Bishop Eddie Long, Megachurch Pastor Accused Of Sex Abuse, Declared A 'King' At Recent Church Service (VIDEO)
Eddie Long, the embattled pastor of an Atlanta megachurch, has always been showy in his pulpit demeanor. But will the ever-defiant pastor soon don a crown and wield a scepter?
In a service last weekend at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Long was proclaimed as royalty by Ralph Messer, a visting speaker. “He’s a king. God’s blessed him. He’s a humble man. But in him is kingship. In him is royalty,” Messer said over Long, to applause from New Life congregants. “In him was a land of Israel. In him was a k chromosome...he was brought through the slaves, raised up in a city and God now wants to release a new anointing.”
Long was then wrapped in scrolls, raised aloft by four men, and paraded about the stage to raucous applause.
According to Messer's website, Messer "teaches the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith, fulfilling the great commission to "..make disciples of all the nations," and is "pioneering a work to bring the 'Good News' of Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in the Torah to the ends of the earth."
Long recently returned to the pulpit following a leave of absence. ln December, he stepped down from his role as head pastor, shortly after his wife filed for divorce and amid allegations that he sexually abused several teenage churchmembers over a period of years. The church's school, New Birth Christian Academy, was slated to close down after the Christmas break because of economic troubles. But the academy entered into an agreement with another local school, and reopened in January.
to New Birth as King
Bishop Eddie Long is embroiled in controversy again -- this time it's because his wife, Vanessa Long, is seeking divorce after 21 years of marriage. The senior pastor of the Atlanta-area's New Birth Missionary Church is taking a sabbatical as a result, though he has pledged to return to the church after he deals with "family" issues undoubtedly related to the divorce filing by his wife.
5 Reasons Bishop Eddie Long Should Quit: Scandal, Hypocriticism, Lawsuits...
1) Long is being sued nine members of his church who allege that he coerced them into investing in a ponzi scheme that took at least $1 million of their savings. The allegations are that Long invited Ephren Taylor Jr., a "child-prodigy entrepreneur" who represented City Capital Corp. to the New Birth Missionary Church in 2009 for a week-long seminar. Taylor allegedly urged church members to invest in "socially conscious investments" that would provide "guaranteed income" in return, according to the lawsuit filed in DeKalb County State Court. Taylor, however, was apparently not licensed to sell investments, and City Capital was also apparently insolvent. Long should have known, according to the lawsuit.
2) He's a snake-oil salesman. In 1995, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Long established a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity said to help the needy and spread the gospel. But the charity provided Long at least $3.05 million in salary, benefits and the use of property from 1997 to 2000, according to the newspaper -- almost double what the nonprofit gave to all other recipients, or those it was designed to help. Included in Long's benefits: use of a $350,000 luxury Bentley automobile.
3) Long is a horrible hypocrite. Long is infamous for denouncing homosexual behavior. He has even established and led "homosexual cure" programs aimed at "reorientation." In a 2007 article in the Southern Poverty Law Center's magazine, Long was called "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement." Yet Bishop Eddie Long is also allegedly homosexual, as he has been accused in lawsuits of coercing male church members into having sex with him.
4) Long allegedly prays upon young boys for sex. In Georgia, the age of consent for sex is 16. Morally, however, the age of consent among most people is 18. And in September 2010, Long was accused in separate lawsuits of sexual misconduct with plaintiffs uder the age of 18 -- all young men. The lawsuits were later settled out of court.
5) He has an alleged history of violence. Long married Dabara Houston in 1981, and the couple had a child. But when Houston filed for divorce after a short marriage, she accused him according to divorce records of "cruel treatment" and said he had a "violent and vicious temper."
Bishop T.D. Jakes Gives Opinions On Eddie Long
The New World Order and IlluminatiProsperity Religion: Kabbalah Secrets
What is Prosperity Religion? Name and claim it..
The prosperity gospel also has been called the "name it and claim it" theology. God wants His people to prosper, evangelists like Joyce Meyer maintain. Those who follow God and give generously to his ministries can have anything, and everything, they want.
But critics, from Bible-quoting theologians to groups devoted to preserving the separation of church and state, abound. At best, they say, such a theology is a simplistic and misguided way of living. At worst, they say, it is dangerous.
Michael Scott Horton, who teaches historical theology at the Westminister Theological Seminary in Escondido, Ca., calls the message a twisted interpretation of the Bible – a "wild and wacky theology.
