Eternal Security - The Peace of Mind You're Missing!

I have not always believed in eternal security.  I was raised in the Pentecostal church, a denomination that did not believe in eternal security and frequently preached against it.  As a child, I was not threatened by such preaching.  I always loved church.  I would arrive early to claim my second-row aisle seat -- ..in front of the pastor.

There were two reasons I chose to attend the Pentecostal church.  First, my grandfather was a Pentecostal pastor.  Second, it was my mother's preference.  I can remember as a young boy getting up on Sunday morning, eating breakfast, and walking to church.  Even when my mother was unable to go, I would be there.

June was typically revival month back in those days.  In June of 1944 our evangelist for the week was a Mrs. Wilson.  Women evangelists were not uncommon in the Pentecostal church.  As was my habit, I was there Sunday morning, front and center, with every intention of attending each night that week.  After the choir finished their song, Mrs. Wilson walked to the pulpit and preached a stirring salvation message.  I don't remember anything in particular that she said; I just remember feeling a strong desire to respond.  When the invitation began, I rose from my seat and went foward.  Before I reached the altar, I began weeping.  I knelt down and started asking Jesus to save me.  Several members of my Sunday School class gathered around and began praying for me as well.

When the altar call ended, the pastor of the church asked me to step up to the pulpit and share with the congregation what Christ had done for me.  Still crying, I stood behind the pulpit and said, "I don't know all that Jesus has done for me but I know He saved me."

The pastor put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me square in the eye, and said, "Charles, grow up and be a good boy.  And when you die, you will go to heaven."  [This pastor was telling Charles that his salvation must be maintained by being a good boy.  The implication is that if you are not good you can lose your salvation which is what the Pentecostal church teaches and believes.]

Easier Said than Done

It didn't take me long to realize that being good wasn't easy.  To compound the problem, just about everything a twelve-year-old boy considered fun was a sin according to the Pentecostal church.  I was continually confessing my sins, begging for forgiveness, and hoping I wouldn't die before I had time to repent!  

During that time I began sensing God's call in my life.  That meant one of two things in those days, becoming a preacher or a missionary.  The awareness of God's call in my life only darkened the cloud of guilt under which I lived.  How could I ever help anybody else when I am constantly waivering?  I would wonder.  What if I stood to preach and wasn't even saved?  

[Pentecostals never know at any given time if they are really saved because they believe they can lose their salvation at a moment's notice.  This teaching does not give their adherents any peace of mind about their salvation or their eternal destiny.  What is the point of salvation if it can be so easily lost?]

At age fourteen I joined the Baptist church.  My decision was purely a social one.  The Baptist church had a larger youth group than the Pentecostal church, and that meant more girls!  That was when I discovered not everbody believed as I did.  I first heard the phrase "eternal security" in that little Baptist church.  Even as a teenager I was a diligent student of God's word.  Armed with my list of verses, I was prepared and even eager to present my side of the issue.  No one made a dent in my theology.  And I never expected anyone to, because I knew the Scripture was clearly on my side.  

When I left home for college, I was a staunch believer in the doctrine that one could lose his salvation.  Often in our dorm the conversation would turn to religion.  Over and over I would pull out my arsenal of verses and present my case.  Frequently, I found myself standing alone.  But my view was strengthened by the carnal lifestyles of many with whom I debated.  Men who claimed to be saved and yet whose actions gave no indication of their having a relationship with Christ.  Intellectually, I was more persuaded than ever.  But deep inside a battle was raging. 

Despite my strong defense and quiver of verses, I couldn't make it all fit.  The events of that Sunday morning in 1944 were fixed in my memory.  I remember for the first time feeling that I was at peace with God.  I knew I had been born again.  The possibility that I could lose all I had gained that Sunday morning seemed a little farfetched.  And the idea that I could lose it and regain it repeatedly was difficult to comprehend.  

Although I was troubled by my internal struggles, I never felt alienated from God.  I had an inner peace even at my lowest times.  Somehow I knew He still loved me and accepted me.  My repeated requests for salvation were more a ritual than an heartfelt sense of need.  I never felt lost.  Yet the Scripture seemed to be so clear on that point.  Consequently, I remained resolute in my defense.

