I’m Speaking Truth…

***UPDATED 6/19/08***

Our brother Job at Jesus Christology posted an excellent article clarifying (i.e correcting) a common RCC claim that Christ Himself established Peter as the Vicar of His Church. Also, our brother Independent Conservative posted excellent teaching videos from an ex-Catholic exploring (and refuting) Mary worship.

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***ORIGINAL ARTICLE***

I’ve made no apologies about my personal views on the Roman Catholic Church, and how they preach a different Gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). Today’s post is simply an illustration - just in case some of you think I’ve lost my mind in calling out the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church:

Charting a path to John Paul II’s sainthood

Team in Rome examines ’cause’ of the hugely popular former pope

By Michelle Boorstein

updated 3:58 a.m. ET, Mon., June. 2, 2008

ROME - Evidence overflows from hundreds of boxes stacked to the ceiling in room after room at the Catholic Diocese of Rome — photographs, drawings, letters and other items that church officials are scouring for the answer to a question: Is Pope John Paul II a saint?

The task here at the Office of the Postulator of the Cause for Beatification and Canonization is to judge souls, a complex job even when the soul in question doesn’t belong to a spiritual superhero such as John Paul, who died in 2005 as one of the most popular pontiffs in history. (click here to read the entire article)

Did you catch that? There are people sitting in an office in Rome “judging souls”! The process of canonization of saints is controversial to non-Catholics because it (essentially) deifies a person. How can anyone who claims the Name of the Lord be comfortable praying to a “saint” that was voted into that position by men?

And don’t use the argument “well, the bible was also written by men yet we believe it as the breathed Word of God, right?”. Yup - every TRUE Christian should accept the bible as the INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD, given to men by inspiration to tell of His plan for us through His Son.

The bible also speaks clearly in cautioning us to worship anything or anyone except God through Jesus Christ. If we are going to use the bible to defend or argue against the RCC (which we should), then let’s look at the totality of it’s evidence.

Once again, here are a few of the key tenets of the RCC - and how scripture refutes them:

• The Pope is the “holy father” - God’s representative here on earth (NO - read Matthew 23:9 - and for good measure, read the entire 23rd chapter of Matthew).
• Dead saints intercede to God on behalf of the living (NO - read Isaiah 8:19-20)
• Sins can be “forgiven” by man (NO - Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:14-18)
• Mary is as holy and sinless as Christ, therefore she can intercede on our behalf to God (NO - Luke 11:27-28)

 I’ll end this with “evidence” from the article that could aid in the “beatification” of the late John Paul II:

The report makes a case for John Paul to be beatified. This requires proof of one miracle (usually of the medical kind) after the candidate’s death. Church officials say privately that Oder has attributed the 2005 healing of a French nun who had Parkinson’s disease to prayers she addressed to John Paul’s soul.

Just shameful…

Oh, and if you’re ready to denounce me for siding with scripture, then, well…pray to one of your dead saints on my behalf.

***hat tip to regular reader Blessed for alerting me of this story***

I’m always happy to hear about when a member of the congregation confronts the pulpit pimp - I never imagined that it would end up like this, however:

Eagle’s Nest pastor sued by ex-member

Web Posted: 05/22/2008 01:00 PM CDT

By Abe Levy
Express-News  

A former member of Eagle’s Nest Christian Fellowship filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the church and its pastor, Rick Godwin, claiming he was defamed in front of the congregation when he tried to expose how Godwin was spending church money.

Larry Nail, a businessman from Boerne who belonged to the church for 11 years, says Godwin wrongly accused him of bribery in a speech responding to San Antonio Express-News articles that, based on church documents, raised questions about Godwin’s use of church funds for expensive chartered planes and lodging, luxury gifts and personal items.

In the suit, filed in Bexar County District Court, Nail wants his donations to the church returned, plus legal costs and damages. (click here for the entire article)  

 

 

This story has been in the news in San Antonio since last fall, but it’s obviously taken a strange turn. Larry Nail is even bold enough to demand that pimp Ricky return his donations! How many of you would do that to your pimp - especially since your pimp and Ricky share the same spending habits? More interesting nuggets from the story: 

Complicating matters for the church has been a stream of complaints by homeowners bordering the new property who claim the church hasn’t responded to their concerns about lighting, noise and other matters.

Hmm…sounds like the same complaints that Eddie Long and his “son” got when they built their stadiums (I mean churches) in quiet residential areas as well. But wait, there’s more (my emphasis in bold)…

The spending Nail refers to in the suit involved a fund set aside for outreach and missions. After the newspaper reports, Godwin told the congregation he paid back all personal expenses and launched a new tax compliance audit, among other corrective measures. He hasn’t made public when or which reimbursements were made.

At least Ricky admitted that he stole money that was to be used for outreach - and he paid it back (allegedly)…most pimps won’t even go that far. Brother Nail even attempted to resolve this issue biblically - to no avail:

Nail said in the suit that church staffers were afraid of losing their jobs if they confronted church leaders about Godwin’s questionable expenses. He said he offered to help them financially if they were fired and followed biblical instruction by taking the spending concerns to Godwin first and then to two elders, who were unwilling to confront Godwin.