"Some of these people are charlatans," Horton said. "Others are honestly dedicated to one of the most abhorrent errors in religious theology.
" I often think of these folks as the religious equivalent to a combination of a National Enquirer ad and professional wrestling. It's part entertainment and very large part scam."
Sociologist William Martin of Rice University said that most people who follow TV religious leaders put so much trust in them that they want them to thrive. Martin is a professor of sociology at the university, specializing in theology.
The preachers' wealth is "confirmation of what they are preaching," Martin said.
Ole Anthony's Trinity Foundation, best-known for working with the national media to uncover questionable activities involving TV evangelists, often resorts to digging through preachers' trash to find incriminating evidence. Anthony said that most of the preachers begin with a "sincere desire to spread the faith. But the pressure of fundraising slowly moves all of them in the direction of a greed-based theology."
Even J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma & Christian Life magazine has become alarmed at what he sees as the excesses of some TV preachers.
Grady defends the principle that if you are stingy with your money, you will lack things in life; and if you are generous, you will get things in return.
Prosperity religion is part of the Arminian doctrine.
What is the Arminian doctrine? the Arminian Gospel appeals to the large masses of people who are following the broad way to destruction. As we have seen, the Arminian gospel strips God of his sovereignty. The Arminian gospel leads ultimately to the deification of man . The pastor of World Changers is Creflo Dollar, who has two Roll Royces and travels in a Gulfstream-3 private jet. Creflo Dollar has followed the logic of the Arminian gospel to its inexorable conclusion; he preaches that man is a god:
Creflo Counterfeit Dollar
God, however, has a different view of things: "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me." (Isaiah 46:9 AV) "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me." (Isaiah 45:5 AV) How can man be equal with God, if God himself says that he is the only God, there is no God beside him? Sounds like Creflo Dollar is in a little disagreement with God. If one disagrees with God, who wins the argument?
Creflo Dollar will sometimes lead his congregation in a chant: "Say it again, I'm just like God!" That is the level of degeneration that results from an Arminian theology.
T.D. Jakes described Creflo Dollar as "one of God's finest." It is not a surprise that Jakes would say that about Dollar, since T.D. Jakes is another Arminian preacher, who believes that people have "failed to appreciate their divinity." TD Jakes pastor a 15000 member church called the Potters House and inorder to get a choice seat on the main floor, you have to pay $1000-$500 weekly. In 2001, T.D. Jakes was pictured on the front cover of Time magazine with a huge caption asking: "Is this Man the Next Billy Graham?" The world loves Arminian preachers. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4
A "sermon" tape from Creflo Dollar played approvingly by T.D. Jakes on his May 24, 2004, show. It contains a philosophy to which both of them ascribe:
Quit going before God like a bunch of spiritual sissies and go before God with the covenant on your mind, quit whining before God and go before God like you know your rights. All right, I am going to do something here that it's going to start a revival or a riot. I'm going to say something, now watch this you will be able to identity a covenant person by how they act. [He gets on one knee looking down] Watch this we are all to familiar with this, I bow down on my bended knee, "Dear kind and heavenly Father I know that I'm not worth nothing Lord. I know I'm just a filthy rag. I know I ought to go to hell, but Lord if you could just stop by a little while; everything is going to be all right. Ummm, Lord I need you to stop by just a little while I know I ain't no good, Jesus. But if you could stop by everything will be all right. Please Jesus Oh stop by. Please Ah Please! Please! Jesus, Oh Lord, I Know I Don't Deserve it Jesus, Please, Please. For Christ sake we pray. Amen and thank God." That is a guy that doesn't understand his covenant. This is a guy that's got to beg God because he doesn't understand his covenant. A covenant person will go before God like this [Standing up looking up at God], "Father in the name of Jesus I am the righteousness of God. I have a blood bought right to have healing in my body; I have a blood right to have a sound mind. I have a blood bought right. I have a blood bought right to get answers to my prayers and when I am trouble. I have a blood bought right to come before your throne and to ask you for help in a time of trouble. Now according to John 16:33, you said whatever I pray in the name of Jesus it shall be given onto me. You said in Mark 11:24 if I believe I receive it, then I shall have it. Therefore, I pray it and say in the name of Jesus and I believe that I receive it in Jesus name, Amen and good night."
