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Stories from the Message: Difference between revisions
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The following true stories raise serious questions about the integrity of ministers in the message. | The following true stories raise serious questions about the integrity of ministers in the message. | ||
==Covering up sexual abuse== | |||
One message pastor perfectly fits [[Sociopathic Leadership|the definition of a sociopath]]. In many countries in the world, he would have gone to jail. He told several people in his church that he did not know about the sexual abuse of a minor which took place in the church he pastored, until after the boy was over twenty years old. But through the testimony of witnesses (in accordance with the Bible), the board of the church found that the pastor was lying. | |||
He knew about the sexual abuse of the boy within a few months of the abuse beginning and while the boy was only 15 years old. He met with the boy and the abuser separately just two weeks after the boy's 16th birthday. BUT he never told the boy's parents and never told the abuser's husband of what was taking place. Furthermore, he demanded a code of silence from those few people that knew what had taken place. Because this was not handled in a Biblical way, the abuse continued for several more years and the illicit relationship continued for some 10 years. | |||
Why would this pastor be willing to lie and cover up such blatant sexual abuse? | |||
Was it because he had too much spiritual pride to admit that this was going on in his assembly? | |||
Was it because he was afraid it would bring him bad publicity? | |||
Was it because he didn't want to lose the financial support of the minor's family? | |||
Was it because his own family member was the perpetrator? | |||
He should have had enough integrity to do the right thing. His first allegiance should have been to God's Word. He should have cared enough about the souls of these two individuals to handle the situation Biblically. He should have seen to it that they got help rather than covering it up so that the abuses continued. | |||
Are message pastors willing to lie because they are in a religion of lies? It certainly appears so. | |||
:''But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.<ref>1 Timothy.5.20-21 NIV</ref> | |||
==Lies about a pastor== | ==Lies about a pastor== | ||
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A song leader in a message church had become aware of the issues with William Branham's teachings and started asking questions about the message. He contacted his pastor via email and through text messages with his questions but never received a response. He ultimately left the church having received no answers to his questions. | A song leader in a message church had become aware of the issues with William Branham's teachings and started asking questions about the message. He contacted his pastor via email and through text messages with his questions but never received a response. He ultimately left the church having received no answers to his questions. | ||
When | When members of the congregation asked about the song leader, the pastor lied and claimed that this man had simply left the church and had never tried to contact him. Rather than engage in conversation with his worship leader, this pastor chose to avoid contact and spread lies about him. However, the song leader kept the texts and emails he sent to this pastor as proof that the pastor was lying about him. He showed them to the few people who actually took the time to contact him and they were shocked by the proof that the pastor had lied to them. | ||
==Lies about a deacon== | ==Lies about a deacon== | ||
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=Caring for the Poor= | =Caring for the Poor= | ||
[[File:WidowsMite.jpg|250px|right]] | [[File:WidowsMite.jpg|250px|right]] | ||
A Message Pastor stood up and asked his Church for approval to give the guitar player some money because he had pawned his guitar and couldn't afford to get it out again. No one raised a hand. Taking the silence as affirmation, the Pastor handed the guitarist $300 cash from the offering plate. Later, | A Message Pastor stood up and asked his Church for approval to give the guitar player some money because he had pawned his guitar and couldn't afford to get it out again. No one raised a hand. Taking the silence as affirmation, the Pastor handed the guitarist $300 cash from the offering plate. Later, in hushed whispers, many express to one another their disapproval. Still, no one confronted the pastor about the folly of giving cash without asking for reasons behind a person’s financial distress. A short time later the guitarist stopped attending services because of alcoholism and drug use. | ||
In another Message Church, a single mother of four approached the Pastor about her financial distress. She had been in an abusive situation | In another Message Church, a single mother of four approached the Pastor about her financial distress. She had been in an abusive situation and had attended the church for years. She needed diapers and food and was humiliated that she had to ask for help. The Pastor went to discuss the situation with a deacon, who gave the woman $20 with the instructions “Here is some money for diapers, but we don’t help charity cases here.” | ||