Seminary Days

In the fall of 1954 I entered Southwestern Theological Seminary.  Once again I found myself in heated discussions concerning the issue of eternal security.  I continued my study of what I considered the pertinent passages of Scripture.  For a long time I did not understand how anybody could think the Bible taught that the believer was eternally secure.  But slowly that began to change.  

Strangely enough, it was my intense study of the Scriptures that caused me to begin doubting my position.  This was not a sudden change.  It took time.  Nobody convinced me.  On the contrary, after a while, nobody even wanted to talk to me about it;  I had pretty much run the issue into the ground by that point.  But as convincing as I was, I had no peace about the subject.   So I continued to study.

Verse by verse I picked my way through the passages used to support each view.  Through this process two things became apparent.  First, I was guilty of ignoring the context of many verses I quoted to defend my view.  As I began digging deeper into the events and discussions surrounding these passages, they took on a different meaning.  Second, I discovered through my study that the concept of salvation through faith alone cannot be reconciled with the belief that one can forfeit his or her salvation.  If I must do or not do something to keep from losing my salvation, salvation would be by faith and works I specifically remember the day this particular truth dawned on me.  I found myself at a theological fork in the road.  To maintain my position, I realized I would have to abandon my belief in salvation by faith alone.  

It was as if a light came on.  Suddenly I saw it.  I wanted to shout.  I felt like a man just released from prison.  I began to thank God that I had been wrong all those years.  I thanked Him for the relentlessness that had kept me searching and praying.  Then I was struck with the most awesome thought of all.  I had been eternally secure since that day as a twelve-year-old when I prayed, asking Jesus to save me.

That morning was a turning point in my life.  It was far more than a shift in my theology.  It introduced me to the true meaning of unconditional love.  It was the beginning of my lifelong journey into the mystery of God's amazing grace.  Terms such as peace and joy took on a whole new meaning.  They became part of my experience not just my vocabulary.

I realized how little I had really trusted God.  You see, it is difficult to trust someone when you are never really sure where you stand with that person. Security came to mean a great deal more that a guarantee of where I would spend eternity.  It was the perfect word to describe the sense of intimacy I felt with Christ.  I was secure.  Secure in His love and acceptance of me.  Secure in His daily will for my life.  Secure in every promise He had made.  And of course, secure in where I would spend eternity.

I'm Not Alone

I continually meet people who believe as I once believed.  If it were simply a theological difference I would be content to agree to disagree.  It is far more than that.  I know the bondage to which that kind of thinking leads.  I have lived with the guilt and the fear fostered by that view.  Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).  Freedom comes from knowing the truth.  Bondage results from missing it.  

. . . Hopefully you will be set free to enjoy the relationship God has paid so dearly to provide.  It is a relationship from which fear and worry are absent.  I know from experience that until you settle once and for all the question of whether or not you are eternally secure,  this quality of joy will elude you. . . hopefully you will be able to face life with the confidence that comes through knowing you are eternally secure.  

[If you are currently attending a Pentecostal/charismatic/Faith Movement/Victory Churches, and this subject has not come up recently, you need to ask them if you only need to be saved once or whether they believe you can lose your salvation.  If they believe and teach that you can lose your salvation you need to get to a Baptist church or one that believes in eternal security.  If you don't you will never have the peace of mind that salvation was intended to give you.]

By Dr. Charles Stanley

How Did Jesus Heal?

To make a comparison between the gift of healing being claimed today and what the Bible teaches, we simply have to go back and look at Jesus' ministry.  Our Lord set the pattern for the apostolic gifts, and He did a massive amount of healing.  In Jesus' day the world was full of disease.  Medical science was crude and limited.  There were more incurable diseases than we have now.  Plagues could wipe out entire cities.

Jesus healed disease to demonstrate his deity.  How did He do it?  Scripture reveals six noteworthy characteristics of Jesus' healing ministry:

First, Jesus healed with a word or a touch.  Matthew 8 relates that as Jesus was entering Capernaum, a centurion came to Jesus and asked Him to help his servant, who was lying paralyzed at his home and suffering great pain (v. 6-7).  Jesus told the centurion that He would come and heal the servant, but the centurion protested, pointing out that if Jesus would just say the word, his servant could be healed (v. 8).

