A Word to The Whys

A Word To The Whys

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good (Job34:1-5).

With the usual electronic back, forth, cut, thrust & parry that accompanies blogs such as this one, come the inevitable questions about why I’m doing what I’m doing & the true definition of ‘discernment ministry’. I have to say, again, as I have said formerly, that what I write & publish on this blog is not a ministry per se. Neither am I a discerner. Rather, it is God’s Word that discerns. God’s Word is a discerner & the truth of this blessed, engrafted Word must be received with meekness (James1:21). Discernment is not for a selected few, but rather, it is the responsibility of all believers, everywhere.

For The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Hebrews4:12-13).

Therefore, it would follow that if there were any discerning to be done, it will have to be done in the light of Scripture. This & this alone is the benchmark that has been set by God. His Word is the only reliable litmus test for those who will read, believe & apply it. His Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalms119:89). His word is a lamp to our feet & a light to our path (Psalms119:105) & I guarantee that the flame of His truth does NOT flicker in the way that some would have us believe.

However, if we are not walking in the light of the truth, but find ourselves contrawise in error, then we are in darkness. Jesus said it best when He stated, ‘The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!’(Matthew6:22-23)

When The Good Lord saved me, I attended a small Pentecostal fellowship where The Bible was held in the highest regard as The Word of God. My Pastors resisted the more attractive, Charismatic elements presenting themselves, as the likes of Buddy Harrison’s Faith Christian Fellowship established a franchise in our city. They were the first of many to come. They were the first of many to go. However, with the Charismatic expression came a different view of God’s Word altogether.

Scripture [known affectionately as ‘The Word’ by Kenyonians, Haginites & Copelandians] was a ‘thing’ that worked & that had to be worked in order to achieve certain results, whether for healing, prosperity or anything one could imagine in between.

In many respects, those of us who followed the mainstream Charismatic teachings coming out of Tulsa Oklahoma & Fort Worth Texas, believed that we had a higher regard for Scripture than the [so-called] traditionalists we looked down upon. We believed that we had ‘revelation knowledge’ as opposed to the ‘sense knowledge’ that other believers possessed. As I write this article in retrospect, I can see quite clearly that it simply did not matter who said what by way of objection. We were sold out to the Word-of-Faith system, no matter how faulty their tentative hermeneutic.

This is one of the many, many problems with [what I like to call] a non-exegetical-experience-led-subjectivity. Simply put, it’s a very bad case of theological indigestion.

When believers place more credence on experience, whether it be theirs, or that of someone else, they’re on a path to trouble. What’s worse is the fact that the proponents of said non-exegetical-experience-led-subjectivity, will always be careful to tell their devotees that they shouldn’t seek after an experience & then proceed to lead them into an experience afterall. There is no true biblical barometer, not in the true biblical sense anyway. What has developed right under our noses is a gross caricature of The Church & this ethereal counterfeit, shamelessly masquerades as ‘the faith once delivered to the saints’, but, my dear brethren, I can tell you most sincerely that it is not. Our answers will only be found in The Scriptures. God’s Word is A Word to The Whys.

Whenever I’m asked WHY I do the things that I do, I go to Apostolic doctrine. The Apostles received their teaching directly from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. I point to the admonition of the Apostle John, who said, ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world’ (1^stJohn4:1). Whenever I’m asked WHY I say the things that I say, I point to the instruction of the Apostle Paul, who said, ‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them’ (Ephesians5:11). Whenever I’m asked WHY I believe the things that I believe, I refer to one of my favourite verses of inspired Scripture; ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1^stThessalonians5:21).

My Charismatic friends & detractors alike will agree that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word must be established. Therefore, in light of what The Bible says concerning the erroneous, I would ask my Charismatic friends & detractors to answer the fundamental questions being put to them. I answer their questions, but sadly they either cannot or will not answer mine. By the way, a reply, comment or response to something I have written, said or done, is not the same as an answer to a question.

Much Charismatic rhetoric bears a quality that’s often found within the teaching of groups such as The Watchtower or the LDS. It’s an ‘otherness’ that only becomes apparent when examined in the light of a genuine orthodoxy. However, this ‘otherness’ is very attractive. Be careful though. I’m not talking about comparing the teachings of men to a Church tradition. I’m talking about comparing said teachings to what Scripture actually says. I have often thought that at times it’s almost as if some leaders within the movement have deliberately courted controversy by actively kicking against the pricks of orthodoxy. This is then often dubbed as revelation.

https://youtu.be/sBzgbanAVVs Kenneth Copeland.

https://youtu.be/beiSK3kxh4U Benny Hinn.

https://youtu.be/kMpzmsTFyVU Kenneth Hagin.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts17:10-12).

The Bereans didn’t search the Scriptures in order to see whether those words Paul preached were THERE, they searched in order to see whether those things he preached were SO. There’s a marked difference in that.

It isn’t difficult to ask people to turn to certain places in their Bibles & read the words on the page, with no proper treatment of the passage or passages in question, except when it suits the individual preaching or teaching. Furthermore, with so many differing translations & versions available, it’s easier than ever to hop, skip & jump between readings & formulate whatever teaching you want to, whilst claiming that what’s being taught is ‘biblical’ simply because the words were taken from The Bible. Such are the tactics of the pseudo-exegetes of our time.

When it suits their purpose, they will use Greek or Hebrew. When it suits their purpose, they will examine context. When it suits their purpose, they will appeal to Church history. When it suits their purpose, they will find a Bible version or translation that says & supports whatever they want it to. When it suits their purpose, they will claim that The Lord has spoken to them. This is an untenable, but all too common orthopraxy among my Pentecostal & Charismatic brethren nevertheless.

