Sunday, July 21, 2013

Why is the Charismatic Movement Thriving in Africa?

Many explanations have been given for the explosion of the Charismatic movement in Africa. Many have seen this as a powerful visitation of the Holy Spirit. Whereas there is probably more than one reason, I want to add my own observation to this for what it is worth. In this blog post, I do not refer to the old conservative form of Pentecostalism once represented by the Assemblies of God churches. I have in mind the current extreme form that is mushrooming literally under every shrub and tree in Africa. How can one explain this phenomenon?

I think that one reason why the Charismatic movement in Africa has been like a wild bushfire is because it has not challenged the African religious worldview but has instead adopted it. It has simply baptised it with Bible verses and Christian words that previously meant something totally different.

The African Spiritual Worldview
Let me explain what I mean. The African spiritual worldview consists of four tiers.

1. God
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2. Angels and demons
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3. Ancestral spirits
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4. Human beings

It is because of this reality that Africans do not question the existence of God, as is the case with many people in the Western world. To an African, God is there. He is the Creator and ultimate Governor and Benefactor of the whole universe.

Rather, in our spiritual worldview, although God is there he is very far away. Between him and us as human beings lie two layers in the spirit world. One is that of angels and demons (i.e. bad angels) and the other—which is even closer to us—is that of the spirits of the departed.

So, although God is a benevolent, loving, and caring Being, unless the beings that dwell in these two layers that lie between him and us are appeased, his blessings cannot reach us. It is, therefore, important to appease the ancestral spirits and defeat the demons. Only after that will God’s blessings come upon us.

This is where in African traditional religions witchdoctors come in. They are the people with the mysterious power to break through these two layers. They tell us what we must do in order to appease the spirits of our forefathers. They also engage the demons for us through their midnight trances, dances, and incense.

So, a person who is beset with perennial illnesses, failing to get a job, failing to find a spouse or to have children, whose business is failing to thrive, etc., simply goes to the witchdoctor who alone has the key to look into the spirit world. He is told that it is either a deceased person or an evil spirit who is frustrating him.

Sometimes the enemy is a person who is alive. However, the reason why this living individual seems to have a mysterious hold over your life is because he has plugged into those two layers (of either dead ancestors or evil spirits) and you have not. With the help of a powerful witchdoctor you can outsmart him in those two layers, and the blessings of God can once again begin to flow into your life.

Whichever way, the power of the witchdoctor is not in explaining truth but in mindless frenzy. His grip upon the popular mind is his eerie mysteriousness and his capacity to knock you out of your senses and then pronounce you delivered. Of course, this is never done by benevolence. You pay for his services.

The Charismatic Movement’s Rendition
I do not mean to be unkind, but what the modern Charismatic movement in Africa has done is to simply take this entire erroneous superstructure of African religious worldview and baptise it with wrongly applied Bible verses and Christian language. The only difference is that the layer of dead ancestors and evil spirits is now one hotchpotch of confusion. This is why the nonsense of demons becoming spirit husbands and wives, and wrecking havoc in marriages, is taken for granted! This is also why the heresy of generation curses has become so popular. In our minds, bad luck can be passed on from that layer of dead ancestors.

In the African Charismatic circles, the “man of God” has replaced the witchdoctor. He is the one who oozes with mysterious power that enables him to break through those two impregnable layers, which us lesser mortals cannot penetrate. So, when blessings are not flowing our way despite our prayers, we make a beeline to his quarters or his church for help. This explains the throngs in these circles. The crowds are not looking for someone to explain to them the way to find pardon with God. No! They want the “man of God” to pray for them.

This also explains the stranglehold that “men of God” have on the minds of their devotees in these circles. In the Evangelicalism of a former generation “men of God” were primarily preachers of the word of God, but in the new setup they are primarily priests who enter the inner sanctuaries to bring down blessings to us.

This also explains why the answer to almost any problem that you take to these “men of God” is “deliverance” and “breakthrough”. God wants to bless you, but you need to break through these impregnable layers before those blessings can reach you. The prayers of the “man of God” will bring deliverance because at the overnight prayer meeting or on the hill he will bring about a breakthrough. Who can doubt that these two phrases have become the key words of this movement?

This also explains why prayer in the modern Charismatic movement in Africa is literally a fight. In fact, the people praying are called "prayer warriors". Although they begin by addressing God, within the first few seconds they divert from God and begin to fight the spirits in these impregnable layers with their bare knuckles. The language is almost always, "We bind every unclean spirit in Jesus' name! We loose the Spirit that breaks the yoke in Jesus' name!" 

The "prayer warriors" scream at the top of their voices and chant the name of Jesus. They sweat as they put up a gallant fight with these spirits, straining every muscle of their beings until they prevail (so they think). That is when they reach through to God and his blessings begin to flow. This is nothing more than the African traditional religious worldview sprinkled with a thin layer of Christianity.

Notice also how teaching is not the strength of the modern Charismatic movement in Africa. Its chief proponents survive on a few, well-worn, tortured verses: “By his stripes we are healed,” “We are not the tail but the head,” etc. There is absolutely no effort to properly exegete Scripture. Rather, by chanting phrases and making people drop under some trance, in witchdoctor fashion, they are holding sway over the popular mind. The people love it and are paying for it! The “men of God” are becoming stinking rich as the crowds just keep on coming.

This is not Christianity
What worries me is that this is so obvious that I am wondering why we are not seeing this. Or if we are, why we are not warning Christians against this. For the love of crowds, we have allowed African traditional religion to enter the church through the back door. Like the Arabian camel, it has since kicked out the truth. This is why I am not excited by the multiplication of churches—or ministries—under this banner.

We need to sound the warning that this is not Christianity. I know that this approach is filling our church buildings and classrooms to overflowing, until we have to multiply church services in order to accommodate the crowds. But this is not Christianity. It does not lead to heaven. It is a thin coating over the religion that has been on African soil for time immemorial, which Christianity was meant to replace. We have lost the Christian faith while we are holding the Bible in our hands and using some of its words. This is really sad.

The religion of the Bible does not teach a God who is so far away from us that unless some powerful humans come in and give us a breakthrough he cannot bless us. No! The Bible teaches a God who is near us. The only barrier between God and us is our sin, and Jesus has dealt with that by his death on the cross.

When we pray, we are in the throne room of divine grace talking directly to God. We do not need to address demons and ancestral spirits before we break through to him. We do not need to chant and jump around like witchdoctors around their fire under the midnight moonlight. God is our heavenly Father. Only our sin can hinder our prayers.

Listen! Angels and demons exist, but they are not an impregnable spiritual strata that needs someone reeking with anointing to breakthrough their layer before we can access God’s blessing. They are simply beings that either carry out God’s commands or the devil’s commands. They are not between God and us!

Finally, we do not need “men of God” to lay hands on us every Sunday (or at Friday overnight prayer meetings, or on hills in the outskirts of our cities) in order for us to know God’s blessings. There is only one Mediator between God and us—it is the man, Christ Jesus. All others are imposters and must be rejected with the contempt they deserve. 

