January 11, 2024 – Don’t Be Found Fighting Against God

I just have to take a minute and discuss something that I HATE! I don’t usually use that term, yet this is something that, in my opinion, does great harm to Christians and Christianity, which basically means that those who do such are fighting with God, Himself. It’s not done by outsiders, meaning it is not atheists or satanists or Buddhists, or Islamists. I am speaking of Christians who are shooting at other Christians, very publicly in churches and on podcasts in front of a world that already hates us.

A few days ago I was sitting at my desk working and listening to a podcast by a very well known Christian pastor, who had as a guest another very well known Christian Leader. The discussion was being recorded in front of the congregation of his large Christian Church. It is evident they believe they have been appointed by God to point out in a very public manner, Christian pastors and ministries whom they believe are teaching very harmful, heretical things. Not only did they mention the object of their disdain, they mentioned the name of the church. By mentioning the well known church, the pastor of that church would be known, as well.

Specifically, they mentioned Bethel. They mentioned that Bethel was teaching “Grave Sucking”, and they went into detail about what a dangerous teaching it is, and how Bethel was bringing great harm to the Christian Church, leading people away from “clear” Scripture.

If you don’t know what “Grave Sucking” is, it is very basically a teaching in which a person will lay on top of the grave of a prominent Christian Leader, and ask God to give them the mantel bestowed upon that Christian Leader by God. In essence, there are Christians who believe they can suck that special calling and anointing right out of the grave, from that prominent Christian leader that rests a mere 6 feet below where they are sprawled out on top of the grave. That term “Grave Sucking” is such a derogatory term, and it just sounds terrible. I would not be surprised to learn that the opposition gave that name to that practice.

Now, I know these prominent Christian Leaders who just slandered Bethel and its pastors, had not contacted Bethel, nor talked with their head pastor before they laid such a charge against them. I know that because I have heard Bill Johnson being asked that specific question. Bill said he got word that one of the teachers at Bethel was teaching that, and he immediately confronted the teacher and stopped such teaching. Yet, here these Christian Leaders were, damaging the reputation and teaching of Bethel and Bill Johnson without first talking with them to verify the truth of the rumor. They “heard” about Bethel teaching “Grave Sucking” from someone whom they thought they could trust.

These Christian Leaders didn’t stop there. They told about how there was a couple in the church at Bethel, whose young child had just died. They told about how the church came together in their sanctuary and declared LIFE to that child, as the child lay in the morgue. These Christian Leaders told how awful and humiliating it must have been for the parents of the child, who were grieving over their child. In so many words, these Christian Leaders made clear that ‘healing” stopped with the Apostles in the 1stCentury. They went on and on about how terrible it was that this congregation would actually speak LIFE to this dead child. The irony here just drips.

Not only do I HATE what these 2 very prominent Christian Leaders were doing, I felt sorry for them that they did not understand there is NO Scripture anywhere in the Bible that says “healing” stopped with the Apostles. On the contrary, Mark records Jesus telling the Apostles to go and teach others to do what Jesus instructed the Apostles to do.

Here these 2 prominent Leaders were teaching not only the large congregation there at the church, but also all who would listen to the podcast there is NO power in the name of Jesus to heal, today, as God’s people speak Life and Health upon people who desperately need it. I thought of all those people I have seen healed, and all the stories I have heard of the dead raised, and the deaf ears opened, and the dumb people who now speak, and the lame who now walk, and the cancer that disappears, among many, many miraculous healings happening today by the power of Jesus Name.

What damage is being done by self-proclaimed blind judges in the church. It’s bad enough when it is a Christian in the pew attacking their Christian brothers & sisters. Yet, when they are very prominent Christian Leaders who influence tens of thousands of people around the world, it is a horrible injustice done by Christians against Christians. The unbelieving world LOVES seeing such tragedy in the Christian Church.

We don’t need those outside the Christian Church doing great damage to the Christian Church, as we have enough self-proclaimed blind judges in the church who already do that quite well.

Teach what you want to teach, just don’t start naming names of those who don’t teach as you, OR you just may find yourself one day, with your eyes opened, in tears and deep sorrow, apologizing to God for attacking those whom He ordained to teach His message. Yet, the damage would have already been done, and you have no way of undoing it.

I have listened to hours and hours of podcasts from Bethel and Bill Johnson. It's interesting. With all the attacks against Bill Johnson and Bethel, I have NEVER heard even once, Bill attacking those who have so unjustly maligned him personally or Bethel corporately. This says a lot about integrity, and trying not to damage God’s Church nor His Leaders, no matter how much they may disagree.

Just my thoughts…

 Pat