The Lord was amazed at the centurion's faith, particularly because he was a Roman soldier, and not of the house of Israel.  Jesus said to the centurion, "'Go your way; let it be done to you as you have believed.' And the servant was healed that very hour" (v. 13).

When Jesus fed the 5,000 (John 6), He had spent most of the day healing people in the crowd who were sick.  Scripture does not tell us how many were healed -- it could have been thousands.  But whatever the number, Jesus healed them with a word.  There were no theatrics, no special environment.

Jesus also healed with a touch.  For example, in Mark 5:25-34 we find the account of a woman with chronic bleeding who was healed simply by touching Jesus' robe.

Second, Jesus healed instantly.  The centurion's servant was healed "that very hour" (Matt. 8:13).  The woman with the bleeding problem was healed "immediately" (Mark 5:29).  Jesus healed ten lepers instantaneously right on the road (Luke 17:14).  He touched another man with leprosy and "immediately the leprosy departed from him" (Luke 5:13).  The crippled man at the pool of Bethesda "immediately became well," took up his pallet and began to walk (John 5:9).  Even the man born blind, who had to go and wash his eyes, was healed instantly -- though for his own purposes, Jesus accomplished that miracle in two distinct stages (John 9:1-7).  The healing was no less instantaneous.

People often say "I've been healed, and now I'm getting better."  Jesus never did "progressive" healing.  If Jesus had not healed instantly, there were have been no miraculous element sufficient to demonstrate His deity.  His critics could easily have said the healing was just a natural process.

Third, Jesus healed totally.  In Luke 4 Jesus left the synagogue and came to Simon Peter's home.  Peter's mother-in-law was there, suffering from a high fever.  Possibly she was dying.  Jesus stood over her, "rebuked the fever," and immediately she was well (v. 39).  In fact, she then got up and began to wait on them.  There was no recuperation period.  Jesus did not advise her to sip a little honey and hot water and take it easy for a few weeks.  Nor did He goad her to "claim the healing by faith" despite unrelenting symptoms.  She was immediately well and knew it.  Her healing was instantaneous and it was total.  That was the only kind of healing Jesus ever did.

Fourth, Jesus healed everyone.  Unlike healers today, Jesus did not leave long lines of disappointed people who had to return home in their wheelchairs.  He did not have healing services or programs that ended at a certain time because of airline or television schedules.  Luke 4:40 tells us, "And while the sun was setting, all who had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on every one of them, He was healing them" (emphasis added).  Luke 9:11 records a similar example.

Fifth, Jesus healed organic disease.  Jesus did not go up and down Palestine healing lower back pain, heart palpitations, headaches, and other invisible ailments.  He healed the most obvious kinds of organic diseases -- crippled legs, withered hands, blind eyes, palsy -- all healings that were undeniably miraculous.

Sixth, Jesus raised the dead.  Luke 7:11-16 tells us that while Jesus was at a city called Nain, He came upon a funeral procession as a widow went out to bury her only son.  Jesus stopped the procession, touched the coffin and said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" -- and the dead man sat up and began to speak!  He also raised a synagogue ruler's daughter in Mark 5:22-24, 35-43.

People who tout the gift of healing today do not spend much time in funeral parlours, funeral processions, or cemeteries.  The reason is obvious.

Some charismatics, as we have already noted, claim that people today do sometimes come back from the dead.  Those cases, however, are nothing like the biblical examples.  It is one thing to revive someone whose vital signs stopped on a surgeon's table.  It is entirely another matter to come out of the grave four days after being buried (see John 11) or to climb out of one's casket at the funeral (see Luke 7).  Those are resurrections that cannot be challenged.  Charismatics who make such claims today do so on hearsay and with scant evidence.  They are guilty of trivializing our Lord's miraculous works.  Why is it that the only miracles ever done on television are the kind that involve no visible evidence?

