up and says ‘you know I don’t know why they don’t let you preach more often because every time you preach the anointing comes, revelation comes…listen when you go start a church I’m gon go with you…’ the devil is a lie! The anointing never flows from the feet up! The anointing flows from the head down! You’re not anointed unless somebody OVER YOU says you’re anointed”
At least now we see how Alvarado gets his twisted understanding of the ministry of Christ. In Alvarado-land, God only pronounced Jesus’ as His “beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17) because John the Baptist had already said that Jesus was anointed. Yup, that makes sense…in the false gospel according to John (Alvarado).
So now Timms and Alvarado take an ax to Psalm 133:
“…it came down his head, it didn’t say it ran over his face…it ran over his beard…immature boys don’t grow beards. The anointing only flows over a mature face. Everything that think they anointed [shakes his head no]…anointing comes over a face…that has had time and maturity.”
So why them would Alvarado say this after having just sent a “shout out” to an 11 year old preacher whom he just said was anointed? Now he’s contradicting himself as he goes along!
Psalm 133 is an exposition on brotherly love and unity, not a picture of submission to a spiritual father when “your time” has arrived. Psalm 133 correlates to Psalm 120. Both are ”songs of ascents” – literally songs that Jewish pilgrims sang on their way to the 3 great feasts of their culture. Psalm 133 is a plea for spiritual unity (primarily fraternally, or in brotherhood). The oil metaphor is utilized to recognize the priesthood of Aaron, and the subsequent celebration of godly rule over the children of Israel – and it is used in that same reference in Psalm 133 as a plea for unity to replicate the same celebratory atmosphere that occurred during Aaron’s coronation and anointing with oil. It is not an ordinance or sacrament of the faith – necessary to confer “privileges” on someone who is “ready” to lead.
So now, Timms is starting to feel a bit overshadowed by the good Bishop, so he begins to click, twitch, and yell to prove that he too can move the crowd – and Alvarado let’s Timms have his moment…until it’s time to swoop in with more deep revelation about David’s anointing.
Alvarado contends that “immature leaders” must suffer under their maniacal “spiritual fathers” just as David suffered under Saul:
”…David was brought because at various points in Saul’s life and ministry a distressing spirit would come and vex him, and David’s responsibility was to play and minister until Saul got healed. So the question now ‘what do I do if I have a jealous person that’s over me’? I duck the javelins, and I play until they get healed”
So no matter how sick and twisted your “spiritual father” is…no matter how they extort the sheep and you’re left to defend him against your will…no matter how much they beg for money and claim that the church is broke while they live in luxury…no matter how they take sexual advantage of the women (and men) in the church - your job is to stay and “play”(i.e. run cover for them and take their abusive condemnation when you attempt to reason and rebuke according to the Word)until they get healed?
What about fleeing false doctrine – and warning the other sheep on your way out the door – so that the “spiritual father” repents before the Lord for a healing? What about what the Word of God says in Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; Proverbs 14:7; Titus 1:10-16 and so on? Oh I forgot, in the gospel according to John (Alvarado), the word of man trumps the Word of God, so ignore sound biblical doctrine – just listen to the pimp to whom you’ve submitted…you know, the one who is being vexed by all of those spirits in the first place.
The pimps create an atmosphere of paranoia by declaring you’re not ready to leave them – all the while their behavior becomes more and more troubling – and ungodly – to you. Then, they tell you that they’re protecting you by making you stay under their wicked authority – and that you are a rebellious son of the devil if you dare try to break away.
Then, Alvarado gives a bizarre eisegesis of David, beheading Goliath:
“…David was making sure, that anything that I face in my youth, I don’t want it to come back when I’m an old man. I’m not just gon’ kill it…I’ma…slap somebody high five and say ‘take his head off’…”
Here is the account of David and Goliath’s encounter as it appears in scripture:
1 Samuel 17:49-51 (New American Standard Bible)
49And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.
51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
David killed Goliath because of Goliath’s blasphemy of the Living God, and David understood that Goliath challenged the Lord, not him, therefore the Lord was with him through his courage (Deuteronomy 31:6; Judges 7:18). This is not a story of victory in “waiting for your turn”, it is an example of God’s ever present protection for His children – and the ability to do the (seemingly) impossible through Him.
Folks, I’m no bible scholar, nor do I possess superior biblical intellect. I read the Word, I research in context, and the pieces of the puzzle fit together from there.
ANYBODY can rightly divide the Word if they sought to do so with the right posture: not for fame, adoration of men, or notoriety, but for the glory of God and for understanding His instructions for your life.
When more people take time to climb through the Word to see if their pastor is telling the WHOLE truth, then we’ll all become “dangerous Christians” – ones who can hear from God directly and challenge the false teachers on their heresy.
TBN (or The Baal Network, as I like to call it) is at it again.
