6. Why Are Charismatic Churches The Fastest Growing Churches in the World?

1.  Much Charismatic growth is by attracting Christians from other churches.  Because Charismatic churches place little emphasis on sound doctrine, this breeds an atmosphere of acceptance, which assists numerical growth.

If you never rebuke sin, have worldly attractions, and give people everything they want, you'll see growth, but you won't please God.

Charismaticism weakens churches that are committed to the fundamentals of the faith, while it energises ecumenical liberal, worldly churches.

2.  Numerical growth does not equal God's stamp of approval.  Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and other cults can boast amazing growth statistics, yet their beliefs are very unbiblical.  What about growth of Charismatic churches that hold to the fundamentals of the faith?  Jesus' parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43), mustard seed (13:31, 32), and the leaven (13:33) all predict outward growth in Christendom, but this growth would be accompanied by growth in evil influences (leaven, birds) from within.  Therefore, numerical growth does not mean that God approves all a church's doctrine.  Numerical growth, even by true conversions, can occur amidst false doctrine, e.g. The Corinthian church grew rapidly even though it was full of false doctrine and wrong behaviour.

Many churches claim to be evangelical, but challenge them on:

1. The 100% inerrancy of Scripture.
2. The historical, literal accuracy of Genesis 1-11.
3. The factual nature of Jonah being swallowed by a fish.
4. The scientific accuracy of a literal creation week, and they show themselves to disbelieve the Bible.

Christ prayed that the Father would sanctify believers through His Word (John 17:17), before He prayed that believers would be one (John 17:21).

If we loudly profess to believe every Bible truth, except where the world and devil are at the moment attacking, we are denying Christ and proving disloyal.  Today's battle against the Bible takes the form of an invasion of new revelations.  This is why Rome can happily endorse the Charismatic movement because Rome also has her new revelations that are contrary to the Bible.  We must be sound in belief, sound in a Godly life, and sound in serving Christ.  (Mick Alexander)

5. If Sign/Revelatory Gifts Are Not For Today, and Not From God...

. . . Why Do They Produce Apparently Good Effects in Believers Lives?

Step 1.  Many Charismatics claim to be enriched by speaking in tongues, making prophesies, words of knowledge, casting out of demons and sign gifts etc.  They may have a greater interest in the Bible, prayer, and witnessing.  How could such positive results not be from God?

Step 2.  Any military strategist knows that an enemy will often give up ground in order to gain a greater victory (Joshua 8: 15-21).  Satan is not afraid of prayer, Bible study or bold witness that is contrary to the Word of God, especially when it promotes error and advances his own kingdom.  Satan does strongly oppose genuine prayer, Bible study and gospel preaching when it is done Biblically and in the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Satan is happy to pull back opposition to Bible study, prayer and witness, if he can woo the believer away from Bible decision-making and into experiential decision-making (which is Satan's greater sought after victory).

Step 3.  If a believer moves into experiential decision-making, Satan can withdraw his opposition to Bible study, prayer and witness.  The believer then attributes his advancement in prayer, Bible study and witness to his new tongues experience.  This serves to lure the believer deeper into his experiential decision-making and hence further away from 100% Bible authority only.  Hence, by giving some ground, Satan leads believers into greater deception.  The believer more strongly clings to non-Biblical experiences.

Step 4.  The believer who accepts sign and revelatory gifts is replacing Biblical authority with experiential authorities.  Interpretation of verses becomes heavily weighted towards vindicating his experiences.

Step 5.  People are genuinely saved, they in turn accept the signs and wonders message, and the deception grows.  The basis for Christian fellowship is no longer the Bible, but a common experience such as tongues.  That is why Roman Catholics, liberal protestants, some evangelicals, and heretics unite in ecumenical charismatic fellowship.  Tongues causes divisions in a church, just as it did at the Tower of Babel.

Many Charismatics are not completely certain that their prophecies are from the Lord.  Many are troubled at healings that relapse.  Many Charismatics say that they are Spirit-filled yet live inconsistent lives.

Satan's contest in Eden was to steal Adam's loyalty away from the Word of God ("Yea, hath God saith?") and for him to live independent of God and His Word.

DO CHRISTIANS KNOW WHEN THEY ARE BEING MISLEAD?

No, not always.  In Matthew 16:21-23, Peter in expressing his love for Christ, was deceived by Satan in trying to stop Christ from going to the cross.  Jesus looked past Peter's love and saw Satan leading Peter away from the revealed will of God.  

1. With the heart one receives or trusts Christ for salvation.
2. With the will one obeys Christ.
3. With the mind one abides in Christ.

