Who's Watching the Watchmen? And Who's Discerning the Discernment Ministries? Speak up Ye Spiritual Sheep! Wake Up!

NOTE - Due to a malicious spamming, we have recreated the page  - with all comments intact - at the following address:

http://spiritualabusesanctuary2.blogspot.com/2012/02/who-watching-watchmen-and-who.html

Bad Shepherds

I loved Mishel McCumber's article, (click on the title, "Bad Shepherds").

I've noticed these verses before and have been struck with just how many hirelings are manning the pulpits of major "ministries" and getting rich from them. However, for every large mega ministry there are perhaps thousands across the US in the organized church getting away with the same thing. If you suspect you are being led by such a shepherd, (hireling), compare the scriptures with his doings, and if you find that the shepherd where you attend looks suspiciously like those in Mishel's article, run, don't walk to the nearest church door and make a hasty exit.

God bless and grant you wisdom and discernment as you read,

Forgiving Those Who Have Spiritually Abused Us

Due to malicious spamming, this page has been moved in it's entirety with all comments to:
http://spiritualabusesanctuary2.blogspot.com/2012/02/forgiving-those-who-have-spiritually.html

Spiritual Abuse & Betrayal by Her Church: Brittany's Story

Hi there!
My name is "Brittany" and I stumbled across your blog quite by accident but I am glad I did. I have a story to share with you and your readers. I am keeping this post anonymous and have changed my name because I am afraid of being discovered with my story.
For seven years I was an active member of a small non-denominational church in the Northern United States. While I noticed some controlling behavior, it didn't bother me because I came from a broken home and loved the idea of being accepted into a family. Aside from Sunday services, I also went to church meetings and functions throughout the week and I was well liked within the congregation. One summer, I was offered a chance to be a missionary to Haiti with an outside church group. I jumped at the chance and my church family seemed to be behind me as it was a longtime dream. The only real trouble I noticed was that my church leaders seemed to have much more communication with the people I was travelling to Haiti with than I did. I also found that they were warning this group that I was 'immature'. (I am a professional adult with a good, stable life and they had nothing to base their accusations).
I went to Haiti and felt VERY controlled by the group that I was with. I told my home church about what was going on and they urged me to come home, so I did. When I got home, they were eager to pick me up and get me feeling better. Unfortunately, all I wanted to do was be alone and process things. They did not like that. I noticed things started to get really tense with my church. They stopped inviting me to functions and started to hold their gatherings in secret. I was promised to be included on certain activities but then they held them without me. People started blocking me from their phones and once great friends would no longer speak to me. Saddened and confused, I asked the pastor to arrange a meeting with myself and one of my church friends to get to the bottom of this excommunication. He agreed and I was relieved that this was all going to be settled. I arrived at the meeting expecting things to be worked out--but instead I was verbally assaulted and abused. Vile, horrible untruths were spoken about me; the pastor pointed his finger at me and spewed so much unholy anger. We didn't pray, we didn't try to reconcile, it was an all-out attack.
I have a medical illness that the church group knew about. When the stress of the situation started to put me in serious medical danger, they laughed at me and ignored my cries for help. I used my cell phone to make calls to people from the church that I knew. No one offered support for me. In fact, in the coming days no one would even confront the pastor about his behavior for fear that he would exile them as well.
During that meeting, several elders walked in unannounced and continued the ambush. I now believe that it was planned.
Aside from the PFA I obtained, there is nothing the police will do to shut this church down because of the separation of church and state laws in the United States. To this day I am haunted by nightmares and I always fear running into a church member when I am out and about. I know that they have tarnished my name in the town where I grew up and attended that church.
I would do just about anything to shut them down so that no one else has to go through what I went through. Physically, it took me 20 months to recover fully from their neglect of my medical condition. Spiritually, I am forever changed. I no longer support organized religion of any sort and have made it a priority to tell my story so that other people do not become spiritually abused.

Is The Church a Hospital for Sinners?

As I was web surfing for grist for the blog mill tonight my eyes fastened on this heading, "Is the Church a Hospital?" I instantly recognized this cliche from way back in my own churchianity days, when the blinders were still on. It was another one of those many cliches the church had to cover up their own failures, sins and the reason nothing ever changed. The church had become home to those who had "bloomed where they were planted", and faded there, and kept there for fear of leaving due to various threats such as the accusation of being a "church hopper", if you dared to check out other local churches in the area because just maybe you were sick of the one you were in. Well, except for the all too frequent new comer, dysfunctional sinner, someone had invited to church,(the hospital), where they were supposed to get fixed, but usually didn't.

