By Rick Becker 10 February 2021
The apostle Paul described people during these last days as being lovers of self (2 Timothy 3:2) Sadly, this description does not merely apply to the world, but to millions in the visible church who reject sound teaching and follow false teachers to suit their own passions. Paul warned the church in Corinth about the self appointed apostles that sought to seduce them, and issued a warning – “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” (2 Corinthians 11:4) “Another gospel” comes in many forms, in this article I’ll identify three man-centered teachings, that are components of “another gospel” – a NARcissistic gospel. I’ll provide quotes from false teachers such as Bill Johnson and John Bevere to prove that they are teaching these false doctrines, and conclude with quotes that will unequivocally reveal their narcissistic fruits.
WHAT’S THE ATTRACTION?
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” – 2 Timothy 4:3.
The majority of those who follow the teachers I’m going to quote, or subscribe to these teachings have itching ears. It may be the desire to be wealthy. It may be the notion that they can perform miracles like Jesus. It may be the desire to achieve their dreams. Unfortunately it’s not just those seeking to appease their carnal passions who are deceived by false teachers, but also those seeking to alleviate some form of pain. It may be that they hope to change difficult circumstances, it may be the guarantee of physical healing. There’s an itch or a need, and they are following teachers and teachings that are scratching their ears or promising a cure for their crisis. Following these teachers or teachings will result in delusion, disappointment, and a lifelong burden due to the man-centered theology of these teachings.
The three teachings are – word of faith theology, the prosperity gospel, and dominion theology. These three false teachings are inextricably linked – that’s one of the reasons why it’s difficult to classify the “camp” a particular teacher belongs to. A movement that incorporates all three, is the fast growing New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Hopefully, this article will be an eye-opener to those who believe that NAR churches such as Bethel, do not teach word of faith or prosperity doctrines. It seems as if these heretical movements are slowly merging, as wolves migrate between packs looking for opportunities to increase their influence and captitalize on the latest ear tickling teachings and revelations. These teachings dethrone Christ as king, and create pseudo kings and queens who imagine they can control their destinies through their authority, faith, decrees and declarations, and ultimately take dominion of the kingdoms of this world.
1. ANOTHER GOSPEL – WORD OF FAITH HERESY (WOF)
A basic definition of the word of faith teaching – faith in our faith, and the power of our words. Faith is allegedly a force, and we can use it to obtain health, wealth, and create the right circumstances. As “little gods,” we have the power to determine our circumstances and destinies. God’s an equal yet redundant partner, all we have to do is utilize the laws he’s put in place. If you do your bit, the outcome is positive. If you fail to generate enough faith or speak the right words, well then you won’t receive your healing or financial breakthrough etc. This teaching from the pit of hell has caused untold damage in the visible church.
As you’ll see from the quotes in this article, the common proof text for WOF teachers is Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” So before we look at the quotes from NAR/WOF teachers, a brief explanation of what that verse really means. The WOF interpretation of this verse is that our words are causative. In other words, what we say can create or change circumstances. This would mean that our words carry an inherent power – which would make us equal to God. But what the verse really means, is that our words have consequences. Verse 6 of the same chapter is a practical example: “A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” A fool’s lips do not have the power to control the hearers fists! Those who have been caught out telling a lie or spreading falsehoods, know that there are consequences. Words are important (Matthew 12:26-37) but are not some kind of a force that if activated by faith or repetition can heal the sick, increase finances, supernaturally change circumstances, make our dreams materialize, or change our destiny by speaking into matters.
QUOTES
The first three quotes are from Bill Johnson, chief “apostle” at Bethel church. This first quote is a great example of WOF heresy:
“..we glanced at Adam’s role in naming the animals. He was given the unique responsibility of co-laboring with God in designing the nature of the world he was going to live in. Is it possible we have been restored to that level of authority once again? Would the blood of Jesus do anything less? We have been given this amazing tool to fulfill our stewardship role; “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Prov. 18:21 NASB). With our speech we design and alter our environment. Realities are created that didn’t exist a moment earlier through simple proclamations. With this tool we can build up or tear down, edify or discourage, give life or destroy it. The declared word has the capacity to resource earth with Heaven’s resources. As reformers we must first pay attention to what we say, realizing that we are actually building the world we have to live in. We have the ability to speak from God, revealing His world and His ways. As Bishop Joseph Garlington says, “nothing happens in the Kingdom until some thing is said.” ¹
Johnson believes it’s possible to realize the conditions of earth after Christ’s return. According to Johnson, restored cities, healed nations, God’s glory being manifest throughout the earth, and everyone knowing the Lord is possible – if we are hungry enough: “Is there anyone hungry enough for what He has shown us in the Scriptures that we will pull into our day something that is reserved for another?…If you can see the coming future promises, and He hasn’t blinded your eyes to His intent, then He is hoping to hook you into the role of calling “into being that which does not exist” (Rom. 4:17 NASB).” ²
A contributing factor to Johnson’s appeal is his mystical language, an example is the last sentence in the quote below. When something sounds “deep” or you find yourself think “I’ve never heard that expression or description before,” we should ask why God left that “deep,” expression or description out of scripture.
“Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. When Jesus spoke, His words were spirit (John 6:63). We are called to speak words that impact the reality around us. When we say what the Father is saying, we cause Heaven to affect those who hear. Our words become spirit in the same way as the words of Jesus did, and so they impact the world around us. There’s never been a more important time for us to hear from God that we might speak what He speaks and alter the nature of the world we live in. Please take notice that God manifests through words. Not only is there life and death in the power of our speech, but He Himself also rides upon our words when they originate in the Father’s heart.” ³
The next quote is from someone with close ties to Johnson. Cal Pierce served at Bethel as an elder and board member. Bethel’s description of Pierce’s current ministry:
“Having studied the revivals, Cal had read about John G. Lake’s ministry in Spokane. Cal visited Lake’s grave site once each month for over one year to pray. There was no doubt that God wanted to re-dig the generational wells of healing in Spokane. Cal called in intercessors and began training up healing teams. On July 22, 1999, the Spokane Healing Rooms of John G. Lake were re-opened in the same location they were 80 years ago. Cal teaches at conferences around the world about the provision Jesus provided in the atonement for our healing. All of the provision of the Cross must impact the body of Christ. God is raising up an end-time army that must get out of the tent if it is going to march to the battle and take the harvest. This army will not march to the battle on crutches; it will have signs and wonders following it.”
What are “generational wells of healing” and where does scripture instruct us to “re-dig” them? Pierce seems to be applying Bill Johnson’s version of idolatry which teaches that if you honor “generals” of the past, God will give you “access to their anointings.”
Cal Pierce: “God began to teach me through this angel about sound and the power of the spoken word. He said that because God spoke His creative will, man can also speak words that create. God’s Word produces faith and faith is the substance of something, the evidence of something not seen, but it is activated by sound.”⁴
Pierce supposedly received this “revelation” from an “angel” who appeared to him after a meeting. The angel then accompanied Pierce back to his hotel room, and informed Pierce that God had sent him to answer Pierce’s questions regarding the energy crisis. It goes without saying that the angel called himself “the energy angel.” You can’t make this stuff up, well actually, Pierce did. If Pierce did have an encounter with a supernatural being, it could only have been a demon regurgitating your standard word of faith heresy.
