Your Letters

We print letters from you, the readers. Letters may be edited for the sake of brevity. Editorial Comment (Ed) is by Philip Powell (PP) or Siam Bhayro (SB).
The Editor,
Christian Witness Ministries

THE HOUSTONS and Word of Faith Heresy:
Just wanted to thank you for the latest issue of Vanguard. In it was the article about Mr Houston. I stand with you, brother. I look forward to meeting you, if not in this life, then in the world to come. Keep fighting the good fight. You and your magazines have been a tremendous source of encouragement to me to continue preaching the truth in the face of stiff opposition. God bless you and your family.
KR
Haines, Alaska

Shalom. My copy of Vanguard arrived this morning; others may be delayed due to petrol shortage over here. Post office have one more day's supply although tankers are now delivering again as crisis finished this morning! We have estimates of 2-3 weeks before everything back to normal. Joe Public including the saints will have to queue for hours and there will be rationing to begin with. Panic buying made the whole situation worse and this carried over into the supermarkets. On Monday morning by 10am every loaf of bread was gone in our local supermarket, some silly people bought 10 loaves each leaving others with none. The same day a driver queued for 2 hours to fill up his tank again — he managed to squeeze in a cup full of petrol. The tribulation is going to be a living hell as it is written.
 Article on the "Houston's we have a problem" is really good, it is not judgmental but biblical in content and is constructive criticism — they will hate it of course and instead of being disciples, willing to receive correction and repent, will attack you with words and through the AOG leadership — what's new!! Leaders of old ignored the prophets and leaders today ignore Bereans/watchmen. Still to read everything else fully but the variety of articles looks good. Every blessing, b'shem Y'shua.
JM
Manchester, UK

AN OPEN LETTER TO BRIAN HOUSTON AND THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
IN AUSTRALIA (01/10/2000):
A personal letter was sent by Philip Powell to Brian Houston, national president of AoG in Australia and of the Australian Christian Churches with a copy to Keith Ainge national secretary of Assemblies of God in Australia on September 22, 2000 and then later on the October 2, 2000 as an OPEN LETTER for widespread publication on websites and through media outlets. These letters pointed out the heresies that are being endorsed and promulgated by the AoG in Australia and drew attention to the article entitled "Houstons … we have a problem" published in Vanguard Issue 12, August 2000, pages 25-32.
Philip Powell offered to meet with Brian Houston and/or any of his colleagues to discuss these vital concerns. At publication time of this issue we have not had a reply from either Mr Houston or the AoG secretary. If there is a reply this will be posted on the CWM website. Both the letter and any reply can be viewed at CWM www.christian-witness.org/archives/entre/titbits.html
 

The following is typical of the exchanges that we have with "pastors" from time to time. As it raises and in part answers a number of important questions we have decided to publish the exchange, with Goff Small's knowledge and agreement.
Philip Powell (PP) received an email from Pastor Goff Small (GS) on September 11 and replied on September 13, 2000 as follows.

