* Destruction in Today's Churches
Joan Boney
On January 10,1980, I was asleep in the night when a very loud trumpet-like voice "blew" three words into my ear: "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"
I jumped out of bed and wrote "KWJS" on a notepad.
I found this to be a radio station in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
I said to God: "Are YOU telling me to go on radio? I wouldn't know how to do that. I'm a writer, not a speaker!"
Immediately the following gentle words came to my mind: "Call the radio station manager."
As soon as the radio station opened that morning, I called and asked to speak to the station manager.
He came on the phone immediately.
I said, "God might be showing me to go on radio. How would you do that?"
The radio station manager said, "Make an audition tape 29 1/2 minutes long and send it to me and if you fit our broadcasts we will offer you a contract."
As soon as I got off the phone, I set up my tape recorder and microphone and got my kitchen timer ready and began recording the 29 1/2 minute audition tape.
God had extensively taught me concerning what to do in front of the church when I was speaking to them, though I didn't yet have much experience in doing this.
I was just to read the Bible throughout the days and evenings, and when I got in front of the church speak that which was brought into my mind by the Spirit of God, scriptures and concepts … trust God and speak that which I believed to be from God.
So that is what I recorded on tape that day.
Within 3 days, I was offered a radio contract and within 5 days, I was exhorting the church on radio station KWJS.
Within the next year, I was on radio from Hartford (NYC area) to Seattle, having started with KWJS.
It was exactly like that angel told me that night in 1980.
*****
My least expensive radio station was $800 per month. My most expensive was $2400 per month.
By 1982, my total number of stations in USA had grown to following cities: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Houston. NYC, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minneapolis-St Paul, Denver, Seattle, Eugene Oregon, Bakersfield California, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Fifteen stations at approximately $15,000 to $20,000 a month.
Most of the preachers I knew at that time had far more stations than I did.
There is no doubt this can be a very serious burden financially.
I broadcast on radio from 1980 through 1984.
*****
At first I was very popular. People in churches wanted to hear the subjects I spoke which were: taking thoughts captive, dealing with destructive thoughts, following God by HIS Spirit.
Then in 1982, I heard these words from God. "The foundation is laid. Now we are really going to move."
Shortly after this, I heard, "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God."
After this, God began showing me sins in various ministries and sins being committed by ministers.
These were big-time radio/television ministers and when I tried to get these messages to these ministers, I could not reach them, although I was relatively well known in ministry circles by that time.
When I couldn't reach these ministers by letter, I decided to give the message on my radio broadcasts naming the minister by name and citing the problem I'd been shown.
Then the ministers got the messages.
Hate mail poured into our office from their followers. Offerings decreased. Radio stations began putting me off the air.
In Seattle, the radio station manager said to me, "Joan … you have many 'good' messages. Just speak those messages. If you keep speaking these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you. We may have to put you off the air."
My response, dictated by the Holy Spirit, "George … If I don't speak the message that I believe to be from God then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
*****
Today, 2019, it is great!
The blog costs no money at all. The messages written on the blog are not censored by anyone.
It costs nothing at all to write these books on Amazon. The books are not censored by anyone.
It is perfect for me.
Here are a few of the things I was shown concerning corruption in various ministries and some of the messages that I delivered to these ministers.
*****
Kenneth Copeland
In 1982, God said to me: "Kenneth Copeland is antichrist."
I was shocked ... stunned ... horrified!
I just sat for a few minutes and shook.
(At that time I had the concept taught by men that there was one antichrist.)
But there are many antichrists.
I John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Kenneth Copeland is just one of "many" antichrists in today's churches.
*****
And Jesus warned us that in the last days many would come saying "Jesus is Lord" and thereby they would be able to deceive many.
Matthew 24:3-5 And as HE sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in MY name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They will come saying "Jesus is Lord" and because they say this, they will deceive many.
*****
The "Authority of the Believer" teachings presented by Kenneth Copeland and others in the faith movement.
The authority of the believer, is a teaching that you, as a "believer", have authority over the works of the devil. Therefore nothing from the devil can touch you if you learn how to exert this "authority."