Note, by the way, that Jesus did virtually all His healing and raising the dead in public -- often before vast groups of people.  His gift of healing was an authenticating gift.  He used it to confirm his claims that He was the Son of God in a way that also displayed His divine compassion.  Dispelling demons and diseases was Christ's way of proving He was God in human flesh.  John's gospel clearly demonstrates that truth.  John said all the signs and miracles Jesus wrought validated His deity (John 20:30-31).

The Gift of Healing is Gone, but the Lord Continues to Heal

The gift of healing was one of the miraculous sign gifts given to help the apostolic community confirm the authority of the gospel message in the early years of the church.  Once the word of God was complete the signs ceased.  Miraculous signs were no longer needed.  The apostles used healing only as a powerful sign to convince people of the validity of the gospel message.

In Philippians 2:25-27 Paul mentioned his good friend Epaphroditus, who had been very sick.  Paul had previously displayed the gift of healing.  Why did he not simply heal Epaphroditus?  Perhaps the gift was no longer operational or perhaps Paul simply refused to pervert the gift by using it for his own ends.  Either way, healing Epaphroditus was beyond the purpose of the gift of healing.   The gift was not given to keep Christians healthy.  It was to be a sign to unbelievers to convince them that the gospel was divine truth.

We find a similar case in II Timothy 4:20, where Paul mentioned he had left Trophimus sick at Miletus.  Why should Paul leave one of his good Christian friends sick?  Why didn't he heal him?  Because that was not the purpose of the healing gift.  (see also I Tim. 5:23 and II Cor. 12:7.)

Healing was a miraculous sign gift to be used for special purposes.  It was not intended as a permanent way to keep the Christian community in perfect health.  Yet today most charismatics teach that God wants every Christian well.  If that is true, why does God allow Christians to get sick in the first place?

In a world where believers are subject to the consequences of sin why should we assume that suffering is excluded?  If every Christian were well and healthy, if perfect health were a guaranteed benefit of the atonement, millions of people would be stampeding to get saved -- but for the wrong reason.  God wants people to come to Him in repentance for sin, and for His glory, not because they see Him as a panacea for their physical and temporal ills.

-- John F. McArthur, Jr.

Again, charismatics are wrong!

What is the Difference Between the Baptism and the Filling?

Charismatics often confuse spirit baptism, which places the Christian in the body of Christ, and the fullness of the Spirit, which produces effective Christian living (see Eph. 5:18, 6:11).

Nothing in all of Acts, Chapter 2, says believers asked for the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4 teaches two distinctive truths.  At Pentecost, Christian believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit into the body.  Then the Holy Spirit filled those believers to give a miraculous testimony -- the ability to speak in other languages.  Believers since that time have all been baptized with the Holy Spirit by the Lord Jesus Christ at conversion.  How are we filled?  When we yield to the Spirit who is already there, we have access to the Spirit's power and fullness.  Paul told the Ephesians to be kept filled with the Spirit as a constant pattern for living (5:18).

Nowhere in Scripture is the Christian taught to tarry and wait for the baptism. Nowhere in Scripture are we taught to get with a group of people who can teach us to speak in tongues.  Christians are admonished to keep being filled with the Spirit, but that is not the same thing as waiting to be baptized by the Spirit.  There is one simple key to knowing the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit in your life:  obeying the Lord.  As you walk in obedience to the word of God, the Spirit of God fills you and energizes your life (see Gal. 5:25).

Not only have believers been placed into Someone (Christ), but they have had Someone placed into them (the Holy Spirit).  As Christians we have the Holy Spirit.  Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19).  God Himself indwells our bodies (II Cor. 6:16).  All the resources are there.  The promise of the Holy Spirit has already been fulfilled for us.  The Bible is absolutely clear on that point.  There is nothing more to wait for.  The Christian life consists of yielding to the control of the Spirit who is already in us.  We do that through obedience to the Word (Col. 3:16).

Significantly, charismatic writers are not all agreed on how believers are to receive the baptism of the Spirit.  Why all the confusion and contradiction?  Why is it that charismatic writers do not quote the Bible plainly and let it go at that?  The reason no charismatic writer can do that is the Bible never tells how to get the baptism of the Spirit; it only tells believers that they are already baptized with the Spirit.  