Reminder – “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:8.
Pierce’s quote is from The Physics of Heaven. A book based on the assumption that God shortchanged believers by leaving things out of the scriptures, things that need to be sourced in the occult or new age. The book is by Ellyn Davis and Judy Franklin, with various contributions from others such as Bill and Beni Johnson. Davis writes:
“In Jeremiah 15: 19, God says, “If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman.” We may have to delve into areas we previously considered off-limits to extract the “precious” from the “worthless” and recover lost truths that belong to the people of God….I decided to examine New Age thought and practice for anything “precious” that might be “extracted” from the worthless. At that time, I could not find a single Christian leader who shared a similar interest in finding out if there were truths hidden in the New Age. Now we are beginning to hear more and more revelation that is in line with what New Agers have been saying all along and we are hearing more and more teaching about Christians “taking back truths” from the New Age that really belong to citizens of the Kingdom of God.” ⁵
Davis, like all false teachers plucks a verse out of context. God was admonishing Jeremiah for his unbelief, not instructing him to search for hidden truths in pagan religions or Babylonian deities. Like Johnson, Davis twists the meaning of Romans 4:17:
“God-Truth: By Faith, We Can Speak Things into Existence. Christians believe that through faith (which could be considered a form of “intent”) we can affect changes in the material world, and, as Romans 4: 17 says, “call the things that are not as if they are.” We also know that words and the intent behind them have such incredible power that the Bible tells us, “life and death are in the power of the tongue.” ⁶ Romans 4:17 does not mean that we can affect changes in the material world or speak things into being: “as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations” – in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”
The context reveals it’s GOD who calls things into existence, not man, and that Abraham’s faith was not in the power of his own words, but in the promises of God.
A final example of WOF heresy from Davis: “In recent years, God has been opening the eyes of some of His people to the mysteries of sound, color and light, and of vibrations and energy. Prophets have long recognized that their words carry a force or power that is more than just the words, but is like an “energy” that empowers what they prophesy. Some Christian leaders have also found that they have a “resonance” themselves that helps people move deeper into God.” ⁷
How selfish of God to withhold such vital mysteries from his church. Note that Davis doesn’t base her argument on scripture, but subjective testimonies – “we are hearing..” and “leaders have also found..”
Brian Houston is the founder and CEO of Hillsong. You probably know of all the scandals that have plagued Hillsong, one of many being the fact that “Brian Houston and Hillsong protected their paedophile ‘Apostle’ Frank Houston from Australian AOG discipline.”
Houston: “Have you ever held within your power the ability to make a difference between life and death? The answer is yes. Proverbs 18:21 tells us clearly, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”..Faith needs to be spoken. It needs to be heard, because when it is heard, it has power..Never underestimate the power of your words to bring change—to see chains broken and miracles come to life.” ⁸
There is more. Under the heading Speak It into Being, Houston compares us to God by assuming our words contain the same causative power as God’s words:
“You see, the Lord created the world with His words. He said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). And there was light. Our words still hold creative power. They can breathe life into dead situations, create hope where there was none. You can speak life into your marriage, your spouse, your partner. You can speak destiny and purpose into your children’s little bodies, helping them create belief around the words you choose. You can speak life into your well-being and your finances.” ⁹
John Bevere and his wife Lisa served under Benny Hinn at World Outreach Center (there’s a red flag). They have a ministry called Messenger International, which “exists to develop uncompromising followers of Christ who transform our world by growing their faith and building their life.” Both are prolific authors, involved in charities, and twist the word of God. Friends of the Johnsons (Bethel) the Houstons (Hillsong) and quite frankly friends with anyone in the NAR or WOF/prosperity movements, the prosperous Beveres have a huge following.
In 2002 Colorado was devastated by the Hayman Fire. The fire was approaching the Bevere’s office and house. Now I believe we should make our requests known to God, and ask for his intervention in this scenario. But I’m not suffering from a delusion that would cause me to believe that I have power over the elements. Bevere does:
“As His ambassadors, we’ve been made only a little lower than God Himself and are to bring life as it is in heaven to earth! No buildings in heaven are burning to ashes! So it’s not God’s will for this building, which He gave us, to go up in flames. Jesus clearly states, ‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10, NLT)….“This fire is not of God,” I continued. “Its destruction is not of God. This fire was started by the thief, by darkness. We are not going to flee from it and just let our township and building burn to ashes. We are going to stand up and command it to stop!…..You will not burn our building, you will not burn our town, and you will not burn any vegetation we are looking at. We command you to stop in your progress, and you will not pass Rampart Range Road. You must die! We speak to you, wind, in the name of Jesus—you must change direction. We command you to blow from east to west. We also call in a rainstorm to dump water on you. We declare this all in the name of Jesus Christ!” ¹⁰
The fire was not “started by the thief, by darkness” as Bevere claims, it was started by Terry Barton, a former U.S. Forest Service employee when she burned a letter from her estranged husband during a fire ban. Bevere quotes John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” We are all familiar with this phrase, usually quoted when referring to Satan. However, when we examine the context, we see that Jesus is in fact referring to false teachers. (False teachers twist the second part of John 10:10 in which Jesus promises us an “abundant life,” by placing the emphasis on the material which is temporary, instead of the spiritual, which is eternal.)
Bevere is one of many deluded teachers such as Kenneth Copeland and Katt Kerr who think they have the ability to command the weather and quell fires. When the Carr fire hit Redding in 2018, Bethel pastor Theresa Dedmon placed her hope in her declarations – “At midnight, while the fires were raging, and could be seen from our outside deck in Redding, we joined with friends on our phone and declared that the winds would shift and the fire would move away from Redding. Proverbs 18:21 states that, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit”. Our declarations make a difference!”
Dedmon’s husband echoed the delusional declarations, and for a bit of extra clout added unverifiable results.
Kevin Dedmon: “Last week, as it was torching towards our house we began to declare just as Jesus modeled for us when he commanded the winds and waves to calm, and amazingly we saw the fire shift away from us and our city.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept that Jesus “modeled” the supernatural for us, it originated in the mind of Bill Johnson. True to his WOF deception, Johnson makes no distinction between Jesus and believers when it comes to operating in the supernatural: “Jesus became the model for all who would embrace the invitation to invade the impossible in His name. He performed miracles, wonders and signs, as a man in right relationship to God…not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us. But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle.” ¹¹
In their pursuit of emulating the lifestyle of Christ, Bethel have failed to kill a single bug in their auditorium by the power of their words. Bill & co will need to walk on water, change water into wine, feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish, raise a four day old stinking corpse from the grave (produce the death certificate please) or raise themselves from the dead to prove their theology. We know that’s not going to happen because Satan’s repackaged lie that we can “be like God” always ends in a fall.
Let me throw a South African into the mix. At Boshoff is a South African word of faith/prosperity teacher. Boshoff is the the senior pastor of Christian Revival Church, commonly known as CRC. CRC have over 90 national and international churches.
Boshoff: “By believing God’s Word we release the creative force called faith into our lives. Start by declaring, • ‘I can do all things through Christ’ • ‘I am the righteousness of God’ • ‘I am strong in the Lord and in the power of his might’ Whether it is negative or positive, we believe what we say; and what we say, we create or become. So if we are not saying something positive about our lives we are not creating something positive, and therefore we are not empowering ourselves to live the way God has called us to live.”
