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Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com
Bewitched! O foolish Alton Garrison, who has bewitched you? O foolish Pentecostals, who has bewitched you?
by Karen Pansler-Lam, J.D.
Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, argues the church needs to change in “The Case for Change” in the January 2011 Assemblies of God Ministers Letter. Garrison advocates changing the church into a worldly church to please the world. This is heresy! Garrison’s case for change is based on dishonesty, craftiness, and deceit. When he cites God’s Law – Scripture - to support his case, he purposely misinterprets the Law. He purposely perverts the Truth to appeal to the world and appeal to corrupt church government. A true minister understands the Gospel is committed to his trust and is faithful to pleasing God, not pleasing men. Paul writes to the Galatians in 1:10: “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” And true ministers rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). And true ministers will not craftily and deceitfully replace true evangelism with secular marketing strategies to build the church. The truth is a true minister will wholly separate himself from worldly and guileful schemes for building the church. In 2 Corinthians 4:1,2 Paul writes:
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. Contrary to Scripture, Garrison is guilty of advocating plots, schemes, and stratagems – craftiness, deceit, and hidden things of dishonesty - to build the church. These wicked plots and schemes corrupt the Church – the pure Bride of Christ. The Church must be a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any defilement. The Church must be holy and without blemish. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the
word, 27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish. Ephesians 5: 25-27 Above all, the church must be sanctified! On the contrary, Garrison proposes the church commit spiritual fornication with the world to become popular with the world! Garrison advocates changing the Church – the pure Bride of Christ - into a harlot! This is the spirit of anti-Christ! This is anti-Christ! Garrison purposely advocates spiritual fornication with the world to build churches. And he purposely handles the Word of God deceitfully to advance profane worship, to acquire influence, to gain popularity in the world, to please corrupt Assemblies of God leadership, and to please worldly men. The truth is Alton Garrison has been beguiled, charmed, and bewitched by false religious leaders who are purposely destroying the true church and substituting a false church – a worldly church.
The
worldly church is not the Church of God!
The worldly church is the synagogue of Satan! O foolish Alton Garrison, who has bewitched you? O foolish Pentecostals, who has bewitched you? Let’s take a brief look at some of the key arguments in Garrison’s “The Case for Change” @ http://ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/Ministers_Letter/2011_Issue_01.pdf The
Need for Change To begin with, Garrison talks about the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He mentions that three thousand were converted that day and more afterwards. But after that Garrison downplays the power of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, Garrison credits the growth of the early church with man-made strategies: “Even the Jerusalem church made significant changes. Among other things, they changed their leadership structure to include deacons (Acts 6: 1-7), and they changed their target audience to include Gentiles (15: 1-35).” Garrison deceitfully handles the Word of God when he alleges: “they changed their target audience to include Gentiles.” Acts 15 records a faction in the early church insisting Gentile converts must be circumcised and follow the ceremonial law to be saved. Peter, Paul and Barnabas speak against circumcision as a requirement for a Gentile believer. James advises that Jews and Gentiles alike are saved through faith alone (Romans 3:21-31). Garrison purposely misinterprets the Word of God to support his case for change by arguing that the apostles decided to build the church by changing their strategy - targeting their audience to include Gentiles! This is a lie! Garrison makes merchandise of men. The early church leadership did not make merchandise of men to build the church by targeting Gentiles! It was God’s Plan of Salvation to preach to the Jews and the Gentiles. This was not a masterstroke of church planning. It was the Master’s Plan! As recorded in Luke 2, when the child Jesus was taken to the temple to be blessed, the Spirit led Simeon – who was just and devout – into the temple. Simeon took Jesus in his arms, and blessed God, and said: 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Irrefutably, God’s Master Plan of Salvation included the Jews and Gentiles. It is blasphemy to argue that targeting Gentiles was a strategic plan created by early church leadership to expand the church! Garrison purposely handles the Word of God deceitfully! To repeat, Garrison makes merchandise of men. He uses “feigned” words to beguile and bewitch men and women to fall under his spell of devilish doctrines. He covets worldliness and power and influence and bargains for men’s souls in order to cast them under his spell to build the church. This is an abomination! Woe unto you, Alton Garrison! God’s sentence of condemnation is already pronounced against you… 2 Peter 2: 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. The Bible clearly pronounces damnation upon those who make merchandise of men. Woe unto you, Pentecostals! Targeting an audience is making merchandise of men! Targeting an audience is a marketing strategy, not true evangelism! Next, Garrison goes on to say that the Acts 2 church is never static and changes: “Change, in other words, is purposeful. As Rick Warren writes in The Purpose-Driven Church ‘if you serve in an existing church that has plateaued, is declining, or simply is discouraged, your most important task is to redefine your purpose.” (Emphasis added.)
