JESUS DIED TO GIVE US HEALTH & WEALTH
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SUBSEQUENT EXPERIENCE
THE EXISTENCE OF MODERN DAY PROPHETS AND APOSTLES
GOD SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO OUR PASTOR
EMPTY PROMISES OF FAITH HEALINGS
DEMANDING GOD PERFORM MIRACLES EVERY WEEK
NEW EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATIONS
EXPERIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN DOCTRINE
EXTREME EMPHASIS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT
PASTORS RULE THEIR CONGREGANTS WITH AN IRON FIST
GIVE MORE MONEY TO RECEIVE THE GIFTS
TREATING FAMILY LIKE STRANGERS AND STRANGERS LIKE FAMILY
PASTOR IS THE NEW HEAD OF THE CHURCH, NOT CHRIST
EXPOSING YOUR CHILDREN TO SATAN AND HIS COHORTS
PRE-ARRANGED MARRIAGES EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN THE CHURCH
PASTOR IS CONSULTED ON ALL MAJOR DECISIONS
ONLY YOUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY CAN GIVE ADVICE
NO TIME FOR FRIENDS OR RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
TITHING EXHORBITANT AMOUNTS OF YOUR INCOME
EMPHASIS ON GIVING IS KEY TO PASTOR'S LAVISH LIFESTYLE
OUR PASTOR DESERVES TO HAVE THE BIGGEST HOUSE
FORMER MEMBERS LIVING IN FEAR OF DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
"IT'S ALL ABOUT ME" RELIGION INSTEAD OF GOD
WE HAVE THE PERFECT CHURCH
THE DISGRUNTLED ARE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO BEING LURED IN
WE MEET YOUR NEEDS SO YOU BECOME OBLIGATED TO US
LEAVING REQUIRES YOU TO LEAVE ALL YOUR FRIENDS BEHIND
GIVE SOMEBODY A CAR AND THEY WILL BECOME EXTREMELY DEVOTED
PASTOR PERSONALLY COMES TO YOUR HOME TO PICK UP TITHE
THIS IS THE CHARISMATIC JESUS.
(PENTECOSTAL, WORD OF FAITH, VICTORY CHURCHES)
THIS NEW JESUS IS NOT IN THE BIBLE.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THIS NEW JESUS,
- HEAVEN IS NOT IN YOUR FUTURE
- YOUR ETERNITY IS IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY
- YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO AT THE PEARLY GATES
WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK IT IS ?
HOW ABOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE !
BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION AND MANY THERE BE THAT FIND IT...
... NARROW IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.
PERHAPS THIS VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT THE PENTECOSTAL/CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT WHICH IS ATTRACTING SO MANY PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.
FOLLOWING THE CROWD WILL MOST CERTAINLY LEAD TO DESTRUCTION.
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
HOW FAR AWAY FROM THE TRUTH CAN YOU GO BEFORE GOD WILL SAY "DEPART FROM ME, I NEVER KNEW YOU?"
A Few Comments from Our Readers:
Can't Leave My Name says
How true are these statements! It's time that all of these crackpot church leaders got a lesson from God. They are leading so many innocent people astray that something really needs to be done. I hope that this message reaches tens of thousands so that the revolt can start (particularly with the Barrie Victory Centre). It's time they were shut down before they ruin even more families and lives.
Beverley Shaw says
I think that you have hit the nail right on the head when it comes to these charlatans. It's about time that someone spoke out about the issues of what people believe! Thank you. I am sending this to my brother as I am sure that they are involved in one of these places.
Tessie Malton says
It's refreshing to see that there is someone who is not afraid of these pastors who rule their congregants with an iron fist. I hope that you are able to be strong and continue to stand up for what is biblically right. Keep up the blog..do not get discouraged!
WHO YOU SAY JESUS IS, MATTERS !
To quote Shakespeare,
"Something is rotten in the
State of Denmark."
To quote Shakespeare,
"Something is rotten in the
State of Denmark."