Dear Goff:
 Thanks for your email. I think it's easiest to respond point by point, so PLEASE READ ON (my comments under yours):
(GS): Dear Phillip:
I don't know how you got my email address but I did not subscribe to you, nevertheless I would just like to make a few comments. There is no way I could open the attachment and so I went to your website to see what it was about and it confirmed what I thought.
(PP): I presume you are referring to our MONTHLY MAILER. As explained in the email text your address was by way of subscription or someone had passed it to us. The only way to ensure that you don't get a repeat is to do as the text says and "unsubscribe". The attachment was in PDF format for which you need Adobe, which can be obtained free as described in the email, which you received.
(GS): To me as a simple pastor with no college training (except when I was young I became a credited Methodist local preacher in a bible believing church), I find it amazing that some Christians find it more beneficial to castigate other Christians who do not have the same end time theology, and who the Father is using in a different way. Jesus said we were to focus on Him and in preaching the gospel Matthew 28 v17-20 (you surely do not believe that was just for the latter day Jews?)
(PP): I too am a simple pastor currently helping a rural Baptist church on an interim basis. Neither I nor CWM, which I represent ever "castigates" anyone. We simply publish factual information and examine men and their teaching on the basis of scripture, which is a command enjoined upon everyone who is involved in Christian ministry, you included.
In Acts 17 Paul the apostle commended the Berean Christians for examining his teaching by searching the scriptures. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21 we are commanded to "test all things and to hold fast to that which is good."
Similarly in 1 John chapter 4 we are told to "test the spirits" and are warned, "many false prophets have gone forth into the world."
We do focus on Christ endeavouring to do as Paul told us to in Colossians 1:28 by "warning every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ". This is part and parcel of the great commission outlined in Matthew 28:17-20 to which you refer. The call is to a discipling programme and not simply to getting people to make some decision, which is often wrongly referred to as conversion or salvation. The "only believism" gospel, which is now presented by so many, is a false gospel as we endeavour to show in our two publications Vanguard and CETF, which we will gladly send to you free of charge if you supply us with your physical (street) address. No I don't believe any of the scripture is ONLY for the latter day Jews or the latter day Gentiles for that matter.
(GS): The bible does not teach us that condemning people and calling them names (is that righteous anger? More like simple sin)— the word says to love them, preach the gospel to them, and let the Holy Spirit do His work which is to convict them of sin.
(PP): Neither I personally nor CWM generally condemns anyone. Only God is able to do that. However we are commanded by scripture to judge righteous judgment (John 7:24) and to "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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;" (2 Timothy 4:2-3). The scriptures abound with warnings about false teaching and false teachers, whom Paul named in his day, as did Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel in their time. Paul rebuked Peter to his face because he was blameworthy. We seek to follow those good examples and in so doing trust that we will be seen to be good ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ —c/f 1 Timothy 4:6. We do trust the Holy Spirit to do His work as did these men that we have mentioned plus the many of church history who took a public stand for truth and against error such as Martin Luther, John Wesley, C H Spurgeon and more recently A W Tozer, Martyn Lloyd Jones et al. We do not consider ourselves to be in the same league as the men whom I have mentioned but we feel duty bound to do our bit in contending earnestly for the faith, which is being attacked and undermined. We believe that the Holy Spirit uses people and I am a person. 
(GS): These people, that you do not know personally and have never been to any of their meetings yet so eagerly vilify and slander, these same people who lead people to Jesus (where in scripture does it say that Satan's demons will lead people to Jesus?)
(PP): When people go public by way of preaching or writing, what they say and write is in the public arena and therefore open to scrutiny. Contrary to what you assert and suggest we are specifically commanded by scripture to examine and judge these things. To vilify and slander suggests lies and false motives. We do not do that. If you are prepared to impugn CWM or me with vilification and slander then of course you are judging unbiblically. We are not at liberty to judge with regard to motive. We are at liberty to judge in respect of factual statements. This is all we do. Can you show me where we have done otherwise? In Acts 16 Paul identified one or more demons that were actually publicising the gospel message preached by Paul. They were giving free and great publicity to the servants of God. So yes it would appear that demons, which believe, could at times engage in preaching a part gospel. Paul seems to suggest this again in Galatians chapter 1:8 & 9. Demons can masquerade as angels. The test is not the apparent results but the nature and purpose of what is being preached.
(GS): as a matter of fact Jesus told His disciples off for doing the thing that you are doing.
(PP): I presume that you are referring to the incident in Mark 9 and Luke 9. Another passage
which confuses some people on a similar issue is Philippians 1:12-18. The important thing to notice is that neither the two gospel passages nor the epistle reference give any hint that the message was false or that the miracle was not genuine. In Mark and Luke it is quite clear that John raised the issue with Jesus out of some sort of exclusiveness and elitism. It was like a denominational spirit and of course Christ corrected that. The man who was casting out demons was performing a valid ministry and it was not in his own name but in the name of Christ. John's report to Jesus actually implies the genuineness of the work. Jesus basically told His disciples that they did not have a monopoly on the work of God. A similar thing pertains in the Philippian passage. There is no suggestion that the message being preached was false. Paul does suggest that the motive may have been wrong and that he personally could end up suffering in an even greater way as a result. The magnificence of Paul's character and commitment shine out very brightly. He says I am prepared to suffer even more so long as the gospel is being preached i.e. the true and not the false gospel. As you know we must compare scripture with scripture to rightly divide the Word of God. Other passages such as Galatians chapter 1 verses 8 and 9 and 2 Corinthians chapter 11:1-15 plus Acts 20:26-38 make it abundantly clear that Paul the apostle would not give place to a false gospel or to false teachers and false prophets.
(GS): Because I realise that certain Christians love to debate rather than just love, to be virulent than to have a vision for the lost, to be spiritually arrogant thinking everyone else is an ass. I have to love them as Christ loves them, and if they can say Jesus is Lord and bow the knee to Him, then I can walk with them. Debate and dogma never saved a soul from hell but loving them as Jesus loves you and me still does today. The word says that they saw that the disciples were simple and ignorant men but that they had been with Jesus.
(PP): Paul was a highly educated man as was Martin Luther and many others who through their debating skills energised by the Holy Spirit not only turned many souls to Christ but also protected and rescued God's people from error. There is a false human idea about love. God is love and this God is a man of war and a God of judgement. He does not vacillate or compromise. The men who have wrought great things for God have been men of iron will not because of their own strength but because of the One who makes them strong against evil and iniquity. I suggest you read and study the prophecy of Ezekiel and consider the calling of a watchman and the fact that God made Ezekiel's face hard as flint against the faces and looks of those to whom God sent him.
(GS): My desire is to be known like that simply, that's why I will not call you names or condemn you
(PP): By your choice of the words "vilify and slander" (see above) you imply a condemnation of what we are seeking to do in our ministry and work.
(GS): but just ask you this question, do the people in your area—Christians and non Christians—say about you, "there goes a man who has been with Jesus and who leads many to salvation"? Nothing about your superior knowledge, your end time theology, the way you dress, your position, your finances—rich or poor, simply is he like Jesus who loves the unlovable.
(PP): If I and/or others involved in our CWM ministry do ever have such commendation said about us, I am sure it is only in a very small sense and degree correct if ever. Maybe you have achieved this to a greater extent than me or anyone else. That is between you and the Lord as it is between me (us) and my (our) Lord. I don't know. Certainly no one talks about me in the way I dress or the money that I have, as I am not wealthy. No one gets any financial gain out of our ministry. We are all — me included — volunteers - see Psalm 110 verse 3 in the NKJ version, which is a promise that God gave to me when I stepped out of the denominational boat and away from a secure job and a regular salary to trust Him totally.
(GS): Everyone who has repented and asked Jesus to be Lord is in the family of God, not perfect (dare I say it not even you) but washed in His blood and has the right through that to go into the throne room and be one with the Father and our command is not to kick our brothers and sisters to death but to encourage them and bless them and to focus on the Father and Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit.
(PP): Well in my view you are partly RIGHT and partly WRONG. I agree that we don't have to agree on End Time teaching and I agree that none of us is "perfect" though we should all seek to become mature. I also agree that being washed in the blood of the Lamb gives us access to the throne room of our father and I agree that as God's people we will never kick any brother to death. I
disagree with you in your implication that I and/or CWM actually engage in kicking anyone. We simply examine a man's public doctrine by what he writes and states. We endeavour always to document our sources. Yes we do criticise but we do not condemn nor do we accuse. We simply report and then examine things vis à vis the scriptures. We dare not bless those who preach another gospel. The bible forbids it. Paul says let them be accursed.
(GS): All Christians have one thing in common we were sinners and Jesus saved us but not one of us knows all the answers (some don't even know the questions) but like the blind man I can say one thing I know I am a child of God and if what I believe does not line up with your beliefs that does not upset me nor should you be concerned because like me you don't know it all.
(PP): Well I share your experience of salvation my brother. For me it happened when I was 6 years old. I am now 61 years old and I agree that I don't have all the answers and know only some of the questions. The difference, as I see it, between you and me is that I do try to follow the entire bible by comparing scripture with scripture and not just focusing on one passage or certain verses and make an inadequate conclusion based on flimsy evidence. If you can show me where I have been wrong in any of the above please do so.
(GS): Yours in Christ Pastor Goff Small (Portsmouth, UK).
(PP): God bless you. I trust we can be of mutual help the one to the other. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Philip L. POWELL

