The word “Gospel” comes from the Greek  eujaggevlion and means “good news."  The good news is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3).  By this gospel we can be saved from the righteous judgment of God the Father by faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1).  This salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.  We can't add to what Christ has done, nor do we maintain our salvation by our good effort.  But what do we find when we look at the gospel according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?  How are the Mormons saved from their sins, and what must they do to be forgiven?  Let’s take a look their scriptures, prophets, and teachers.

First of all, the Book of Mormons says,

“And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins” (The Book of Mormon, Alma 11:37). (All underlines in these quotes have been added for emphasis.)

This is reasonable, since God does not want us to sin against him and we cannot ignore God’s warnings against sin.

Second, the Book of Mormon says, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do,” (2 Nephi 25:23).

Now this is where we run into a problem.  We have to ask what it means to be “saved after all we can do?”  How much must we do in order to become saved?  The representatives of the Mormon Church give us the answer.

“On the same basis men cannot be saved in their sins (Alma 11:37); the Lord has ordained the laws by which salvation and all good things come, and until obedience prepares the way, the promised blessings are withheld (D&C 88:21-24; 130:20-21; 132:5.). Men can no more be saved without obedience than they can be healed without faith. All things operate by law; blessings result from obedience to law and are withheld when there is no obedience” (BYU Professor Daniel H. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the New Testament, p.222).

The 13th President of the Mormon Church, Ezra Taft Benson, said, “What is meant by ‘after all we can do’? ‘After all we can do’ includes extending our best effort. ‘After all we can do’ includes living His commandments. ‘After all we can do’ includes loving our fellowmen and praying for those who regard us as their adversary. ‘After all we can do’ means clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and giving ‘succor [to] those who stand in need of [our] succor’ (Mosiah 4:15)-remembering that what we do unto one of the least of God's children, we do unto Him (see Matthew 25:34-40; D&C 42:38). ‘After all we can do’ means leading chaste, clean, pure lives, being scrupulously honest in all our dealings and treating others the way we would want to be treated” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.354. Brackets in original).

“But all of these blessings are ours on one condition, and this is spoken of by Nephi, when he said: For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, [but mark you this condition,] after all we can do” (Harold B. Lee, Conference Reports, April 1956, p.111. Brackets and italics in original).

So, according to Mormonism to be “saved after all we can do” means to extend your best effort, live his commandments, love fellow men, pray for adversaries, cloth the naked, feed the hungry, visit the sick, lead chaste, clean lives, and be honest.

This is a tall order, but does it really mean that you have to do all these things and others to be saved in Mormonism?  Sure it does.  But, is it possible for Mormons to do all of this?  According to the Book of Mormon it is.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3:7).

Okay, so the Mormon has to keep the commandments to be saved and has no excuse for not doing them.  In other words, Mormonism teaches that the Mormon must keep all the commandments all the time to be saved.  But that isn’t all.  The Mormon must also deny himself of all ungodliness in order for God’s grace to be sufficient.

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (The Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:32).

Notice that God’s grace is sufficient for you after you deny yourself of all ungodliness.  That is a tremendously tall order -- that is impossible.  Who do you know, including yourself, who has denied himself of all ungodliness?  Not most ungodliness, not some ungodliness, ALL!  Remember, you must “deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you.”  This is a hopelessly impossible command.  No one can deny himself of all ungodliness.  But, just in case you believe you can deny yourself of all ungodliness then that means you aren’t sinning any more.  But, according to the Bible, if you say you aren’t sinning anymore, then you are self-deceived.  1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

Obviously, this is a difficult teaching.  But, there’s more.  In Mormonism, repentance from sin must be complete and permanent.  The Fourth President of the Mormon Church, Wilford Woodruff, said...

“And what is repentance? The forsaking of sin. The man who repents, if he be a swearer, swears no more; or a thief, steal no more; he turns away from all former sins and commits them no more. It is not repentance to say, I repent today, and then steal tomorrow; that is the repentance of the world, which is displeasing in the sight of God” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, pp.71-72).

Okay, so true repentance means that you don't commit any of the sins that you have repented of.  What would happen if you did commit one of the sins from which you repented?  What does Mormonism have to say about that?

Crucified Unto Me
By Watchman Nee

      Separation to God, separation from the world, is the first principle of Christian living. John, in his revelation of Jesus Christ, was shown two irreconcilable extremes, two worlds that morally were poles apart. He was first carried away in the Spirit into a wilderness to see Babylon, mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth (17:3). Then he was carried in the same Spirit to a great and high mountain, from whence to view Jerusalem, the bride, the Lamb's wife (21:10). The contrast is clear and could hardly be more explicitly stated.

      Whether we be a Moses or a Balaam, in order to have God's view of things we must be taken like John to a mountain top. Many cannot see God's eternal plan, or if they see it they understand it only as dry-as-dust doctrine, but they are content to stay on the plains. For understanding never moves us; only revelation does that. From the wilderness we may see something of Babylon, but we need spiritual revelation to see God's new Jerusalem. Once see it, and we shall never be the same again. As Christians therefore we bank everything on that opening of the eyes, but to experience it we must be prepared to forsake the common levels and climb.

      The harlot Babylon is always "the great city" (16:19, etc.) with the emphasis on her attainment of greatness. The bride Jerusalem is by contrast "the holy city" (21:2, 10) with the accent correspondingly on her separation to God. She is "from God," and is prepared "for her husband." For this reason she possesses the glory of God. This is a matter of experience for us all. Holiness in us is what is of God, what is wholly set apart to Christ. It follows the rule that only what originated in heaven returns there; for nothing else is holy. Let go this principle of holiness and we are instantly in Babylon.

      Thus it comes about that the wall is the first feature John mentions in his description of the city itself. There are gates, making provision for the goings of God, but the wall takes precedence. For, I repeat, separation is the first principle of Christian living. If God wants his city with itsmeasurements and its glory in that day, then we must build that wall in human hearts now. This means in practice that we must guard as precious all that is of God and refuse and reject all that is of Babylon. I do not imply by this a separation between Christians. We dare not exclude our brethren themselves, even when we cannot take part in some of the things they do. No, we must love and receive our fellow Christians, but be uncompromising in our separation from the world in principle.

      Nehemiah in his day succeeded in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, but only in the face of great opposition. For Satan hates distinctiveness. Separation of men to God he cannot abide. Nehemiah and his colleagues armed themselves therefore, and thus equipped for war they laid stone to stone. This is the price of holiness we must be prepared for.

      For build we certainly must. Eden was a garden without artificial wall to keep foes out; so that Satan had entry. God intended that Adam and Eve should "guard it" (Gen. 2:15) by themselves constituting a moral barrier to him. Today, through Christ, God plans in the heart of his redeemed people an Eden to which, in triumphant fact, Satan will at last have no moral access whatever. "There shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie; but only they which are in the Lamb's book of life."

      Most of us would agree that to the apostle Paul was given a special revelation of the Church of God. In a similar way we feel that God gave to John a special understanding of the nature of the world. Kosmos is in fact peculiarly John's word. The other Gospels use it only fifteen times (Matthew nine, Mark and Luke three each) while Paul has it forty-seven times in eight letters. But John uses it 105 times in all, seventy-eight in his Gospel, twenty-four in his epistles and a further three in the Revelation.

      In his first epistle John writes: "All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (2:16). In these words that so clearly reflect the temptation of Eve (Gen. 3:6) John defines the things of the world. All that can be included under lust or primitive desire, all that excites greedy ambition, and all that arouses in us the pride or glamor of life, all such things are part of the Satanic system. Perhaps we scarcely need stay here to consider further the first two of these, but let us look for a moment at the third. Everything that stirs pride in us is of the world. Prominence, wealth, achievement, these the world acclaim. Men are justly proud of success. Yet John labels all that brings this sense of success as "of the world."

      Every success therefore that we experience (and I am not suggesting that we should be failures!) calls in us for an instant, humble confession of its inherent sinfulness, for whenever we meet success we have in some degree touched the world system. Whenever we sense complacency over some achievement we may know at once that we have touched the world. We may know, too, that we have brought ourselves under the judgment of God, for have we not already agreed that the whole world is under judgment? Now (and let us try to grasp this fact) those who realize this and confess their need are thereby safeguarded.

      But the trouble is, how many of us are aware of it? Even those of us who live our lives in the seclusion of our own private homes are just as prone to fall a prey to the pride of life as those who have great public successes. A woman in a humble kitchen can touch the world and its complacency even while cooking the daily meal or entertaining guests. Every glory that is not glory to God is vainglory, and it is amazing what paltry successes can produce vainglory. Wherever we meet pride we meet the world, and there is an immediate leakage in our fellowship with God. Oh that God would open our eyes to see clearly what the world is! Not only evil things, but all those things that draw us ever so gently away from God, are units of that system that is antagonistic to him. Satisfaction in the achievement of some legitimate piece of work has the power to come instantly between us and God himself. For if it is the pride of life and not the praise of God that it awakens in us, we can know for certain that we have touched the world. There is thus a constant need for us to watch and pray if we are to maintain our communion with God unsullied.

      What then is the way of escape from this snare which the Devil has set to catch God's people? First let me say emphatically that it is not to be found by our running away. Many think we can escape the world by seeking to abstain from the things of the world. That is folly. How could we ever escape the world system by using what, after all, are little more than worldly methods? Let me remind you of Jesus' words in Matt. 11:18, 19. "John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He hath a devil.' The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!' " Some think that John the Baptist here offers us a recipe for escape from the world, but "neither eating nor drinking" is not Christianity. Christ came both eating and drinking, and that is Christianity! The apostle Paul speaks of "the elements of the world," and he defines these as, "handle not, nor taste, nor touch" (Col. 2:20, 21). So abstinence is merely worldly and no more, and what hope is there, by using worldly elements, of escaping the world system? Yet how many earnest Christians are forsaking all sorts of worldly pleasures in the hope thereby of being delivered out of the world! You can build yourself a hermit's hut in some remote spot and think to escape the world by retiring there, but the world will follow you even as far as that. It will dog your footsteps and find you out no matter where you hide.

      Our deliverance from the world begins, not with our giving up this or that but with our seeing, as with God's eyes, that it is a world under sentence of death as in the figure with which we opened this chapter, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" (Rev. 18:2). Now a sentence of death is always passed, not on the dead but on the living. And in one sense the world is a living force today, relentlessly pursuing and seeking out its subjects. But while it is true that when sentence is pronounced death lies still in the future, it is nevertheless certain. A person under sentence of death has no future beyond the confines of a condemned cell. Likewise the world, being under sentence, has no future. The world system has not yet been "wound up," as we say, and terminated by God, but the winding up is a settled matter. It makes all the difference to us that we see this. Some folk seek deliverance from the world in asceticism, and like the Baptist, neither eat nor drink. That today is Buddhism, not Christianity. As Christians we both eat and drink, but we do so in the realization that eating and drinking belong to the world and, with it, are under the death sentence, so they have no grip upon us.

      Let us suppose that the municipal authorities of Shanghai should decree that the school where you are employed must be closed. As soon as you hear this news you realize there is no future for you in that school. You go on working there for a period, but you do not build up anything for the future there. Your attitude to the school changes the instant you hear it must close down. Or to use another illustration, suppose the government decides to close a certain bank. Will you hasten to deposit in it a large sum of money in order to save the bank from collapse? No, not a cent more do you pay into it once you hear it has no future. You put nothing in because you expect nothing from it.

      And we may justly say of the world that it is under a decree of closure. Babylon fell when her champions made war with the Lamb, and when by his death and resurrection he overcame them, who is Lord of lords and King of kings (Rev. 17:14). There is no future for her.

