Some Christian news blogs and high-profile leaders overlook the truth

By Marsha West

Wolf Little Red Riding HoodWhen I heard that Jan Crouch died of a massive stroke, to be quite honest, I was not saddened by the news.  Why?  Well, for one thing Jan and her deceased husband Paul promoted the worst sort of heresy imaginable: Word of Faith.  But you wouldn’t find that out by reading the Christian Post’s puff piece.  Janice Crouch was a controversial figure to be sure. But inquiring minds learned nothing about that from CP.  Certainly part of the reason for the controversy was the colossal pink-tinged “cotton candy” wigs, heavy make-up, and the lavish lifestyle she and husband Paul enjoyed.  But there were many other reasons the Crouches were controversial.  So let’s take a quick look at their history.

The couple were the founders and leaders of Trinity Broadcasting Network.  TBN has been in business since 1973 and has an estimated net worth of half a billion dollars.  A single Praise-A-Thon can bilk faithful viewers out of as much as $50 million tax exempt donations. The Crouches were known for their scandalous statements against anyone who dared challenge the cultic Faith teaching they were spreading on a global scale via their cable TV network. The following is excerpted from “Televangelist Paul Crouch Leaves a Dirty Legacy; Evangelical Christians Look the Other Way” by Terry Firma:

The New York Times published an exposé of the Crouches’ financial tricks last year. It tells you volumes about how the darling duo spent all that revenue from donations, TV rights, and investments.

For instance:

The [couple’s] lavish perquisites, described by [estranged granddaughter and former financial officer Brittany] Koper and corroborated by interviews with two other former TBN employees, include additional, often-vacant homes in Texas and on the former Conway Twitty estate in Tennessee, corporate jets valued at $8 million and $49 million each and thousand-dollar dinners with fine wines, paid with tax-exempt funds.

More:

[F]ormer TBN employees also said that dozens of staff members, including Ms. Koper, chauffeurs, sound engineers and others had been ordained as ministers by TBN. This, she said, allowed the network to avoid paying Social Security taxes on their salaries and made it easier to justify providing family members with rent-free houses, sometimes called “parsonages.” (Source)

The above is just a tidbit of information that can be gleaned from a Google search.  But nothing like this was mentioned in CP’s report, even though the controversy still rages.  Also not mentioned in the puff piece is the fact that because of TBN, Faith teaching has become one of this era’s greatest threats to authentic Christianity.

Joseph Chambers wrote a piece entitled “The Confused World of Paul and Jan Crouch” and provides the transcript of a chat Kenneth Copeland had with the Crouches where he lays out the force of faith to them. Briefly, Copeland believes faith is a tangible force. This force is released through the spoken word, thus name-it-and-claim-it.  When we speak words of faith, power is discharged that will accomplish our desires. Through faith we can have health, wealth, success – anything we want.  Copeland also spins the yarn that alleged laws of the universe can be manipulated independent of God.  Does this mean God is subject to the laws He created?  According to word-faith theology, yes.

What Faith Is Not

Now to the discussion.  As we will see, when presented with Ken Copeland’s decidedly unbiblical metaphysical view of faith, there is no argument from the Crouches — no contending for the faith as believers are commanded to do in Jude 1:3:

Faith healingKenneth Copeland: “The force of faith is in the spiritual realm a great deal like certain forces in the natural realm. It is a spiritual force, like gravity is a natural force, and electricity is a natural force of power.”

Paul Crouch: “A measurable natural force.”

Kenneth Copeland: “It’s a measurable force, it’s conductible, it’s perceptible to the touch . . . Faith is a spiritual force, it’s perceptible, . . . it is a tangible force, it’s an invisible force, so is gravity, but it is there.”

Paul Crouch: “So is electricity . . . Does God use faith?”

Kenneth Copeland: “Surely.”

Paul Crouch: “. . . See, here is the sore spot. There are those who say . . .”

Jan Crouch: “Not with him.” (speaking of Copeland)

Paul Crouch: “Not with you.” (lots of laughter follows)

Jan Crouch: “Not with God.”

Kenneth Copeland: “. . . the fact. No, I’m not sore at God at all and I don’t think He’s sore at me . . . I haven’t done anything to Him.”

Paul Crouch: “. . . The critics say God is God, He doesn’t have to have faith; He doesn’t exercise faith. He doesn’t use faith. He’s God. He’s the object of faith.”

Kenneth Copeland: ” . . . Wait a minute, what does that mean? Object of faith. I don’t know what that means.”

Jan Crouch: “I don’t either.”

(End discussion.)