One of the greatest realities the Christian will ever have is contained in two brief and fulfilling statements.  One is by Paul,  The other is by Peter:

"In Him, you have been made complete" (Col. 2:10).  

"His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

There is no point in seeking what is already ours.

- John F. MacArthur

Pentecostals are wrong.  
Faith Movement are wrong.  
Victory Churches are wrong.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!

Satan is responsible for what is going on in these churches -- not God.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted on - Faith Teachers Confess - Their Faith Teachings Don't Work
"I like your post. I went to a Bible study and the lady who lead it said by going to see Oral Roberts she was healed of a burning problem all over her body. She also did teaching from a man named Andrew Wommack, Kenneth Copeland and others u have named. As I went I new something wasnt right. When I questioned the teaching she wouldnt talk to me. I believed the Lord was telling me to stay away from her and the others falling into these lies. It is a False teaching.The Bible warns of false Jesus. They makeup another Jesus not the Bible Jesus. I would get a bad feeling every time I went. Satan Knows when we desire closeness to God and if not careful will lead us to a trap. Hes the father of lies and knows God's word and will work through these false teachers to make God's word sound the way he wants."

-  By Anonymous

Posted on - Biblical Theology
I really wish that some of these nutbar preachers of the Faith Movement would go to Bible College before they open their mouths. Now Barrie Victory Centre is going to have a Bible College in their new building..probably taught by uneducated and ineffective people from the Victory Churches International. Already they are trying to get my high school aged children to commit to attending college with them instead of going to Ryerson. These people should be run out of town on a rail before they destroy even more lives than they have already.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - The Faith Movement Televangelist and the Word of God
It's about time that someone took on these televangelists and Word of Faith preachers. Most of them don't have a clue about what God's Word says. I have been researching a lot of your books and find the work that you have undertaken to expose these frauds inspiring. Keep up the good work.

- By J. Dickens

Posted on - A Preliminary Assessment of Word/Faith Televangelism
Televangelism is one of the biggest ways for the spread of distorted biblical information. These T.V. preachers who think that you can speak it to get it or name it to claim it are so horribly wrong. They are leading everyone who listens to them right down the road to eternal damnation. Keep on writing, Sir! Maybe someday, all of these kooks will get kicked off television.

- By R. Browning

Posted on - Scripture Twisting
What a true statement! Word of Faith "preachers" are always twisting the scriptures to suit their own agendas, especially when it comes to getting their poor deceived attendees to give more and more money! They are so deceived that they don't realize what is happening until they are broke and discouraged. God never said that we would be wealthy! He said He would provide for our needs if we trust and obey Him. That doesn't mean paid for houses and big cars! We found this out way too late.

- By Name Withheld Because of Embarrassment

Posted on - A Preliminary Assessment of Word/Faith Televangelism
So delighted to read your latest series! You give hope to those who have family members caught up in these cultic Victory Churches. We were able to get our children to see reason after we sent them to this clearly researched blog. Of course, their "pastor" tried to say that you were a "nut" but with the list of books that you have read and provided information to us, our kids finally saw the light. They are back in our Baptist church and we are very grateful to you. Keep it up -- maybe your boys will eventually see the light.

- By Lorena Goldsmith

Posted on - Assessment of Positive Confessionism
This is a very interesting concept. I am sure that many people don't understand it and get sidetracked by these misinformed preachers. I hope that a lot of people find the truth through your blog.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - Assessment of Positive Confessionism
I just want to encourage you to keep writing. My wife and I have found your blog to be one of the most helpful ones when dealing with the Faith Movement and Victory Churches International. This plague of heretical teachings is spreading across the world like wildfire and so many people who think they are saved are actually worshipping a god that is not in the Bible nor the Saviour of our world. We continue to pray that more people will find your blog and that God will open their eyes to the truth.

- By B. McTavish

Posted on - Scripture Twisting

I have been following your blog with some interest for the couple of years or so. I've never been one to comment because I've found everything to be well-researched and presented. The library list has allowed me to purchase some of the books and review them in conjunction with looking up the Scriptures that are referred to and I must say that there is no doubt that these Bible scholars know what they are talking about. It is clear that they know their Bible inside and out -- I hope that you continue writing so that all of the deceived people in these cultic churches will have their eyes opened.