      A revelation of the Cross of Christ involves for us the discovery of this fact, that through it everything belonging to the world is under sentence of death. We still go on living in the world and using the things of the world, but we can build no future with them, for the Cross has shattered all our hope in them. The Cross of our Lord Jesus, we may truly say, has ruined our prospects in the world; we have nothing to live for there.

      There is no true way of salvation from the world that does not start from such a revelation. We need only try to escape the world by running away from it to discover how much we love it, and how much it loves us. We may flee where we will to avoid it, but it will assuredly track us down. But we inevitably lose all interest in the world, and it loses its grip on us, as soon as it dawns upon us that the world is doomed. To see that is to be automatically severed from Satan's entire economy.

      At the end of his letter to the Galatians Paul states this very clearly. "Far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (6:14). Have you noticed something striking about this verse? In relation to the world it speaks of the two aspectsof the work of the Cross already hinted at in our last chapter. "I have been crucified unto the world" is a statement which we find fairly easy to fit into our understanding of being crucified with Christ as defined in such passages as Romans 6. But here it specifically says too that "the world has been crucified to me." When God comes to you and me with the revelation of the finished work of Christ, he not only shows us ourselves there on the Cross. He shows us our world there too. If you and I cannot escape the judgment of the Cross, then neither can the world escape the judgment of the Cross. Have I really seen this? That is the question. When I see it, then I do not try to repudiate a world I love; I see that the Cross has repudiated it. I do not try to escape a world that clings to me; I see that by the Cross I have escaped.

      Like so much else in the Christian life, the way of deliverance out of the world comes as a surprise to most of us, for it is so at odds with all man's natural concepts. Man seeks to solve the problem of the world by removing himself physically from what he regards as the danger zone. But physical separation does not bring about spiritual separation; and the reverse is also true, that physical contact with the world does not necessitate spiritual capture by the world. Spiritual bondage to the world is a fruit of spiritual blindness, and deliverance is the outcome of having our eyes opened. However close our touch with the world may be outwardly, we are released from its power when we truly see its nature. The essential character of the world is Satanic; it is at enmity with God. To see this is to find deliverance.

      Let me ask you: What is your occupation? A merchant? A doctor? Do not run away from these callings. Simply write down: Trade is under the sentence of death. Write: Medicine is under the sentence of death. If you do that in truth, life will be changed for you hereafter. In the midst of a world under judgment for its hostility to God you will know what it is to live as one who truly loves and fears him.

Are you one of the many loyal and sincere church members who faithfully and cheerfully attend, support and participate in a local church, but have a nagging, persistent inward "thought" that "something is just not right here?"

Then, you begin realizing, somehow, somewhere along the line you began losing your joy, your zeal for the Lord. It used to be you could hardly wait for the services and to be involved; now it is drudgery to go at all. You used to have such a light and blissful feeling as you worshiped the Lord in the services; now you just go through the motions, feeling heavy, staring placidly toward the platform, sometimes wishing you were somewhere else. You used to be able to "look past" the leaders, and focus only on the Lord; now, all you see during the service is people, people behind the pulpit, people on the platform, and people in the pews. You used to feel God's love and pleasure with you; now it seems all you feel is unworthiness, guilt, and that nothing you do is ever enough or pleasing to Him.

"What on earth has happened to me? What's wrong with me?" you ask yourself. "Is it just me?" Then, you begin to look around the room and study other long-time members. You compare how they are now to how they were when they first came. Is their life, as it should be, appreciably better, or have they and their family experienced an inordinate share of tragedies, seemingly inexplicable difficulties, and reversals? By and by, you begin to realize that many of the other members have lost their "first love" too, their zeal, their enthusiasm, their joy in serving the Lord, and that, though Christians, like everyone else, certainly experience adversity, many of these members' lives have been on a gradual, downward spiral, instead of advancement and blessing.

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? If so, don't think you're alone—myriads of sincere, faithful, and trusting believers attending ostensibly Christian churches are experiencing the same thing. They've had this inward intuition for quite some time that something was just not right at their church or in their group, but just couldn't put their finger on precisely what it was. What is coming from the pulpit and platform "sounds" and "seems" right. Seemingly things having an outward appearance of being "good" are happening. Some members, seemingly, are being "used" in various "ministries" of the church. There's an overall pall of "piety" prevailing over the various activities of the church. Still, this nagging inward sense something is awry persists. Something subtle. Something not on the surface. Something that's hidden.

Often, these are the symptoms of a church or group laboring under the heavy-hand of hyper-authoritarianism. That is to say, the leadership is dominating, controlling, and manipulating their followers, and exploiting them for their own personal gain and private kingdom-building. Wholesale abuse and misuse of authority is an integral part of the very foundation, fabric, and functions of such groups.

Exploitative abuse of authority occurring in groups where these hyper-authoritarian systems of governance are instituted come in various shapes and shades, ranging from members having to receive the approval (usually referred to as "witness") of their spiritual leaders to date and/or marry, to virtual sole dependence upon the supposed superior spirituality of group-gurus regarding every detail of their personal financial matters and requiring their leaders' approval for virtually every significant expenditure. Commonly, in these groups there is constant allusion to the members as "dumb sheep" who must be "led" by the shepherds, ad nauseam. The definition of the term "led" in these groups is that the "dumb sheep" cannot trust their own judgment or ability to receive direction from the Lord for the important decisions of their lives, but must rely instead upon the transcendent wisdom and spiritual acumen of their "personal pastors."

The proper role of human under-shepherds is to lead people to the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and teach them how to be His disciples, in submission to Him and His authority. Hyper-authoritarian leaders, instead, lead people to themselves, and indoctrinate them to be their followers, in total submission to them and their authority. In essence, these dominating shepherds teach they are the church-members' de facto lord, master, and savior, rather than Christ. They indoctrinate members to believe the spiritual leaders of the church themselves are the members' "spiritual covering" (a totally false and patently unbiblical concept), and any member who ever leaves the church will be "out from under" their "covering," be without any covering or what they call, "uncovered," and will experience terrible curses and other horrible consequences as a result. From the pulpit often come "horror stories" about what happened to such-and-so person or family, who were so spiritually bereft or rebellious as to leave the group without the blessings and approval of their "spirital authority."

In these groups, the "authority" of the "shepherds" is absolute, sacrosanct, and inviolable, that is, without reprisal. Any semblance of anything other than total and unquestioning obedience to the desires and counsel of the church's leadership chain is considered rebellion and insubordination, and simply is not tolerated. Members live under the constant threat of being branded with the Scarlet Letter "R" for "rebel," openly denounced and shamed from the (bully-)pulpit, and consequently shunned by the "covenant-community" for failure to comply with the unwritten, unspoken rules and expectations established by the leadership. An oppressive performance-based approval and promotion system keeps members in constant internal turmoil and fear as they jump through all the hoops the spiritual taskmasters put before them, in an attempt to seek their leaders' approval and favor. Moreover, members are indoctrinated and compelled to accept the leadership-set agenda of the group, regarding which they have next to no real say, as their personal burden and responsibility, and thus to commit their time, talent, And most importantly, their tithe, to its successful completion. Sadly, most never see past the spiritual smoke and mirrors to realize that the so-called "church" to which they have sworn allegiance and promised their wholehearted and unflagging support, is nothing more than the personal "business" of its leaders, and not only are they free labor, but they actually pay out of their own resources for the privilege of being a participant, i.e., member.

The following are some of the signs and symptoms, or common characteristics, of hyper-authoritarian groups, churches, networks, and ministries. It simply is not feasible to elaborate on them in an article such as this. However, I have addressed most of them in various books, booklets, and articles I have written on the topic. Bear in mind that the list is by no means exhaustive, and that these are general, rather than, exact descriptions.

1. Apotheosis of the leadership — exalting them to God-like status in and over the group;
2. Multi-level authority/government hierarchy;
3. Absolute authority of the leadership;
4. No real accountability of the leadership to the corporate body;
5. Hand-picked sub-leaders, based on their demonstration of submissiveness to the ultimate leader rather than on the basis of their leadership skills, spirituality, and anointing and appointment by God;
6. Pervasive abuse and misuse of authority in personal dealings with members;
7. Paranoia and insecurity by the leaders;
8. Abuse, misuse, and inordinate incidence of "church discipline;"
9. Personal materialism, covetousness, and self-aggrandizement by the leaders;
10. Members and/or sub-leaders must make a "spiritual covenant," sometimes a signed covenant agreement, pledging their total commitment and financial support to the leadership and church/ministry;
11. Partitioning of the group into smaller groups that are led by internally "raised up" lay-leaders who have not been anointed or appointed by God for leadership within the church;
12. Financial exploitation and enslavement of the members;
13. Inordinate attention to maintaining the public "image" of the ministry;
14. Doctrinal demeanment and devaluation — the requisite of espousing and teaching "sound doctrine" is demeaned and devalued;
15. Theological incompetence by the leadership, especially with respect to the rules of hermeneutics and Bible exegesis employed in the formulation of doctrine, giving license to twisting and adulteration of Scripture in order to provide proof-texts for unorthodox and invented doctrines;
16. Spiritualism, mysticism, and unproven doctrines;
17. Abuse and misuse of prophetic giftings as a means to dominate and intimidate;
18. Devaluation, disallowance, disregard, and displacement of the true Fivefold Ministry within the church;
19. De facto legalism, or works mentality, and its resulting loss of the "joy of salvation," though "freedom" is forever preached from the pulpit and the church is constantly touted as being a "safe church" by the leadership;
20. Esotericism — hidden agendas and requirements revealed to members only as they successfully advance through various stages of "spiritual enlightenment," i.e., unorthodox, unproven indigenous doctrines;
21. Isolationism — corporate and individual, especially with respect to exposure to outside ministry sources;
22. Performance-based approval and promotion system of members predicated on "proven" "loyalty" (i.e., submission) to the leadership;
23. Devaluation, suppression, and non-recognition of members' bona fide God-given talents, abilities, gifts, callings, and anointing, as a means of subjugation;
24. Requiring members to perform menial tasks, such as cleaning toilets, setting up chairs, and acting as the leader's personal valet or slave, as a supposed means to humble them and teach them to "obey their leaders;"
25. Constant indoctrination with a "group" or "family" mentality that impels members to exalt the corporate "life" and goals of the church-group over their personal goals, callings, and objectives;
26. Members are psychologically traumatized and indoctrinated with numerous improper fears and phobias aimed at keeping them reeling in diffidence and an over-dependence or co-dependence on their leaders and the corporate group;
27. Corporately, there eventually develops an inordinately high incidence of financial, marital, moral, psychological, mental, emotional, and medical problems, including sudden deaths and contraction of "incurable" and "unknown" diseases;
28. Lack of true personal spiritual growth and development, especially in terms of genuine faith and experiencing the abounding grace, forgiveness, goodness, blessings, kindness, and agape-love of God;
29. Members are required to obtain the approval or "witness" of their leader(s) for decisions regarding personal matters;
30. Frequent preaching from the pulpit regarding not getting out from under the "spiritual covering" of the leadership;
31. Members departing without the prior permission and blessing of the leadership leave the group under a cloud of manufactured suspicion, shame, and slander;
32. Horror stories frequently told by leaders about individuals or families who left the group without the prior permission and blessing of the leadership, and the terrible consequences and curses they suffered as a result;
33. Departing members often suffer from various psychological problems and display the classic symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

So, what should you do if you realize that you have been exposed to the spiritually and psychologically devastating actions of authoritarian abuse?

 

Allow your painful emotions to be released as you give them to the Lord. It's okay to cry, sob and let the damaged emotions come out as they are given to the hands of the Lord. Holding on to the pain and hurt will only prevent you from be healed.

