Monday Morning Insights

Photo of Todd
    .

    It’s Getting Really Weird Out There…

    Bookmark and Share

    How would you feel if your pastor announced from the pulpit that he had uncovered a ?new revelation? in the Bible? His discovery: That a church leader can have more than one wife.

    Hopefully, you and everyone in the building would run, not walk, out of that church and never come back until the pastor had been replaced. But I am afraid too many of us gullible charismatics might stay in the pews?and eventually give the guy a standing ovation plus a $10,000 love offering.

    That?s how strange it is getting out there. Something has gone terribly wrong in our movement. Everywhere I turn I find that leaders of so-called Spirit-filled churches are making bizarre choices that compromise basic Christian integrity. Some examples:

    We can all say together: ?Eeeuuuwww!?

    What has triggered this madness? The devil is working overtime, yet our discernment is at an all-time low. Satan?s tactics are more brazen than ever. We might as well let him walk into church on Sunday morning and give him the microphone.

    We?ve been bewitched. What matters to us today are the carnal things. We want flash, bang and the wow factor. If a person can shout loud enough and get everyone to swoon at the altar, we don?t care how he or she lives at home. Morality is irrelevant.

    In 2000 Charisma reported that charismatic preacher Clarence McClendon had divorced his wife of 16 years, Tammera McClendon, and married another woman after only seven days. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Earl Paulk, founder of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Atlanta. Several prominent ministers attended the wedding, lending their endorsement to McClendon?s actions.

    Tammera McClendon later informed Charisma that Clarence had told her while they were married that God had already shown him the woman who would replace her as his wife.

    McClendon left his denomination, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, after his divorce became public. He began a new church, Full Harvest International Church, which currently meets in Gardena, California. His preaching is aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and he was a featured guest on TBN?s Praise the Lord program last week.

    In fact, McClendon collected the offering during the network?s annual telethon. When I turned on the program and saw him raising money, I stared in disbelief.

    How did we get in this pitiful condition? The very pulpits of America have become defiled because we are unwilling to confront sin. We are playing political games when the very health of the church is at stake.

    Some Christians write letters to me saying: ?The Bible says we shouldn?t judge. Sure these leaders have stumbled, but no one is perfect. We need to forgive.?

    What Bible are these people reading? Mine says plainly that it is our responsibility to judge sin in the church. Of course we forgive, but forgiveness does not involve putting a preacher back on stage the next week if he just had a serious moral failure.

    When the apostle Paul learned that a man was living in an immoral relationship with his father?s wife, he tore into the situation with a vengeance. He said: ?Are you not to judge those inside [the church]? Expel the wicked person from among you.?

    Those are not politically correct words, but they were spoken by a true apostle. If we want a restoration of genuine, apostolic Christianity in our generation, we need to dispense with the craziness and initiate some apostolic confrontation.

    ---

    Well said.

    Todd

    There are some interesting things happening in the church today, especially in the charismatic/pentecostal camps.  Recently, J. Lee Grady, the editor Charisma Magazine (who is within that camp himself) wrote this in an email newsletter:  In many charismatic ministries today, basic Christian morality has been hijacked…

    Comments

    if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.

    1. John Shaul on Tue, November 15, 2005

      I agree with the author of this article. I think that we as Christians really need to also start inspecting our “Christian” programming as well. If they are going to continually be putting people on the air that are committing these kinds of travisties in the church, then we as a Christian people need to tell them that we’ve had enough of their shananagans. It’s programs like TBN that have, unfortunately given the term Christian a bad name. People see these hypocrites on their programs and then automatically view all Christians in the same or similar light. I say that we need to boycott TBN and other stations that put frauds on TV like Benny Hinn and pastor McClendon. I have grown to see TBN as one of the leaders in apostasy.

    2. Peter Hamm on Tue, November 15, 2005

      I think it might be a little hasty to assume that these kinds of things only happen in the charismatic/pentecostal camp, though. When we achieve positions of power, we become capable of amazingly disturbing things like this.


      Accountability people. If you don’t have it, GET IT, and if your church leader doesn’t have it and won’t get it, SOMETIMES it’s time for you to move on.


      Peter

    3. Dan Moore on Tue, November 15, 2005

      Weird is not accurate.  Apostate is far better.  I used to subscribe to Charisma and its ministry magazine but quit after reading profile after profile of pastors of “mega-churches” who had obviously been divorced at least once.  They were lauded for their leadership but no mention of why they were still in ministry (I can excuse a pastor who divorced an adulterous wife, but an adulterous pastor who is still ministering - not good for the flock). 

