The Heresy Hunter

Punching Out the Cancer

posted by Bob Hunter @ Monday, June 30, 2008 0 comments

Casting Call From Bob Larson!!!

FINALLY, some honesty from Bob Larson, albeit unintentionally, I'm sure. Just got an e-mail from him which says, in part:

Casting for new episodes of THE REAL EXORCIST, to air in October, 2008 on the Sci-Fi channel, is now taking place. This is your opportunity for spiritual freedom!

Casting, of course, is done when someone needs actors! And can you think of a more appropriate network for him to be on than the Sci-Fi Channel?

Labels: Bob Larson

posted by Bob Hunter @ Thursday, June 26, 2008 3 comments

No More Worries About Todd Bentley

Relax folks! We don't have to be concerned about Todd Bentley's teachings getting out of hand anymore. See this story at Charisma:

Leaders Commission Todd Bentley at ‘Lakeland Outpouring’

The special service was billed by leaders as one of the greatest moments in revival history

[04.24.08] Canadian revivalist Todd Bentley, leader of the “Lakeland Outpouring,” was commissioned as an evangelist last night in a special ceremony in Lakeland, Fla., that was broadcast into millions of homes by God TV.

California pastors Ché Ahn and Bill Johnson, along with Canadian pastor John Arnott, laid hands on the 32-year-old Bentley while Peter Wagner, leader of the International Coalition of Apostles, read a statement about the need for apostolic alignment. Other prominent leaders from the apostolic and prophetic movements stood on the platform to show their support for Bentley and to endorse the revival, which began in early April and is now in its 83rd day of continuous meetings.

The ceremony, held in a 10,000-seat tent, took place after some charismatic leaders raised questions about Bentley’s claims, methods and theology. They asked Wagner to oversee a dialogue, and he responded by organizing Monday evening’s event so that Bentley could have more accountability—or what Wagner calls “apostolic alignment.”

“I believe last night was truly historic and a true sign of unity,” Bentley told Charisma today. “Many streams converged and I know last night’s commissioning will truly help bring God’s outpouring to a much larger part of the body.”

Participating leaders at the ceremony included Wagner; Ché Ahn, pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, Calif.; John Arnott of Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship in Canada; Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, Calif.; and Rick Joyner, founder of MorningStar Ministries in Charlotte, N.C.

Wagner said to Bentley on the platform: “This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley, your power will increase, your authority will increase, your favor will increase, your influence will increase, your revelation will increase.

“I also decree that a new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry. A new life force will penetrate this move of God. Government will be established to set things in their proper order. God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error. New relationships will surface to open the gates to the future.”

In a newsletter released earlier this week, Bentley said Wagner was the one who suggested having an official ceremony in which Bentley could be commissioned.

“I am no church historian, but I do not know of any other time in history, since the book of Acts, have so many different apostles and so many different prophets and movements and leaders [been represented],” Bentley said of the capacity crowd. “This is so much bigger than [anything else] ever before. The devil is shaking in his boots because the apostles are gathering and the prophets are gathering.”

Though the outpouring has enjoyed mostly favorable publicity and is stirring excitement in charismatic congregations worldwide, it has also spawned a debate among leaders dialoguing behind closed doors. These backroom discussions over aspects of Bentley’s teachings were partly what prompted leaders to lay their hands on him last night.

Well, I'm certainly glad that people like John Arnott ("Experience is the best teacher"), Peter Wagner ("Fat woman lost 32 lbs in one meeting" "the end does justify the means") and Rick Joyner (Wealth will be transferred to believers) will be keeping an eye on Todd Bentley to keep him from crossing over into some weird stuff!

Labels: Todd Bentley

posted by Bob Hunter @ Wednesday, June 25, 2008 2 comments

Jesus the Liar?

Great article from Cal Thomas today:

Do They Think Jesus Was a Liar?

By Cal Thomas
Syndicated Columnist/FOX News Contributor

I am shocked and appalled over a newly published survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. It finds most Americans believe there are many ways to salvation besides their own faith. Most disturbing of all is the majority of self-identified evangelical Christians who believe this.

Apparently they must think Jesus was a liar, or mistaken, when he said: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.” Look it up.

This theological ignorance is a product of several things. It is surely a product of biblical illiteracy by people who don’t read, or selectively read scripture. It is also fallout from the political correctness vice that says you are intolerant if you believe anything to be true, because people who have another truth, or no truth, might feel bad and experience rejection.

If they feel rejection now, wait until they hear “away from me, I never knew you.”

Tolerance is a good thing. People should tolerate and respect people of different faiths, or no faith. But watering down your own set of professed doctrines in order to appeal to the lowest spiritual common denominator is akin to Peter denying Christ three times.