[Included afterwards: Many individuals and organisations that run websites and blogs have asked me for permission to repost this article. Permission is granted, as long as due acknowledgement is made of the author and original blog post. Thank you for your interest in getting the word out!]

98 comments:

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    1. http://www.doveministries.com/content/religous-monitor

      Pastor T. B. Joshua has been found to be very upright and righteous and has received the true anointing of the Holy Spirit. The arrival of the true Holy Spirit anointed Pastor into the Nigerian Christian Ministries has been kicking Satan left and right, and the kingdom of Satan has been badly damaged.
      The people fighting and accusing Pastor T. B. Joshua are in this category. They are the false and fortune seeker Pastors. Such as Chris Okotie and some of his fellow Pentecostal fellowship of Nigeria members. They are not actually fighting Pastor T. B. Joshua, they are fighting the happenings of holy spiritual hearings at the Synagogue. They are fighting the miracles of God happening at the Synagogue.

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    2. Pastor C Mbewe. It would have been helpfull to the readers to be refered to literature which tarbulate the topic of African spirituality, Ancestaral veneration (not worship because Africans do not), Syncrytism in African Idependent Churches, the role of Western mission work in the surge of post colonial African Christian Theology and Neo-Pentecostal independent movements. Your level of understand of what you are trying to communicate can create an antisymmetric and apathy to what God is authenically doing on the continent as much as your concern is authentic. This will help avoid giving an impression of you being an "authority" on this subject.
      We are all overtly or sub, brand ambassadors of what we have lived, experienced and believe in but we do have have monopoly On the depth of scripture.

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  2. Dear Pastor Mbewe,

    Thanks for posting this... You have hit the nail on the end. This is as true in Zambia as it is in Kenya. It is my prayer that those who have been held captive by this terrible unChristian worldview will behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and trust Him, as their Lord and Saviour.

    Could you allow me to post this on my blog? (Of course I will give the credit to you)

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  3. Brother Murungi, please feel free to post this on your blog. You are most welcome!

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  4. Dear Pastor Mbewe,
    We see much the same thing now here in London. There's practically an assumption that if you are an African or Caribbean Evangelical Christian, then you must be Pentecostal / Charismatic. There are so few black Reformed pastors in our city.
    Mark

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    1. Mr. Murthen,

      Please advise where I can find black Reformed pastors in London.

      Barbara

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    2. Please advise where I can find black (or any) Reformed pastor in London.

      Barbara

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  5. It is no different in America. The default religion of man is "works superstition". It just manifests itself differently depending on the culture. Read 1 Corinthians 14 with the understanding that those who spoke another language or came from a strange land were viewed as "more spiritual" and you can see why the catholics performed services in Latin, itinerent preachers draw bigger crowds(because they're from out of town) and charasmatic Americans have great respect in Africa.

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  6. This makes so much sense. It's difficult talking with my American charismatic/pentecostals friends who always point to South America and Africa and say "God is using those movements to usher in worldwide revival." Unfortunately, they are pragmatists. They look at the numbers and not the fruit. The fruit of these movements (especially in Africa) is clearly rotten for the most part. You cannot sidestep the Word and rightly dividing it, for mystical experiences like both of those movement emphasis.

    Conrad, thank you for your faithfulness to Gospel Preaching!

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  7. Thank you Pastor. This article is so true in Kenya right now. I am praying that God may raise a new generation of Christian Ministers who will shame these evil men and bring true Christianity to Africans..

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  8. You are a blessing to His church...

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  9. Very enlightening! - This explains a lot about the Charismatic Movement! Thank You~

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  10. It is heartbreaking to hear from evangelicals in the US how wonderful it is that all over Africa, "Christianity" is being embraced. Prayers for you as you seek to proclaim the whole counsel of God's Word, and praying that God would grant a harvest of repentance and faith to many Africans.

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  11. Well handled subject Pastor CCM. I might print a small pamphlet to distribute to a number of my Christian cousins.

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  12. Thanks for posting this on your blog Pastor CCM. Its quite handy in our day.

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  13. Awesome brother. A lot I didn't know. Good to learn this. Paul warned of this type of thing. We need to be in constant prayer for the Church.

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  14. With all due respect Pastor Mbewe, I believe you may be throwing the baby out with the bath water. Going to unscriptural extremes is dangerous and to be avoided, but overzealous extremism never cancels out spiritual reality. I’m curious, have you ever observed a demon manifest in your presence and then cast it out? I think you’d see things differently after that. We need more prayer warriors, as this is a fight for the salvation of souls. I rebuke Satan, just as Jesus did to Peter’s face. There’s nothing wrong with that, and when dealing with hardcore heroin addicts there is no other option. (I deal with heroin addiction on a daily basis.) When Jesus prayed for Peter when Satan was sifting him, I don’t think He was meek and mild, saying something like, “If it be your sovereign will, Father, please stop Satan from destroying Peter.” Oh no, He was strong, firm, and bold against the powers of darkness. He may have even shouted. That’s the way He’s coming back -- with a shout. Remember what happened when the people shouted with a *great* shout? The wall came down. Victory!

    Despite the gainsayers (open their eyes, 2 Kings 6:17), I’m very blessed by what the Lord God is doing in Africa, baptizing them with the Holy Spirit and setting the captives free.

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    1. Kate, I have to disagree with some of the things in your post. I hope this isn't taken as a personal affront, as I think it's important to lovingly disagree at points to sharpen one another and ensure we are Christ-like grace and truth.

      Firstly, I don't think you should be rebuking Satan like Christ did, since He is God and you are not. Jude finds something wrong with that as he actually points out how false teachers blaspheme "the glorious ones" (fallen angels, in this case) and points to the positive example of the angel Michael who simply said "the Lord rebuke you" when confronting Satan (Jude 8-13). Certainly, false teachers aren't the best people for Christians to emulate. I definitely don't have the shared experience of dealing with heroin addicts, but no experience should go above the clear teaching of Scripture.

      Secondly, we can't infer a lot about Christ's prayer for Peter other than it happened and that Christ had assurance that the Father would grant it based on His conversation with Peter (Luke 22:32). Meekness is a godly thing (Matt. 5:5), so I wouldn't want to look down on it. In fact, in Christ's prayer in the garden did He not say "My Father [...] not as I will, but as you will" (Matt. 26:39)? If Christ submitted Himself to the Father's will and did not presume upon Him in His prayers, I trust we should do likewise. Christ was not weak in doing this, no, this is one of the greatest moments of spiritual warfare in the entirety of redemptive history, yet He relied on His Father and the Spirit through it all, which is far from weakness.

      Remember, the wall didn't come down because of their great shout, it came down because they trusted and obeyed their *great* God. The people's trust in God's power and faithfulness are central in Joshua 6 and should be central in our lives and prayers as well.

