Another Former Jimmy Swaggart Employee Steps up With Abuse Allegations

Another brave former employee has now come forward to add credence to Michel McCumber's testimony. It would seem where there is smoke there's fire. I'm pretty sure JSM would like to snuff this fire out before it flares into another full blown scandal.

Frankly, I detest these continual scandals breaking over Christendom, causing the way of truth to be evil spoken of and bringing disgrace to the Holy Name of Jesus. However, I tend to think it's necessary to expose abuses in ministries, large or small. Abuse is abuse.

If the allegations brought forth regarding the secrecy, and abusive control freak practices of the JSM are true, they should be exposed.

Let the reader judge for themselves....... Click on title, (above), to link to the latest blog entry on Deception Bytes

Constance

Spiritual Abuse at Jimmy Swaggart "Ministries"

Mishel McCumber, a former insider at Jimmy Swaggart Ministries has come forward with what really goes on behind the scenes at JSM, and it's not a pretty picture. Certainly not a picture of a god-fearing man who is truly repentant of the scandalous affair of being involved with prostitutes, adultery and porn addiction a number of years ago.

Sex scandals seem to be becoming the new norm in the Christian Community. But with Jimmy Swaggart ministries, it would appear that there are other things being hidden behind closed doors.

(Click on the title above to read Mishel's story from her blog, "Deception Bytes"."



Unfortunately, the only difference between the spiritual abuse that's being alleged against the Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, and many small churches all over the country, is that it's happening on a large scale, affecting perhaps hundreds of employees, and multitudes of faithful but deluded Swaggart devotees.

I was a brand new "born again" Christian back then when the Jimmy Swaggart scandal broke and devastated the Christian community who'd held Swaggart in such high esteem, but I can still remember seeing Swaggart on TV bawling like a baby, confessing his sin and asking forgiveness to a public audience. We can't know personally the dialogue between him and the Father, but, it seemed to me at the time the guy looked sincerely repentant. But then, I didn't have much spiritual savvy and wisdom behind my belt back then either, so what did I know? I just figured that anyone who said they were a Christian...was a Christian. That was then and this is now however.

What baffled me then, was how could a sincere, blood bought Christian do the things he apparently got caught doing? Now, after some years of observing how things work in Christendom, I have a clearer picture. I've noticed that many Christians start off on fire for God, (first love), and then some where along the line, go haywire.

Obviously Swaggart went haywire big time. I believe a loving God makes a place for all Christians to repent when they mess up and fall into temptation, but what really troubles me is when they claim to be repentant, but then either don't....and/or, attempt to cover it up, which to me is a worse sin. That's not true repentance.

With Swaggart, it seems his so-called "ministry" was more important to him than God and living for Jesus Christ. Walking the walk, as I've found personally is a lot harder than just learning to "talk the talk". And in Swaggart's case, he was an expert at talking the talk. A master at it in fact. He knew the gospel, he knew- and apparently had a real experience with Jesus Christ at one time. But when he fell, he was right in the middle of still preaching publicly. This is spiritual abuse any way you shake it...and there is no "excusing it" and sweeping it under the carpet with the old "judge not" mantra.

I had a friend back then who told me that she'd looked up to Jimmy Swaggart so much as an exemplary Christian, that went he fell, she wondered if Jimmy Swaggart could "fall from grace", then how in the world could she, a lowly Christian woman ever make it?

I was a newbie during this period of time as I'd said, but my friend told me that she'd heard a "prophecy" about Jimmy Swaggart after his disgraceful fall that the LORD had said, he would go back into ministry, but it would never be to the extent and power that it was before.

I don't know whether that was a true word from the LORD or not, but the fact that Swaggart went back into the ministry at all, is sad, since apparently he has broken trust with God by spiritually abusing his employees, and deceiving his faithful supporters.