If there are many paths to heaven, Jesus suffered and died for nothing. He could have stayed in heaven, sent down a book of sayings and avoided crucifixion. Orthodox Christians have always believed – and their Bible teaches them — there is only one path to heaven and it is through Jesus Christ and him alone. One can believe whatever one wishes, but you can’t be considered a Christian without believing in this fundamental doctrine.

Christian churches have a lot of work to do in addressing biblical illiteracy, ignorance and, yes, heresy, in their midst. They might want to pay more attention to fixing what’s gone wrong among their members before expending too much energy on politics and politicians.

Labels: ; False Doctrine

posted by Bob Hunter @ Wednesday, June 25, 2008 0 comments

The Mystery of Who Wrote Hebrews - SOLVED!

I've just been reading Todd Bentley's account of his trip to heaven on Sid Roth's website. You can read about this fascinating account in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Below I'll quote a few highlights.

First of all, you have a right to see Jesus visibly if you really love Him:

“The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him]” (Jn. 14:21 Amplified). That is a promise that God gives! He says that if you love Him and keep His commandments, He will manifest Himself to you! How will He manifest Himself? It might be through a dream, in a vision, in a prophetic experience, in the Word of God, divine knowledge or revelation....He will also come bodily.

It shouldn't bother us when someone says they've been to heaven. I mean, who else does Jesus have to talk to on earth?

Why is it in the church today that we struggle when somebody says that he or she has been to heaven or they’ve had an encounter with Jesus face to face? Listen! God doesn’t have anybody else to visit but you and me!

Bentley points out the fact that Paul wasn't permitted to speak about all that he saw. Great news! All that has changed!

Naturally, there are times when deep revelation should not be discussed but there are times when it is right to share. Today I am permitted by God to share with you about some of the recent amazing heavenly encounters that I have experienced.

Once again, we come back to Jesus' Bambi eyes!

So, even though I could give a description of the Lord, the main thing that I was drawn to was Jesus’ eyes. He had brown eyes, and I know it sounds funny, but I immediately thought of Bambi!

These are different from the eyes Jesus has in heaven, however, according to Jesus Himself!

“These are My eyes as I had eyes on the earth. But if you were to see Me in heaven I have eyes ‘blue, like revelation eyes,’ like fire. These are My human eyes, not My God eyes.”

At last we have an explanation of vibrating in the Spirit:

He put His hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes and said one word, “Peace I give you, not as the world gives,” and this peace came over me like a vibration and my whole body vibrated while I received the peace of God.

Bentley came to a bridge while in heaven and it was here that he met the Apostle Paul. I'll bet you're anxious to know what Paul looked like, right?

People have asked me what he looked like, and so I will attempt to describe his appearance. He was short, not more than 5’1” or 5’2” (I’m 5’6”). He was bald except for a little crown of hair that came around his head. Looking very Jewish with a short, trimmed, white beard, my first thought was of a monk in a monastery! He actually had jolly cheeks and I thought: Paul you’ve got a little weight on you! I mean he wasn’t fat but he looked a little pudgy! Funny, eh? But that’s what I was thinking!

Not only that, but Abraham and David were present as well!

Just so you know too, Abraham was taller than David and Paul, about 6’5”. He was a very big rugged looking man, very big boned, large hands, having a long black beard and hair. In fact he looked quite East Indian or Pakistani (in skin color); not like an African man (in blackness), but closer to an East Indian man. He actually didn’t look Jewish at all! Now David’s appearance was much different from Abraham’s. Having seen Jesus before, I noticed that David’s features were similar to Jesus, the Son of David. Both Jesus’ hair and David’s hair were alike—long brown reddish locks that hung to their shoulders. David’s eyes were blue and he wore a purple royal robe but when he lifted his arm, inside his robe I saw the color blue; it was very kingly. He was very handsome with a short beard and he was really well kept.

Too bad he didn't describe Jesus in a little more detail, other than the Bambi eyes. It is here that we finally find out that it was Paul who wrote the Book of Hebrews!:

Paul told me: “Abraham taught me, in heaven, and that’s how and why I wrote the book of Hebrews. What I heard was from the lips of Abraham himself.” I know I’m stepping out on theology now; however, I want you to understand that Paul always made it clear when he authored an epistle—“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ” or “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ.” Always! Yet, for the Book of Hebrews, although most Bible scholars believe that it was authored by Paul, there are those that really can’t say it was him because the authorship is never clear. Paul told me why. Here is what he said to me. “Do you know why I know so much about Abraham?” [So much of Hebrews is based on other things that you just can’t pull from in other scriptures.] He said, “Abraham himself shared (information) with me and I simply wrote it” (in the Book of Hebrews). “The authorship isn’t clear because it was Abraham and I; Abraham shared with me.” [Much of Hebrews is about Abraham; i.e. Hebrews Chapter 11.] Paul said, “When I was in the third heaven, Abraham was with me like you are with me now.”