T.D. Jakes and Creflo Dollar preach different gospel from the gospel found in the word of God. Read Christ's view of the repentant sinner in Luke 18:9-14 and compare it to Creflo Dollars' rendition. You will notice that Creflo Dollar completely reverses the lesson of the parable. According to Creflo Dollar, the prideful Pharisee was justified and the man who humbled himself before God was a sap who should not have received anything. According to God, however, "every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18:14. Choose ye this day whom you will follow, Jesus or Creflo Dollar, J. D. Jakes
Joel Osteen denies that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. He is a public speaker, financial motivator, but teacher and preacher of Gods word is questionable.
Besides denying Jesus Christ is the only way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), it appears that Joel Osteen is also not willing to preach on the doctrine of sin. While it is one thing to open the church to everybody (which I absolutely agree), it is quite another to minimize the gravity of sin.
The following is excerpt from the Larry King show.
OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I'm not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.
KING: You don't call them sinners?
OSTEEN: I don't.
KING: Is that a word you don't use?
OSTEEN: I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of condemning.
I, for one, would not hesitate to renounce Joel Osteen as a false teacher. A man who holds the position of "Senior Pastor" surely would know better than to compromise the doctrine of Solus Christus and the doctrine of sin. Because of this, I can only conclude that Joel Osteen has every intention to deceive the Christian community by preaching a false Christ. Joel Osteen clearly stands out as an example of why biblical discernment is necessary to distinguish the wolves from the sheep, for it is written:
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. – 2 Timothy 4:3
The Truth Behind the New Secret Book
Is Freemasonry Witchcraft? – The Dark Side of Politics
Doc Marquis, former Illuminist witch, answers the Top 25 Questions he receives during his seminars on Illuminati, Witchcraft, and Freemasonry. We reprint these questions for you.
Most of the article on Freemasonry below has been taken from Masonic books that have been published.
Tarot, Theosophy, Jung, Swedenborg & Blake
Kabbalah & Jewish Mysticism–Beliefnet.com
St. Mark Baptist Church Little Rock Pastor Search Up-date:
It is no surprise that Phillip Pointer was chosen as the pastor to lead St. Mark. He was the only candidate who had experience of converting a traditional Baptist into a Full Gospel (COGIC) church. He will continue the conversion from traditional baptist to Full Gospel (COGIC) started by Steven Arnold and the teaching of British Israel. (Europeans are God Chosen people)
Based on the tenants of Full Gospel and Phillip Pointer on-line college degree - he will promote the diabolical Luciferian rapture doctrine, eternal security, and the new age prosperity religion.
I have some serious questions and concerns:
1. Is St. Mark new pastor a swindler, hustler, crook or con-artist?
2. How did Pointer name get on the long list must less the short list?
3. Did the Elders know of Pointer's history?
4. Are the Elders part of a the conspiracy?
If what is former members are saying about him is true, shouldn't he be behind bars at Laurel Hill Correctional facility than behind the pulpit at St. Mark?
St. Mark should had contacted Department of correction for applicants. They have plenty of con-artist who received on-line college degrees and are just as qualify to steal church assets and swindle the members.
7. Are the Elders part of the conspiracy?
8. What is the Elders agenda?
9. Why did they invite Pointer to St. Mark?
10. Are the elders looking at the spiritual welfare of the church members or what they can financially gain by having a pastor with experience of stealing church assets and running off the older members?
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.
1Cor.14:33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Pointer in litigation - A Sad Story
He change the constitution for personal gain.
Reprint:
A Church Divided
By Alex Hampl
alexandrianews.org
The Members Lawsuit:
Members of St. John's Congregation wrote a brief history of the church in Alexandria. According to that history, the “St. John Mission” was formed on N. Alfred St. in 1925. Later that year, Deacon David Askew, the chairman of the Deacon Board, wrote letters to 13 churches asking that the mission be made a church. The council approved and in 1926 the mission became the St. John Baptist Church. The church quickly grew, enough that it was able to purchase the current building, dilapidated at the time, and remodeled it. In 1948 the renovation was complete. Later, in 1973, numerous renovations were made. An educational building and a kitchen with a separate dining area were built then, and 10 years later, after the congregation had outgrown the original capacity, a 100-seat addition was built. In 1993, the church finally convinced the City of Alexandria to sell them the parking lot behind the church.