You know that the church mafia is in full effect at this church. This brother offered to compensate anyone who lost their job as a result of this action, and they were still afraid to proceed! Further in the article, we see Ricky spew out the classic pimp response (my emphasis in bold):

According to the lawsuit, Nail said Godwin told him: “I’m not going to let someone eating a bologna sandwich (referring to church staff and lower-level employees) tell me how to spend money around here.”

So there you have it - this degenerate pimp uses church funds for his personal pleasure and he has the nerve to lash out at the “bologna sandwich” eaters? That’s Pimpistry 101!

If you are or know anyone who attends Eagles Nest Christian Fellowship/Summit Christian Center in San Antonio, then pray that the Lord would open their eyes and give them the courage to flee pimp Ricky.

Please pray that Rick opens his bible, thumbs over to 1 John 2:15-17, and recommits to loving His Savior and the sheep more than he loves his flesh.

I am very deliberate about adding resources to my blogroll, frankly because I don’t want to be associated with just anybodyout there with a “Christian blog”. There are a number of excellent Christian blogs that I read on a daily basis, and you’ll see them added to the blogroll as the Lord wills in the future.

One of those blogs is “Tithe Stewardship  & Church Tithing”.

Our brother Jarod Bartholomew is laboring over there trying to help the sheep gain a deeper understanding of the law of tithing (that we are no longer under), and grace giving (true giving as outlined in 2 Corinthians 9:6-9).

Anyway, read Jarod’s testimony. Don’t stop giving as a form of punishment or because you’ve been hurt by a pulpit pimp. Instead, give as the Lord leads because it is His command that we care for one another - and that we advance the spreading of the Gospel.

…he might if he’s fleecing the sheep!

Check out this video by Pastor John Coleman - and view it in it’s entirety before commenting (it’s less than 2 min.)…if you need to comment at all:

Keep in mind - most of these “armor bearers” and “body guards” are tasked with protecting the pastor, his wife, and his kids (if applicable) - not YOU. PERIOD!

I don’t care how many times your pimp pastor says “we need security to protect the congregation”- it’s all rather suspect when ALL of the security guards spend their time following him around (while speaking into their sleeves), or carrying his Louis Vitton briefcase and alligator shoes from the Bentley when he rolls up onto the lot.

Pastor Coleman said it rightly - people are carrying the bible of the “shepherd” while a single mother is struggling to get her three kids off the bus in front of the church - with no help.

May God have mercy on those who claim to speak for Him!

***hat tip to our brother Independent Conservative for the video link***

I’m writing this post in response to the many calls and emails I’m getting from current members and leaders at a church here in suburban Atlanta. At the request of many, I’ll further explore the consequences of what happens when the Word of God is dwarfed by the pursuit of earthly riches and influence.

The church in question is relatively young (they’ve only been around for less than 7 years), yet they’ve racked up quite a few accomplishments:

• The church boasts a membership of over 12,000 members 
• The pastor drives a Bentley and recently moved into an (almost) million dollar home
• The pastor has a phalanx of security personnel that watch his every move - from greeting him at the front door to clearing his path as he walks
• The church recently moved into a new double-digit multi-million dollar “worship facility and campus”
• The church streams their worship services live across the globe via Streaming Faith

With all of that happening, you would think that the church was on cloud nine, right?

Well, not so fast. Since the pastor of this church is a “spiritual son” of Eddie Long, you have to expect “the other shoe” to drop at some point, and that point is…now.

Problem #1 - He’s demanding submission to his authority:

While the pastor started out teaching from a sound biblical and doctrinal perspective in the early days, he got off track several years ago, and it’s beginning to alienate his followers. He’s demanding loyalty by submission to his “apostolic and prophetic anointing” while he insulates himself with layers of people instead of being accessible to the sheep. Even the first line of the church’s “Givers Confession” asks God to grant blessings to the sheep while they “support the vision and the visionary”.

Problem #2 - He’s ignoring the economic ailments of his congregation:

The pastor is a proponent and teacher of the false doctrine of tithing, love offering, first fruit, and any other money-making scheme at work in churches today. He’s keenly aware of the disappearing middle class within his church, yet that doesn’t stop him from demanding the sheep to “sow into God’s system despite what they see”.

Membership is down…way down (you can see row upon row of empty seats via the Streaming Faith feed on any given Sunday or Wednesday), which means giving is down also. All this doesn’t bode well for a congregation with a brand new double-digit multi-million dollar building. Did anyone stop to think that expenses would quadruple since this facility is 4+ times larger than the old facility?

Recently, the pastor acknowledged the decrease in revenue and asked (from the pulpit) that everyone bring an offering to the alter. On the surface you might assume that this is a “spiritual admonition” to demonstrate faith in God by bringing your “seed” to the alter yourself.

The reality is that this is yet another intimidation tactict that guilts the giver into coming to the alter because they don’t want to appear to be “disobedient” while everyone else around then brings their dough to the stage - while the pastor is looking at them sitting in their seat!