If you can find a person to confide in, it can also be very helpful to share your burden with them and receive prayer for healing. There is tremendous healing that can take place as you share your pain with a fellow brother or sister in Christ!

Realize the love of God for you; this will help you open up and receive inner healing

Knowing the true nature of our heavenly Father will help us to trust Him and open ourselves up so that we can receive the healing that only the Holy Spirit can provide for us.

After Christ has suffered and died for us, why would He withhold healing our wounded souls? We can confidently open up to Him and know that He has our best interests in mind simply by looking at what He went through on the cross for us.

You are loved by God, not because of what you've done, but because of who you are. The Bible tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He longed to have a relationship with you even before you became His child!

Jesus said that the greatest love a man can show for his friends, is when he lays down his life for them. Jesus laid down His life for us - that is how valuable and dear we are to Him!

Did you know that God loves us with the same love that He had towards Jesus Himself? Yes, believe it or not, this is true! I want you to look up this verse in your Bible:

It is absolutely essential that we learn of and realize the love that our heavenly Father has for us. Without knowing the love of God for us, we cannot be filled with His fullness:

Realize God's will for your mind and receive it!

Abuse, trauma, hurt and pain are all works of the devil. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and restore His children to the fullness to which He created them to fulfill. When Jesus was here on earth, He went about doing the will of the Father in heaven, and this included healing all who were oppressed of the devil:

Jesus desire for you is to heal your broken heart and set you who have been bruised at liberty:

He wants to restore your soul from all the damage that has been done to you:

Extend forgiveness towards those who have hurt you

Unforgiveness will hinder or block the healing power of the Holy Spirit. It will bind you up and separate you from God's forgiving and healing power. It is vital to release those feelings that you have against others, so that the Holy Spirit's healing and forgiving power can heal and restore your soul.

Unforgiveness is a deadly poison that separates us from God's forgiveness in our own lives and gives us over to tormenting spirits. It is hard to receive healing when one is in such a position. Consider these passages in scripture concerning the deadliness of unforgiveness and bitterness in our lives:

As we can see, unforgiveness will block God's forgiveness from operating in our own lives. Inner healing requires God's forgiveness.

Unforgiveness will put us into the hands of tormenting spirits. This is the last thing we need when we're seeking healing for our souls! As if that isn't enough, unforgiveness also puts a person in spiritual darkness and separation from God, and defiles us spiritually:

It is absolutely essential to release feelings of bitterness and unforgiveness, in order to fully receive healing for our souls. Forgiving others will welcome the healing power of the Holy Spirit into our lives.

 

What exactly is Witchcraft?

I Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..."

 

I was stationed at Dover AFB in November 1978 when the dead bodies came to be placed in the largest mortuary on the East Coast. There were so many bodies the First Sergeants had to wake many of us up at 3 AM to help unload bodies off of the C-5/A aircrafts and move furniture to make room for the bodies. I will never forget the stench of death at Dover that week. I received a Commendation medal for helping move bodies and equipment. That was something I pray to God I never have to experience again.  The real tragedy is that it COULD have been prevented if only somebody read their Bible. Before Jim Jones took those people to Guyana, it is recorded that he preached a sermon in Indiana where he uttered these chilling words, “You don’t need to read the Bible anymore, just listen to me”. I don’t know how many left the church after he said that but the church SHOULD have emptied out. How did over 900 people choose to drink cyanide laced Flavor-Aid (It really wasn’t Kool Aid) because their Pastor told them to? Jim Jones was able to take hundreds of lives in Guyana because someone refused to listen to their gut (spirit). I firmly believe in supporting the local church and helping pastors, I want to make that clear. However there is a real epidemic of spiritually stupid "saints" that don't study their Bibles and try every spirit by the Spirit. We were given the ability to discern so we WON'T end up giving our money to crooks and drinking poison Kool-Aid! Many of today's most prominent preachers would be labeled heretics hundreds of years ago because MOST clergymen were devout Theologians and serious students of scripture. Today ordination papers and licenses are given to anyone that say's they are called to preach.  I agree that being Spirit-filled and called is the first priority of being a preacher, but ALSO there has to be training…SERIOUS TRAINING! A lack of understanding of just the basic Bible doctrines of the faith can lead to the types of abuses I am talking about. Martin Luther was able to stand up to the lies of Rome because he was filled with the knowledge of the truth. I am a Pentecostal preacher, I believe in the Charismatic Gifts of the Spirit, but that doesn't negate the fact that we must have a scholarly approach to the scriptures and its teachings.

In the summer of 1977, Jones and most of the 1000 members of the PeoplesTemple moved to Guyana from San Francisco after an investigation into the church for tax evasion had begun. Jones named the closed settlement Jonestown after himself. His intention was to create an agricultural utopia in the jungle, free from racism and based on socialist principles.

People who had left the organization prior to its move to Guyana told the authorities of brutal beatings, murders and of a mass suicide plan, but were not believed. In spite of the tax evasion allegations, Jones was still widely respected for setting up a racially mixed church which helped the disadvantaged. Around 70% of the inhabitants of Jonestown were black and impoverished. The religious scholar Mary McCormick Maaga argued that Jones' authority waned after he moved to the isolated commune, because there he was not needed anymore for recruitment and he could not hide his drug addiction from rank and file members.^[2] Consequently, he lost some of his power over inner-circle members. In November 1978, U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan led a fact-finding mission to the Jonestown settlement in Guyana after allegations by relatives in the U.S. of human rights abuses. Ryan's delegation arrived in Jonestown on November 15 and spent three days interviewing residents. They left hurriedly on the morning of Saturday November 18 after Ryan was shot and killed. They took with them roughly 15 PeoplesTemple members who wished to leave. Delegation members later told police that, as they were boarding planes at the airstrip, a truckload of Jones' armed guards arrived and began to shoot at them. At the same time, one of the supposed defectors, Larry Layton, drew a weapon and began to fire on members of the party. When the gunmen left, six people were dead: Representative Ryan, Don Humphrey, a reporter from NBC, a cameraman from NBC, a newspaper photographer, and one defector from the PeoplesTemple. The former California State Senator Jackie Speier, a staff member for Rep. Ryan in 1978, Richard Dwyer, the Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy at Georgetown and allegedly an officer of the Central Intelligence Agency, and a producer for NBC News, Bob Flick, survived the attack.

Later that same day, 909 of the remaining inhabitants of Jonestown, 276 of them children, died in what has commonly been labeled a mass suicide. However, there is much ambiguity over whether many who died committed suicide or were in fact murdered. While some followers obeyed Jones' instructions to commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced grape flavored Flavor Aid^[3] (often misidentified as Kool-aid)^[4], others died by forced cyanide injection or by shooting. Jones was found dead sitting in a deck chair with a gunshot wound to the head, although it is unknown if he had been murdered or committed suicide. The autopsy on his body showed levels of the barbiturate pentobarbital that could have been lethal to humans who have not developed physiological tolerance. His drug usage (including various LSD and marijuana experimentations) was confirmed by his son, Stephan, and Jones's doctor in San Francisco.

If you can lose your salvation,
then what must you do to keep it?

If it is possible to lose your salvation, then what must you do in order to keep it?  I've asked this question many times of those who deny eternal security and have received different responses.  But they all, essentially, can be categorized into two areas:  "Remain faithful," and "Be obedient."  Whichever position is taken, both are dependent upon man's faithfulness and ability. 

Now, I am trying to be careful here in drawing conclusions because I do not want to be mistaken in how I represent the "other" side.  But I cannot help but wonder that if our salvation depends upon us remaining faithful and or being obedient, then are we not keeping our salvation by being good?  That's right, by being good and risking works righteousness?

Please understand that I am not saying this as an accusation.  I am only asking the questions and expressing my concern.  Again, if a person says he stays saved by remaining faithful and or being obedient to God, then isn't he saying that he is maintaining his salvation by being good?  It is a good thing to be faithful to God.  It is a good thing to obey God.  But is this how we are saved or stay saved?  Does our salvation rest in anyway on how good we are? 

For me, this is dangerously close to works righteousness. Also, this "maintaining salvation" teaching is the same as that held by the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormon church, and the Jehovah's Witnesses churches (among others).  Of course, I realize that just because false groups teach the same thing doesn't mean the teaching is wrong.  Still, I can't help but wonder if something is amiss.  And, there is another problem.

James 2:10 and Gal. 3:10

• James 2:10, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all."
• Gal. 3:10, "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.'”

A further concern I have is that if anyone were to try and maintain his salvation by being faithful/good, is he then required to keep the whole law?

I believe that those who seek to remain faithful and obedient to God in order to stay saved would say that they are not trying to maintain their salvation by their works, their faithfulness, thei obedience, etc.  At least I hope not.  But, isn't a law an instruction given by God that has a punishment for disobeying it? God commands everyone everywhere to repent, Acts 17:30.  In Exodus 20, God commands that we believe in him.  Can it be said that the command to believe and repent are laws since disobeying them has penalties? Do you see the problem? 

A confession

I'm not a very good Christian.  I know my treacherous and sinful heart.  If my salvation were dependent in any way upon my faithfulness or obedience, then I'm in trouble.  I would never claim that I was able to remain faithful enough or do enough good to maintain my position with God. I just can't go there.  Instead, I rely totally on him to keep me, not me to keep myself.

All that I am and all I need is found in the work of Christ.  Even my ability to believe is God's work (John 6:28-29).  My believing has been granted to me by God (Phil. 1:29).  And, I believe because I was appointed to eternal life (Acts 13:48).  Should I then stand before God and man and say that I am keeping my position with God by my own faithfulness?  This is something I can never claim.

That is why I ask people who believe they can lose their salvation and are seeking to maintain it by being faithful, if they take credit for their believing.  If they say yes, they are boasting.  If they say no, then I ask them what makes him think that if God who granted that they believe (Phil. 1:29), appointed them to eternal life (Acts 13:48), chose them before the foundation of the world for salvation (Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13), predestined them (Rom. 8:29-30), and said he will lose none (John 6:39), we'll let you them slip through his fingers when he said it was his will that those who believe would not be lost and would be raised on the last day (John 6:37-40)? 

So, how would you answer the question if you believed that you could lose your salvation?  What must you do to maintain it?

There is, according to Scripture, no doubt that Satan rules over a hierarchy of evil spirits who inhabit the earth’s atmosphere and who assist him in ruling the kingdom of darkness. That those evil spirits are “territorial,” ruling over certain geographical areas, is a concept that is also contained in the Bible (see Dan. 10:13, 20-21; Mark 5:9-10). That Christians have the authority to cast demons out of other people and the responsibility to resist the devil is scriptural (see Mark 16:17; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). But can Christians pull down evil spirits over cities? The answer is that they can’t, and to attempt to do so is a waste of their time.

Before we expose the error of this particular myth, it would be helpful for us once again to consider another common-sense rule of sound Bible interpretation. Let’s begin by looking at an example of some Christians in the Bible who misinterpreted, because of an assumption, a statement Jesus once made. Our example is found in John’s gospel, and occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. Upon learning from Jesus about future persecution he would suffer, Peter questioned the Lord about his fellow disciple, John: 

Peter therefore seeing him [John] said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” This saying therefore went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” (John 21:23-21). 

Here is a classic example of some Christians who misinterpreted Jesus’ words because they read into His statement more than He intended. Jesus never said that John would not die; He only said that if He wanted John to be alive at His return, it was His own business, and none of Peter’s!

I’m sure you can see how it would have been tempting to read into Jesus’ words and assume that John would not die. But we must be careful that we don’t make a similar error when we interpret any of God’s Word. We must be cautious in making any assumption that cannot be clearly proven from what the Bible says, or else we could find ourselves believing something that is not true.