It also assumes you know what is good for you and that you know what would be evil.
But we are warned about this.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
It is the same error of Genesis 3:1-5
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
*****
Hail storms are very destructive and can seem evil but the Bible shows us the following: Hail storms are from God.
Psalm 148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling HIS word:
Earthquakes are also from God and are sometimes used by God to reveal God to men.
Matthew 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
*****
Jesus taught us to pray: "Thy will be done."
Personally I love having God make decisions for me. I have a strong understanding that God knows what is best for me. I have sometimes thought something would be good for me only to realize later this would not have been the best thing for me.
In the authority of the believer teaching, God is by-passed and man is taught to be his own god by finding a scripture to stand on to get what he wants in this life.
It doesn't work, thank God!
Isaiah 55:6-13 Seek ye the Lord while HE may be found, call ye upon HIM while HE is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and HE will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for HE will abundantly pardon.
For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and HE will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for HE will abundantly pardon.
For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
*****
This is the missing factor in the doctrine of the authority of the believer and the faith movement.
Instead of seeking God and pleading with God, you are taught to "take authority" by seeking a scripture and by standing on that scripture. You end up by-passing God and becoming as god. But since you use scripture to do this, it seems right.
But it is exactly what Paul described as antichrist in the churches in following:
II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
*****
When this teaching of the authority of the believer failed, people were taught their faith was just not strong enough.
There
were other "faith" teachings which had to do with prosperity and
getting possessions by finding scriptures and standing on scripture and
being healed and keeping illness away from you and your family.
***
***
I didn't want possessions but I did want a husband and I claimed a scripture for this:
Isaiah 34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded, and His spirit it hath gathered them.
I claimed this for months, every day.
It didn't work.
It didn't work.
The scripture didn't fail … my faith was not weak ... It just wasn't the will of God for me.
(No one ever taught about it needing to be "the will of God" … In fact God was left out of the equation. We were "as gods".)
The truth is this concerning prayer:
I John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in HIM, that, if we ask any thing according to HIS will, HE heareth us: And if we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of HIM.
*****
He was a pilot, flying Kenneth Hagin to his meetings.
(Hagin is reportedly a founder of the faith movement teachings in the 1960's.)
At one point, Copeland reported thinking, "I could do this."
So he shut himself up into his garage and memorized Kenneth Hagin's tapes and began "preaching".
This is not the call of God nor is it being raised up by God.
Copeland has a very nice popular music singing voice and is a handsome man with a strong physical appearance, with very good stage presence, appealing to many in the flesh.
His message was a "fleshly" winner, appealing to vast audiences who wanted to be as gods. For by this doctrine, you are taught you can control your life and things that might do harm to you by finding a scripture to stand on. So instead of appealing to God in prayer, you hunt scripture. You by-pass God and become as God.
It is truly what Paul told us in the following:
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
NASB Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
NASB Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
KJV
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that
is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
*****
At one point in the 1980's, Kenneth Copeland reported of "a man" who gave him and his wife two high-level, expensive cars.
Copeland told this story as if it were a miracle, that a man just came up to him and gave him these two cars.
I learned the truth when I signed with Copeland's advertising agency, The Michael Ellison Advertising Agency.
Their ad agent told me they had given Copeland two cars, his choice of cars. And the agent said to me, "And when you get 'big' enough, we will do the same thing for you."
(At that time, Kenneth Copeland had one of the largest number of radio and television stations in religious broadcasting in the United States. The agent's fee was 15% for each price of air time per monthly broadcast per station which would have been an enormous amount for a vast number of stations.)
There was serious hypocrisy in the way Kenneth Copeland reported the car story where he made it appear to be miracle gifts from an unknown man.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
*****
I don't believe Kenneth Copeland has the Spirit of God. There is some kind of fierceness in that spirit in him.
*****
At one point, Copeland's congregation took up an offering for his birthday to send him and his wife on a vacation to Hawaii. This was a tax-deductible offering to be used for a birthday present. I doubted IRS would approve such and I tried to warn Kenneth Copeland about allowing such to happen in his ministry. When I could not get the message directly to Copeland, I spoke the message on radio and at one of my own meetings in Fort Worth, Texas where Copeland lived at that time.