Even still, some of the braver sheep sat stoically in defiance, which prompted the pastor to intone:

“Some of you are being disobedient to God by either not giving or not giving enough. At the sound of my voice, obey the Holy Spirit and bring your seed to the alter. Move…Move…Move…Come On…Come On…Come On…That’s it…That’s it….Move…”

Problem #3- He’s emulating his “spiritual father” by disallowing local viewers to watch live services via Streaming Faith:

Last year, Eddie Long started to see a dip in his church’s revenues and (rightly) assumed that too many local people were watching his services via the Internet as opposed to visiting the church - and bringing an offering. So, he decided to cut live feeds to his services via Streaming Faith so that locals would have to visit to hear him live. He later reneged due to fallout from local viewers, but the point had been made - they’re more likely to get a “seed” from you if you’re in the building when the “anointing hits”.

Fast forward to yesterday (May 11, 2008). Local viewers logged in to Streaming Faith to see this pastor (Eddie’s “spiritual son”) twist scripture. Instead, viewers saw a video of the pastor describing how the Holy Spirit revealed to him that it was time to cut the church’s local video feed - oh, and the Holy Spirit wanted viewers from surrounding counties to come to the new double-digit multi-million dollar facility so that they could see God move in person!

Yup, sounds like the money woes are true.

The Apostle Peter masterfully described the role of an elder (pastor) in the local assembly - does the leadership at this church even remotely resemble it?:

1^(A)Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your ^(B)fellow elder and ^(C)witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a ^(D)partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,

 2shepherd ^(E)the flock of God among you, exercising oversight ^(F)not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and ^(G)not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

 3nor yet as ^(H)lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be ^(I)examples to the flock.

 4And when the Chief ^(J)Shepherd appears, you will receive the ^(K)unfading ^(L)crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post - I get calls and emails every week from current members of this church, independently corroborating one bad thing after another.

I’ll tell you the same thing that I tell them: unless you’re speaking out against these practices while in the assembly, or you’re attempting to meet with the pastor (as the Lord leads) to discuss how off course he is, then you should pray for courage to leave the presence of this ignorance.

Pray for this pastor and this congregation - that God through the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance the worthiness of his call (Colossians 1:9-12), and that he would tend to the sheep in his care.

Pray also that the sheep would hear the voice of God (John 10:27-28), and heed accordingly - even if it means to labor on this plantation even longer in order to warn others.

As I’ve stated in previous articles, the concept of “church mafia” is very real - and very destructive to the Body of Christ. 

While it’s born out of the insecurity and ego-driven psyche of pastors who want to be pimps and mafia bosses, it debilitates the believer because it takes the focus off of our Sovereign God and places it on the mafia boss pastor and his (or her) lackeys.

One of the common tactics of the church mafia is to intimidate/guilt you into attending EVERY service that is held at the church…and I do mean EVERY service.

No matter if it’s Sunday worship, Bible Study, Sunday School, the Back 2 School Rally, Daily Prayer, and any number of other scheduled events - your commitment to God is gauged by your commitment to “His prophet” (as the pimp/mafia bosses pastors so lovingly ordain themselves).

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that believers should assemble together to worship God. The Bible reminds us to worship (Ephesians 5:19-20) and encourage each other in the faith (1 Thesselonians 5:11), but Hebrews 10:24-25 specifically addresses the assembling of the saints.

I don’t believe, however, that you should be called onto the carpet - or threatend with expulsion if the “boss” doesn’t see your “face in the place” everytime the lights are switched on. Most folks stay away because they’re tired of playing the money game - or they’re tired of trying to figure out what the pimp/mafia boss pastor is saying between his howls, grunts and downright off-base teaching.

Then, when you finally work up the nerve to come back, you’re usally pulled aside by someone in leadership who asks you “Hey brother, it’s good to see you! I haven’t seen you in a long time…so, uh…where you been?“

Here’s an excerpt from an interesting article that I found on Gotquestions.org:

 Question: “What are appropriate reasons for missing church?”

Answer: Many people have an improper and/or unbiblical understanding of church attendance. Some people feel that they must attend church legalistically, being at church virtually every time there is any kind of service or meeting. Some people experience a feeling of guilt whenever they miss a Sunday morning service. Sadly, some churches encourage this guilt by laying excessive pressure on people to attend regularly. When thinking about church attendance and when it is appropriate to miss church, the most crucial thing to understand is that the quality of a person’s relationship with God is not determined by how many church services are attended, nor are God’s love and acceptance for a Christian based on how many times he/she attends church. (click here to read the rest)

Check out this observation:

Attending church is not osmosis; merely being in the building does not accomplish anything.

That’s funny - the Word of Faith preachers always stress that you’ll be blessed because you’re sitting in the building while the pimp/mafia boss pastor is under “the anointing”. Oh, and because you “sow a seed”, but that’s another post for another day…

Anyway, the article surmised (correctly, in my opinion) that if you miss or skip a church service but you have a longing for it, then there isn’t a problem (per se) with your connection with God.

If you miss a service and you’re afraid of the impending confrontation by the pimp/mafia boss pastors “crew”, then…well…you already know the answer to that one.

