IS CALVARY TEMPLE INTERNATIONAL BECOMING A CASH COW ALONG WITH THEIR SENIOR PASTOR & HIS RIPPED SKINNY JEANS?(originally published March 1, 2023)
The following is an excerpt taken from the above book "FROM PULPIT TO PROFIT chapter four and I quote:
"False ministers often possess a shallow understanding of the Bible and use it selectively to support their own agenda & desires. They may know enough scriptures to sound convincing, but their knowledge lacks depth and sincerity. False ministers cherry pick verses to support their false narratives, while ignoring the full counsel of God's word. They twist scriptures out of context and use them to manipulate and deceive their followers. Their teachings may focus on feel good messages, prosperity gospel, or self centered philosophies rather than the whole counsel of God.
A genuine Bible teacher/minister prioritizes the truth and accuracy of God's word over personal gain or popularity. They diligently study the Bible, seeking to understand it's original context, historical background(setting), and theological implications. They strive to present the Bible in it's entirety, and not just the parts that appeal to their audience.
As believers, it is crucial to be discerning and watchful of leaders who engage in false teachings. False ministers/teachers often promote themselves and their agendas rather than exalting Christ. They may even resist accountability or correction, as their teachings veer away from biblical truth"(WHILE FALSELY ACCUSING THEIR CRITICS OF BEING MISANTHROPIC).
"When a minister deviates from the principles of Christ, we are under no obligation to continue following them. This is one of the wisdoms of God that is reserved for us to discern.
It is essential to exercise discernment relying on the Biblical teachings of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By doing so, we can avoid the pitfalls of blindly following fallible men/women and instead on following the perfect example set by Jesus Christ" end of quote.
DearViewer: Do you have any idea what some churches today are doing with the money you donate? Watch the 3 videos below for the answer.
What could financial abuse look like in a Christian environment?
Using the weight of God to pressure or manipulate church members into tithing or giving.
Manipulating church members to give money above their means, promising that God will bless or repay them i.e. giving offerings above and beyond or exceeding the 10%(tithe) of your gross income.
Exploiting church funds for selfish or secular gain.
In many cases, people who are committing church fraud will have obvious changes in their lifestyles. For example, if someone who is in a position of authority in a church suddenly starts going on extravagant vacations, driving luxury cars and engaging in other activities for which there is no explanation, experts say it may be a sign of potential fraud.Such individuals are fleecing the flock and can not be trusted with God's money!
THROUGHOUT THIS ARTICLE YOU WILL FIND RELIABLE SOURCES (BOOKS, LINKS & VIDEOS) PROVIDING EXAMPLES OF FLEECE FLOCKERS & HOW THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR MINISTRIES AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP INTO SHEEP FACTORIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF FLEECING THEIR FLOCKS.
Last but not least, I provide a link below showing why CTI functions more as a business establishment based upon management principles which they have adopted as discussed under the article "WHY MOST CHURCHES IN THE U.S. ARE BUSINESSES".
HEY CTI FAMILY. REVEREND JAKE IS GOT A WORD FOR YOU!
"NEW COVENANT GIVING IS FREEWILL, SACRIFICIAL, GENEROUS, JOYFUL, REGULAR AND MOTIVATED BY LOVE FOR GOD, FELLOW CHRISTIANS AND LOST SOULS. DO NOT BURDEN OR CURSE GOD'S POOR WHO STRUGGLE TO FEED AND SHELTER THEIR FAMILY" RUSS KELLY PHD.