The Split
Providence St. John's pastor Phillip L. Pointer. (Image from www.psjbc.org)
In December 2000, St. John’s Rev. John W. Johnson retired as pastor, and the church formed a search committee to find his replacement. By 2002, Phillip L. Pointer, Sr. had been installed as the pastor-elect and was given the position permanently the next year. Under Pointer, several major changes were made to the church. In 2004, St. John’s was incorporated as a non-stock, non-profit organization through the State of Virginia State Corporation Commission. About one year later, the church met to appoint trustees who were then verified as legal owners of the church property in court. (St. John’s Baptist Church owns the property and the trustees make the decisions on behalf of the congregation.) This group of trustees had no intention of moving services or selling the property.
Pointer, however, felt differently. After he was appointed pastor, he also named himself CEO. According to evidence submitted in the ongoing civil case, the church’s new Constitution gave Pointer total authority. However, the trustees were the only ones recognized in court as owners of the property. Pointer announced that St. John’s would be merging with Providence Baptist Church in Upper Marlboro, Md., a failing church run by his grandfather. The group of trustees led by Diggs alleges that Pointer gave the pastor of that church, his grandfather, a “generous retirement package” and also
failed in his promise to maintain and operate St. John’s in Alexandria. Additionally, sources confirmed that Pointer had put up the church and Providence Baptist as collateral in order to obtain a $1.8 million mortgage on the property in Maryland. Pointer refused to comment for this article, citing his lawyer’s advice.
“We elected the pastor for St. John’s, not for this church in Upper Marlboro,” Diggs said. “I understand he wants to help his granddaddy, and as Christians we are supposed to help people, but not at the expense of 80 other parishioners.”
The Civil Case
Services have stopped being held at the church because the group led by Pointer and Traverse Gray, Sr. is attempting
Members of St. John's Congregation are now holding services at Charles Houston Rec Center. (Photo: Alex Hampl)
to sell the property. Approximately 60 – 90 congregation members are currently attending services at Charles Houston; Pointer would not say how many, if any, parishioners had followed him to Upper Marlboro. The group contends it has the right to sell the property because it transferred the deed in a sort of legal end-around. Gray signed a “Confirmation Deed” in 2006 as both “Grantor” and “Grantee” for the St. John Baptist Church. Essentially he had transferred the deed to himself. However, the Diggs group is challenging the legality of this transfer, citing that the previously approved group of trustees was still the owners of the property and that Gray’s deed was never actually approved by the Court.
“The corporation that transferred the deed to Providence St. John’s was not the owner of the property at that time,” said Horace McClerkin, the lead counsel for the Diggs group. “The trustees were the owner of the property, and they do not have the authority to transfer the property without church approval.”
“He [Pointer] just decided he could sign all the papers,” said Diggs. “But it’ll play out in court. It’s just not good for St. John’s, period.”
The case went to court when the Diggs group filed an injunction against Pointer after the pastor had removed all of the church’s property and moved it to Providence Baptist in Maryland. “They removed all the church’s assets, which is why we filed the injunction to begin with,” said McClerkin.
The Pointer group motioned to have the injunction dissolved, and the judge agreed, unless Diggs and the trustees could post a $1.4 million dollar bond, a somewhat unusual measure.
“I believe the burden is not on the trustees and the fiduciaries in this case to put up the million dollar bond,” McClerkin said. “The trustees are the owners of the property.”
Diggs went further, saying, “A bond was not needed and never had been installed in a case in Virginia.”
McClerkin said that he has been “aggressively” pursuing discovery and has served an interrogatory request, but his requests have gone unanswered. “It’s very difficult to respond to a request for documents when you don’t have the documents and you know you don’t have them,” he said.
Diggs added, “They have had 60 days to respond to discovery and they haven’t at all. They seem to think they’re above the law.”
McClerkin did not seem optimistic about a settlement between the sides, given the lack of response from the Pointer camp thus far. “Unless they’re willing to return all the property they took and basically undo everything, I don’t really see settlement as an option,” he said. “It’s really too early to talk about it though, anything can happen.”