This kind of misinterpretation is often made, however, by many Christians. Just because we can cast demons out of people, we should not assume that we can pull down evil spirits over cities. There are numerous examples of casting demons out of people in the gospels and the book of Acts, but can you think of even one example in the gospels or the book of Acts where someone pulled down an evil spirit that was ruling over a city or geographical area? You can’t because there are no such examples. Can you think of one instruction anywhere in the epistles about our responsibility to pull down evil spirits from the atmosphere? No, because there are none. For this reason, we have no biblical basis to believe that we can or should be waging “spiritual warfare” against evil spirits in the atmosphere. 

Extrabiblical or Unbiblical? 

Errors of assumption are often justified by the argument, “I may not be able to prove what I am doing is correct according to the Bible, but you can’t prove that it is incorrect either.” Claiming that there is vast difference between what is unbiblical and what is extrabiblical, they justify their practice, classifying it as not necessarily supported by Scripture, yet not refuted by Scripture either.

This is a weak argument indeed. If God wants us to know something or do something, He makes it quite clear in Scripture. Why would anyone want to practice a kind of spiritual warfare for which there is no instruction or example in the Bible? Why not rather practice that which is clearly revealed as God’s will in Scripture, such as casting demons out of people, preaching the gospel, making disciples, and praying scripturally?

Moreover, as we study Scripture closely, that which may be classed by some as extrabiblical is often exposed as being very unbiblical. Such is the case with the concept of pulling down territorial spirits. 

Pushing Parables Too Far 

Reading more meaning into the Bible than God intended is an error Christians often make when they read scripture passages containing metaphorical language. The Bible is full of comparisons, because they help us understand spiritual concepts. When Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like,” He took something His listeners did understand to explain something they did not understand. Metaphors are extremely helpful in aiding the learning process.

We must not forget, however, that every comparison is imperfect, because the two things compared are not usually identical in every respect. A metaphor is defined as a comparison of things basically unlike but having some striking similarities. For this reason, we must be cautious that we do not force a meaning upon a metaphor that God never intended. For example, Jesus once said: 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away (Matt. 13:47-48, emphasis added). 

What did Jesus mean in this comparison? Like most of His parables, He wanted to convey one point. In this case, He wanted us to know that not everyone will automatically get into the kingdom of heaven, but that there will be a separation into two categories, good and bad. But that is where the similarities between His story of the gathered fish and the kingdom of heaven end.

Certainly Jesus was not trying to teach us that the kingdom of heaven will consist of fish! Or that the good fish in heaven will be put into containers! Or, if you are smart enough to realize that the fish in the story represent people, Jesus does not want us to think that those people are going to be caught in a big dragnet or that their judgment before God will take place on a beach! Moreover, Jesus was not trying to teach us, as “good fish,” that our good works earns our salvation. Any of these conclusions would be reading more into His parable than He intended.

Yet how often this is done by some who try to read meaning into every minor detail of Jesus’ more lengthy and detailed parables. They end up confused, because they fail to realize that in every comparison, at some point, similarities turn to dissimilarities.

Because Scripture so often contains metaphorical language, we must be careful that we don’t fall into that trap, as unfortunately, many who teach about spiritual warfare have done. Satan is a master at twisting Scripture (see Matt. 4:5-7). He loves it when we misinterpret what God says. 

“Pulling Down Strongholds” 

The Bible does sometimes use military terminology when describing the Christian’s responsibility. Yet, in those cases, we must ask ourselves if we are “pushing the parables too far,” by reading more into metaphorical language than was meant. For example, a classic text that is often misinterpreted is 2 Corinthians 10:3-6: 

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete (2 Cor. 10:3-6). 

The King James Version, rather than saying “we are destroying speculations,” says we are “pulling down strongholds.” From this one metaphorical phrase, practically an entire theology has been built to defend the idea of doing “spiritual warfare” in order to “pull down the strongholds” consisting of evil spirits in the atmosphere. But as the New American Standard Version clearly conveys, Paul is speaking, not of evil spirits in the atmosphere, but of strongholds of false beliefs that exist in people’s minds. Speculations are what Paul was destroying, not wicked spirits in high places.

This becomes even clearer as we read contextually. Paul said, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (emphasis added). The battle of which Paul symbolically writes is a battle against thoughts, or ideas that are contrary to the true knowledge of God.

Using military metaphors, Paul explains that we are in a battle, a battle for the minds of people who have believed the lies of Satan. Our primary weapon in this battle is the truth, which is why we’ve been commanded to go into the entire world and preach the gospel, invading enemy territory with a message that can set captives free. The fortresses we are destroying have been built with building blocks of lies, joined by the mortar of deception.

If you will take the time to read all of the tenth chapter of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, you will see that he makes no mention there of wicked spiritual powers, even though we know (and he knew) that wicked spirits are involved in spreading lies. Therefore, in this particular passage, evil spirits were not the “strongholds” of which He was thinking when he wrote. To say that Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 prove that we can and should practice pulling down evil spirits in the atmosphere is an obvious misrepresentation of what Paul actually meant.

If Paul did mean that we should pull down evil spirits in the atmosphere, we would have to wonder why he himself never practiced what he preached, as there is no mention of him ever doing it in the history of his ministry as recorded in the book of Acts. 

The Whole Armor of God 

Another passage in Paul’s writings that is often misinterpreted is found in his Ephesian letter: 

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:10-17). 

May I initially point out that although this passage is definitely about the Christian’s struggle with the devil and evil spirits, there is no mention of pulling down evil spirits over cities. As we study the passage closely, it becomes clear that Paul is primarily writing about each individual’s responsibility to resist Satan’s schemes in his personal life by applying the truth of God’s Word.

Notice also the evident metaphorical language of the entire passage. Paul obviously was not speaking of a literal, material armor that Christians should put on their bodies. Rather, the armor of which he speaks is figurative. Those pieces of armor represent the various scriptural truths that Christians should use for protection against the devil and evil spirits. By knowing, believing, and acting upon God’s Word, Christians are, figuratively speaking, clothed in God’s protective armor.

Let’s examine this passage in Ephesians verse by verse, while asking ourselves, What was Paul really trying to convey to us? 

The Source of Our Spiritual Strength 

First, we are told to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). The emphasis is on the fact that we should not derive our strength from ourselves but God. This is further brought out in Paul’s next statement: “Put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:11a). This is God’s armor, not ours. Paul is not saying that God Himself wears armor, but that we need the armor that God has supplied for us.

Why do we need this armor that God has supplied? The answer is, “that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” ( Eph. 6:11b). That is the reason. This armor is primarily for defensive, not offensive use. It is not so we can go out and pull down evil spirits over cities; it is so we can stand firm against Satan’s schemes.

We learn that the devil has evil plans to attack us, and unless we are wearing the armor that God supplies, we are vulnerable. Notice also that it is our responsibility to put on the armor, not God’s.

Let’s continue: 

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). 

Here it becomes crystal clear that Paul is not talking about a physical, material battle, but a spiritual one. We are struggling against the schemes of various ranks of evil spirits whom Paul lists. Most Bible students assume that Paul listed those evil spirits as they are ranked from bottom to top, “rulers” being the lowest class and “spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” being the highest class.

How can we struggle against spiritual beings? That question can be answered by asking, How can spiritual beings attack us? They attack us primarily with temptations, thoughts, suggestions, and ideas that contradict God’s Word and will. Therefore, our defense is knowing, believing, and obeying God’s Word. 

“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:13). 

Notice, once again, that Paul’s purpose is to equip us to stand against Satan’s attacks. His purpose is not to equip us to go out and attack Satan and pull down evil spirits from the atmosphere. Three times in this passage Paul tells us to stand firm. Our position is one of defense, not offense.

This is not to say that we never take an offensive stand, but that this passage is primarily speaking of maintaining a strong defense. When we proclaim the gospel, for example, we are definitely “invading enemy territory” in an offensive measure.

Also, notice that it is our responsibility to take up the armor and to stand firm. God will not do it for us. 

Truth—Our Primary Defense 

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth...(Eph. 6:14a). 

Here is what keeps our armor in place—the truth. What is the truth? Jesus said to His Father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). We cannot successfully stand firm against Satan unless we know the truth with which we can counter his lies. Jesus beautifully demonstrated this during His temptation in the wilderness as He responded to Satan’s every suggestion with, “It is written...”

Paul continued: 

“...and having put on the breastplate of righteousness...(Eph. 6:14b). 

As Christians, we should be familiar with two kinds of righteousness. First, we have been given, as a gift, the righteousness of Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:21). His righteous standing has been imputed to those who believe in Jesus, who bore their sins on the cross. That righteous standing has delivered us from Satan’s dominion.

Second, we should be living righteously, obeying Jesus’ commands, and that is probably what Paul had in mind regarding the breastplate of righteousness. By obedience to Christ, we give no place to the devil (see Eph. 4:26-27). 

Firm Footing in Gospel Shoes 

“...and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace...” (Eph. 6:15) 

Knowing, believing and acting upon the truth of the gospel gives us firm footing to stand against Satan’s attacks. The shoes that Roman soldiers wore had spikes on the bottom that gave them a firm grip on the battlefield. When we know that Jesus has died for our sins and been raised from the dead for our justification, Satan’s lies are unable to knock us off our feet.

Paul specifically refers here to “the gospel of peace.” We now have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). We are no longer enemies with God. 

“...in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). 

Notice again Paul’s emphasis here on our defensive posture. He is not talking about our pulling down demons over cities. He is talking about our using faith in God’s Word to resist the devil’s lies. When we believe and act upon what God has said, it is like having a shield that protects us from Satan’s lies, represented figuratively as the “flaming missiles of the evil one.” 

WASHINGTON - A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel did not comment on the merits of the study Tuesday night but reiterated the administration's position that the world community viewed Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat.

"The actions taken in 2003 were based on the collective judgment of intelligence agencies around the world," Stanzel said.

The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.

"It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction or have meaningful ties to al-Qaida," according to Charles Lewis and Mark Reading-Smith of the Fund for Independence in Journalism staff members, writing an overview of the study. "In short, the Bush administration led the nation to war on the basis of erroneous information that it methodically propagated and that culminated in military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003."

Named in the study along with Bush were top officials of the administration during the period studied: Vice President Dick Cheney, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan.

Bush led with 259 false statements, 231 about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 28 about Iraq's links to al-Qaida, the study found. That was second only to Powell's 244 false statements about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and 10 about Iraq and al-Qaida.

The center said the study was based on a database created with public statements over the two years beginning on Sept. 11, 2001, and information from more than 25 government reports, books, articles, speeches and interviews.

"The cumulative effect of these false statements — amplified by thousands of news stories and broadcasts — was massive, with the media coverage creating an almost impenetrable din for several critical months in the run-up to war," the study concluded.

"Some journalists — indeed, even some entire news organizations — have since acknowledged that their coverage during those prewar months was far too deferential and uncritical. These mea culpas notwithstanding, much of the wall-to-wall media coverage provided additional, 'independent' validation of the Bush administration's false statements about Iraq," it said.

What are signs that a church
is becoming secular?

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹²instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12).

What does a secular church look like?  Would it be easy to find one?  Would we know one if we saw one?  Then again, maybe you attend a secular church and don't know it.  It is certainly possible, but how would you know?   How would you recognize a church that is more secular than sacred?

Like any counterfeit, the best way to recognize the secular is to be familiar with the sacred.  That is why dedication to God's word is so important.  The Christian church focuses on being fed out of God's word and seeks to align itself with what it says.  The secular church allows the ways of the world to seep into the beliefs and practices of the Christian church, thereby diluting the truth.