Paul then tells Todd:

Now one of the most striking scriptures in the Book of Titus is the first verse where it opens with—“Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (emphasis mine). “Todd, never just be an apostle or just do signs and wonders.” “No!” said Paul, “be a love slave.”

I don't know why, but I get visions here of Mike Meyer as the Love Guru!

Finally, did you know that there are several different levels in heaven, and that you have to ascend to each level by climbing a ladder? Yep, it's true!

What’s more, several days later I was taken back into heaven to Paul’s house! But this time I didn’t go inside. I stayed outside where I saw a ladder in his back yard like the one described in Genesis 28, Jacob’s ladder. [I’ve come to understand that there are ladders like that in heaven in order to ascend and descend into different realms because heaven has places, geographical places

....Back to climbing! I went up from the throne room into the fifth realm which is the heavenly city. I saw streets that are golden and mansions and I noticed that it was very different from the Paradise of God (third heaven) where there are hills, still waters, and flowers. It wasn’t as peaceful. Next came the sixth realm of heaven which is the place where the angels live. There is literally a realm reserved for Michael, Gabriel, all the arch angels and all the angels under the arch angels! This isn’t the second heaven, the angel and demon realm, where they battle. It’s just a realm where the angels dwell. Then the last heaven I saw, the seventh realm was other universes and the solar systems; undiscovered universes and planets that God has created....There could be other heavenly realms; however, I only saw seven.

Words cannot express how I feel about this so-called "encounter"! It would be hilarious if not for the fact that Christians are actually being taken in by this stuff. Is there no fear of God in these people? Are they so far deceived that they really think they've taken these trips?

Labels: Todd Bentley

posted by Bob Hunter @ Tuesday, June 24, 2008 5 comments

George Carlin

Since every online newspaper considers George Carlin so important that they felt they had to feature a picture of him on the front page, I didn't want to be left out.

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

I hope he had a last-minute conversion.

posted by Bob Hunter @ Monday, June 23, 2008 2 comments

Embedded Angels

Over on Elijah List "prophet" Bill Yount is talking about angels embedded in the walls of churches. He writes:

I saw ancient angels of faith embedded in the walls of many churches. They are now being awakened and activated through the prayers of the saints of past generations - who were praying to see a great move of God in their day.

I sense that many saints in these churches may have felt like their fervent prayers were bouncing off of the ceilings and walls of their churches. They didn't realize that their eternal prayers were actually going into the ceilings and walls of their churches, which have been building up for a greater future last day outpouring!

These ancient angels of faith being awakened, have been faithful to their long-term assignments to these churches so that "the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former!"

Angels who were summoned generations ago to many churches through tear-stained altars, but were stifled in their assignments through unbelief and strife, were now being called forth to complete their assignments - even in churches that people were thinking, "This church will never see a move of God!" But God was now honoring the prayers of many generations and a mighty breakthrough for so called "dead" churches was now inevitable!

....I heard these ancient angels of faith decreeing to both ancient and newborn churches and to home group fellowships: "No 'spiritual' walls left standing. Every generational wall that separates you from one another is coming down!"

It's as though these angels were given a command for this hour to bring down every wall that has been erected between God's people over many generations. I heard a strong angel proclaiming: "No walls left standing! Walls are coming down!"

As these ancient angels of faith began to awaken inside of these walls and began stretching their wings, generational walls of tradition and division began to crumble as religious spirits were being cast out by the presence of God!

Elijah List publisher Steve Schultz says if we want to spiritualize this we can, but also says that "if you would receive our Quantum Physics, Music and Prophetic CD sets, you would hear how science can now prove that 'matter' (that is hard things like rocks and walls) does have memory. And we also know that angels are spirit beings and are also outside of time as we know it."

So he is strongly hinting that Christians should take this prophecy literally.

The religious spirits, of course, are those who disagree with this type of nonsense and insist on testing everything in the light of Scripture.

I find it astounding that today's so-called Christians are so lacking in discernment that they tolerate this sort of garbage and then label those who disagree Pharisees, as though that label settled the argument.