There is a disappearing middle class - within the church - that (in my opinion) is rivaling the effects of the economic conditions that are plaguing America today. Many people are losing their homes, finding it harder and harder to make ends meet, and “robbing Peter to pay Paul”, but that doesn’t stop the pimps from pursuing the money that you have left.

One of the many casualties of the Word of Faith, prosperity, “name it and claim it” heresy is that it creates an almost unquenchable desire within the Body for money and material things - and it leaves those who desire “stuff” in a much worse position than they were before they ever heard the heresy.

In direct violation of 1 Timothy 6:7-11, false teachers whip you into a frenzy by:

• falsely equating prosperity with financial gain
• twisting scripture to justify tithing, love offerings, and all other manner of extortion
• and making you think that something is wrong with you because God isn’t blessing you with a “30, 60, 100 fold blessing” in return for giving them your last dime.

In many previous posts, I explained that I was a loyal soldier to my former pimps. I bought the “money cometh” scam hook, line, and sinker. In fact, I parroted their weak responses when confronted about why God “didn’t open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing” even though someone gave their last dime.

“You don’t have enough faith”, or “don’t worry, your breakthrough is on the way!” I used to say.

I’ve long since repented before the Lord for such stupidity, but the scam keeps going on and on.

Personally, I reject the concept of tithing - because it has become nothing more than a revenue making scheme that pimps use to guilt and extort money from the sheep today. You don’t want to be “cursed with a curse”, so you give under compulsion - or even worse, duress - in direct opposition to 2 Corinthians 9:7.

The tithing concept has been so twisted and maligned by false teachers, that many people will use credit cards to “pay” their tithes, so much so that tithing has replaced the concept of benevolence.

The average person would rather give their last dime to the Bentley driving pulpit pimp than the neighbor next door who has no money for diapers. The sick logic is that “the next door neighbor can’t ‘curse me with a curse’ so I’d rather give God His”.

Apparently, we don’t much focus on what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-46. We’d rather do the most convenient thing by giving money to the pastor in hopes that he would distribute it to the poor, just like he says he will. It’s only a “coincidence” that the more we “give to the poor” through the pastor, the better his lifestyle gets.

Some churches will even dis-fellowship you for“robbing God”!

There is lots of evidence in the bible to prove that tithing was a law giving to Jews and Levitical priests. It’s interesting to me that folks use Malachi 3:8-12 to scare you into giving them your tithe, but if you read the entire book of Malachi, you’ll clearly see that God is expressing His displeasure with the priests who are charged with interceding to Him on behalf of the people.

By the way, these priests lived in the Temple, and were supported by the Israelites. Does your pimp live in your church?

To this day, I hear horror stories from people who tithe their utility money, yet the church won’t extend benevolence in order to help them pay the utility bill - after the pimp has admonished the sheep to give their utility money and God would bless them anyway!

I embrace the concept of grace giving - giving as the Lord leads to areas He directs…even if it means giving to people or causes that are in more need than a pastor or church as opposed to the extortion techniques that are used in churches across America today.

Even The Barna Group - one of the most widely referenced research firms in Christiandom has released a report stating that not only is tithing down in churches across the country, but:

Strangely, tithing is a Jewish practice, not a Christian principle espoused in the New Testament. The idea of a tithe - which literally means one-tenth or the tenth part - originated as the tax that Israelites paid from the produce of the land to support the priestly tribe (the Levites), to fund Jewish religious festivals, and to help the poor. The ministry of Jesus Christ, however, brought an end to adherence to many of the ceremonial codes that were fundamental to the Jewish faith. Tithing was such a casualty. Since the first-century, Christians have believed in generous giving, but have not been under any obligation to contribute a specific percentage of their income.

Who knew that George Barna was so “controversial”? I wonder if the pimps will still use his research to aid in growing their “ministries”?

The end result is that many churches are filled with two kinds of people: the “haves” and the “have nots”…the “sort of haves” are either leaving or have already fled the pimp because they’re sick of hearing the “offeratory appeal”.

I’ve seen it up close:

• pastor so-and-so spends 10 minutes after every sermon telling you how God wants you to be rich (after he has you recite a scripture - out of context - exclaiming that you are a tither and that God HAS TO rebuke the devourer for your sake).
• He points to his own lifestyle and how he “activated his faith” in order to walk in God’s abundance.
• He also talks about how “the anointing flows from the head down”, so if you give him your money, you’ll be blessed too!
• He then says that tithing is “just an entry level action - you can’t get a return unless you sow first fruit, love offering, offering, building fund, first lady’s birthday” blah blah blah.

“Don’t hate on your neighbor! If God is blessing them, at least you know he’s in the neighborhood!” (que the jumpy organ music and the running around the church while babbling in “tongues” at that “revelation”)

At that point, the “haves” pour their earnings into the coffers and anxiously await their “return”. The “have nots” are told “God knows your heart, and He knows that you will give when you get it because you have a heart to give”.

Sometimes, the “haves” even pass a few bucks the “have nots” - or the pimp peels a few bucks out of his money clip to give a “have not”- and as a sign of obedience to the pimp prophet, the “have not” drops the money into the coffers and gives it RIGHT BACK TO THE PIMP…waiting on their return as well.  