      I have some solid friends who are ministers in charismatic/pentecostal churches.  Even they are concerned about what passes as “new revelation” as they suspect it is smoke screen for personal sin and immorality.


      I’m a Baptist and we have our own problems and challenges.  My prayers are with you.

       

    4. Terry Hollifield on Wed, November 16, 2005

      I think the key to these things was listed in the first part of the article.  The words “new revelation” say a lot.  Having grown up in a petecostal/holiness church I have seen gross distortions of and at times complete addtions to Scripture by these so called new revelations.

      The danger is that we have allowed the Word of God to become like Silly Putty in our hands.  We mold it and shape it into the meaning that is appropriate to us at the time. Context and original intent of what God had to say have gone by the way-side.


      If we taught our people how to study the Bible with just some very basic hermenuetics, they could see these things coming.

       

    5. Peter Hamm on Wed, November 16, 2005

      Terry said “If we taught our people how to study the Bible with just some very basic hermenuetics, they could see these things coming.”


      YES! Terry, that is SO true. I have spent a LOT of time among Pentecostals and Charismatics (there IS a difference…) and I haven’t seen quite the abuses that this article spoke of, so there are some “goodies” out there.

      But if we read the Bible and teach others to with an eye towards letting God’s Word interpret God’s Word instead of looking for the “next new thing” in “new revelation” we will be so much better off.


      Training our congregations to do this is not so hard! Let’s DO IT!

       

      Blessings!


      Peter

       

    6. Phil Hoover-Chicago on Wed, November 16, 2005

      Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, saints!


      I’m a Pentecostal through and through….and we are absolutely disgusted by some of the things passed off as “spiritual revelation.”


      But these problems are spread throughout the Body of Christ—not just the Pentecostal and Charismatic circles.

      And yes, we must pay attention to it.

       

    7. chris on Wed, November 16, 2005

      Pointing out the most extreme examples of spirit-filled churches and putting labels on it bears no fruit. Since the beginning of the church there has been abuses. Read the book of Corinthians.  These cases represent the utmost extreme cases of spirit-filled churches.  The thousands of spirit-filled leaders and churches with strong moral leaders and balanced healthy congregations should not be put in the same boat.  Of course there should be accountability.  People vote with their feet. Love hopes all things.  What about Jack Hayford, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, TD Jakes, etc.  Religious people attack our camp enough without our help.

      Worldwide there are more “spirit-filled” believers than all other Protestants combined.


      Chris


      Atlanta

       

    8. Teressa on Wed, November 16, 2005

      There is no doubt these leaders need to lead by example and with passion and humility, however, we have our own responsibility toward them also. We can not just leave them to hear and repeat a word to the body. As a body we need to do our part. We should all come together with a part of ministry. We need to be pray without ceasing, we need to pray daily for those that are in authority. We must pick up the weapons of warfare and intercede for these men and woman of God. We don’t need to participate with the accuser of the brethen we need to restore such a one. Forgive them, walk in repentance, and restore them. Yes, we need to hold them accountable. Yes, they should sit down, and repent when in error. We however could make their journey as leaders less temptational if we were rising every morning interceding for them, ourselves, and our families. Pray therefore, and fight the good fight of faith.

      Teressa

       

    9. Pete King on Wed, November 16, 2005

      Being Pentecostal myself this post saddens me. As much as I love and believe that Pentecostalism is real, it seems that “our kind” fail to follow, and live God’s word. I don’t want to get on a huge topic of what I view as “Pentecostal” here but for those of us who believe that the manifestations of the Spirit is still active today we cringe when another story comes out that makes us look like a bunch of emotionally crazed people with nothing more than a vision on our lips and giggle in our hips. I hope that I never reflect that kind of image ever. Truth is, I am trying my best to diffuse such stereotypes. I hope and pray that I am sharing my faith in a Godly way. I need to stop now. Ranting is for the fool who says too much. God bless.

