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PreachParsly
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Joined: 2005/1/14
Posts: 2164
Arkansas

 It's Getting Really Weird Out There

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It's Getting Really Weird Out There

How would you feel if your pastor announced from the pulpit that he had uncovered a "new revelation" in the Bible? His discovery: That a church leader can have more than one wife.

Hopefully, you and everyone in the building would run, not walk, out of that church and never come back until the pastor had been replaced. But I am afraid too many of us gullible charismatics might stay in the pews—and eventually give the guy a standing ovation plus a $10,000 love offering.

That's how strange it is getting out there. Something has gone terribly wrong in our movement. Everywhere I turn I find that leaders of so-called Spirit-filled churches are making bizarre choices that compromise basic Christian integrity.

Some examples:

At one charismatic megachurch, staff pastors successfully convinced all their wives and female staff members to get breast implants. (I wonder: Was this discussed at a staff meeting?)

A church in California (known for its revival meetings and prophetic ministry) recently imploded after members learned that several men in the church had been having homosexual affairs with the pastor, who was married.

A leader with an international following (who wears the label of "apostle") recently informed his leaders that men of God who reach his level of anointing are allowed to have more than one sexual partner. Then his own son offered his wife to his father out of a sense of spiritual obligation.

We can all say together: "Eeeuuuwww!"

What has triggered this madness? The devil is working overtime, yet our discernment is at an all-time low. Satan's tactics are more brazen than ever. We might as well let him walk into church on Sunday morning and give him the microphone.

We've been bewitched. What matters to us today are the carnal things. We want flash, bang and the wow factor. If a person can shout loud enough and get everyone to swoon at the altar, we don't care how he or she lives at home. Morality is irrelevant.

In 2000 Charisma reported that charismatic preacher Clarence McClendon had divorced his wife of 16 years, Tammera McClendon, and married another woman after only seven days. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Earl Paulk, founder of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Atlanta. Several prominent ministers attended the wedding, lending their endorsement to McClendon's actions.

Tammera McClendon later informed Charisma that Clarence had told her while they were married that God had already shown him the woman who would replace her as his wife.

McClendon left his denomination, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, after his divorce became public. He began a new church, Full Harvest International Church, which currently meets in Gardena, California. His preaching is aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and he was a featured guest on TBN's Praise the Lord program last week.

In fact, McClendon collected the offering during the network's annual telethon. When I turned on the program and saw him raising money, I stared in disbelief.

How did we get in this pitiful condition? The very pulpits of America have become defiled because we are unwilling to confront sin. We are playing political games when the very health of the church is at stake.

Some Christians write letters to me saying: "The Bible says we shouldn't judge. Sure these leaders have stumbled, but no one is perfect. We need to forgive."

What Bible are these people reading? Mine says plainly that it is our responsibility to judge sin in the church. Of course we forgive, but forgiveness does not involve putting a preacher back on stage the next week if he just had a serious moral failure.

When the apostle Paul learned that a man was living in an immoral relationship with his father's wife, he tore into the situation with a vengeance. He said: "Are you not to judge those inside the church? Expel the wicked person from among you."

Those are not politically correct words. If we want a restoration of genuine, apostolic Christianity in our generation, we need to dispense with the craziness and initiate some apostolic confrontation.


[url=http://www.charismanow.com/11-11-05/]Source[/url]


_________________
Josh Parsley

 2005/11/17 12:50Profile









 Re: It's Getting Really Weird Out There

I read this yesterday and cried.

Lisa

 2005/11/17 13:19
habakkuk3
Member



Joined: 2005/10/18
Posts: 490
Virginia

 Re: This is truly wicked

This paragraph (in the articles) sums it up:

Quote:
How did we get in this pitiful condition? The very pulpits of America have become defiled because we are unwilling to confront sin. We are playing political games when the very health of the church is at stake.


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Ed Pugh

 2005/11/17 13:51Profile
rookie
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Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
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 Re:

It reminds of the fake wrestling on television. People know it is a fraud, yet they want to see more.

In Christ
Jeff


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Jeff Marshalek

 2005/11/17 15:27Profile
habakkuk3
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Joined: 2005/10/18
Posts: 490
Virginia

 Re:

That's a good analogy Jeff. It says that I would rather be entertained than confronted about my sin. It's sad but true...


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Ed Pugh

 2005/11/17 16:15Profile
IRONMAN
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Joined: 2004/6/15
Posts: 1924
IN HEAVENLY PLACES WITH JESUS

 Re: It's Getting Really Weird Out There

this is most grievous. one thing is for sure, the retribution for these transgressions and the ones we continue to add to the pile of sins that's before God is going to be unlike anything ever before seen...For those whome the Lord has quieckened to repentance, repent, repent and repent some more.


Set us Straight Lord


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Farai Bamu

 2005/11/17 17:28Profile
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 Re:

Quote:
How did we get in this pitiful condition? The very pulpits of America have become defiled because we are unwilling to confront sin. We are playing political games when the very health of the church is at stake.


Brothers the sad thing is at times when I read these type of things I can't cry or weep over them. Oh Lord let us share your sorrow over this utterly sinful wicked generation and a lukewarm church that is in it. Something has to change! Brothers and sisters rise up in prayer to God, Lord send revival, use us!

May we seek Him with all that we are before its too late. We all have to stand before the judgement seat of Christ, are you ready to burn out for Him?


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/11/17 23:18Profile
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Joined: 2005/2/24
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 Re:

Quote:
Brothers the sad thing is at times when I read these type of things I can't cry or weep over them.


I relate to your numbness Greg. This behavior among confessing Christians is so common place, both in the pulpit and the pew, that we fall from being incensed to insensible.

They readily admit that they are sinning, and breaking the hearts of their spouses and children, all with the full intention of plying God for His grace at just the right moment. There is no love for God, neither is there fear of judgement in their hearts.

They don't realize that such remorseless satisfaction from sin is evidence of the severest judgement of all...that God has turned them over to their lusts.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

MC


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Mike Compton

 2005/11/18 1:48Profile
habakkuk3
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Joined: 2005/10/18
Posts: 490
Virginia

 Re:

Quote:
I relate to your numbness Greg.

Me too. Unfortunately much of the time, the only thing that rises in my heart is judgment. I know that Jesus is faithfully dealing with attitude of mine but when will these things lead to a breaking. Until that happens, no intercession can begin.

Have you discovered that you can't really pray for someone where there is judgement in your heart (or anger or bitterness or any other sin) for someone? May the Lord God of heaven purge this wickedness of heart, so we can truly begin to intercede.


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Ed Pugh

 2005/11/18 10:03Profile
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 Re:

Quote:
Have you discovered that you can't really pray for someone where there is judgement in your heart (or anger or bitterness or any other sin) for someone? May the Lord God of heaven purge this wickedness of heart, so we can truly begin to intercede.


Yes Brother. There has to be an brokeness in our hearts before we can truly begin to intercede on behalf of men to God. Oh God break our hearts, allow us to be people who stand in the gap.

"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm Yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." - 1 Peter 4:1

Brothers we need to allow "heaven to suffer violence" we need to get on our knees and prevail in prayer and intercessions. Arm yourselves with this "mind". Lord give us these desires and heart to be on the frontline of the battle for your Holy names sake.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2005/11/18 10:41Profile





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