The Dark Side
Thanks to Lance for alerting us to this article by Roger Olsen. Straight to the pool room for this one!
“Other Christian movements have suffered similar scandals, but Pentecostalism seems particularly rife with them. Insiders know some of the reasons. Deeply embedded within the Pentecostal movement’s ethos is a cult of personality; charismatic leaders are put on pedestals above accountability and are often virtually worshiped by many of their followers.Too few courses in basic ethics are required in Pentecostal colleges (perhaps because many Pentecostals, especially older ones, assume that being Spirit-filled guarantees right behavior), and too many pastors handle the churches’ money and travel alone without having to account for their whereabouts or activities. It’s the movement’s own dirty little secret: sexual promiscuity and financial misconduct are rampant within its ranks, and little is done about this unless a scandal becomes public.Several Pentecostal denominations have instituted policies to handle cases of pastoral moral turpitude and financial misconduct, but they have found those policies hard to enforce. At least one Pentecostal denomination has a policy that forbids investigation of charges that are more than five years old. One can only wonder why the leaders decided on that limit.There is no body that regulates independent churches and ministers, but Pentecostal leaders could work harder to expose their colleagues who transgress and to warn their flocks (and others) against them. Far too much nervousness about powerful television and radio preachers infects well-intentioned and ethically sensitive Pentecostal leaders. It’s time for the movement to own up to its sometimes sleazy history and go the extra mile in cleaning house in the cases of ministers and evangelists who are less than honest and chaste. It should not be left to publications like Christianity Today and Charisma to reveal scandals involving Pentecostal ministers, evangelists and denominational executives”.Source: http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=1871
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:44 pm
“Too few courses in basic ethics are required in Pentecostal colleges (perhaps because many Pentecostals, especially older ones, assume that being Spirit-filled guarantees right behavior),”
The lack of actual real training, instruction and teaching that most Pentecostal pastors receive exacerbates their ideas of what and how they are supposed to pastor. Especially when one can become a ‘pastor’ after 10 weeks and then force everyone to call you by that title with the added lucrative benefits that come with being a pastor like half-price school fees at Christian Schools. They do seem more like impastors.
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Veritas,
I think this must be a scene from Kennth Hagin’s Rhema Bible COllege or Oral Roberts University:
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0462519/Ss/0462519/BBT.jpg?path=gallery&path_key=0462519
June 4th, 2007 at 6:16 am
“Impastors”?
I am going to steal that one Veritas.
Brilliant.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
“An unhealthy celebrity mentality
Most Australians are enamoured by overseas ‘big name’ speakers. When the United Charismatic Convention tried to focus on Australian speakers, attendances plummeted dramatically. From the earliest days of the movement overseas people have always drawn crowds. The post-war Americanisation of Australia is now almost complete — people sing with American accents, kids wear baseball caps (backwards), American TV stars are better known than Australian politicians! But the Pentecostal movement has been affected more than the general populace: US televangelists draw large sums of money from Australian believers and even though they often represent an unhealthy, celebrity-centred approach to ministry, the biggest crowds attend their rallies. One book publisher claims that 50% of general books sold in Australia are written by Australians. But in the Christian market, only 2% are by Australians.
An unhealthy consumer mentality
Sadly, the Pentecostal movement has picked up the secularist, materialist values of society. The consumer mentality is evident in music, entertainment, ‘manifestations,’ charismatic leadership, comfort and so on. At Tabor College we have found it very difficult to attract students for Intercultural Studies. There seems to be little interest in long-term mission work. Does this reflect a growing appetite for comfort?
Have we become post-modernist in our approach to the faith? ie: What works for us is what is right. Sound doctrine is, for some people, no longer an important issue.
A couple of years ago at Wollongong a large number of people were urged to be re-baptised if they felt they had backslidden or felt far from God. What happens when they feel that way again? Should they be baptised again? But more importantly, what biblical justification is there for such re-baptisms? This is an example of an unhealthy emphasis on ‘blessing’ above truth. When the end seemingly justifies the means, ethics and behaviour have at times been questionable.
Like the early Wesleyans, Pentecostals saw revival as comprising two elements — conversions and sanctification. They sought to be baptised in the Spirit because they had a yearning and a longing for holiness. They wanted to be a blessing more than they wanted to get a blessing. Today the phrase ‘catch the fire’ has been a popular one. But John the Baptist spoke of fire as a cleansing, purifying agent (Matthew 3:11,12). In the New Testament, over half of the references to fire are to fires of judgement! Perhaps we have missed that emphasis in recent years.
An unhealthy leadership style
Some Pentecostal leaders are elevating themselves above criticism or question and people who raise issues may be told they are being rebellious.
