[CS-FSLUG] RFC: Change of Statement of Faith

[Chris Brault]

There are some things money can't buy,

>Thanks, Don.
>
>BTW, the Cundiffs have unsubscribed. I might be
willing to discuss Hinn
>and friends further, but convincing the Cundiffs our
objections were
>about faith and action -- fruit -- and not about
attacking people, has
>failed. That was my primary aim from the start. To
the extent I helped
>drive them away, I'm sorry.
>
>I agree it's probably time to make a final call for
objections on the
>new Statement of Faith.
>
And faith is one of them. The Benny syndrome is the
main reason for my 
misgivings at the pentecostal church in San Antonio. I
just could not 
agree with the pastor or his wife. This situation is
untenable in a 
church. The leadership must agree or you have a house
divided.

Indeed, I loved the pastor and his wife. When they
weren't Benny-izing, 
they were (and still are) wonderful people with whom I
find a ready 
mentor. So much good was done for so many people
because of their vision 
for a united church body ... but when they began to
speak in 
"Benny-isms" it was all over. We could catch 'em but
not keep 'em. I 
couldn't blame the poor ex-catholics either for
finding the over 
exaggerated preaching distasteful.

I know how you can disagree with someone you really
respect and yet 
still pull the plow with them week after week. Indeed,
we had the most 
wonderful discussions about doctrine without making it
personal. The 
"health, wealth and stealth" doctrine didn't stand up
to biblical 
scrutiny, but then again, neither did my Baptist
doctrine. In the end, I 
compromised for the sake of unity. I learned a great
deal about what I 
believed. The pastor and his wife did not compromise.
What can you do?

Don't supernatural powers sound cool. After all the
rumors I heard about 
healings, limbs regrowing and miracle powers, I only
saw one real 
healing (of terminal cancer). That happened when they
obeyed biblical 
doctrine and had the pastor and elders anoint the
person with oil and 
pray for the person's healing. She was healed for a
year and a half ... 
then the cancer suddenly reappeared and she died.

When the lady was healed, half her family was saved
through the miracle. 
When she died, the other half of her family got saved
when confronted 
with not only mortality but with her example of the
love and power of 
God. I saw clearly how God's purpose wasn't that the
lady be "healthy 
and wealthy", but rather that she spend eternity with
as many members of 
her family as possible. Somehow, this seemed to pass
over the heads of 
certain people, "...but why did she die? Why wasn't
she healed? Why? 
God, why?" Instead of praising God for accomplishing
his purpose in her 
family, they questioned his love and sovereignty.

And that's why I don't like Benny's doctrine. As a
last example, I was 
told this story:

A missionary in Africa had faithfully stood his post
for over 50 years. 
God had built a large assembly and many buildings (a
church building, a 
hospital, a school, etc.). The missionary organization
approached him 
about retiring. They were hoping he'd train a
replacement. He refused. 
The organization replied that he couldn't live
forever. He replied, 
"We'll have no talk of death around here!" This poor
soul was convinced 
that he was immortal ... that God would heal his every
problem. 
Following this "never get sick" doctrine to it's
logical conclusion 
leads inevitably to the "I'll never die" mind set.

Indeed, the missionary, after more than fifty years of
service, died. He 
had no trained replacement. The replacement that was
sent took years to 
start building again. First he had to learn how things
worked. It's too 
bad the missionary didn't see the ridiculas nature of
his doctrine ... 
and I suggest we all learn by example.

Gabe


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