Anyways, I was thrilled when I saw this heading because I just knew it was right up my alley. I've been saying for a long time now, the church is NOT the place for sinners, but yet, as you drive down the streets and highways, you will often see billboards inviting sinners into the church with an advertisement saying, "Sinners Welcome", or something similar.

Folks, this is one of the biggies why I left the church. I was literally attacked by the church leadership for not being more "accepting", "loving" and "tolerant" of downright sin and perversion going on in the church, right under their nose. I had become the problem, not the grinning sinners waving bye bye to me from the front door of the church as I beat my final exit.

The most blatant and cruel form of spiritual abuse goes on inside the church walls. The church is "supposed to be" by all scriptural accounts the spotless, holy BODY OF CHRIST, Jesus Christ's representatives in a sinful world, the Bride of Christ without spot, wrinkle or blemish. If you are presently going to a church, can you honestly say this describes your church?

Friends, most mainstream churches bear no resemblance whatever to the early church, the church Jesus set up in the book of Acts. What's more, please....if you are struggling with the inward feeling that you are in one of these pseudo-churches, pray for guidance that Jesus would help you leave this Babylonian harlot and find a godly fellowship.

I hope Evelyn, of http://exitchurchianity.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/the-church-is-a-hospital/won't mind my copy and pasting this to the blog. Click on the Title, (above) to go directly to her wordpress blog. Awesome stuff!