The pimp may even read an email that he received from a “have” detailing how “God was faithful to the seed that they sowed last week, and He returned their tithe PLUS INTEREST!”, further stoking the allegiance of the “haves” - and the envy and determination of the “have nots”.

Meanwhile, the middle class is looking around wondering what is going on. They give out of obedience to the pimp prophet because they earnestly want to please God (and the pimp prophet told them that this pleases God). They also, however see that they’re not getting the promised return.

They grow weary of hearing the same begging speech over and over again - and seeing the pimps parade of new cars, suits, and homes. They also grow weary of seeing the poorest among them exploited, and they’re tired of feeling guilty when they give $100 to a homeless person instead of standing in the “money line” at the church revival later that evening.

So, they leave - hoping to find a church home that teaches the true meaning of giving, and that God is not a slot-machine, and that his people are not to be neglected while we pursue earthly treasures that we can’t take with us when we die anyway.

Unfortunately, many pastors erroneously think that if they keep preaching to the “haves”, then the middle-class doesn’t matter because the “have nots” will eventually become “haves”.

They fail to realize that the church is not a business or a revenue stream.

As believers, we are to evangelize the liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ without injecting our personal desires or interests. Period.

I find the words of Jude to be quite sufficient:

17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

 20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,^[a] 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

 22 And you must show mercy to^[b] those whose faith is wavering. (Jude 1:17-22)

I pray that those of us who reject the “pay to play” doctrine pray earnestly for those who embrace it. Let’s pray God’s mercy on those who are led astray by this divisive doctrine, and let’s all recommit to caring for the needs of one another - not under compulsion or duress, but because it is the Will of our Father through His Son.

I’ve previously written about the concept of a mafia mentality within the mega-church, and I’ve gotten lots of email from those who have either been victims or perpetrators of this kind of intimidation.

I was in the church mafia, and on my way to becoming a faithful captain to my boss, so I know of what I speak.

My UK blogger colleague Alan Higgins wrote about the same phenomenon across the pond as well, and he was recently contacted by a victim (and potentially future casualty) of the church mafia (click here to read the post in it’s entirety).

The young lady who wrote the post was so despondent with the treatment she was receiving from her mafia church family - and her own husband (under the influence of his mafia church boss) - that she contemplated falling away from the faith.

Through the urging of the Holy Spirit, Alan was able to pray for her (and solicit the prayers of other colleagues around the globe).

The young lady contacted Alan to detail the victory she experienced because of the prayers of the saints.

This is just another example of the far reaching implications of submitting to a pulpit pimp/mafia boss and aligning yourself with them as opposed to the Word of God.

When I was submitted to my former pastor, I knowingly submitted my family to his heresy as well - and the division caused friction in my own household.

While I never browbeat my wife to submit to the same false teacher as I was submitted to, I still viewed myself as “spiritually superior” (more “enlightened”, if you will) than her.

I thank God through Jesus Christ that she saw through that mess and diligently lived out 1 Peter 3:1-2 while God worked on my heart.

God rescued us from that heresy, but many aren’t as fortunate:

• How many husbands have left their wives because she kept giving their money to the various pimps on TBN who promised “increase”?
• How many wives suffer in silence because their husbands will jump through any hoop that the mafia boss puts in front of him - just to become an elder, deacon, minister, etc.?
• How many children grow up alone because mom and dad are “submitted to the vision and the visionary”, but don’t have time to raise them because they’re always “working for the Lord” through the pimp/mafia boss?

Whenever you read any articles on this blog about pulpit pimps and mafia bosses (or if you see the pimps/mafia bosses on your TV schilling God’s sheep), PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO STOP AND PRAY.

Pray for those who follow them, but also pray for the families of those followers as well.

There are many unseen and unknown casualties as a result of the church mafia…and they suffer in silence.

I will begin this post by stating that I am merely expressing my opinion, and I stand on Holy Scripture in expressing my thoughts.

This post will likely offend lots of people. It’s not my intent, but God’s truth has rarely assuaged society as a whole.

I will not apologize for God’s truth, but I will ask that you read the scriptures referenced for full context and don’t rely on my thoughts alone to help you form your own opinion.

All strapped in? OK - here we go.

I’m not impressed by Pope Benedict’s visit to the US this week. I am of the opinion that the Roman Catholic church preaches what the Apostle Paul called “a different Gospel” (Galatians 1:6-7).

The word “Catholic” simply means “the whole Christian body, or church.” It was a term that referred to anyone who claimed to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

By the time Martin Luther broke from the Catholic church in 1517, however, the church had changed. They were selling indulgences (essentially charging for the remission of sin) & the concept of the papacy had begun to overtake the concept of salvation through repentance and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, the pope is seen as the “holy father” and Catholics pray to him, and dead saints to intercede to God on their behalf.

If you read Matthew 23:9, you’ll see that we are to call no one our father except God - is the pope now equating himself with God?

Even now, you can confess your sins to your local priest & he’ll prescribe a series of religious actions for atonement (“say 10 hail Mary’s, etc.).

The pope also appoints saints (based on works) for Catholics to pray to in the future as well. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly explains that our salvation is a gift from God, we didn’t “work” to earn it.