If we find something in the church that is contrary to Scripture but is taught in the secular world, then that church has become, in part, secularized.  The more we find from the world in the church, the more that church is secularized.

Following is a list of things that, in my opinion, are examples of secularization in the church.  Of course, this list is not exhaustive, nor is it authoritative.  It is my opinion.  Nevertheless, it is offered as food for thought.

1. Teaching that the Bible is not inspired and inerrant.
   1. The Bible is the word of God (2 Tim. 3:16) and is the measure of truth and righteousness.  To claim that it is not inspired is to reduce it to the level of the Quran, or the Bhagavad-Gita, or the Book of Mormon, which are mere man-made writings posing as inspired words from God.
   2. When the authority of God's word is lost, then man-made doctrines creep in.  The authority and inspiration of Scripture is the anchor that keeps the church from drifting into error.
2. Using books instead of the Bible in Bible study.
   1. It is okay to use books that assist in Bible study, but the Bible should be the central source of spiritual truth, not books about the Bible.  If Bible studies are using guidebooks more than the Bible itself, then the Bible has been moved to a secondary position.  If Christians are having trouble understanding God's word, then the pastor (or Bible study leader) needs to teach them how to find its truths so they can check all things in Scripture by themselves (Acts 17:11).
3. Teaching that there is more than one way to God besides Jesus.
   1. In this world of relativism, it is not popular to claim that Jesus is the only way to be saved.  But this is what the Bible says.  John 14:6, "Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." Also, Acts 4:12, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."  There is no other way to be saved.  The Muslims, the Buddhists, the Taoists, etc., cannot be saved without Jesus.
4. Being embarrassed to say that Jesus is the only way to salvation.
   1. Like the issue above, Jesus is the only way (John 14:6).  Christians should never be ashamed (Rom. 1:16) to speak the truth of God's saving work in Christ.  For some, to be timid and embarrassed means that one's eyes are off of God and on people.
5. Teaching that there is no absolute right and wrong.
   1. As mentioned above, moral relativism is the norm of society.  We often hear, "It is true if it is true for you."  The Bible tells us that there are moral absolutes independent of what we think is right.  Exodus 20:1-17 is a list of the Ten Commandments, which are moral absolutes.  The Bible teaches us there is absolute right and wrong.  Without moral absolutes, no one can say anything is right or wrong.
6. Being careful to not offend anyone at the expense of biblical truth.
   1. Whether or not someone likes what the Bible says does not change the truth of the Bible.  We should not be offensive just to be offensive, but we should not be afraid to speak the truth of God when the need arises.  The gospel that offends no one is not the gospel of the Bible.
7. Pastors preaching moralism instead of Christ centered messages.
   1. Moralistic preaching is preaching that does not focus on the cross of Christ.  For example, we do not try and be good because being good is nice.  We try and be good because Jesus saved us from our sins and doing what is right glorifies Him.  Preaching that is not focused on the cross is not preaching.  It is a waste of time.
8. Approving of homosexuality.
   1. Homosexuality is being accepted as normal all over the world.  It should not be accepted as normal in the Church.  Homosexuality is a sin (1 Cor. 6:9).  It is wrong.  But this does not mean we are to hate homosexuals.  We are to pray for them and their repentance.  Homosexuals are not to be pastors or elders in churches.
9. Approving of women elders.
   1. This one may offend a lot of people, but the Bible teaches that the elder is to be the husband of one wife.  This is not merely a cultural norm of the time.  It is what the Bible teaches.  See Should women be pastors and elders?
10. Not condemning the sins of society.
    1. If at all possible and according to wisdom, Christians should not be intimidated by the world when it comes to condemning sin.  Sometimes, when Christian pastors condemn a sin in the world, like abortion, they are attacked.  Truth is not silenced by complaining voices.  We do not answer to them.  We answer to God.
11. Psychology as an authority on human nature.
    1. The Bible tells us that people are sinners by nature, selfish, prideful, and in need of the saving work of God.  The Bible tells us what is right and wrong regarding childrearing, criminal behavior, actions, and words.  Psychology can give us insights on many things, but if it contradicts God's word, it is wrong.  We need to accept the fact that God is the authority on man, not the psychologists.
12. Use of politically correct terms of the world from the pulpit where those terms replace biblical values and truths.
    1. Is a wife or husband a "partner?"  Are Christians who condemn homosexuality "homophobes?"  Is it correct to say a woman can kill the baby in her womb and call it "abortion rights" when discussing "reproductive rights?" Is accepting false theologies called "diversity awareness?"  If such words and terms become the common vocabulary of the pulpit without qualification and/or explanation, then the preacher is adopting the terms of the world and not of God, and by it he is slowly being seduced by the world.
13. Going to church as a social habit.
    1. Church is not a social club where politically correct ideas are tried and tested.  It is not a place we go to voice our opinions so that others can hear our wisdom.  It is the place where we go to learn, to be corrected, to grow, and to encounter God, who is not made after our own image.
14. Prayer as a last resort.
    1. To seek to accomplish things in life without God, whether it be big or small, is to say we do not need God and to proclaim our independence from Him. To resort to prayer as a last resort is to exclude God from the beginning of our work and to proclaim our independence from Him.  Prayer is the first resort.  It is the world that operates without God, not the Christian.
15. Missionaries not sent out or supported.
    1. Missionary efforts needlessly curtailed.  If a church cannot support a missionary effort because of legitimate circumstances, that is one thing.  But, if it can, and it does not specifically reach out to the world with the gospel, then it is disobeying God's word (Matt. 28:18-20).
16. Divorce statistics as common as secular society.
    1. What a horrible failure this is that the Christians have the same divorce rate as the unchurched.  Undoubtedly, this is due to the secularization of the heart.
17. Evolution.
    1. Either not condemning evolution or not taking a stand on it.

Is your church becoming secular?  Are you?  If either, start praying, repent of anything you believe or do that is contrary to Scripture.  Start praying for your church and study God's word.  Let it be your guide.

The Bible tells us that just as individuals can become spiritually defiled, homes and property can also be defiled:

Leviticus 18:24,25, "Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants."

There are some people with the gift of spiritual discernment who when traveling to certain countries today, can not get off the plane and take a breath of air without picking up on the demonic bondage in that country. In the book of Revelations, the Bible speaks of how a country or land can become inhabited with unclean spirits:

Revelations 18:2, "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

Likewise, land, homes and even buildings can become habitations of demonic spirits. In this area of the state, there is an old mental hospital that is loaded with unclean spirits. From what I hear, even a group of those involved with the demonic won't go near this place on devils' night, because it is so haunted. If you look online for pictures of this place, I'm pretty sure you'll find real photos of ghosts appearing in the building. This is not a joke... my great grandparents were spiritualists, and took many photos like this that would show heads of people that have been dead for years!

One person who lived in an old funeral home said that place was possessed, which was evident by strange happenings, opening and slamming doors, and so forth. My father was friends with a deliverance minister who would have a lot of fun driving out spirits from homes, and he would have demons screaming at him as he drove them out!

What are some of the symptoms of a haunted house?

There are many signs we can look for in a possessed home or building. Some of the things a person can look for are doors slamming when nobody is there, strange noises, reputation for calamities (people being pushed down stairs, finances always being drained, etc.), the air seems heavy (making it harder to breathe), animals acting fearful or weird (dogs barking like mad for no reason), and so forth. Often somebody with spiritual discernment will often pick up on a spiritual presence that doesn't feel right. It's not uncommon to visit a home and pick up on demonic presence before even finding out that there was demonic activity that's taken place there. I've picked up on something demonic before even entering a home before... just standing on the property is enough to sense out an unclean presence.

How do homes and land become haunted?

Sins of the inhabitants: One of the ways which a place can become defiled is through the deeds of its inhabitants. If things such as seances, voodoo, adultery, homosexuality, or incest have been practiced in a home, then demonic spirits may inhabit there. The Word of God tells us that the deeds of its inhabitants can defile even the land on which it is practiced:

Leviticus 18:24-25,27, "Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants... (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you, and the land is defiled;)"

Jeremiah 3:9, "And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks."

Ezekiel 36:17, "Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman."

Jeremiah 2:7, "And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination."

Possession of cursed things: Another means by which a home can be defiled is through the possession of cursed items, such as idols, occult books, rings, satanic symbols, and so forth. The Word of God gives us a good indication that possessing idols can pollute the land and bring a curse upon it:

Ezekiel 36:18, "Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it."

Jeremiah 50:38, "A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols."

Demons can actually draw power (and legal right) from nearby cursed objects, such as idols, occult items, satanic rings, and even demonic photos. It is vital to rid a home or land from such items before dedicating it to the Lord and driving out the unclean spirits. The Bible lets us know clearly that physical items can indeed carry spiritual value:

Deuteronomy 7:26, "Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing."

How do you cleanse a home or land?

The first step to cleansing a home, building, church or property, is to get rid of any cursed items that it is possessing. If there are occult books, Ouija boards, crystal balls, new age drawings, dream catchers or other items used to glorify Satan hanging around, then they need to go. Just like we need to break up legal grounds in a person before casting out their demons, it is also vital to break up legal grounds in our homes, buildings, churches and land before driving out the demons. It is very helpful to pray and ask the Lord to reveal any unclean items that must be taken out. The Holy Spirit is great at revealing things that we would never think of! Here are a few examples of items that usually carry accursed value: occult books, pornography, satanic symbols, demonic/occult rings, skulls, frogs, owls, new age drawings, items used for divination, Ouija boards, etc.

The next step is to go through each room, and pray over it, dedicating it to the Lord. I would even pray over a glass of water, and ask the Lord that the water represent the Blood of Christ Jesus, then take the water around the house and sprinkle the water in each room and closet, etc.

Finally, it is time to begin taking authority over the spirits in that home, and command them to leave in Jesus' name. Go through each room, closet, nook and cranny, and command the unclean spirits residing there to come out in Jesus' name and to leave the property.

Just remember that you, as a believer in Christ, have the authority needed to drive those spirits out... don't let them walk all over you!

It is not God's will for His people to be troubled by demons

A lot of Christians get demonic vexation (oppression, harassment, torment and troubling by evil spirits) and spiritual warfare confused. Many of God's children live their lives being troubled by evil spirits simply because they think it's normal and consider it spiritual warfare. I have news for you, I see people break free from what most people live their lives battling with, because they recognized the vital difference and sought the help they needed to break free!

Contrary to what many believe, oppression is not normal and to be expected in a believer's life. It is certainly possible for a believer to be troubled by demons, but as Acts 10:38 tells us, Jesus made it clear that God's will was not for His people to be oppressed, harassed or troubled by evil spirits:

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

The term healing here actually includes casting out demons according to the NT Greek. It means to be made whole. Luke 8:2 shows us that Mary Magdalene was one of those that were healed from demon spirits:

"And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils."

Mary Magdalene was made whole because Jesus cast seven demonic spirits out of her.

Spiritual warfare is often blamed for many cases of oppression. Spiritual warfare includes three basic elements that we need to be on guard for and war against. The problem is, those three areas are very limited and does not begin to explain the harassment that many believers face with evil spirits. The three basic elements of spiritual warfare include:

- Temptation: This is where the enemy is known for tempting God's people, and trying to cause them to sin. The more we grow in our relationship with the Lord, the less this remains a problem in our lives.

- Accusations: This is where the devil will try to beat a person down through accusations that he throws at them. He tries to constantly beat them down because of their past. The way to overcome this is to learn that your sins, once repented of, we forgiven and no longer to be dwelt upon. They have been washed away by the blood of the Lamb, and continuing to think about our pasts is giving the devil the ability to beat you down spiritually, causing you to feel guilty and worthless before God. If you allow this to continue, eventually a stronghold will form in your mind that will need to be torn down later on if you want to experience freedom and feel clean again.