Potential Buyers
The sale of the church is currently at a stand-off and not just because of the disputed ownership and the pending court case. According to sources, Pointer’s group approached developer Eakin/Youngentob about selling the property, valued in 2011 at $303,419. EYA is the developer that has partnered with Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority to build Alexandria’s newest public housing units, many of which are mixed in with the developer’s market-rate town houses in Old Town. Specifically, Eakin/Youngentob just redeveloped the James Bland and James Bland Addition Projects into a mixture of public housing and market rate units, known as the Old Town Commons. In essence the EYA – ARHA partnership controls all the property immediately surrounding the church. According to sources, ARHA was approached by E/Y about developing on the church property but declined to get involved in the church’s ongoing struggle. EYA also had preliminary discussions with Alexandria Capital Planning Staff, who also advised them that there would be difficulties in tearing down the church. EYA now has no plans to move forward with the church property.
To make matters more complicated, St. John’s sits in the heart of the Parker Gray Historic District and is protected by the Parker Gray Board of Architectural Review. Any potential buyer would face the hurdle of having the church designated as an historic site by the Board, thus preventing its demolition. The building itself has always been valued by the City at $0, and it could be deemed a historic site. This has led to the current situation where buyers are wary of the property until after the ownership case is resolved, and even then if the Pointer group is allowed to sell the property, the church may still be protected.
In the Meantime
For now, much of the St. John’s congregation has continued to hold services at Charles Houston, led by minister Charles Hall. It is still unusual for the parishioners, and it is impossible to not be distracted. Still, despite all the acrimony over the cancellation of services at the church and the subsequent injunction, Diggs and the others haven’t forgotten the root of their disagreement – faith.
“There are no bad people on either side,”What are his members and people from St. John are saying Phillip Pointer?
St. Mark Baptist Church Little Rock Pastor Search in review:
March 11, 2012
St Mark Pastor Search Up-date
Here we go again.
A few months ago the elders asked the church to pray and fast for three days on the two candidates that the search committee had as their finalist after a year long search. It had been a while since I had fasted for three days but decided to go along with the program. The result of the corporate fast was one name. WOW the church-wide fast worked. God had answered St. Mark’s prayers. But wait…a few on the elders committee decided to over ruled God’s answer to St. Mark’s prayers.
Here we go again..
Did God answer the prayers of St. Mark the first time?
I would like to commend the nominating committee for doing an excellent job, unfortunately their tiring efforts are in vain. Their work is only a facade. Their real choice and the people choice will never get pass the controller or the elders who are serving as illuminati agents.
Two of the current candidates are traditional baptist ministers. They are well qualified to pastor a traditional baptist church but St. Mark constitution call for a pastor who is an Illuminati religious agent.
The pastor that the illuminati and the elders will choose will be successful in hijacking traditional Baptist churches and turning them over to Full Gospel. Full Gospel is a branch of The Church of God in Christ. C.H. Mason alleged founder of COGIC received the name and doctrine from Charles Fox Parham (founder of KKK West Coast, founder of Assemblies of God, Grand-master of Freemason) Parham believed in Anglo Israelism or the Anglo European is God’s chosen people. Parham was also a disciple of Albert Pike who worshiped Lucifer as his God. Thus you have COGIC and Full Gospel teaching the Luciferian Rapture Doctrine. Although this doctrine is taught in Southern Baptist Churches and seminaries, it was not the teaching of traditional Black Baptist Convention Churches nor is it in harmony with the truth that emerge from the Protestant Reformation. It is a anti-protestant and anti-reformation doctrine.
Illuminati ministers will believe and teach Anglo Israelism (British Israel -Rapture) and they will promote the COGIC-Full-Gospel and Illuminati agenda. The question is who will make the best over-seer. The master of the plantation usually chose the Negro that was best suited in keeping the other Negros on the plantation in check. The master controlled what the HNIC thought and what he taught. What the master controller feared most was an independent thinking black man.
Only one candidate is qualified to be the illuminati religious agent of St. Mark. He received his undergraduate college degree from an on-line correspondence school. He come from a family of hijackers who use the title of Bishop.
The other two candidates are for show.
St. Mark constitution forbid any other minister to be a senior pastor other than a hijacker who will be under complete control of the illuminati kabal.
Who is the controller of St. Mark?
Whose constitution should St. Mark follow, God’s or Man’s?
Is St. Mark God’s Church or does it belongs to the Illuminati?
Did God answer St. Mark’s prayers the first time?
Who will stand up for the Kingdom of God?
Will the vote for a new pastor turn out to be like the rigged Florida vote of 2006?
Who do the Elders represent?
Can the Elders be trusted? if they could be trusted, St Mark would have their pastor from the first process.