Heart means:  Intellect, will, affections, loyalties.
Will means:  Action, commitment.

• Many Christians spend hours in Christian bookshops looking for a book to give them the secret of victorious living.  If they can't find the power of God in a book, they will seek it in an experience.
• The goal of the Christian life is to remain Spirit-filled.

ARE THERE ANY BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF SATAN GIVING UP SPIRITUAL GROUND IN ORDER TO GAIN SPIRITUAL ADVANTAGES?

1. Satan offered Christ the world's kingdoms in exchange for Christ's worship.  Matthew 4: 8-10.
2. Acts 16:16-18 The demonized damsel proclaimed that Paul's team were servants of the Most High God who proclaimed the way of salvation.  Why?  So that the gospel would be associated with the occult.

Many churches have changed from being a lighthouse to a weather vane.  Instead of lighting the way in the darkness, many churches merely turn with whatever fashion or worldly wind blows at the time.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is to take pre-emenence in all things.  The Holy Spirit's job is to reveal and exalt Jesus Christ.  The problem of powerless Christians is due to believers failing to surrender totally to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Living the Christian life is described by:  "Warfare", "fight", "run the race", "yield not", "work out", and "press towards".

 The Christian life is a disciplined life of constant vigilance, taking up the cross daily.  There are no shor tcuts to instant spirituality.

Roman Catholic Charismatics have greater zeal for Mary, Mass, and Papacy, and praying to saints, etc.  If Satan can achieve this, he will stop opposition to Charismatic churches so that apparent growth occurs.

4. But Why Doesn't God Step In and . . .

. . . Chasten His Children To Woo Them Back To Obedience? (Hebrews 12)

The Holy Spirit and the Word of God continually call the believer to faithfulness and obedience (Phil. 2:12, 13).  Deception and impoverishment are the bitter fruits of turning away from the Word of God.  Sometimes God will allow His children to remain deceived as a chastisement until they turn again in submission to the Word of God.  Their salvation in Christ is secure through Christ's blood sacrifice.  They may serve the Lord faithfully in other areas and even be used successfully by God, but they will miss God's best blessings on earth and they will lose rewards in heaven. 

God will allow believers to choose whether to glorify Christ through submission and obeying Scripture or to rebel.  For dedicated servants of God who put aside the clear revelation of God and embrace new revelations in this life they will be deceived and impoverished, and in the next life they will suffer loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5-10).

Examples of charismatic deception are tongues, false healings, new revelations, words of knowledge spoken about other people, slaying in the "spirit", "Toronto" experience, etc. Consider briefly these two examples:

Slaying People in the Spirit is a Charismatic invention whereby hands are laid on a person's head and they lose consciousness, causing them to fall backwards onto the floor.  THIS IS NOT IN THE BIBLE, so forget it.  Laying hands on people is well known in the occult as a means of transferring demons.  It is more likely demonically influenced and all the more reason why we should avoid this movement.

Surrender of mind and emotions to group pressure.
On entering a Charismatic meeting, we meet many people dancing, throwing arms in the air, speaking in tongues [gibberish], on an emotional high and appearing very happy.  The average Christian realizes that he is not always like this nor is the church from which he has come (which is made to appear dead and lifeless in comparison).  He and his church are made to feel inferior and below what God expects.  He has always had thoughts that his Christian life hasn't always been as good as it ought to have been.  He immediately concludes that these people have a one-shot-sure-fire-answer to spirituality when they ask him if he has been baptised in the Holy Spirit or spoken in tongues [gobble-de-gook].  If he is not careful, he will assume that these people are right, without studying the Bible or without praying the issue through.  He may then agree to speak in tongues, which makes the Charismatics very happy.  He feels much love, acceptance and unity as a result, all because of an experience that he has had.  He then begins his Christian life by making his experience the authority on which he determines spiritual truth, and not the Bible.  He then defends his decision logically by saying what wonderful love and unity these people have and "power" (false albeit).  He asks, "how can they be wrong when they show such qualities?"

3. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Continue in Error and Deception to Their Hurt or Spiritual Detriment?

1 Kings 13 reveals that even a dedicated and fearless prophet of God must suffer the consequences when he chooses deception over the clear revelation of God.

An unnamed man of God (v.1) was sent to Bethel "by the Word of the Lord" to prophesy against King Jeroboam and his idolatry (v.1-3).  When the King tried to arrest the prophet, the King's hand withered (v.4, 5).  He begged the man of God to intercede to God to restore his hand (v.6).  The man of God showed mercy, prayed to God and Jeroboam's hand was restored.  Then King Jeroboam offered him a reward (v.7) but the man of God refused (v.3-10).