Labels: Elijah List

posted by Bob Hunter @ Sunday, June 22, 2008 0 comments

God's Sense of Humour

Deepak Chopra says that religious people should laugh more because God does. Writing about Mike Myer's new movie "The Love Guru" he writes:

The inability of some religious people to laugh at themselves betrays, I think, a great deal of insecurity. What if God was a two-year-old toddler and you were his mother? You'd spend your day keeping close watch and only find calm when your child was taking a nap. But God isn't two years old, and he /she doesn't need taking care of. I wish religious people took the analogy seriously, because they are constantly rushing in to protect God, screaming in outrage when he /she is surely laughing. God may very well see the universe as a divine comedy. Every exploding nova could be an explosion of laughter. Nobody knows.

...more comedies should cross the line between vulgar lampoon and reckless disrespect. Let's catch God with his pants down -- or more especially those who peddle faith in God so self-righteously.

You're right Deepak - God is laughing. But somehow I just don't think you'll be laughing along with Him. Just read Psalm 2:

1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.

3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."

4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

6 "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill."

7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD : He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Labels: Deepak Chopra

posted by Bob Hunter @ Wednesday, June 18, 2008 0 comments

Annual Egg On His Face Award

Labels: Yisrayl Hawkins

posted by Bob Hunter @ Friday, June 13, 2008 0 comments

Rick Joyner's Revival and Healings

Rick Joyner has a few words to say about the revival taking part at Morningstar in today's Elijah List entry:

As amazing as what we are now experiencing is, we still have a way to climb to what is just normal, Biblical Christianity. It is our right as Christians, possessors of the New Covenant with God, to see everything that happened in the Scriptures happening in our own time. The Lord is the same today as He was then. His name is not "I was," or "I will be," but "I AM." The same Holy Spirit that was present with the church in the Book of Acts is present with us today. All Christians have the same Holy Spirit with them that the Apostle Paul had and can therefore see the same power released through them that Paul or anyone else has.

...It is still amazing for us to watch our high school students pray for the handicapped, blind, deaf, or those with fatal diseases, believing God will heal them, and often He does. A few nights ago, I saw a commotion in the back of the room and found out that a couple of our high school girls had prayed for a young man in a wheelchair, who immediately got up and walked. He had multiple sclerosis and had not walked in seven years. It was not long before he was back in the wheelchair, not because the affliction had come back, but because he was so worn out from not using those muscles for so long.

...Because of the prophetic indications we have received that September 21 will be a significant date, we shifted the dates for our Harvest Conference to September 18-20, and the Worship & Warfare Conference to September 22-24, sandwiching Sunday the 21st between them.

If, as Joyner rightly says, the Lord is the same today as yesterday, why did that man go back into his wheelchair? When Jesus healed the paralytic in Matthew 9 the man got up and went home. It doesn't say he had to stop and rest because of his muscles. When Peter healed a paralytic named Aeneas who had been paralyzed for eight years in Acts 9 he was healed completely. Jesus, who is the same today as He was yesterday, heals completely, not partially.

I'd stay tuned for September 21st, but as everyone knows, nuclear war will be breaking out tomorrow according to Yisrayl Hawkins.

Labels: Rick Joyner

posted by Bob Hunter @ Wednesday, June 11, 2008 0 comments

Get Service

posted by Bob Hunter @ Friday, June 06, 2008 0 comments

Yisrayl Hawkins - Nuclear War Again!

Yep, once again nuclear war is breaking out, according to Yisrayl Hawkins. Excerpt from ABC News:

Texas Sect Leader: Doomsday Begins Next Thursday, June 12
Thousands Follow Self-Proclaimed Prophet Yisrayl 'Buffalo Bill' Hawkins of Abilene
By BRIAN ROSS and VIC WALTER
June 6, 2008—

Nuclear war will begin next Thursday, June 12, or sooner, according to the latest prediction of self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, the founder of a religious sect in Abilene, Texas.

"It could be turned loose before then," Hawkins told 20/20 for a report to be broadcast tonight. "You're going to see this very soon, really soon," he said.

Hundreds of truck trailers have been loaded with food and water on the group's 44-acre compound, in preparation for the coming war.

Unfortunately for Hawkins, it is not the first time he predicted the outbreak of nuclear war.

Most recently, Hawkins set Sept. 12, 2006 as the beginning of the end. His followers produced an on-line video with a countdown to doomsday. In Kenya, hundreds of his followers actually hid in basement bomb shelters and donned gas masks on the date. They went home in humiliation when there was no war.

Hawkins says he does not care if people consider him a laughing stock.

"You know, the savior himself, told me not to worry about that. He said, 'They're going to hate you above all people on the face of the earth,' " Hawkins explained.

Trouble is, after his failed prophecy he said that nuclear war had begun on Sept. 12th and would last 13 months. See my post Yisrayl, I Was Wrong.

