It’s to my shame that up to a year and a half ago I was clueless as to how wide spread the disception of the Word of Faith Movement is. I have always been a serious student of God’s Word but that’s where I lived. I never would look around at the world around me and compare “Men of God,” or ministries, or what was being taught with God’s Word. Now that the Lord has really opened my eyes and I started to speak out I have discovered that I am more isolated and estranged from people and what we call “church” than I have ever been before. After all, I have really made people angry by just point blank telling them they are being lied to. But at the same time, I have never experienced more of the peace of God. I’m happy in my relationship with him and I know I’m doing His will. And for me, that is enough! That’s why I started blogging, it’s not my desire to come across judgmental, or condemning, but if you really look at how Jesus treated the religious leaders of His day, he was never polite to them. He was always frank, brutally honest, and rebuked them sharply because he cared for their eternal soul. And that’s what it’s all about, the soul. Sadly, masses of people are being carried down to the portal’s of hell itself by false teachers, prophets, and apostles. I can do nothing less than cry out loud in an attempt to warn them to look to the Savor Jesus Christ and trust and follow him.
I was born again and came to know Jesus Christ at the age of 19, on September 14, 1979. For me it was a dramatic experience as I had suffered many things as a child and a teen. From that point on life would never be the same. Long story short, I was in the Baptist Church untill 1991. There is much I could say about my experience in the Baptist church however an article would serve better so I’ll not say anymore now. I was out of church from 1991 until 1997 when I married my wife Pat and we started attending a Penticostal Church. Over the next seven years, I answered God’s call to preach the Gospel, went to college and in 2004 started a church plant in Bellefontaine Ohio. It was during the four years there that God began to open my eyes to just how faulty the church structure was and how corrupted our church leaders had become. After being lied to repeatedly, after being ignored and shunned, after numerious broken promises from those who claim superiority over you, you start to wonder where all the integrity has gone. I realized that I existed for their benifit, as long as I kept sending the money in I was on good terms with them, however, I was indigenious as far as they were concerned. That meant I was on my own. I was accountable to them while they were in no way responsible for me or to me.
After four years, God lead my wife Pat and I to close the church. This was very hard for me to except, we had reached many with the Gospel, seen people rise up to maturity, and felt we had done a good work in spite of the hardships and trials we encountered. We decided to move to Georgia were we stayed for seven months before moving back to Defiance Ohio, our home town. It was at this time that the Lord opened our eyes to mass disception of the WoF. Since our return we have studied God’s word carefully, and have tried to reach those still influenced by the Word of Faith movement. Our attempts have in many ways fallen short, only a few have heard God’s call to leave it and follow Jesus. The rest, well lets say our work is not done. Untill then, I am resolved to do what ever it takes to reach as many as I can with the truth of God’s Word and exalt Jesus Christ as Lord over His Church, for He is the only Soveriegn (1 Timothy 6:15)
Hello Mike. I don’t know if you are still dealing with this topic, but Sozo recently reached Europe, Switzerland precisely. Our pray ministry has been given the opportunity to attend a Sozo-Workshop, our church will pay the costs. As I had nothing but a curious feeling about it I started a research and came across your blog and some other public Reviews (YouTube, newspapers). I am seriously concerned about the fact that nobody seems to question the Sozo-Background. How can I argue with a pray ministry team that is more accesible for emotional experience than the profund thuth of Scripture? Thanks for your daily effort, may Jesus reward you…!
Andrew, I haven’t had much luck convincing those in the Sozo Ministry of Biblical truth. They are conditioned in a way where they have tunnel vision, they only understand what they see, feel, and experience. Unfortunately they have turned Jesus into a Mystical Jesus and thrive on a felt faith experience through the visions and encounters they have in the Sozo sessions. You are right to be concerned and I would encourage you to use caution when and if you approach them. Bottom line is, the Word of God is quick and powerful, using allot of scripture, especially the Gospel message may help. Jesus asked His disciples, “who do men say that I am.” The real problem is with how they view Jesus Christ, who He is. Sozo is a dangerous ministry and cannot be validated by Scripture without abusing any given text, so when they use a verse to convince you always consider the context of the verse to obtain the truth. You may want to spend much time in prayer and study before you take on the task of approaching them. I would first approach your leadership with your concerns. That may not fair out so well but at least you may plant some seeds. I wish I had better advice, but like I said, my success has been more with those coming out of it in search for truth. God bless you on your efforts!
Hey Mike, it was great to chat with you guys today. I’m wondering whether or not ‘Chris’ replied to my post, but I’ve lost the place where it was. I’m not desperate to know, just curious.
Blessings to you and your house,
Alan.
Hey Alan, enjoyed meeting and talking with you as well! You posted on the article “The Players, Agenda And Strategies of the Global Dominionist Movement” and No Cris didn’t respond. God Bless!
Hi Mike, I came here because M’Kayla sent me the URL in an email answer to a question I posted to her. Long story short, our experiences are so similar I can just about tell what you’re going to say next (LOL), except for pastoring a church. As I look back over my life, I can see now how, where, and why God has not allowed me to ‘go forward’ at times and I’m grateful for His graciousness and care of me, sparing me a lot more hurt than what I have experienced, although I resented the fact that I seemed to have been left on the shelf. I have been involved in a number of churches over the 47 years I’ve been a Christian, from Baptist, thru Pentecostal, to Social Justice, to Charismatic (which later became Seeker Sensitive, then Purpose Driven), and back to a small fellowship (current), where there is a fairly even mix of WoF admirers and people like myself, who love the truth. We last mentioned ones go because we do get some opportunities to speak to the false things and although the reception is ‘frosty’, we are listened to, which is something. Obviously there has to be a day of reckoning at some stage, but in God’s timing. The Pastor is very open to correction, in-spite of his background in WoF circles, so I and others do have some hope that maybe we can rescue a few. Sorry for the long post, but I like to be as transparent as I can. No hidden agendas!