    10. Amanda Hayes on Thu, November 17, 2005

      Come on people!  Half of my life has been in Pentecostal church and the other half has been Southern Baptist.  Before I became a stay at home mom, I worked for the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  I know there are some crazy Pentescostals out there.  I have attended churches where I am asked if I have the “Holy Ghost”?  I have seen people “Fall out”, be “Slain in The Spirit” ot whatever else they call these experiences.  I have heard the Pastors say radical things.  I have even been there when a guest Prophet is in town and the church allows this dude to “Speak Over” people!  It is insane at times! We actually left that denomination for many reasons. BUT, I have been in Southern Baptist Churches where other extremes take place.  I no longer attend a Penecostal church but it is a part of my spiritual DNA and I truly belive that many Baptists out there love to dog on Pentecostals.  So, yes I think that this article posted is factual and I agree with you.  But, there is just as much crazy in other denominations if not more.  Is it our job to expose?  Maybe.  But be careful because my family just left a church plant a while ago that the Pastor said horrible things about Joel Osteen to members of the church.  This church also was freaked out when they found out that a woman used verbage such as , “Satan we come against you…” while she was praying for a woman that had sever emotional issues. Oh and laying hands on someone while you pray for them?  NOT ALLOWED!  I found that out when I placed my hand on a lady’s back while I prayed for her.  I didn’t have annointing oil, I didn’t start speaking in toungues but I was told not to lay hands!  The associate pastor even told members of the church that phrophecy was dead and people did not have the gift of phrophecy.  Oh and the Pastor found out about a couple who left the church and visited a new one down the road and decided to call that couple of and bash the Pastor.  So, you know there are EXTREMES every where!

    11. bernie dehler on Thu, November 17, 2005

      Right on, Amanda, I’ve also participated on both sides.  The middle is best.


      ...Bernie

    12. Beggers on Fri, November 18, 2005

      Amen, Pete! 


      The post is catching me at a “weeping for our sad state of being” moment. I’m grieved by so much of this.  

      It’s sad but not surprising when Tom Cruise,  Mark McGuire, Donald Trump (or the celebrity of choice) do some stupid, sinful thing.  Yet it is even more tragic when a Christian leader in the lime light has their sin publically displayed.  In the harsh court of public opinion, it reflects badly on, not just that individual, but Christians in general and more importantly, Christ specfically.


      I doubt many of us would hold up under the the intense glare of the media spotlight revealing on our sin.


      Still, those in leadership need to be acountable, take time to recover, repent and be restored before ministering again in a cautious and responsible (high accountablity) manner.  I would think this applies to all levels of leadership and “levels” of sin.

       

      Since it sometimes seems to be “open season” on Christians, it is disgraceful that we provide them with so much ammo.

       

    13. ld on Fri, November 18, 2005

      It is getting really weird out here! How about joining a church that won’t allow speaking in tongues during services and yet years later you find out that their main form of pastorial counseling is expelling demons after the pastor talks to them and sends them to the pit of fire or binds them in chains? This ministry does not believe in physical healing and also has a member of the worship team living with someone 20 years younger than him. The church does not allow women to attend if their non-believing husband doesn’t want them too although they have 3 teenagers interested in being a part of the church. This seems crazy to me and where is Christ in all of this? One woman felt as though her head would start spinning aound during church after she talked to one of the pastors.  It has been heard during church services to ask the angels for guidance and where in Scripture does it say that? I believe we are entering the last days and that we must more dilligently study the scripture as more and more false teachers enter the flock to devour us. Thanks for the rant!

    14. Fred on Mon, November 28, 2005

      The issue here is not isolated to a denomination, but to a complete failure to recognize the Word of God as the final and valid authority for Christian living and conduct. As earlier stated, too many have molded and shaped scripture to create a palatable doctrine instead of seeking to live within the will of God as outlined in them. There could be no other result but failure, moral or otherwise.

      We have spent the last decade or so teaching about integrity and it has become a veiled disguise for “don’t do anything to make you/I/us look bad.” Whatever happened to holiness? (Heb. 12:14) Integrity has no power to destroy the works of the flesh or to sustain a commitment to righteousness, but holiness relies upon the Spirit of God for all things.


      This is not a denoninational problem although we see certain trends and patterns within each denomination. This is a people problem because every organization at its core is people. The organization/church can only be as strong as its people. If they give place to sin, sin has a place amongst them.


      Also, someone said it before: We are called to judge and to make a distinction of what is wrong and right. That is what the Word of God says (1 Pet. 4:17-19). If there is no difference then what is the purpose of salvation? What does the sinner need it for? Why Christ?


      We have much to pray for.

       

    15. Page 1 of 1 pages

      Post a Comment

    16. (will not be published)

      Remember my personal information

      Notify me of follow-up comments?

    Sponsors