The message then reached Kenneth Copeland.
*****
Tammy and I received your inspirational message and thank you for sending it.
I want you to know, Jesus, that Tammy and I prayed for you today.
Jim Bakker.
(The letterhead upon which I wrote to Jim Bakker was "Jesus Ministries". Obviously some office worker sent the reply that was supposed to be from Jim Bakker. Hypocrisy. This, too, is a common practice among ministers and it is a form of defrauding those who write to the minister.)
Shortly after this, it was disclosed to all that Jim Bakker was having a sexual affair with a church secretary, Jessica Hann, who later became known through something published on Playboy Magazine.
*****
Jesus said:
Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in MY name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They will come saying "Jesus is Lord" and because they say this, they will be in a position to deceive many in the last days.
*****
Swaggart did add more music and cut back on preaching, according to the Ellison agent, and the crowds attending his meetings changed from the 500's to thousands.
God gave me a message for Swaggart as follows: "Stop entertaining the people and return to preaching."
I tried to get this message to Jimmy Swaggart but it was intercepted by his office staff and destroyed.
So I spoke this message on my own radio broadcasts which went from coast to coast in USA. I named Swaggart by name on the radio broadcasts and told what he had done and told what I had heard from God about this matter.
I'm sure the message then reached Swaggart.
But he made no change at all.
Matthew 24:3-5 And as HE (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of THY coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Jim Bakker
In approximately 1982, God had me send a message to TV preacher Jim Bakker, warning him about adultery.
I received a letter from Jim Bakker as follows.
Dear Jesus ...
Tammy and I received your inspirational message and thank you for sending it.
I want you to know, Jesus, that Tammy and I prayed for you today.
Jim Bakker.
(The letterhead upon which I wrote to Jim Bakker was "Jesus Ministries". Obviously some office worker sent the reply that was supposed to be from Jim Bakker. Hypocrisy. This, too, is a common practice among ministers and it is a form of defrauding those who write to the minister.)
***
Shortly after this, it was disclosed to all that Jim Bakker was having a sexual affair with a church secretary, Jessica Hann, who later became known through something published on Playboy Magazine.
Jim Bakker was arrested for fraud concerning his Christian Theme Park. He received a prison sentence as a result.
Jim and Tammy divorced.
Tammy remarried. (adultery)
Mark 10:11-12 And HE (Jesus) saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
***
Jim Bakker got out of prison and began another TV ministry. The last report I read, Jim Bakker was still preaching to TV audiences.
(For secular story, see Jim Bakker on Wikipedia.)
*****
Jesus said:
Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in MY name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They will come saying "Jesus is Lord" and because they say this, they will be in a position to deceive many in the last days.
*****
Jimmy Swaggart
In approximately 1981. an agent for Michael Ellison Advertising Agency told me this story about their former client, TV preacher, Jimmy Swaggart.
In approximately 1981. an agent for Michael Ellison Advertising Agency told me this story about their former client, TV preacher, Jimmy Swaggart.
Swaggart
was tired of those small number of people attending his meetings and he
wanted much larger crowds. The agency told him to cut back on the
preaching and to add more country western style gospel music to his
meetings. Swaggart was a country western type singer and performer who
identified himself as an "evangelist".
Swaggart did add more music and cut back on preaching, according to the Ellison agent, and the crowds attending his meetings changed from the 500's to thousands.
God gave me a message for Swaggart as follows: "Stop entertaining the people and return to preaching."
I tried to get this message to Jimmy Swaggart but it was intercepted by his office staff and destroyed.
So I spoke this message on my own radio broadcasts which went from coast to coast in USA. I named Swaggart by name on the radio broadcasts and told what he had done and told what I had heard from God about this matter.
I'm sure the message then reached Swaggart.
But he made no change at all.
*****
After that, Jimmy Swaggart was caught with a prostitute.
After he was caught, Swaggart came on TV with a tear filled plea stating repentance.