A third message church had a lot of money that they had saved up. They were doing nothing to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). The pastor wanted to invest some of funds because the money was sitting in the bank earning a low rate of interest. So he found an "investment" that was going to provide a high rate of return and provided collateral to the church for the loan in the form of property. The deacons and trustees approved the transaction, | A third message church had a lot of money that they had saved up. They were doing nothing to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). The pastor wanted to invest some of the funds because the money was sitting in the bank earning a low rate of interest. So he found an "investment" that was going to provide a high rate of return and provided collateral to the church for the loan in the form of property. The deacons and trustees approved the transaction, subject to the church's lawyer ensuring the guarantee of the land was put in place. | ||
A year later, it was discovered that the pastor had invested the money without the guarantee, he had never involved the lawyer, and the church took a $100,000 loss. The pastor stated he would repay the money as between his salary as a pastor, living expense allowance and the trucking business he owned on the side, he was earning close to $300,000 a year. | A year later, it was discovered that the pastor had invested the money without the guarantee, he had never involved the lawyer, and the church took a $100,000 loss. The pastor stated he would repay the money as between his salary as a pastor, living expense allowance and the trucking business he owned on the side, he was earning close to $300,000 a year. | ||
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==What these stories teach us== | ==What these stories teach us== | ||
The Message often claims that it has the ability to “write another book of Acts”, but the Book of Acts says that “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” (2:44-45 NIV). What is clear is that the Message is not a continuation of the book of Acts as it claims to be. | The Message often claims that it has the ability to “write another book of Acts”, but the Book of Acts says that “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” (2:44-45 NIV). What is clear is that the Message is not a continuation of the book of Acts as it claims to be. | ||
=Dealing with [[Tithing|tithes]] and offerings= | =Dealing with [[Tithing|tithes]] and offerings= | ||
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"''Did I bounce a check?''" I asked. | "''Did I bounce a check?''" I asked. | ||
“''No''”, he replied, “''but the prophet warned the ministry of three things: money, women and popularity. The pastor has a revelation about a fourth one: the government. | “''No''”, he replied, “''but the prophet warned the ministry of three things: money, women and popularity.'' The pastor has a revelation about a fourth one: the government. | ||
This sent up a red flag in my mind, but at the time I didn't dare question the "anointed one" over the congregation. | This sent up a red flag in my mind, but at the time I didn't dare question the "anointed one" over the congregation. | ||
==What these stories teach us== | ==What these stories teach us== | ||
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I realized that I had seen this all before, and decided not to let my children too far out of my sight. Very soon after I left the Message. | I realized that I had seen this all before, and decided not to let my children too far out of my sight. Very soon after I left the Message. | ||
=Love in the message= | |||
The following are examples of love being displayed in the message. | |||
==Notice to Visitors== | |||
There was a man in a message church in Wisconsin who proudly handed out a framed witnessing tool in the form of a declaration of their faith. It was meant for fellow message believers to hang on the wall in their homes. The gist of it was this: | |||
:''THIS IS A MESSAGE HOME WHERE THE TOKEN IS BEING APPLIED! NO WOMEN WITH BOBBED HAIR, MEN'S APPARREL, MAKE-UP OR IMMODEST CLOTHING ALLOWED. ALSO, NO TV'S OR WORLDLY ENTERTAINMENTS IN THIS HOME IN HONOR OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ENDTIME PROPHET! | |||
==Disregard for those that are ill== | |||
There was a young boy in our congregation who had bad allergies. Throughout the service, he was blowing his nose. Halfway through very long sermon, the pastor looked down and said, "'''Would someone get him out of the sanctuary?!'''" He said it in an accusatory tone, not a gentle one. No offer to pray for the poor kid. Just an angry demand. The family of the child left less than a year later. The man had been a deacon in the church. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==No regard for grieving parents== | |||