The definition of biblical faith has no kinship to this “Force of Faith” espoused by Copeland, and apparently Paul and Jan Crouch. In the above statement by Kenneth Copeland, God is said to use faith just like Copeland uses faith. Faith ceases to be the lofty and eternal truth forever settled in the Heavens and established by an eternal God that is Himself the object of our faith. It becomes a formula or a New Age force that is a pagan idea, clearly kin to the many teachings of the occult. (Source)

Does the Bible teach that faith is a force?  No!  Yet the Crouches fail to challenge Copeland on his dangerous teaching.  In fact, Paul Crouch once looked into the camera and said in his friend’s defense, “If you want to criticize Ken Copeland for his preaching on faith, or Dad Hagin get out of my life! I don’t even want to talk to you or hear you. I don’t want to see your ugly face. Get out of my face, in Jesus’ name.”

Visitors to CP think the site is the epitome of Christian orthodoxy, that people of faith can trust CP to keep them informed. Yet contributing writer Anugrah Kumar didn’t apprise readers about TBN’s promotion of some pretty dangerous teaching.

Bible believing Christians familiar with the power couple’s warped theology consider them wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Which begs the question:  Why did an Internet publication that calls itself Christian fail to share this not so small detail in a big story?  Jesus himself addressed the wolf infestation He faced head on:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (Mat 7:15-17)

Paul and Jan Crouch produced rotten fruit! What did Jesus say would happen to diseased trees?  (Mat 7:18, 19)

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Mat 7:19, 20)

Trouble In Paradise

Jackie Alnor of Scattered Sheep Report has been following the Crouches and TBN for decades. When she heard the news of Jan’s demise she wrote a piece entitled, “The True Legacy of Jan Crouch.” In it she reminds us that:

GreedyJan died with 14 lawsuits pending against her whistle-blower granddaughter, Brittany Crouch Koper, costing TBN donors multiple millions of dollars.

Jan had not spoken to her granddaughter since she was fired as the Chief Financial Officer of TBN in 2011 for insisting that the Crouches follow the laws governing the use of donor money and not siphon it off to boost Matt Crouch’s secular movie directing ambitions, among other reported wastes for the Crouches to live extravagantly.

Alnor concludes:

Paul & Jan Crouch’s legacy must not go down in history all white-washed and controlled by million $ lawyers. The truth is ugly but must be told — if the LORD tarries, it must be known from here on that TBN was/is the biggest carrier of apostasy in all of church history. (Read Jackie’s full report here)

Why did the reporter neglect to inform readers about legitimate lawsuits? Moreover, why would a Christian publication fail to mention that the Crouches were often criticized, and rightly so, for being the “biggest carrier of apostasy in all of church history”?

It’s no secret that TBN props up a plethora of false prophets who spread heresy all over the globe.  TBN promotes the health and wealth prosperity gospel…NAR/dominionismPurpose DrivenismEmergentContemplative prayer…Christian Mysticism…New Age/New Thought and everything else under the sun.  In a word, syncretism.

TBN hosts false teachers such as Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, T. D. Jakes, Joseph Prince, Kim Clement, Steven Furtick, Joyce Meyer, Brian Houston, Christine Caine, James Robison, Robert Morris, Paula White, John Avanzini, Jesse Duplantis, Frederick Price, Creflo Dollar, Morris Cerullo, Paul Yonggi Cho, Marilyn Hickey, Jerry Savelle, John Hagee, Rod Parsley, Sid Roth, C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, Chuck Pierce, Reinhard Bonnke…and the list goes on and on.

Many people have expressed their concern and displeasure when they see evangelical celebrities thought to be theologically solid appear on TBN.  A few examples of those who have done this for whatever reason are Franklin Graham, Kirk Cameron, David Jeremiah, Ray Comfort, Beth Moore, Max Lucado and Anne Graham Lotz.

Leaders Who Fail To Lead

Quick digression.  While doing research for this article, I had no choice but to visit CP several times.  On one of those sojourns I noticed a blog post by Dr. Michael Brown at the top of the page.  Dr. Brown is a conservative Messianic Jew, whose resume includes all sorts of accomplishments and degrees, including a Ph. D from New York University.  Brown is a respected charismatic leader and Bible scholar.  His desire is to be taken seriously, and for the most part he is.  Ironically, on CP’s homepage, just a few doors down in the opinion section under “Living” I noticed a guest column by Joyce Meyer.  Meyer is a notorious false teacher so the heading should be “Dying” for the reason that her unbiblical theology leads to death.  So, why would a Bible scholar who grasps the meaning of heresy better than most want his column carried by a so-called Christian blog that features articles written by wolves in sheep’s clothing?  Remember, brethren, this is the “Christian” Post.  Richard Land, CP’s executive editor, served as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission which is the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention until he was forced to resign.  Land is a conservative Baptist!  He, too, knows perfectly well that the prosperity gospel is a heresy that’s spreading.  Yet he seemingly has no problem providing a platform for Faith teachers to promote their rotten fruit!  Where’s the discernment?  Where was it in 2013 when “Papa” Paul Crouch died?  CP’s Anugrah Kumar wrote a tribute to him, quoting several Christian luminaries:

“Praise to God for this man of faith,” tweeted Lucado, bestselling author and writer and preacher at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. Crouch “has passed into eternal joy,” he said.