In this, I’m reminded of an old comedy sketch by Morecambe & Wise, featuring Andre Previn. Many in Charismatic & Pentecostal leadership are playing all of the notes, but not necessarily in the right order. However, what we face now is not a comedy sketch. It’s a tragedy. At a very basic level, what we have is a scenario in which man is putting words into the mouth of God. Brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Over the last 30 years I have diligently watched the leading lights within Pentecostalism & Charismania build upon the false foundation laid by false apostles & false prophets. Their chief corner stone is not The Lord Jesus Christ. Orthodoxy seems to have been shelved adjacent to a conveniently open window, out of which it has been deliberately & continuously nudged. WHY? Because orthodoxy is boring? Because orthodoxy is so unfashionably last century darling? Because orthodoxy is associated with stuffy old [scholarly] men, whose insistence on a right division of God’s Word makes them the object of ridicule? Logical argument good, theological argument bad?

When I see & hear what passes for exegesis nowadays, I flinch. My stomach turns with every twist & spin placed on God’s Word. Moreover, with each successive generation of men & ministries purporting to bring us a fresh & new revelation from ‘The Word’, there are also countless others who shamelessly ape them. Because of this, I have asked a lot of questions. Because of this, a lot of questions have been asked of me.

The core doctrines of our faith are Apostolic. The Apostles received said doctrine from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. However, with the popularity of certain men & certain ministries [which I will happily name & reference], parts of The Church have leaned more towards the writings, tapes, DVDs & beliefs of these individuals & in this they have become almost Patristic. These heretics have become the new Church Fathers & they are making a comfortable living at it. Today we see doctrine being rapidly replaced by ‘spiritual laws & principles’ that bear more resemblance to that which is found within metaphysical cults & mind science religions, than they do to anything found within Holy Writ. WHY? The answer is in The Scriptures. The Bible has A Word to The Whys.

Of course, Charismatics & Pentecostals will claim that they are indeed adhering to ‘The Word’. Which word? Whose word? Those of my friends with whom I regularly speak about these things, spend more time filtering Scripture through the lenses their leaders provide, rather than coming to an understanding of Scripture itself, as it is. WHY? The Bible is revelation, yet my Charismatic/Pentecostal friends & detractors will contend that The Word in its written form is the ‘basis’ for revelation knowledge.  There’s a less than subtle difference between these two statements, but I recognise its source. For them [& most certainly for those to whom I speak], God’s Word isn’t revelation knowledge per se, but rather it contains it. I’m less interested in what certain men [& women] have to say about Scripture & more interested in what Scripture itself has to say, particularly when the aforementioned regurgitate demonstrably false teaching & notable heresies.

In the fellowship that I attend, we go through The Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book. In this way, we receive both an overview & an in depth look at God’s Word, in a way that many of my counterparts do not. Among some Charismatics & Pentecostals however, the sufficiency of Scripture has been side-lined in favour of [so called] ‘revelation knowledge’ & this is a dangerous substitute for what God has already said. If it is indeed the case, as it has been stated to me before, that ‘The Word in its written form is the ‘basis’ for revelation knowledge’, there is no need to study it. It will not matter what the original languages state, what history accords or what context The Scriptures are in. WHY? So-called ‘revelation knowledge’ rises above & beyond these things …apparently. The ramifications of this belief & its tendency to take people beyond Scripture is an enormous danger. God’s Word has the answers. The Bible is A Word to The Whys.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds (Hebrews1:1-2).

Nowhere in Scripture do we find the prescribed & primary teachings of movements such as the ‘Word-of-Faith’, unless we’re being warned concerning them. Despite the claims of certain men in certain ministries that Martin Luther’s ‘revelation’ concerning the just living by faith, began a restoration of a lost truth to The Church, there is no evidence to support this. Faith in Christ alone for salvation, apart from works, yes. Faith as a spiritual force released through words that have creative power, no. Yet multiplied millions believe these things to be true. WHY? Fundamental doctrine is officially old hat. WHY? Because we have moved away from Scripture. God’s Word, is A Word to The Whys.

Be careful brethren, because much of what we believe to be & have been taught emphatically is meat, is actually milk. Beyond this, a significant portion of the blended, spoon-fed teaching that drips from the teats of much of modern Charismatic & Pentecostal ministry, is nothing more or less than formula. I mean this quite literally. All of it comes, of course, at a price & for your love gift of any amount, you can have it.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [WHY?] that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. [WHY?] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; [WHY?] but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, [WHY?] having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry (2^ndTimothy3:16-4:5).

The Bible has the answers. Scripture is A Word to The Whys. The words of men, however, have come to dominate & muddy doctrinal waters. WHY? A supreme lack of proper biblical leadership & scriptural discipleship within The Church has given rise to a myriad of satellite & para-church ministries, all of which are claiming to preach & teach ‘The Word’. They travel the world, constitute broadcasts on radio & television, transcribe their sermons into books & produce glossy magazines. They encourage you to partner with them, to follow them, to believe them & of course, they encourage you to donate. What a sweet deal. There’s no need for you to read or study God’s Word, because they will do all of the hard work for you. All you have to do is sit back, relax, press play & drink it all in. WHY?

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not (2^ndPeter2:1-3).

Within The Church there are those who are telling their lies very well & unfortunately, there are also those who are telling the truth very badly. Our discernment begins & ends with The Scriptures.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Philippians1:9-11).

We’re very good at wanting the love to abound, but we’re rubbish when it comes to knowledge & judgement, or discernment. These are not mutually exclusive elements of our walk with God & if we are not spending time with God’s Word we lay ourselves open to error & heresy.

The ‘revelation knowledge’ that’s so eloquently harped on about by popular figures in Charismatic & Pentecostal leadership, is nothing more [or less] than a subtle mixture of lies & mysticism. It isn’t the faith once delivered to the saints. It is [what I like to call] Gnostianity. This is not what Scripture teaches. This is not the doctrine of Christ. This is not our Apostolic faith. We have to get back to The Bible. The Bible is A Word to The Whys.