Editorial Comment:
In the CETF (April 2000 _ Vol 6.1 issue) article entitled "THE BATTLE RAGES" — published at www.christian-witness.org/archives/cetf2000/battle.html , CWM criticised Rev Thomas Trask, General Superintendent AG, USA. In this connection we wrote to the AG Office in Springfield, USA as follows (PP):
MAY 6, 2000.

Dear Brothers Wood and Trask:
 I met you in 1990 or 1991 when I was general secretary of AoG in Australia. I was on a ministry tour through USA en route for Britain at the time. Randy Hurst was my host and I spent some time with the then editor of EVANGEL, the late Richard Champion, as I was his counterpart in Australia at that time. You were all so kind to me and I was accorded an audience with your national executive presbytery.
 Since then the Lord has led me down a different path. You may have seen our two papers "Contending EARNESTLY for THE Faith" (CETF) and VANGUARD. You are both on our mailing list from the inception of our work, (1994) but I recognise that busy men may not always see what passes across their desks.
 I have felt that I should let you both have sight of a criticism that we have published in the latest CETF written in part by myself and in part by an AG man in Italy. This article specifically mentions Thomas Trask critically. In the same issue of CETF we have published an excellent article by Orrel Steinkamp which details and documents the background of what is going on around the world in the so-called River Revival and its links to the Latter Rain heresy that AG in USA outlawed earlier this century. The full edition of our paper is available as a <pdf> file attachment by email if you would like me to send it. Alternatively you both should have received a hard copy by now or very soon.
 The attached article is entitled "THE BATTLE RAGES" and is also pasted below—
under our web site addresses. My earnest
desire and prayer is that those who remain in the movement that I love and that I served for so many years will set up some world-wide forum so that the growing number of those of us who have grave concerns and who care may interact with those of a contrary opinion.
 Have you seen the book entitled "The Midnight Ride"? It contains a number of articles by various authors, me included. The book is obtainable from: Jo & Steve REAVES <mreaves872@earthlink.net> or Jo & Steve REAVES <jo@awake-ministries.org>
 May God bless and guide you in these interesting times when both "revival" and "apostasy" beckon.
Sincerely in Christ's love and service,
Philip L. POWELL.