The Assembly of God church denomination chose to pray for Swaggart and counsel Swaggart.
They completely cast aside that which the apostle Paul said to do in such cases.
I Corinthians 5:11; 13
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that
is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a
railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to
eat ... put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
***
After this, Jimmy Swaggart was caught a second time with another prostitute.
The Assembly of God church then defrocked Jimmy Swaggart, according to Wikipedia.
The last I heard Jimmy Swaggart was still producing television broadcasts and receiving large amounts of offerings from TV audiences.
*****
Matthew 24:3-5 And as HE (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of THY coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in MY name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
***
Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus says: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
*****
Robert Tilton
I Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Some sins committed by men are apparent even as those men live on this earth while other sins are hidden until the day of judgment when they are disclosed and judged.
From 1978-1982, I attended a church, Word of Faith, Robert Tilton, pastor, that met in an old warehouse in Farmer's Branch, Texas, north of Dallas.
* When I began going there, we had approximately 200 people on the best day.
* By the time I left in 1982, the size of the congregation had grown to approximately 8,000.
* By the end of the 1990's, the entire church building was destroyed and the congregation had gone elsewhere.
Today, there is no evidence of a church ever having been on that property in Farmer's Branch, Texas.
***
What happened?
(The secular documentation of this story can be read on Wikipedia, see Robert Tilton.)
I can testify to the rise and destruction of this ministry and this church group.
*****
Robert Tilton was an energetic, appealing man and speaker. He was "boyish" in charm and seemed very sincere. I liked him. (1978)
His wife, Marte, was co-pastor. My recollection is she was considered to be a prophet. Ephesian 4:11, though they called her "pastor".
They had started out as "evangelists."
I do not find these ministry offices to change. You are apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher according to Ephesians 4:11-12. But many preachers do not seem to know what they are and they often call themselves one thing and change later to another.
Jesus gave to the church: some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
***
In approximately 1980, Bob, from the pulpit, excitedly announced that he was going on radio. He said he planned to be "bigger" than Kenneth Copeland.
I didn't think much about it and I never heard any of his radio broadcasts.
(At that time, I was not yet on radio but very soon would be.)
For any minister to compete with another minister is "emulations" ... a sin of the flesh,
Galatians 5:19-21 ... Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
emulation: effort to match or surpass a person or achievement, typically by imitation
***
Bob's house was left desolate to him because he "killed" a prophet as he sought popularity and personal greatness in ministry.
Matthew 24:1-5 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And as HE sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in MY name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
When the Holy Spirit teaches something I find years later I can remember the teaching.
Although I heard Marilyn teach several times, I cannot remember one spiritual thing she ever taught.
All I remember is a very fleshly, humorous thing which she spoke but she failed to connect this to the real subject which showed deception that was being practiced by Marilyn.
This story concerned an eggplant casserole which she cooked and took to a church supper. She said she tried to sneak in without anyone seeing her so she could put the casserole on the food table.
When they began to eat, a man put some of her casserole on his plate and came to where she was eating and he began to eat. This man took a bite of her casserole and made a grimace and said, "Marilyn … did you cook this?"
People laughed but that ended the story without any godly teaching.
(Amazingly, it simply showed how deceptive Marilyn could try to be.)
***
I asked the woman who once attended Marilyn's church, if she could remember any teaching Marilyn did. She could not remember any of Marilyn's teachings, although she went on the trip to Jerusalem with Marilyn's tour group. I remember this woman saying Marilyn taught on the airplane all the way to Jerusalem and back by handing out printed materials.
I believe each of these points show us that Marilyn Hickey is not a minister called and appointed and taught by God.
By my recollection, Marilyn was a teacher of some secular subject. (According to Wikipedia she studied to be a Spanish teacher.)
Jude vv. 17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Marilyn certainly showed a lust for greatness in ministry circles.
***
Situations such as this can be very confusing to the body of Christ for they can seem like teachers. But when a person is really of God, I find I can remember at least a few of the things that he taught.
It is a very tricky situation.