ALL credit goes to her and Jesus for her brilliant and insightful writing. I hope to lean on her often for more of her genius and experience in warning innocent travelers about the pitfalls of "doing church".
~~~~~~~~~~~~


"There’s this cliche (popular saying) in the organized church that “the church is a hospital”, but I’ve been thinking about this cliche lately. I wonder if it’s true. Is it Biblical? God symbolizes His ppl in many ways in Scripture, such as a flock of sheep, a Body, a Temple, a House, a Bride, a Vineyard, & an army. But did He ever symbolize us as a hospital??

People in the organized church say that “the church is a hospital” because it’s a place where the sick can come & be healed. Well…sorry to say, but I don’t see sick ppl coming into the organized church & being healed of sin. I see sick ppl TAKING OVER the pews & the pulpit, & spreading their sickness everywhere. I see sheep trying to get well, only to be led BACK INTO their sickness by sick shepherds & sick goats. I see ppl getting sicker than they were when they came. Is the church a hospital?? If so…I would have to liken the organized church to a hospital that practices conventional medicine, & here is why…

The ‘conventional’ medicine industry is controlled by the ruling elites. Therefore, it is the predominant (most popular) medical industry. Many ppl assume that conventional medicine is the best option because it’s popular…but it’s only popular because it has a powerful propaganda machine behind it that is fueled by the richest families in the world. Their goal is to use human beings as cash cows, encourage sickness, KEEP ppl sick, & reduce the population (especially unwanted groups such as minorities, poor whites, the mentally ill, the elderly, & the disabled) thru sickness & poisonous ‘treatments’ that create additional health problems.

Most hospitals practice ‘conventional’ medicine. Not because it’s the most effective, but because many years ago, the Rockefellers punked Western medical schools & hospitals from teaching & practicing natural medicine. The Rockefellers threatened to take away their license, fine them, shut them down, & imprison them if need be. So medical schools & hospitals quickly succumbed to the Rockefellers, who controlled the ‘conventional’ medicine industry at that time, & did not want any sort of competition.

Once again, the goal of the ‘conventional’ medicine industry is to use human beings as cash cows, encourage sickness, KEEP ppl sick, & reduce the population thru sickness & poisonous ‘treatments’ that create additional health problems or flat-out kill ppl. There are a # of ways that this is accomplished…

They do not treat the ROOT CAUSE of sickness, they only treat the symptoms. They claim that they do not know the root cause of sickness, in order to justify why they haven’t discovered or created a cure yet. This conditions the sick not to expect a cure…but to be a repeat patient. They keep coming back to the hospital for pills, surgery, chemotherapy, & radiology to treat their symptoms. For this reason, hospitals are not full of ppl who are healed. They are full of repeat patients that are not being healed. Their symptoms temporarily disappear then return, just like a weed temporarily disappears when its branches are trimmed…but eventually grows back because it wasn’t pulled up by its roots. Even many of the nurses & doctors are sick, but ppl trust them with their lives because they have been indoctrinated at “medical schools” to practice ‘conventional’ medicine. Their patients provide a residual income for the ‘conventional’ medicine industry.

This reminds me of the organized church. The root cause of sin (a sinful heart) is not being treated. People are only dealing with the symptoms. This is why there are so many books, tapes, & dvd’s on the 7-laws of this & the 5 steps to that. People want a quick fix that can trim the branches of their sins, but it’s only behavior modification. Behavior modification sounds & looks nice OUTWARDLY…but it’s only for a season. Since the sinful heart is not being dealt with by the Holy Spirit, ppl eventually return to their vomit. This reveals that they only had a FORM of godliness, but denied the power that could make them godly on the inside.

Just like ppl in hospitals say that they’re “waiting on a cure”, ppl in the organized church say “I’m waiting on God to deliver me from that” or “God hasn’t delivered me from that yet”, but the problem isn’t that God hasn’t arrived to deliver folks from sin yet. IF God is in you, then He is ever-present to deliver. The problem is a lack of repentance & a lack of perseverance/endurance. How dare we return to our vomit & then blame it on God by saying that He hasn’t delivered us from that yet. Freedom from sin is always available IF we abide in Christ’s Word…but do we want to??

The Word says that by Jesus’ stripes we are healed from our sins, but many ppl only misuse that verse to name & claim physical healing. They don’t apply it to being healed from sin (which is the proper context of it). The organized church is not full of ppl who are healed. It’s full of ppl who are groveling in their vomit & making up excuses why they commit adultery against God. Instead of abiding in God’s Word to be set free from sin, they misuse His Word as a sin-crutch…to coddle themselves in their sins & make themselves feel comfortable living in darkness. Are ppl profiting from misusing the Scriptures in that manner?? 2 Tim 3:16 says that the Scriptures are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” *reads it again* NOPE, I don’t see anything in this verse that says the Scriptures are profitable to coddle us in our sins.

There are SO many cliches in the organized church that condition ppl NOT to expect a cure for their sin. They are programmed to DIS-believe God’s promise to heal us & set us free from sin. They say “we’re all just sinners, no one’s perfect, we’ve all fallen short of God’s glory, God knows my heart, you can’t judge me, God looks past my faults & sees my need, etc.” All of these cliches that ppl use to condition themselves to REMAIN in sin & live below God’s New Covenant standard make me want to scream. I am tired of hearing them. I am tired of the “woe is me. I’ll never be set free from sin, so I might as well get comfortable in my vomit” mentality. I am tired of the “I’m glad that God’s grace covers my sins, because I’ll never overcome them” mindset. Is that what being a Christian is about? Being saved from hell, but not saved from sin??? Being forgiven, but not being delivered?? Being translated into the Kingdom of God, but not being transformed by the renewing of our mind?? Did Jesus call us out of the world, to add us to a so-called “hospital” that doesn’t heal folks?? I think I’m going to create some cliches about deliverance from sin & living holy! Will they catch on like wildfire?? Probably not…

People ignore the parts of the Bible that talk about deliverance from sin, then they cling to the parts of the Bible where God promised material prosperity to His Old Covenant ppl, even though that promise was NOT made to the New Covenant saints. Is that what being a Christian has been reduced to?? Getting rich, but not getting well??

