Comments

Pastors & tele evangelist are nothing but HYPOCRITES! They condemn others when they talk about 'SELF' - self confidence, self-reliance, & self-improvement, but they could not their own 'SELF' when it comes to money.

When will God's so-called leading people get rid of the division and strife and live the holy walk we compel other to? When will we become one in heart, purpose, and unify in the faith? Maybe Jesus said it best in John 13:35; "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Do we get it???

Jesus told his disciples, "I send you forth as sheep among wolves." In the Old Testament there are recorded incidences of false prophets, false pastors that abused and used God's people.

We should not be surprised that to be a genuine Christian is a rarity. "Narrow is the way, and few be that find it."

This is a spiritual battle for the souls of men and the Enemy will use "wolves in sheeps clothing" to make prospective converts reject all Christianity as hypocrits.

In reality, "there are more with us, than with them", God is in control and He has a people "that haven't bowed their knee to Baal" or Tulsa for that matter.

Brilliant and insightful comments. You obviously have a well-balanced view on life.

I am reminded where the Bible says that judgment begins at the house of God. I think we are only seeing the beginning of a real shaking of the tree. Jesus is looking for real fruit that will sustain and give life to His people.

And we wonder why our young people in the church and Christian universities and colleges question our generation's value system? From the 'top down' so many people who have been called to be true Christ following leaders, have lost what the true calling of Christ is. Leaders who are authentic Christ-followers are what our youth yearn for! And I must say that even though I am sure most of these leaders in question probably began with the right motives of ministry, they have been sidetracked by their own false sense of importance and greed! Hmmmm.... I think there are a few stories in a Book somewhere that portrays such folks!! This sense of money entitlement comes upon one so subtly. Some, not all, high profile folks in Christian leadership from my generation(the Baby Boomers) have slowly, over time, blended their lives into what sociologists claim is the number one American cultural value, materialisism. Their vision of what it means to be a 'true Christ follower' has been blurred by their false sense of power and accomplishment. It almost seems as if they feel they are entitled to a life of the 'rich and famous' because they are in the "ministry" suffering for Jesus.
Hmmmm. . .I wonder if practically all of us in the church have been 'blended' by our culture in some form or another? Uh oh, I am meddling now!
Hey, I am with Wesley: "make much, BUT give much", not "make much and keep making more for one's life of luxury". Isn't there a story about a rich young ruler, somewhere in that Book also?

It should come as no suprise that the ministers of the "prosperity gospel" should get hung by their own greed. In the midst of preachers driving Rolls and wearing Rolex watches does one see Christ who "took to himself no reputation" but counted his living with sinners and had only one garment to his name? What would Jesus think of religion today? He would no doubt weep over the 'psychological" manipulation of his children and the fleecing of the church.

I would hope that ORU is distancing itself from Dollar and Hinn and their false theology. Perhaps we'll see ORU come out theologically correct in all of this. Too many years of bad theology have finally caught up with it.

Sirs:

Thank you for this information about the change in the make-up of the Board of renets at ORU. While it is sad to read, it does represent godly initiative on the part of the Board of Regents. For this I thank God, and applaud them.

Sincerely in Christ,

Paul Griffin

Their "message" is right... but the messengers are seriously flawed. Sex and money are most often the downfall of evangelists (and the rest of us also). Let him who is without fault cast the first stone.

For most pastors, especially in smaller churches, the monthly financial statement given members includes salary of the pastor. My financial condition is basically an open book to the membership of the church I pastor... and so it should be for all no matter the size of the congregation or the 'type' of congregation... so, please, if pastors are going to be grouped with tele-evangelists, qualify which pastors... we may be hypocrites but money may not be the problem...

Crefflo's name says it all.

When you said: "Pastors and televangelists are nothing buy hypocrites", were you referring to every pastor and every evangelist who ministers on television? Have you really met all of them and know them well enough to determine that each and every one of them are hypocrites?

I hope you can come to understand that the great majority of pastors do not preach inordinately about "self".

