Raising those hands high.... amazing
Just a quick note to update on my experience at the "World Explosion Conference."
When I first got saved, I had a really hard time making friends with Christians because -- to be perfectly honest-- they were just too judgemental. I didn't KNOW what was expected of me as a believer because I had never been one, I had never been around other ones, and I had no idea what the Word of God said about many, many things. Most things.
So I resorted to watching TBN a lot to get some extra "feedings" in.
There were four shows I really liked to watch: Paula White, Joyce Meyers, Marilyn Hickey, and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. Later on, as I grew in my relationship with God, I learned the bogus factor of the Word Of Faith movement and cast aside the "Prosperity Gospel" B.S. that inherently came with many of the TBN broadcasts.
But tonight, I had the opportunity to attend a day long conference with KCM, Kenneth Copeland Ministries. I was super excited to see what would happen and just what my impressions were, and to pray for people at the event.
It was held in a huge coliseum, which was awesome, because it reminded me of Jehova's Witnesses when they have their big conventions. Everyone dressed in their "Sunday best," sporting huge floppy bibles and neatly organized briefcases full of Bible literature and new pens, flowing in and out of the arena to the soft sounds of soulful worship music.
We got seated and then it began. The whole thing was incredibly well organized, with TV, sound, and ushers everywhere prepared to deal with whatever natural or spiritual events might occur.
Worship began, and in true North Cakolaki style, they brought out a choir of super hard worshippin' black folks, some in suits that look like Jim Carrey's in the movie "The Mask," and some in long, african style robes. The music was so encouraging that Annika was swaying and lifting her hands with the best of 'em.. .hehe. We sang old hymns and gospel songs, mostly ones I was familiar with.
When the first chorus of "Praise Him... Praise Him and lift him up!" got accentuated with a hearty clap from all the people present, even I started to appreciate that these people around me genuinely LOVED to worship God.
After a couple more songs, they brought out a Pastor who was supposed to introduce the speakers and take up a love offering for the speakers. Now, keep in mind that I have no beef with taking up an offering for a speaker. Most of the time they provide their own transportation and hotel to the event, and I think it's right to help them out.
What got my feathers ruffled was that this particular guy compared giving an offering TO A SPEAKER to giving your money to doing God's work in such a way that He even equated it with tithing. He actually brought up the whole "million dollar seed" thing and then encouraged everybody to give to the Kingdom of God and build it up. He quoted from 1 Cor 9 about reaping sparingly when you sow sparingly... the whole bit. Then he made a big whoopla about the buckets getting past around, in one of those rolling baptist preacher voices.... "Fill em UP-AH! Fill em UP-AH! Let the GLORY of God come into your life-AH!"
I'm not trying to be judgemental, but it was all I could do to keep from giggling as people eagerly jumped to the big donation buckets, expecting to go home and find Ferraris in their driveways.
See, this type of stuff reminds of 95 percent of the churches around here... Wayne and I stay up late at night giggling about what we would do if we were called to one. There's either a hardcore baptist church which hammers hellfire and freaks if you tap your feet when you hear a beat. (You know, "Come on down to Calvary Hill baptist church, just on your left after the K-and-Double-yew. Turn, BEFORE you burn!")
Then there are the Word of Holiness Faith Tabernacle Burning Bush of Shekinnah Glory Churches... you know the ones. They call each other "sister so and so" and "brother so and so." They talk about million dollar seeds-AH. Their pastors are called "Bishop" Cleary and they inaugurate the pastor's wife "First Lady" Cleary. (what IS that?) They get so worked up during the sermon they are sweating and fanning themselves and the little old ladies in the huge hats in the front jump up every minute shouting:" AMEN!" and "Preach it!" In the back, people are speaking in tongues and running back and forth.
Now, I'm not saying God isn't in these churches, and if that sounds like your church, please don't misunderstand me... it's just culturally a little hard for people like me to swallow, because it's a VERY southern thing. From a visitor's perspective, or from the perspective of one who goes to a church that doesn't preach that we deserve to be rich as God's children or that we deserve to be healthy as God's children, it seems a little much.