This is the issue I've been trying to drive home time and again to my friends and family, that this type of deception would NOT BE POSSIBLE, if Christians would seriously study the Word of God for themselves, and pray, pray, pray until they receive spiritual discernment well enough to detect frauds like Swaggart. I know it's possible to have this high level of discernment. It's available through God to walk in the Spirit with this discernment. We need it! The only weapon Satan has is deception.

And......"IF" Christians would learn to avoid the Nicolaitan error of putting men like Jimmy Swaggart on a pedestal, and seriously study the Word for themselves with the Holy Spirit as their teacher, then the Swaggart's of Christendom would be looking for another day job instead of deceiving and bilking "the faithful" out of millions upon millions of dollars. Not to mention disgracing the name of Christ, and being an embarrassment to God.

Well, apparently Swaggart is still in business, for the time being at least. I keep praying, believing, and looking forward to the day when "Judgment begins at the household of God". Or maybe it already has...we've seen ministry after ministry go down in recent years with one scandal after another being exposed. Unfortunately, many of these spiritual abusers and charlatans pick themselves up, wipe the dirt off their faces, do a little "counseling" and "restoration" and then get right back in the pulpit again. This, when they should be required to step down and STAY DOWN. I believe in forgiveness, but in cases like this, where it is so very serious, I think it should be a permanent deal breaker when a man who had the trust of so many people betrayed them.

I loved what Mishel prayed, (just below), that set her free from deception. What a difference it would make for all Christians sincerely seeking the truth if they would pray the same way. Then, these terrible abuses would NOT be possible because we'd all be able to spot the wolves in the sheepfold early on and avoid them at all costs!


"My journey out of deception began with a prayer, an innocuous prayer that hardly seemed life changing in its scope. In fact, at the time, it hardly seemed much of anything at all. “Dear Lord,” I prayed, “if I am believing any lies in my life, or am deceived in any areas of my Christian life and what I believe, can you show me? I want your Truth at all costs, even if knowing it destroys my entire world. Oh, and I mean it Lord, even if part of me doesn't and is scarred.” That was the prayer; the prayer that changed my world and set me free. In retrospect, it was a silly child-like prayer, but God honored it.


Did knowing the Truth destroy my world? Quite frankly, yes. However, at that point, my entire world was built on lies and illusion. What would the value have been in keeping that kind of world intact?Make no mistake about it. Truth will cost you."

I was moved to pray like Mishel did as well. We need never think we are above being deceived. That's a dangerous place to be spiritually and can open us up to much pain, and it's not God's will for us to suffer in that way. But..he does require that we discipline ourselves to study and pray so that we may know that precious truth that will set us free from error, bondage, sin, and the deception of spiritual abusers and extortionists.

Constance

Toxic Faith

Hello friends.....we seem to be living in perilous times indeed, when, make no mistake about it, spiritual abuse seems to be running rampant across the country in one way or another. Joshua,the son of a friend of mine, recently became suicidal after having gone to a "revival" and being told by a visiting "evangelist" he was no longer welcome in that church, and not to come back.

In front of the entire congregation and visitors, Joshua, age 30, already depressed and troubled due to health, marital and financial problems, was lambasted by this "evangelist" and told in a loud voice that he was a drug user, and wife abuser. I was told later by his mother, my friend, that Joshua turned to the people in the church, and said, "I love you all", and walked out. Later that night, he became suicidal. Fortunately, his family was able to console and comfort him, also reminding him that he had his children to live for.

How did the "evangelist" come by this information with which he deemed Joshua worthy of condemnation? From Joshua's wife, whom he had been separated from for several months. So, without any other witnesses to verify these accusations, this "evangelist" decided to put Joshua on trial, declaring him guilty as charged by reason of gossip and slander by an embittered wife who'd been systematically attempting to discredit her husband to everyone she knew he had contact with.

Even if what Joshua had been accused of was true, which it wasn't...how was it helpful to him, or anyone present, to verbally assault and accuse him in front of the entire congregation where he had gone, hoping to find spiritual comfort, solace and fellowship of other Christians, (and I use that term loosely in this case)?