Boshoff quotes a portion of Philippians 4:12-13: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
If Boshoff’s theology is true, Paul was deceiving the Philippians by teaching them to be content with certain hardships, instead of releasing faith and speaking positively.
2. ANOTHER GOSPEL – THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL
Basic definition of the prosperity gospel – Jesus died not only for our sins, but that we can be rich. The belief is that financial prosperity is a promise given to all believers. Our job is to tithe faithfully (an incorrect application of Malachi 3) and stand on the promises of God (an incorrect application of Deuteronomy 28 & 2 Cor 8:9 to name but two) Prosperity teachers imagine that the gospel is a means for earthly gain. They twist the scriptures in order to fleece their followers and satisfy their greed. Their followers fall for their lies because of their own desire for earthly wealth.
In Matthew 6 Jesus exhorts us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, and warns us that we cannot serve two masters – God and mammon. It’s in this context that Jesus said: “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” – Matthew 6:23. Prosperity teachers have an “evil” eye. Consumed by darkness and blinded by greed they will twist texts to justify their shameful gain.
Prosperity heretics such as Gloria Copeland twist 2 Cor 8:9 to justify their love of money and heretical prosperity gospel: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
In this specific chapter, Paul is encouraging the grace of giving, he’s not teaching principles for prosperity. Paul uses the churches in Macedonia as an example of people who gave generously. Now one would think that if Copeland & co are correct, and this verse promises prosperity for every believer, that the Macedonian churches would have discovered the secret of prosperity and were wealthy. But the opposite is true, Paul commends the churches of Macedonia for giving generously despite “their extreme poverty.” – vs 2. Jesus became “poor” in the sense that he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” – Philippians 2:7. Believers have become “rich” by the grace of God in the spiritual sense, not material. It’s not just the Macedonian church that experienced poverty. The church in Smyrna was poor in the material sense, yet rich in the spiritual sense: “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” – Revelation 2:9.
The prosperity gospel encompasses the physical aspect of our being. Hence the term “health and wealth gospel.” Once again, this is a teaching that has caused untold damage in the lives of many. According to this this teaching, if you are sick or poor, it’s because you lack faith or in some way have brought it upon yourself.
A common health and wealth proof text is 3 John 2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
In this case, the opening salutation of a personal letter to Gaius has been twisted to justify a false teaching. In contemporary terms, John’s salutation would be similar to: “Dear Gaius, I trust this letter finds you well and in good health.”
John already knew that Gaius was doing spiritually well: “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” – 3 John 3. John’s desire is that Gaius is well in other areas of his life, including his health. It’s necessary to point this out because health and wealth preachers teach that if your spiritual life is “well,” your finances and health will prosper. In other words, if you have enough faith, plead the blood of Jesus, make the right declarations, and engage in spiritual warfare you should be healthy and wealthy.
Prosperity and physical healing are not guaranteed in the new covenant, the forgiveness of sins is – for those who repent. The word “healing” can refer to our “spiritual” condition, not just physical: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24. Should we pray for the sick – yes! Will God always heal the sick – no! God heals sickness according to his will, not ours. Paul would surely have gone into detail regarding the sickness of his companions, and offered us insight as to why they weren’t healed if it was guaranteed in the atonement:
“I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him..” – Philippians 2:25-27
“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” – 1 Timothy 5:23.
“Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus.” – 2 Timothy 4:20.
Our physical redemption will take place when we receive our resurrected bodies. Until then, some will suffer from sickness, our bodies will decay, and all will die.
Jesus promised us that we would have to endure many trials, that we would have our share of suffering, but he did guarantee one form of blessing to every believer – spiritual: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 1:3. False teachers have to engage in theological gymnastics to prove the health and wealth gospel. God could easily have inspired the apostle to clearly articulate that we are “blessed with every spiritual, physical and financial blessing.”
The ear tickling health and wealth gospel does away with two of the main forms of suffering in this present world. Add dominion theology to the equation, and suffering virtually disappears for the believer. But there is no doubt that God ordains and uses suffering in the life of believers:
• “For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.” 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4
• “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus” Galatians 4:13-14
• “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” Romans 5:3-4
QUOTES
The late Peter Wagner was instrumental in the New Apostolic Reformation movement. Excerpt from The Messed Up Church:
C. Peter Wagner “invented the term “New Apostolic Reformation” and then basically pronounced himself God’s appointed leader of it: “I needed a name … For a couple of years I experimented with ‘Post denominationalism’. The name I have settled on for the movement is the New Apostolic Reformation.” (Source: C. Peter Wagner, The New Apostolic Churches, Ventura CA; Regal, 1998, p. 18.) Wagner presided over the commissioning ceremony of fraudulent preacher, Todd Bentley, at the “Lakeland Revival” in 2008. This is the day that the New Apostolic Reformation was at its most glorious and self-congratulatory peak. This day turned out to be The Charismatic Day of Infamy, and all of its “Super Apostles” were proven to be incompetent, unqualified and full of hot air.”
Peter Wagner: “Just a glance at Deuteronomy 28, for example, will quickly convince you that God’s desire for His people is for them to prosper. The first half of Deuteronomy 28 lists the abundant blessings that God showers on those who obey Him, and the second half lists the curses that await those who disobey Him. Prosperity is the will of God, while poverty is the will of satan.” ¹²
Just a glance at Deuteronomy should convince any student of God’s word (that’s every believer) that the chapter refers to God’s covenant with Israel. “Now Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep the whole commandment that I command you today.” – Deuteronomy 27:1.
Imagine how many scriptures would have to be changed in order to accommodate the prosperity gospel? Jesus would surely have rebuked the church in Smyrna for submitting to the will of Satan in their poverty.
Kris Vallotton is Bethel’s false prophet, and unashamedly exposes his love for mammon. The following three quotes by Vallotton are from this article.
Vallotton: ”First of all, if wealth and riches are inherently evil, what are they doing in heaven? Why would God describe heaven so lavishly if wealth were bad, or even bad for you…wealth cannot be intrinsically evil, or the Bible would not describe heaven as a place full of unimaginable riches. In fact, if heaven is God’s goal for us, then wealth must be a piece of our prize!”
Wealth is not inherently evil, but the prosperity gospel is. You don’t need to be a real prophet to know that Vallotton’s word’s are based on his greedy imagination, and not scripture. When it’s convenient, prosperity teachers and false prophets like Vallotton turn to the old covenant to justify their prosperity doctrine. What Vallotton conveniently ignores is the fact that under the old covenant, as a false prophet he would have been stoned to death decades ago.
Vallotton: “Both Solomon’s riches and Abraham’s riches were directly attached to their relationships with God. Genesis 13:2 says, “Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold,” and 2 Chronicles 9:22 says, “So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. So maybe wealth is not a sign of your relationship with God, unless it is”
I’m reminded of the Corinthians behaviour during the Lord’s supper. Paul specifically rebuked the wealthier Corinthians for not sharing with the poor, and for shaming the poor. “For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not?” – 1 Corinthians 11:21-22.