The rest of the event was just the Copelands speaking. I was really excited to see Gloria because I noticed that there were about twelve women in the crowd with short blonde haircuts who were wearing pastel colored suits with perfectly done nails. I never knew she had such a following!! It was hilarious to watch.
As a teacher, she definitely has an annointing. It didn't take her but four minutes (yes, I 'm a geek and I counted) to get on a roll, and when she did, it was really good.
I didn't hear her saying anything expressly unbiblical, but the depth of the subjects she was touching on was TOTALLY outweighed by the emphasis on finances and how to recieve wealth, which really isn't a godly topic.
Don't get me wrong, I believe people can and do prosper by the Word of God. I believe God wants SOME people to be rich, but not everyone. I don't think there's anything WRONG with wealth at all--- Christianity NEEDS rich Christians, otherwise we can't advance the Kingdom effectively, and God knows that. But I do believe that there is more to the Godly life than just health, wealth, and healing. You know?
The good points she brought out were REALLY good. She preached on the absence of fear from a Christian's life, which is one of my favorite topics, and she taught on the human fear of death in a way that really demonstrated how, as Saved Children of the Most High God, is totally absurd. There is nothing we need fear, death the least of anything. I agree with that completely. She talked about the days being evil ,and gave some pretty compelling examples from the Word on how to deal with that fact.
When we got to the end and she was preaching on deliverance from fear, she said a couple things that really got my attention--
She told everyone that if they were on meds, get off. I love the way she said it: "If you are taking drugs, learn to use the power in your life to get off them TODAY. Well, I shouldn't be saying this. But that's what I would do."
I laughed so much because that's how I approach the subject... I don't know that you have the faith to get off your meds, but if you do, get them as far away from you as you can.
She said that she thought ADHD was a joke. "YOU were hyperactive when you were a kid," she said. "Nowadays they drug children for being hyperactive. Back in the day, we gave them a good wallup." I couldn't help but jump up and cheer for that one :P
One of my favorite things was that she referred to people in the world, that is... the lost, as "TRYING as hard as they can to get to hell."
I've never looked at it like that, but she did give some pretty compelling evidence to show that people today aren't just going there, they are trying as hard as they can to get there faster. I thought back to the number of times people in the R&P made threads about the big party they thought they were destined for. She was totally right about that---most people think hell sounds better than heaven these days.
Made me rethink a lot of the ways I go about evangelizing!!
On the way back into the conference we literally ran smack into this guy who was leading another man inside. The man he was leading was blind.. he had a cane and his eyes were completely clouded over.
At the end of the conference, Gloria began to pray for the healing of various things in the room. She obviously has a healing gift as well, because healings were happening to the left and to the right of me. What REALLY blew me away, though, because I'll admit that I frequently experience skepticism as miraculous events, was this:
at one point, almost as an afterthought, she began to speak to the blindness of someone in the audience and pray deliverance for him from blindness. I had retained where the man was sitting and reached my hand out to him to pray with her because he was heavy on my heart.
When I looked up, the man was jumping around and yelling---- his EYES WERE COMPLETELY HEALED. I could see them, clear as day, and the cloudiness was completely gone!!!! I've seen a great many miracles in my day, but I was definitely encouraged by this one more than most.
I pondered the event and prayed, asking God if it was HIS presence or the presence of demonic signs and wonders, and He asked me if His name was being glorified by this. Yes, I answered, eyes turned towards the huge sign on the wall that read: "Jesus is LORD!"
I left the conference with a renewed sense of awe at how much I still have to learn about the way God works, and how often we try to put Him in a box. It's easy to say that the word of faith folks simply "aren't" Christians... just as much as it's easy to say that if you believe X, or Y doctrine (like the Pearls , who believe in instant sanctification at salvation-- that they NO LONGER SIN) that you are dead wrong. And you are. But that doesn't change the fact that in all our imperfections, we are being changed from glory to glory as we see all the ways in which God moves. If we stay focused on Him, and quit trying to make each other look like US, I see the Kingdom coming far faster than ever before.