- Deception: This is where the enemy tries to deceive a person by planting thoughts in their minds. The enemy is known as the deceiver. If he can get you to believe his lies, you will feel the effects and be dragged down by those lies. I often see the enemy trying to deceive people into believing there is no hope for them, or that God is angry with them (even after they turned from their sin and repented of it). It is not uncommon for a person to have a hard time accepting the fact that they are forgiven, because the enemy has been constantly telling them that they messed up too much to be forgiven or that God doesn't love them anymore. If a person allows themselves to feed on the lies the devil feeds them, strongholds can form. Strongholds are incorrect thinking patterns, such as seeing God as a distant cold taskmaster, which makes it hard for a person to draw near to Him and have a close living relationship with Him as long as they see Him that way.

Physical warfare is when you are guarding yourself against the bullets of the enemy, and sending bullets against your opponent. Spiritual warfare resembles physical warfare in that you are guarding yourself against the fiery darts of the evil one, and tearing down his strongholds that have formed in your mind. In physical warfare there are prisoners of war (POW), where a person it captured and the enemy gains the ability to torment, harass or even kill the person. In the spiritual realm, if a person falls into temptations and takes the bait of Satan, he or she can fall into the enemy's hands in one or more areas of their lives. The enemy then has the ability to harass or torment the person. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul tells us not to give place to the devil through sin, and in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, we are told not to hold unforgiveness in our hearts, lest Satan gain an advantage of us:

"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

We can expect to be thrown temptations, deceptions and accusations, but if they find themselves being troubled, harassed or oppressed by the enemy, then it's time to step back and figure out what is going out and seek the help they need to break free.

It is true that spiritual warfare can bring a certain amount of torment if the person falls into the devil's trap and takes his bait, however, spiritual warfare by no means explains the things I often see God's people being tormented with by demonic spirits. There is no excuse for a believer to have to live with demonic oppression or harassment from evil spirits.

When God created woman for man in the Garden of Eden she was everything man (Adam) needed or would ever want in a companion. Some of the language may be a little explicit in this chapter but it is very much biblical and needed for saints to read and understand. Many Christian thinkers and theologians have debated as to why the serpent (Satan) tempted the woman and not the man. The reason is VERY simple! A man's greatest temptation IS a woman.

 

     A woman was made specifically and carefully, by the Lord God almighty! Man was alone and needed a companion, or as the scripture states “ A Helpmete”. In the Hebrew the word helpmete is EZER! Every time you see the word EZER in scripture it means HELP, for example the name EBEN-EZER means “The Lord is my HELP”.  The woman is to be a man’s HELP! A man is not complete without a woman. This is why men that lose wives to death OR divorce USUALLY remarry. This is also why men have a capacity to be able to also love more than one woman. In many cultures it is acceptable for a men to have more than one wife. (I am not condoning this just pointing out a fact)

 

When the devil tempted eve he appealed to her intellect and emotions, men on the other hand are not that complex when it comes to what will get his attention. Men are visual creatures that sexually get aroused by what they see. This is why men don’t need a lot of stimuli to get sexually aroused. Candles and soft music make women happy, but a man can have sex anywhere and anytime as long as the women in question is sexually appealing in some way. The truth of the matter is the woman doesn’t have to be very beautiful. Women have an appeal to men that goes beyond beauty. The fact that she is a woman is often enough. God made women look very different for a reason, to appeal to men. A woman’s breast are large and soft, her legs are softer than a man’s are, her eyes are usually prettier and brighter, her voice softer, even her feet are pretty (some women) and her hair longer. The big DIFFERENCE is the clincher! A woman has a vagina!

 

     This body part is what separates her from a man. Remember the woman is delicate and beautiful, even her vagina resembles a flower. Women have soft lips! I remember the first girl I ever kissed on the lips! I could not sleep that night! All I could remember was how soft her lips were. Now I need to stop because I am not trying to get YOU aroused, but I am trying to make a point! The reason Satan went after the woman was he knew that the man would give in to the woman. Satan always perverts God’s gifts. Women were created to help men have dominion in the earth. (Read Proverbs 31)

 

^{Pr 31:11} Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value. NIV

When a man has a woman in his life that loves God and loves him he has a great treasure. In the reverse if Satan manipulates a woman in anyway the man is in trouble. I was a Correction Officer and I met a preacher in jail that had fell in love with a woman that had a drug problem. He tried to rehabilitate her but in stead she caused him to fall back into his previous lifestyle which was filled with drug usage and bondage. How could such a thing happen? Well before I give you my thoughts just think about David.

 

      David loved God probably more than any human that ever lived did, and he fell prey to sexual temptation. We often try and pick apart the scenario that led up to the fall of David. Yes there were many factors. 1. David should have been on the battlefield. 2. David was away from the Ark of the Covenant, which was the very presence of God. 3. David was alone, a lack of accountability since the priest and the prophets were also on the field of battle. 4. The reason we all overlook and we don’t want to deal with…BATHSHEBA WAS BEAUTIFUL!  I am sure David had seen other women that looked beautiful, but the devil made sure that David would see one that would cause his libido to go into overload. All men have specifics when it comes to a woman. Some men like skinny women, some men like athletic women and some men (ahem) like voluptuous women. The devil knows your fleshly desires because the weapons of HIS warfare all deal with our FLESH (I Cor. 10:13). If you like a thick, light-skinned girl, with gray eyes and pretty legs then guess what, The devil will send her your way! If dark-skinned girls with wide hips, and large breast are your thing well the devil knows that too. 

 

When I was a teenager I had a serious crush on Chaka Khan! I spent most of my adult live looking for a woman that looked like Chaka Khan, well if the devil was going to try and tempt me to stray sending a Chaka Khan look alike (or the real thing) would be a good place to start wearing me down. Now I have been humorous and light- hearted in this chapter, but I am a deadly serious brother, I want you to know that the devil knows just what you like on the menu.

 

 Samson is another example of how the enemy KNOWS our flesh! Samson was called of God to kill Philistines, and he was very good at it! The anointing would come upon Samson and he would kill Philistines like Orkin kills roaches! Now we know the scripture say “No weapon formed against us shall prosper…” but Satan didn’t use a weapon in the normal sense, he used a woman. In spite of Samson’s failure he yet completed the task at hand (Rom. 8:28). God is omniscient and nothing takes Him by surprise, he created Samson! Of course he knew Samson had a weakness for Philistine women, in spite of that God still stacked the cards in Samson’s favor.  I know it seems like a failure to see Samson blind and chained between two pillars, but God’s plans can NEVER be overthrown by the devil! Now I am not excusing Samson’s behavior, but I am trying to make you understand something. All men have the same weakness! Our Kryptonite is a woman.  Be careful men when you choose a wife! Make sure she loves God AND that she loves you! I used to tell young men, “It doesn’t matter what she looks like”, I don’t say that anymore! Physical attraction is a part of the package, especially for men! Women look at more internal issues like “Is he kind”, “Is he a good provider”, and “Is he sensitive to my needs”!  Men are not that complicated, I kid you not! Men could see a woman working in McDonalds flipping burgers, if she is fine he will pursue her! Women will often forgo looks if the brother has earning potential and a good head on his shoulders.

 

Some of you will accuse me of stereotyping men as being somewhat simple, but when it comes to sex and women most men are. Chris Rock the comedian once said, “A man is only as faithful as his options”. That of course was meant to be funny, but there is a thread of truth to this statement. If a man avoids temptation he won’t fall! The Bible says in Proverbs, “Can a man take fire unto his bosom and NOT be burned”, I know from personal experience that this is very true! Back in 1983 I was a young Christian about to go to Korea for the second time. I had a girlfriend that attended church BUT who was not a Christian. She wanted to have sex before I left for Korea, We necked and made out but hadn’t gone all the way. I avoided this because I knew it was wrong, but my resistance was way low! I agreed to getting a hotel room the night before I had to fly off to Korea.  I had around $800.00 dollars in the bank, but I had to go to an ATM to get some money. I had decided to disobey God and fornicate, (by the way she looked a lot like Chaka Khan). I went to the ATM put the card in and it malfunctioned and kept my card! This was on a Saturday night so I couldn’t physically go to the bank until MONDAY! My flight was Sunday morning! God rescued me from sin! My anger turned to shame because I was willingly going to sin against God.  I cried on the airplane because I realized how close I came to falling prey to the devil.

 

      I share this story because this woman was EXACTLY what I desired physically! She had long thick hair, brown skin, full lips, pretty eyes, high cheekbones, and she was built like a woman in a Ruben painting. Yes I am describing a woman that looks like Chaka Khan! (By the way Chaka’s real last name is Stevens too!) Do you understand me now! I really believe the enemy can “give” us the desires of our flesh. I know the Bible say’s “delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desire of your heart…” in the reverse of this scripture, if you delight yourself in the things of this world, Satan will “give” you the desire of your flesh and emotions.  We often fall prey to our emotions as well as our fleshly desires.  I really liked this girl, but I knew it was wrong to fornicate! The enemy knew I was attracted to her, but he attacked me in the emotional realm (soul) as well. The young lady in question came from a troubled home. I tried to “minister” to her! Singles should NEVER try and minister to members of the opposite sex at all.

 

     Married ministers should NEVER minister to the opposite sex without your spouse being present! She begged me to spend the night with her. I gave in for two reasons: 1. Sexual attraction 2. The need to comfort her. Both reasons would have caused me to fall, but God intervened! Praise Jesus! There is no telling where my life would have turned out if I fell that night!  When I got to Korea 2 days later (it’s a long flight), That was where I accepted the call to preach and also where God filled me with the Holy Ghost.  Fornicating that night would have probably caused me to get off of the airplane in Seoul ready to have a one-year tour of “sexcapades”. I praise God for the Holy Spirit and the divine providence of God!  I really believe God sets up spiritual roadblocks to help us live holy.  We are lying If we think we live holy because of our “will” power! When we admit our flesh is weak THEN we can experience the willingness of the Spirit to help us. (Read Psalms 32, 38, and 51)

 

     The devil knows that we (Christians) won’t just go out on a whim and commit certain acts of disobedience.  The devil will attempt to get you to start small so to speak. 

 

     In the 80’s I was big into weight lifting and bodybuilding. I even won a few power-lifting contests overseas. I was proud of how I sculpted my body through hard training. I was a Karate Instructor on base and I ran 5 miles a day. I used to read muscle magazines to see how the stars trained and ate.  I would say about 1983 –84 there was a big change in the magazines. In the early seventies the magazines were just filled with pictures of men training, diets, and articles on various topics related to the sport. As the eighties came more and more there were sexually explicit pictures. Women’s bodybuilding was taking off…and so were their clothes! I remember chastising a brother about buying pornography, and the Holy Spirit immediately hit me with “Aren’t those muscle magazines pornography?” I had to confess to God, myself, and the brother I was scolding that I was guilty too!  Pornography is all around us! When I go to the mall in the summer and rest on a bench, I see pornography!

 

     The women wear shorts up to their butt cheeks! I don’t have to go on the Internet to see something that will make me howl like a wolf! I like what Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes…” Men are visual creatures and we have to guard our eyes as well as our hearts. I don’t care how strong a brother is, if he views pornography he will end up hooked and in need of deliverance quick, fast, and in a hurry! 