The way Jesus told it in His Word, was that if a congregant was involved in some spiritual wrongdoing, that a responsible person such as an elder of the church, should take him aside privately, and reason with the person, pointing out the sinful action and attempt to gently and spiritually counsel and restore the person back into a right relationship with God. Then, if the person doesn't receive the counseling, two or more others should go to that person and talk it out with him or her. Finally, if the one accused of wrong doing doesn't accept it, then and only then should it be taken to the church in a proper manner. Frankly, in all my years, I've never seen this happen. However, what I have seen is that in many cases, it's the so-called "leadership" in churches who are guilty of wrongdoing...and no one ever calls them on the carpet for it.

Such is "church normal" these days. And unfortunately, a person who has been abused in a church for one reason or another, all too often become disillusioned with God, and throw the baby out with the bathwater. That's the problem with not only allowing "leadership" to rule over the flock with an iron fist, but also with equating "leadership" with God. That is to say, believing the pastor, teacher, or church is the source of their spiritual strength, instead of God.

Do You Really Need a Church?

Monday, August 22, 2011

I just read this article, "Sunday go to Meeting", and it was almost like deja vu as I recalled many of the reasons I left the organized mainstream Nicolaitan "church" system. It was nothing new really, but yet another condemnation of how religion has corrupted the household of God, and the "faith that was once delivered unto the saints".

How is it that Christianity been replaced by "churchianity" and yet most all churches in the United States, and the West practice "church" in this manner? Yet, it happened, and what's worse, the majority of church going folks think nothing about it, and consider anything that deviates, or anyone that departs from "church as they know it" is a backslider and "has departed from the faith".

It's a situation that has grieved my spirit over the years since I left the apostate organized church system. I am now considered a black sheep, or a lone wolf....(if you can imagine such a creature). I'm surrounded by 5 so called churches within walking distance, but since I've "been there-done-that", I know of a certainty they all practice the Nicolaitan system of religious practice that Jesus said he HATED in the book of Revelation. Oh, they make have their slight doctrinal differences, but basically they have the same things in common.....pastor, pulpit, organized service, the taking up of the illegal tithes, (extortion), the rulership of the so-called clergy over the laity, and the same church service format offered up every Wednesday and Sunday, disguised as worship and the practice of their religion.

As a young Christian, saved outside this system, and not seasoned enough in the Word to be able to discern what constituted being a "good Christian", I too assumed back then, that I needed to "join a church". Boy was I mistaken........but well, as I continued eagerly pursuing God, studying my bible daily, and loving Jesus passionately, I began to notice the difference in the way the church I belonged to did things, and the way the early church was set up by the Holy Spirit back in the book of Acts, and the later epistles of the apostles. I wondered who gave these modern churches the right to change the way God set the church up? At first I made the excuse that these were modern times, so things have changed. But would God change His Word just to accommodate modern customs and cultures? Of course not!

So, eventually, God began opening my eyes to more and more truth, and I began to see the organized system to be corrupt, and had fallen into apostasy, the "falling away" warned about in the Bible. Then.......he pulled me out of it.

So, what happened then, did I indeed backslid, once out of the "church" where I had been told that if I left the sky would fall, that I had neglected to "assemble together as some do", and I would be out of fellowship with God? Actually, quite the contrary.....after working through my first feelings of separation anxiety, and "guilt tripping" by the devil ...and the church folks I left behind.... the LORD began to re-teach me His doctrine, and I entered into a stronger, more intimate and profound relationship with Jesus than I'd had before, where I had experienced all the negative things connected with being a part of a church system out of sync with God...coupled with a new sense of liberty and freedom. No, it was not a feeling of being independent of God, but quite the contrary, it was a brand new liberating and glorious experience of being totally being dependant upon my bible, the Holy Spirit as my teacher, protector, counselor, and covering. Jesus as my all in all.

It was true, that I was traveling alone at the beginning, because everyone else was "in church".
What was important to me then, as it is now, is that I'm obeying God in this and I refuse to go back into any church based on the corrupt Nicolaitan format. "Come ye out from among them, and do not partake of their sins, that you do NOT partake of their plagues".