“‏We celebrate Dr. Paul Crouch’s good & faithful work on earthMay we all leave such a legacy for the Kingdom,” wrote Creflo Dollar, founder and senior pastor of World Changers Church International, on Twitter.

May we all not leave such a legacy for the Kingdom, or we could find ourselves in the Kingdom of Hell.

Of course Paul’s pal Heretic Hinn had to add his 2 cents:

On this day of his glorious home-going, please reflect upon the tremendous impact of this man’s extraordinary life,” reads a tweet by Pastor Hinn from Benny Hinn Ministries. (Source)

A glowing tribute by Christian Post – for a ravenous wolf!

Had enough?

I have.  So back to the subject at hand, Janice Crouch.  From what we know to be true about her, she has passed from this life to a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke 13:28    I do understand there is always the possibility she repented of her sins and came to faith in the true Jesus Christ before she died.  If this was the case, by God’s grace, she is in heaven.

I’ll close with a quote from Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones:

Heresies always result from the wiles of the devil, the efforts of the principalities and powers.  Are your eyes open to it?  Do you realize the relevance of all this to you as a member of the Christian Church?  Are you being carried away by this loose, general, sentimental talk?  God forbid that any of us should ever say that it matters not what you believe as long as you are a Christian.  May God open our eyes, and having given us to see the truth, then enable us “to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.”  “Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (H/T Glenn Chatfield)

Helpful Resources:

A Fast Growing Movement With Disastrous Implications By Marsha West

Word of Faith Movement—Berean Research

New Age Movement—Berean Research

Copyright by Marsha West, 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

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6 Responses to Some Christian news blogs and high-profile leaders overlook the truth

  1. Manny1962 June 11, 2016 at 12:04 pm #

    I had a friend named Steve, he worked for them in Tennessee, Steve was a master carpenter and was hired to do sets, he had to sign a non-disclosure form, he would be sued to the hilt if he ever released any information about the two, he lasted less than six months, he told me he couldn’t be a Christian and stay in that environment, from boyfriends in private jets, to all kinds of harlotry and criminal behavior. He said it was disgusting and it was all a front to steal money from the ignorant. That people still give money to that organization is beyond comprehension. How utterly ignorant must one be? He said they would only mention Christ in front of the cameras, behind the scenes was a totally different world. Utter apostates, paying for their sins now.

  2. Looking Up June 11, 2016 at 7:41 pm #

    Back in the 80’s after I had rededicated my life to Christ I noticed TBN had John Avanzini on there teaching the what I know now to be called The Word of Faith heresy. It upset me so much I wrote Paul & Jan Crouch about him, and instead of writing me back, they turned my letter over to Avanzini who replied with a kind letter, but he never renounced that false teaching. And Paul & Jan kept allowing more & more false teachers of the Word of Faith lie.
    Then I had a warning dream about Paul Crouch and I quit watching TBN altogether.
    When they wouldn’t allow Dave Hunt, the author of “Seduction of Christianity: Spiritual Discernment for the Last Days” to speak I knew something was wrong with Paul & Jan. Hunt’s book was right on!
    You can’t allow false teachers to spread their lies, if you’re truly saved. The Holy Spirit WARNS believers of false teachings & false prophets.

    1 John 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

    All of you who have given to TBN will be held accountable for helping false teachers deceive the masses. We’re to be wise stewards with the money God has blessed us with. It’s not wise, nor is it Christian to help wolves to deceive. It’s Satanic.
    I have NEVER heard ANY of TBN’S preachers mention this passage,

    1 Timothy 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
    4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
    5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: from such withdraw thyself.
    6  ¶But godliness with contentment is great gain.
    7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
    8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

    Nor will they because it would stop the poor from breaking into their food & medicine money to bless the Lord’s work.
    Is it the Lord’s work to build 13 mansions, several jets, a multitude of the most expensive clothing, the most expensive furniture, antiques, etc etc etc?
    Is it the Lord’s work to even own one mansion built by poor or rich Christians?
    No! There shouldn’t be ANY homeless, if the church was doing what they were supposed to be doing…..and that’s to help the poor.