What we are supposed to do as Christians is to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves in situations such as this. For we remember that Jesus said, "Be not deceived by them. Many will come saying that Jesus is Lord and will deceive many." (paraphrased from Matthew 24:4-5)
We can see by Marilyn's pattern of life that she did practice deception as she deceived the airlines, and as she tried to get money from people with her bags of rice. So the deception is clear where she is concerned.
***
I Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Marilyn, at that time, wanted to go on television.
She said to me, "Joan ... please pray that Michael Ellison will approve my going on TV." (Michael Ellison ... not God.)
Michael Ellison was Marilyn's advertising agent ... my agent too for a few months.
(I never prayed this.)
Deceiving ... and being deceived.
II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
I Timothy 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Some sins committed by men are apparent even as those men live on this earth while other sins are hidden until the day of judgment when they are disclosed and judged.
***
From 1978-1982, I attended a church, Word of Faith, Robert Tilton, pastor, that met in an old warehouse in Farmer's Branch, Texas, north of Dallas.
* When I began going there, we had approximately 200 people on the best day.
* By the time I left in 1982, the size of the congregation had grown to approximately 8,000.
* By the end of the 1990's, the entire church building was destroyed and the congregation had gone elsewhere.
Today, there is no evidence of a church ever having been on that property in Farmer's Branch, Texas.
***
What happened?
(The secular documentation of this story can be read on Wikipedia, see Robert Tilton.)
I can testify to the rise and destruction of this ministry and this church group.
*****
Robert Tilton was an energetic, appealing man and speaker. He was "boyish" in charm and seemed very sincere. I liked him. (1978)
His wife, Marte, was co-pastor. My recollection is she was considered to be a prophet. Ephesian 4:11, though they called her "pastor".
They had started out as "evangelists."
I do not find these ministry offices to change. You are apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher according to Ephesians 4:11-12. But many preachers do not seem to know what they are and they often call themselves one thing and change later to another.
Jesus gave to the church: some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
***
In approximately 1980, Bob, from the pulpit, excitedly announced that he was going on radio. He said he planned to be "bigger" than Kenneth Copeland.
I didn't think much about it and I never heard any of his radio broadcasts.
(At that time, I was not yet on radio but very soon would be.)
For any minister to compete with another minister is "emulations" ... a sin of the flesh,
Galatians 5:19-21 ... Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
emulation: effort to match or surpass a person or achievement, typically by imitation
***
A year or two after going on radio, Bob announced he was going on television. (even greater)
He raised money for a new auditorium of approximately 8,000 seats and had TV recording facilities in the auditorium.
***
***
In approximately 1982, I received a phone call from a woman at this church who was said to be a prophet. Her name was Ava Pickard. She was crying as she spoke with me.
Bob had invited Ava to be a guest on his TV show. Just before going on camera Bob said to her, "Just one thing. Don't say anything about being a prophet because it's not popular."
Ava was devastated!
I was furious!
I knew by doing this Bob had "killed" a prophet.
I saw the following scripture:
Matthew 23:37-38 O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
I knew Bob's house would be left "desolate" to him because of what he had done and I reported this to him.
***
***
Within a short time ...
- Bob and Marte divorced.
-
ACB Primetime Live presented an expose concerning Robert Tilton:
exposing money received from offerings being forwarded unopened to a
bank in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where bank employees opened these offering
letters and threw the letters in garbage dumpsters while depositing the
money in a bank account in Tulsa. After this was disclosed on
Primetime Live, offerings dropped from 8-million dollars a month to
2-million per month, still an incredible amount of money.
-
A member of Bob's congregation filed law suit against him for
"extortion", claiming 100-fold returns on offerings which did not
happen.
- The church building somehow was obtained by the city and was torn down and a youth hockey center erected on the location.
- Bob moved out of state.
- Bob married another woman. (adultery against Marte) They also divorced.
- Bob married a third wife.
- Bob tried to establish another TV ministry in Florida.
- At last report, Bob had moved to Culver City, California, where he purchased an hotel.
*****
I'm sure there are many reasons given for all these changes.
But I know the real reason.
*****
Matthew 24:1-5 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And as HE sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in MY name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Many will come saying, "I (Jesus) am Christ" ... "Jesus is Lord" ... and because they say this, they will deceive many.