Let the Church vote on the name that the nominating committee wanted to present in the first process.
Don't allow the Illuminati religious agents (elders) control St. Mark.
At a special called meeting on October 15, 2011, it was announced that St. Mark will maintain the current status quo: the church will continue to function without a senior pastor and the Board of Elders will maintain full control of the church.
The members were asked to suggest names for a senior pastor.
Back to square one.
Prior to the called meeting the search committee presented the final results of their year long search for a new pastor. A name was presented to the Board of Elders but three elders rejected Pastor Vincent Windrow as senior pastor of St Mark because that selection pose a threat to their Illuminati agenda.
To maintain their power and current salaries, the elders decided to re-start the search process.
According to the current constitution, the name of the search committee should had been presented to the members for a vote. This was not done.
The action of the Board of Elders was not in harmony with St. Mark's current constitution, nor the will of the people nor was the action in harmony to the will of God.
The actions of the Board of Elders was in harmony with the Illuminati agenda and the prince of Darkness.
St. Mark Board of Elders grossly abused their power and authority.
God is not the author of confusion.
The Board of Elders rejecting the search committee recommendation caused serious damage the reputation of St. Mark.
The action of the Board of Elders was unconstitutional and illegal.
It was an absolute violation and breach of the governing by-laws.
The action of the board showed contempt to the process, blatant disregard to the will of the church membership and most of all the action of the Board of Elders showed shameful disrespect to all the ministers who applied for the position. Their action will cost St. Mark millions of dollars in lost offerings as well as making the church liable to court litigation.
Confessions Of A Former Jew
CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER JEW
Is Modern-Day Israel in Bible Prophecy?
Millions expect Israel to play a major role in God’s future plan for earth. Could they all be wrong? Is there a conspiracy to deceive God’s people? What is the Biblical evidence concerning modern day Israel?
Many people today consider the restoration of the Jewish nation in Palestine to be a direct and dramatic fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth, a phenomenal best seller of the last few decades, and Jerry Jenkins and Tim Lahaye’s Lift Behind, along with Bishop T.D. Jakes declares that the end of the world will come within the lifetime of the generation that saw the founding of the Israeli state in 1948, hereby applying the words of Jesus: “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Matthew 24:34)
Coupled with this fascination with Israel is a novel teaching regarding the return of Jesus, called the “secret rapture.” These books and many other speaks for many today who expect God secretly to take the “church” to heaven prior to the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple on its old site where the sacred Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, now stands. According to this position, after the “church” is “raptured” to heaven, there will be seven years of the worst period of famine, bloodshed, and pestilence ever experienced by man. During this great tribulation the focus will be on God’s dealings with the Jews, who are again given the responsibility for the evangelization of the world.
According to secret-rapture preachers, the battle of Armageddon will climax the end of the seven-year tribulation as the nations of the earth take sides over the future of Israel. When mankind teeters on the brink of incinerating the world, Jesus will return gloriously and save man from self-extinction. At that time Jesus will set up a literal one-thousand-year reign on earth with Jerusalem functioning as the spiritual capital of the world.
Most evangelical periodicals and pulpits teach this view today, and to those who do not know better, it might appear that this prophetic scenario, known as pretribulationism, has been the traditional teaching of the Christian church since New Testament days. Nothing is further from the truth. Be not deceived.. Did the architects of the creation of modern day Israel have any thing to do with the development of the rapture theory? Where did the Rapture theology originate? Is the crisis in the Middle East and the war in the Iraq have anything to do with the erroneous rapture theory?
Is there a master conspiracy at work
According to dispensationalists John Hagee, Jack van Impe, Ken Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, John Walvoord, Grant Jefferies, Tim Lahaye, Benny Hinn, Clarence Larkin, H. Caldwell, TD Jakes and others who teach and preach about the Rapture, Israel has two dispensations, or time periods, in which they functions as God’s special instrument of salvation. Between these two periods of time comes the dispensation of the “church”. The church received a heavenly reward at the time of the rapture, while Israel received an earthly reward at the end of the tribulation.
There is no support in the New Testament for such an erroneous view.
The chief reason why the modern state of Israel has no prophetic significance is that after the Jews as a body rejected Jesus as the Messiah, God gave to the Christian church the special privileges, responsibilities, and prerogatives once assigned to the ancient Jews. No longer were the Jews to be His special people with a prophetic destiny.
