letter to churches
which negotiated a speaking assignment with Nasir Siddiki on "Financial Empowerment"
· September 30 · 2008
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
The 9/11 anniversary just passed, my thoughts were drawn to brothers and sisters, to my friends calling from Tulsa and the Ministries who contacted us with their own issues after the fact. What will happen when a self proclaimed "minister", a so called man of God crashes into the towers of our believe system. We would be hurt like so many others. Some may give up on church and join the growing ranks of bitter, disenfranchised Christians. Others may suffer total spiritual shipwreck. Like the men of Flight 93, aren't we called to stand up and change course to protect more victims?
When a spiritual leader we’re connected with violates trust, is exposed for immorality or falls below other accepted standards of behavior, it does not exonerate us simply to say we don’t condone such behavior. Those we lead trust us to let them know whom to trust. Our careless accountability has caused the body of Christ to be spiritually raped and abused. It has produced disillusionment and brought immeasurable reproach to our God and cynicism to His message.
Often we hear: “Please be careful when speaking against preachers ....". Even when wickedness is exposed by a dependant subordinate, non-disclosure agreements will keep the hurt quiet and enabling so bad behavior for years. We know of Acts 5:38-39: “Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest haply you be found to fight against God”.
We find many with an attitude like ... “oh well, let God take care of what is wrong with them; let’s just focus on the positive”. Some of them reference the book of Jude, specifically verse nine (9): "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee”. Jude writes to Christians whose ranks have been infiltrated by false teachers.
The mistake is the misconception that pointing out the truth of something personally experienced is “negative” when it is not simply because the truth is always positive regardless of whom it offends. We are called to forgive which doesn't mean we have to continue to trust the person. Addressing these things is commanded in Scripture and those who fail to do it are being disobedient to God and His Word:
Paul wrote: “... Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Rom. 16:17-18.
Some of the 30-minute “TV celebrities” can bring forth drops of spiritual truth by tapping into the river of wisdom flowing through biblical text, thus producing the false image of being a speaker of wisdom when they are actually only skilled mouthpieces. Multitudes of believers susceptible to skillfully constructed image and hypnotized by charisma and oratorical skill, will see them as great religious teachers.
All to often we assume a person’s credibility based on gifts, charisma, the size of their ministry or church, whether they can prophesy or work a miracle, etc. Miracles and signs are intended to validate God and His message, not the messenger; sometimes they validate the assignment of an individual, but never the person’s character, lifestyle or spiritual maturity. We have become no different than the world around us in our standards for measuring success and greatness. This has contributed to the body of Christ giving millions of dollars to undeserving individuals; it has allowed some of those people living in immorality and sin.
While thousands watching on TBN or listening to them when they visit their churches can be duped for many years, the real nature and character is exposed inside their own walls. How do they treat their own people, the people closest to them? The genuine fiber of those beings is revealed by the exploits and the abuses of their work force, refilled by a never-ending flow of God-loving people drawn to them to serve and mesmerized by a name and public image.
This flow could have been avoided if someone who went through it would have been more vocal about his objections and urged other people to evaluate the spiritual and work experience with the ministry or ministry leader through the filter of God’s Word. Why didn't anyone correct those errors from the pulpit? Godly leaders are supposed to protect the sheep from heresy, not spoon feed deception to them. No one in ministry today should be out on their own, living in isolation without checks, balances and wise counsel.
If this message is counsel to you, ask yourself if the upcoming speaking assignment is a God-given appointment. Evaluate your original motives. If in doubt and after much prayerful deliberation, consider distancing yourself and your congregation. Stay strong — He will give you words to say and a spirit filled message of your own heart worthy of your people.
Written with Love, September of 2008.
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2Ti 4:1-4:4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (3) 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; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
PS: The US Department of Labor and the EEOC are presently investigating Wisdom Ministries in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for code and labor law violations. For documents and additional insider information please see http://www.moralwindows.org.
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