 

     Internet pornographers target web sites and addresses that appear to be Christian. The enemy knows that porno is a HIGHLY addictive force in his arsenal of evil tricks. I had a bad experience with pornography myself, I am not proud to admit it, but if it will help another man get free from it Praise Jesus! When I was about 13 years old I found a trunk that belonged to my brother in the attic, it was filled with pornographic magazines and photos. I guess my brother realized I found it, because weeks later it vanished from the house. The damage was already done! Those pictures have haunted me for years. I know I have a weakness for the stuff, (all men do) so like the scriptures tell us “flee fornication…” The word fornication comes from the root Greek word PORNEA. God is saying FLEE (run in terror) from PORNOGRAPHY! When I was in the military I was surrounded by it! I had to request a change in roommates on 2 occasions because they were porno addicts. If I stayed their roommates I would have fallen back into the love of it. Even now I have to deal with images from years past. Even past relationships linger in our minds because of the power of the sexual union.

 

     Sex was meant to give pleasure to a husband and wife, but also it is a covenant sealer. When you have sex with someone you are really marrying him or her!  The act of sex is the deal sealer! That is why God never meant for you to have multiple partners. If you recall your first sexual experience, good or bad you NEVER forget it! It becomes a strong image in your soul (emotions, will, conscience). The Lord tried to warn Israel about multiple partners, Solomon is the most tragic case. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines! The scriptures say he “loved them all”. The love for these women pulled him away from his first love, GOD!

 

 

^{Pr 7:21} With persuasive words she led him astray;

she seduced him with her smooth talk.

^{Pr 7:22} All at once he followed her

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer stepping into a noose

^{Pr 7:23} till an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

little knowing it will cost him his life. NIV

 

More than thirty years ago I accepted Jesus as my Lord, and ever since then I’ve found great joy in reading my Bible. Even to this day when I read the Gospels, I often think how wonderful it would have been to be one of Jesus’ original twelve apostles. What a privilege to be hand chosen and asked by our Lord to enter into his inner circle of training and leadership. Like most Christians, I had difficulty understanding the ministry and calling of an apostle. If you ask the average believer what the word “apostle” means, he will quickly refer to Jesus’ original twelve apostles and possibly even include the Apostle Paul, but most Christians struggle when trying to identify the specific characteristics of an apostolic ministry.

I have found that it is a very common belief in Christianity that there is no longer a need for the ministry of an apostle because, most think, an apostle served a function unique to the conditions of the First Century Church. They reason that this need is no longer present in the modern Church and thus we no longer see the ministry of an apostle.

I was once taught that an apostle is “one who brings new light (new revelation),” to the Church. Because the doctrines for the Administration of Grace [1] are clearly established in the writings of Paul and other apostles, I agreed that according to that definition, there seemed to be little need for the ministry of an apostle. But as I have continued to study God’s Word, I have come to believe this definition is wrong. It does not fit the full portrait I see God painting in Scripture concerning the ministry of an apostle. We can agree that there have been apostles who did bring “new light,” as was the case for Paul, Peter, and John. But there have also been numerous other apostles who have not brought any “new light,” so we must consider that this is not the determining factor of apostolic ministry. After all, what evidence of any new revelation do we have from any of the other original twelve apostles? And what about the post-ascension apostles mentioned in God’s Word, like Andronicus and Junias (Rom. 16:7), James, the brother of the Lord (Gal. 1:19), Barnabas (Acts 14:14), and Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25)? The fact that a few apostles brought new revelation appears to be the exception, not the rule. I believe the “new light” criterion is narrow thinking and ignores the greater function of what an apostolic ministry expresses. It is similar to saying that a person with a prophetic ministry always foretells future events because we see a few who did so. This perspective is myopic and misses the larger purpose of the prophetic ministry.

In Chapter 4 of Ephesians, Paul lists what have been called the five “ascension” or “gift” ministries. The first ministry listed is that of an apostle, followed by the other ministries of prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Paul goes on to tell us that Jesus has given these ministries to the Church to prepare God’s people for works of service and to build up the Body of Christ. He states that these ministries are here “until we all reach unity in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13b).” Because these functions have not yet been completed, it is logical to conclude that we should still see all five ministries present and functioning in the Church. It is not sound thinking to recognize the value of four of the gift ministries (prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) but fail to acknowledge the Church’s need for apostles. I believe that a large portion of the problem lies with the fact that we do not really know what an apostle is; after all, it is hardly a word we use in our everyday vocabulary.

So let us begin our study of apostolic ministry by defining the word “apostle.” It is easy to get some understanding about the other ministries by looking at the Greek word from which they are translated. For example, an evangelist is “a messenger of the good news,” and a pastor is “one who tends to the flock.” Unfortunately, the Greek word apostolos, from which “apostle” is translated, merely means “a sent one.” The word apostolos was used in common literature to designate “a delegate, a messenger, as one sent forth with orders.” [2] As you can see, this does not really help explain what an apostle is or does. In fact, by looking to the Greek we generate more questions than answers. For instance, sent by whom, to whom, to do what, and how? In order to understand apostleship, we must go deeper than a word study and look at the whole biblical picture of apostolic ministries. Of all the apostles, Paul provides us the most vivid portrait of the apostolic ministry. Although we recognize that he was a “superstar,” we should still be able to glean from his life traits common to other apostles that will help us determine an apostle’s purpose, role, function, and methods.

I’ve noticed that the apostolic ministry is a clear and specific calling. Paul had no uncertainty about his commission from the Lord. [3] He was very clear that he was “sent” by Jesus Christ (Acts 26:17). There comes a point in the life of the person called as an apostle that he knows for sure that he is commissioned by the Lord as a “sent one.” As with the ministries of teachers, evangelists, prophets, or pastors, we must keep in mind the difference between having the ministry of an apostle and being apostolic. Every believer can and should be apostolic in the sense that each is, in a general way, sent by the Lord with his Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. This differs from the specific commissioning of an apostle, who receives from the Lord a specific sending, for a specific reason, to a specific area of service.

Understanding that an apostle is a “sent one” immediately raises the question, “Sent for what purpose?” To clearly see the purpose of an apostle, we must look at it in its relation to the other four gift ministries. The evangelist plays the primary role of the herald, who broadcasts the good news of salvation to the unsaved. Once having been “saved” and thus becoming a member of the Body of Christ, a person is next best served by the pastor and the teacher. The pastor concentrates on shepherding him and caring for him by tending to his mental, physical, and spiritual needs. The teacher’s objective is to set forth sound, healthy doctrine to keep the believer firmly established and grounded in the integrity and accuracy of God’s Word so he can stand for a lifetime. The prophet serves as the “eyes and ears” of the Church, identifying the ministries in others and acting as a watchman, giving us spiritual direction by alerting us to danger in the spiritual battle.

When looking at the central functions of the evangelist, pastor, prophet, and teacher, we notice that at times they do appear to be contrary to one another. For instance, pastors, who are principally known for their kind, gentle, patient, and supportive manner, can be contrasted with prophets who are generally bold and outspoken, at times even delivering very hard words of correction and rebuke. Both ministries represent the heart and character of Christ, yet they differ greatly in manner and function. In the evangelist we see a person who is spiritually energized to reach the unsaved, superb in his ability to reason and adept at communicating the simple logic of the Gospel. His [4] message is principally directed to the unsaved, which is in contrast to the teacher, who primarily serves the community of the saved, communicating the truth of God’s Word, a message that many times the unsaved have trouble understanding (1 Cor. 2:14).

So how does the apostle fit into this mix of ministries? The apostle’s central purpose is to be a spiritual builder. His charge is to build community, which he does by bringing unity and balance to the mix. Paul says: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love…” (Col. 2:2). This is a community agenda. With all of the ministries demonstrating specialized aspects of Christ’s own character, the apostle represents the Lord’s heart to keep them balanced, working together to build spiritual communities.

The record of Acts indicates that evangelists, prophets, and apostles are the most effective ministries in church planting, but all three achieve dramatic results through different means. The evangelist goes to the new area, drawing in the crowd and winning people to Christ. The prophet is capable of producing results with his ability to clearly hear from God, speaking specific prophetic words necessary for advancing the spiritual war against the enemy. The apostle is also effective at planting a new church primarily because of his ability to network. As time goes on, these three ministries need to hand off much responsibility to the pastor and teacher. Any person with desire and a plan can plant a church, but that does not mean he or she is adept at building it. The heart of an apostle beats with the desire to build by developing a community of believers, and in order to do this he must work closely with the other ministries. “Apostles think architecturally as builders, supernaturally gifted at putting people’s lives and gifting’s together so that they form cohesive, vibrant, balanced community.” [5] They also think governmentally, guiding each person into his proper place for the purpose of unity and growth. When things are out of order, they’ll know it. Apostles are concerned with the design, form, and function of spiritual communities.

Apostolic builders do not like to “build upon another man’s foundation” (Rom. 15:20­­­b—KJV). Rather, like Paul, they prefer to build by laying “a foundation as an expert builder” (1 Cor. 3:10). They don’t seek to steal the flock of another but would rather begin a new work by laying the foundation of new relationships erected on sound doctrine. They build community relationally, that is, they develop networks and form connections between individuals and between church communities, standing in the gaps and bringing them together. Paul was a relational man, and the Lord’s revelation to him of the Church as the Body of Christ was essentially relational (Rom. 12:4-5).

Apostleship is a foundational ministry (Eph. 2:20), and as such they are placed “on the bottom,” servants to the other ministries and the entire community. Apostles go through much learning and growth and are developed over time. When it comes to being an apostle, there are no overnight wonders. Apostleship requires longevity and a proven track record. Because it is a relational ministry, it is necessary for them to earn the respect of others, without which they’ll never be able to function. The true apostle of Christ is not interested in titles, hierarchy, or positional authority. It is not a glamorous ministry nor is it a walk of glory or honor. On the contrary, the apostle must be willing to endure great personal sacrifice and hardship, [6] walking at the end of the procession. [7] In many cases, the apostle has taken a personal walk through the wilderness in preparation for his ministry. Apostles must set aside self-ambition in order to commit to the service and promotion of others. The greater the success in ministry, the greater the temptation to think, “I’m God’s chosen instrument.” Apostles must be on guard to not give in to such prideful thoughts. All efforts to self-promote run contrary to the very core of their ministry and, if present, will undermine their every effort to build community.

The predominant way Paul related to those he served was as a father. [8] As he reminded the Thessalonians: “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children.” He did this like any parent would, by “encouraging, comforting and urging…” (1 Thess. 2:11 & 12). Viewing himself like a parent, Paul said, He was “gentle among you, like a mother caring for little children” (1 Thess. 2:7). I can almost hear Paul’s love as he appealed to the Corinthians: “I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts…” (2 Cor. 6:13). In his book Apostles, the Fathering Servants, Bill Scheidler describes the relationship this way:

Apostles provide fatherly care to churches and ministries, much like parents do to their children. When a child is young, the care is rather intense. As he gets older; the parental involvement lessens until it is almost non-existent. At that point, even though the involvement is minimal, your father is still your father; the relationship goes on forever. [9]

The goal of every parent should be to see their children become independent, growing up to maturity as evidenced by their being fruitful and contributing to the rest of the community. When a church starts out, it needs lots of close supervision, instruction, and guidance, but as it grows, it is able to become autonomous that is, self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating. Paul modeled this attitude toward those he served, and left us a great apostolic example of a fathering servant.

Apostles move beyond planting and go into the building stages. One of the ways they do this is by bringing focus and purpose to the community of believers. Paul’s writings never stray far from his purpose, which was to encourage the saints’ hearts, uniting them in love with a view toward his ultimate goal that they would have complete experiential understanding concerning the Secret. [10] In fact, Paul mentions an aspect of the Secret in every one of the Church Epistles. [11] His entire life focused around the Secret, and all of his various purpose statements reinforced his vision. [12] Like Paul, apostles must never lose their focus on unity in the one Body; it is their very purpose. [13]

In order to carry out the mission of building the Church, apostles must also be visionaries. They know that “great vision precedes great achievement.” [14] Being practical, they recognize the reality of the present situation, but they are visionary in the way their focus is on what could and should be. They see future possibilities as present realities in the same way that a builder “sees” the finished product before he picks up the first tool. He knows what it should look like and he knows how to get there. An apostle is not a head-in-the-clouds idealist who sees things through rose-colored glasses. No, he sees the state of the Church as it really is.