While James 2:14-18 talks about faith by works, it’s an exposition that our works should be the evidence of our faith - not the impetus that gives us our faith in the first place.

In my opinion, therein lies the problem. When Christ died on the cross and said “it is finished” (John 19:30), He removed the barrier between God and man (literally and spiritually), and became our Intercessor to the Father.

I have a problem with any minister that tells me that I have access to God through him, and I have a problem praying to a man (pope) or any dead saint - seeking intercession to my real Holy Father.

To further “stir the pudding”, some representatives of the Roman Catholic faith assert that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ IS NOT the only way to eternal life with God.

Don’t believe me? Well…view the following video in its entirety before you ask for my head on a platter (it’s an old clip):

The priest starts off by saying that that you won’t go to hell when you die if you don’t accept Jesus, yet the next sentence is ”it’s the Catholic belief that Jesus is the source of salvation”. He then goes on to talk about (and I’m paraphrasing) if you’re a good person, then you’ll go to heaven.

Here are a just a few scriptures that declare Jesus as the Doorway to God the Father:

• Philippians 2:8-11
• John 14:1-6
• 1 Timothy 2:5
• John 10:1-9

Again, there are many more scriptures to affirm Jesus Christ as the singular point of access to God the Father, so read your bible for yourself.

I don’t post this article piously or in a sneering manner. I humbly understand that I am a wretched man who (without Christ) would be condemned to eternal hellfire because of my proclivity for sin.

I post this as someone who thanks God DAILY for His love and His dispatching His Only Begotten Son into the earth to save the likes of me.

I simply refuse to join in the media circus of fawning over a man who thinks that he (and his papal office) deserve esteem as though he is Christ.

It’s interesting how most Americans embrace the concept of “religion” (or its formal structure) but argue against or deny the concept of a true relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

I’ll side with the Son of God for this argument:

14“As ^(S)Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must ^(T)the Son of Man ^(U)be lifted up;

 15so that whoever ^[a]believes will ^(V)in Him have eternal life.

 16“For God so ^(W)loved the world, that He ^(X)gave His ^(Y)only begotten Son, that whoever ^(Z)believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 17“For God ^(AA)did not send the Son into the world ^(AB)to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

 18“^(AC)He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of ^(AD)the only begotten Son of God.

 19“This is the judgment, that ^(AE)the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for ^(AF)their deeds were evil.  (John 3:14-19).

Alright. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let the denouncements begin…

***NOTE*** If I haven’t upset you enough, then take a look at my colleague Independent Conservative’s take on Benedict’s visit. As usual, IC goes much deeper and wider…

The picture above is a snapshot of some of the key characters in HBO’s award winning series “The Sopranos” - a drama series about the mafia. We see Tony Soprano and a few of his “enforcers” (or captains).

If you’re a member of a black mega church today, then you might as well substitute these characters with pictures of your Pastor, Elders, Ministers, and Deacons. They too take on the role of “enforcers” to help the “boss” keep you in line.

To the outsider, it’s absurd to even try to parallel life in the mafia with life in the mega church today. If you’ve “escaped” a mega church, then you know all to well how these two entities can be confused with one another. It may not sound polite to say, but the reality is this: the leadership in most mega churches operate like the mafia.

Take a look at a few of the parallels:

The Leadership

These days, there is a single authority in the church - and it’s not Jesus Christ. The Pastor has become the lone leader. Just like the mafia boss, he rules from the top down - not the bottom up.

He doesn’t like independent thought or dissension. He doesn’t like to speak with you directly - he’ll send an emissary to tell you if he’s pleased or dissatisfied with your work.

He doesn’t want to have his fingerprints on any “controversial” decisions, so he assigns some of his “captains” (or Elders, Ministers, or Deacons) as decision makers to insulate himself from any fallout - and his “captains” will gladly fall on their swords on his behalf.

The Oath of Loyalty

In the mafia, it’s called the omerta’. In the church, it’s called “submitting to authority” or “submitting to your covering”. Either way, it’s all the same - there is both an implied and expressly sanctioned code of silence. In the mafia, “made men” (or loyal members who ascend to leadership) swear allegiance to the boss and swiftly punish anyone that dares to speak of what happens behind closed doors.

In the church, Deacons or Ministers in training (or loyal members who are about to ascend to leadership) often swear that same allegiance and oath of silence. Secrecy and confidentiality is taught and expected.

When I was in training for ordained leadership, I was expressly told “don’t share any of this with your wife”, or “this is not pillow talk, this is highly confidential information”. Our names were kept confidential and we met in private. We were even told to directly deny if someone inquired about our participation in the training programs.

You would think we were becoming Masons or something similar. Of course, this runs completely counter to scripture (John 7:4):

“For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”

Compensation

Mafia captains are required to share a percentage of their “spoils” (money they collect by “taxing” local business for protection) with the boss.

Church leaders (and members) are intimidated into paying tithes, offerings, love offerings, first fruit and any other contrived “offering” to the “man of God” to show your appreciation to him for his “work in the Lord”.