Well, instead of all of us bad mouthing these men, even if we dont agree with them or their methods, we should pray for them, wheat and tares grow together, and Jesus commanded to let them alone until the harvest. Only God knows the secret intents of our hearts and its His buisness to judge.

Let us be careful with our words towards them that do their works for the Lord; lest a double portion of shaking will the Lord grant unto us. It is for the good of the flock that the Lord is doing a shaking of those who do their works for Him. Know that these days are a season of testing. In the days ahead, more of them will experience the shaking of the Lord; some mildly, others severely.

To those of you who are of their flock, pray that your sheepherd will not fail. For if the Lord is able to shake the sheepherd, what can't He do to the flock?

I heard the heavens thunder as the laborers of the Lord's field are being shakened. But like the season of the falling leaves, there will follow a season of fresh leaves.

I agree that it's wrong to lump all pastors and televangelists in with the ones who are out for money. Many pastors make significant financial sacrifices to shepherd God's people, including my own pastor who has sometimes gone without a salary because the amount of money collected in the offering was not enough to pay his living expenses. Yet he never sought to leave our church for a more lucrative pastorate. There are pastors living under oppressive regimes who willingly endure hunger, beatings, persecution, imprisonment and other deprivations for the cause of Christ. The person who said that all pastors and televangelists are hypocrites should avoid making such broad generalizations in the future.

Don Lawrence's comments (12/19)express my thoughts better than I can.

God bless them and all of us. Our Father has left us with the Holy Spirit to interpret to us what the Father wants us to know and what He wants us to do. Go with what the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. But by all means, don't talk ugly about someone. That will only come back on you. If you judge them you will be judged. They might have started out with a pure heart and wondered. What a sad place that is. I know that for sure, don't you? Have we not all fallen short of His glory? Let's start praying for these people and perhaps their hearts will change if need be. God bless you.

Lisa, Jesus may have prayed for the "money changer" BUT he still through them out of the Temple.

Bill Robberson

Benny Hinn is not a phony! He is a good man, who may have a lot of money, but reguardless, is under screwity. In my belief, the Senator that started all this is an embrassment to my party. God Bless Benny Hinn.

Billy Graham, who brought Oral Roberts and his Charismatic/Pentecostal circus into evangelicalism, should not be held guiltless in all of this either.

When will he stand up and admit that he made a mistake in endorsing false teachings and practices into the Body?

REMEMBER THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID WEATHER THE GOSPEL/GOOD NEWS IS PRECHED BY SINCERE GODLY MEN OR THOSE WITH OTHER MOTIVES, THE GOSPEL CHRIST DIE FOR OUR SINS & ROSE FROM THE DEAD. CHRIST IS BEING PREACHED. LETS PRAY FOR THOSE WHO WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD CHRIST THE ONLY JUST JUDGE . MAY REPENTANCE & REVIVAL START IN MY FATHER HOUSE OF PRAYER WE HIS BODY & HOLY TEMPLE AMEN

If Benny Hinn's not a phony, how come he can only do his "miracles" under the highly emotionally charged atmosphere of one of his meetings? When's the last time he went into a hospital and healed the people there? Where's the independent medical verification of his "healings"? Why is he hiding his financial records? Why does he live in luxury with millions of dollars to his name while people starve all over the world?

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. Benny Hinn is a fake and a disgrace, not to mention an embarrassment to those who earnestly try to follow Christ.

What will happen to oru without theri money?

I want to be careful not to judge men that God has put in positions of authority. I will leave it to God to judge. But, I do believe God is pruning the vine. With that said, I am uncomfortable with the "prosperity gospel" that I am hearing preached in many ministries. Sometimes it seems like a different gospel than is currently being preached in countries where materialism is not so rampant. One thing that struck me once was a report that believers in persecuted nations were praying that American believers would not be seduced by our "riches". It comes down to how we define our "riches", and where is our treasure. Actions done in secret, and motives of the heart by those in leadership will be exposed. My prayer is for God to purify His bride. Shake this tree, and may all the good fruit remain, and may all the bad fruit fall.