Shalom,
Alan.
Thanks Alan for the encouraging words, it’s good to meet you. Mkayla spoke to me about you. It is good to connect with others of like mind and experiences. And thanks for the transparency, I feel the same way
It just makes things easier. Well, in response to your comment I guess I’ll share one of my favorites sayings, “No matter how far you have come, your still growing up.” That’s what I have learned over the last 30 years. However I have come to love and respect the truth of God’s Word and have a profound respect for it. God Bless you brother and keep up the good fight.
Mike
How do I determine if a local church is a ‘Word of Faith’ one? Since it seems to be a matter of doctrine, so I look at their ‘statement of faith’ or something like that?
Joe, their statement of faith will not help. All ministries use a generic form of statement of faith. I always look at who they support, or what links they have, what books they promote and who they are in fellowship with. This is not always easy as some of their websites are vague. Out side of talking to them personally or by email this is the only way I have to determine if they are WoF. You can usually tell by what they promote on their websites. Once you get familiar with the WoF doctrine it get easier to identify it.
I found you by putting in a search “what is wrong with Bethel’s Sozo?” My son has a teaching DVD on Sozo and just hearing it vexes my soul. Thank you so much for exposing the roots of this false teaching.
Your welcome diana, I have people very near me who have been swallowed up by this deception. I haven’t had the time but I plan on investigating this more in the future.
nice blog! just one question, how do you remember a certain date that you became born-again because I can’t. I just remember going back to church and repeating the “sinners prayer” to be saved. that was 4 years ago! I’m now 20 years old. although I have since left that Word of Faith church, have been going through alot to work out whether amongst all the hoopla, I was really saved.
Lee, I’m not sure of remembering the exact date you received Christ is as important as remembering you did. I understand all the hoopla your talking about and it does get confusing when you are trying to sort things out. As far as Salvation goes, it is simple. The Bible only requires that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” It is that simple! And again John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” To believe means to trust in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. He died for our sin, in our place to satisfy God’s requirements for salvation. Only Jesus could do this. His blood shed for us paid the price for our sin. So when we believe in that, we are born again. We only have to believe in our hearts, and then confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus. However Faith (which is the same thing as believe) expresses a reliance upon and a personal trust in Christ that produces obedience to Him and His world. That is a good gauge to determine where you are at spiritually. I through the years have doubted I was saved at times because I seemed to fail at serving Him until I realized Salvation is not based on what I did or do but on what Jesus did for me on the Cross. I only believed, and continue to believe. It is His gift of Grace to us, it is free. God bless.
absolutely! your right! hope I didn’t irritate you lool, it was just when you mentioned the specific date you came to know Christ, I felt a bit disconcerted haha! but never mind. I’ve been on a few blogs (like Mkayla’s and Discerningtheworld) and have aired my problems to them and have had help but its just with all this WoF rubbish, much can be said about the environment one gets saved in. Like for me, it was going back to church and getting saved but i was stuck in the system for a few years until things happened and I left. Boy was I silly to know the amount of times my pastor had seen ‘Jesus’ in a vision. And i to some extent want to believe he did because he was biblical on most pints but something went off. I’m just scared of commiting a sin against someone who could actually be of God.
It’s ok Lee, I know how disorienting it can be when you leave the WoF movement. My wife and I went through a rough time for about 3 years after we left. The we discovered just how deceived we had been and really took a hard look at things. Recovery can take a while but one thing I know for sure, God is faithful. He brought you out for a reason and you will be better off in the long run. God bless, and if there is anything I can do to help you know where to find me, right here.
your right! thanks for that! I was just reflecting at the stupidity i would go around saying to people when I was full in the WoF movement! I used to tell people about healing and why if someone doesn’t get healed they didnt have faith. I used to even say things like “God I command you in Jesus name, heal this person now NOW!”. Can you imagine me commanding God looool, that will be the day! couldn’t believe the stupidity but also its hard for me because at that time, I was young, and a minor and so it was understandable to just “shut-up” and do what our elders told us to!
I have really enjoyed reading your blog, you wrote some great posts. I am going to add you to my bloglist. God Bless you man.
In Christ,
Jeffro
Hi Mike. I didn’t relaise you had a blog. This is a great little place. I will add you to my bloglist if that is okay with you?
Bless you,
NIck
Hey Nick, feel free bud, it’s a great way to get the word out. Thanks! Mike
Thanks for keeping us posted on the move to wordpress, Mike. And for the excellent article you’ve posted here. I am proud to call you my brother and to know that you are a fellow Berean. Truth will prevail. Grace and peace to you my friend and brother. One of these days we need to have that “long overdue” cup of coffee together.
Don B
Thanks Bro. Don, I know it’s been a while. I will look forward to coffie, I know your a busy man. I have heard some of your messages on your site. I’m just glad there is at least one in NW Ohio who is not afraid to preach the whole counsel of God. God bless you!