Marilyn Hickey
In the early 1980's, I was well acquainted with Marilyn Hickey. She came to Dallas to conduct a meeting and I picked her up at airport and helped get her to her hotel.
She shipped a large number of books and tapes which she planned to offer for sale at her meetings.
(As I recall there were approximately 30 boxes that she managed to ship on the airplane. There were so many boxes that Bob, who took me to the airport, had to take Marilyn and I to her hotel, then he made several trips between the airport and hotel to bring all the boxes.)
It was amazing she could afford to ship so many boxes on the airplane.
Then she told me how she managed to do this for very little cost!
She said, "Get a large roll of dollar bills and roll them up ... drive up to curb and let the man who checks items see that roll of bills." (these were days before security checks) "He will check all the boxes onto your flight and then you hand him the roll of money."
Instead of paying the airline hundreds of dollars for shipping costs, you would be able to ship the books for the tip, of approximately $20, given to the baggage handler.
Marilyn said to me, "And I've taught Sarah and she knows how to do this." (Sarah is Marilyn's daughter who was approximately 12 years old at the time.)
It was several days before I realized this was defrauding the airlines ... and teaching her daughter how to defraud the airlines ... and teaching me to defraud the airlines.
It just seemed very wise!
We can certainly deceive ourselves as ministers. And people who attend churches can deceive themselves. But Jesus did warn us this would happen.
Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
***
One thing Marilyn did all the time was to give out scriptures to individuals. While that may sound good and harmless, I always thought it was a gimmick to draw people to herself.
A woman in our little church group went on a tour of Jerusalem which was sponsored by Marilyn. At the end of the trip, Marilyn gave a scripture to each person on the tour. I just do not see this as the spiritual gift of a word of knowledge, for that is done as God wills and I cannot imagine a scripture for each person on a tour. For the most part, I believe these scriptures were of Marilyn and not from the Holy Spirit of God.
***
Another very fleshly, secular gimmick Marilyn used to raise money is as follows.
This is a report from the same church woman who told us about the Jerusalem trip.
"Years after I moved back to Seattle, I got a letter from Marilyn Hickey Ministries. Inside was a small packet of rice in a see through package. There was a request to "plant a seed" by sending the small packet of rice back with a donation for her ministry. I threw away the letter and packet of rice. It was just another gimmick to bring in money. I do not recall anything that stands out in Marilyn's teachings but these are some things I remember her doing."
***
*****
Marilyn Hickey
In the early 1980's, I was well acquainted with Marilyn Hickey. She came to Dallas to conduct a meeting and I picked her up at airport and helped get her to her hotel.
She shipped a large number of books and tapes which she planned to offer for sale at her meetings.
(As I recall there were approximately 30 boxes that she managed to ship on the airplane. There were so many boxes that Bob, who took me to the airport, had to take Marilyn and I to her hotel, then he made several trips between the airport and hotel to bring all the boxes.)
It was amazing she could afford to ship so many boxes on the airplane.
Then she told me how she managed to do this for very little cost!
She said, "Get a large roll of dollar bills and roll them up ... drive up to curb and let the man who checks items see that roll of bills." (these were days before security checks) "He will check all the boxes onto your flight and then you hand him the roll of money."
Instead of paying the airline hundreds of dollars for shipping costs, you would be able to ship the books for the tip, of approximately $20, given to the baggage handler.
Marilyn said to me, "And I've taught Sarah and she knows how to do this." (Sarah is Marilyn's daughter who was approximately 12 years old at the time.)
It was several days before I realized this was defrauding the airlines ... and teaching her daughter how to defraud the airlines ... and teaching me to defraud the airlines.
It just seemed very wise!
We can certainly deceive ourselves as ministers. And people who attend churches can deceive themselves. But Jesus did warn us this would happen.
Matthew 24:4-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
***
One thing Marilyn did all the time was to give out scriptures to individuals. While that may sound good and harmless, I always thought it was a gimmick to draw people to herself.