Leaders are chosen based on their giving records. Consistent givers are rewarded with luncheons and lapel pins.

Promotion

Mafia bosses reward their potential captains with promotion after witnessing the potential’s ability to “earn” and solve problems.

Pastors promote those in ministry for many of the same reasons. If you’re a good giver, then you’ll be a good deacon or minister. If you can keep “problems” away from the pastor, then you’re marked for promotion.

Many church leaders will throw each other “under the bus” if they think that the pastor will reward their loyalty. I’ve know many minstry leaders in mega churches who were promoted when they exposed someone who may not be “towing the company line” like they would do if they were in that same position.

“You’re Dead To Me”!

In the mafia, dissenters are considered enemies and disposed of at the word of the boss. In fact, they are never spoken of again, almost as though they never existed.

In the church, if you leave the fellowship, you are officially dead. If you leave some of your family behind, then they are encouraged to shun you. “The devil is using them” and “they’re being swayed by outside influence” they’re told. You’re even ridiculed for leaving your “covering” (learn more about the faux “spiritual father” and “covering” scam).

Before I fled the plantation, there had been several leaders who left before me. One even formed his own church and was ordained as a Pastor. My ministry colleagues and I were expressly forbidden to attend the ordination service of our former colleague - if we went then we would be sat down…no questions asked.

One of us defied the order and attended the ordination in support of our friend. He was summarily sat down without so much as a meeting from the boss - he left the assembly soon after.

His attempts to reach out to some of our ministry colleagues were thwarted and rebuffed. As I’ve said on previous posts, I’ve had to repent to the Lord for such blatant foolishness - especially in this regard.

Extravagant Lifestyles

Mafia bosses display their wealth in order to encourage their captains to “earn” (i.e extort) more so that they too can live like the boss. Church bosses display their wealth to “brag on God” and show you that their pyramid schemes actually work and God is blessing them with Bentley’s, mansions, jewelry, etc.

The pastor uses his wealth just like the mafia boss does - to encourage our lust of the flesh so that we’ll do what it takes to live the same lifestyle.

————————————————————————————-

This is just a short list of similarities. If you’re a former mega churcher, then I’m sure you could go deeper (feel free to comment if you’d like to expose your former boss to the world). This simply illustrates how much more prayer is needed in order for the people of God to know what the wolves look like, recognize their games, and avoid them at all costs.

Paul exhorted the elders whom he sent to preach the Gospel to remember the humilty with which he ministered - and that he didn’t preach to them for money or things. He reminded them that they were to guard against the wolves that would seek to destroy the faithful, and he commended them to the grace of God.

25“And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about ^(A)preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face.

 26“Therefore, I testify to you this day that ^(B)I am innocent of the blood of all men.

 27“For I ^(C)did not shrink from declaring to you the whole ^(D)purpose of God.

 28“Be on guard for yourselves and for all ^(E)the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd ^(F)the church of God which ^(G)He purchased with His own blood.

 29“I know that after my departure ^(H)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing ^(I)the flock;

 30and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away ^(J)the disciples after them.

 31“Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of ^(K)three years I did not cease to admonish each one ^(L)with tears.

 32“And now I ^(M)commend you to God and to ^(N)the word of His grace, which is able to ^(O)build you up and to give you ^(P)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

 33“^(Q)I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.

 34“You yourselves know that ^(R)these hands ministered to my own needs and to the ^(S)men who were with me.

 35“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 36When he had said these things, he ^(T)knelt down and prayed with them all. (Acts 20:25-36)

Seek God and His righteousness. Read the bible. Study what you don’t understand, and fellowship with a bible-based assembly (I know it’s tough, but they are out there). There’s so much more work that has to be done.

I’ve blogged far more than I expected to this week - and quite frankly, my head is beginning to hurt - so I’ll (prayerfully) make this my last proactive commentary for the week. I had to chime back in, however, in defense of the faith.

What does that mean? Well, I’m passionate about the cause of Christ. I know who and what I was before He found me (or before I surrendered to His will, rather), and I’m keenly aware of what my life looks like when I’m left to my own devices. My love for Christ and His liberating message of salvation, reconciliation, and restoration is what drives me to blog - especially since I was operating in (and subsequently resigned from) a ministry that has veered of the Kingdom path. Call it my cathartic therapy, if you will.

Anyway, I was doing some research last night and I came across an article from the September/October 2007 edition of “Ministry Today” magazine about the phenomenon of “online heresy hunters” (as they call it). The overall tone of the article (authored by Pastor David Cannistraci) was civil and informative, and the general question posed was whether or not people like me are hunting for anyone who errors in teaching God’s Word - and bullying them online.

Rather than reprinting the entire article and injecting my notes throughout (which was my first thought), I’ve decided to copy some of it, and to direct you to the link so that you can read it in it’s entirety:

“The War on Error: Are online heresy hunters bringing needed correction in the church or sowing disunity?”

Infidels beware: A new generation of crusaders is on the march, ignoring history’s warnings about the damage unrestrained spiritual zeal creates. Their mission? To protect us all from religious fraud and dangerous doctrines by investigating and exposing those who push past the accepted boundaries of conservative evangelicalism. They have pledged themselves to defend truth and liberate the kingdom of God from the threat of apostasy.