When I first got saved, I had a really hard time making friends with Christians because -- to be perfectly honest-- they were just too judgemental. I didn't KNOW what was expected of me as a believer because I had never been one, I had never been around other ones, and I had no idea what the Word of God said about many, many things. Most things.
So I resorted to watching TBN a lot to get some extra "feedings" in.
There were four shows I really liked to watch: Paula White, Joyce Meyers, Marilyn Hickey, and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. Later on, as I grew in my relationship with God, I learned the bogus factor of the Word Of Faith movement and cast aside the "Prosperity Gospel" B.S. that inherently came with many of the TBN broadcasts.
But tonight, I had the opportunity to attend a day long conference with KCM, Kenneth Copeland Ministries. I was super excited to see what would happen and just what my impressions were, and to pray for people at the event.
It was held in a huge coliseum, which was awesome, because it reminded me of Jehova's Witnesses when they have their big conventions. Everyone dressed in their "Sunday best," sporting huge floppy bibles and neatly organized briefcases full of Bible literature and new pens, flowing in and out of the arena to the soft sounds of soulful worship music.
We got seated and then it began. The whole thing was incredibly well organized, with TV, sound, and ushers everywhere prepared to deal with whatever natural or spiritual events might occur.
Worship began, and in true North Cakolaki style, they brought out a choir of super hard worshippin' black folks, some in suits that look like Jim Carrey's in the movie "The Mask," and some in long, african style robes. The music was so encouraging that Annika was swaying and lifting her hands with the best of 'em.. .hehe. We sang old hymns and gospel songs, mostly ones I was familiar with.
When the first chorus of "Praise Him... Praise Him and lift him up!" got accentuated with a hearty clap from all the people present, even I started to appreciate that these people around me genuinely LOVED to worship God.
After a couple more songs, they brought out a Pastor who was supposed to introduce the speakers and take up a love offering for the speakers. Now, keep in mind that I have no beef with taking up an offering for a speaker. Most of the time they provide their own transportation and hotel to the event, and I think it's right to help them out.
What got my feathers ruffled was that this particular guy compared giving an offering TO A SPEAKER to giving your money to doing God's work in such a way that He even equated it with tithing. He actually brought up the whole "million dollar seed" thing and then encouraged everybody to give to the Kingdom of God and build it up. He quoted from 1 Cor 9 about reaping sparingly when you sow sparingly... the whole bit. Then he made a big whoopla about the buckets getting past around, in one of those rolling baptist preacher voices.... "Fill em UP-AH! Fill em UP-AH! Let the GLORY of God come into your life-AH!"
I'm not trying to be judgemental, but it was all I could do to keep from giggling as people eagerly jumped to the big donation buckets, expecting to go home and find Ferraris in their driveways.
See, this type of stuff reminds of 95 percent of the churches around here... Wayne and I stay up late at night giggling about what we would do if we were called to one. There's either a hardcore baptist church which hammers hellfire and freaks if you tap your feet when you hear a beat. (You know, "Come on down to Calvary Hill baptist church, just on your left after the K-and-Double-yew. Turn, BEFORE you burn!")
Then there are the Word of Holiness Faith Tabernacle Burning Bush of Shekinnah Glory Churches... you know the ones. They call each other "sister so and so" and "brother so and so." They talk about million dollar seeds-AH. Their pastors are called "Bishop" Cleary and they inaugurate the pastor's wife "First Lady" Cleary. (what IS that?) They get so worked up during the sermon they are sweating and fanning themselves and the little old ladies in the huge hats in the front jump up every minute shouting:" AMEN!" and "Preach it!" In the back, people are speaking in tongues and running back and forth.
Now, I'm not saying God isn't in these churches, and if that sounds like your church, please don't misunderstand me... it's just culturally a little hard for people like me to swallow, because it's a VERY southern thing. From a visitor's perspective, or from the perspective of one who goes to a church that doesn't preach that we deserve to be rich as God's children or that we deserve to be healthy as God's children, it seems a little much.