Labels: Yisrayl Hawkins

posted by Bob Hunter @ Friday, June 06, 2008 0 comments

Joel Osteen - Herrnhuter

On TBN's Praise the Lord program on April 30th, 2008 Joel and Victoria Osteen were the focus. During the show this conversation took place between Joel Osteen and host Phil Munsey:

Phil Munsey: This is why I’m glad that you allowed us to be on TBN tonight, to be able to let our brothers and sisters and pastors from around the world to know that this is a God thing, that the Good News is still the best way to bring people to repentance.

Joel Osteen: Amen. I believe that. I mean, that’s what the Gospel’s all about, and we see people respond. I mean, you know, I found most people already know what they’re doing wrong. But when you come back and tell them that, you know, no matter the mistakes they’ve made or where they are, that they can recover, they can go further, that God’s still got a plan for their lives. Victoria told you how these arenas that we go to, half the people stand up, so I think it is the goodness of God, and we’ll continue to put it out.

Phil Munsey: Absolutely. Somebody said when someone’s drowning you don’t need to describe the water. You just need to throw them a rope of hope. And I think that’s something that is very strong, that comes from your ministry, and that is people know they sin, they know they’re sinners. They don’t need somebody describing the water. They need a rope of hope.

As reported in an earlier blog entry, in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel on May 28, 2008 Osteen shows that repentance isn’t a priority with his ministry. He was asked to compare himself to Billy Graham. He said in response:

Osteen: I like to be inspired by Dr. Graham. He's been a hero and a mentor and a friend to me. But we have different races to run. He fulfilled his calling.

Interviewer: What's your own calling?

Osteen: It's the same in a sense: leading people to Christ. But he brings them to repentance, and mine is more focused on hope and encouragement.

According to C.F.W. Walther the Herrnhuters were an 18th century group (Moravians) who "preferred not to have the Law preached at all....We shall readily admit that the Herrnhuters have made an impression on many, but it was a mere surface impression. Their hearers were never made to realize that they were enemies of God, worthy to be cast down to perdition rather than to be saved." (The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, p. 90, C. F. W. Walther)

That sounds remarkably like the teaching of Joel Osteen and countless other churches today in the 21st century - including some facets of the LCMS! So does the Gospel come first? A few Scripture verses might clarify the situation:

Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he [Jesus] said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

In Acts 2:14-38 Peter makes the Jews aware of the fact that they had crucified Christ (v. 23). They were convicted (v. 37) and Peter told them to repent and be baptized (v. 38) They didn’t “already know what they were doing wrong” as Osteen would suggest.

In Matthew 5 Jesus teaches 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” And 27 “You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Why would Jesus teach this if people were already fully aware of their sins?

Labels: Joel Osteen

posted by Bob Hunter @ Thursday, June 05, 2008 1 comments

Attention All Pharisee-Accusers

Excellent article by Todd Wilken titled "Playing the Pharisee Card." All critics of this blog and other similar blogs should read it.

Labels: Heresy Hunters, Pharisees

posted by Bob Hunter @ Tuesday, June 03, 2008 0 comments

Wake-up Call For the LCMS

From Christianity Today:

Keeping It Real
Can staged worship "experiences" lead to a false gospel?
James Gilmore

...As a business guy, I'm always cautious about taking any business thinking and applying it to the church. Don't take this stuff about the experience economy and make worship a staged experience. Consumerism has come to dominate contemporary evangelicalism. We're becoming a reflection of the world, instead of standing apart from the world. The church has moved to "spectacalism," which can become a false gospel.
…
All of life is being commodified. The church should be the one place that stands apart and says, We have nothing for sale. We only offer a free gift. The church ought to be the place where people see that there's something different about this place and this people from anything one experiences elsewhere in the commercial marketplace.
…
To me, the church should not aim to be "real" as an end. The church is there to proclaim truth. Trying to be hip and cool and real does a disservice to the church. We're not called to be successful. We're called to be obedient, even if they don't come. Ministry leaders should think more like Noah, of being part of a remnant that is faithful. If somebody doesn't find you objectionable, I wonder if you're preaching the full counsel of God.
…
To some extent, if people view the church as being fake, they will never enter. But the extent to which the church has become a business, with food courts, skate parks, basketball courts, etc.–I think people look at it and say, That's not really a church. That's fake.

So why are LCMS churches embracing this model of church? Even Bill Hybels has realized the danger!

Labels: LCMS

posted by Bob Hunter @ Tuesday, June 03, 2008 0 comments

Warning to All Liturgical, Confessional LCMS Pastors!!!

Labels: Todd Bentley

posted by Bob Hunter @ Monday, June 02, 2008 3 comments