The man pictured above is Bishop Johnathon Alvarado of Total Grace Christian Center here in Metro-Atlanta. Alvarado leads a congregation of over 5,000 members with various locations. Although Alvarado referred to himself as “an apostle” back in 2003 (because he was “planting churches”), he was consecrated as a Bishop within the past few years:
As the demand for covering and guidance from Bishop Alvarado grew, a collection of pastors wanted to further express their covenant relationship with him by forming an official fellowship.In 2005, Bishop Alvarado was nominated by these pastors to the Office of Bishop for the newly founded Grace Fellowship of Churches and was officially consecrated for this office in June, 2006.
Alvarado is a very educated man, earning multiple degrees in Divinity and Theology from legitimate institutions. He and his wife (and co-pastor) Toni are candidates for Doctorates in Ministry, but both are officially classified as “ABD” – meaning they have completed all qualifications for their doctorates except the completion of dissertations, thus the term “All But Dissertation”. Interestingly, Alvarado’s wife refers to herself as “Dr. Toni”…not earthshattering, but an unnecessary half-truth nonetheless.
Alvarado graced the Atlanta studios of TBN April 14th, 2009 to expound on the importance of “spiritual fatherhood” in the Body of Christ. I find his “exegesis” to be so dangerous that I decided to inaugurate my Youtube page with my first video (please watch the entire video before commenting):
You’re “Dangerous” If You Only Hear From God?
Yes, you heard correctly: Alvarado asserts that Jesus’ ministry was only legitimized because He “submitted” to the “preeminent minister of the area” – John the Baptist. I know…I am equally as distressed as you should be right now. In fact, it has taken me 2 full days to write about it so that I could be sure that I am not speaking from my flesh, but by the Word of God. Please indulge me as I take a moment to seriously dissect this false teaching.
Last year, I took considerable time in detailing the fallacy of what many pastors consider “spiritual fatherhood” in today’s church. Beyond a system of transparent accountability, many pastors (and pulpit pimps) have set-up faux “covering ministries” that create patronage systems that help one another grow financially and in marketability.
I believe that Alvarado’s “sermonette” was a shot across the bow to those who have left their “spiritual fathers” in order to start their own ministries…particularly a certain former father/son relationship here in Metro-Atlanta. Alvarado began this interview quite soundly by detailing the affinity for “spiritual fathers” here in the ATL (and other areas), and his dismay with how so many people “jump around from father to father”. He even goes on to detail his relationship with his “father in the faith”, and I don’t have a problem (per se) with his reasoning, considering he’s had a relationship with the man since he was a child.
Around the 2:39 second mark, Alvarado begins to veer off the rails by shifting the discussion to “sonship” – quoting Malachi 4:5-6 out of context by declaring:
“…some of us are cursed in our lives, marriages, ministries, families because we won’t let our hearts be turned”
As I stated in a previous article about the lie of the tithe, Malachi is often misquoted/misunderstood/misrepresented when taken out of context. The entire book of Malachi is a pronouncement of judgement from God on disobedient priests (specifically in reference to priests “robbing God” of sacrificial offerings) and a disobedient nation (Israel – specifically in their continued disobedience andabuse of God’s grace). Here is the text as it appears in the bible:
Malachi 4:5-6 (New American Standard Bible)
5“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.
6“He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”
Further study of this passage of scripture details that God was specifically speaking of societal repentance, returning the hearts of a disobedient remnant to their God through (a foretelling of) His Son. This IS NOT a pronouncement of a curse over “sons” because they have left or been otherwise disobedient to their “fathers” – in any context. It is allegorical language that illustrates a state of falling away from God through disobedience.
Oh if only Alvarado had stopped there…
“…in Atlanta, everybody wants God to be their father and nobody else”
That’s right – everyone wants “God to be their Father” because that’s what God’s Word tell us is true (emphasis added):
Matthew 23:8-12 (New American Standard Bible)
8“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10“Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
12“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Of course, God wants you to call your biological father by his proper title, and He does not forbid us from even using titles as a sign of respect (1 Thessalonians 5:11-2; 1 Timothy 5:1). This scripture, however, specifically forbids us calling others by lofty spiritual titles that allows them to ascribe spiritual authority over us.
Alvarado goes on to dispute the rejection of “spiritual fathers” on the grounds that bastard “sons” will come and go as they please without a “fathers”:
“…because then, if they want to leave Bishop Alvarado’s church and go to Bishop Jackson’s church, then all they gotta say is ‘God told me’ (laughter)…I mean, come on, be fair with me – who can argue with that?”
Alvarado then goes on to use the story of Samuel and Eli as illustration that the young man wouldn’t have even known that God was speaking to him apart from his consultation with Eli (1 Samuel 3). Interestingly, Alvarado uses this portion of scripture to support his “sonship” theory, but he doesn’t use this book of scripture in validating why some “sons” flee the jealousy of their “fathers” in the first place.
God told Samuel of the judgement that would befall Eli (1 Samuel 31-35) because of Eli’s lack of fatherly oversight of his biological sons (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Samuel hesitated to reveal to Eli, his mentor, what God said concerning his fate – yet the old man reacted in a peculiar manner:
1 Samuel 3:16-18 (New American Standard Bible)
16Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.”