Thomas Trask Replies:
May 8, 2000
Dear Brother Powell:
I am writing in response to your email that I received May 5th. I believe my brother, that you have made statements that were not factual. Evidently you chose to make them without be desirous of knowing the truth, for we were never contacted.
First of all, let me state categorically, that those who know me and have worked with me know of my position to our sound doctrine and pro-Pentecostal stance; that has never been a question.
Secondly, I have never said that we missed it back in the days of the latter rain. I do not know where you have gotten that from but this is not truth. I support the position we, as a fellowship, took back then and still do to this day. I believe that you do the body of Christ irrevocable harm when you publish statements such as you have that do not have facts to support them.
I felt that I owed it to you to write you regarding these matters. God bless you!
Sincerely,

Philip Powell Responds:

May 13, 2000.
Dear Brother Trask:
 Thank you for your reply to my email. I have noted your general denial of the allegation about your personal stand on the "LATTER RAIN" doctrine. I will do my best to ensure that those from whom this issued plus those who may have been wrongly informed will be made aware of your denial.
 HOWEVER, brother Trask, I note that your denial is deficient in at least two areas:
 1) You make no comment about the allegation regarding your father's stand on the Latter Rain doctrine; and
2) You have totally ignored the claim about the difficulty you are causing in Italy.
 Both of these matters are canvassed in the article that I sent to you.
 My dear brother, please understand me. I am not accusing you in what I am about to write. It is a comment on the "modus operandi" adopted by so many who hold hierarchical position within movements and denominations, and who employ "red-herrings" of partial denial to avoid and/or hide their real stance on matters of significance. This is a political ploy, which is not worthy of those who name the name of Christ and for which they (we) will one day be called to give account.
The time has come to stop playing games. I was profoundly disturbed when I observed you rolling out the red carpet to Benny Hinn when he was admitted into the AG and within two years he was no longer credentialed. The detail of what happened was covered up. Why brother Trask, was this? Are you truly concerned about harm being done to the body of Christ, or are you, like so many, more interested in the reputation of Thomas Trask and the movement (denomination) that you seek to lead?
A missionary by the name of Sandy Simpson, who is based in Hawaii, has called for a denouncing of Benny Hinn at the very highest level before he does irreparable harm to the body of Christ.
Have you seen what he has written? Are you aware of the latest heresies of Mr Hinn and the fact that it is being slated by media outlets that people have been dying waiting for this so called miracle healer, who is a documented liar, false teacher and false prophet, to appear in Kenya? YES, my dear brother Trask members of your own denomination in the USA have long since documented these matters in their book "The Confusing World of Benny Hinn". Have you read it?
The article, which we published and on
which you commented, makes it clear that you are presently a respected leader among us. Even the conservative Italian AoG appears to take that position, with some serious misgivings about perceptions. My brother I implore you in the name of the Lord take a firm stand and make a clear statement, for the Lord's sake and for the benefit of His body here on earth.
 1 Corinthians 14:8, "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?"
May God bless and lead you.
Sincerely in the Love of THE Truth,
Philip L. POWELL.

There has been no further correspondence from the AG office in USA (Ed).