Why?  He refused to stop for food because the clear revelation of God forbade him from receiving food or drink or retracing his steps (v.9).  So far he had walked in complete obedience to the Word of God.  He had passed the tests of:

1. Fear because he had boldly carried out his job of proclaiming God's Word to the King.
2. Compassion/Mercy.  He had not allowed the king's threats to dry up his mercy.  He willingly, lovingly prayed for Jeroboam's hand to be restored without revenge.
3. The test of faithfulness to God over human favour had been overcome, because he turned down the King's offer of hospitality and reward.
4. The test of deception, was the final test which he sadly failed.

Why?  God had clearly told him not to receive hospitality, but he rejected the clear revelation of the Word of God for a new revelation, and it cost him his life.

There was an old prophet living nearby who heard about his faithful stand.  The old prophet had lived in compromise at Bethel and invited the man of God home to dine with him (v.11-15). 

The man of God refused saying that he was under strict orders from God not to eat, drink or retrace his steps (v.16, 17).  The old prophet replied in v.18 "I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat bread and drink water.  But he lied unto him."

Why did he lie?  We are not told:

1. Maybe he was envious at seeing a true prophet faithfully discharge his duties, when he had lived in compromise.
2. Maybe he resented the man of God and had a convicted conscience.  

 The old prophet claimed a new revelation from God.  The man of God had to decide:

1. Would he accept at face value the new revelation, or 
2. Would he continue to cling to God's previous revelation?

Sadly, the once fearless and faithful prophet succumbed to deception.  And God allowed this to happen to a dedicated man of God.  Why?  Because in our pilgrimage on earth, there will always be the choice to follow the clear teaching of God's Word, or to replace it with the shallow promises, prophecies and deceptions of man.

The man of God retraced his steps back to the home of the old prophet and ate with him (v.19).  Over the meal, the old prophet revealed that because the man of God had disobeyed the Word of God, he would die (v.20-21).  And this is exactly what happened (v.23-26) because a lion slew him in the way.

From this we see that if God allowed a dedicated prophet of God to choose between the clear teaching of the Lord and deception, surely the Lord will let us have this choice today.  Many Christians suffer poor spiritual lives because they give up the Word of God, and embrace teachers who prophesy or give new revelations of their own spirit.

2. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Experience and Give In To Influences That Are Not From Him?


Every moment of his life, the Christian must battle spiritually with the world, the flesh and the devil.  This is part of the maturing process.  All believers are tempted with pride, worry, fear, sin and disobedience.  Does God allow believers to sin?  Yes, of course.

"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him".  James 1:12.

The Lord allows us to test every experience by Scripture, or to go by our feelings.  God will allow us to be tempted in all forms.  This includes the temptation to depart from Scripture by believing false revelations.  Signs and wonders can have sources other than God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10; Revelation 13:13, 14; Matthew 24:24).

Jesus warns four times of deception at the end of the Church age in Matthew 24.

If a Christian swaps the sword of the Spirit, and takes up feelings or human reasoning, he opens himself up to Satan's deception.

Many Christians in unemotional churches know very little Scripture.  In daily struggles with sin and temptation, believers are most vulnerable to the attraction of false instant spirituality.  Rather than live by the Word of God for victory, one may seek the apparent shortcut of tongues, prophecy, power evangelism, healing, etc. as the answer to his problems.

• Charismatic leaders who criticize Bible teachers who urge careful study of the Bible, are hence criticizing the legitimate spiritual gift of teaching.  They urge charismatics to follow them without questioning their interpretation.  They oppose non-charismatics by asking:  "Who did God use, the educated Pharisees or the simple Apostles?"  They thus forget 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God ... rightly dividing the word of truth".

Along the way we all have difficult times, as seen by Elijah under the Juniper tree (1 Kings 19:4, 5), David fleeing from Saul, Paul's beatings, etc.  Don't seek a quick fix to gain instant spirituality.  The devil offered Jesus a shortcut to earth's kingdoms by avoiding the cross.  The devil will offer us many shortcuts seeming to easily solve our problems.  We must stick to the basics:  study the Word, pray, confess sin, yield to Christ, abide in Christ, and take up the cross daily.  These require work, watching and warfare.

DON'T SWAP THE WORD OF GOD FOR AN EXPERIENCE.

The main damaging side effect of charismaticism is the welcoming and accepting of heretics, apostates, nominal Christians and Roman Catholics into the Church.  A person can pray to Mary, then speak in tongues, thus being accepted into many charismatic fellowships.  Charismatics emphasize unity at the expense of doctrine.

