1. I bow to no man.
2. These so called leaders, are no leader of mine.
3. This is why I am less inclined to organized
"church" and when it comes to studying the Word,
there are some helpful sermons, but reading the
Word letting it interpret itself is best.
4. I really feel anger for the purpsoeful taking
advantage of folks seeking to belong to
something, to feel as though they are doing
right. These so called leaders will pay according
to their deeds, I just feel for the lsot souls following man and not God.
Brad
on 08:34 AM 8/4/2007, John Schwery said:
How far has the so-called church fallen?
Text of forwarded message follows:
Charisma magazine finally got one right! This one is spot on!!
The Deadly Virus of Celebrity Christianity
Some bigheaded preachers demand rock star
treatment. If the apostle Paul were around today
he might throw rocks at them.
Just when I thought we charismatics had finally
taken enough abuse from the egomaniac ministers
in our midst, I’ve learned that some of our
leaders are taking things to a new extreme. We’ve
moved beyond the red carpets, limousines and
entourages of the 1990s. A new strain of the
celebrity virus is spreading in large segments of the church.
of Christ? All I know is that God is grieved by
all of this shameful carnality.”
One friend of mine in Texas recently inquired to
see if a prominent preacher could speak at her
conference. The minister’s assistant faxed back a
list of requirements that had to be met in order
to book a speaking engagement. The demands included:
a five-figure honorarium
a $10,000 gasoline deposit for the private plane
a manicurist and hairstylist for the speaker
a suite in a five-star hotel
a luxury car from the airport to the hotel (2004 model or newer)
room-temperature Perrier
This really makes me wonder how the apostle Paul,
Timothy or Priscilla managed ministering to so
many people in Ephesus, Corinth and Thessalonica.
How did they survive without a manicurist if they
broke a nail while laying hands on the sick?
I was relieved to know that this celebrity
preacher’s requirements in 2007 did not include a
set of armed bodyguards—because I just might want
to jump uninvited into her Rolls-Royce and say a few words.
It gets worse, if you can believe it. At a
charismatic conference in an East Coast city
recently, a pastor stood on a stage in front of a
large crowd and smugly announced that the guest
speaker was “more than an apostle.” Then the host
asked everyone to bow down to the person,
claiming that this posture was necessary to release God’s power.
“This is the only way you can receive this kind
of anointing!” the host declared, bowing in front
of the speaker. Immediately, about 80 percent of
the audience fell prostrate on the floor. The few
who were uncomfortable with the weird spiritual
control in the room either walked out or stood in silent protest.
So today, I guess it’s not enough to feed a
celebrity preacher’s ego by treating them like a
rock star. We also are required to worship him.
And apparently in some places you even have to
pay big bucks to speak with him. In a city in the
South, a well-known preacher is known to ask for
money in order to secure a five- or 10-minute
counseling session. The minister uses Proverbs
18:16, “A man’s gift makes room for him and
brings him before great men” (NASB), to support
this bizarre practice. Some people are known to
give more than $1,000 for a short meeting.
People on fixed incomes need not apply. (That
would include lepers, blind beggars, Samaritan
women or any other social outcasts who were
welcomed and healed by Jesus without payment.)
What has become of the American church? What is
this sickness spreading in the body of Christ? I
don’t know whom to blame more for it: The
narcissistic minister who craves the attention,
or the spiritually naive crowds who place these
arrogant people on their shaky pedestals. All I
know is that God is grieved by all of this shameful carnality.
How far we have fallen from authentic New
Testament faith. Paul, who carried the anointing
of an apostle but often described himself as a
bond slave, told the Thessalonians, “Having so
fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased
to impart to you not only the gospel of God but
also our own lives” (1 Thess. 2:8).
New Testament Christianity is humble, selfless
and authentic. And those who carry the truth
don’t preach for selfish gain or to meet an
emotional need for attention. May God help us
root out the false apostles and false teachers
who are making the American church sick with
their man-centered, money-focused heresies.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma. The August
issue of Charisma is now available on newsstands.
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.2/933 -
Release Date: 8/2/2007 2:22 PM
End of forwarded message text:
John
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