Garrison reveals who has bewitched him…Rick Warren. And Warren is a seducing spirit that preaches doctrines of devils!
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE RICK WARREN AND ALTON GARRISON http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/resistersdieorleave.htm
(And see “Wake Up, Evangelicals! @ http://libertyadvocate.com/message28.htm) Contrary
to Warren’s devilish doctrine, if you serve in an existing church that
has plateaued, is declining, or simply is discouraged, your most
important task is to seek the Lord! Maybe your church is not growing because America is an apostate nation! Maybe your church is not growing because it has quenched the Holy Spirit! Maybe your church is not growing because it has replaced true evangelism with marketing strategies, such as targeting audiences! Moreover, a church may grow in membership, but may not grow in true converts. Many church members are not true Christians – they rebel against God’s Law of holiness and righteousness. O foolish Alton Garrison, Rick Warren has bewitched you! O foolish Pentecostals, Rick Warren has bewitched you! Purposeful
Change Second, Garrison outlines five reasons why the church exists in Acts 2. While reading Garrison’s five reasons why the church exists, Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:8, 9 spoke to my heart: 8
This
people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their
lips; but their heart is far from me. 9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men. Here
are Garrison’s Acts 2 five reasons why the church exists.
My comments are bold-faced. 1.
Worship: We see the
Acts 2 church “declaring the wonders of God” (2:11), “devoting
themselves…to prayer” (2:42), and praising God” (2:47). Comment: Garrison purposely leaves out “the breaking of bread” in 2:42. “This do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Why does Garrison leave out communion as worship? 2.
Connect: The Acts 2 church were “all together in one place”
(2:1), “they devoted themselves to…the fellowship” (2:42), and many
were “added to their number” through Spirit-empowered evangelism
(2:41, 47).
Comment: Garrison purposely fails to accurately interpret Acts 2:1. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Garrison purposely misinterprets “one accord.” “One accord” does not mean all together. “One accord” means unity: they were of one mind and one spirit. There were no divisions among them. The gathered believers were perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. “Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”(Phil. 1: 27). Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Phil. 2:2). Now
I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that
ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 1:10
Moreover,
they were obeying Jesus’ command: “Tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high”
(Luke 24:49). On the Day of Pentecost, the believers were waiting to be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. And they were of one spirit and of one mind. They were drawn by their love of Christ and united their diverse backgrounds to come together for prayer. There was no diverseness. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was to unite the believers. In the church there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither male nor female, neither rich nor poor, and so forth. The church is unity, not diversity! Of course, this is contrary to the devilish doctrine of church diversity. And
Garrison states many were “added to their number” through
Spirit-empowered evangelism (2:41, 47). Acts 2:47 plainly declares: “And
the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (2:47).
Note that “the Lord” added to the church.
Why did Garrison say “Spirit-empowered evangelism” instead of
quoting the Scripture – “the Lord added to the church daily
such as should be saved”?
3.
Grow: Now only did the Acts 2 church grown quantitatively through
evangelism, it grew qualitatively through discipleship.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (2:42).
4.
Serve:
The Acts 2 church met the day-to-day needs of people through compassionate
ministry. “Selling their
possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need” (2:45). Comment: Again, Garrison purposely misinterprets Scripture. The previous verse (2:44) states: “And all that believed were together, and had all things in common.” Garrison says, “they gave to anyone as he had need” implying even sinners. However, these resources were for the needy Christians only.
To
explain, early church charity relieved the suffering of fellow saints who
were enduring true hardship. However, true hardship was not poverty due to
laziness, overspending, squandering, and other sin.
This
is clear in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians:
“For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened.
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may
be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for
your want: that there may be equality” (8:13, 14). Simply put, Paul says: When you’re suffering hardship, I’ll help you. And when I’m suffering hardship, you’ll help me.
However,
many Pentecostals preach Jesus taught the redistribution of wealth.
This is a fable! This is a lie!
Did Jesus distribute money to the poor?
No. The Bible never records Jesus distributing money to the poor.
He taught charity to the deserving poor.
Moreover, Jesus rebuked the crowd for coming to him just for bread: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled” (John 6:26).
