I responded to another blog post which a brother entitled "A great read! The Blessing of the Lord Maketh Rich and He Adds No Sorrow to It by Kenneth Copeland." Amazingly, after I provided two messages with ample evidence that the late Kenneth Hagin, founder of the word-faith movement, and Kenneth Copeland, his disciple, are false prophets, those messages were deleted from that blog.
Odd that a Christian would want to suppress the truth. Jesus Christ said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me," and indeed He is. And the Bible tells us that the Father draws men to Christ by the Holy Spirit. What is dangerous is that many young Christians, seeking to have deeply spiritual experiences, often do not test the spirits, and gladly accept any wind that blows their way. As a result false revivals like "the Toronto blessing" or "the Brownsville (Florida) revival" -- or, more recently, Todd Bentley's short-lived mania, also in Florida --- have wreaked havoc amongst the charismatic community. Anything that has people twitching like they have a nervous disorder, barking like dogs, clucking like chickens, or behaving like drunkards is obviously demonic.
I say this, being a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led believer. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is very real and wonderful. I was saved in childhood, backslid from 18 - 25 (thank God for praying mothers!), and was baptized in the Holy Ghost in 1993 with the initial evidence of speaking with tongues. I was alone in prayer in my bedroom and the Lord met me wonderfully, and I have subsequently been more sensitive to His presence than ever before. Signs and wonders do follow those who believe in Christ, according to His Word. They follow us; we shouldn't chase after them. Keep your eyes on Jesus. They only confirm the work of the Holy Spirit in the midst of believers. God is not weird; He is astonishingly powerful and astonishingly humble. No one else deserves all of our praise, and yet so much of what He does and has done is taken for granted by believers, especially in the western world.
So much of what I see in the charismatic world is fueled by sensuality. They'll never say it, but many are thinking, "Why should I read my Bible and obey the parts that are most unpleasant to my self-blessing agenda (like denying self, mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit, etc.) when I can just go to the meeting and get 'zapped' by the latest traveling 'evangelist'?" And so they do, and it opens them up to the demonic. Rodney Howard-Browne, a white African known in the '90s as the 'Holy Ghost Bartender' (itself a blasphemous title), was only one of many who preyed upon the many unstable souls in charismatic and pentecostal circles, making them 'fall out', laugh uncontrollably, etc. At the end of the day, there was NO CHANGE OF HEART, NO INCREASED CLOSENESS TO JESUS, NO DEALING WITH THE SIN NATURE. Instead, the flesh was worked up, and the people wanted more. They were hooked. Same with Benny Hinn and others of that ilk (and they often teamed up, these types, but not for too long; clashing egos ended that).
Here is video footage of Rodney Howard-Browne and Kenneth Copeland, joking with each other in tongues. It is a disgusting parody of the genuine and holy gift:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixOr_bT0mOk
Kenneth Copeland's teachings are so obviously heretical that it boggles the mind that any real born again believers in Christ could read his work, but some do. Here are just a few examples of his false teachings:
http://www.cephasministry.com/kenneth_copeland.html
We shouldn't feed on poison, or it will indeed harm us, and frustrate the grace of God in our lives. So many counterfeits and mixtures are out there. Is any man perfect? No---only Jesus. However, those who wilfully err, and teach others to do so also, should be avoided. The Bible is our guide in these matters, and the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth as we prayerfully read.
Dr. Joseph Chambers, an old-time Pentecostal preacher, put this excellent documentary together, "Kenneth Hagin and the Spirit of the Serpent", which exposes the word-faith movement, using the Scriptures as counterpoint to actual footage from Hagin's meetings (where Copeland was also present):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdzSseghu58
I love our Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and bear malice to no man---but, like Jesus, I hate sin, as it is a spiritual cancer that is fatal to those who do not destroy it by laying hold of Christ's victory wrought for us at Calvary's cross where His broken body and shed blood paid the price for our sins, and where His atonement provides not only salvation, but a COVERING against every wind of doctrine and against every lying spirit (there is the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error, the Bible tells us).
We must not be afraid to stand for truth, no matter how unpopular it may make us.
In Jesus' love,
Alec Stevens
Comments
Thanks for this post Alec. I only just came across it. Thanks, too, to those who responded with respect and courtesy. GOD bless
Thanks for writing back, Mel. Yes, we do disagree on Copeland. I take issue not only with his doctrines, but also with what manner of spirit he operates in (like when he and Rodney Howard-Browne jokingly "converse" in tongues with one another; or some of the other footage in Hagin's meetings which Copeland took part in).
As for myself, I am involved in the music ministry at Times Square Church where people from over 100 different nations attend (about 8,000 weekly), and we are seeing so many souls coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, being properly discipled, empowered for service, and sent forth into the mission field. In 1998 our founding pastor David Wilkerson (of THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE fame) brokenheartedly shared in his message "The Reproach of the Solemn Assembly" that Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland are false prophets, having seen some of the same videos which I also own. He did not rejoice in seeing people deceived by an unclean spirit, and neither do I. My prayers are with you, Mel. This is very serious.