HEALTH, WEALTH AND THE ATONEMENT:
Refer: CETF 6.1 (April 2000) pages 11 & 12 see URL—"Atoning Work on the Cross—let" www.christian-witness.org/archives/volume.html

Following publication of the above we received some correspondence taking us to task about our doctrine. In all cases the thrust of what we published and the major points were missed. For example Rev Carolyn A. Hennig of New Jersey, USA < Rev_Carolyn@ yahoo.com > wrote:
"The Holy Spirit is most certainly pointing to and actually quoting from Isaiah 53:4-5 in Matthew 8:16-17. The Lord Jesus had the same understanding as the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus knew and believed that He was fulfilling Isaiah 53:4-5 by physically healing the sick.
Since Jesus believed and practiced that physical healing is fulfilling Isaiah 53:4-5, and the Holy Spirit plainly teaches the proper exegesis of the verse, then I will choose to accept the Holy Spirit's interpretation of Isaiah 53:5 and not allow "literary methods" to cloud God's clear teaching and interpretation of His own scriptures."
She misses the point as do so many who teach that sickness is atoned for by Christ on the cross while the bible clearly states that He died for our sins (1 Cor 15:1-4) and nowhere states that He died for our physical sickness. Matthew 8:16-17 took place during Christ's lifetime prior to His death. If you extrapolate healing in the atonement from these verses then you must say that Christ lived an atoning life as well as dying an atoning death. The only logical and theological explanation is that contained in our editorial viz "The author [i.e. the Holy Spirit] is using a phrase from Isaiah 53:4 to identify Jesus as the one who will effect the atonement it refers to."

Rev Carolyn Hennig manifests considerable confusion when she agrees with us in the next paragraph:
"Isaiah 53:5 therefore is speaking of the Messiah coming to heal His people spiritually AND physically.  Otherwise physical healing could in no wise fulfil the prophecy stated in Isaiah 53:5 and the Holy Spirit would have waited till Jesus died on the cross and then inspire Matthew to say something like: "He died on the cross..." that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."

And even more confusion when she writes:
"The bible expounds upon itself. The Holy Spirit teaches us the meaning of the scriptures. The wonderful thing about the bible is that while the scholarly doctors were scratching there (sic) heads and arguing over the meaning of Jesus' sayings, scripture teaches us that "the common people heard him gladly." (Mark 12:37)
Let's not fall for Satan's trick leading us to think that we need man's limited knowledge and failing wisdom to understand the scriptures because the bible is [a] spiritual book and it is spiritually discerned."

And then adds:
"God gives wisdom to all, all, ALL men liberally when they humbly ask for it in faith.  Especially wisdom to know the correct interpretation of His precious Holy Word. All men includes the "common people" who are not educated with literary methods but only rely on the Spirit of the living God to open their understanding in spiritually discerning how to rightly divide the word of truth.
Therefore if we desire the correct understanding and interpretation of Isaiah 53:5 or any text of the holy scriptures, we must diligently study His word comparing spiritual things with spiritual, i.e.., verse to verse seeking Him for wisdom and not man."
Carolyn overlooks that her thrice repeated "ALL" must include godly scholars who have given their lives to studying God's Word in the original languages. If you check her full correspondence on the following link you will see the extent of this confusion when she appeals to 1 John 2:27 as her justification:
"The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." 
l Your Letters l Your Letters l Your Letters l Your Letters l Your Letters l Your Letters
Refer christian-witness.org/archives/entre/titbits.html

1 John 2:27 quite clearly refers to our relationship with Christ about which we do not need human instruction. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits (c/f Rom 8:16) that we belong to Him. It cannot refer to teaching generally otherwise why did Christ give pastor/ teachers to His church—c/f Ephesians 4:11. On a personal note why does Carolyn refer to herself as "Pastor" (Reverend) if she does not claim to teach anyone—something with which we at CWM would have difficulty? Paul the apostle taught: "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:12)

If you read the CWM's editorial comment correctly you will see that we have not thrown out Holy Spirit inspired exegesis for a literary critical method. To argue this is to completely miss the point. The point is that we have thrown out the superficial understanding of how the Holy Spirit inspired the exegesis. This superficial understanding has led to an almost infantile interpretation that "physical healing" is achieved through the atonement, which is actually missing the deeper point that the Holy Spirit was making.
 We suggest that all our readers should re-read what we wrote and not be quick to despise Godly knowledge, but to test all things by scripture and not just by a doctrine that may have been accepted without adequate investigation.

In a later email Carolyn wrote:
"WHEN and HOW a Christian receives the fulfilment of God's healing promise is the Father's sovereign privilege. Some receive physical healing in this life, some in the very presence of Jesus Himself after passing on from this life. If a Christian died having cancer in this world, certainly the Lord of life gives them healing in heaven with Him."

CWM agrees and we trust not unkindly adds "QED", which in schoolboy language, when applied to geometric theorems, was interpreted to mean "which was required to be proved".

Emails that passed between Philip Powell and Rev Carolyn A. Hennig are posted at www.christian-witness.org/archives/entre/titbits.html "NEWS that arrived between publication dates". When CETF Vol 7:1 is published ( March 2001, God Willing) , this link will be removed —
Ed

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Appeared in Issue CETF 6.2 December 2000