A woman in our little church group went on a tour of Jerusalem which was sponsored by Marilyn. At the end of the trip, Marilyn gave a scripture to each person on the tour. I just do not see this as the spiritual gift of a word of knowledge, for that is done as God wills and I cannot imagine a scripture for each person on a tour. For the most part, I believe these scriptures were of Marilyn and not from the Holy Spirit of God.
***
Another very fleshly, secular gimmick Marilyn used to raise money is as follows.
This is a report from the same church woman who told us about the Jerusalem trip.
"Years after I moved back to Seattle, I got a letter from Marilyn Hickey Ministries. Inside was a small packet of rice in a see through package. There was a request to "plant a seed" by sending the small packet of rice back with a donation for her ministry. I threw away the letter and packet of rice. It was just another gimmick to bring in money. I do not recall anything that stands out in Marilyn's teachings but these are some things I remember her doing."
***
When the Holy Spirit teaches something I find years later I can remember the teaching.
Although I heard Marilyn teach several times, I cannot remember one spiritual thing she ever taught.
All I remember is a very fleshly, humorous thing which she spoke but she failed to connect this to the real subject which showed deception that was being practiced by Marilyn.
This story concerned an eggplant casserole which she cooked and took to a church supper. She said she tried to sneak in without anyone seeing her so she could put the casserole on the food table.
When they began to eat, a man put some of her casserole on his plate and came to where she was eating and he began to eat. This man took a bite of her casserole and made a grimace and said, "Marilyn … did you cook this?"
People laughed but that ended the story without any godly teaching.
(Amazingly, it simply showed how deceptive Marilyn could try to be.)
***
I asked the woman who once attended Marilyn's church, if she could remember any teaching Marilyn did. She could not remember any of Marilyn's teachings, although she went on the trip to Jerusalem with Marilyn's tour group. I remember this woman saying Marilyn taught on the airplane all the way to Jerusalem and back by handing out printed materials.
I believe each of these points show us that Marilyn Hickey is not a minister called and appointed and taught by God.
By my recollection, Marilyn was a teacher of some secular subject. (According to Wikipedia she studied to be a Spanish teacher.)
Jude vv. 17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (imitators) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Marilyn certainly showed a lust for greatness in ministry circles.
***
Situations such as this can be very confusing to the body of Christ for they can seem like teachers. But when a person is really of God, I find I can remember at least a few of the things that he taught.
It is a very tricky situation.
What we are supposed to do as Christians is to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves in situations such as this. For we remember that Jesus said, "Be not deceived by them. Many will come saying that Jesus is Lord and will deceive many." (paraphrased from Matthew 24:4-5)
We can see by Marilyn's pattern of life that she did practice deception as she deceived the airlines, and as she tried to get money from people with her bags of rice. So the deception is clear where she is concerned.
***
At her meetings, Marilyn often told this story concerning when she started out in ministry.
Marilyn said a friend told her she was one of the most boring speakers she had ever heard.
So Marilyn acquired a drama coach to help her to become interesting to the audience.
The apostle Paul described himself as follows:
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
***
God
taught me to speak that which I heard from HIM, just depending upon the
Holy Spirit who would call to my mind scriptures or concepts and I was
to speak that word, which was from God and would provide for the congregation.
I would read the Bible and depend on the Holy Spirit rather than plan ahead concerning that which I would speak.
And the following scripture showed me what to do.
John 5:30 Jesus said: I
can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is
just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me.
I
was certain that only God knew what each group of people needed to hear
and I could do nothing that was of God but speak that which the Holy
Spirit brought to my mind as I recorded radio broadcasts or wrote
writings or spoke in meetings.
So I just spoke that which I heard in my mind as I walked onto the stage or sat down to write or record.
I depended on these things that Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do.
This is what I still do today.
***
Marilyn, at that time, wanted to go on television.
She said to me, "Joan ... please pray that Michael Ellison will approve my going on TV." (Michael Ellison ... not God.)
Michael Ellison was Marilyn's advertising agent ... my agent too for a few months.
(I never prayed this.)
*****
Deceiving ... and being deceived.
II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
*****
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*****