An Open Message to He or She Who Hath an Ear to Hear

Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

(Proverbs18:1-2)

One year ago, I began writing this blog, not really knowing where it would go, but believing that The Lord had prompted me to do it. Well, 12 months, almost 20 articles & close to 38,000 views later, I am privileged to publish an anniversary piece written by my Pastor, Matthew Fisher. He, his family & I have shared many cups of coffee, conversations & meals, during which he has exercised a biblical & pastoral oversight of my life [as a member of his congregation] & of this work. Wherever & whenever necessary, my Pastor has gently [but firmly] removed my big foot from my equally big mouth. I am extremely grateful to God for Matthew, his family & our fellowship, Calvary Chapel, Yeovil, so, without further ado…

An Open Message to He or She who Hath An Ear To Hear

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Somewhere in Hebrews)

Whereas David can spend several blog posts building a case in detail about the Word-of-Faith movement and unbiblical non-Christianity, I do not have such a privilege.  As the main teacher in Calvary Christian Fellowship, Yeovil, I can spend several sermons teaching and reaffirming the same point; I do not have that ability here. 

David has asked me to write this anniversary blog post and I agreed without really thinking about what topic I was going to cover.  In our fellowship, we study through the Scriptures systematically, meaning that those of us who teach are rarely required to 'think up' the topic for the sermon as each week begins where the previous sermon left off.  It turns out that thinking up a topic to discuss is difficult; I have wavered several times. In the end, I decided the scatter-gun approach is probably best; not just one main topic but several smaller issues, though not unimportant, that have burdened me for a long time.  I also want to be totally honest with you and tell you my conclusions as part of the introduction.  Here they are (and like a good preacher there will be 3 points).  

Firstly, read the Bible; secondly, find the least-worst church within your travelling abilities then attend and commit; thirdly, support and encourage your church leaders to “lean not on their own understanding” rather to teach diligently the word of God.

At present our fellowship is studying the book of Revelation with the stated aim of encouraging members of the congregation to read it for themselves. If I could encourage the people who read this blog to do anything, it would be to read the Bible.  You are free to stop reading here and start reading the Bible, I really don’t mind!  When I was about 30 I remember being asked by a friend if I had read through the whole Bible, I answered that of course I had.  As I returned home I figured out that I had never read all of it.  So, I began!  Having attended church since I was a kid I had great confidence that I knew the Bible and what it contained.  I was amazed to make it only to Genesis 19 before I read something that I had never even heard of. Don’t just turn to Genesis 19, start in chapter 1, that is where it begins!

Turning to the other end of the Bible (please read the 64 books in-between) and the reader finds the only writing from Jesus in the whole of the Scriptures.  I agree with David Pawson in that there appear to be two types of Christian when it comes to the book of Revelation, those “you can’t get out of it” and those “you can’t get in to it”.  Since the Bible has been available in English Revelation appears to be the most neglected book in the whole of Scripture.  Read what the reformers said about it and perhaps that explains why?  Jesus writes to seven churches, this is not the time to debate whether the dispensationalists, or others, are right in their reading of these letters.  If you are reading from a “red-letter Bible” then you will see that this section is in red; these are messages that Jesus has for churches.  Here is the second point I want to encourage you to do and think about. Apologies if this is sounding like hard work.  Nowhere in these letter, or in any Bible book, is it considered acceptable  not to attend a fellowship.  Throughout the messed-up-crazy-churches written to in any of the Epistles, no one ever writes “It’s ok just give up and stop going”.  

Certain strains of Christianity are filled with people who consider themselves to be discerning or having discernment ministries.  Those who adhere to the continuation of the gifts, of which I am one (please do not align me with the money-grabbing-mansion-owning-get-rich-quick-best-life-now-fraudualent-falling-over-barking-like-a-dog bunch of heretics!) are most guilty of this concept of discernment.  Read 1 John 4 and 1 Thessalonians 4 and you will see that nowhere is anyone ever told that you should listen to something and see how you feel about it and then make your decision as to whether it is true.  Read it for yourself and you will see it is about “examining carefully” and that we should be wary as false prophets were in the world already during the time of the Apostles (the real Apostles not the modern fake ones).  It is my experience that those who talk about discerning the most tend to be the ones who, in direct disobedience to Scripture fail to fellowship with the saints.  As a side note look at the book of Acts along with what Paul says to Timothy and Titus about the function of the church and it becomes extremely fair to say that fellowship is not sitting in your living room where no-one has prepared anything and chatting; or even worse going to a curry house and just hanging out with each other as believers.  I am reminded of Proverbs 18:1 which states “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment”, or “all sound wisdom”.  May a recommend that we avoid being that guy as much as possible!

These same people use the beginning of Hebrews 10 to attack (correctly) the Roman Catholic Church and their concept of the Mass and yet fail to allow their correct doctrine to infiltrate their lives refusing to let there ‘believing what is right’ cause them to ‘do what is right’.  Hebrews 10 tells the reader what needs to be done in response to the fact that the body of Jesus was offered “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10 – oh how we love that verse!).  Hebrews 10:19-25 is the sucker punch…"do not forsake the assembly of the saints", that is in church; in a fellowship; with people who are like us, broken and sinful; and right in some areas yet wrong in others. If Hebrews 10:19-25 is the sucker punch, ending with how much more important it is to assemble as His body as the time for Christ to return draws nearer, then the following verse is like being hit with a mallet!  A person who claims to be a mature Christian not attending a fellowship deceives themselves, they are not mature and they are in rebellion (the Bible knows nothing of people who are believers and not part of a fellowship).  My prayer is that this would not be us.  If that is you, please find a church; the least-worst one…I know there are some real stinkers.  Read the letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 and highlight the part where Jesus says “if you are in one of these mental churches – even the one Jesus had nothing good to say about – then leave and get out and run”, you will find that your highlighter pen cap stays on.   If this is in the context of a city only having one church, surely you can find one in your local area.  If not, think about moving.  That may sound extreme, but we must decide what is most important in our lives. If it is anything but Jesus, then let us at least be honest about that.

