Thursday, January 27, 2011

What Jesus do you worship?

This is an interesting read from Lee Grady over at Charisma Magazine

I post this as the Jesus worshiped at LOTWC was the Rolex Jesus. So glad I'm free from that bondage! Joyce Leiphon became Jesus to the people of this church. You can see from the comments that LOTWC is Her church and pastor worship continues to run rampant. As you read this, please ask yourself, what Jesus do you worship?


John says Jesus will burst on the scene in all His majesty at the end of history, and all the world will see Him for who He is. Yet today people pick and choose what they believe about Jesus without accepting His full identity. They craft a god in their own image to meet their needs, then they stick the Jesus label on their idol. Do you recognize any of these false versions of Jesus that are popular today?

1. The Rolex Jesus. Many people worship at the altar of this golden calf. This Jesus promises health, wealth, mansions and luxury cars—but the people who benefit most from his favors are the prosperity preachers who demand that you tithe to them.

2. The Santa Claus Jesus. He lives far, far away and visits rarely. He makes a list and checks it twice, and his love is based on your performance. If you aren’t too naughty he gives you what you ask for.

3. The Rabbit Foot Jesus. Some people treat Jesus like a magic charm. They don’t seek to know Him personally, but they figure if they show up at a church service a few times a year, or hang a picture of him on their wall, they’ll be lucky when bad things happen to other people.

4. The Oprah Jesus. He’s soft, cuddly and adaptable to your spiritual preferences. He lets you define your own morality. He’s like a spiritual bartender—he’ll mix Buddhism, Hinduism and hedonism into your favorite New Age cocktail. He invites you to eat, drink and be merry because all religions lead to heaven.

5. The Fightin’ Fundie Jesus. He’s always angry, especially at homosexuals, women who work outside the home, and stores that sell liquor on Sundays. At any moment he’s ready to unleash an earthquake to destroy America. He doesn’t really like other countries either.

6. The Liberal Mainline Jesus. He’s similar to the Oprah Jesus, but more respectable. He doesn’t mind if you rewrite the Bible, but he requires that you wear a suit to church and that you sing the first, second and fourth verse of every hymn. And he asks that you keep your music very mellow.

7. The Rock Star Jesus. This one is hugely popular today. He doesn’t care how you live your life during the week, or who you sleep with, but in church you must be trendy and use lots of hair gel. Songs must be loud (even if they have no content) and sermons must have a lot of movie clips. Words such as “sin” or “holiness” are off-limits because they are just not cool.

8. The Republican Jesus. When this flag-waving Jesus was transfigured, he appeared with George Washington and Ronald Reagan. He’s willing to bend the rules and let certain conservative politicians and pundits into heaven (especially Mormons) if they promise to keep taxes low and guns available.

9. The Democratic Jesus. He rides on a donkey and dispenses good will, health care and stimulus money to all who are weary and heavy-laden. He steals from the rich, gives to the poor and creates jobs for people who are too lazy to work. He’s fine if you talk about God in speeches, as long as you don’t mention sin or offend a special interest group.

There are many other false versions of Jesus out there, but I think you catch my drift. We need to know, worship and proclaim the real Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible whose robe was dipped in blood because He died for all of us. His name is clearly legible: KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Let’s tell everybody about Him now so they won’t be caught by surprise when this life is over.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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!