In
1977, I was involved in a Charismatic cult called the Church of the Living Word
aka the Walk—John Robert Stevens was the founder and Apostle of the Walk.
Stevens came out of the AOG after he received impartation from the New Order of
the Latter Rain, and started moving in the spirit of the New Order.
Stevens
built the Walk’s congregation of 100 plus churches scattered throughout the
United States with thousands of members. Hundreds of Pentecostals, including
myself was swept up in this powerful spiritual move, believing we were
inaugurating the Kingdom of God, the greatest spiritual move the world had ever
experienced.
We
were deeply involved in the deeper truths of the Walk; the fivefold ministry of Apostles &
Prophets, the ability for the Apostles to impart spiritual gifts through the
laying on of hands, Unity apart from Biblical truth, Manifested Sons teachings,
and the deep believe we were inaugurating God’s Kingdom—we would become agents
in this government.
When
I came to the realization I was deceived by a spirit I believed was the Holy
Spirit, it took years to recovery. Like
me other Christians who left the Walk took years to realize the difference
between Christian truth and heresy.
In
the late 70s many Walk leaders left John Stevens, and submerged into the
Charismatic Movement, in the late 80s many of these leaders reemerged as
powerful Prophetic leaders that literally changed the direction of the
Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement. Some of these ex-apostles and prophets (from
the church of the Living Word) were John Paul Jackson, Bob Jones, Francis
Frangipane, and many others.
Today,
the Apostolic influence from these ex-Walk leaders have changed the face of the
Pentecostal world, none renounced their Walk affiliation, or deeper truths they
received from John Robert Stevens, and it is obvious from their ministry they
continued to minister under the spirit of The Walk, and its originator the New
Order of the Latter Rain
My
questions to you—has the Pentecostal Movement become more concerned with the
Apostolic Company, Impartation, directive Prophecy, inaugurating the Kingdom of
God then the Lord Jesus Christ, His Crucifixation, His literal
return to end the tribulation period, and inaugurate His Kingdom rule over the
earth.
I
have witnessed worship change in the Church from true worship of God to songs
of the river, the kingdom, fire, the army, most often the name of Jesus is not
even mentioned; whatever happened to the Old Rugged Cross, Leaning on the Ever
Last Arms, How Great Thou Art, Nothing but the Blood, or At the Cross.
My
greatest fear, the Church is moving away from the Lordship of Jesus Christ,
placing itself as the ongoing incarnation of the Christ, believing the Church
will bring forth the Kingdom of God, and execute the Judgment of God.
In
the late 1980s, Robert K. McGregor Wright,
Th.M., Ph.D., and I wrote a documented book on the Emerging One-World Church,
showing how the Church is departing from sound Bible doctrines, and is embracing
teachings and practices that could develop into a world-church.
In the Early 90’s we placed the unpublished
ms on the shelf, I started producing a program (Issues & Answers) on a
local Fox affiliate.
Several years ago the Lord spoke clearly to
me to take my ms off the shelf, blow the dust off, update and publish.
I wish with all of my heart I could say, I
see real revival services, conferences and congregations with the banner of
truth flying from the pulpit. But we all
know that is not the case.
Look at your congregation. Sit in the back row, ask yourself—is the banner of Biblical
truth taught from my pulpit, or is it new truths, new revelations, prophetic utterances
that do not glorify the King of Glory, or is even Scriptural?
Where is Jesus in the midst of all of THIS?
We have a friendly seeker society and churches,
Millennials are raised on Harry Potter and
the supernatural–unless we become the clear voice of Bible preaching truth we will
lose this generation; we are allowing them to ride the tidal wave of deception towards
the world church.
Only truth can defuse this wave, please with
all of my heart I encourage you to read God’s Word, truth is what sets the captive
free, truth breaks the bondage of Satan, only the Truth from God’s Word can
help this generation.
Each of our ministries have a statement of
faith…We believe, we put this statement out for the world to see what we
believe–when was the last time you took your statement of faith– got down on
your knees and prayed? God let these
simple truths permeate my heart again. I
believe in the inerrancy of the Scriptures, it is God’s Holy Word, I believe in
the Lordship of Jesus Christ, not just over my life, but the life of my
congregation. I believe in the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. I Believe
Jesus died on the cross for my sins, He is coming again, and only He will
defeat Satan, and I can rest on His sovereignty for my future.
My book is finished, a few more footnotes,
and off to the publisher. I plan to send
you a copy. Please, read it and give me
your insights.
I pray with all of my heart –what I have
written will turn our beloved Pentecostals back to the banner of truth and preached
from every pulpit would be “truth Matters.”
I am convinced the world is heading towards its
final chapter–we will see the Church rushing to become part of the world
church, and the redefining of Christianity.
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