32 comments:
This is even more concise and to the point than the post you deleted. I really believe that all of these cult groups should be taken to task about their teachings. Thank you for keeping us informed.
Since you have such an issue with these churches, maybe you should attend one for a few weeks and actually see what goes on. You'd be surprised I am sure to learn that we really do have the right Jesus and not the wrong Jesus. Then, maybe you have the right to comment.
Yahoo! Finally someone is taking a stand about all these crazy pastors and leaders who believe that God speaks audibly to them and that only they can give instructions to their flocks. We all know that God doesn't speak audibly to anyone since the Old Testament days. Your research has really got me started on trying to reach my friends who are in one of these churches. Unfortunately, if I give you my name I will have problems at my church. Just know that I know your boys.
Right on, Brother, right on! Am sending this to my aunt & uncle who need to understand that they are in a cult!
This is really an eye-opener. I had no idea that there is so many people believing the non-biblical Jesus. How sad it is to read some of these horror stories. Thank you.
As much as I want to believe that you are wrong because I was raised in a pentecostal church, I know now that you are right. I have kept reading your blog for some time hoping to find something that I could refute biblically but to no avail. After researching most of the scriptures that you have quoted, I have realized that our church takes things out of context -- not everything -- but enough to make me realize that I am in a cult. Fortuntately our church is not as hypercontrolling as some so I am leaving for a new more moderate alliance church today. I hope that you will post my comment as it may help others to do their own research and find out what I did.
What a phenomenal blog! Everything you say is so true. How horrible it is to have family members believing in the wrong Jesus! We can only pray for all of these misguided people.
I am appalled at how easy it was to get involved in one of these cult churches. I was in a Word of Faith one in Vancouver and did not realize it for many years. I thought I was doing something against the Lord when I did not receive the tongues nor did I get the slain in the spirit gift either. My pastor insisted that all I had to do was give more money and God would give me the gifts. Well, I am sure you know where that led -- financial ruin. I have now been in counselling trying to figure out why I was duped so easily. But I am out now and will stay out with the help of my new church leaders and family.
This is amazing. We are so glad that we found your blog and were able to send this along to our children who are involved in a cult like one of these. We are continuing to pray that they will see the light.
We are so saddened by the results of these hypocritical leaders which have been going on for so many years. Both my wife and I have had numerous run-ins and experiences with varieties of these churches/cults and were fortunate to have been given discernment to get out before it was too late. We only wish we had known about these situations before we got involved in the first place.
Congratulations on being the voice in the wilderness when it comes to these cults. Our family has been involved for years and we just cannot seem to get through to them. They are waiting for miracles for a number of things and they keep sending $$$ to get them. We can only hope that something will give before it is too late for them. Having things written down in a clear, concise manner makes it easy for us to remember what to say when we talk to them. Thank you.
We are so relieved to learn that we are not the only family who have lost members to one of these hideous cults. It started with one and now all of our children have gone down this path. We never see them anymore and contact with this is limited to short phone conversations where all they do is "pastor says" or "I have to discuss that with my spiritual family" or something equally as bizarre. We truly hope that all of our family will be given discernment before something horrific happens. Some of the stories written here just break our hearts.
I always knew that there was something wrong in my sister's church. I just could not put my finger on it. They don't speak in tongues there but they have all the other attributes that you have discussed. Her church has always made me feel uncomfortable and now I know why. I am going to be discussing this with her and see if she can see what it really going on there. Thank you.
It's absolutely bizarre how easily some people get involved with these churches. I guess sometimes they just follow the crowd. As for the speaking in tongues, I've always felt that there was really something wrong with that and I am now absolutely convinced that I must try to talk to all of my friends who are involved. The research here has been most helpful.
It's absolutely bizarre how easily some people get involved with these churches. I guess sometimes they just follow the crowd. As for the speaking in tongues, I've always felt that there was really something wrong with that and I am now absolutely convinced that I must try to talk to all of my friends who are involved. The research here has been most helpful.
It's horrific at how many people are duped into believing that these signs and wonders are from God. How hard it is to watch as our family grows farther and farther out into a place from where we feel that they will never return. Their leaders have them completely hornswaggled into believing everything that they say without question. Where do we go from here?