Rom.2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; vs.29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
All the promises of a glorious kingdom on earth once given through the Jewish prophets to the Jewish people became void because the Jewish people as a nation did not fulfill the conditions of these prophecies. Failing to receive the glory that could have been Israel’s is probably the saddest story in literature. Placed at the crossroads of the ancient world, God furnished them with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth. God wanted to reward Israel with every physical and spiritual blessing as they put into practice the clear-cut principles that He had graciously taught them through His prophets (Deuteronomy 7, 8, 28).
The Old Testament records the sad story of how the vineyard of Israel produced, not the mature fruit of a Christ-like character, but “wild grapes,” a misinterpretation and perversion of what the God of Israel was really like. “What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?” (Isaiah 5:4 RSV).
Even when the Jewish nation was suffering the bitter consequences of disobedience during the Babylonian captivity, God mercifully promised that a restored Israel was possible and that there was yet time to recover its special role as His representative on earth – if it would honor His law and submit to His principles. Even then the Jews could have become, if faithful, the head and not the tail, in matters physical and spiritual; all nations would have looked upon Jerusalem as not only the center of wisdom but also the spiritual capital of the world (see Isaiah 45:14; 60:1 – 11).
When the Jews returned to Palestine after the Babylonian captivity, the promises given to Abraham and expanded through the writings of Moses and other prophets would have been fulfilled; the whole earth would have been alerted for the first advent of Christ, even as the way is being prepared for His second coming today.
Missed Their Last Opportunity.
These Old Testament prophecies that picture Israel dwelling in peace and prosperity, with all nations beating a path to her doors, could have been fulfilled 2000 years ago if they had indeed prepared the world for the first coming of Jesus (see Zechariah 8:14). But instead of fulfilling their greatest assignment they missed their last opportunity, and Jesus their Lord finally had to pronounce with irrevocable judgement: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not Behold your house is forsaken and desolate” (Matthew 23:37, 38 RSV).
Those who regard the establishment of the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of those Old Testament prophecies overlook the fact that these promises were made either prior to their release from Babylonian captivity or during the rebuilding days soon after their return. God would have fulfilled these promises if Israel had been faithful and obedient to the conditions on which the promises were made.
Although God promised a “second chance” to Israel after their failure leading up to the Babylonian captivity, He promised no “third chance” to them after their final rejection when their Lord Himself “came to his own home, and his own people received him not” (John 1:11 RSV)
But God did not give up, even though Israel as a nation had failed Him. Although corporate Israel no longer was to function as God’s special agent, the individual Jews who received and obeyed Jesus Christ would constitute the new organization through which He would now work.
Paul describes this remarkable transition in Romans 9 to 11, where he appeals to individual Jews (such as himself) to respond to God through Jesus, join those Gentiles who have found in Him the solution to their anxious, sinful condition, and together arouse the world to the simple fact that God wants to make an end to sin and its misery by setting up His eternal kingdom composed of those who have found in Jesus the promised Saviour.
Those who preach and teach this erroneous Rapture doctrine are purposely misleading multitudes. This doctrine was created by the Jesuits as an anti-reformation and anti-protestant tool to divert attention away from the Catholic and the Pope whom the reformers had identify as the anti-Christ in Revelation. Those who teach and preach the rapture theory are proxies and agents for the Kabbalists and those who want to establish a New World Order (NWO). The Rapture theory has more to do with politics than theology, more to do with mans involvement in world affairs than Gods involvement, more about Zionism than the people of Zion. I will discuss this later.
British Israel, The Hidden Hand Behind The ‘Kingdom of God on …
The Cost of Christian-Zionism – Is it of God?
The Impact of Christian Zionism on American Policy and World Policy
Torch of Truth International: The New World Order – Religious and Political Conspiracy…
I think it is a shame that Pointer is kicking older members out of the church, some of these one that help him along and that are old enough to be elders. I have never ever heard of no Pastor in my lifetime that puts Christians out of the church because you are struggling over in Maryland and want to sell a Historic Building the heart of Alexandria to help pay your mortage that is crazy and foolish. St. John had been a pillar in the community of Alexandria and will remain. The devil tried to God always have the final answer and St. John aint going no where and he is bigger to put members out of the church because of a buck he need to be EXPOSED everybody needs to know other newspapers and the every channel news needs to know. ST. JOHN WILL STAND FOREVER UNTIL THE RETURN OF CHRIST.