In one sense Vallotton is correct, if you’re a wealthy prosperity preacher your wealth is a sign of your relationship – with a god called mammon.
Why does Vallotton only quote from the old covenant? – because there is not a single verse in the new testament where wealth is promised to believers, or guaranteed as part of the new covenant. One of many passages of scripture prosperity teachers avoid: “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-9.
Vallotton views scripture through a lens tainted by mammon to such an extent that when Jesus performed a sign, Vallotton sees dollar signs:
“Apparently, Jesus took God’s command to “rule over the fish of the sea” seriously (Genesis 1:26), because He became quite famous for impacting the fishing industry. The gospels record Jesus supernaturally chumming the fish into the disciple’s nets on at least two occasions” (Read Luke 5:4-7) These guys are not fishing recreationally; this is how they make their living. Fishing was a middle-class, feast-or-famine kind of occupation . . . that is, until Jesus showed up. He quickly transformed a meager living into a prosperous vocation.”
The fishing industry was barely impacted by Christ’s miracle. Which text informs us that the disciples stepped into a prosperous vocation after Christ’s miracle? The lesson was not about prosperity or wealth, it was about Jesus being the son of God who performed miracles. It was about the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man. Peter’s response to the miracle was not relief due to the fact that he would now be wealthy thanks to a revitalized fishing industry: “But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken.” – Luke 5:8-9.
This miracle caused the disciples to actually forsake the little they had gained in this world: “And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him” Luke 5:11. Jesus made the cost of discipleship clear:
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33.
Vallotton and other prosperity teachers “follow” Christ for what he can give them, instead of giving themselves to Christ. (Watch Bethel Redding’s Liturgical Prayer to the God of Mammon) Their desire is for the material, the temporary, instead of the spiritual and eternal. After Jesus fed the five thousand, the people wanted to make him king. Jesus withdrew, and went to Capernaum. The crowds pursued him, and found him:
“Jesus answered them, “When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here? Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” – John 6:26-27.
The next quote by Bill Johnson is a mixture of the new age law of attraction, and the prosperity gospel:
“DIVINE HEALTH AND PROSPERITY – This principle of the Kingdom affects all we are and do. It seems to be the heart behind “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). Once again we note that what is ruling on the inside of us affects the outside. Health in my emotions, mind, and will affects my physical well-being. It is also important to note that a prosperous soul attracts the blessing of the Lord materially and financially. This is the nature of life. The reality of the heart helps to define the nature of the world around us.” ¹³
I think we would all agree that the apostle Paul was a “prosperous soul.” So lets see what he “attracted”: “To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,” – 1 Corinthians 4:11.
John Bevere seems to enjoy the high life, and thinks that followers of false teachers will prosper if they treat these teachers like kings. In this case, Bevere uses WOF false teacher Yonggi Cho as an example of someone who deserves honor:
“it never fails. If we will honor our spiritual leaders financially, we will prosper in our own lives. I look at Dr. David Cho, pastor of the world’s largest church in Seoul, South Korea. He started the church in a dump years ago, and at the time of this writing I’ve been told by two of his board members he now has over fifty thousand millionaires in his congregation. I’ve hosted him on a few occasions, played golf with him, and eaten in restaurants with him and his traveling companions. He usually comes with several businessmen and associates. These men make sure he is well cared for; they will buy him anything he needs, and I’ve taken particular note of how they will not sit down for a meal until he is first seated. They honor him greatly. Could the reason the church, which was started in a very poor section of the city, has so many wealthy members be the honor they show their pastor?” ¹⁴
Many believers in the early church were poor. If we apply Bevere’s logic, one reason for their poverty was that they did not “honor” their leaders by giving them enough money. The prosperity in Cho’s church did have consequences, consequences scripture warns us about – “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9.
I wonder if Bevere has ever read James 2:1-7:
“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called.”
Shameful gain is usually a motive for false teachers. As if connecting people’s prosperity to the amount they give their leader’s weren’t bad enough, Bevere goes a step further by connecting the amount we give, to salvations and miracles:
“If you take the truths of this chapter and read the entire Bible, you’ll notice whenever the people of God richly gave, miracles, freedom, salvations, God’s presence, and prosperity would abound. We cannot buy the blessings of God; however, it is a spiritual principle God has weaved into His grace. Hear what Paul said of the Macedonian believers: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (2 Cor. 8:1–3, niv). Paul attributed their generosity as a direct result of the grace of God. God’s grace gave them the capacity to go “beyond their ability.” Just as we can’t buy grace, we also can’t buy favor, but we certainly can position ourselves to receive it. By giving double financial honor to those who bring the Word of God to us, we position ourselves to be honored by God; included in that honor is grace and favor—it’s a spiritual law.” ¹⁵
Bevere’s smooth words position him to be honored by men and women.
Xenonamandar Jegahusiee Singh is another popular teacher. At this point you’re probably puzzled because you’ve never heard of him. That’s because for whatever reason (perhaps a better stage name) Xenonamandar changed his name to Joseph Prince. Here’s an ear tickling quote from Prince/Singh in response to those who correctly identify him a prosperity gospel preacher: “Oh, so you are one of those ‘prosperity gospel’ preachers!” My friend, there is no such thing as a “prosperity gospel”. There is only one gospel in the Bible and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, when you believe the gospel of Jesus, which is based entirely on His grace, it will result in health and prosperity. In fact, the gospel of Jesus Christ leads to blessings, success, healing, restoration, protection, financial breakthroughs, security, peace, wholeness and MUCH MORE!” ¹⁶
The following four quotes by At Boshoff are excerpts from his book Live a YES! Life.
Boshoff: “There is nothing small about God when He talks to us. God knows our potential – He made us! And the most important thing is that He never promised us a small ‘just-getby’ life. No, God promised us a superior quality of life. In Deuteronomy 28 we find God’s list of promises to his people who obey Him.”
The apostle Paul’s “superior quality of life:
“Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one – I am talking like a madman – with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.
Boshoff: “Do you want a great financial future? Then you have to keep on sowing your seed in the house of God; you tithe – you sow your finances; you budget your expenses – line upon line, precept upon precept as you apply yourself diligently in the little things. As you are faithful in the little things, God will bless you and God will promote you.”
“Do you want a great financial future?” – is not a question Jesus ever posed to his followers. Wealth, like poverty is not inherently sinful, and God blesses some believers with wealth – in order for them to be generous. However, if we look at the passages of scripture in the New Testament concerning wealth and poverty, all the warnings are directed at the dangers of wealth.
Boshoff: “Every month God tells us to bring our tithe, but we look at our circumstances – rising interest rates, escalating food and fuel prices – and we think, ‘No Lord, I can’t give you everything, I need my tithe.’ God is very clear on this; if you keep your tithe you are cursed with a curse – you are destined to fail. But if you bring your tithe into the storehouse of God, even though it does not make sense, you are empowered to prosper in life.”
God’s instruction was clear in Malachi, he was speaking directly to Israel and the priests, but this has become the go to chapter to manipulate the biblically illiterate and solicit money. The tithe under the old covenant was between 20 – 30 %, consisted primarily of produce and livestock, was used to support the Levitical priesthood, and was a form of taxation for Israelites living under the law. Those who teach tithing today conveniently neglect the other laws Israel had to keep. As believers, we are instructed to give cheerfully, generously, according to our means, and sacrificially – not a specific percentage.