Once you have found the least-worst church in your area then please don’t turn into the heresy police, always looking for what the preacher phrases badly or makes a slight error on.  I have preached many times and I can assure everyone that the effort and toil that it takes to prepare and preach one is the hardest thing I do every week.  Now, would I want people to point out what I have said that they disagree with? Of course I would, and they do!  However, there are ways to do this.  Firstly, try introducing a 24-hour rule when the preacher says something you don’t like.  That is, don’t say anything as you are shaking hands at the end of the service, rather, leave it until the next day.  I attended a church a few years ago, and had to use this rule a lot.  The preacher said things I did not like every sermon.  If I had addressed them all do you think he would have listened to me?  I found that only the important issues remained after a night’s sleep and those are the ones I addressed and where I could I encouraged him when he tried to exegete a passage as best he could, this is also a good plan.

I do thank David for this opportunity to share this on his blog and encourage you to pray for him and us a small fellowship in a small town in Somerset. I am happy to answer or clarify anything that I have written, just ask. However, if I have really made you cross then give it 24 hours. May the Lord bless you in all that you do for Him.  Let us keep our eyes fixed firmly on our great Saviour, Who paid in full the price required for our salvation. He is our God and we are His people.  If we love Him then we must find out what He requires from us and that is found in Scripture, let’s read it and do what it says!

Prosperity Mythology and the Systematic Robbery of The Saints Part Two: Prey Without Ceasing

Prey Without Ceasing

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2^ndCorinthians11:12-15).

Believe it or not brethren, there are men in The Church who love the people of God. There are men who lay their lives down for their congregations. There are men who labour in God’s Word & endeavour to feed the flock of God. There are men who fear The Lord & take their call to service very seriously & quite literally. However, there are also men in the ministry who bear none of these qualities whatsoever.

I have to be honest with you. I have to be candid & tell you that every now & again, more out of frustration than faith, I have to ask The Lord why it is that faithful men of God [that I know & know of], who love, live & preach the truth, seem to struggle so in their bodies, in their circumstances & in their finances. Yet the wicked, lying, deceitful, false & self-seeking abusers of God’s people, seem to hop, skip & jump their merry way through life without a care in the world. They’re getting away with crimes akin to murder. On this point, I’ve been accused of perpetuating gross exaggerations & perhaps my critics are right. I do have a tendency to take matters [like demonstrably false doctrine & its lying, thieving, scheming, grinning, scamming, coat waving propagators] far too seriously. However, in answer to the question I have repeatedly asked The Lord, there are abundant I-told-you-so statements in Scripture.

We willingly engage in attempting to name & shame groups like The Mormons or The Watchtower when it comes to that which is false. We point out their doctrinal unorthodoxy & questionable orthopraxy without hesitation. Yet within our own ranks there are men who are heretics! We tolerate them. We laud & applaud them. We fawn over them. We hang on their every word without a second thought. Why? Because we are downright daft, that’s why.

The Apostles Peter & Paul said some hard words to The Church & in this, I believe they took their lead from Christ Himself. Jesus said to His disciples, ‘…Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ (John6:70). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? He told His disciples quite clearly, ‘…Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.’ (Matthew26:21). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? He informed Peter [that] ‘…this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ (Matthew26:34). I can just imagine the chorus of protests, but Jesus was right. Hard though it was for those men to hear, He said it & what’s more, He said it to their faces. Lord is it I? Lord is it I? Lord, will you stop verily-verilying & just tell us, please!!

Of course, Mr. Iscariot knew full well what he’d arranged in return for thirty pieces of silver, but he donned his cloak of maliciousness & joined in with the other disciples anyway. ‘Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.’ (Matthew26:25). Don’t try to tell me that men of this ilk don’t know that what they’re perpetrating & perpetuating, is pure falsehood. They know. Like Judas, they’re in it for the money & they make a fair show in the flesh. ‘But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2^ndTimothy3:13).

When Paul was leaving Ephesus, he called the Elders of The Church to him & gave them an impassioned exhortation, saying, ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.’ (Acts20:28-30). That isn’t an off-the-cuff remark. There were men who were right there, listening to Paul speak. Men who knew that he was speaking about them, but they hugged his neck before he left, they kissed him & patted him on the back all the same. They were chomping at the bit, waiting for him to go so that they could attend to their own agendas.

Just like Jesus, Who had said ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.’ (Matthew7:15-20), the Apostle Paul speaks the truth to these men & he speaks it to their faces. He gives them an I-told-you-so statement for reference, then lo & behold, when The Lord Jesus Christ Himself drops them a line in Revelation, it seems that some of the elders had taken Paul’s strong words of Apostolic admonition.

The Apostle Peter gave no quarter either. He had heard The Lord speak those words concerning false prophets & told The Church quite clearly, ‘... there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.’ (2^ndPeter2:1-3). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? Peter is telling it straight as he writes his epistle, inspired by The Holy Spirit.

Despite these [& other] warnings given to us in God’s Word, some of us still find ourselves dazzled & hypnotised by men [& women] who make extravagant claims to & even more extravagant demands of, us. Just like Judas, it seems that EVERYTHING comes down to money. Do you want to be blessed? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want to be healed? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want the latest revelation? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want to be a part of what God is doing? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Go to the ‘phone with your credit card details & it’s all yours!

Do you know what it means to be viewed & treated as a mere commodity? Do you know what it is to be viewed & treated as a means to an end? ‘And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.’

The prosperity message is a biblical one. It’s biblical in that Scripture contains references to prosperity. However, does The Bible teach us that God will bless us financially in return for our giving money to ministries? Does The Bible teach us a ‘law’ of prosperity? No, it does not. If we listen to some proponents of that message today, we will have another impression though. We will be told something completely different to that which Scripture actually says. These men [& women] preach & teach a false gospel. They are greedy dogs who are never satisfied & they will lie to you in order to tease money out of your pocket into theirs.