      I would be careful to rejoice over what Pastor Mbewe has so thoroughly shown to be a very bad thing. People are being tricked into thinking they're born again when they are still dead in their sins in the midst of a debased form of syncretism. People are still captive to a broken world view even though they think they have been set free. I do praise God, though, that He is doing great things in Africa through pastor Mbewe and many others as they proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth! In any case, this leads me to pray all the more, for the continued work of God through faithful Gospel ministers in Africa and against this false teaching that has become entrenched in the continent. Praise God that He can't be stopped!



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    3. Mark, thank you for sharing your thoughts and beliefs with me. They seem to depict the great divide that exists between cessationism and continuationism, and that saddens me. I’m a sola scriptura continuationist (which to some is a contradiction in terms) who has a firm foundation in the Word, having been well-taught by godly teachers and pastors ordained by God, and taught by the Holy Spirit, who has been faithful to guide me into all truth.

      To your first point, I don’t follow or emulate false teachers. From Michael the archangel and Jesus we see that Satan should be rebuked. Jesus gave us the power and authority to do so; we tread on the enemy (Luke 10:19). When Jesus cast out demons He rebuked them (Mat 17:18). This is how demons are expelled in Jesus’ name. Any experience I’ve had is rooted in the Word and confirms it.

      I realize we can’t dogmatically speculate on Jesus’ prayer for Peter, and I was just giving my thoughts on it, which I stand by. Meekness and humility are a must, but the fruit of the Spirit doesn’t negate aggressive intercession. There’s a place for fervent, loud praying, even shouting, if done in genuine faith. We know shouting doesn’t bring deliverance, but rather childlike faith in Jesus and the power of His name. Jesus’ Gethsemane prayer has been terribly misused, ministering doubt and unbelief on Jesus’ promises to us in relation to prayer, such as Matthew 21:22. Nowhere did Jesus or anyone else in the NT teach us to pray "if it be Thy will" about any of the clear promises of God to His obedient children. Jesus repeatedly encouraged His disciples to have faith in God and chastised their unbelief.

      Yes, I’m rejoicing in the bona fide work of the Holy Spirit in Africa and throughout the world, but not in abuses, extremism, or off-the-wall teachings. From faithful ministers such as the late John G. Lake to Reinhard Bonnke, the Lord has brought salvation, healing and deliverance to Africa. The glorious testimonies coming out of there are almost innumerable. There’s been research conducted on the growth and emergence Pentecostal churches and the Charismatic movement there. They paint a much more complete and accurate picture of what God is doing. I’m currently reading the thesis of University of Pretoria student Jason Kelvin Phiri, “African Pentecostal Spiritual: A Study of the Emerging African Pentecostal Churches in Zambia” and it’s excellent.

      Finally, I do think it’s unwise and unchristlike to take a hostile stand against Spirit-filled brethren, accusing them of being lost. As to the Holy Spirit’s work, Gamaliel’s admonition is the scriptural and appropriate response.

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    4. From Kate - "We need more prayer warriors, as this is a fight for the salvation of souls." If they are truly praying for the salvation (in the Christian sense) of souls, then that's definitely a good thing. But it sounds from the article as though large crowds of people are never getting further than prayer for deliverance in the domestic/business arena. If the same prayer warriors can turn their attention to the Scriptures and pray that the eyes of the crowds can be opened to God's truth, that would be something truly wonderful.

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    6. Sarah, of course you’re entitled to your own opinion, but that’s all it is, and a slanderous one at that. Saying you believe in healing and miracles doesn’t cover you or somehow make your uninformed judgments more credible. Have you read Reinhard Bonnke’s autobiography "Living a Life of Fire"? If not, you are in the dark.

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    8. Sarah, you may be in a darker place than I originally thought, and if the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness. Hasn't anyone ever told you not to believe everything you read, particularly on the Web? And from the DITC website, of all places; you may as well be reading the National Inquirer as a source. Dear one, these aren’t "facts" for the spiritually discerning, mature Christian. You’ve swallowed second (third? fourth?) hand information from spurious sources and then set yourself up as judge and jury to slander a true man of God - a seriously dangerous thing to do, as we will all stand before God one day to give an account. Remember, Jesus was misjudged for eating with sinners; they even called him a winebibber. Read Brother Bonnke’s God-glorifying autobiography, it’s indeed a blessing, and please leave the judging of false prophets to God. He sees the whole picture; you do not.

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    10. A blind man could see the arrogance here, so thick you can cut it with a knife.

      So sad when Christians use subtly passive aggression to put down other Christians. And yes Kate I am addressing you.

      I didn't see the links to the Deception in the Church site but I did view the ones with Reinhart and false teacher Benny Hinn. And that doesn't spark red flags to you? Well.

      And furthermore I know all about Jesus Culture and saw the many documented articles surrounding this years Passions conference by Chris Rosebrough, Christian Research Network, Sola Sisters and many others. And Reinhart attending those doesn't spark red flag to you?

      Denial is not a river in Egypt DEAR ONE, and to see clearly that man speaking tongues without an interpreter and prophesying stuff contrary to biblical prophesy does indeed classify him as a FALSE TEACHER AND FALSE PROPHET!

      So next time before you use your backhanded attempts to look down your snobbish and arrogant nose at someone who is bringing forth the truth about one's bad fruit, examine the evidence first so you won't look so much like you are deceived and following false teachers.

      Good day :-)

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    11. Hello, I normally do not partake in conversations as such. But Kate you mentioned something here about leaving the judgement of false prophets to God. Am wondering, did that pertain to Paul too when he wrote in Romans to mark those that cause division. Or how bout in Luke when the Word instructs us not even let false teachers in our homes or to greet them. And those are just two among many other references about admonishing us to expose false prophets and false teachers.

      It seems to me that rather than priding in your so-called spiritual discerning maturity that you should be studying scripture. And also if you knew the context of 1 Corinthians 5 you would see that the ones who did not speak out against error and immortality were the one's considered prideful.

      For you to insult Sarah when there are tons of other Reformed writers who do head up ministries and sites that expose false prophets and false teachers sure makes this look like it's personal. I do not know what sort of theology you subscribe to Kate but it seems obvious it is some sort of compromise. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20 Of all the people responding here to this article have any darkness in them Kate it seems to be you.

      -Leigh

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    12. Hello, I normally do not partake in conversations as such. But Kate you mentioned something here about leaving the judgement of false prophets to God. Am wondering, did that pertain to Paul too when he wrote in Romans to mark those that cause division. Or how bout in Luke when the Word instructs us not even let false teachers in our homes or to greet them. And those are just two among many other references about admonishing us to expose and false prophets and false teachers.

      It seems to me that rather than priding in your so-called spiritual discerning maturity that you should be studying scripture. And also if you knew the context of 1 Corinthians 5 you would see that the ones who did not speak out against error and immortality were the one's considered prideful.

      For you to insult Sarah when there are tons of other Reformed writers who do head up ministries and sites that expose false prophets and false teachers sure makes this look like it's personal. I do not know what sort of theology you subscribe to Kate but it seems obvious it is some sort of compromise. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20 Of all the people responding here to this article have any darkness in them Kate it seems to be you.