Boshoff: “The spiritual person knows that giving money actually expands it in the spiritual dimension. to a spiritual person is a money multiplier, because they understand that giving God ten percent does not take money away from them. They understand that the law of God is opposite to the natural law. Tithing multiplies our income. That is God’s way, my dear friend. If we want a great career and a great job, we have to become givers.”
The born again “spiritual person” should know that the gospel is not a means of gain in this world. I hope you can see that what Boshoff is teaching here is one of the most manipulative schemes to ever raise it’s ugly head in the visible church. On the surface, this principle works every time – for the “pastor” who manipulates his gullible followers into compulsory tithing. It’s a simple process:
• Pastor teaches tithing.
• Members tithe.
• Pastor gets wealthy off member’s tithes.
• Pastor can easily afford to tithe, and makes sure people know he tithes.
• Pastor can testify that tithing “works.”
3. ANOTHER GOSPEL – DOMINION THEOLOGY
A basic definition of dominion theology and kingdom now theology (a variant of dominion theology) – Adam forfeited his authority/dominion in the garden. The authority/dominion that Adam lost has been restored to the church. The church, governed by apostles and prophets will establish God’s kingdom on earth by taking dominion of the seven mountains of society (religion, family, business, government, education, the media, and arts and entertainment) The church achieves this by infiltrating and influencing these seven “mountains” or “spheres.” When this has been achieved, Christ will return to a church that has triumphed over the world by conquering it’s kingdoms.
There’s a really big problem that these dominionists ignore, and it’s the words of Jesus to Pilate: “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” – John 18:36. If Jesus had granted this dominion mandate, his apostles failed miserably in initiating the process. Instead of influencing culture and infiltrating earthly seats of power, they became the scourge of society: “We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.” – 1 Corinthians 4:13.
If this dominion mandate were true, and essential as claimed, why did God not describe the world he would be returning to as a Christian utopia? Instead, the scriptures warn of an increase in lawlessness and apostasy in the last days, a rebellion, not a worldwide revival that will disciple literal nations or bring heaven to earth. The methodologies that accompany this theology have had little impact on society. For decades, dominionists have been “walking in their authority,” binding Satan and principalities, claiming cities for Jesus, speaking life into nations and breaking curses. They have attempted to influence powerful people and politicians, and pretend that Christianity is a friend of the world. But things are simply going from bad to worse – in the world and the visible church just as scripture predicts.
QUOTES
Ironically, NAR guru and dominion mandate apologist the late Peter Wagner, admitted the following: “We have been doing everything we know how to do to see our cities transformed. However, after 20 years we cannot point to a single city in America that has been reformed according to objective sociological measurements.” ¹⁷
Wagners excuse – the great transfer of wealth from the unrighteous to the righteous must still take place. God must still be struggling to facilitate transfer because nothing has changed in the world, apart from increasing lawlessness and evil.
The next quote is from Dawna De Silva. De Silva is the founder and co-leader of Bethel Sozo, the inner healing and deliverance ministry of Bethel Church and oversees Bethel’s Transformation Center.
De Silva: “As we grow in spiritual authority, our mission to transmit God’s Kingdom to the earth increases in capacity. In Matthew, Jesus was given all authority and commissioned us to retake dominion over the planet (see Matt. 28:18; Luke10:19)” ¹⁸
How does Christ’s command “go and make disciples” translate into “retake dominion over the planet”?
De Silva’s apostle, Bill Johnson: “The Kingdom is likened unto leaven (see Matt. 13:33). As yeast has an effect on the dough it is “worked into,” so we will transform all the kingdoms of this world as we are worked into its systems. From there we must display His dominion and rule. As the people of God move into these realms of society to show forth the benefits and values of the Kingdom, His government expands.” ¹⁹
Bill Johnson may want to practice the dominion mandate in Redding before attempting to transform the world. “The 2018 crime rate in Redding, CA is 398 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.5 times higher than the U.S. average. It was higher than in 91.4% U.S. cities.”
A bespectacled Johnson’s incriminates himself, and many of his family members in this next quote: “There are no tumors in Heaven, and faith brings that reality into this one. Satan would like to inflict heaven with cancer. But he has no dominion there. He only has dominion here when and where man has come into agreement.” ²⁰
In Bethel’s world, the gospel is not the “power of God unto salvation.” – Romans 1:16. Instead, signs and solutions are necessary as an effective witness to those who are dead in their trespasses and sins.
Johnson: “The renewed mind understands that the King’s dominion must be realized in all levels of society for an effective witness to take place. Someone with a Kingdom mind-set looks to the overwhelming needs of the world and says, “God has a solution for this problem. And I have legal access to His realm of mystery. Therefore I will seek Him for the answer!” ²¹
The world is in need of a saviour, not solutions to its problems. Dominion theology seeks to impress the world, influence culture, and slowly take over this fallen world. Salvation is put on the back burner, and is dependent on a new breed who perform miracles at will, or come up with inventions that impress the ungodly.
Johnson is deceived – the simple mandate Jesus gave his church is to proclaim the gospel and make disciples.
Kris Vallotton parrots what he has been taught by other NAR leaders:
“The truth is that Christ defeated and disarmed the enemy once and for all on the cross (see Col. 2:15). God has condemned him as guilty and handed over the authority he had usurped from Adam to Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Our job as “little Christs” is as deputies who enforce that judgment in every situation we come across. God created a world where our vote counts and where our agreement with what He’s doing is necessary to release His power into the world.” ²²
Vallotton needs a reminder that as a “little Christ” he failed in his mission to send the virus away. God does not need our agreement for anything in order to accomplish his plans and purposes on earth. Bethel are known for taking risks (attempting and accepting anything supernatural regardless of the source) for ignoring the God given faculty of the mind, and sadly, for acting like Zombies. Which makes the next quote by Vallotton quite ironic:
“We were not created to be average or mediocre. We have been summoned by God and empowered by His Spirit to step out of the crowd and be counted among the brave. We must refuse to hide among the riskless, mindless, zombielike flock. We must put on the mind of Christ and expose the world to the supernatural wisdom of the ages—wisdom that stuns the intelligent, silences the critics and transforms our cities and nations. Jesus said that we are to make disciples of all nations and teach them the ways of the Kingdom.” ²³
Vallotton’s not the only one who turns Peter’s catch into a success story. John Bevere’s dominion theology paints a rosy picture of life on earth:
“Jesus reigned in life. We are to do the same! Is the full impact of this truth overwhelming you yet? As a man, Jesus Christ took back what Adam had relinquished to Satan in the garden. This will eventually culminate with earth and all its inhabitants restored to perfection. However, prior to this occurrence, the kingdom is already in full force within the hearts and lives of God’s people. All we have to do is hear, believe, and operate in God’s grace, thus establishing His domain. Just as Jesus brought heaven’s imperial rule into all arenas of life, so we’re to do the same. Here are just a few examples: Simon struggled in his business of commercial fishing, yet one encounter with Jesus and a day of failure turned into the greatest catch of his career. The wedding in Cana was about to fail; Jesus not only saved it but elevated it… Once Zacchaeus faced Jesus, society became safer and more prosperous; the community was spared from theft and poverty because a newly dignified thief would no longer steal from clients. Yet it didn’t stop there—400 percent was restored to those defrauded, thus stimulating the economy…We could go on and on, even beyond what’s written in the gospels, for John says that the world of books couldn’t contain all the extraordinary works Jesus accomplished. He revealed God’s plan to bring heaven’s domain to this earth. He showed us how to reign in life.” ²⁴
Nonsense! Believers “reign in life” in the sense they have been delivered from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus didn’t die to ensure we prosper in this world or solve the worlds economic woes. When Adam is mentioned in the new testament, all the benefits these false WOF & dominion teachers mention are absent. Instead, the scriptures point to Christ’s authority and power, not ours.