Covetousness.

Feigned words.

Merchandising.

This is their stock-in-trade & yet despite the wagging finger of God throughout His Word, hundreds, thousands & millions of believers fall for the rhetoric of these evil, seductive, deceitful workers. They fall for it hook, line, sinker, fisherman, boots n’all. Lord have mercy.

I really like what Paul says to the Corinthians in his second epistle to them. He tells them straight, declaring [that] ‘…what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion…’ (2^ndCorinthians11:12a). What was it that the Apostle was doing & was determined to continue doing? What was the occasion or opportunity that he wanted to ‘..cut off..’ from the infamous ‘..them..’ he refers to? This theme is threaded throughout his epistle. This appears time & time again as he hints at, alludes to & then bluntly points these individuals out as false apostles, deceitful workers & ministers of satan himself. How unloving & judgemental of Paul. I had another look at what the Apostle stated before making his statements in verses 12-15.

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.  (2^ndCorinthians11:1-11).

It’s after these statements that Paul says ‘..y’know what you Saints down there in good old Corrie, I love you lots & I do what I do & will continue to do what I do in order to chop the legs out from under those lot you’ve been giving your tithes, offerings, time, attention & energy to, so that they end up even as we are..’. Extremely bad paraphrase mine.

Those who we listen to more readily that we do to our own God-ordained leadership, are not jealous over us with a godly jealousy. They are NOT. It’s my opinion & belief that Paul said the same things that he’d said to the Ephesian eldership, to every church he established, ‘..guys, as soon as I’m out the of here, I know that there are going to be wolves sniffing around the door & some of you are going to go nuts too..’. Again, the extremely bad paraphrase is mine. He spoke to the Galatians concerning another gospel. Here, he admonishes the Corinthians concerning another Jesus, another spirit & another gospel. Didn’t they stop to check what was being taught to them? Didn’t anyone ask questions? Didn’t they remember anything Paul had said?

Paul reiterates in words what his manner of life had demonstrated & it is diametrically opposed to that of the ‘super-apostles’ who had swept through town, captivating the hearts & minds of those willing to listen. Lord have mercy. Where are those who will swing the crosier in order to fend off predators today? Where are those who will oversee their flocks & see off internal power struggles, or see the wolf coming & stand to defend the sheep instead of running like a cowardly hireling? It is a travesty, an indictment, a shame & a disgrace that there seem to be more wolves than ever, attempting to steal, kill & destroy & fewer true shepherds than ever, who will jealously guard the flocks over which The Lord has made them overseers.

Paul continues to pour his heart out, saying, ‘..I won you to Christ, I won you for Christ. You lot are in danger of becoming a bunch of nutcases & going down the same road as Eve if you allow yourselves to be deceived by the devil into abandoning the simplicity that you’ve found in Jesus. Why do you put up with these idiots who preach such demonstrably false claptrap..’. Yes, the paraphrasing is shameful, I know, but bear with me in my folly.

Paul continues, saying, ‘..when these blokes come along teaching & preaching another completely different Jesus, another completely different spirit & another completely different gospel, y’all willingly roll over, nod away & put up with it. Goodness me, what’s wrong with you? I’m not in any way, shape, form or fashion inferior to those flimsy charlatans & even though I might be a bit rough in the way I speak, there’s nowt wrong with what I know & teach..’. By the way, when Paul refers to these men as ‘..the chiefest apostles..’, it isn’t a compliment.

Just stop & think for a moment. Stop & think about what The Holy Spirit is saying through Paul to the Corinthians & to us by extension. Y’see, the very same thing has happened in our day & age because we’re just as stupid. Because of our itching ears, we like to hear new things. Doctrine is so boring & study is so inconveniently time consuming. Prayer is so labour intensive. If only there were some way of simplifying the whole process so that we didn’t have to put as much time & energy into… hmmmm.

Before you & I know it, we’re reading books & watching DVDs by so-& so, who teaches such-&-such, offering their keys to unlocking the things of God & steps to guaranteed success. All of these ‘principles’ are available for a love gift of any amount. Just go to the ‘phone or pop your money into an envelope & God will bless you thirty, sixty or a hundredfold. Covetousness. What’s even more distressing is the fact that we’re blinded to their avarice by our own! We drift away from sound, biblical Doctrine & we begin consuming the detritus of men [& women] who simply don’t care for the flock of God & see The Church as a means to an end.

Most of these people couldn’t run a hotdog stand outside in the street, but they can readily employ theatrics, wax lyrical & drizzle their eloquence in order to rinse a few quid out of the you & I. Feigned words. Lies. Paul tells The Church at Corinth, ‘..we’re not like those lot, we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.’. 

He then goes on to catalogue the difference between himself, a true Apostle & those others, the ‘super-apostles’. He says, ‘..have I done something wrong by going without so that you can be lifted up & so that I could preach the Gospel to you for nothing? I feel as if it was robbery to accept money from churches just so that I could continue serving you & even when I was there & needed stuff I didn’t raise an offering. As a matter of fact, the guys down the road in Macedonia sorted me out, not you. I didn’t give anyone a bill. No one reimbursed me. I wasn’t a burden then & I never will be. Hand on heart, no one is going to top me or stop me blowing my trumpet because of my track record. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do, ya dummies!’.

The ‘super-apostles’ then & the false teachers now, are exactly the same. They are diametrically opposed to true Apostleship. They exalt themselves, they don’t preach the Gospel freely, they’re chargeable to all men wherever they go. They don’t consider it robbery to take their extortionate wages or exploit their compensation packages. Indeed, they view it as a right & a privilege. They are a financial burden, because when the money slows down or stops coming in altogether, it’s YOU they reach out to. Their dear friends & dear partners have to bail them out. Why don’t they practise what they preach? If what they teach & preach is true, they ought to believe God instead of sending out begging letters & making appeals for cash. Why don’t they sell their houses & downsize? YOUR money pays their salary. YOUR money pays for their homes. YOUR money pays their expenses. YOUR money. Why don't you open your eyes? These are all rhetorical questions. They’re making merchandise of you.