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    13. Sarah, saying that you, Sandy Simpson, and other heretic hunters with so-called discernment ministries will have to stand before God for slandering true men of God and spreading false accusations against them is NOT condescending, a cheap shot, neither here nor there, or whatever else you claim. It’s simply a biblical fact. Every idle, untrue word that you or they have spoken against the brethren will have to answered for. What will you say to Jesus?

      You have set yourself up as the Judge of people you don’t even know, and you've done so based on some secondhand garbage you’ve read. That's unchristlike; and, if you don’t see it now, only Jesus can open your eyes. May God have mercy on you.

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    14. @ Ballerina... I haven’t put down anyone, nor am I arrogant and snobbish when I say that you have falsely accused Reinhard Bonnke without any personal knowledge of the man whatsoever – none, zip, nada. All you have is a few ultra-biased, uninformed, hater websites and YouTube videos, posing as "discernment" ministries.

      You have condemned a man by his association with others, which is exactly how the Pharisees and religious leaders condemned Jesus. Jesus fellowshipped with sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors, ate with those who drank wine, touched lepers, and ministered to those the religious leaders wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

      You follow cessationists like Lutheran Rosebrough (espousing faulty hermeneutics), "sola" sisters (not so sola!) and denominational folks with radio airtime and blogs, over and above the Word of God. These people aren’t authoritative in the least, dear one. Not at all. The Bible is the final authority, not blogs on the Internet spouting the traditions of men. I hope you realize that. (Or do you? Many have never studied the Bible on their own.)

      However, unlike you, I don’t label these misguided believers as "false prophets" and "false teachers." Jesus will take care of them at the harvest.

      The true church is so thankful that Jesus is the Judge of His people, that He will separate the wheat from the tares. That job won't be left to those who’ve been wounded, offended, and receive carnal delight by maligning the reputation and character of other believers based on hearsay.

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    15. Your assumptions Kate make you look foolish. And quite honestly YOU are the one who doesn't use the Bible as an authority! The Bible is our guide and just like the comment above and reference to 1 Corinthians 5, that pretty much blows your case against guilt by affiliation out of the water. AND those videos of Reinhart and Hinn ARE NOT discernment videos but since you are too ignorant to acknowledge that then you are the one who is "in the dark".

      Do Not Judge
      1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

      Jesus was not forbidding righteous judgment but wicked and hypocritical judgement. He said first remove the plank from your own eye that you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. He is not saying leave the speck alone, but don’t be a hypocrite.

      Later in the same chapter, Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets, and that we will know them by their fruit. Matthew 7:15-17
      You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
      15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

      We are to know them by their fruit and therefore recognize them as false prophets, to do so requires that we make a righteous judgment based on the Word of God. We would have to make a judgment/determination regarding their fruit and therefore a judgment regarding whether or not they are a false prophet and ravenous wolf in sheep’s clothing.

      Jesus also said..John 7:24
      “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

      How can we judge with righteous judgment if we are not to judge at all? The distinction is between wrongly judging and judging righteously with discernment and according to the Word.

      So your little "you are judging" is not better than The Pope's recent fiasco on "I can't judge". It is obvious that you are in that camp of the false teachers, cause if not, it wouldn't have struck such a cord with you.

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    16. The Word of God tells us to expose false doctrine and not tolerate it. Paul said, “Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?” (2 Cor.11:29)

      He clearly had no such passive attitude towards error being taught in the churches, because he loved the church! He was concerned for the churches.

      2 Corinthians 11:3-4
      3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

      He urged Timothy not to allow the teaching of false doctrine to continue 1Timothy 1:3-4
      3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

      We are instructed to mark and avoid those teaching error (Romans 16:17-18), we aren’t supposed to keep company with them (I Tim. 6:3-5, 2 Thess. 3:14-15), allow them in our home or greet them (2 John 1:10-11).

      We are to rebuke them Titus 1:13 “This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”
      And if they do not heed correction we are to separate ourselves from them..
      Titus 3:10 “A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject”

      Paul named those in error…
      Hymenaeus and Alexander (1 Tim. 1: 18-20)
      Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:15-18)
      Demas (2 Tim. 4:10)
      Alexander the coppersmith (2 Tim. 4:14-15)
      John named Diotrephes (3 John 9)
      Jude 1:3-4

      Just you like you wrote in a comment above about God having mercy on the gal exposing false teachers, I revert that to YOU Kate...may God have mercy on you! Bye and good luck!

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    17. P.S. As far as hypocritical judging, you put down Chris Rosebrough, Sandy Simpson, Christine Peck and her sis at Sola, and accuse them of not using scriptura properly. Eh I think if anything THAT is a hypocritical judgement because it's very obvious that you do not know how to rightly divide the Word of God. I pray that God opens YOUR eyes to the Truth! Bye!

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    18. Ballerina,

      I’m rejoicing to be counted a fool for Christ. They said the same of Jesus. (No, worse. He had a demon.) The Word has always been my final authority which is why I'm a continuationist who knows Reinhard Bonnke is a believer. I hope you sit next to him at the banquet table during the marriage supper of the Lamb. You’ll have to eat humble pie, but it’ll taste good, I’m sure! And you’ll love the fellowship :-)

      Listen, I know all about judging righteous judgment. Many years ago, I used to be like you, on the Heretic Hunters & Haters Bandwagon. Almost everyone who professed Christ was wrong except those in our small circle of likeminded believers. We exposed false teachers left and right, day and night. Hardly anyone was allowed into our pure homes, and we rebuked almost everybody. We couldn’t be deceived because we were God’s elect, so deception wasn’t possible, Jesus said. We had the unadulterated Word of God and listened to only a handful of approved pastors and teachers who had their doctrinal ducks lined up in a row perfectly. It wasn’t until Jesus blew the lid off the cancer of arrogance behind this façade that some of us woke up.

      So that’s what strikes a chord with me – the putrid stench of human pride that ignores the admonition, "Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." We stand only by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary, nothing else. A person can study to show himself approved 24/7 and still be deceived unless the Lord opens his eyes. The very ability to see and receive truth and light is by God’s grace alone. Rabid heretic hunters will never understand this because they lack Jesus’ humility and mercy, two of the major fruits of the Holy Spirit. They can't live the Sermon on the Mount. They're too busy "rightly dividing the Word" to actually live it. They know nothing of death to self or turning the other cheek. Oh and they won't let that heretic leave town alive. (Be careful who you emulate.)

      Which brings me to this. If you are to follow your own posts then you need to sever ties with Chris Rosebrough because he is in error for teaching the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration and infant baptism. Water baptism is for repentant new believers, not newborns.

      Delete
    19. LOL I find it funny that you have the gall to accuse me of pride, without looking at your own compromised judgemental self in the mirror.

      I am done here, I am sure your pride of having the last word and insulting me as well as anyone who
      doesn't affirm your perfect theology, will respond but I am done. Take care.

      Delete
    20. Thanks Kate for doing the exhausting work of sticking up for believers who are continuously slandered by other fellow believers.