1. Why Would God Allow Dedicated Christians To . . .

. . . Experience the Sign and Revelatory Gifts if they are not from Him?

Some evangelical churches have lapsed into cold, lifeless formalism.  They may be doctrinally right, but they may have lost their fervent love and zeal for God.  If a Pentecostal/Charismatic church has a high regard for the Bible, prayer, soul-winning zeal and a willingness to attempt great things for God, then this fills a void left by less-emotional churches.  Among these good things there resides a deceiving cancer that undermines the good that is being done.  This cancer is the matter of new revelations from God, of tongues, prophecy, words of knowledge, visions or dreams.

Neil Babcox, a former charismatic pastor left the charismatic church because of this issue.  He says, "When a prophet said "Thus said the Lord"", he meant that the very Word of God was being proclaimed, with infallibility, purity and divine authority.  The prophecies that I had spoken and heard others speak paled and diminished to the point of nothingness compared with the Bible".

Ezekiel protested "Thus saith the Lord God, Woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!"  Ezekiel 13:3.

Isn't that what we were -- "prophets who had seen nothing?"

When the genuine prophets of God spoke, they spoke with certainty regarding every word.  This finds no parallel today.  The Bible's prophets knew with 100% certainty that they were speaking the very words of God.

"The spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me." Ezekiel 2:2.

Many who prophesy and claim to speak new revelations from God today know in their own hearts that they don't have the certainty of the Bible prophets, yet they continue to speak "new" revelations.

"Then the Lord said unto me, the prophets prophesy lies in my name:  I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them:  they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart".  Jeremiah 14:14.

It is no small thing to claim to speak new revelation from God, given the deception of Mormon prophecy.

This emphasis on new revelation undermines the authority of Scripture.  Dave Hunt rebukes the positive and possibility thinking of Paul Yonggi Cho and Robert Schuller with their occultish visualisation techniques, temptation to power and deification of man which is invading the church.

Charismatics teach that a proper understanding of Scripture does not come through correct interpretation, but through revelation (only to certain leaders), and that these new revelations supplement the Bible, and that these must be accepted as a "great move of God". 

•  Charismatics often say:  "...we have revelation knowledge as God continues to speak to His people".  This sounds really spiritual, but it is in fact adding to Scripture.

Because the Scriptures are perfect, we cannot add to them.

• John Wimber states:  "rational control (of the mind) must be forfeited for tongues speaking to occur, for ecstatic worship, for messages from God to be received directly into the mind, and for miraculous healings to happen".

• Charismatics Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin's heresies were exposed in "The Agony of Deceit". (available at www.amazon.com)

Kenneth Copeland claimed that Jesus spoke new revelation to him, saying:  "Jesus did not come to earth as God, but only as a man;  Jesus never claimed to be God during His earthly ministry".

• John White, a famous author, claims that Jesus Christ personally appeared to him on three occasions to give new revelation that would become part of Scripture.

[This is an excellent tool which true Christians can use to quickly identify those who are charlatans claiming to be Christians.  Any one who claims to receive special revelation knowledge, therefore adding to Scripture, or uses the phrase "God told me" can immediately be dismissed as a charlatan and a liar.  The Copelands and the Wimbers of this world need to feel the full wrath of every true Christian today.  They need to be called out publicaly on this issue.]

Thank You God For 'Blessing' This Blog!

 F. Whitehead said...

I found the last four articles extremely interesting as well as well-researched with respect to Biblical backups to support your position. As I never take anything at face value, I have reviewed all of the Scripture verses mentioned and my blinders have been removed from my eyes. I know now that I am involved in a church that probably has a satanic influence and this frightens me more than I can say. I have read horror stories about people trying to leave churches like these and have actually seen some of my former friends be put out of our church for questionning what the Board and Pastors are doing and teaching. Thank you for posting.

G. Franklin said...

Wow! Wow! Wow! What an eye-opening article! I have been convinced that there has been something wrong in our church for some time but could not get anyone to listen. I have made an appointment to speak to our Pastor right after Christmas.. he needs to explain where he is getting his "spiritual" guidance. Thank you.

M. Dresdin said...

How terrible that so many can be taken in by such an evil! We as Christians need to be more vocal when these charlatans start infiltrating our churches with the hysteria and falling on the floor. In our church it started with the raising of hands and within a few months.. full blown hysteria. We left our church and have found a good Bible-believing one where these goings-on aren't there.

Herman Gregory said...