Bevere is basically repeating Johnson’s teaching that Jesus came to model life for us. Note his emphasis on Christ’s humanity, while completely ignoring Christ’s divinity. If Jesus died as a mere man of the cross, his death would have been in vain. He would have died as a great man, a prophet, but not a saviour. Bevere quotes John 21:25: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
John also gives us the reason for Christ’s miracles: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” – John 20:30-31.
Vallotton and Bevere miss the purpose of what was written in scripture – that you may believe that Jesus is the messiah, that by believing you may have life in his name. Not – “that you may elevate events, impact industries, stimulate the economy, and transform the world.”
THE NARCISSISTIC FRUITS of the NAR & WOF & the Prosperity gospel.
Basic definition of a narcissist – someone who has an inflated sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, an inability to handle any criticism, and a sense of entitlement. The term originated from Greek mythology, where a young man named Narcissus fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. The three teachings we’ve examined create followers who find their own fallen image attractive. They have been taught that they are awesome, worth dying for, and have a God that desperately needs to partner with them in order to accomplish his will on earth. These followers have looked into a pool of false teachings, instead of the mirror of God’s word. False teachers, like Satan, can quote and twist scripture. Narcissists in the visible church that are a product of bad theology, have been subjected to faulty interpretations of God’s word. In fact one definition of a faulty hermeneutic incorporates the term narcissism. It’s called Narcigesis. The correct way to interpret a text is to apply the principles of biblical interpretation (hermeneutics). The literal, grammatical and historical method of interpretation enables us to find out what the author meant, and therefore the real meaning of the text. This is called exegesis – a critical interpretation to discover the real meaning. Two faulty methods of interpretation that exist are:
Eisegesis – instead of drawing the real meaning out of a text we insert our own meaning into the text.
Narcigesis – we insert ourselves into the text – a man-centered application.
The poisoned roots of these other gospels can only produce unhealthy fruit.
Examples of the narcissistic fruits:
Excerpt from Church Watch Central: “Steven Furtick is internationally recognized as King of the Narcigetes for a good reason: he seems to only read himself into the biblical text. The problem with this hermeneutical approach is that Jesus says that the scriptures point to Him. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40.” Watch the clip of Furtick narcigete a text here.
A good example of how false teachers appeal to self love can be found in this article – Emergent Catalyst conference says it’s time to “awaken your wonder” Excerpt: “Catalyst, the premiere mega-conference for Emergent Church Leaders, is sending a curious message to potential attendees of its next Atlanta conference Oct. 7-9: We are hardwired for wonder. Just as the wonder of the world points to God, a sight unseen, so too should our acts of creation bridge the gap between what is and what could be. We transfer wonder when we awaken it in others. Leadership is about providing a lens through which others can see. A heart awakened to wonder invites others to follow in its path. It connects ultimate existence to daily experience, helping others see the solutions, rewards, treasures, they previously could not see.”
Surely any “wonder” should be attributed to, or directed towards God – not the “acts of creation” by self appointed and exalted false teachers.
One of the speakers was Christine Caine. Caine, who like many other false teachers, has been influenced by various poisonous streams and is a prime example of a roving wolf within the Evangelical Industrial Complex. Michelle Lesley notes that Caine has taught at “Hillsong, T.D. Jakes conferences, Joel Osteen conferences, Bethel conferences, at Perry Noble’s church, Robert Morris’ church and conferences, Rick Warren’s church, and Steven Furtick’s church and conferences (all to co-ed audiences) just to name a few. Paula White considers Christine a friend, as does Sheryl Brady. Additionally, Christine has close relationships with Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer..”
Her influencers include WOF heretic Joyce Meyer. Caine went so far as to lay her hands on a Joyce Meyer teaching bible and pray “for an impartation of that teaching anointing & revelation.” Caine is also involved in the apostate Hillsong “church.” Little wonder then that she has such an inflated opinion of self. Excerpt from this article by Church Watch Central: “Recently, Christine Caine exhibited this mentality on Instagram, claiming, “WE ARE the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Biblically speaking, this kind of talk is attributed to the satanic litany of divine ‘grand delusions’ in Genesis 3 and Isaiah 14. Chris Rosebrough pointed out Brian Houston subconsciously paralleled this similar satanic litany in his sermon ‘You Are the One’”
Joel Osteen and Victoria Osteen need no introduction. They run a cash cow in Houston called Lake wood “church.” In this clip from a Lakewood meeting, Victoria says: “I just want to encourage everyone of us to realize when we obey God we’re not doing it for God. I mean, that’s one way to look at it. Were doing it ourselves. Because God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives him the greatest joy this morning. I want you to know this morning just do good for your own self. Do good cuz God wants you to be happy.. When you come to church when you worship him you’re not doing it for God really. You’re doing it for yourself because that’s what makes God happy. Amen?”
The next quote from At Boshoff is an example of what the world revolves around in false churches – self.
At Boshoff: “God knows his will for our lives and we know it. God knows we can do it – but we should also believe that we can do it and then do it. If we do not believe that we can do it – build that new building, influence someone, grow our home cell, expand our business – we are not radiating positive energy. Instead we are radiating inferiority and no matter what people may say, nobody wants to hang around a loser.”
John Bevere makes it clear how he likes to be treated: “I arrive in my hotel room and am welcomed with a large basket of fruit, drinks, and snacks that I could feed on for a week. The church checked with our office for what types of foods I like to snack on. I’ve even arrived to find presents awaiting me in my hotel room, such as a candle, nice pen, shirt, or cologne. They put me in the nicest hotels in the area and make sure I have room service and other amenities that make living on the road more like home. Not only do they do this for me, but for my traveling assistants as well. When I step in the pulpits I’m greeted with the people standing and giving a loud applause.” ²⁵
This will surely exclude any poor congregations from even approaching Bevere to share his vital information with them – which would be a good thing anyway. I’m really not even sure what to say at this point, which humble servant of Christ would relish in a standing ovation and loud applause? More words from Bevere that could have been penned in the sulphurous chambers of hell: “Time and time again I’ve witnessed that those who are generous in financially honoring their spiritual leaders are those who are blessed materially, and have enough to do every good work that comes before them. But it goes further. What I’ve also observed is that they walk in an overflow of God’s presence. Why should this surprise us? – it’s God’s promise? Understanding this truth answered my question of why I couldn’t sense a strong presence of God in meetings where honor was withheld – where the pastor was struggling, or where I’m treated like a common traveler. The people were not generous. However once they became liberal and continued to do so, the presence of God was so much stronger in their church…whenever the people of God richly gave, miracles, freedoms, salvations, God’s presence and prosperity would abound.” ²⁶
Bevere’s wife Lisa, wastes no time feeding the ego’s of her readers in the introduction to her book:
“To all my lioness sisters who feel something wild, fierce, and beautiful stirring within them. You are stunning. You were born for this moment. Don’t be afraid of your strength, questions, or insights. Awaken, rise up, and dare to realize all you were created to be. ” ²⁷
Gender inequality, the subordination and oppression of women are current issues in the world and the church. Teachers like Lisa Bevere have capitalized on these issues (some are valid, others are merely the spirit of this world and disobedience to God’s role for men and women in the church) and joined the Mysti-Chick and feminist bandwagon.