      I just got back from Africa and saw my share of miracles first hand to include leading Muslims to Christ. So I can testify that what is happening there is authentic.

      Also,many of the people criticized above I have personally met and admire as authentic brothers of the faith, and it grieves me each time I see them slandered by people who have not even taken the time to read what they say (vice what is written ABOUT them).

      If we all would spend more time "...seeking Him while He may be found..." than accusing our brothers, then we'd have more of our own God encounters which would light us on fire to share the good news. And who knows, maybe then a blog would be started to throw water on us all. At least then we'd know we were on track.

      I

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  15. If you don't mind, I want to post this on my blog as well. I will be sure to use proper citation/reference. Thanks for this. God Bless. www.Agape-Jehovah.com

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    1. Why Foreign pastors went to examine Scoan Nigeria ?
      http://www.doveministries.com/content/religous-monitor
      Below is a brief extract from the above Internationally esteemed website.
      ” Having watched many miraculous healings on videos from the Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, Nigeria a group of three New Zealand pastors and four evangelists including myself went to the Synagogue, Church Of All Nations, Nigeria and lived there for nine days and nights. We wanted to satisfy ourselves that T.B. Joshua is a man of God and miracles were in fact taking place.”
      Source from: http://www.doveministries.com/category/store/tb-joshua/about-tb-joshua
      What we saw :
      Blind eyes opened, cripples walking and dozens of testimonies from people who had been healed of HIV and other diseases.
      Some of us received healings ourselves.
      Spiritual overview:
      We heard the name of Jesus Christ being continuously uplifted, the Gospel, repentance and salvation being continuously preached and the work of the Holy Spirit honoured.
      After nine days at the Synagogue, Church Of All Nations we concluded that T.B. Joshua is indeed a man of God and these are the works of God.

      Delete
  16. Thanks for this article. This is very very true in my country India as well. As I read your article I was just bombarded in almost every paragraph with one thought "Its the same around here".

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  18. Thank you Pastor Mbewe for this article. Am asking for permission to repost some excerpts from this article on FB. And am thinking of making some hard copies to distribute. Ofcourse I shall give credit to your authorship.
    Cephas

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  19. Pastor Mbewe,

    I found this post on Facebook, shared by a African friend in the U.K. I have many S. African friends on Facebook and will certainly be sharing your post in hopes that they, too, will share. Although most are Baptist congregants, there is a smattering of charismatics who often comment on posts. As an aside, a dear friend in Malawi recently revealed to me that he had attended a Mormon church because he was curious. Because of my past witness experience with the LDS, I was able to gently guide him away from becoming caught up in that deception, and he was grateful that I had. Without the proper guidance and instruction, such as you are clearly demonstrating, far too many get swept up in what is certainly not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, doing even more damage to their souls. Praise God that He has placed you as a faithful servant to deliver the Truth of His Word to a people in need of His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.

    I am also hoping that my charismatic friends from the U.S. will also read and share this. Sadly, the problem you describe is also rampant here.

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  20. Sorry too many cheap shots here! Ancestral cursing is a serious business, not heresy-material by a factor of 1000.

    No one who hears of cancers running down family lines thinks any different ... neither do you.

    Men of God may be hamfisted sometimes, but if they stand against witchcraft - maybe it's unsubtle for westerners ... but they know enough.

    Witching would be tested, but if they believe then sincerity and perserverence will see them through.. Handlebullying.com

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  21. Sir:

    Thank you for this insight. I'm an old school Prayer Book Anglican and Calvinist living in an American and western exile of sorts. Liberalism and more has been the slow IV-morphine drip of death, but I digress.

    You've surfaced some factors for thought. Challenged a perspective. Your giving insights on a different worldview infrequently mentioned or noted on this side of the big pond.

    Excellent work. I'll be closely watching this and your posts.

    Best regards,
    Donald Philip Veitch
    Camp Lejeune, NC, USA

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  22. Thanks so much, Pastor Mbewe! I appreciate how well thought out, scriptural, and pastoral it is. Praise God for His work in and around you! Praying for you, brother!

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  23. Many thanks Pastor Mbewe for yet another keen insight! As you know we have been opposing and exposing just such a movement out of Mauritius - Miki Hardy and his CTMI movement. They hold "Leadership Conferences" in many African cities and your description of "the man of God" (Apostle!) who must rescue and interpose for pastors struggling on their own is the heart of their message! The fact that he appeared on TBN seems to attract many.

    May God continue to use you brother to expose error and promote the glorious biblical gospel.

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  24. Brilliant. Please share this blog with all our brothers in the region by some means or the other. Let this fact spread.

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  25. This is terribly amazing Pastor,

    I am encouraged that me and my very few friends in Uganda are not alone in rejecting this circus show of the gospel that makes it lose its power, thank you for such an insightful piece We hope we shall be having conferences in Africa concerning these issues that God maybe glorified.

    God bless you.

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  26. Dear Pastor Mbewe,

    I share your concerns from here in Australia! I have just posted a link to this article into a discussion we are having across two continents about this very thing! I regularly link to your sermons on my blog www.thenarrowingpath.com, and will link this article to my blog if that's okay. It is essential that people understand that this is a worldwide problem. It is infecting countless churches here in Australia (and no doubt all over the world), and is destroying congregations and shipwrecking people's faith. I have seen it firsthand here, and it is very troubling.

    I am often puzzled as to why more pastors aren't speaking out against these terrible teachings and practices that are clearly unbiblical and even against Christ. I pray that more will gain the courage to do the same, and encourage others to support those who do. Thank you for speaking out against such false teachings, and for sharing the perspective of your own people in your part of the world!

    Up until now, many people I speak to think it is just a problem in the USA. Yet I have been concerned for quite awhile to see these 'revivals' happening all over Africa, South America and China knowing that a false gospel and a false Jesus are being spread, a gospel that cannot save. What a tragedy, yet due to the shameless self-promotion of these false teachers, many people here in Australia (and in other places) think a huge worldwide revival is happening. I fear not. Fortunately in all of this, the Lord is clearly at work, saving souls despite man's folly!

    May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you and keep you safe as you spread his Word through the power of his Holy Spirit. You are a blessing to many, myself included. Sherryn

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    1. Tebogo Micheal, lets see if Pastor Mbewe will change his mind based on independently verified investigations into The Scoan, Nigeria.

      This link from An International independent ministry watchdog that investigated The Scoan and Prophet TB Joshua with the Lagos Government
      http://www.doveministries.com/content/religous-monitor

      This link from an Independant group of pastors that spent weeks spying on TB Joshua
      http://doveministries.com/content/miracles-nigeria

      SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED about Prophet TB Joshua view link below; http://www.doveministries.com/content/religous-monitor …
      SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED about Prophet TB Joshua view link below;
      http://www.theremnant.com/08-02-01.html

      Delete
  27. I say all AFRICANS must go back to their roots and move away from Western philosophies that hinder African and Cultural growth! We need to move away from Man Made religions that are formed to Concur, Abuse and degrade African philosophies! Dont Agree with Most things on this page

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    1. Just to point out, Jesus wasn't a westerner. He was Jewish!
      A good number of africans think Christianity is a white religion and won't have nothing to do with it, yet Africa appears multiple times in the bible. The story of God sending His son Jesus to come die on the bloody cross for our sins and offer us eternal life makes perfect sense to me!

