Other money making schemes and is the “Prosperity Gospel” heresy?

I remember the beginning of each year at Light of the World Church, starting at New Years Eve, everyone was required to come to church to pray the new year in. I see nothing wrong with praying as we should continue to pray without ceasing. However, when the members were trying to outdo each other by giving her money as the clock struck midnight and she would wave the cash in the air declaring "Money Cometh to Me Now!" I felt like....so this is the God we serve? The more you gave, the richer you would become in the coming year. Got it and did it for several years. I never got rich at all. There was an unspoken competition who could give her the most money. I didn't pay my bills so I could do this, passed on giving gifts to family, did without meals, all in the belief that by "giving 'till it hurts" was somehow something God wanted me to do. Interestingly, in the last year I stopped believing this lie and gave as the Holy Spirit led, I was blessed and it had nothing to do with shouting and jumping up and down yelling "money cometh to me now"

The first few months of the year was great for Joyce Leiphon as she taught us (brainwashed) us into giving what she said was "first fruit" offerings that went to her directly. So, like obedient sheeple, we gave our first weeks salary, first sales commission, she would wave it in the air then put it in her bank account. Back a few years ago when the government gave everyone a tax credit and everyone received $500-1,000 check, she told us that money belonged to her! Some members actually gave her their tax refund that year. I did my own study about "first fruit offerings" and while there is such a thing mentioned in the old testament, I believe the way it was done at Joyce Leiphon's church was just another money making deal.

I found this very interesting as it is the same gospel preached at Joyce Leiphon's church in Ft Pierce. The exception in the article is that the "Money Cometh" churches are much more in your face with the money message.

Is the “Prosperity Gospel” heresy?

The Money Cometh Man Cometh to a City Near You!

Joyce Leiphon finally got her man of "gawd" Dr Leroy Thompson to come to Ft Pierce January 12, 13, 2012

Having attended these money making conferences in the past, let me save you some time and money and let you know what to expect. There will be people there from other "Money Cometh" churches in the state. They are expected to support and travel to these conferences if they want the "Money Cometh anointing", so don't be surprised if the church is full.

Bring lots of money! For each service, you will see something strange. People will start bringing money to the platform, stage, pulpit, altar, podium etc. This is a learned behavior and part of the "Money Cometh to Me Now" money game. If you bring a large amount, make sure you put it in Leroy Thompson's hand. He'll give you recognition for your money. Don't be shy about laying your money down even while he's talking, it's ok and expected.

Be prepared to repeat "Money Cometh to Me Now!" 3 times if you want it to really work, you will have to do the "money pull" and shout as loud as you can. It is at this time, some of the cult will run up and down, jump, scream and shout! It's ok if you don't do all this, but be aware, if you don't, you won't get your money, and you will get some looks from the cult members.

Don't expect to meet the "Money Cometh Man" afterwards. He'll have some body guards with him, and will probably be escorted quickly after he gets your money. Don't be surprised to see a guy in dark glasses with a slight buldge in his coat. Yes, I hope he keeps his jacket buttoned and not let you see his Glock in his shoulder holster. Yes, it's true, and yes after all, it's Ft Pierce!

Don't bring your bible as you won't need it. What you need is your money and you will be told you can't be a blessing until you get your money!

Be prepared to see people give thousands of dollars in money they have borrowed, saved and otherwise could not afford to give to a man to build his personal kingdom. Joyce Leiphon herself will give a thousand bucks at each meeting if not more....after all, it takes $10 grand to fly your private jet here and have it parked at the airport for a few days.

Save your time and money, skip the "Money Cometh" conference. Give as Jesus gave. Help your local church, feed someone, clothe someone, love everyone.

Joyce Leiphon and the $20,000 turkey

As we embark on another Thanksgiving season, I wanted to write about what we did while I was a member of Light of the World Church each November.

It's the annual "Money Cometh to Me" conference held in Darrow, LA at Dr Leroy Thompson's church. We'd be asked to start seed sowing (MONEY) for her expenses and to sow (give till it hurts) as much for this week long love fest of material riches.

Joyce Leiphon as usual will go to this conference as she does each year to sow into her man of god. She will go and bring a money offering each day for the 5 day conference, at two meetings each day she'll have to bring some major cash with her on this trip.

I remember being asked one year what Light of the World did for the poor and needy in Ft Pierce, how many families did we help feed. Unfortunately, my answer was.....NONE! But I can tell you, when Joyce Leiphon came back from Dr Thompson's fund raising show, she did tell us she gave $20,000.00 to Dr Thompson and we should be striving to be like her. Of course that meant we were to give her the money directly.

Now that's a $20,000 turkey. How many families could that have helped in Ft Pierce? We'll never know, but one thing for sure this Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks that I'm not part of this ponzi scheme and not part of Light of the World Church.

When your pastor encourages divorce by example, what?

I've been very blessed as today I celebrate 30 years of marriage to my wife Candy.

In my experience with Light of the World Church and it's pastor Joyce Leiphon, there exists a pastor who openly promotes divorce by example and actually preaches it from her pulpit! Of course she doesn't say the word divorce, but sometimes your actions speak louder than your words. I have heard her tell us that if your husband isn't listening to what I'm preaching, then....(stopped short of using the word divorce) stop listening to him!

When I arrived there 4 years ago I remember our meeting and how she went on to describe her 4 previous marriages. The last husband had attended REHMA Bible School. It didn't bother me as we serve a God of mercy and grace. What did bother me, was her last husband was co pastor and she said God told her to divorce him. He left the area, and she got the church! Scripture is pretty clear on grounds for divorce, but she told me she heard from God. Hey who am I to question the pastor?