Good for you for exposing these facts on the Pentecostals and others! It's about time that someone was able to reach out without fear and say what needs to be said to all of these groups. We are slowly coming back from a family disaster that nearly resulted in a complete breakdown of all familial relationships. It was only through constantly sending your blog information to them that they finally realized what they were doing to themselves and to us. Thank you.
It must be terrible to find out that you are in a cult after spending years in these churches. How do you cope with something like that? My cousins have been staunch pentecostals for many many years and have just recently started researching the church after the pastor started preaching about tithing more of their financial blessings to ensure that he and his family lived the lifestyle that they should have! In other words, more than everyone in the church! I hope that they really read everything that you have published.
We would just like to say a thanks for all the work that you have put in over the years since you started researching these cults and their symptoms. We have been able to successfully re-educate our children using some of the material and they are now away from a Victory church and back into the truth and a bible-teaching church. We don't believe that this would have been possible without your research. Others will also be using this material. We will continue to pray that your sons and their families will come to their senses. If they only would read, the Lord would open their eyes to the deception of their church.
Horrific stories on your blog about what happens to people who blindly attend churches that they have no idea of the mission statement or idologies! Before you start attending a church, you need to know what they believe! And if it's not in line with the Bible, don't even start. We were involved in a church that evolved into one of these Victory churches by a group from another inflitrating ours. They stirred up trouble and made it look like our pastor was the cause. In the short term, our pastor left -- the so-called lay-leader took over until the main Victory church near our city sent in a "qualified" pastor. What a crock! He knew nothing about the Bible and just spouted off fluff for a few weeks. By then, we were well on our way out but some of our friends stayed. They have now lost EVERYTHING. The pastor is living in their large home while they are staying in their trailer at parents. Forget suing them -- they gave him their house willingly. All we can say is BEWARE!
We are happy to have kicked the dust off our feet at the Barrie Victory Centre. We were so duped by those people for over a year that we didn't even realize that we were going to end up emotionally drained and almost broke. New cars, lavish trips and other things that were to be "given by God" to those most deserving and not necessarily the pastors either. Waiting for physical healings just didn't happen because we didn't have enough faith.. bah bah bah.. nobody is guaranteed health, wealth or anything else except for salvation by the acceptance of our Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. We will continue to pray for your family and hope that those nice kids get out soon too.
We are delighted to have found your blog before our family became too enamoured of one of these churches. We were befriended by a family when we had a falling out with our church a few months ago. The couple and their children started on inviting the kids out to events; then we were invited to dinner and other functions -- all the while they were telling us how wonderful their church was and how what happened to us in our home church could NEVER happen in their church, and so on. Well, to make a long story short, we were on our way into one of these churches when we were accosted by a group of people who were handing out pamphlets about what is wrong with the Victory churches worldwide. Upon closer scrutiny, we realized that we had really had a narrow escape. We have now read a lot of the information here and are trying to share it with the couple. Of course, it will be an uphill battle but EVERYONE needs to be rescued from these places.
We know that we were Lord-led to this blog. We have family involved in these churches and every word that you have written has happened to some or to all of them. We have given them the list of your library books as well as tried to encourage them to read your blog with an open mind. Today, my sister called to tell me that they are leaving their church. Praise the Lord.
It is really a shame when so many can be drawn into these organizations. It is hard to read the comments and realize that for every person who is in one of these churches, there is probably a whole family praying for them to be freed from the bondage of it. We have four different styles of these churches in our small town here in Alberta and they are constantly trying to raid people from the others. Most of mainstream churches here just seem to be sticking their heads in the sand and ignoring what is going on. I know that Christians are not supposed to attack others but these people really aren't Christians, are they? A rant is always good for the soul!
We are recent rescuees of one of these churches. Our family actually kidnapped our children to make us see what was happening. Our church family was ready to get a lawyer to sue my parents for their involvement in the issue but fortunately, when we sat down with him, he really made us see that we were the ones in the wrong! He sent us to your blog and refused to assist us until we could prove that we had read some of the material and come to our senses. We are now back with our family, our children are seeing their grandparents and we are very grateful to a lawyer who was a real Christian!