- By W. Fitzsimons

Posted on - Assessment of Positive Confessionism
I find this blog to be an eye-opening experience into the problems with the Victory Churches and in particular, with Barrie Victory Centre. I find it completely unbelievable that so many people can be duped by the biblically uneducated people who are running all the programs especially the youth leaders who have had no biblical training whatsoever.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - Scripture Twisting - Conclusion
Once again, Mr. Poo-Bah, you have hit the nail right on the head. These Faith Movement people are so deceived by their leaders (I refuse to call them pastors or ministers--they can stick anybody at the front to rant and rave at them--and that's preaching????) It really saddens me that these uneducated followers of the Faith Movement are going to hell because they are being led down the garden path by charlatans and false teachers just like the Bible says will happen in the end times. Keep the faith, Brother. God will pass His final judgment on all of these when it is in His time.

- By Edward C. Tomson

Posted on - Ye Shall Be As Gods

I have been reading your last few posts with great interest. This last one about the little gods syndrome is so typical of what is being taught at the Barrie Victory Centre (in fact, all Victory Churches).. and if you don't adhere to their teachings -- watch out. I hope that you are aware of how far these BVC nuts are ready to go to keep their adherents toeing the line and believing all the drivel that that nutbar in charge along with the youth leaders are teaching. I have stopped attending and now my family is being harrassed because I used to contribute a lot of time and money to this Devil-lead group. Do be careful as they will stop at nothing to keep their attendees under their thumbs.

- By Name Withheld Out Of Fear

Posted on - Ye Shall Be As Gods
You are so right on with this interpretation of how the Victory Churches think. Kenneth Copeland and his wife are the worst of the worst in teaching this to the millions of deceived people who watch their TV programs and read their puff-books. And they get filthy rich off the hard earned dollars of their followers. We were sent a link to your blog and after reading it all -- our eyes were opened. We no longer have any dealings with the Copeland organization and are actively trying to show our family and friends the error of their ways. Thank you for taking a firm stand -- we believe that God led us to you.

- By V. Totten

Posted on - Scripture Twisting - Conclusion
The twisting of Scriptures is something that the Faith Movement does well. They take a piece of God's Word and manipulate it to suit their purposes. Nowhere in the Word are Christians guaranteed health, wealth or freedom from trials by having enough faith. In fact, the Bible says that Christians will face many trials to bring us closer to God. A "feel good" church is a "bad" church. For example, true churches teach everything based on Scripture while "feel good" places (like Joel Osteen's) are full of deceived people. I enjoy reading your blog. 

- By Constance H; Wyatt

Posted on - Misapplied Texts and Terms
I wish these "little gods" preachers would stop incorrectly quoting Scripture. You can sure tell when you sit in their services that they don't have a clue about real teaching based on the truth of the Scripture. And forget asking them about it -- they swear that you are a "Devil's Spawn" and tell you not to come back to their "church." Blahhhh! Somebody ought to run these charlatans out of town on a rail! 

- By B. Corrigan

Posted on - Misapplied Texts and Terms
One of these days all these "little gods" people will be rotting in hell for deceiving Christians. On that note, Christians who follow these "little gods" preachers like Paul McCullough from Barrie Victory Centre cannot possibly be Christians. They go broke supporting this idiot who tells them that they need to give more and more money. Their youth leaders have no Bible training at all to teach correct Scripture to the children. This new church is costing every attendee a fortune in covenant spending. The school is a farce and none of the children who go there will be able to cope in the real world when they graduate. Thanks for letting me rant.. I am afraid to leave my name because of the repercussions that could happen.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - Scripture Twisting - Conclusion
If these so-called churches are twisting Scripture to suit their warped sense of worth to deceive their followers into giving them things that aren't scriptural - they should be closed. Most of these Faith Movement organizations are run by a tyrant who keeps everyone toeing the line. There is no accountability and that's why they get away with it. I wish that their followers would miraculously get their eyes and ears opened and run these charlatans out of town.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - False Teachings of Barrie Victory Center
I was looking up Barrie Victory Center and your blog came up right underneath their website. I'm so glad that I read your take on this church. We have attended there for a few weeks and just felt that something was "off" about the touchy-feely aspect of this group. The constant grab for money was also a bit much and the process is very sneaky. My wife thought that some of the teachings were a bit off the mark and after we read this posting on your blog, we know why. Thank you for putting the finger on what we felt was wrong. We'll be finding another church to attend.