Bevere: “When I discovered and celebrated my feminine creation, I realized I was not an afterthought. As a daughter, wife, and mother, I was an answer. If I was an answer, then it was only logical that the sisters who surrounded my life were answers as well. We are not secondary citizens in the eyes of God. You, lovely one, have the potential to be a living, breathing solution to human problems. As I travel and declare this simple truth over the lives of women young and old, I can barely explain their response. Women not only hear what I say with trembling hearts; they speak it out loud and believe. “I am an answer.” In that moment there is a stretch, a revelation. Their eyes are reoriented and opened to see their feminine self the way God has always seen them … the one who completes.” ²⁸
Bevere takes a figurative expression referring to Israel (and a type of the church) and twists it to suit her female-centered narrative: “I believe the body of Christ is on the verge of a total body makeover and an invincible uprising. But this idea is not mine alone. God says: On your feet, Daughter of Zion! Be threshed of chaff, be refined of dross. I’m remaking you into a people invincible. (Micah 4:13) Notice God didn’t say invisible. He said invincible! His daughters are to have a presence of might on this earth. How long has it been since you felt invincible? Perhaps it was long, long ago when you ran and played as a little girl. You are not meant to hide in the dark and hope for an escape. You are meant to be a bearer of light and hope. You are meant to be an unbeatable, unconquerable, and unshakable daughter of Zion. Even now I hear, “Rise up, daughter, find your feet again! God wants you—invincible.”²⁹
Bevere’s strategy to overcome narcissistic men seems to be the cultivation of narcissistic women.
But apparently we need to pay attention to what the Bevere’s write. In his book, ironically entitled The Bait of Satan: Living Free From the Deadly Trap of Offense, John Bevere is the one doing the baiting. The book begins with the sentence: “The book you hold is quite possibly the most important confrontation with truth you’ll encounter in your lifetime.” Surely this should apply exclusively to scripture?
Lisa Bevere claims to have had the following dialogue with God:
“I had just completed the final edits on my Nurture manuscript and began to thank God that the writing and editing process was over. For me, writing a book is like going through labor, so my prayer went something like, Thank you, God. It is finished! I exalted, I don’t want to write again anytime soon! Suddenly I sensed God speak to my spirit. I am sorry you feel that way … because I need you to write again. What? God needed me? He went on. I am releasing strategies from heaven. They will be found in my Word. You will not have all of these strategies by any means, but you will have a measure of them. You must write and record what I speak to you so that when my daughters gather, there will be a whole picture. If you do not bring your piece of the puzzle, the picture will not be complete.” ³⁰
What would God do without Lisa Bevere? She’s careful to include the fact that the “strategies” are found in scripture (if so, why do they need to be released?) but inserts herself as a vital element for their release and completion. Bevere has contributed to a generation of young narcissists, you can watch an example in this video: The Narcissistic Women of Bethel: “It’s Gonna Get Worse!”
Kris Vallotton is one of the hundreds of Charismatic false prophets who failed to predict any of the catastrophic events that shook the world in 2020. Vallotton’s self inflated opinion shines through in a message he claims he received from God: “And the Lord said to me…if YOU will make a covenant with Bill, I will show the world what I can do with an APOSTLE and a PROPHET who make a covenant of love, not because they agree, because they love one another, and I will create a MOVEMENT that will CHANGE THE WORLD, if you will humble yourself.” – Kris Vallotton You Tube, 19 minute mark)
So the whole world is dependent on a humble Kris to make a covenant with Bill, in order for God to create a movement that will change the world!
What God has shown the world, is that Vallotton and his ilk are false prophets. More from this narcissistic false prophet:
“The truth is, as a child of God, you’re supposed to look and act like your Daddy! You are created in His image—a beautiful heir to His kingdom. You have access to everything your Dad has access to, and you’re glorious just as He is!”
Compare Vallotton’s self-aggrandizement to the apostle Paul’s words: “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 11:30.
Vallotton continues by offering his deluded followers a narcissistic declaration: “Your identity as a child of God is a non-negotiable. You’re powerful, glorious, and outright awesome. I want to reiterate the declaration from the video and encourage you to read this out loud today: “I am amazing. I am God’s greatest creation. He loves me to death. I rock. I was born to do greater works than Jesus. I was born for glory. Nations are attracted to me. I have the mind of Christ, therefore I think like God. He’s my inheritance and I’m His inheritance. He actually likes me and I like me too. And if people got to know me, they would like me. Creation knows who I am. The devil knows who I am, God knows who I am, the angels know who I am… and today, I know who I am!”
In his book Heavy Rain, Kris Vallotton shares a vision he had. He was thrust 100 years into the future, where he saw an elderly man surround by several generations of family members. The old man was telling stories, and suddenly became serious and teary eyed as he began to explain something of great importance: “He began to speak to those present about their noble roots and their royal heritage. He stared into the eyes of each one, as if he was looking for greatness in their souls. He spoke of the great price their forefathers had paid to obtain such favor, wealth and influence from God and man. But it was what he did next that stunned me. He pointed to a majestic stone fireplace that rose about thirty feet to a vaulted ceiling. I looked over toward the fireplace mantel, where a large, beautiful artist’s portrait of Kathy and me hung. I was breathless as he finished his exhortation: “All this began with your great-great-great-grandmother and great-great-great-grandfather!”I instantly came out of the vision, struggling to gather my thoughts. Next I heard a thundering voice speak to my spirit: Your children’s children’s children are depending on you leaving them a world in revival. You are no longer to live for a ministry. From this day forward, you are to live to leave a legacy!” ³¹
Who has preeminence in this vision – Christ or Kris Vallotton?
Believers will have to pick up their cross daily, and follow in their masters footsteps. Vallotton, like his fellow false prophets in the NAR want to avoid the cross, and crown themselves in splendour and majesty. In the following quote, Vallotton completely misses the point of Paul’s words in 1 Cor 4:8.
Vallotton: “We are supposed to enter the death chamber of baptism with a cross and exit with a crown. The crown is, “The likeness of His resurrection! The apostle John said, “As He is, (speaking of Jesus) so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). Notice he didn’t say, “As He was” but instead he said, “As He is.” Jesus is not the suffering servant carrying His cross anymore. He is the coming King. We are to be the revelation of His royalty on the earth. Paul emphasized this to the Corinthian church, “You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you” (1 Cor. 4:8). The full revelation of what it means to be saved still needs to penetrate our thinking until we understand that who we were is totally dead and who we are is the revelation of Christ on the earth.” ³²
Paul is not praising the Corinthians for being a revelation of royalty, but employing sarcasm in order to expose the vanity and self sufficiency of “prophets” like Vallotton. The context reveals that Paul experienced a baptism of suffering: “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children” 1 Corinthians 4:8-14.