Paul repeatedly corrected and reproved the believers, but he did not let their failures get in the way of his vision for them. He saw those he ministered to in light of what they could and should be in Christ, while at the same time recognizing how mature they really were. The apostle is a builder with vision, walking on to the spiritual building site and picturing the completed project before the first batch of concrete is poured. He generally paints with a broad brush, concerned with the big picture, neither losing sight of the details nor getting bogged down by them. It is his vision that encourages those around him and gives him the strength and endurance to see the project through to completion.

The growth of the spiritual community is not dependent on any one ministry. It requires teamwork, and apostles must have a long suit in developing the team. Paul ministered in teams with Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and many others. Every team has its first string, but winning teams require great depth. The apostle is always working to develop the “bench,” the players on the sidelines. That’s what we call “discipleship.” He is always scouting for new players because he knows that today’s recruits and bench players are tomorrow’s first string. We each have unique abilities, talents and giftings, and the apostle is adept at recognizing the spiritual giftings of others. He realizes that “all players have the place where they add the most value,” [15] and he strives to help each saint find the place where he can be most effective. Paul practiced the principle of duplication, always striving to leave behind a leadership team in the communities he served. He knew that his effectiveness in building and establishing churches was completely contingent on his ability to build teams. Apostolic ministry supports and enhances the other gift ministries. That’s teamwork!

The apostle is a get-it-done-and-then-some person. Wherever Paul went, he made things happen. Many times the apostle’s team will consist of more talented people than he, but it is the apostle who is the catalyst that sparks them into effective action. “Creative people have more than enough ideas, but not all are good at implementing those creative thoughts. Catalysts don’t have this problem. Not only are they creative in their thinking, they are disciplined in their actions.” [16] The churches became imitators of Paul and his team (1 Thess. 1:6). In fact, in Thessalonica he was so effective that the church became a “model,” [17] such a good example to others that “the Lord’s message rang out not only in Macedonia and Achaia- [but] your faith has become known everywhere” (1 Thess. 1:8). Now that’s evangelism! As a catalyst, apostles support the other ministries, helping them open doors and blaze new paths. Winning teams have players who make things happen; they are catalysts.

Apostles are trailblazers, spiritual pioneers who must be able to think this way in order to plant and establish new churches. They are often the first to go into new territories, cutting a path for others to follow. These new territories can be geographical or areas of new knowledge and understanding. In the First Century Church, the revelation concerning the Secret was delivered first to the apostles and the prophets. [18] Today, however, we have the complete canon of Scripture, and present day apostles should never stray beyond the boundaries of God’s Word, or presume to have authority that in any way supersedes Scripture. Apostles are required to be solidly rooted and grounded in the Word and they, along with the other ministries, are defenders of doctrinal truth. [19] At times it takes an apostolic ministry to break through into new areas, clearing the path for other ministries to follow. This is just one more way that the apostle serves the other ministries.

We must be careful not to assume that the apostle is the only one who can open a new area or establish a new work for the Lord. I have observed numerous times when churches were started by pastors or teachers and they were not “apostles,” per se. It is the Lord who energizes the ministries, and he can put it on the heart any of his people to act, on occasion, apostolically. There are overlaps in function with all the ministries. I may not be a pastor, yet that is not an excuse for me to not, at times, act pastorally. Conversely, a person is not an apostle just because on occasion he acts apostolically, in the same way that he is not a prophet because he prophesies, or a teacher because he teaches. It is the quality and quantity of planting and building over time that marks the ministry of the apostle.

We’ve looked at the community-building responsibility the Lord has given to apostles. With every responsibility comes the commensurate authority necessary to get the job done, so we need to be clear about the authority of an apostle. Referring to the apostolic vacancy created by Judas’s suicide, Peter says, “May another take his place of leadership” (Acts 1:20b). Apostolic ministry performs a leadership function but, as we have seen, this is not the type of leadership that we generally see modeled around us in the world today. [20] The apostle knows that leadership is nothing more than the ability to influence others. Paul’s writings reflect that he knew he had no power to make anyone do anything. When Paul commanded the Corinthian Church to expel a brother for an incestuous relationship, it was up to the church to decide whether they would obey him. [21] An apostle’s ability to accomplish things with others depends on his ability to influence them. The apostle is not the ultimate authority, and he is not to lord or have dominion over others. [22] I believe John Kelly articulates the concept of apostolic and church authority very well.

When I go to the local church, I am in the pastor’s “house” and I am a visitor, a guest. I am not there to violate anything that is under his care. I would not violate his family, elders, or flock—those are all people under his sphere of authority. I would be there to submit and serve. However, the dynamics change when the pastor is not with his congregation or family. When I’m alone with him or any brother who is committed to our network, he is back in my “house”—my sphere of influence. We have to know when we are going in and coming out of someone’s “house,” and that situation can change rapidly. [23]

The apostle always accomplishes things relationally, not autocratically. Our ability to change in our submitting, depending on the circumstances, is the very essence of relational authority, and can be exercised only when others acknowledge it. The apostle’s authority is to be used for building up, never for tearing anyone down. [24] Apostles cannot enforce their authority—they can only speak it. If others don’t recognize their authority, it has no effect. This is why Paul said, “Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you!” (1 Cor. 9:2).

In those circles of Christianity where the ministry of an apostle is recognized, the apostle’s authority is generally presented in a very authoritative manner. In his book, The Ministry Anointing of the Apostle, John Eckhardt cites 1 Corinthians 12:28, [25] which indicates that the apostle is considered first. Using this verse of Scripture as his basis, he makes the following heavy-handed statements…

Apostles have been set in the church by God, FIRST…When God says first, He means FIRST. Many local churches suffer because they have not recognized God’s order. A church out of order will not experience the fullness of the anointing without submission to an apostle the other ministries will not be effective. [26]

I don’t believe this is a correct understanding of apostolic authority. Looking to Jesus, as the chief apostle, [27] we see that he never accomplished anything in this hierarchical way. Rather, he left us the example of a servant leader, one willing to wash the feet of all he served. None of the other ministries are required to bow to or relinquish their authority to the apostle. The apostle is present to serve the others, and all the ministries function in relative submission to each other, not on the basis of positional authority, but to the degree that they perceive God at work in each other. Any ministry that submits to the apostle does so only insofar as they believe that what the apostle says lines up with God working in him. Their cooperation varies according to the degree that they sense the benefits of cooperating with the apostle’s vision. We know from Scripture that there have been occasions when apostles were wrong. Paul says: “When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong” (Gal. 2:11). The book of Acts records how Agabus and many others opposed Paul when he set his mind on traveling to Jerusalem. [28] It is a dangerous place indeed to think that a man will always be right merely because he has the ministry of an apostle.

The Lord works with the apostle, allowing him to set things in order in the Church, which may at times require the need to reprove, correct, or rebuke. His ultimate view on church matters is always from the community perspective, which means he is always seeking to build unity, but the apostle understands that he is never to put relationship (unity) before doctrine. The authority and responsibility to protect doctrine is not his alone, all ministries are charged by God to “guard the good deposit (Secret) that has been entrusted to [them] (2 Tim. 1:14). The true apostle of Christ is not autocratic, dictatorial, or despotic. His ability to accomplish things is dependent on the mutual love and respect generated between himself and those he serves. People pay heed to his words because they love him and recognize that he speaks wisely from a place of love.

The apostle’s commission can be for service to a certain geographical area such as a city, region, nation, or nations. [29] Paul’s primary area of responsibility and authority was ministering to the Gentiles, [30] while Peter’s was to the Jews (Gal. 2:8). An apostle is limited by the Lord in responsibility and authority to the field which he is sent. Paul was limited in his ability to minister to Jews, who were the responsibility of Peter and others because the Lord knew that the Jews would not receive Paul. Unfortunately, Paul’s great heart for Israel got him in deep trouble when he attempted to go outside the assigned field of his commission. He was almost killed in Jerusalem, landed in prison for a number of years, and saw the effectiveness of his ministry lessened.

The apostle must also be able to relate the doctrinal truths of God’s Word to their practical application for both the individual and the community at-large, and therefore it is required that he be fully grounded in Scripture. He must be spiritually mature and walk with godly wisdom, knowing the deep truths of the Word and how to apply them practically in daily life. This also underscores the idea that an apostle is not a novice; there are no “overnight wonders” here. The depth of the Word, coupled with the wisdom of experience, takes time to develop.

Apostles utilize the techniques of both teaching and preaching, [31] thereby establishing new churches. The book of Acts records Paul reminding the Ephesian elders: “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20). This is not to say that the apostle is as effective in the long run at teaching as the teacher or at evangelizing as the evangelist but, rather that all apostles must be articulate and thoroughly able to communicate the truths of Scripture.

When Paul’s apostleship was questioned by the Corinthian Church, he reminded them that, “The things that mark an apostle-signs, wonders and miracles- were done among you…” (2 Cor. 12:12). Paul was very clear that it was the Lord who confirmed his ministry by his demonstration of supernatural acts. The Lord confirms not only apostolic ministries but, as we see recorded in the book of Acts, also confirms the words and deeds of all the gift ministries with miraculous signs [32] when they speak the Word forth. As Peter states: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 4:11a). God and the Lord Jesus always back up every minister who speaks for them.

Correspondence School of Biblical Studies 

New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies

P.O. BOX 342, Camden, NJ 08101

CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

ACCELERATED BIBLICAL TRAINING SERIES

The Correspondence School of Ministry is a new spiritual, educational training track of the New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies. This condensed, correspondence format will allow many of the basic courses of NJITS to be offered in a time frame better suited to the demands and time constraints of busy adults; particularly many of whom are already actively involved in ministry.

COORESPONDANCE format

The Correspondence Manual is to be read and the test at the end of the lesson book is to be taken and mailed back to the School for grading. The test can be taken with an open Bible. Some answers to the questions are NOT found in the manual but require the taker to study the scriptures for the answer.

Challenging studies

The goal of this course is to challenge the student to study the Word with intensity and diligence. There will be other study books coming out in the near future.

Affordable and bible based

Practical, anointed, and insightful spiritual training at an extremely reasonable amount.

· The total cost for the manual and the certificate after completion is only $50.00

· The material is packed with Bible based doctrine that will enable you're the student to be the man or woman of God you need to be. This is NOT a replacement for the training you SHOULD receive in your local church BUT it WILL enhance it greatly.

The Dean of the New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies

Elder Mark H. Stevens is an ordained Elder in the COGIC. He is the Dean of the Charles Harrison Mason Bible Institutes of New Jersey and the founder of The New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies. As a Chaplain he ministers at Cooper Trauma Center in Camden. He is also a staff Chaplain at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. Elder Stevens graduated from the Institute of Jewish Studies, a School of the Philadelphia Bible University. He is an ETA (Evangelical Training Association) certified Bible Teacher. He holds a BA in Theology from Freedom Bible College and Seminary, and a Masters in Ministry from Freedom. His calling is that of Teacher. His classroom and pulpit is wherever the Lord leads him. This course is the first of many. Service men, hospital patients, and the incarcerated need training just like everyone else and THIS is a great start!

http://askthechaplain.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas and God Bless you all! And don't forget to pray for the troops overseas and the vets that don't get proper treatment after they serve so valiantly for America!

Chaplain Mark H. Stevens
USAF Retired