- By C. McKenzie

Posted on - False Prophesies and a "Born-Again" Jesus
We are so glad that you are continuing to write about these "false Jesus" teachings. It breaks our hearts that we have children involved in a local faith movement group that distorts the true Scripture in order to create a pyramid scheme of pastors getting rich quick on the backs of their followers. We hope that your children will also see the light about what is really going on in their church.

- By D. Grienway

Posted on - False Teachings of the Barrie Victory Center
Boy, am I ever glad that I read this blog post about the Barrie Victory Centre. My teenage kids want to go to their youth group because they are friends with the Kenney kids... after reading this; there is NO WAY that I would let my children attend anything at that so-called church. How heartbreaking it must be for you to watch your children and grandchildren going down this path where they are so deceived by the leadership at this cult. Now that the church is in a huge building I can just guess how much cash this guy is taking out of the families' pockets who attend there. I will keep you and your family in prayer that somehow they will see the light and get out before it is too late. 

- By Can't Leave My Name

Posted on - "Health and Wealth" Teachers Claim Direct Counsel from God
What a load of hogwash! These people are so out to lunch and it is so unfortunate that they don't see what they are doing to their followers. I really wish that they would wise up before it is too late.

- By Anonymous

Posted on - What is the Health and Wealth Gospel?
This is so ridiculous. Nowhere in Scripture does God tell Christians that everyone is going to be rich and healthy. So many people get deceived with TV preachers like Joel Osteen and Joseph Prince. In fact, Scripture teaches that Christians will suffer more for their faith than worldly people. Thank you for continuing the fight for true Christianity.

- By A. Dysarairt

Posted on - Errors of Positive Confessionism and Consequences
Wow! I had no idea that all these people were teaching a false Scripture. I stumbled upon your blog when I was doing research for a paper on pentecostal teachings. What a wealth of information you have provided. Thanks to you and your certified reference materials, I have been able to rethink my position on pentecostalism and I am now looking for a true Bible believing and preaching church in my home town. We do have a couple of Victory churches in our area and they seem to be mesmerizing all of our kids in the neighbourhood with the crap that they are teaching. Good for you. 

- By Owen Blythe

Posted on - The Bible Shows Faith Teachers' Errors
All of these false teachers should really attend a good Bible-based seminary and learn what the Scripture really says about the verses that they all use out of context. Christians, for the most part, have more difficulties and issues because we are targets of the Devil who is constantly trying to get us to denounce God. I find your blog extremely informative and helpful in dealing with people who are involved in such scam churches as Barrie Victory Centre. It is unfortunate that most of the adherents to this scumbag pastor cannot see the forest for the trees and it will be too late when they finally realize that they have been scammed for all their money, time and whatever else those so-called better than everyone else pastors can get out of them. Keep up the good word! 

- By Gordon Thomas

Posted on - The Bible Shows Faith Teachers' Errors
I think that these "preachers" who lead their congregations astray with all the non-biblical garbage that you have indicated should be thrown out of their churches. It is unfortunate that so many people have their eyes and minds closed by Satan to only believe what the "pastor" is telling them instead of reading their Bibles for themselves. Your blog is an eye-opener to us as we were involved in a Victory church years ago. If only we had known that we were being led astray and into bankruptcy and emotional breakdown because we didn't give enough or believe enough. 

- By R. & B. Chattyn

Posted on - Does the Atonement of Christ Allow Us to Claim Physical Healing This is a very interesting article. God can choose to heal some people while He chooses not to heal others. Scripture doesn't say anything about us being able to CLAIM healing. It does allow us to pray for it but the healing is at God's discretion, not our demand to be healed. Where these people misinterpret the Scriptures to teach that Christians can claim healing is beyond me. I hope that some of these misguided people can find your blog and read what true Bible scholars are saying about these health and wealth teachings. 

