To the Evangelists and Ministries:The Lord has several things against the evangelists of today. A number of them are charlatans and perpetrators of every wind of doctrine. Some tickle the ears of the people with prosperity messages. Some pervert the Word to give themselves a particular edge. There are countless traveling evangelists and “faith healers,” each with their own hook, in order to make a name for themselves. Some proclaim to be prophets, but they perform for hire or to sell books and their prophesies are not true, nor do they bring repentance into the hearts of those they speak over. Such men have made a circus out of gatherings, going on about their communication with angels and all manners of “visions” and “heavenly appearances they claim to have had, with which they attempt to validate their false teachings. Those who are careful to test the spirits are accused of skeptical unbelief. (Colossians 2:18) Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. [NIV]Others are purely motivational speakers and their messages are worldly, carnal interpretations of the Word of God, an unholy mixture of the Word, psychology, and humanism. Few are bringing the full truth to the people. Some are little more than money-grubbing extortionists. God is not pleased with the practices that are often used to get more money. I have witnessed an evangelist who actually held a sort of “offering auction” to urge more money from a congregation. This man employed extortion practices that were so shameless and blatant that I had to walk out to keep from myself from publicly calling down the mammon-worshiper. (The pastor should have called him down, and never let that man return! He was unquestionably a wolf, devouring the sheep.) Others have promised financial gain and blessings in proportion to the giving of the people, promoting wrong motives in the Body, for giving. Still others have actually threatened that bad things will happen if the people don't “obey God” in the amount they are to give. I saw one woman fall to pieces, weeping because she had been late arriving and missed this same evangelist's first collection and thereby missed the “special double-blessing” he had promised to those who gave substantially to the initial offering of his service. (He took several offerings during his “service,” in addition to selling a homemade “How to” workbook on witnessing, at a ridiculously high price.) This is wickedness at its worst! Was not the anger of our Lord kindled against those who made His Father's house a den of thieves? (2 Cor 11: 13) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. [NIV]Some charge exorbitant fees for their “services.” They are professional speakers or entertainers, rather than true messengers of God. They use worldly methods of self-promotion and fund-raising, marketing their gospel and “service,” like common products. People are classified into “levels” by clever names in accordance with the amount they give and often rewarded with “token gifts.” Many such evangelists and ministers invest their excess profits in the stock market, unaware that such investments often support companies involved with immoral products. Such are a shame to the eternal Gospel of Christ, and have caused the world to reject the truth that could have saved their souls. This commercialism of the sacred, holy sacrifice of Christ the Lamb is evil in the sight of God. The blood of those souls, who refused the Gospel because they were repulsed by such greedy behavior, shall be upon the hands of such evil doers, as well as those who followed after them and supported them. To them, the apostle Paul would say: (2 Cor 11:4&5) For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may not be a trained speaker but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. [NIV]Evangelists are supposed to rely upon God, having faith that He will supply the worker's needs by way of the Church, only when preaching and working for the Church consumes all their time. Manipulating people to give is not exercising faith and trust in God. Also, while it is popular to quote “A workman is worthy of his wages,” Paul also reminded the Church that he made tents by trade, and worked physically along with the body to earn his own keep, so as not to be a burden to the church. He said "those who don't work, don't eat." Many evangelists breeze in and out of town, and their followers gather in adoration, treating them like royalty. I wonder if it wouldn't be more scriptural for an evangelist to call up a local body of believers and say: “I have a message from the Lord, by the way, is there any work I can do for you while I'm here? Could I clean your carpets, paint some trim? Mow the grass? I will be glad to be at your service while I am in the area.” What was Jesus trying to tell his disciples when He washed their feet and said, “If you would be great in the kingdom, be a servant of all”? (2Th 3:8-10) We did not eat any one's bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If anyone will not work, let him not eat. [RSV]Furthermore, all the believers gave all they had, which was then distributed to those among the Body who had need, not poured into visiting evangelists, expensive programs, buildings and professional salaries. Because ministries and churches are doing numerous such activities, they have an endless need for more money. The issue of tithing and extra offerings is a private thing between God and the believer. The tithe of Malachi is actually addressed to the people of Israel as part of their covenant with God. In the New Testament, tithing is not stressed, however the pure-hearted gave all they had, as did the widow with her mite. If feeling guilt, gaining a financial blessing or impressing the pastor is one's motivation for tithing, don't bother. It is meant to be an act of love, obedience and faith to God. It is also something that the Holy Spirit will teach the believer, as He instructs all believers in all things. It is shameful for the minister to browbeat, nag and manipulate the tithe from the believers or the evangelist to resort to various promotional techniques to extract even more offerings. (This includes “suggested donations.”) We must repent! Have enough faith that God will provide for the ministry! If God is behind one's work, He will fund it. Will He provide a palatial home overlooking the golf course and a Cadillac or Lincoln to drive? Usually not. (James 4:3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. [RSV]Some evangelists work independently because they have made ministry an idol. They love to be in charge and handpick "yes men" to assist