Additionally, the early church demanded that every man fulfill his duty of work. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (3:10). Paul didn’t suggest it - he commanded it:
6
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not
after the tradition which he received of us. 7
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not
ourselves disorderly among you; 8
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with
labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any
of you: 9
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample
unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
And
in a letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 5: 3 -16) addressing the church’s duty
to support widows, the Apostle Paul explains the church should give money
to deserving widows only.
And
Paul admonishes the Thessalonians: “To do your own business, and to work
with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward
them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing” (1
Thessalonians 4:11, 12).
Clearly,
Scripture teaches personal responsibility: Work. Provide for yourself and
your family. Don’t be a
burden to others. Don’t beg
for money.
Irrefutably,
there is no evidence in Scripture that Jesus or His disciples taught the
redistribution of wealth.
There
are lazy people, lazy cultures and lazy nations. The Bible declares: “if
any should not work, neither should he eat.”
Nowhere does God’s Law burden us to feed the lazy or feed the
world. To feed the world
would be an impossible and unreasonable burden!
And
the truth is there is the sin of national coveteousness:
a nation covets another nation’s possessions. Hence they may try
to steal it by physical force. Or
they may try to steal it by political and social force – “social
justice.”
Furthermore,
Paul prays for the Philippians: “And
this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and
in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent” (Phil.
1:9).
In
other words, God’s Law demands that love – including charity - must be
based on knowledge and judgment. 5.
Go:
The Acts 2 church preached the gospel and called for conversion.
“What shall we do?” the Jerusalem audience asked Peter after his
evangelistic sermon. “Repent
and be baptized everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far
off – for all whom the Lord our God will call (2:37-39). In concluding his argument for purposeful change, Garrison says: “A church that lives these five purposes is a healthy church, and a healthy church is a growing church, just like the Acts 2 church. If your church is plateauing or in decline, the first step toward change is determining your purpose.” To
repeat, this is blasphemy! If your church is plateauing or in decline, the
first step is to seek the Lord! The truth is a growing church is not always a healthy church. A growing church may be spiritually corrupted by worldliness and lusts after the friendship of the world, not the favor of God.
The
true Church is built by the power of the Holy Spirit convicting souls
through the “foolishness” of the preaching of the Gospel – not by
“determining your purpose”! O foolish Alton Garrison, Rick
Warren has bewitched you! O foolish Pentecostals, Rick
Warren has bewitched you! Strategic Change Earlier in his case, Garrison paid lip service to the Holy Spirit. He has a form of godliness but denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). But now his real purpose is exposed: beguile and bewitch us with man-made strategic change: vision, values, mission, and strategic plan. Incidentally, his vision, values, mission, and strategic plan are not spiritual; they are worldly. For example, Garrison’s “mission” is not the mission of the Bible. His mission is: “It describes your core functions.” In other words, it is really a business mission statement. Then Garrison proceeds to profane holy and sacred worship pleasing to God: "But
in another sense, the vision, mission, values, and strategic plans of all
churches are very different from one another.
An urban church will do things differently than a suburban church
or a rural church. A
multigenerational church will do things differently than a church with a
target audience of the Millennial Generation.
Some churches will use Sunday schools to accomplish their mission,
others will use small groups. One
church might have traditional worship, another contemporary worship music,
another country-flavored worship music, and still another worship music
that sounds like rock-‘n-roll. What Garrison argues is the purposeful destruction of sacred Christian culture! For over 2000 years, churches offered sacred worship pleasing to God. Now, Garrison argues diversity: churches must offer diverse “worship” pleasing to man’s profane cultural preferences. Garrison’s argument is contrary to Biblical truth. God’s Law commands the unity of believers, not diversity. And sacred Christian culture unifies true believers. Irrefutably,
the church is the melting pot of Christians. Simply put, Christians of
different ages, races, socio-economic and educational levels, and so forth - diverse backgrounds - selfishly put aside their personal
preferences (“styles”) to unite in one accord in sanctified worship.
