True Discernment

from Slice of Laodicea:

As Christians does it matter at what conferences we speak? In the unlikely event that I’m asked to speak at a white supremacist conference, a lesbian pride rally, a wiccan convention, or a feminist gathering, should I accept the invitation? Would it be Christ-honoring for me to allow my grinning mugshot to appear alongside that of the First Grand Wizard of some KKK terrorist in a white hood? How about my photo next to the President of NARAL, the abortion rights group? In the spiritual realm, how about me appearing at a New Spirituality gathering? After all, I would share the Gospel, right? I could stand there at the podium amidst all the unicorn horns strapped on people’s heads, all the turbans of the muftis and the yogis and share my Bible-based views on spirituality along with theirs. Would that be a great opportunity or a great confusion to those who hear I am speaking along with the Dali Lama ? I’m talking about organized events here, gatherings of people of one religious belief or another.

Ray Comfort is a brother in the Lord who I have greatly appreciated. He has made, however, the decision to participate in conferences with Word of Faith heretics. He has done this more than once. His claim is that he will go anywhere to speak. In theory, that sounds great. “I’ll go anywhere with the Gospel.” But in reality, when there is so much confusion and so many false teachers today, that philosophy in practice can be problematic. Take, for example, Ray’s speaking at this upcoming conference, July 13-20, with health and wealth heretics, Jesse Duplantis, Rod Parsley, John Avanzini, and several others. Here are some quotes from the same.

“I’ve never had the Lord say, ‘Jesse, I think that car is a little bit too nice.’ I’ve had vehicles and the Lord said, ‘Would you please go park that at your house. Don’t put that in front of my house. I don’t want people to think that I’m a poor God.’” (Jesse Duplantis, “When Will We Yield To The Anointing of Wealth II,” April 10, 2005)

Jesse Duplantis: “People told me, ‘Well, they say, Jesus was poor.’ When was He poor? I would like to know when He was poor. Well, He was born in a stable. Why? Why was He born in a stable? Because that short, deaf lady lost their reservation. He couldn’t get into the inn. Think about that for a minute…And He had 12 full time people on His staff. Some were married and He took care of them. He had 70 part timers. You don’t gamble for rags Marcus.”
Marcus Lamb: “Yeah.”
Jesse Duplantis: “You don’t gamble for rags. You gamble for some clothes that cost. Don’t you? He wanted a donkey that had never been rode. As I said earlier, ‘You might want a car that has never been drove.’
Marcus Lamb: “He had a full time treasurer on staff.”
Jesse Duplantis: “That’s right! And stole for three years and the other guys didn’t know about it.”
Joni Lamb: “And wise men came to see Him.”
Jesse Duplantis: “That’s right! I mean He wasn’t three minutes on the ground and the three wise guys are looking for Him with what? Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Let me tell you something, this concept that Jesus was in poverty is totally wrong!” (Jesse Duplantis, Marcus Lamb, and Joni Lamb, Daystar Fall, “Share-A-Thon,” September 15, 2004)

“If I give $1,000 dollars I deserve to get back $100,000 because I am just, that’s not greed!” (Jesse Duplantis, December 19, 2003 TBN, “The just shall live by faith.”)

“With fierce prayers and determination to see my mother healed, I started talking to God. “What is going on here?! I’m praying! Dad’s praying! Why isn’t she healed? You cannot allow death to defeat me, God. You made a covenant with me through Jesus’ blood! And that covenant says by His stripes we were healed! Where is that healing? If you break this covenant with me, you’ll have to cease to be God! You must keep covenant with me. You must obey your Word!” I was honest with God. He knew how I felt, so what was the point in hiding it? I was confused. I was hurt. I didn’t know what else to do. That is when God spoke up, “Jesse, I have a covenant with you, yes. However, I have one with your mother as well. You are praying for her healing. She is praying in her heart for Me to take her home. Now, I will obey My Word. But you and your daddy are battling your mother’s will. It is her life at stake. You have Me in a hard place, Jesse. Someone has got to give in. Get yourselves together and tell Me what I am to do! (Jesse Duplantis, “My Experience Doesn’t’ Change God’s Word,” Article C-Faith)

Here are some quotes from John Avanzini. I wonder where he found this in the Scriptures?

“Jesus had a nice house, a big house.”
(Believer’s Voice of Victory, (TBN) 1/20/91)

“Jesus wore designer clothes.”
(Believer’s Voice of Victory, (TBN) 1/20/91)

“Paul had the kind of money that could stop up justice.”
(Believer’s Voice of Victory, (TBN) 1/20/91)

“Jesus was handling big money.”
(Praise the Lord (TBN), 9/15/88)

“[The Spirit of God]…declared in the earth today what the eternal purpose of God has been through the ages…that He is duplicating Himself in the earth”
(John Avanzini, “The End Time Manifestation of the Sons of God,” Morris Cerullo World Evangelism tape).

That last quote is the teaching of these Word of Faith heretics that we are all little gods.

Justin Peters has a complete seminar that he does, exposing the heretical doctrines of the Word of Faith teachers. I strongly recommend it. These teachers don’t just teach that God wants us rich and healthy, they also have heretical, Arian doctrines on Christ and His equality in the Godhead. These lies are the seedbed for the rest of their teachings.

Just as I have strongly disagreed with Rob Bell and Doug Pagitt for their participation and tacit endorsement of the pagan religious leaders at the Seeds of Compassion InterSpiritual event, I also strongly disagree with Ray Comfort’s tacit endorsement of heretical teachers who are leading millions astray. Ray is endangering the considerable respect he and his ministry have generated over the years by failing to expose these false teachers and by his willingness to cooperate at their events. The webpage with his photo on it, along with the other false teachers, wordlessly articulates the problem. The Apostle Paul said that if he or an angel from heaven proclaimed any other gospel than the true gospel, “let him be accursed.” He did not consort with these false teachers. He did not appear at their get togethers to share the truth. He said these false teachers were to be accursed. It’s really that serious.

One of the dangers in parachurch ministry today is a narrowness of focus that sometimes blinds leaders to what is going around them. One group focuses on lost patriarchy in the church. Suddenly, strange doctrines, found nowhere in Scripture, start emerging, such as father worship, extreme courtship views, the denial of education to females, etc. Another group focuses only on legislative issues. Before long, they’re forming coalitions with Mormons and others who really need the Gospel more than anything, yet the Gospel falls by the wayside. Another group focuses only on protesting homosexuality. One such pastor in our state became so obsessed with protesting homosexuality, that his church became nothing more than an itinerant picketing crew. It’s helpful to sometimes stop and realize that while we are all called to work in different areas of ministry, we can’t be so absorbed in it that we fail to notice and respect what other parts of the Bible have to say, or what other legitimate concerns are facing the church.

I hope and pray that Ray Comfort will listen to those in the body of Christ who respect the work he has been engaged in, and will realize the seriousness of legitimizing, in any way, the false teachers on the roster at his upcoming conference. These false teachers have left a trail of victims behind them, and Christ’s warnings about those who cause little ones to stumble include those little ones in the faith who believed the Word of Faith lies and got burned.