    Shame on you all who’ve helped TBN to spread their false teachings!
    Repent or you’ll be held accountable for the SAME LIES they’ve been using to mislead the masses away from the truth!
    One Sunday at the age of 17 when our family had missed going to church because of taking in my invalid grandmother I was so hungry to hear the word of God that I turned on TV to hear a preacher. And all there was, was Robert Schuller with his positive thinking, how to be a better you. I was so disgusted to hear that & I was just 17 and I knew what Schuller was talking about was void of God’s word. I wanted to hear the Gospel, about repenting & how to get saved. So, I started listening to Christian radio and I found J.Vernon McGee, Back to the Bible, Haven of Rest, SouthWest Radio Bible Church, Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, “Unshackeld” from Chicago, Illinois etc. I sought out the truth and I found it.

    I don’t believe most people are really seeking the truth. They’re happy to have their ears tickled and everything sugar coated.
    2 Timothy 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
    4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

  3. Charles June 11, 2016 at 9:48 pm #

    I would think that, if Jan Crouch is who you say that she is that you would be sorely grieved at her death, knowing the judgement that would await her. I am no fan of TBN at all, but this attitude of smug, arrogant superiority that blogs like yours carries is as unbiblical as many of those that you are so quick to classify as false. Do you truly have such a knowledge of God that you are THE authority on God, and His word? Is your interpretation THE only right interpretation? It must feel wonderful to have a great commission from God to be THE judge of every Minister, and to have no other calling than to expose the evil excesses of the day. Why in the world would a sinner who comes to your site want to receive Jesus Christ? I mean who can they trust to be right? What if they get deceived? Several billion people are going to hell, and this is all that you can find to do with your time, and knowledge? I understand the need for good doctrine, I do, but to lack any empathy when someone that you believe was in error dies reveals as much about you, as your articles reveal about those that you have exposed. Right doctrine was not listed as a fruit of the spirit, even though it is very important. It may do people some good if we would look to produce that fruit, as well as sound doctrine.

  4. Manny1962 June 11, 2016 at 11:05 pm #

    Charles,

    What these people (both of them)were doing went beyond just spouting bad doctrine. They’re fleecing and taking advantage of those that don’t have money to begin with, they’re attributing things to the Holy Spirit which were clearly untrue, was the apostle Paul being arrogant and wrong by naming names and even wishing some “would emasculate themselves” for spreading heresy? Are you aware that TBN wasn’t the fount for just two super heretics, but they allowed and encouraged dozens upon dozens of false teachers throughout the years to spread error? Truly God does not take pleasure in the wicked dying, but godly people are at times consumed by zeal for The Lord, for His Name, His Word and the treatment His Son gets at the hands of liers, scoffers and those that presume to call themselves teachers, but are nothing more than wolves in sheep’s clothing. You might not agree with the author’s choice of words, but I’m willing to go out on a limb and say, if the Crouches were around at Paul’s time, they would have gotten a very heated scathing. These were instrumental in spreading the heresies that affect Christendom today, from health and wealth, to name it and claim it, to emergence, to charismania and everything in between. Sound doctrine is the root of good fruit.

  5. Susan June 13, 2016 at 6:43 am #

    I am a strong opponent of false teachers and erroneous teaching and of deceiving people etc but I also cringed to see “I was not saddened by the news”. God is well able to remove those who are messing up his Word and bringing shame to his name although it seems he chooses not to for the most part. Maybe Marsha you could remove that with an apology?

  6. Manny1962 June 13, 2016 at 9:16 am #

    “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

    EZEKIEL 18:23

    But, to be fair, let’s keep it in context, God is a forgiving God, HE is also just, nothing like man, BUT……..what many Christians forget or rather not touch upon is that GOD IS HOLY, HE is a judge, HE is to be revered, HE is to be adored, HE is beyond reproach, HE is to be treated with the outmost respect. And though we might at a time of zeal for HIS NAME say something unkind about a person, we must acknowledge what that person(s) was doing…..are we to judge? Yes! When it comes to matters of the church and those that profess to be Christians and teachers no less! We are not to judge things outside the church, that is for God, we had two outstandingly wicked wolves, doing and saying all kinds of things against GOD, JESUS AND the HOLY SPIRIT. And though we might not have been saddened because the blasphemy from the two has stopped, we must be aware that two souls, did end up in hell, something that does not please GOD, so we must temper our jubilation that blasphemy against our FATHER has stopped from two professing to be followers and doing damage to the bride and remember that two precious souls have been cast into hell for eternity, it is sobering, it is sad. These two could’ve done so much for evangelism, but instead they chose the wide gate, they exchanged the truth for a lie and decided out of their own volition to worship mammon and not GOD. Ironically, the blasphemy continues from their legacy, TBN.

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