Well-put! I enjoy following your blog and I must say that your insight into this strange and weird world of charismatic pentecostals is mind-opening.

Maury Shipton said...

What a frightening thing! This means that the Pentecostal movement could be infiltrated by Satan and hypnotists. This is awful! How do we begin to bring this to an end?

S. C. Roweling said...

This phenomena of the mass hysteria has started to show up in our church here in the Jersey Island (UK). We currently attend an Anglican church but we have a new priest from the U.S. and this started with some of our young people's groups. We are sharing your blog with the Head Diocese here today! Thank you.

 

Alice & Byron White said...

We have been following your blog for over a year and really find these last two articles the most disturbing of any that we have read. Our teenage children have started attending a church (not the family one) where this is a common occurrence at every service. We do not understand how this practice has crept into the main stream churches and are at a loss at how to get our children out of this emotional experience that they seem to need.. they started going once a week and now they are involved with something almost every day of the week. Their schoolwork is suffering and all they can talk about is "pastor-says".. thanks for letting us vent!

Marissa de Long said...

Horrible, horrible, horrible! How can this be happening under our very noses. Are we so blind as to feel that we need that excitement each and every week from Church. If this continues, we are lost!

H. & D. Hirams said...

We are completely blown away by your blog. We have been deceived by our Pastor for a number of years and are appalled that this could happen to us. We got disallusioned with our former church and were befriended by some members of the local Victory Church who made us feel loved and wanted. Now, several years later, we can no longer afford our home and have it up for sale. Everything that we have read on your blog has happened to us in some form or another. Please continue writing so that others won't end up where we are now.

Otto Schriber said...

Honestly. How can people be so taken in by something that is so non-biblical in nature. I hope that you can continue to educate people in this area and that more will come to realize the errors of their ways.

Syliva & Thomas Morton said...

We are so thankful to have found your blog this week. We have read it with great interest as our children seem to think that we are "out to lunch" when it comes to what is going on in their church in California. We have sent them the link and hope that they will take the time to read some of the facts and research the verses that you quote.

Monique Drinkwater said...

What an interesting review of "Slain in the Spirit". I was quite taken aback when I looked up the verses quoted and learned that, in fact, God's people always fall forward on their faces and not backwards as goes on in the Pentecostal movements. These Charismatic churches really should get their Biblical facts straight! I had no idea and look forward to reading the next section.

Dave & Marcie Hedben said...

We had no idea that falling down backwards was not of God. Our pastor always has catchers available so that no-one bangs their heads on the ground. We have always thought that our evening services became very hysterical and once one person falls over, everyone else just follows. We have looked up all of the verses and will be discussing this with our small group this evening.

 Graydon Blume said...

Amazing! Where do you find this information? Penetcostals have been falling down on their backs for years and now it's become a "bad" thing? I am sending a link to this blog to our Board because if it is, in fact, true that only forward falling people are being influenced from God, we have a serious problem in our North American churches. I will be very interested to see what else you have to say on this subject.

H. Pathway said...

I have been saying this for years but it's like crying out in the wilderness. My children live for that explosive experience every week and nothing seems to get through to them. I am convinced more than ever that this is a satanic attack on the Christian church and more and more people will be drawn away. I am looking forward to reading the answers to the next question.

Rev. D.G. Browning said...

Great article. It's about time that someone took the time to investigate the "slain in the spirit" garbage that is pervading our church. Keep it up, Grand Poo-Bah!

Dave & Marcie Hedben said...

After having a very heated discussion with our small group, we have come to the conclusion that our church is teaching something that is not Biblical and that this practice should stop. We fully expect to be asked to leave our church as this is one of the cornerstone principles but now having this information directly from Biblical scriptures, we have no alternative but to follow it and not man's interpretation of being "slain in the spirit". We are also now looking into the tongues scriptures as well because you have made some valid points there as well.

M. & G. Shipson said...

We were in a small group this week that was discussing the verses that you outlined regarding being slain in the spirit. We are so appalled that our church has been teaching something so non-biblical and that our eyes were blinded by Satan in this area. If we cannot get our Board and Pastors to see reason, we will have no alternative but to move to a more biblically-based church.

A. Smythe said...

This is incredible! I had no idea that I was involved in a church that is teaching falsehoods. Thank you.

Please feel free to share if you have any personal experiences 

regarding "SATANIC INFLUENCES" in the Penetcostal church.  

'Pentecostal' includes any church where "Speaking in Tongues" 

or being "Slain in the Spirit" is practised.  These are only two of a
long list of problems which are rampant in the Pentecostal church.