False shepherds in the organized church have a lot of explaining to do, because they are not being healed either. They spread their sickness across the congregation by committing adultery, watching porno, financially soliciting the poor, lording it over the sheep, stealing, teaching doctrines of demons & false traditions, binding heavy requirements on men’s shoulders, making disciples that are twice the sons of hell as themselves, & doing everything else that Jesus forbid in Matthew 23. Peter wrote about these false shepherds in 2 Peter 2: ” 17 These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. 18 They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, THEY LURE BACK INTO SIN THOSE WHO HAVE BARELY ESCAPED FROM A LIFESTYLE OF DECEPTION. 19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” Godly elders are supposed to train up the saints in righteousness…not lead them back to their vomit. It’s almost like ppl are being saved out of the world by Jesus, only for some false shepherd to lead them right back into the world.

These false shepherds are exact opposite of God’s standard for elders in Titus 1:6-9, yet ppl trust them with their soul. How can they teach anyone how to live holy, when they themselves are unholy? How can someone who is unclean teach others how to be clean??? Romans 2:21-24 – “Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.” & in another place it says “Many will follow their evil teaching & shameful immorality. And BECAUSE OF THESE TEACHERS, THE WAY OF TRUTH WILL BE SLANDERED.” (2 Pet 2:2)

Jesus said that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Those who are well do not need a doctor, but those who are sick. But no one who comes to Christ for healing/salvation from sin STAYS sick. The Gospels show that when ppl sought Jesus for healing, they were made every whit WHOLE, they were HEALED. The ppl that Peter shared the Gospel with in Acts 2 didn’t stay the same, they experienced a CONVERSION/CHANGE of heart. Their fellowship was truly unleavened (pure & healthy). This is the way that the Body of Christ should be. So how do we deal with those who are sick? We share the Gospel with them, we lovingly rebuke them, and correct them…but if they are unrepentant they do not belong in fellowship with the saints. “Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.
When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (1 Cor 5:6-13)

Apparently, Paul didn’t view the Body of Christ as a hospital full of sick ppl. He viewed us as a fresh batch of dough made without yeast (unleavened bread). The Body of Christ should be an assembly of saints who are living in the experience of healing from sin…not dwelling in sickness. The nature of sin is that it spreads…it is unwise to let strangers in the sanctuary, or tolerate ppl who call themselves Believers that are living in sin. Their sins will spread like a plague among those who have just escaped from the pollutions of the world. They will lay stumbling blocks before those who are striving to walk upright in the Spirit. Jesus said “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)

I truly believe that the organized church operates much like modern-day hospitals that practice ‘conventional’ medicine. They talk about deliverance, freedom, & healing, but they’re not really interested in ppl being set free from sin, because that’s not in their best interest. If ppl begin abiding in Christ’s Word, they will become HIS disciples, & then they will KNOW THE TRUTH, & the Truth WILL SET THEM FREE. The organized church wants ppl to be disciples of their organizations & false shepherds. They want ppl to abide in their word & false traditions. The organized church want ppl to stay bound in sin, so that they will continue seeking “a word from the Lord” thru the false shepherds who themselves are bound in sin. The more repeat patients the organized church has, the more ppl there are in the pews, putting their money in the collection plate to fund salaries & more buildings to house MORE repeat patients. & the vicious cycle continues…

The Pharisees operated the same way in the Gospels. They burdened ppl who were already in sin, by laying false traditions and man-made teachings on their shoulders. This kept the ppl bound in sin, so they had to keep coming to the Jewish Temple to buy expensive animal sacrifices which were offered up for their sins & ceremonial cleansing. These expensive sacrifices NEVER made them CLEAN/HEALED. It only put money in the pockets of those who sold the animal sacrifices, & the Pharisees who ran the Temple. Jesus messed up the Pharisee’s cash flow & corrupt religious system, because He taught the TRUE WORD of GOD with authority from the Father & told ppl to FOLLOW HIM. As ppl began following Christ, they were set free, & the Pharisees began to lose control of the ppl.

Today, I see the Bride of Christ waking up & beginning to follow her True Shepherd–Jesus Christ. She is leaving the false shepherds who tried to make merchandise of Her & burden her with man-made rules, & she is rejoicing in her blood-bought freedom & the healing hand of the Master’s touch. I believe that this passage is prophetic of the Church in this hour: “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity! & He laid His hands on her, & immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” (Luke 13:12-13). God is loosing us from our infirmities & making our crooked places straight. We are leaving the way that seems right to man, and following the way of Christ. Since the false shepherds did not have a heart to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back what was driven away, nor seek what was lost…God Himself is delivering His flock from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. He is breaking the bands of Babylon’s yoke from the necks of His sheep and delivering them from the hand of those who enslaved them. Modern-day John the Baptists see the Bride of Christ awakening & preparing to receive her Bridegroom, & rejoice: “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30) But the modern-day Pharisees are angry, embittered, & threatened: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!” (John 12:19)

The Pharisee’s livelihood depended on sick, repeat patients…& so does the organized church. I don’t think this will change because of what I see in Revelations 17-18. Nor am I interested in trying to reform a Babylonian Harlot that is hell-bent on sleeping with every Tom, Dick, & Harry, & silencing anyone who speaks against her abominations. In Revelations 18, God said to come out of Babylon…He didn’t say to reform her. If you’re in a Babylonian ‘church’ where ppl are sick & folks aren’t being healed from sin, get out of there & follow Jesus. Fellowship with like-minded Christians who are being healed & set free from sin. You will know them by their good fruit (love). Beware of folks who say that “the church is a hospital” but they’re not getting well or being made whole. Paul warned us about these impostors in 2 Timothy 3:1-9.

-In Christ

Evelyn"