The contrast between true apostles such as Paul, and the false apostles that plagued Corinth is lost on Vallotton. The fact that he views Paul’s admonishment as a compliment is telling. Vallotton’s desire for honor permeates the same chapter of his book. Vallotton: “God has given the church a great call, and therefore it takes great people to accomplish it. If we fail to see our greatness, we will fall short of our call.” ³³
Vallotton’s self centered teachings will appeal to this generation – lovers of self. In 2016, BSSM asked research group Eido “to conduct a wide scale research report. One of the questions they asked past students was:“What could BSSM have done better to prepare you for life after graduation?” One student’s answer is telling:
“I think I felt like I was told you’re an awesome amazing world changer leader and then I got thrown into the real World like a fish out of water. Ministry life and real world life are very different. And I was very disillusioned. I knew I was amazing but that didn’t translate into society as a whole.”
The next quote from a teaching is from a man on par with Vallotton in terms of eisegeting a text. A man notorious for his leg lengthening trick. A man proud to call WOF and prosperity heretic Kenneth Copeland his spiritual mentor. A man who spends a great deal of time talking about himself –Todd White: “The only one that will limit you is you; God will not put the brakes on (dramatic pause) God wants you to manifest him! All creation is groaning for you to manifest who you’ve been created to be! All creation is waiting for the sons of man to be made manifest! All creation is waiting for you! The police are waiting for you! The shopping malls are waiting for you!”
Bill Johnson does not personally exhibit the shameless narcissism that exudes from Vallotton, but in a collective sense his esteem for the “new breed” borders on idolatry. Johnson’s desire to see the new breed manifest themselves on earth – and confirm his dominion theology at the same time, has driven him to stroke the egos of many in the NAR. Who can forget his prayer over predator and narcissist Todd Bentley: “You welcome the glory, as well as any anybody I’ve ever seen in my life. I long to learn from you in that, and I bless you, and I pray with the rest of these, that the measure of glory would increase, that Moses would no longer be considered the high water mark where the glory shone from his face, but instead the revelation of the goodness of God would change the face of the church, and that he would use your voice, he would use your grace, your anointing, to alter the face of the church before this world.”
The status of the 24 elders surrounding the throne (Rev 4:4), and the position of authority in heaven reserved for the apostles (Matt19:28) should surely be downgraded in the light of Johnson’s opinion of this new generation:
Bill Johnson “A new generation is now forming. I pray and believe that this generation will walk in an anointing that has never been known before, including by the disciples. With a superior revelation, this generation will not be bounded by the natural principles such as harvest seasons or “seasons of revival.” Jesus said, “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35). In the Kingdom, every day should be harvest day, and people who seem impossible to win to the Lord should be won instantly, without any sowing or preparation or tending. With a low-grade anointing and revelation, we have to live by natural principles and restrictions to get spiritual results. But Jesus said, “Lift up your eyes,” meaning, “With the way you are seeing things right now, you cannot operate on the revelation I want to give you.” We have to set our sights much higher and take advantage of the anointing and revelation of those who have gone before us.” ³⁴
For 2000 years Jesus has managed to build his church with inferior saints who have had to cope without these special anointings and new revelations. Johnson shamelessly inserts his own meaning into the text. How does “Lift up your eyes” translate to “With the way you are seeing things right now, you cannot operate on the revelation I want to give you.?” The flatteries and blatant lies that spew from the mouths of Johnson & co find a home in the narcissistic hearts of people who “love to have it so.”
CONCLUSION
These three teaching are elements of “another gospel” found in the apostate church. They are man-centered, and appeal to itching ears or those desperate to find solutions for their pain or predicament. The quotes from the teachers have conclusively shown that they preach “another gospel,” display narcissistic fruits, and are men and women who need to be marked and avoided. “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” – Romans 16:17-18.
ENDNOTES
1. Bill Johnson. Dreaming With God: Co-laboring With God for Cultural Transformation (pp. 157-158). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition.
2. Ibid.
3. Bill Johnson. Release the Power of Jesus: 1 (Kindle Locations 1687-1692). Destiny Image, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
4. Ellyn Davis; Judy Franklin. The Physics of Heaven.
5. Ibid
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid
8. Brian Houston. There Is More (Kindle Locations 984-985). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
9. Ibid.
10. John Bevere. Extraordinary: The Life You’re Meant to Live (Kindle Locations 2857-2859). WaterBrook Press. Kindle Edition.
11. Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth : A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles.
12. Bill Johnson; Lance Wallnau; Chuck D. Pierce; Heidi Baker; C. Peter Wagner; James W. Goll; John Arnott; Cindy Jacobs; Lou Engle; Jim Garlow. The Reformer’s Pledge. Destiny Image, Inc.. Kindle Edition
13. Bill Johnson. Dreaming With God: Co-laboring With God for Cultural Transformation (pp. 162-163). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition.
14. John Bevere. Honor’s reward : how to attract God’s favor and blessing (Kindle Locations 2051-2056). Faith Words. Kindle Edition.
15. Ibid.
16. Joseph Prince. Destined to Reign The Secret to Effortless Success, Wholeness and Victorious Living (Kindle Locations 384-386). Kindle Edition.
17. Bill Johnson; Lance Wallnau; Chuck D. Pierce; Heidi Baker; C. Peter Wagner; James W. Goll; John Arnott; Cindy Jacobs; Lou Engle; Jim Garlow. The Reformer’s Pledge. Inc.. Kindle Edition
18. Dawna DeSilva. Shifting atmospheres: discerning & displacing the spiritual forces around you. (Kindle Locations 905-906). Destiny Image, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
19. Bill Johnson. A Life of Miracles: 365-Day Guide to Prayer and Miracles (Kindle Locations 7040-7043). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition.
20. Ibid.
21. Bill Johnson. Dreaming With God: Co-laboring With God for Cultural Transformation (p. 39). Destiny Image. Kindle Edition
22. Kris Vallotton & Bill Johnson. The Supernatural Ways of Royalty: Discovering Your Rights and Privileges of Being a Son or Daughter of God. Destiny Image Publishers 2006, Chapter 12.
23. School of the Prophets: Advanced Training for Prophetic Ministry.
24. John Bevere. Extraordinary: The Life You’re Meant to Live (Kindle Locations 3696-3701).
25. John Bevere. Honor’s Reward: How to Attract God’s Favor and Blessing.
26. Ibid.
27. Lisa Bevere. Lioness arising: wake up and change your world. (Kindle Locations 111-113). WaterBrook Press. Kindle Edition.
28. Ibid.
29. Ibid.
30. Ibid.
31. Kris Vallotton. Heavy Rain: How to Flood Your World with God’s Transforming Power.
32. Kris Vallotton & Bill Johnson. The Supernatural Ways of Royalty: Discovering Your Rights and Privileges of Being a Son or Daughter of God. Destiny Image Publishers 2006, Chapter 9
33. Ibid.
34. Bill Johnson. Walking in the Supernatural. (Kindle Locations 153-161). Destiny Image Publishers. Kindle Edition.