      Delete
    2. Mr tebogo Michael, many religions in Africa are demonic. Africa appears in the bible and Africans were part of those saved on the day of Pentecost. Jesus wasn't western. He was a Jew. Now he is seated at the right hand of God. He loves you.
      God help Africa. Satan knows no continent as per wickedness. Black or white, he seeks to destroy any precious soul. Jesus isn't a white man's idea. He is Lord.

      Delete
  28. I've seen similar midsets among people from Latin America who are havily influenced by the synchretistic form of Roman Catholicism that blended Christianity with tribal traditions under the Spanish conquerers.

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  29. Dear Pastor Mbewe, I hardly know how to ask this, but how do you feel about people/churches who feel that almost everything comes from generational sins? Even to the extent that when someone (a true believer) shares a struggle that it is prayed over and cursed to never return, or hands are laid on a mother to break the generational sins that are causing a son to walk away from Christ? I am a passionate follower Of Christ, and this has happened to me. It left me feeling very confused and almost like I faced darkness from the supposed Christians that prayed over me. What am I missing...or what is the answer?

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  30. What is your view about some issues on tradition versus Christianity raised in this news article? http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/nyregion/feared-traditional-priest-from-ghana-spends-a-year-in-the-bronx.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

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  31. May I say this?

    Concerning 'rebuking in the name of Jesus', I am reminded of the scripture in Acts 19.
    The seven sons of Sceva, commanded the evil spirit to leave the man in whom was the evil spirit.

    The evil spirit answered and said "Jesus I know..."

    If we think, that using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as a mantra, to rebuke evil spirits, well, the evil spirits/demons, can mock using the name of Jesus as well. Or, in other words, they are not afraid to use the name of Jesus, as some believe.

    The demons believe there is one God, James 2:19, and tremble. If only we would tremble in the same way, then maybe all this nonsense that is taking place would not be there.

    May God help us to fear Him.

    God bless.

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  32. What is happening in Africa now with the charismatic movement is not new. This happened already for 20 centuries around the globe with Christianity. Christianity could only grew when it adapted to the local culture and brought transformation after many decades. Why has the Coptic Church been a blessing for 20 centuries in Egypt? Because this form of Christianity fitted exactly on the existing structures in society. Why was the reformation a success in Scotland? Because the worldview and structures of the reformation exactly fitted in Scottish society. So what is happening in Africa is not new, but a repetition of the past. In other words Africa finds now a new contextual theology, with all its blessings and disadvantages. So be patient with the charismatic movement and see what happens after 100 years at our continent.

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  33. I really don't see a lot of differences between what is happening in the US and Africa. I was raised in a Classical Pentecostal church. Although there were many good things, this same attitude has existed in US in just a little different form.

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  34. Dear Pastor,

    Thank you for your very clear and informative article about Africa spiritual scene. As it is south Asia has traditionally make up of Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism and others. They are steep into superstitious beliefs. The Charismatic churches are clamoring for some of the African prophets and apostles are staggering. We have indeed many visits from them to our region. They bring with them many of the practices and teaching that you warn about. I seek your permission to repost your writings on my blog with the proper acknowledgement & links.May God Bless your ministry.
    BoB

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  35. Wow! What can i say here! I guess thank you is most appropriate.
    Thank you.

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  36. Thanks Kabwata for your insight and courage.

    From the responses you are getting, not to mention the many untold email forwards (how I got mine) it is interesting to know that you (we) are not alone on this issue.

    What you describe in your article is Big stuff in my county. thought you were from here untill I read your profile.

    I have spent years speaking against this new phenomenon sweeping through many mordern day ”Christianity”. I am happy you did not mince words by Clearly submitting that this phenomenon is neither Biblically nor Christian.

    In addition to the clear effect of African traditional religion, we also have the FEAR, IGNORANCE and POVERTY factors.
    One smart preacher sows the seed of fear into an Ignorant audience then turns around and offer the ”CURE”, for a fee too!

    Think of all the millions made from sale of bottles of ”Anointing Oil”, white handkerchiefs, ”Holy Water”, prayer points, special car and door stickers, etc.
    Rather than Repent, we hear Deliverance. Anointing has replaced conviction. prosperity rather than Righteousness is emphasized. And these Pastors are smiling to the bank, week in, week out!
    For the rest of the congregation who some how cant make ends meet or understand why his or her faith cant seem to fetch hima new Jet plane or brand new limo... The struggle continues.

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  37. I agree with you. The search for miracles is overtaking the seeking for the miracle worker (Christ.

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  38. Deep and thought provoking. Thank you. God bless you richly.

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  39. Thanks Pastor for this great insight. Many of us have fallen on the false teaching lane as we handle the word of God knowingly or unknowings in quest to propagate our own agendas. This depicts having form of godliness and denying the Gospel's power. The backbone of Christianity is believing that Jesus is the son of God, and through his death on the cross, then we were set free from sin and so we have everlasting life. Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15), we ought not to fight our battles, but saved by grace.
    Amen
    Daniel Nyongesa- Kenya

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  40. Thanks Pastor for this great insight. Many of us have fallen on the false teaching lane as we handle the word of God knowingly or unknowings in quest to propagate our own agendas. This depicts having form of godliness and denying the Gospel's power. The backbone of Christianity is believing that Jesus is the son of God, and through his death on the cross, then we were set free from sin and so we have everlasting life. Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15), we ought not to fight our battles, but saved by grace.
    Amen

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  41. I hope you don't mean singing and/or praying with a shout is sinful. I've seen baptists who won't clap, or raise up holy hands in worship for the fear of being too *pentacostal*. And yet keep fighting over calvinistic and armenian doctrines. I've seen pentacostal and charismatics who go about "overusing" the Holy Spirit and even go to extremes of condemning anyone who doesn't speak in tongues. Christ has to be at the center of the gospel, His crucifixion, death and resurrection for the atonement of our sins. Jesus gave us power over the forces of darkness, Paul address this very topic on the spiritual warfare, says, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. What is the armour he is talking about? 1. Righteousness; 2. Gospel of Peace; 3. Faith; 4. Salvation; 5. Word of God. On receiving God's blessings.. Remember Jesus said that rain falls on the just and the unjust? (can't remember the verse). Also, Christ loved us so much that He died for us when we were yet sinners (greatest blessing of all). His blessings fall on both the good and the bad, but the day is coming when the wheat shall be separated from the tares. Let us walk in holiness and righteousness always looking up to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Let us learn to die daily of our selfish/earthly being and allow the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead walk and live in our lives, being transformed more and more into the image and likeness of Christ. Even so, came Lord Jesus.
    -Brother Andrew

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  42. There are still a great multitude of faithful genuinely converted followers of Christ who are not part of the "popular movement" (1 Kings 19:9-18). I reckon that it could also be tantamount to some error to imply/assume that the fact of an error - mainly on the part of a loud band of half-backed church people - explains the "thriving" of the Christian faith in Africa or elsewhere in the world. The Holy Spirit has always been behind the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ. The enemy does always sow "the tares" but among "the wheat". Yet he is not to be given the credit neither for the field nor the growth it. The move of God in Africa is just as real as any distraction thereof.