It is about time that these churches, particularly the Barrie Victory Centre, are disbanded. It is nothing more than a business venture for the leaders who bleed all of their followers completely dry. Anyone who is dumb enough to continue to provide a better living situation for the leaders than for themselves and their families is a fool. We lost everything because "pastor said" such and such. We now depend on friends for our living arrangements and food. We both have been garnisheed at our jobs for non-payment of basic bills and who has the big house, two cars and kids in private school - "pastor says". We should have realized when "pastor says" to stay away from the Grand Poo-Bah blog, there was obviously something "pastor says" didn't want his flock to know. Well now we know! It's almost too late for us but hopefully this can help some others. If you attend Barrie Victory Centre or any other of those cults, get out!
I have really thinking about whether or not I should comment on your points about these churches. In fact, I know different individuals who have all had some or all of these things happen to them. I also lost everything a couple of years ago and thankfully, had some family members who didn't give up on me. They were there when my eyes were finally opened after one of the pastors showed up at my door to collect my weekly tithe because I had missed church the previous week due to being in the hospital. That made no difference to them. Fortunately my dad was the one who answered the door and that was the final straw! He nearly came to blows with the pastor because of the threatening attitude but fortunately, the pastor backed down because my father certainly wasn't going to. Do not lose hope about your sons -- they will eventually realize that they too will lose everything if they continue to remain in one of these churches.
Something horrible should really happen to the leaders of these churches. They will really have a lot to answer for when they meet the Lord. How can they ruin so many people's lives without a seeming care in the world? I've never been involved in one of these cults; but I know many people who have family and friends who are. The repercussions of their involvement really is mindboggling to say the least. In our town, there are at least 15 of these style of churches and there are new ones opening their doors almost every week. Where will it end? Guess at Judgment Day because as they say, a fool and their money are soon parted! This is just a different version of that.
We are complete distraught at some of the comments. We were so fortunate as to have had our eyes opened before we ended up in similar circumstances to some of these people. Our two children got involved through their friends at school. We didn't think much of it at the time but once they started telling us that they had to tithe 50 percent of their allowance every week to the youth group; we put a stop to that right away. NO ALLOWANCE. You'd have thought that we had killed them! It took over six months to deprogram them from wanting to go to the group and we ended up selling our home and moving to another part of town where they could not get bus service to the church. We did what was necessary! Parents, don't believe that just because your kids are interested in a youth group that it is a good thing. Make sure that you investigate the church thoroughly first!
Having taken several days to read all of the blog postings, I find it just terrible that so many people have not taken advantage of the research that you have done into this subject. I am sure that you have found it most controversial; however since there have been no opposing comments posted, I am assuming that these cultists don't waste their time responding or that they were so vile that you couldn't publish them. My guess is probably the latter given how much trouble I have had with vandalism to my property since I rescued my daughter from the clutches of her pastor. We are now in the process of moving away from our home town as it is no longer safe for her to go out alone. Keep pressing on.
Glad to see that you have finally quieted down and have stopped writing this drivel. We can now stop checking in as it's obvious that you have run out of things to say. Good riddance to you!
Have you ever taken these concerns about Barrie Victory Church to Victory Churches International? I strongly suggest that you email George and Hazel and explain to them what you are describing here.
I am a pastor in a Victory Church in another province, and I do not believe any of the false doctrines that you describe here. Also, the controlling nature of the church as you describe it is unlike anything I've ever seen in Victory Churches.
Every Victory Church is autonomous. It is a loose network of churches, and we do not have to follow a doctrinal hardline to use the name. Some Victory churches are more conservative, some more charismatic. In my experience, when a church becomes as you describe here, they are asked to leave Victory Churches. I think you might be surprised if you shared your experiences with George and Hazel. Make sure especially to explain how the pastor controls everything, even marriages and contact with families. That is weird.
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