- By O. Kennedy

Posted on - Errors of Positive Confession and Consequences There are so many things that are wrong with this positive confession theology, especially when you have to come up to the front of the church and confess everything that you've ever done before the congregation. I always thought that the only person you had to confess to was God but when we unwittingly got involved with one of these faith movement churches, we had no idea of what positive confession was. It turned out to be humiliating and we were told that in order to be accepted we had to sign a covenant with the church to ensure that we would not backslide into sin. Included in that covenant document was a list of MUST DOs and DON'Ts. We so wanted to be accepted that we went in blindly to this agreement to support the church and then in turn, they would support us. Well they did -- right into bankruptcy and by using emotional blackmail, caused my wife to attempt to take her own life. Fortunately we found a real saviour in our doctor who realized what we were involved with and he helped us disentangle ourselves from this abuse.  Make no mistake -- it is abuse -- of the worst kind.  These pastor-charlatans are nothing more than demons in disguise who eat up their followers and when there is nothing left of them, spit them out and move on to the next bunch of easily led people.

By M. Torey

Posted on - Does the Atonement of Christ Allow Us to Claim Physical Healing

I agree with O. Kennedy's comment about the physical healing. We were involved in BVC and had several health issues. We were told that if we had enough faith (1st thing) that God would have to bend to our will because we were on the same level as Jesus. What a crock of crap that was -- then the next line was that we weren't tithing enough to get God's attention for healing -- so we gave more money -- still ill. Then we had to sign up for a covenant relationship to help build the kingdom (guess what we were building -- yup -- that big new edifice that belongs to the pastor and his wife) and it's going to be paid for in a few short years thanks to all of us fools who were taken in. Still no health for either my wife or I. We have since left BVC and we are expecting to receive some sort of legal action because we are not paying our covenant bill (turns out -- it's a mortgage hidden in there -- and our lawyer says we probably don't have a leg to stand on to get out of paying unless we go bankrupt

- By Anonymous

Posted on - Does the Atonement of Christ Allow Us to Claim Physical Healing The ability for these fraudulent "pastors" to guess about what they don't know in the area of physical healing just makes me sick. God is in full control and decides for whatever reason He chooses to heal some people while others suffer. It doesn't matter whether you have enough faith or pay enough money. God decides, not man. Nobody can claim healing in the way that these faith people say they can. Somebody ought to send them out to see a real mission field where they cannot dupe people into giving them money to live high on the hog lives like Paul and Debby McCulloch on the backs and wallets of their followers. Your revelation of the false doctrines of these churches has been an eye-opener to us. Keep up the work and maybe your sons and their families will realize just how much they have been deceived. 

- By Grace Whyte

Posted on - Healing for Emotional Hurts

I am so disgusted with the youth leaders at Barrie Victory Centre. Every time you turn around, they want to take our kids on a "faith retreat" -- what this has turned out to be is them being taken to another Victory Church location where they become free labour to help build classrooms, benches, and other things. This is supposed to enrich their faith experience. I agree that kids need to have some experiences but every month for the last 6 months? Really? When we refused to let our kids go the last time, they were ridiculed because God's work should come before family. The youth leaders have since asked us "nicely" -- to stop bringing our kids to youth group. This group should be exposed for the charlatan church that it is!

- By Anonymous

Posted on - Errors of Positive Confession and Consequences I think my family is attending one of these "itching ear" churches based on this article. Everything that their leader says to them, they do. They have lost all common sense about life when it comes to this guy. He tells them that he needs a new car and the church comes up with enough money for a new Mercedes. In the meantime, their family car needs winter tires and they cannot afford to put them on. I am sending them the link to this article. Maybe it will make them see some sense since I can't.

- By Roger Tompkin

I Hope You Hear What I Hear!

For more information on Victory Churches and the Faith Movement, go to the Reference Library.  Click on any book title to get a brief overview of the book.  All books on the list are available through www.amazon.com.