Yea Ralph,
I've experienced that with a number of older white pastors and so forth. They have a deep love of God, but like the old saying goes it's one thing to work with "them", go to church with "them" and be a friend to "them". But when it comes to one of "them" being in your family...But I also known older black pastors also have the seed of racism.
But a friend of mine Father who is white was one of the kindest, loving elders in church until his daughter wanted to marry a Latino. He didn't mind me when I was interested in her, but not a Latino. But he sought God and realized he was wrong and confessed his wrong thinking to the church.
Not to give them an excuse, but with older folks sometimes they don't realize they even are racist until it's standing at there front door.
Being here in Southern California, I use to attend Crenshaw Christian Center, Pastor Frederick K.C. Price. Back in the 80's Hagin, Price, and Copeland use to hold meetings that each one would attend. So I have sat in a Kenneth Hagin meeting. I have read Hagin literature and a book I would highly reccommend is "A Different Gospel" by D.R. McConnell. He takes a very objective and insightful look at the history of the Faith Movement. He sites literature by E.W. Kenyon, where Hagin and the Faith Movement get much of their teaching. He very discerning and produces many facts that bloster his issues with the Faith Movement.
btw Hagin, Copeland, and Price had a split when Kenneth Hagin Jr. stated over the pulpit that he did believe that blacks and whites should not marry. When Price, who is African American, confronted the Hagins, Hagin Sr. would not rebuke his son, which led to the split. Dispite being a man who claimed to be filled with God's Spirit, God could not change his deep seeded racial bigotry.
I prefer not to, because it would take a long long time to explain each quote and what it means. Plus it seems you already made up your mind about him because you haven't really listened to his sermons or read his books. But here are two examples:
"I say this with all respect so that it don't upset you too bad, but I say it anyway. When I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, 'I Am,' I just smile and say, 'Yes, I Am, too!'" (Kenneth Copeland, "Believer's Voice of Victory" broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/9/87)
That is referring to that we are like Christ. We are like God because God is in us. The Bible says so-1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Colossians 2:9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
"God is a being that stands somewhere around 6'2, 6'3" (Kenneth Copeland, "Following the Faith of Abraham" tape # 01-3001) That is referring to a vision Copeland had when he saw God create Adam. God replicated himself. He saw God standing and created Adam to look like him(shape, size, height and so on). You don't have to believe he had the vision from God. Your choice.
And do I really need to explain when he used the word Force? Seriously? A man can't use a Star Wars thing as a reference so people can understand spiritual stuff. I can go with other quotes, but if you don't get it. You don't get it. But to condemn a man because of misquotes from teachings you haven't listened to or read...Really? I mention a Copeland book you haven't even read and you judge it from someone else's opinions? People do that with the bible all the time, taking scriptures out of context. But Copeland doesn't need me or anybody to justify his ministry. And one thing I learned from him is I don't have to be pressed to convince people of what I believe. I use to. I don't now. That is why I can lovingly say we can agree to disagree.
Go to the 6:00 time in this Youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSRxAyHuv6M
to hear Kenneth Copeland himself say the following, from one of his own 'teaching' tapes:
"And the whole New Testament calls Him the first-born....The word "born" began to ring in my spirit; it just began to roll around: born, born. I never had let Him go through that in my own thinking....And while I was laying there thinking about these things, the Spirit of God spoke to me. And He said, "Son, realize this: Now follow Me in this, don't let your tradition trip you up." He said, "Think this way: A twice-born man whipped Satan in his own domain." And I threw my Bible down. I said, "What?" He said, "A born-again man defeated Satan. The first-born of many brethren defeated him." He said, "You are the very image and the very copy of that one." I said, "Goodness gracious, sakes alive!" And I began to see what had gone on in there, and I said, "You don't mean--you couldn't dare mean, that I could have done the same thing?" He said, "Oh, yeah, if you'd had the knowledge of the Word of God that He did, you could have done the same thing, 'cause you're a reborn man, too."
Mel, I have given ample evidence, whereas you offer only opinions. Where are the misquotes? Give specific examples, please. This is important.
I did that Alec because I already said I can agree to disagree with you. Also I didn't want your opinion to be negative towards someone who haven't even had a chance to read the book. Your evidence are misqoutes since it seemed you never read and listened to Copeland ministries. If you had you would understand the context of the quotes. But whatever, you have your opinion and I have mine. Tale care.
Thank you for the post, Alec. Really enjoyed.. not only enjoyed but also reminded myself about the false prophecy and the false spiritual power. Sensitive and delicate issue but also important... Thank you again! It's worth to mention it.