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David Ravenhill

David Ravenhill (1942–present). Born in 1942 in England, David Ravenhill is a Christian evangelist, author, and teacher, the son of revivalist Leonard Ravenhill. Raised in a devout household, he graduated from Bethany Fellowship Bible College in Minneapolis, where he met and married Nancy in 1963. He worked with David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge in New York City and served six years with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), including two in Papua New Guinea. From 1973 to 1988, he pastored at New Life Center in Christchurch, New Zealand, a prominent church. Returning to the U.S. in 1988, he joined Kansas City Fellowship under Mike Bickle, then pastored in Gig Harbor, Washington, from 1993 to 1997. Since 1997, he has led an itinerant ministry, teaching globally, including at Brownsville Revival School of Ministry, emphasizing spiritual maturity and devotion to Christ. He authored For God’s Sake Grow Up!, The Jesus Letters, and Blood Bought, urging deeper faith. Now in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, he preaches, stating, “The only way to grow up spiritually is to grow down in humility.”
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David Ravenhill passionately denounces the deceitful practices of modern-day moneychangers in the Christian television industry, who manipulate 'seed faith teaching' and distort sacred truths for personal gain. He criticizes the focus on prosperity messages and the exploitation of believers for financial contributions, highlighting the contrast with the humble and sacrificial nature of Jesus. Ravenhill urges the audience to stop supporting these televangelists and instead redirect their resources to support missionaries who are in genuine need and faithfully serving under challenging circumstances.
Modern Day Money Changers
I’m convinced that the carnal, cunning, conniving, crooked crooks that Jesus drove out of the Temple are still among us today. These modern day moneychangers are forever devising new and deceptive doctrines to defraud God’s people out of His/their money. These masters of deceit have now set up their changing tables throughout the Christian television industry. I’m absolutely certain that if Jesus returned today He would walk into the vast majority of these television studios and overthrow the cameras, lights, monitors, and soundboards. He would unplug the microphones and scatter the makeup colors around as He went about destroying the stages and backdrops. Several years ago now, a nationally know prophetic voice was told by the Lord, “I’m sick and tired of the prosperity message”. If that was true then, how much more today. As far back as 1986, the top seven media evangelists took in over 750 million dollars. Now with the increased manipulation of ‘seed faith teaching’ that amount has no doubt been dwarfed by comparison. Only a few days ago I was appalled as I watched and listened as Pastor Steve__________ zealously twisted and distorted the Scriptures to his own advantage. This ‘brother’ dared to distort the most sacred truth of all Scripture. He used The Day Of Atonement, that day when Jesus Christ the Lamb of God shed His blood for the sins of the world, to teach that how we give financially determines how God will respond to us throughout the coming year. My blood boiled as I listened. This ‘brother’ had finally crossed the line and was now on the verge of blaspheming the atoning work of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not to mention lining his own pockets with the proceeds. He might as well have been selling indulgences by inferring that God’s favor toward us was based on our giving rather than God’s unmerited grace and forgiveness through the gift of His Son. What made matters worse was that this same ‘charlatan’ was the guest of one of the nation’s best known charismatic personalities. Within a day or so he was teaching the same message on a local Christian telethon. Neither the evangelist nor the network sought to correct his aberrant teaching – after all, the show must go on and that takes money, so how you raise it doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Why does almost every single Christian program have to end with some type of ‘seed faith teaching’? If these men and women of faith really believed what they taught, they would practice what they preach and teach; after all what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Imagine how shocked you would be if your favorite televangelist and covenant partner were to send you a check in their next mailing for the amount of $1,000.00 with a personal note telling you he/she just wanted to sow into your life. Perhaps then I could believe that these men/women really believe and practice what they teach. Not only that, but they would never have to appeal for money again as God’s return to them would result in a hundredfold increase. At least that’s what they would have us to believe. On a recent ministry trip to the Northwest, I was told by a pastor friend that his church had received a call from a well known and anointed teacher in the Body of Christ. The caller was asking them for a contribution towards the purchase of a jet for their ministry. What a far cry from what the Apostle Paul taught when he prefaced his teaching on ‘sowing and reaping’ with these words; “ For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality.” (II Cor. 8:13-14) Many pastors measure their success in terms of numbers –the larger the church the more successful their ministry. Itinerant ministries, not being able to brag about size, seem to fall for the notion that having one’s own jet is how success is determined. (Once it was the Rolex watch) By the way, if you love and appreciate this fine teacher, pray that he won’t get the desires of his heart - it will only lead to the leanness of his soul. This is one man’s attempt to appeal to the Body of Christ. Stop pandering to these moneychangers. These men and women live like kings while spending your money to buy mansions and jets for themselves. They dine in the finest restaurants, wear the latest designer fashions and then have the audacity to tell you that you can live the same way as long as you give to their ministry. I opened my Bible the other day to Zechariah’s wonderful prophecy concerning the first coming of Jesus, our great and glorious King. Listen to his words; ‘Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt the foal of a donkey.’( Zechariah 9:9 ) What a far cry from the televangelist who comes high and mighty and traveling on his own jet! If you are as sick and tired as I am about this waste of God’s money, then for heaven’s sake STOP SUPPORTING THESE PEOPLE. Give your money to your local church. There are tens of thousands of needy missionaries who barely have enough support to keep themselves alive. They are laboring long and hard under some of the most difficult and trying conditions. They would rejoice at the thought of an extra $10-30 dollars a month support. These are the real heroes of whom the world is not worthy. Help put these MONEY LOVING TELEVANGELISTS OUT OF BUSINESS and SAVE ANOTHER MISSIONARY FROM EXTINCTION.
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David Ravenhill (1942–present). Born in 1942 in England, David Ravenhill is a Christian evangelist, author, and teacher, the son of revivalist Leonard Ravenhill. Raised in a devout household, he graduated from Bethany Fellowship Bible College in Minneapolis, where he met and married Nancy in 1963. He worked with David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge in New York City and served six years with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), including two in Papua New Guinea. From 1973 to 1988, he pastored at New Life Center in Christchurch, New Zealand, a prominent church. Returning to the U.S. in 1988, he joined Kansas City Fellowship under Mike Bickle, then pastored in Gig Harbor, Washington, from 1993 to 1997. Since 1997, he has led an itinerant ministry, teaching globally, including at Brownsville Revival School of Ministry, emphasizing spiritual maturity and devotion to Christ. He authored For God’s Sake Grow Up!, The Jesus Letters, and Blood Bought, urging deeper faith. Now in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, he preaches, stating, “The only way to grow up spiritually is to grow down in humility.”