First I want to address Christianboi, I understand that you seem to be upset about this situation but let me say this, St. John is a building and from my understanding a building does not mean that you as a christian have lost anything. Being a christian should be within you and not about a building!! I will have to say that this is a lot of Hoopla about some so called Christians that are getting all upset about a building. When you have Christ in your heart it doesn't matter where you hold service. I know that you will probably not agree with me and that's truly alright, we all have our own opinions and that is just what it is an opinion. Trust and believe that God will prevail over this situation and He will do what is best for all!! I am a life-long resident of Alexandria and I am aware of the St. John Church, I also am a follower of Pastor Phillip Pointer and I do know that He is truly a man of God!! The Bible says that one can not touch an anointed person of God and anything good will not come to them! I trust that this will all be over soon and the DEVIL will find his place and get somewhere and SIT DOWN!!!! Please don't get me wrong I feel for all who are involved and I will be praying for your true strength in God and allow all this mess to be over with soon!!! So with that said, if I stepped on any toes, Oh well so be it!!! Praying for all the saints involved and may God bless all of you!!!
This is some encouragements to Offical St. John Baptist Church God has not brougth u thus far from 1925 until Present to leave and forsake you. The community local church, northern va area are standing with and for you. God wont let no body tear down a church for money God build that church and it will stand. I think Rev. Hall is doing a great job in leading the congreation along with the Deacons and Trustees God is about to give everything that was taken from you and more. God is about to send u an increase in members and finaces he is about to bless this branc of Zion, so hang in there the devil tried to destroy like the bible says what God has join together let no man tear apart. We the community of Alexandria and the Northern VA are standing with you and for u. Bless You and God watch over this branch of Zion in Jesus Name.
I hope Pointer is reading this. This is really sad and I am appalled that the members elected him as Rev. Johnson's successor. It's a great lesson here to be learned and that's even the Devil knows scriptures. We have to watch what and who we chose to follow. With that being said I pray that God will not allow him to win this case. St. John Church was built on the backs of some of my friend’s great grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers, aunt’s sisters and so on. The members should have realized his intent once he merged the two churches. For Pointer to attempt to remove a piece of our History from Alexandria shows his character and also supports the fact that this was his intentions from the beginning. Pointer electing himself CEO should have been another sign. If all church institutions allow the Pastor total control, we will have money hungry people building and taking churches from its members just as Pointer is trying to do. He's young, greedy and lacks any compassion for the original members of St. John. As for the younger and newer members who support what he's doing - you too should be ashamed. It was the elderly members of St. John that kept the church afloat for decades. I can attest to that because that's just the way it has been for centuries. Even the church I attend it's the tides and offerings that is given by elderly members of most churches that keep them functioning. The CHURCH has always belonged to the people. If in fact he's a TRUE MAN OF GOD, he would back out gracefully and have faith that he can resurrect Providence Baptist Church in Maryland with his new members and leave St. John in Alexandria. I guarantee he won’t get very far. As for the remaining members GOD WILL PREVAIL. He always does.
Let me address Working in Progress first of all if you read the article in the middle section and you are a follow of Pointer then youn will see where his lawyer told him do not comment on this and the word is out that he told the members do not comment on the article either because this could be use in the trial.
Second of all I am long time resident of alexandria too almost 50 years I joined St. John in the early 70's and no I am not mad I am very dissappointed in a man that called his self a Pastor and steals and treats elderly people so cruled thas what I have a problem with and I know the legal and law I know the bi-laws I have a whole lot of money in that church and anyway the building cannot be sold its Histroical so know whats going on then goin on hear say you don't need to respond.
@Brownskin I agree with you all the way it a shame that a man that called his self a Pastor the word is all over Alexandria, and I look for this to be in the Washington Post and all of the news channels God has the final say and I cannot wait til the trial in Janaury 2012 to see him pay for all of this. He is now very embrassed because he ha has been EXPOSED VERY BAD. St. John is going to be just find God is going to bring them back up and into the church where it was founded in 1925 and he if took everything out to sell for money thas terrible thas not annointed because if he was a true annointed man of God and fill with the Holy Ghost then he would just pray and God will send him the finances and other means to take care of the ministry. God will supply them with all BRAND NEW THINGS. Be blessed. All of alexandria and the northern va churches are here and supporting St. John