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doesn't want to get involved or suffer the consequences of "spilling the beans" is not what God
would have any Christian do. To those (elders, staff, assistant pastor, some who left, some
current members and others) who knew of the problems associated with this ministry and chose
to "ignore the Bible" and instead to "keep silent" -- God's Word says: "The Lord rebuke you!"
(Jude 9)It is to Him you will have to answer to. Not me. Notwithstanding others from this
congregation who may have actually been spiritually abused or manipulated by this ministry.
We are not only to contend for our faith but the issue was settled by God's grace through the
salvation He has given us through faith in Christ Jesus. There is nothing you can do to "buy" or
"work" your way into heaven. It is an insult to people of faith to state otherwise. Romans 11:6
reads: "But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on
works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be
meaningless]."You are not going to buy your way into a better position with God with adding
"offerings" on top of your "tithes."Nor by giving out of some form of guilt that the pastor lays
upon you. You cannot miss out on God's Grace because of something you do or something you
don't do for your pastor -- no matter what he says. God's Word is plain enough on this issue.
And, if you think the pastor really understands God's tithe, ask him to teach on God's tithing
instructions contained in Deuteronomy 14: 22-29. Especially verse 26 where God says: ". . you
shall eat your tithe (money was converted to food) before the Lord your God and you shall
rejoice, you and your household."When was the last time your pastor told you to eat your tithe
like God has commanded here? Why tithe today? It's simple and the real tithe answer is in verse
23 where the Word states: "that you may learn [reverently] to fear the Lord your God always."
It is a relationship thing. Put God into your finances and He will do wondrous things. But,
don't do it out of obligation or thinking you are going to buy results from the Almighty. This is
either foolishness or religious dogma. It is either a "works theology" or "guilt!"
A ministry that puts a monetary "works theology" into play has ulterior motives. Especially if
it is all the ministry teaches about for years. This particular pastor is so bold that he has even
publicly (within a worship meeting) ordained his own son and daughter into his ministry as
pastors. Why not just buy an ordained minister's certificate from the Universal Church for $25?
Is there any difference from this or in having your father "ordain" you at the age of 19-20? Does
this pastor (ministry) have some self-serving family-oriented ulterior motives? I have found two
answers to the enigma of this ministry.
The first answer I found is very disturbing to me. In their book titled "The SUBTLE POWER of
SPIRITUAL ABUSE" Copyright 1991, authors David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen of the Open
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