To put it another way, sacred Christian culture unifies the young and old,
rich and poor, educated and uneducated, black and white, and so forth in
sanctified worship pleasing to God. Next,
Garrison speaks an outright lie to support man-pleasing worship: "Acts 2 churches pursue the same end through different means. The Bible determines the end we pursue, but local culture shapes the means we use as we pursue it. Another way of putting this is that the Word of God determines the substance of our message but the world influences the style of our methodology. An Acts 2 church is both biblically grounded and culturally savvy." (Emphasis added.) Christians, do you hear what Garrison argues? “…the Word determines the substance of our message but
the world influences the style of our methodology. An Acts 2 church is
both biblically grounded and culturally savvy.” This is a doctrine of devils! A church cannot be Biblically grounded and culturally savvy – worldly! A church cannot have the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world! The plain language of the Bible tells us that whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God… Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James
4:4 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1
Corinthians 2:12, 13 It
is written, My
house shall be called the house of prayer; but
ye have made it a den of thieves. Matthew
21: 13, 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17: 14 Garrison
is purposely marrying the carnal and the spiritual! He is preaching that the church should commit spiritual
fornication! This
devilish doctrine is the spirit of anti-Christ! The
seducing spirit of Rick Warren has bewitched Garrison! O
foolish Alton Garrison, Rick Warren has bewitched you! O
foolish Pentecostals, Rick Warren has bewitched you! Leading Change Fourth, Garrison argues that change in the church must be purposeful and strategic and must also be managed carefully. He instructs pastors not to impose change, but to lead change. He argues pastors who lead change should pay attention to three things:
In discussing “Direction,” Garrison argues leaders exercise influence rather than authority: “They help people discover the need for change on their own rather than imposing change on them from the top down.” Garrison purposely urges leaders to use craftiness to lead the people to change. In other words, bewitch the people: even though it’s your idea, use deceit to make the people think it’s their idea. O you wicked deceiver, Alton Garrison! Incidentally, if leaders merely help people discover the need for change on their own rather than impose change on them from the top down, then why is the Assemblies of God executive leadership imposing change on the churches? O
ye hypocrites! (See
“Exposing the New Church Order Mafia
&Shocking Evidence of the
Wickedness of Corrupt Church Officials” @
http://www.libertyadvocate.com/New%20Church%20Order%20Mafia.htm)
And when Garrison discusses “Pace”: “Leaders manage change at a pace that is sustainable for all church members. Change that moves too quickly loses older members.” To the contrary, on the Day of Pentecost, there was sudden change! Then, once again, Garrison contradicts himself: “Everyone sacrifices their preferences out of love and respect for others.” Earlier he indirectly condemned the unity of the church through sacred culture by promoting churches based on personal preferences: traditional, contemporary, country-flavored, and rock-‘n-roll. Woe
unto the spirits of devils who make merchandise of men!
Woe unto you, Alton Garrison! Woe unto you, Pentecostals! Change Works Garrison concludes his case: “The church needs to change. Through the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, the church can change. So, following the biblical model of the Acts 2 church, let’s change the way we do things so the world might experience the life-changing power of God!” So,
who says the church needs to change into a synagogue of Satan with
“worship” pleasing to men? God?
No. God’s Law still
commands that we worship Him, not men.
What Garrison argues is purposely changing the church from a unified body of saints in one accord to a body of sinners and hypocrites devoted to a diversity of profane and worldly worship. This is the spirit of anti-Christ! This is the devilish doctrine of the spirits of devils! Unquestionably, Garrison argues committing spiritual harlotry with the world! Clearly, Garrison is guilty of arguing for a worldly church - contrary to God’s Law. In fact, he purposely misinterprets and corrupts and perverts God’s Law. Bewitched “O
foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you…? Galatians
3:1 O foolish Alton Garrison, Rick Warren has bewitched you! O foolish Pentecostals, Rick Warren has bewitched you! Warren is a seducing spirit preaching doctrines of devils! This is the spirit of anti-Christ! Marketing
strategies are not true evangelism! Marketing
strategies to build the church are purposeful deception! Rick
Warren’s purpose-driven church is to drive the Holy Spirit out of the
church and replace it with the spirit of man - the spirit of the world.
The purpose-driven church has a form of godliness, but denies the
power of the Holy Spirit. And
Warren’s purpose-driven church is to give the glory for the growth of
the church to man – namely him. But
we know that all the glory for building the church goes to the Lord! The true church is not built by the wisdom of men, but by the power of God! And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2: 4,5 True
evangelism
– preaching the Word of God - empowered by the Holy Spirit builds
true churches! O foolish Alton Garrison, Rick Warren has bewitched you! O foolish Pentecostals, Rick Warren has bewitched you! God’s sentence of eternal damnation is already pronounced against you… Repent! Liberty Advocate March 2011 http://www.libertyadvocate.com/
Read James Sundquist's RESPONSE TO ASSEMBLIES OF
GOD LEADERS
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