When our baby died, our first service back at church was completely directed at us. The pastor rebuked and accused us of ridiculous and petty things as being the cause of God taking our baby's life. Then, that evening, he sent the deacons over to rebuke my husband for chuckling during the song service (he played guitar), because he was having trouble getting the timing right with the other musicians. Our baby hadn't been in the ground for more than 3 days! | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==Blamed for childrens' death== | |||
A pastor blamed my dad for the death of my two brothers because he did not believe the doctrine of the church. A deacon told us there was a curse on our family. When my husband and I starting to have a family, the same deacon told me to make sure we had a lot of children just in case some were taken away. | |||
Years later the pastor was electrocuted and died. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==Ridiculed for grieving== | |||
When our son died, we were rebuked for grieving. We were told that we should be rejoicing, because our baby was in heaven. | |||
I tried for years to reach my pastor after being abandoned by my husband. He was "unavailable" each time I called either his office or his home. I was passed to other pastors, who told me I needed to talk with him... Endless loop. | |||
Finally I gave up. When I left the church/message, no one even noticed that I wasn't going any more. I suppose that was the most hurtful thing - that I was so irrelevant after 12 years attendance, solo singing and piano playing, no one even noticed when I wasn't there and neither were my two children. | |||
My former husband, now on his 5th wife, is still welcome in many message churches, because every time he wants to dump one wife and marry someone else, he "backslides". Then after a period of time, he returns and "repents" with new wife at his side. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==''You have to take sides!''== | |||
When our church split up, I was the treasurer and a trustee. Eventually one of the ministers put the question to me as to which of the two pastors I was going to support. I naively replied that maybe I would attend both churches. | |||
It was then that the minister I was talking to appeared to prophesy to me. He said, "''You will be shot in the legs for being a Yankee... shot in the back for being a rebel''". | |||
And so I left the message. What they did not know was that this was the perfect timing for my Messiah to begin revealing himself to me. | |||
Having died to the message, I began to wake up and see the glory, power and honour of the Lamb of God. It is an exciting chapter in the epistle of my life, I call it, The Great Escape. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==''You need to move!''== | |||
We had always been persecuted because we did not move close to a message church and "be at our post of duty". The worst came directly from a big name preacher. We had attended his church, as often as we could for several months. He had never spoken to us, until one day before service we were standing in the vestibule, and he came up to us and asked us when we were going to move. My husband said " We have jobs, property and a home up there" upon which he said , "I don't care, you move!" Every time my husband tried to speak he simply said "YOU MOVE" over and over, louder and louder...each time felt like a stab to my heart. | |||
He finally just walked away, and when we went in to the service I was so shaken I did not hear one word of the sermon. We had been planning to attend a couples banquet, and were called the next day and told there was "no room " for us. Needless to say, we never did go back to that church again. The shock and pure hate I felt is still with me, years later, as I write this. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==''My brother was nicer before he got saved''== | |||
My brother and his wife are in the message and have no regard for other christians who are suffering nor will reach out and help anyone who is not in the message, which includes me. I have needed help and they would help others but seem to have no compassion or love for me. I don't understand it. My brother was very compassionate before he got in the message. He acted nicer when he was not saved than he does now. His thinking is so messed up. He is not the same person. | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
==Persecution for liking our Facebook page== | |||
Dear people and Believe the Sign, for the first time since coming out of the Message I was personally told by a cousin and friend that she had deleted me because I had supported this site. She said when I talked about the message I blasphemed the Holy Ghost. My mom has been harassed by family as well but this was the first time I'd experience it myself. | |||
Although I want to be afraid and it was a shock in my heart, I know I'm doing what's right. I am happier, more at peace, and have more faith since this journey or exodus began. I was always afraid of missing the Rapture because of things Branham said, but now I feel I am ready and Jesus is the only one I need to be part of the carrying away of the Bride. Thank God! | |||
:::''Anonymous ex-message follower'' | |||
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