If you are reading this now, it's more than likely that you have... or are experiencing some of the things I've been talking about, and if so, you have experienced spiritual abuse. You may have thought that "if" you could only find a different church, then you'd be OK...But listen, as long as any group, fellowship, building, "church" organizes themselves around a "Nicolaitan" system, sorry, but it is going to be abusive...period.

Now for those who are still wondering what this apostate Nicolaitan brand of churchianty is or means, thank God for the Internet...there are plenty of resources with which to check this out. Long story short.....what it means is Nico-(power over the people), Lao-(the people, laity). In other words where the "clergy, (leadership), rules over the laity, (the congregation). This is what you find in the mainstream organized church. Jesus said he HATED IT! What more do you need to convince you that if Jesus said he hated it, then he wants you out of it?

You have a bible, so if you love the LORD, you have the Holy Spirit........take it from there with all your heart, and the Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth.

God bless you.....

Constance

The Truth Really Will Set You Free

It's been about ten years since I left the last apostate church I'd belonged to. I say the "last" one, because I'd belonged to three different ones since I became a Christian.

I'm not here to knock all churches because I don't believe all churches are abusive. I'm sure there are still some good ones out there, even in this age of general apostasy in the mainstream organized churches of America. Apostasy simply means "the falling away" from the "faith once delivered to the saints".

From spending considerable time researching in books and the Word of God, I've found that most ALL denominations and organized churches pattern themselves after the Nicolaitan error. But that will have to wait until a later post. There is plenty of information online about the "doctrine and deeds of the Nicolaitans", the thing that Jesus said he hated, for you to study in the meantime to come to an understanding of just WHY Jesus said he hated it...and by the way, so do I.

Even though as a young in the LORD Christian, I experienced a great deal of abuse in the churches I went to those first few years of my church experience...I learned much that helped me understand how and why this could happen in the "household of God" and how to avoid abuse in the future. Maybe these experiences were to be used of God to help others to avoid spiritual abuse and the pain that goes with it, I'm not sure, but I do know it taught me well about the nature of deception.

No one has to succumb to spiritual abuse if they will learn this one very crucial lesson, the Bible is there for you to study for yourself with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit as your primary teacher. If you will simply do that on a daily basis, coupled with prayer, you will soon learn to recognize deception, the truth from the false. People who merely go to church and allow various teachers to spoon feed them their deal, IE; whatever doctrine it is they lean toward are setting themselves up to be deceived, and hurt bad.

I've linked the title of my post to "Churches that Abuse" for some guidelines to help folks to recognize them. I do recommend it, but still, nothing will replace the bible, the Holy Spirit and prayer as the anchors of your spiritual life that will keep you from being deceived. Spiritual abuse will not be possible if you know the truth, and the truth really will set you free.

God bless you, Scarlett

Warren Jeffs the Pervert "Prophet"

Doesn't this guy just want to make you toss your cookies? You know, a very wise and godly man, Darrell Womack, told me once, that when apostate wolves such as Jeffs get a measure of control and power, they will ALWAYS, without exception bring it down to the lowest element, sex.

If you think Warren Jeff's case is unique, think again. Actually the only thing that sets his sexual crimes apart is the huge number of victims he managed to acquire.

Spiritual abuse can and does take many forms. If you or a loved one has been affected by spiritual abuse in the form of sexual abuse by someone in a church setting, whether it be a pastor, youth minister or anyone.....the first thing to do is report it to a trusted member of your family, and next, someone in the church. And depending on the age of the person and the situation, it may very well be necessary to contact the police and press charges against the abuser.

Sexual abuse is not to be tolerated anywhere. Clearly, it is not to be tolerated in the church, or swept under the carpet and kept hush hush. No, sexual molestation is against the law, period. Exposing predators such as Warren Jeffs, and any pervert in any church anywhere is God's way of purging and cleansing the goats out of his church.