17He said, “What is the word that He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the words that He spoke to you.”
18So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him.”
So rather than curse his “spiritual son” for daring to tell him about the God that he introduced Samuel to in the first place, Eli acknowledged God’s report through Eli, and awaited his fate. How many “spiritual fathers” operating in pimpistries today would not rebuke Samuel for “daring” to speak for God? Not many.
At this point, Alvarado expresses his concern “…about people that God’s the only one that can speak to them.” This retort is a common one among pulpit pimps. They get absolutely beside themselves when you tell them that “God told me to do…” something, ESPECIALLY if it is contrary to what that pimp wants you to do. Now, the same people who tell you that “you can be like God” and “speak those things that be not as though they were”(commonly misused and miss-appropriated elements of scripture) claim that you don’t have the authority or spiritual maturity to hear from God – that you have to hear Him through them.
Wow – you’ve gone from a “little god” to an immature clod in less than 60 seconds! And this has absolutely nothing to do with how many people misconstrue Romans 10:14; and I have commented before on the true exegesis of Romans 10:14-15. The intent of the text is clear – Paul specifically speaks to the importance of the verbal sharing of the Gospel, NOT that God will not speak but by a “preacher” or “sent teacher” alone.
So “Bishop” Alvarado now has to show his complete ignorance of the ministry and order of Christ:
“…does Jesus say ‘God told Me to start a church’? No. He goes down to John the Baptist, he was the leader of the day (the Bishop of that region)…He goes down to John the Baptist…Jesus said ‘if I want a legitimate ministry, I’ve got to submit Myself to the legitimate ministry of the day…if I want to be legit, I gotta sit under somebody who’s legit’“
So, if I am to understand Alvarado correctly (and I’ve watched this video at least 15 times), Jesus – God in the flesh – had an illegitimate ministry UNTIL HE SUBMITTED to John the Baptist?
Is Alavarado drunk, crazy, or both?
May God have mercy on him for ever uttering such crap! Let’s take a look at Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist:
Matthew 3:13-17 (New American Standard Bible)
13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.
16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
Maybe I missed something ACROSS ALL 4 SYNOPTIC GOSPELS, but did scripture record Jesus’ submission to John the Baptist…ANYWHERE? Further, why didn’t we see Jesus “submit His ministry” to John the Baptist after this “revelation” – since Jesus CLEARLY relinquished His Godliness in order to now become the “spiritual son” of John the Baptist.
In Luke 7, John (who is now imprisoned and awaiting a beheading) sought Christ for an escape, but Jesus admonished him to not be offended by His works:
Luke 7:18-23 (New American Standard Bible)
18The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?”
20When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’”
21At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.
22And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.
23“Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
Why didn’t Jesus “save” His “spiritual father”? Isn’t this what “sons” are supposed to do, according to Alvarado and other proponents of a twisted “spiritual sonship”?
Alvarado goes on to describe the Ordo Salutis as a treaty of justifaction for the transfer of salvation through human hands:
“the Ordo Salutis…is the same translation from which we derive the word ‘order. It literally means the way in which our salvation is realized and fulfilled in the earth..and it’s always through the ministry and the hands of another human being”
The ordo salutis is the theological doctrine that deals with the logical sequencing of the benefits of Salvation worked by Christ which are applied to us by the Spirit. This first thing to remember is that we must never seperate the benefits (regeneration, justification, sanctification) from the Benefactor (Jesus Christ). The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration, etc.) is the work of God in Christ and is by grace alone.
The Ordo Salutis is a Reformed tenet that affirms salvation, repentance, and regeneration are acts of the Holy Spirit on behalf of the elect – NOT SOME DOCTRINE OF TRANSFERENCE THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF HANDS! Either Alvarado is incredibly stupid, or cunning enough to think that no one could research this information! Since Alvarado likes Latin so much, why didn’t he research Sola Scriptura – the belief in the supremacy of scripture alone? I could go on, but you get the point – this is a clear case of hack exegesis to prove a personal philosophy.
Alvarado’s final declaration of his “fear” of Christians who “can’t hear from another person” is quite troubling, but nonetheless expected of an (apparently) false teacher. Why would he or any other pimp want you to read the Word for direction from God – apart from their counsel? They don’t want you wandering away from the plantation.
This is yet more evidence of the sad state of the Body of Christ these days. What could have been a clear and concise discussion on Alvarado’s interest/allegiance to spiritual fatherhood instead turned into a session of nothing short of lies propagated to advance a personal philosophy.
I call on Alvarado to repent of this false teaching publicly – just as he publicly espoused these false theories. I also call upon the sheep who submit to him to consider your allegiance as well. Perhaps we now know why Alvarado hasn’t completed his dissertation and is stil ABD - who would want to stand before a doctoral committee to defend such nonsense?
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