Funny thing is, this was the second time God told her to divorce a husband. I have to admit, I'm no bible scholar but I thought God hates divorce. Why would God tell her to divorce two husbands? She said there was no infidelity or death involved but that God told her to divorce her husbands. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace!

I started to look around and noticed, that out of the 15 regular devotees of the money cometh to me church, most were divorced, in the process of divorce, or been divorced. I was asked one day from someone, "How can someone who has divorced 4 times, heard from God to divorce 2 of them, , not interested in being married, belittles men and husbandry from the pulpit ever counsel anyone with marital problems?" I didn't have an answer. I have watched at least one divorce happen in this church with the pastor's blessing and encouragement.

Now I get emails and hand written letters from people who say she's actually been married 5 times! Thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy.

I'm thankful I've been married only once and for 30 years today. I'm also thankful to be out of a church that encourages divorce. When your pastor encourages divorce, what do you do? If it's not scriptural, RUN!

Light of the World and the Love of Lucre

This is the time of year where the annual "campmeeting" takes place at Darrow, LA. Basically a week long money raising event concluding with a "founders" evening where last year over $200,000 was raised for Dr Thompson et al. As he sat on his throne, thousands of people would lay their money down before the Dr, large checks from churches such as Light of the World would be received eagerly. All for the man who brought Christianity the money pull. This 4th of July I thank God for true freedom from this mess.

I received this comment and decided to post it as it was buried in the archives.


This is a wonderful testimony of grace, Bill, and coming out from among the wolves. The cultish nature of that group is clearly evident within their doctrines and behaviors, as you have pointed out. However, it is especially noticeable within the comments of some of the remaining cult adherents, who saw fit to make their deceived condition known here on your post.

I have added a link to your testimony to my our own new post, "Leroy's Love for Lucre" on www.KennethCopelandBlog.com on the web. (BTW: I noticed that you linked to our post about Hagin's rebuke of Copeland, Thompson, and others...so thank you for highlighting that fact.) The hyperlinked text toward the end of the post which says, "Thankfully, some people have already realizing that Leroy and his throng of subordinate 'wanna-be-just-like-him' junior cult-leaders are nothing more than covetous wolves" contains the link back to your page. You can find the full post here: http://kennethcopelandblog.com/2011/06/01/leroys-love-of-lucre/

God bless you, Sir. Keep up the great work!

Always in Jesus,

-Rev. Rich Vermillion

Pastor David Wilkerson passes away with a warning

Unfortunately, many of the "Money Cometh to Me Now" churches will claim that since David Wilkerson spoke out against them, he died because he dare speak out against "God's anointed"

I will not address the misuse and twisting of scripture here. But will only say it smacks of manipulation and is a cult control tactic. Joyce Leiphon would tell us about people who came down with cancer, lost jobs, all sorts of bad things because someone dared to speak against her!

Depending whether you liked/disliked brother Wilkerson, this video woke me up the day I saw it. I hope it blesses you and opens your eyes to all the "Money Cometh to Me Now!" teachers. God doesn't need your money, take care of your family, church family, the poor, the hungry, all the things spoken about in New Testament church. Rest in peace brother David Wilkerson, you ran your race and spoke boldly against those who would fleece God's people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9KUilKMDaY&feature=player_detailpage

Would you come to this church?

She flies twice a month to follow Dr Leroy Thompson on his speaking circuit to attend his "Money Cometh" conferences and considers herself to be one of his spiritual daughters. Brags about the thousands she "sows to her man of God" while her church of 15 people continue to contribute to a new sanctuary that is still vacant after a year and a half. Yes, after 5 years there are only 15 adults attending her church. (WHY?)

She teaches the "Money Cometh" prosperity gospel, so we did the "MONEY COMETH TO ME NOW" shout and money pull. Repeated so much we believed this as coming from the bible, "You have a need, sow a seed", "I live by the seed I sow", "I want to be rich!" became our mindset. Giving to her is job number one.

I was the worship leader there for three and a half years and was instructed to flow with her to enhance her anointing and to usher God's presence into the meeting to prepare hearts to hear her message. Not exactly what true worship is to God. I repent to God for manipulating my brothers and sisters and not worshiping Him in spirit and truth!

In my time there, giving to her directly (sowing into the anointing) was encouraged and we were to sow level to level, (more and more) It came to the point our sowing was about $300 a week, (which was almost 50% of our income) in addition to our tithes, first fruit offerings, birthday, pastor "appreciation, building fund, jet airplane fund for Dr Thompson) We had minister of helps meetings about the importance of showing our pastor honor through our giving of lavish gifts, followed by on going fund raising for the pastor.

It stopped for me recently when we forgot to "sow our seed" one Sunday. I got a call on Monday morning out of concern that we not miss our blessings since we were so connected to her. I was reading a book from WoF grandfather Kenneth Hagin Sr called "The Midas Touch". This was one of his last books before his passing in 2003. It was about bringing balance to the prosperity gospel. Funny thing, Leroy Thompson was one of his spiritual sons and refused to heed the warning from his mentor. She told me to destroy that book and never read it, adding it was a book with a message from hell! She later called me and told me, that Kenneth Hagin Jr actually wrote the book out of a spirit of vindictiveness.

This is a MONEY CHURCH, all money flowed to her, no oversight, no benevolent fund, no charity giving, no outreaches. Everything is tightly controlled, no association with other Christian ministries, must attend 3 plus meetings a week, (each meeting you were to sow money into her). We became her personal servants, I was her personal chef two days a week in addition to my other duties at church.

The best experience I've learned here is DISCERNMENT. I wish it didn't take me so long. Stay away from the "Money Cometh" preachers!