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  43. As a reformed Evangelist, I find it incredible that the problem is labeled a 'charistmatic problem'. The problem is that these people will need sound discipleship and good biblical instruction. If there is syncretism (which there always is) in any Christian group, its due to that mindset being worked out of the Africans. But, remember that when you pack in your westernized (we dont do gifts, miracles or healings mindset) you are not packing in a biblical message either. In fact you are copying the ungodly and false teachers that have a form of godliness but deny its power. The kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
    Some of this smells of just plain jealousy. The Pentecostal/Charismatic evangelists have gone out and God has done powerful works to bring men to himself. But, some reformed though they have purer doctrine do not fund their evangelists, do not even put much stock in large crusades or even promote miracles and healings that God will do. Tell me, which one will you attend if you were sick, afflicted and tormented? A gospel ministry that resembles the new testament or one that resembles the old cessationist (we don't want to look disorderly) church. Ill tell you which one; its the one with power to help me recover from the sin and wickedness that world has afflicted me with.

    The real gospel has power to convict of sin and heal of disease.
    If the reformed would believe as much of the bible as the Charismatics do, they would not be complaining about the Charismatics being the problem, they would see that the old worldly mindset is the problem. In the USA we are so accustom to the western mindset that our syncretism goes un noticed and is just part of what it means to be Christian in America.

    I am reformed and its not false teaching to believe God to heal and deliver from demons, afflictions, sicknesses and mental trauma. Its false teaching to resist the powerful working of the Spirit, its wrong and false to say that its the Charismatic gift-mindedness that is aiding their syncretism. Nonsense, its the fact that they must learn to discern and remove the false and keep the good. Remember test all things hold fast to that which is good. Despise not prophesying.

    Step up to the plate Reformed preachers and Reformed Evangelists and believe God, spend you money where your mouth is,imitate the new testament book of Acts instead of push it away with the falsehoods of cessationism.

    If the reformed can come to the African with more than just westernized versions of Christianity-caged-in-powerlessness the African would listen. But until then we should pray for the Charismatic because they are doing what the Reformed will not do and will not believe God to do. We are the ones that should be trained by them. We have little converts, they have millions.
    Call them false if you want, but you know as well as I do its presumption and an insult against God. If you believe God is sovereign then you should trust he knows how to work with his Charismatic believers.

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    1. Amen brother Marvin. I totally agree with you!

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    2. Marvin, your post is heaven-sent. Thank you for boldly sharing the truth in love. I pray those reading here will read, reread, and pray about Western syncretism, once called "modernism" one hundred years ago. No matter what the label, unbelief is poisonous.

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    3. Marvin i am abit confused though. Are you saying people should be more pragmatic? Is it better to be faithful with the message or to be successful (pragmatic and conjure up more visible results and converts)? Remember its it is God who draws his true sheep to the preaching of the message of repentance from sin and faith in Christ lest any one should boast. Though I do agree missions and church planting does need alot of sacrificial and sufficient funding.

      Delete
  44. Please read this article by Dr. Michael Brown where Dr. Brown respectfully disagrees with Mr. Mbewe's position: http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/in-the-line-of-fire/40503-is-african-charismatic-christianity-a-counterfeit

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  45. You shared many good points, but don't quench the joy of the Lord that charismatic churches have; that is precious. They expect to see God in action. There is correction needed in all areas of Christianity and other religions. I hope this helps Africa etc.

    I posted this on other sites... you may do likewise.

    Dear Friends. I just read, : “It’s interesting that these calls for prayer including that of 9/11: National Day of Prayer and Repentance converge around the time of the holy days of the Bible – the days which are linked to judgment, repentance and return to God.”

    Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/08/94-year-old-billy-grahams-warning-for-america/#L7PBcodJIi06Cj6o.99 “"

    Truly, it is a warning for all and a call to true repentance. Many religions expect the arrival of a Messiah; but what part do we have it the timing of that? I suggest something we have been discussing in the Interfaith Professionals Linked-In site about Ramadan and Islam.

    The primary message of the Qur'an is to follow the whole Bible, so I will use this explanation:
    Jesus (Messiah) comes victorious as The Word of God, He comes when we want truth. Seventh month holy days begin in September; days of no work must be planned for. Jesus said to live by every word out of the mouth of God. NO ONE can change that. There is one law for the Jew and the stranger.
    Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 23 because Leviticus 26 is God's promise of blessings for obedience and 4 x 7 curses for disobedience. Jesus said it is impossible that one jot or tittle from the law shall fail. Truth is Kingdom of God.

    Revelation 19:13
    And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

    WE hold the key; the time Father God has not revealed is When we want Him in truth. "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God?" John 11:40

    Shalom, Ma Salam, Peace to all.


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  46. "The religion of the Bible does not teach a God who is so far away from us that unless some powerful humans come in and give us a breakthrough he cannot bless us. No! The Bible teaches a God who is near us. The only barrier between God and us is our sin, and Jesus has dealt with that by his death on the cross"

    are you saying God is not transcendent (far away) he is only immanent (near us)?

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  47. Thank you pastor Mbewe for this article. I read some of the criticism of it. Unfortunately, it seems that those who have leveled their criticism have not read it, do not comprehend, or remember what you have carefully stated.

    I am Armenian, and reformed Baptist. I do know that the traditional Pentecostals in Armenia repudiate these wrong doctrines. However, western so-called charismatic teaching has found fertile ground among the superstitious majority in Armenia. The largest groups of people who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are charismatic groups. The very same things which you list here are ways in which these western false teachers plug directly in to the local populations pre-existing biases and manipulate them promising them everything from temporal comfort and fulfillment to eternal life.

    As you mentioned in your article, not every group is the same (some are truly Christian), and not all the adherents to those groups whose beliefs are questionable are themselves strangers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Thanks for your teaching (for a number of years now I've been blessed through the recordings of your messages) and for your blog.

    Tom

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  48. Leigh, yes, I agree, Paul did say to mark those who cause contention and division, which is why this blog post that we’re responding to has been read by believers all over the world. The author has pigeonholed millions of *genuine* Christians on his own continent, a serious indictment indeed, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Isaiah 5:20 applies to his piece, although he may not have realized this as he was writing. He's inadvertently labeled the immeasurable good that the Holy Spirit has wrought through Pentecostal and Charismatic believers throughout Africa as evil, because of a relatively smaller number of extremists. Of course many sincere believers are thankful that God’s judgment differs from his. Praise Jesus for that.