Lensch warns us — Charismatics… tend to gravitate to places where the pastor is a dynamic person and a dynamic preacher… The trouble here is that dynamic people can ‘wow’ the troops and be put on a pedestal like little popes… I am not saying that all dynamic pastors are prone to error but they must not become a substitute for the Lord and his word.
There is also an ungodly and unbiblical focus on raising money
In one church, a visiting US preacher was given over $100,000 for three meetings. What did Jesus get for the Sermon on the Mount? Other itinerant ministers are insisting on raising their own offerings, and doing very well at it. At a recent conference, delegates were told, in effect, ‘Godliness = gain.’ I wonder what Paul would say to that? (1 Timothy 6:6-10). These are very worrying trends and signal trouble for the movement.”
From http://www.wvi.net.au/chant
June 4th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Lionfish - Billy even looks penty.
A friend of mine was telling me that they went to an AOG Hill$ongesque ‘church’ where they had a visiting speaker (surprise surprise). It was the 3rd time they had been to this same church and each and every time there was a “special - we never do this - one time - extra collection” taken up for the visiting speaker. So much for being a one time event happening all three times. They can’t even lie straight. And their daughter went to Planetshakers and after two offerings they then locked the doors and asked for more money. Complete Impastors (and Saint if you want to use my invented word you will have to pay for the licence - see I learnt something from Hill$ong)
June 4th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
As you ay Lance cash is always a problem whether its clergy dodging income tax by way of wage packaging or international brawling between creationists ! http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21843706-2702,00.html
June 4th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
LOL. It’s Kingdom of God Inc. headed up by ImpastorsTM Lord Veritas.
I’m broke just thinking about it.
June 5th, 2007 at 9:19 am
More on the creationists battle over cash in todays Australian 5/6(altho in a full page feature article in the same paper which I cannot find an address, sex also raises its ugly head) http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21850275-2702,00.html
June 15th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
One of the most common errors found in Christianity today is that particular persons, usually pastors or evangelists, are somehow more “anointed” than the average Christian. This teaching often coincides with a veiled threat in the form of “touch not mine [the Lord’s] anointed,” (I Ch. 16:22, Ps. 105:15).
The term “anointing” means to “authorize, or set apart, a person for a particular work or service,” (Is.61:1). The New Testament is absolutely clear on whom the anointing rests - ALL of Christ’s disciples, who are God’s very own, set apart and commissioned for service (2 Cor. 1:21). The New Testament does not support the notion of a “greater” anointing based on “position” and such teaching has its origin in a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments.
Proponents of this error fail to use careful exegesis to discern the difference between the Old Testament call of a “prophet,” where the anointing rested on one man (Is. 61:1, I Sam. 26:9,11, 2 Sam. 22:51, 2 Chr. 6:42), and the New Testament call of a “priesthood of believers” (I Pet. 2:5,9). Certainly there are diversities of gifts, but the Spirit [or anointing] remains the same (I Cor. 12). Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and many others have long terrorized God’s people with “touch not mine anointed” nonsense if anyone dared question them or their teaching. Anyone who has a gift (all have gifts, 1 Cor. 12:7-11), has a ministry, and anyone who has a ministry, has authority and is anointed.
It is a sad situation in many churches today that “laity” are content to sit on a pew week after week and assume the opinions of professional clergymen are to be the final authority. They find comfort in this approach because it is safe. Preachers are content to keep it this way because it secures their position in the church.
How many times have believers been subjected to mishandled scripture with an implicit or explicit “touch not God’s anointed” if any dared to question? This is in contrast to the Biblical admonition to “try the spirits”, (1 John 4:1). Fear is not of God and teaching which incorporates psychological intimidation is corrupt and deceptive. One of the easiest ways to determine what “spirit” motivates a person “in authority” is to question them. A godly man or woman will never be offended or become indignant if someone dares to question them and compare what is said with the Word of God. However, if one is motivated by an “authoritarian” spirit of conceit or arrogance, the questioner will soon know it. Peter warned the elders (pastors and spiritual guides of the church) not to be domineering [arrogant, dictatorial, overbearing] over the flock of God, but to be patterns and models of Christian living (I Pet. 5:3, AMPL.)
Many prominent pastors and evangelists today make the claim that because “souls” are being saved and “healings” take place in their meetings, that this somehow validates their ministry. While these things may be well and good, they are no indication of “divine” sanction. A.A. Allen was a drunkard, Jimmy Swaggart a whoremonger, Jim Bakker a thief, Larry Lea a prevaricator, and Robert Tilton a charlatan - yet ALL of these saw thousands saved and miracles take place in their meetings. Because one is blessed with “prosperity” and has a “following” of thousands, doesn’t mean a darn thing when it comes to integrity and godly sanction, for “he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,” (Matt. 5:45).