After saying all of that, Paul quite clearly makes his statement, telling the Corinthians that he does what he does & will continue to do what he does, in order to remove opportunity from those who seek the opportunity to equate themselves with true Apostolic ministry. Sadly, there are few who will do this today. We bear with these fools & suffer their insufferable deceits gladly. We give them occasion. We believe their boasts with no proof whatsoever of their validity & we give them our money. As long as we allow ourselves to be victimised, lied to, robbed blind, manipulated & deceived, these people will continue to prey without ceasing. 

Prosperity Mythology and the Systematic Robbery of The Saints Part One: Apostles and Profits

apostles & profits

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant (Isaiah56:9-12).

Y’know, it’s extremely easy to thumb through The Bible & find passages like this one, where the Prophet of God is ‘Going the Full Steven’ & flame-throwing everyone with nuclear rebukes. It’s very tasty reading for those [who, like me, often] have a proverbial bee in their bonnet. However, The Lord has graciously shown me some things recently, some of which I will share in this series of articles, nevertheless, there is an extremely serious issue bearing down upon The Church right now. God still has His Prophets. They still have their flame-throwers. Despite that though brethren, you & I must go back to The Bible.

The bulk of our modern Charismatic & [some of our] Pentecostal understanding, concerning modern ministry within The Church, comes from Word-of-Faith teachers such as Kenneth E. Hagin. His literature on ‘The Ministry Gifts’ & in particular his book ‘He Gave Gifts Unto Men’, as well as much of his other preaching & teaching, have become staples for multiplied hundreds of Church-based-Bible-school-curricula throughout the world. It is Kenneth Hagin who has popularised some of what we see & much of what is believed in The Charismatic/Pentecostal Church today. https://youtu.be/dfGHw9uuXQo.

*I’ve never understood why believers are charged stupid sums of money to study subject matter that any Pastor worth his salt ought to teach his congregation for FREE, but then again, given the nature of our discussion here & the quality of the teaching in question, it’s clear that it’s the production, packaging & propaganda that folk being charged for. The content is largely worthless. There, I actually said it.

In Paul’s day, he had to contend with the so-called Super Apostles & the false doctrine they peddled. He also had to deal with believers who had subscribed to their erroneous mythologies …& so it remains to this day. The vagueness of modern teaching has left HUGE scope for error within The Church & these gaps have been filled by opportunists who have taken it upon themselves to claim everything from Old Apostolic Succession to New Apostolic Reformation. Hagin writes, in his book ‘He Gave Gifts Unto Men’:

'In the 1987 visitation, Jesus began talking about the office of the apostle. He said, "There are four ranks or classes of apostle. And  within these different classes or ranks, apostles can have different degrees or measures of anointing."

Jesus continued, "There are not only different classes of apostles, but there are also different classes of prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. And there are different degrees of anointings within these different classes." Italics mine, bad punctuation theirs. 

Huh? Is that it? Right there in those paragraphs you will find the licence that some have used to build their own type of ministry, claiming that they’re chosen to be anything from Prophetic Pastors to Apostolic Teachers. How easily an ego is substituted for a calling & how seldom anyone notices the difference.

Somehow, ‘Apostolic Ministry’ has become the place to be, but in reality, this trend is nothing more or less than a glorified pyramid scheme. There is always one person at the top enriching themselves at the expense of everyone else below them & exercising an authority that does not belong to them in an office of ministry to which they aren’t called. No man [or woman] is meant to take this honour unto themselves (Hebrews5:4) & yet we see increasing numbers of so-called ministers doing just that. These people consolidate their position with a blatant misuse of Scripture & a flagrant misappropriation of [& substantial claims to] the use of the gifts of The Holy Spirit.

The claim to Apostleship is very much en vogue right now, but I’m not quite sure whether those who are making their claims are being clever, or those who believe & follow them are being downright daft.

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews3:1).

The preeminent Apostle to Whom we look as an example, is The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is The One sent by The Father. He is the One Who calls, equips & sends others in His stead. He is The One from whom men receive grace & Apostleship (Romans1:5). He is The One who gave that ministry to The Church, among other ministries. However, the offices belong to Him exclusively. Sadly, there are those who believe that these offices of service in ministry belong to them. They do not. The age of the Super Apostle is upon us once again.

This is where things become both a little sticky & unglued at the same time. Some men [& women] have hung their hats on the job title, but have paid little or no attention to the actual job description. Y’see, we can all agree that an Apostle is one who is ‘sent’ [go ahead & check it out in whatever Bible dictionary, concordance or lexicon you have lying around], but, some have taken that very broad definition & have run away down the street with it, before looking any further. This has caused one or two wee problems historically & alarmingly those same problems are on the rise within The Church once again.

From a plain reading of my Bible, I see that an Apostle is not simply one who is sent. Anyone can pop up & claim to be ‘sent’ to do this thing, that thing, or the other, which they often do! An Apostle is one who is sent specifically, by someone specific, to accomplish & complete something in specificity that only they can do, according to the will of God. This is true of all service in ministry. This is seen throughout Scripture. There is a calling to. Then there is a sending forth. This [I believe personally] is why Paul specifically identifies himself as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, not of men, neither by the will of man, because there are those who claim to be Apostles & they are not. They are liars (Revelation2:2). They are false & they are deceitful workers (2^ndCorinthians11:14). The question ‘from where do the Super Apostles take their lead?’ has to be asked & answered.

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry (1^stTimothy1:12).