The rest of the event was just the Copelands speaking. I was really excited to see Gloria because I noticed that there were about twelve women in the crowd with short blonde haircuts who were wearing pastel colored suits with perfectly done nails. I never knew she had such a following!! It was hilarious to watch.
As a teacher, she definitely has an annointing. It didn't take her but four minutes (yes, I 'm a geek and I counted) to get on a roll, and when she did, it was really good.
I didn't hear her saying anything expressly unbiblical, but the depth of the subjects she was touching on was TOTALLY outweighed by the emphasis on finances and how to recieve wealth, which really isn't a godly topic.
Don't get me wrong, I believe people can and do prosper by the Word of God. I believe God wants SOME people to be rich, but not everyone. I don't think there's anything WRONG with wealth at all--- Christianity NEEDS rich Christians, otherwise we can't advance the Kingdom effectively, and God knows that. But I do believe that there is more to the Godly life than just health, wealth, and healing. You know?
The good points she brought out were REALLY good. She preached on the absence of fear from a Christian's life, which is one of my favorite topics, and she taught on the human fear of death in a way that really demonstrated how, as Saved Children of the Most High God, is totally absurd. There is nothing we need fear, death the least of anything. I agree with that completely. She talked about the days being evil ,and gave some pretty compelling examples from the Word on how to deal with that fact.
When we got to the end and she was preaching on deliverance from fear, she said a couple things that really got my attention--
She told everyone that if they were on meds, get off. I love the way she said it: "If you are taking drugs, learn to use the power in your life to get off them TODAY. Well, I shouldn't be saying this. But that's what I would do."
I laughed so much because that's how I approach the subject... I don't know that you have the faith to get off your meds, but if you do, get them as far away from you as you can.
She said that she thought ADHD was a joke. "YOU were hyperactive when you were a kid," she said. "Nowadays they drug children for being hyperactive. Back in the day, we gave them a good wallup." I couldn't help but jump up and cheer for that one :P
One of my favorite things was that she referred to people in the world, that is... the lost, as "TRYING as hard as they can to get to hell."
I've never looked at it like that, but she did give some pretty compelling evidence to show that people today aren't just going there, they are trying as hard as they can to get there faster. I thought back to the number of times people in the R&P made threads about the big party they thought they were destined for. She was totally right about that---most people think hell sounds better than heaven these days.
Made me rethink a lot of the ways I go about evangelizing!!
On the way back into the conference we literally ran smack into this guy who was leading another man inside. The man he was leading was blind.. he had a cane and his eyes were completely clouded over.
At the end of the conference, Gloria began to pray for the healing of various things in the room. She obviously has a healing gift as well, because healings were happening to the left and to the right of me. What REALLY blew me away, though, because I'll admit that I frequently experience skepticism as miraculous events, was this:
at one point, almost as an afterthought, she began to speak to the blindness of someone in the audience and pray deliverance for him from blindness. I had retained where the man was sitting and reached my hand out to him to pray with her because he was heavy on my heart.
When I looked up, the man was jumping around and yelling---- his EYES WERE COMPLETELY HEALED. I could see them, clear as day, and the cloudiness was completely gone!!!! I've seen a great many miracles in my day, but I was definitely encouraged by this one more than most.
I pondered the event and prayed, asking God if it was HIS presence or the presence of demonic signs and wonders, and He asked me if His name was being glorified by this. Yes, I answered, eyes turned towards the huge sign on the wall that read: "Jesus is LORD!"
I left the conference with a renewed sense of awe at how much I still have to learn about the way God works, and how often we try to put Him in a box. It's easy to say that the word of faith folks simply "aren't" Christians... just as much as it's easy to say that if you believe X, or Y doctrine (like the Pearls , who believe in instant sanctification at salvation-- that they NO LONGER SIN) that you are dead wrong. And you are. But that doesn't change the fact that in all our imperfections, we are being changed from glory to glory as we see all the ways in which God moves. If we stay focused on Him, and quit trying to make each other look like US, I see the Kingdom coming far faster than ever before.
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