them, rather than to have a group of trustworthy and biblically-grounded advisors (such as mere, non-professional, plain old no-compromising brethren) to help keep their doctrines in check. Others enjoy the limelight and the respect they receive from pastors and their congregations. They enjoy their position of stature within their one-man-show. Some are more entertainers than anything else and the true Spirit of God is not in them. They practice manipulation of an “audience” for selfish and worldly gain. They allow themselves to be lifted up as “God's man of the hour,” gathering huge crowds who exalt the man or creature, rather than God, the Creator. Then, when they fall into the temptations of carnal lusts, everyone is dismayed, shocked or angry, and it brings disgrace, in the eyes of the lost, upon the holy Church and the name of Christ. The Word warns us: Be sure your sin will find you out! Those who preach for selfish gain will be exposed. I believe there are many who start out sincere, but their very rise to exaltation breeds a pride that makes them especially vulnerable. In their high-profile and busyness, they forget God, neglect prayer and stumble over the very cross they once preached. There are many false teachers who have become purveyors of prosperity, despising the cross, saying the cross is replaced with the resurrection and therefore suffering is not applicable to the children of God. They preach a “name it and claim it - kingdom now” kind of gospel which proves that, like the Jews in Jesus' day, they expect a Messiah who is of this world, who will bring them mammon and power on this earth. The truth is not in them because they have not understood the whole counsel of God. They want a king who will give them all of their carnal desires. The lowly, humble Christ, they don't know, nor do they want to know him. (Phil. 3:7-8) But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ. [RSV]The early followers of Christ and suffering martyrs of today, those who lost their lives and sacrificed everything for the sake of the Gospel, will stand in judgment against such men for their extravagant living and promises of great financial blessings and prosperity to those who patronize their ministry. These men (and women) fleece the sheep. They do not share in the sufferings of Christ. They do not know or care about the deprivation that is often borne by the true saints of Jesus Christ. Such people make a mockery of the cross, despising its shame and humiliation and they show disdain for those who have obeyed the Lord's command to take up their own crosses to follow Him. They are not true servants of Christ, for no servant is greater than his master and Jesus had no place to lay his head. Yet these men (and women) live and travel in luxury. Extravagance is their way and they claim it is their just desserts, as a child of God. Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world, so how is it that anyone could associate worldly wealth with evangelism? Truly these have had their rewards here on earth and there will be none for them in the eternal kingdom. (Heb. 12:2) looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.. [RSV]God is against the constant buying and selling that is occurring in the meeting places. This is an abomination to God. How is it that this is so overlooked by the Body of Christ? Did Jesus not make a whip of cords to drive the money changers, buyers and sellers out of the temple of God which was meant to be a house of prayer?? Ministers and evangelists will stand behind the pulpit of the sanctuary, offering “two for one" deals on their books and merchandise. I witnessed a presentation of Christian toys for sale from the pulpit before so much as a prayer was uttered among the congregation. Many think that it is okay to sell things in the vestibule, just outside the sanctuary, but the Lord drove them out from in front of the temple, the very place that was supposedly “designated,” by the leaders, for such activities. Repent of turning a meeting place of the Body into a place to merchandise goods. Repent of hawking wares from the pulpit. God is not pleased. It is to be a gathering for prayer and worship, not a marketplace. Do not think anyone who does these things will be spared of God's correction. This is a warning. What Jesus did was a warning. Paul warned the Body as well, saying that he does not peddle the Gospel. Evangelists who have things to sell need to open a business, a store, a website, or set up a tent at the farthest end of the parking lot. But keep this commercialized abomination of peddling, out of the assembly of the Lord. (2 Cor. 2:17) Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. [NIV]Because many ministries are run like large corporations with executive positions, they pay large wages to their CEOs and operate just as any other worldly business. They spend more time holding board and departmental meetings, than they do in prayer. Such ministries consume large amounts of money for television time, marketing, analysis, sales, fund-raising, printing, presentation, wardrobes and other self-promotion. They hold large conferences, at a great expense to those attending, and it is all little more than a platform for “leadership teams” to showcase their motivational speaking expertise, entertainment skills, and raise more money for their ministry, a ministry which more often than not, supplies them with a life of luxury and privilege.
Those who attend such conferences are usually members of the body of Christ, who have often already received enough teaching of the Word that they should be out winning souls, by now, effectively teaching the Word of truth themselves. (if only the “clergy” would give them an opportunity!) Yet, the people continue to attend these conferences, still needing a message that will boost their “self esteem” or a seminar on how to “improve their Christianity.” It has very little to do with the lowly and humble example of God's son to love the Father, love and serve one another, and bring souls to Christ. For many ministries, even those which may have started out sincere, their eventual purpose of existence becomes a mission of building or maintaining a worldly kingdom, in the name of the Gospel, as well as self-preservation, and so they compromise the most holy faith. The people become institutionalized zombies, trained to be chronic hearers but never doers, of the Word of God.
Transforming Movies Eva's Desktop Art Victor's Desktop Photos Audio Talks Printed Talks Statement of Faith Our Testimonies Home Church Resources Our Blog and Podcast Devotionals Links Contact Us |