From http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=162146161&blogID=276151673
June 16th, 2007 at 12:48 am
Would it be possible to have that last post made into flyers and then dropped out of planes on Sunday over Pentecostal churches across Aus?
June 16th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Yes.
June 16th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Arh..now theres a vision.
June 28th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
“Though Pentecostal churches grew 26 per cent in Australia and 48 per cent in NSW, they remain numerically small, with 219,000 adherents, about half the numbers of Buddhists.”
From http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pentecostal-revolution-in-the-suburbs/2007/06/27/1182623992464.html
I feel so much better now.
June 28th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
And just add to your contentment Lance, thats 219,000 Pentees running around Australia all done up in their in dresses. For according to the Melbourne Age(28/6) “a New York bus driver,Tahita Jenkins has been sacked for NOT wearing pants….she says that,as a Pentecostal she can only wear dresses”!
June 29th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Just near where I live we have the St John’s brotherhood which has been around forever - it’s mostly a mental hospital now - and they’ve done a lot of good but a “whistelblower nun” has just come out with countless evidence and cases of pedophilia over something like 30 years. She issued a press release and what struck me were 2 things. Firstly she said the brotherhood had perpetrated a conspiracy of silence (not exactly her words but that was the gist of it), brothers who committed the acts were “warehoused” and victims were bought off. Secondly, there was a mindset that exists that they are somehow “above the law” that because they’re called to the “Greater Good” the normal mores don’t apply.
Sound familiar? A few times I have thought the worst aspects of the AOG are like the worst aspects of the kind of abuse that was inherent in the Catholic Church some years ago…I know other denominations have had their fair share of scandals, but the Catholics seem to have borne most of the brunt. (btw I love Catholics). The same kind of culture of sielnce exists, and especially that mindset of “we’re above the rules that apply to everyone else” is rampant among leadership.
June 29th, 2007 at 9:18 am
I found the culture of “the ends justify the means” - to be fairly previlant.
“The greater good” - is also previlant and problematic.
There seems to be a mindset that individuals who experience serious injustice are supposed to ‘remain silent’ & ‘why can’t they just forget, forgive and move on with their lives’.
This kind of thinking and attitude shows a deep level of ignorance about the dynamics and impacts any kind of abuse can have on people.
Basically it’s about saving face, saving money (on litigation) and saving reputation in the public arena.
I do not believe Christ will tolerate this kind of attitude and the accompanying determential behaviours in ANY denomination forever……
June 29th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Correction prevalent x2 (apologies)
June 29th, 2007 at 9:28 am
yes I agree. The “rules don’t apply” mentality seemed to crop up a fair bit in youth leadership. For example…on youth camps the kids were not allowed to leave the campsite (fait enough) but neither were “junior leaders” who were often in their mid twenties with jobs and obligations. That’s fine, but then came the day when I saw the youth pastor sneaking off with his fiance beacuse they wanted to go look at their house that was being built (there were no pressing obligations btw) while still telling everyone else that the rule was no one else could leave.
A silly petty example, but I saw it a lot.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:07 am
I have seen and heard stories that are far more serious examples of “the ends justify the means”.
Actually I have observed leadership ‘behaviour’ that would curdle your stomach.
I remind myself that Christ has also observed these actions and He alone knows the motives of the heart. However, I believe there will be interesting days ahead.
I have held the thought for a long time now, that windows of mercy have been available to many denominations over years; windows that allow church leadership opportunities take responsibility, to do all within their power, in a spirit of repentance and humility, to ‘put right’, in ways that respect people, serious injustices that have occurred within church or church related settings. Alas, this rarely occurs.
What seems more common is this:
Leadership that refuses those opportunities, opportunities which are usually many, seem to get (finally) dragged into the bright lights of the public arena. The skeletons in the closets are exposed, all is laid bare.
No denomination is immune, no matter how much they believe “the rules don’t apply”.
After refusing to act freely and with integrity, usually then comes the public judgement. It is a pattern I have seen repeated over and over and seems to be increasing since the early 1990’s.
Denominations with a “rules don’t apply” mentality, may think they are immune but recent history has shown us otherwise and ultimately I believe Christ will have His way with all organisations that proclaim His name, but abuse His people. Leadership comes with heavy biblical responsibilities- verses which in these days seem to have been forgotten. Christ has not forgotten.
June 29th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I think being given tax breaks/exemptions bolsters this mindset that ‘the normal rules don’t apply to us’.