*Interestingly enough, Paul begins his discourse to Timothy by saying that he was an Apostle, by the commandment of God (vs.1). He continues his exhortation, reminding Timothy, his son in the faith (vs.2) that he had beseeched him to stay in Ephesus for doctrinal reasons. Ephesus is significant to this discussion. Modern ministers enjoy citing Paul’s writings to buttress their claims to ‘Apostolic Ministry’, but they have none of the qualifications, none of the love of The Gospel, none of the burden for The Church & none of the necessary chutzpah, even though their propaganda paints them as men [& women] of God. The Ephesian Church tried those who held claims Apostleship & found them to be LIARS (Revelation2:2). We must do the same & we will find many who are liars today.

In 1985 I attended a meeting in Birmingham, England where Buddy Harrison was speaking. Harrison was owner of Harrison House, publishers of Kenneth Hagin’s Faith Library materials & perhaps coincidentally happened to Hagin’s be son-in-law. Anyway, it was at this meeting that I first caught a glimpse of what was later to be construed [or rather misconstrued] as ‘Apostolic Ministry’.

Mr. Harrison wasn’t the first to do what I’m about to describe, but with the popular messages of ‘faith’, ‘healing’ & ‘prosperity’ in hand, his connections & closeness to Rhema Bible Training Centre [Hagin’s ministry] & his access to popular word-of-faith speakers, he launched his brand of church. This was Faith Christian Fellowship. Like an eager little Beaver, I joined the queue to speak to Pastor Buddy after the service & I asked him whether he had any churches in England. He did. He even had a fellowship in my native Leicester. This fellowship has been defunct for several years.

‘Apostolic Ministry’ goes a little something like this. If you’re sitting comfortably, I’ll begin.

According to the popularised Charismatic/Pentecostal dogma, one never starts out in ministry as an Apostle. This may very well be the case, but it may equally be the case that individuals aren’t called to be Apostles [in the biblical sense] at all. However, this small technicality is easily circumnavigated thus; you don’t have to be an Apostle to have an ‘Apostolic Ministry’. Given the vagueness of the definitions ‘The Lord’ gave to Kenneth Hagin, there has been scope for many to invent & reinvent themselves, insinuating their particular ministries into whatever ‘class’ they choose.

For instance, a man may graduate from a certain Bible school, having successfully circled the correct answers on his multiple-choice exams. He begins a fellowship or Bible study group in his home. For the sake of argument, let’s call it ‘gimme-your-money-&-blindly-believe-me-ministries’. As he teaches his popular messages of ‘faith’, ‘prosperity’ & ‘healing’, learned faithfully by rote in said Bible school, the group grows. They lease premises. They continue to grow. They buy property. They continue to grow. Maybe there’s a scandal & some folk leave, but the group grows further. Soon, the headcount is in the hundreds, including those who have left other fellowships & jumped on the bandwagon, so the spiritual experiment is taken to another location & reproduced. It works. The experiment is multiplied. It works again & again & again. There are high-fives echoing across the nation as this chain of fellowships grows in number & influence.

At best, you have a man-made denomination [even though all concerned will describe themselves as ‘non-denominational’], but sadly the worst-case-scenario & the one that is closer to reality than some will care to admit, is that you have a brand, you have a franchise & a trend. These things have to be properly managed, packaged, marketed & sold. Don’t take my word for it though, Buddy explains it better than I. http://www.fcf.org/index.php/i-m-new/history.

“Faith Christian Fellowship International began as a local church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In November 1977, the Lord spoke to Co-Founders Buddy and Pat Harrison: “Go back to Tulsa, start a family church, a Bible teaching center, and a world outreach.” They obeyed God and started the church in January 1978. The church grew rapidly and by the end of its second year was averaging more than 1,900 members. FCF of Tulsa was one of the first Word of Faith churches in the area. During this time, the Word of Faith movement exploded through men and women of God in Tulsa. The Lord used the Harrisons to start a great revival of God’s Word and the Supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit. From FCF of Tulsa, men and women went throughout the nation and around the world starting churches and Bible schools, and they looked to the Harrisons for leadership. In 1981, while the Harrisons were in Jerusalem with Dr. Lester Sumrall, the Lord told them that they were to “pastor pastors and minister to ministers.” This led Buddy and Pat to begin the International Office that today helps more than 500 churches and 1,000 ministers worldwide. FCF has resident ministry in 41 nations. In addition to churches around the world, FCF family members also have Bible schools, orphanages and various humanitarian outreaches. When Buddy Harrison went home to be with the Lord on November 28, 1998, Pat Harrison assumed full responsibility for leading the FCF family. Men and women who have many years of ministerial experience assist her in fulfilling the vision and mission of FCF.”

That’s ‘Apostolic Ministry’ in a nutshell. I can hear some of you rolling your eyes & asking the logical question, ‘what’s wrong with that?’. Well, as you’ve asked me ever so politely, I’ll tell you. It isn’t what I see that bothers me; it’s what I don’t see.

*A HUGE part of the problem is the vagueness there is within modern teaching concerning the offices of ministerial service given to The Church by Jesus Christ. Please note, I said the vagueness within the teaching, not the vagueness within The Scriptures. This ambiguity has produced any number of variations on a theme & herein lies the clear & present danger. Certain individuals claim to have an ‘Apostolic Ministry’, or have that designation conferred upon them by others, but they are not Apostles. To all intents & purposes they are like security guards who would never make the grade as Police officers, but want to pretend that they’re coppers.

Every new fellowship that our [hypothetical] minister at ‘gimme-your-money-&-blindly-believe-me-ministries’ opens, is owned by him, but operated by someone else. He can’t be in more than one location at a time, to be fair. Not unless he installs huge screens at each new location, or pays for television airtime, which allows him to scam his viewers with some of the worst manipulation techniques known to mankind. Anyway, I digress. This [hypothetical] someone else, pays an annual fee to have their credentials issued by ‘gimme-your-money-&-blindly-believe-me-ministries’ & in return for their money & loyalty, they receive permission to use the organisation’s branding & logo. Oh, I almost forgot that typically they have to give ‘gimme-your-money-&-blindly-believe-me-ministries’ a wee kickback every month. Now let me see, what’s it called? Ah yes, a tithe.