From discernment ministries to watchdog groups to bloggers to anonymous Web site commenters, the Internet has created a breeding ground for unbridled criticism. Though truth and correction are essential to the health of the church, this new wave of heresy hunters may be taking things too far. Their targets are not the likes of David Koresh or Jim Jones—we would thank them for that. Instead, they’re aiming at many of today’s most popular charismatic Bible teachers, including Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes.

These zealous soldiers of orthodoxy aren’t afraid to fight dirty, either. Armed with ample evidence to prove their case, they quote, deride and scoff at any ministry they “discern” as dangerous. In this biblical blitzkrieg, no question is too trivial, no accusation too personal and no ridicule too cruel.

Blogs and Web sites are littered with cartoonish caricatures of well-known Christian leaders labeled as “heretics,” “pimps and pimpettes,” “bozos,” “Bible-thugs” and “fairy godmothers of the faith.” Online databanks are loaded with transcripts and video clips of damning evidence: everything from salaries and sailboats to litmus tests on the Trinity and the hypostatic union. There’s no need for dialogue or discussion; one side of the story is adequate ammunition in this fight for the faith.

Have these modern-day knights of the cross truly been sent by God, or has a new era of witch-hunting begun in the church? In the quest for truth and accountability, does anything go? Or is there a way to clean up the messes in the church without lynching good people and inciting division in the body of Christ?

I believe there is. We can be safe and pure if we replace our anger, fear and criticism with honesty, wisdom and humility. (go here to read the entire article)

As you can see, it’s a provocative argument. So much so that I had to seek the Lord last night and search my heart as to why I blog about declaring God’s truth. As I’ve said before, I served in ordained ministry at a mega church for several years (after being a member for a decade). I’ve seen the “underbelly” of a large ministry…

I’ve seen the pastoral neglect.

I’ve seen the “grow at all cost” mentality - directed from the office of the Senior Pastor.

I’ve seen benevolence doled out (or withheld) based on whim vs. biblical mandate.

I’ve seen money “redirected” from areas of need to areas of want (fancier adornments in the new building instead of bibles for children’s church).

I’ve been in meetings were members were referred to (and seen as) “giving units”

I’ve seen where membership growth was measured by attendance instead of the fruit of the Spirit

…and I “fell in line” because my flesh was impressed by the oratory skills of my former pastor, the charismatic “move of God” that took place every week, the parade of big name Bishops, Prophets, & Prophetess’ that came and went - and I wanted to be a part of it.

I was doing what I had to do in order to keep being elevated in ministry - until I had my Damascus road moment. One Saturday afternoon, God spoke into my spirit about the Apostle Paul (I’m not trying to be super religious or “spiritual”, but it really happened). He reminded me to go and look at the book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles - and see how true ministry was conducted on His behalf.

It was then that the scales fell from my own eyes - and I saw how far off base we were. Paul is considered (arguably) on of the driving forces behind the growth of the New Testament church. Not because he wore fancy clothing, spoke with perfect diction, captivated crowds with his mastery of scripture, or sought to advance his agenda.

No, Paul simply chased after That which had hold of him (Philippians 3:8-14). Even with his credentials, Paul wasn’t satisfied that he had found Christ - he wanted the world to know Christ as well. I shared this revelation with my former leadership, and I was asked to “reign it in”.

I was bound by false teachers (pimps) and their twisted non-contextual “gospel” message, and now that I am free I can’t just sit by, pray for others, and keep moving along my way. Sure, my commentary can be biting at times. I can be a little irritated and my writings may reflect that. I can be unflinchingly direct when God’s Word is blatantly misrepresented. I don’t mean to offend, I really don’t, but everyone can’t handle truth.

I blog anonymously because I don’t want to distract you from my message - and my mission. As passionately as I am above revealing God’s truth, there are those who are just as passionate about keeping their game going. Like any good pimp, they want to protect their revenue stream - and they’ll do whatever they need to do to keep the sheep “in line”.

As a side note, there are some who take exception to the term “pulpit pimp” and say that it’s a racist term that’s generally hurled at black ministers. Well, I’m a black man from the south side of Chicago. I’ve seen pimps up close - on the street and in the pulpit. While I was submitted to black pulpit pimps, there are many “others” who occupy the role as well - namely Paula White, Pal & Jan Crouch, Kenneth Copeland, Mark Hanby, Bishop Don Mears, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, and many more.

Anyway, the bottom line is this: If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is your duty to defend the faith. Not by coercion, intimidation, childish taunts and name calling (I’m aware that this happens on other “Christian” blogs). The mission is simply to expose the false teachers that we are warned about throughout God’s Word (for example, 2 Peter 2), and hopefully save someone from the heartache and disappointment that we’ve experienced when falsely chasing after men.

I’m well aware that we’re all human and that we make mistakes. As I’ve said before, I truly understand that - and I can forgive unintentional error or misdirection. I cannot sit quietly, however, when there is calculated, willful intent to deceive and take advantage of God’s people.

At the end of the day, the decision is yours. My God-given mandate is simply to speak His truth…