~~~~~~~~

Hebrew Roots & Sacred Name Movement are Not the Same Thing

Due to malicious spamming, this page has been moved in it's entirety with all comments to:
http://spiritualabusesanctuary2.blogspot.com/2012/02/hebrew-roots-sacred-name-movement-are.html

Beware of "Watchman on the Wall" Miss Patrica & Lawrence Jordan

NOTE - Due to a malicious attempt to shut this page down, we have recreated the page  - with all comments intact - at the following address:

http://spiritualabusesanctuary2.blogspot.com/2012/02/beware-of-on-wall-miss-patrica-lawrence.html

Crimes in the Church

I subscribe to a google feed that sends me news of new church and spiritual scandals. Everyday there are two e-mails in my inbox with some distressing and shameful scandal.

Not all church scandals involve a cult steeped in aberrant doctrines. Many of them involve churches similar to the one down the street from you and I. The ones that make the news are usually the ones that make it to court because someone filed a complaint. All too often, churches choose to keep their dirty linen inside the church walls. This in itself is a scandal, but one known only to God and to those who are scandalized by the complacency of it's members.

This is more than just my opinion as I've followed these church failures, and yes, they are failures and more than that, they're putting the name of Christ to an open shame...but it seems to me that most of these scandals involve either a money crime or a sexual crime. And for every crime involving churches, there has to be a victim. Sometimes it may be money donated by the congregation and then misused or stolen by the clergy, usually the pastor. The congregation is made up not only of the middle class and/or those who can afford a loss without it hurting them, but also of those who can scarcely afford to put food on their table.
Then, on the other hand, a sexual crime usually, but not always involves a young child, such as the 9yr old girl raped and victimized by her pastor.

How often when a church scandal happens and a rogue pastor is exposed do you hear that we are just supposed to pray for him and then forgive him? I agree that we need to do that as well, but we clearly do NOT need to place him back in a place of leadership. The very fact that an ungodly crime happened in the first place is an indication that there is something very wrong going on in whatever church is involved. For example, why wasn't the said wolf in sheep's clothing and his behavior discerned by someone accountable? Isn't that what elders are for?

Back when I was still a young in the LORD Christian, I sought God not only in church, but in His Word and in my prayer closet. I began to get "vibes" if you will that there were things going on in the church, (in this case, a spiritfilled church where such things as sex or money crimes should NEVER happen. The Holy Spirit was warning me, but the leadership seemed to be oblivious.

Like I said, it always seems to be about either sex or money....two of the deadliest sins that man is prone to be capable of. And two that God takes most seriously.

My friend told me that 3 years prior, during a men and boys only church outing that her son had been molested by the church youth minister. He was 13 at the time, but was so confused and ashamed that he didn't tell his mother until he was 16. At that time, she told a friend who was in leadership in the church, who then told the pastor. What happened then was beyond belief. Instead of confronting this perpertrator, the pastor preached what I heard was a firey sermon the next Sunday, and the perp ran to the altar bawling and squalling. The church took this action as "repentance" and then without any form of counseling, or removing him from his position as youth minister. What were they thinking!??

Sadly, this damaged my friend's son beyond belief. This happened many years ago, and although this young man is now grown, married and with a family, he still bears scars from this molestation. However, during the interim period he went through many difficult times that went unministered to. He'd just refused to go back to that church without telling anyone why.

And the church? Well, sexual molestation of a minor child is first of all a CRIME punishable by law. This perp should have been arrested, taken to court and jailed. Also, the church could have been sued to the max by my friend. Neither happened and he went scot free to continue his hidden agenda in the church behind closed doors. Almost.......you see, what happened a few years later, this same perp died (in perfect health" of a heart attack. The first thing that came to me was...."God will not be mocked", especially in his own house called by his name. The next thing that came to me was, "vengance is mine, saith the LORD, I will repay". Apparently, he wasn't kidding when he said that. There was simply no other answer, or reason for this person to die.

God's eye is on the sparrow, and he watches over his little ones. He warned those not to touch one of them, and what would happen if they did. Lest we not forget, we are held responsible if we turn a blind eye toward blatant and obvious sins and misconduct in the household of God.


Link: http://www.thenassauguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17178:how-should-the-church-respond-to-the-rev-albert-whyley-scandal&catid=50:letters&Itemid=87

Willis sentenced in Rape of Tina Anderson

Darn it! I lost the LENGTHY post I've just made due to a sudden power outage, and I'm not in the mood to work another late night making another one. The link I've included, (click on title), says it all!

The point I'd like to make is this...this rape, and the sexual abuse and mistreatment of Tina Anderson was covered up by the very church she'd trusted to protect her.

As I've said before, collusion in churches these days has become rather the rule instead of the exception. I don't like it. And neither should you! It shouldn't happen but it does!

Also, if this one case stood alone, one might chalk it up to an exceptional and unfortunate episode, but no......if you google in "preacher rapes young teen", or "women in the church", or even "young boy", you'll end up with a long list of such heinous spiritual abuses.

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.

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