So, the guy who sits pretty at the top of the pyramid scheme starts other churches & gets a cut of their profits every month. He then provides an ‘Apostolic’ covering for his fellowships [even though he’s not an Apostle] & settles into his role as if he had just walked out of the pages of one of Hagin’s books. He’s a success in terms of his theology, but I have a teeny-weeny problem with this.

Y’see brethren, I don’t care what Hagin said ‘Jesus’ told him in his 1987 vision. WHY DID THE LORD WAIT FOR ONE-THOUSAND-NINE-HUNDRED-&-EIGHTY-SEVEN-YEARS IN ORDER TO REVEAL WHAT HE SUPPOSEDLY SHARED EXCLUSIVELY WITH HAGIN IN AN EXTRA-BIBLICAL-REVELATION? If Jesus is speaking, it counts as Scripture. I care what Scripture says & it says NOTHING about a bloke starting a franchise & calling it a church or ministry. However, Scripture has a lot to say about a man being called to serve The Church sacrificially, for Christ’s Name & for the sake of The Gospel. Unfortunately, our dear friends at [the hypothetical] ‘gimme-your-money-&-blindly-believe-me-ministries’ are alive & well & some of us have been, or are, caught up in their schemes.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians4:7-15).

The Ephesian Church was commended by The Lord for trying those who claimed Apostleship, saying to them, ‘.. thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars (Revelation2:2). Evidently, the elders of The Church had taken Paul’s admonition in Acts chapter 20 seriously enough to act on it. We ought to too.

In Acts chapter 20, Paul called the elders at Ephesus together & he clearly demonstrated an Apostolic quality that does not exist among those claiming Apostleship today. Read the account for yourself in Acts20:17-38. He poured his heart & life out to them then as he had done for three years. If you blink, you may miss it. For me personally, this is easily one of the most moving portions of Scripture that I have ever read & I continue to read regularly.

Why have we swung so wide of the mark when God’s Word lays these things out for us so plainly? Why have men claimed that The Lord has told them things which He clearly has not? Men [& women] have engineered powerful positions for themselves, made a lot of money out of & exercised great influence over the flock of God. Where is their humility of mind? Where are their tears? Where is their burden for The Church? Where is their passion for The Gospel? Instead of these things being present in their lives & ministries we see nothing more or less than an exploited opportunity for self-aggrandisement. They have their reward.

Paul loved the Ephesian brethren. They knew him & observed the way he lived. He warned them. He wrote to them concerning many doctrinal truths & instructed them about the necessity of recognising these offices of service in ministry. Ephesians chapter 4 is not about hierarchy. Could it possibly be the case that Paul gave The Church at Ephesus [& us by extension] the criteria by which they [& us by extension] could try those claiming to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors & Teachers? I’m simply asking a question. By the way, Ephesians chapter 4 begins at verse 1, not verse 11. Just saying.

Today in the modern era ‘Apostolic Ministry’ is simply about the ability to propagate a popular message. This leads to fellowships being started & built upon the message being preached. In the good old days it was about Christ & His Gospel but now it is not. The man [or woman] preaching the message is the draw. They’re the hub. Sooner or later these folks become bored & begin believing their own press. One minute they’re a Pastor, the next they’re a Super Apostle. With all the aggression of a fast-food chain’s marketing campaign & a budget to match, McDoctrine & Kentucky Fried Christianity have spread like a wasting disease through The Church. Anything goes. Anyone follows.

Paul told the Ephesian elders, ‘Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.’ (Acts20:18-19). He told the Corinthians, ‘I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.’ (1^stCorinthians4:16-16). He also besought them, by the ‘..meekness and gentleness of Christ..’ (2^ndCorinthians10:1).

To The Church in Thessalonica the Apostle Paul wrote, ‘For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness: nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: as ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory (1^stThessalonians2:5-12).

Where is the humility of mind that Paul displayed? Where is the meekness & gentleness of Christ? Where is the fatherly concern? Where is the willingness to work so that The Church isn’t burdened? Today, in modern ministerial trends these qualities are nowhere to be seen in those who lay claim to Apostleship & to ‘Apostolic Ministry’.

So, let’s do the maths here for a second. According to the commonly & popularly accepted dogma, if you’re called to be an Apostle you don’t start out as one. You progress from another office of ministry. However, you’ll be an Apostle in the 4^th class. Jesus is an Apostle in the 1^st class. The 12 were Apostles of The Lamb in the 2^nd class. Paul & other Apostles who weren’t part of the original 12, but who laid foundations [& also did a couple of other minor things like write Scripture & Doctrine], are Apostles in the 3^rd class. Church planting missionaries who carry The Gospel to the ends of the Earth today, or as far as their funding allows, are Apostles in the 4^th class. Got that?

If we continue with our equation, we’ll see that there are gaping holes in what Jesus [is supposed to have] told Mr. Hagin. However, we’ll come to these questions as we move through this series of blogs.

Beyond this, there are those who don’t claim to be Apostles but rather say that their ministry is Apostolic in its bent. So, they’re like an Apostle but they’re not an Apostle. They do Apostolic stuff but they’re not  …Apostles. Confused? Me too. Either you’re an Apostle or you’re not. As for the other nonsense of claiming to have an ‘Apostolic Ministry’ without being an actual Apostle is like saying ‘I’m not an idiot, I just have idiotic aspects to my life. Give me a break. It all comes down to certain men [& women] making a platform themselves, making a name for themselves & making a handsome living. Apostles & Profits are the order of the day.