    And how would someone who denies the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the charismata even know how to discern demonic activity and oppression? It's a crucial question. Has the pastor ever cast out a demon? What experience can he have in something he denies?

    Who are the false teachers? Are they in the continuationist camp or the cessationist camp? Are you prepared to say? Apparently, you are, and based on what? The traditions of men or Scripture?

    Some will say if one is a cessationst then scriptural analysis of what constitutes a false teacher/prophet is based on the teachings and traditions of men, not the Word of God. Others will say the reverse is true. Who has their foundation on the eternal, inerrant Word of God?

    In general, heretic hunters are a mean-spirited cultish lot, filled with pompous pride, spewing carnal hatred and strife, pretending to speak for God while cutting off everyone who proclaims to know Him except those in their tiny little group. Jude had some choice words for them.

    Leigh, you do realize Jesus isn’t a reformed Calvinist, I hope. These man-made labels are not in the Bible and the Holy Spirit through Paul rebukes those who live by them as carnal babes in Christ (1 Cor. 1:10-17, 3:5-11).


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  49. Cathy said...Oh this was so good. I lived in Africa and saw this phenomena played out. I hope to go back but I'll go back as a teacher of truth, it's the truth that will set us free. Thank-you for exposing the darkness. Truly we need ministers who will speak truth for God, not their personal gain. Africa needs to be set free!

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  50. Oh this was so good. I lived in Africa and saw this phenomena played out. I hope to go back but I'll go back as a teacher of truth, it's the truth that will set us free. Thank-you for exposing the darkness. Truly we need ministers who will speak truth for God, not their personal gain. Africa needs to be set free!

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  51. Thanks for the post. My position is not to judge the ministers who deliver the message for at least the gospel is being preached but rather to teach the truth as I understand it, so that they can make their own choices. It is unwise to touch Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, Kim Walker or whoever. Clearly, the Bible says to touch not God's anointed and do His prophets no harm. We can judge fruit but not the person. So, to some of the comments, I might want to say, be careful, lest you be judged. Very often when we judge it is out of our own lack of understanding, that is why the Word says that knowledge is power. We have the power to choose when we know the truth. If we look to the Lord for answers His Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. The truth is what I want to teach, and I thank Kabwata for revealing truth in his post. Africa I love you, be wise!

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    1. That scripture to touch not the Lord's anointed is so taken out of context it's not even funny. David never touched Saul but that did not stop him from speaking the truth about Saul!

      Pretty sad when people misconstrue judging one's bad fruit, which IS said in scripture to do, with judging one's heart. Talk about eisegesis much and no exegesis.

      Take care

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    2. Ballerina, I love your spirit and the way you deal head on with the most misquoted scripture phrases people like using as a shield to protect their ignorant stand when it comes to the Word. The Bible is the final word. Twisting the Word to fit our various agendas does not change the FACT of what is written.

      As for Conrad: Thank you for finally making me understand why I have always detested that word BREAKTHROUGH in the christian context. I really couldn't put it in words but you have done it for me and so eloquently at that. May God bless you and please continue reminding us that the human mind that God gave us actually needs to be used especially in Kenya when it comes to "men of God".

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  52. Well said. Thank you for your insight.

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  54. Thank you! After Brazil, I consider Africa my "second mission field." This insight from an African pastor really helps explain a lot of why things are the way they are in the majority of churches! I have forwarded the link to this post to a number of my African brothers, as well as to several missionaries on the continent. Thanks again!

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  55. I do agree with Mbewe in principle but I hate what Sarah is saying about Bonke. To the opposite I would like us to analyze the reason for the growing coldness in the West where those who used to confess the name of Jesus Christ in public are VERY afraid to even mention it now,versus the growing charismatic movement in Africa and the accompanying boldness to mention the name of Jesus Christ in public. What is going wrong in both these extremes?

    Martin Odi, Uganda

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    1. Are you people really THAT unaware of what Bonnke endorses?? For your information, Bonnke was part of Rick Joyner's conference at his church Morning Star last month (its easy to find on the net). Todd Bentely was also part of that conference. If you dont know the fruit of Joyner and Bentely then perhaps you should investsgate it. Bonnke was also featured in the chariamatic documentary Father of Lights along side alor of other false prophets/teachers.

      I guess to folks who dont know all this, its probably a blow, but it is what it is. Maybe Bonnke was sound at one time, I dont know, but his current day activity is troubling. Its no different that John Piper cozing up to false teacher Rick Warren.

      Just like some of the other people on here getting all upset, instead of investigating it, why dont you seek it out yourself! The proof is there, the evidence is out in the open, where it lies is really about acceptance.

      Heresy Hunter and all the other names I have been called on here, whatever, cause I know and God knows what I do in my time. But being aware of what is going on is not the same thing as scowering the net "heresy hunting", but I will say this, being unaware and apithetic towards sin and heresy is just as dangerous as being a heresy hunter.

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  56. who is a false Teacher / prophet? Since the time of Jesus Christ who was labelled by the religious people of his day as a false teacher. Then Paul the same and until now. I have read articles by fellow Christian ministers who have labelled others fellow Gospel ministers as false teacher/ Apostle/ Prophet. Almost all the prominent Gospel ministers are labelled as false Teacher/ Apostle/ Prophet. I am so saddened by this. It makes me sick to read all these. Is this really from God? Does it glorify God? Does it unite the church ( Body of Christ)? I remember somewhere in the Bible Jesus said "A house divided against itself cannot stand" It was about casting out devils! Please read Mark 3: 22 - 30. Please servants of God, it is not of God that we go for each others throat. We are discrediting others and crediting ourselves please! It is written " Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Phil. 2:3. Finally I see Gospel ministry like Medical profession: where some are Gynecologists, Pediatrician, Ophthalmologist, Dentists, Dermatologists, Surgeons, Cardiologists, G.P, Neurologists, Anesthetist, Psychologists, etc. All working together for the good of human health in different areas. May God bless you all. Sorry if I have offended anyone.

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  57. In my blog, I've engaged a problem that many pentecostal churches, but also other churches have - Christless moralism and legalism. Read it here: allofchrist.blogspot.com ...
    Blessings

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  58. Thank you for your ministry. Just finished listening to you speak at the Strange Fire conference. The African church apostasy is a matter close to my heart as I was dragged through the charismatic chaos of a well known megachurch in South Africa as a child and teenager. It is vile and unbiblical and it caused me to leave the church and Christianity for 25 years until I was truly saved in 2010. Is this nightmare in Africa just the logical conclusion for the postmodern mainstream church? It is almost impossible to find a good church that stands on the truth of scripture these days and even harder to find fellow believers with solid theology.

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  59. Thanks for your insightful contributions to this subject. It's been timely. What a breath of fresh air. Native doctors are finally being exposed.

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  60. This is vivid truth. That's the reality of what is taking place in our continent. Ministers tend to compromise with the strongholds that stands against thwm by engulfing. May God help us to stand with the truth against any darknes or strange shadows

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