A CHURCH MAXIM
"WE THANK YOU FOR THE CHANGE THAT JINGLES
BUT WE PREFER THE BILLS THAT FOLD"
Dear Viewer: At the outset let me make one thing very clear. What I am about to disclose here is not being motivated by malice or A WITCH HUNT. It is not intended to malign anyone in particular. I am merely offering a friendly admonition in the form of constructive criticism, on a topic that has been grossly misunderstood and has led to many controversies and confusion within the Body of Christ. Because of these controversies, many Christians have become the target of financial exploitation and have suffered harm. I myself am a victim of such exploitation by prosperity pimps within the Word of Faith movement. In fact about a year ago one of CTI'S pastors, HOLLY quoted from the pulpit on a Sunday morning Deuteronomy 28: 1-14, in order to convince the flock of CTI to give above and beyond the tithe applicable only under the O.T. This passage of scripture has absolutely nothing to do with tithes & offerings. And everything to do with the Palestinian Land Covenant and it's blessings from God for the nation of Israel. Another passage of scripture which has been frequently quoted during collection offering by the pastoral staff of CTI is Malachi 3: 8-12. There is no scriptural mandate under the N.T. for Christians to tithe. (See paragraph below "GENERAL CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES PUBLISHED BY THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD"for more details). These passages of scripture are VERY POPULAR with the Word of Faith Movement prosperity pimps mentioned above. They put a SPIN to these passages of scripture & it's used extensively in order to fleece their flocks. I highly recommend you purchase the book" FLEECING THE FLOCK" by Anthony Wade which I have posted below at the bottom of part one of this article. Mr. Wade exposes many of the schemes which tithing preachers utilize to fleece their flocks. Remember: Sacrificial giving without biblical boundaries will eventually lead to RATIONALISED GREED.Go to the following 2 links below to learn how this movement got started and how it infiltrated the Pentecostal denomination:
IN THE VIDEO BELOW CTI'S SENIOR PASTOR'S WIFE HOLLY PROMOTES THE CONCEPT THAT TITHES & FIRST FRUITS ARE BIBLICALLY SOUND DOCTRINE AND MANDATED UNDER THE N.T. FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY. THIS IS NOT BIBLICALLY VERIFIABLE UNDER THE N.T. OR EVEN BY THE BY LAWS OF THE AOG! IN THIS VIDEO SHE USES A TITHING CLICHE OR BUZZ WORDS AS FOLLOWS, "YOU CAN'T OUT GIVE GOD" IMPLYING, IT ALL BELONGS TO HIM ANYWAY.
AFTER YOU WATCH THIS VIDEO IN THE LINK PROVIDED BELOW, I SUBMIT TO YOU A TON OF EVIDENCE DEBUNKING HER CLAIMS THROUGH OUT THIS ARTICLE .
BELOW IS THE FULL VERSION
OF THEIR WORSHIP SERVICE
DATED AUGUST 6TH, 2023. JUST
FAST FORWARD THE VIDEO TO
TIME FRAMES 1:04 TO 1:06.
IN THE VIDEO BELOW PROSPERITY
PIMP PAULA WHITE TEACHES THE
SAME FALSE DOCTRINE OF FIRST
FRUITS IN ORDER TO SCAM HER
VIEWERS OF THEIR MONEY
In the video below released August 27th the Senior
Pastor makes his pitch using a stage prop of produce
to make his case that tithing is mandated under the N.T.
supported with twisted scriptures quoted out of context.
Dear CTI congregants, this young man is terribly mistaken.
Even the Assemblies of God By Laws admits that there is
no commandment(s) in the N.T. written that you are under
obligation to give one tenth of your income to God as a tithe.
Again I have provided lots of evidence throughout this article
refuting this false teaching. It is nothing but PURE DOGMA!
Advance the video below to times frames 28 mins until the end.
BUT IT IS WRITTEN: "EVERY WORD OF GOD IS PURE, HE IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM. DO NOT ADD TO HIS WORDS; LEST HE REPROVE YOU, AND YOU BE FOUND A LIAR" PROVERBS 30: 5-6.
" Now remember the tithing preachers & false prophets want you to believe that God has established a principle of first fruits which now require you to bring your tithe to their storehouse which is the church that feeds you. It is a devious mixture of scriptures which has nothing to do with each other yet are tied together for the purpose of forcing you to give them your money. As we saw with tithing, first fruits were establsihed as part of the Mosaic Law for the governance of the theocracy of Israel. While Leviticaus 26:1-11 established the feasts of first fruits, these verses get into details of carrying it out. We still do not see anything monetary about them. Nothing about honoring the Lord with your increase. It also has little to do with tithing. The system of tithing was entirely different. Tithing had to do with the Levitical Priest system, and the first fruits was a feast of remembrance. The tithing preacher however tries to conflate the two. He tries to convince you that the principle for first fruits demands that you obey the tithing system. It is at best inaccurate and at worst a willful deliberate attempt to steal your money" from Fleecing the Flock by Anthony Wade page 106.
" The lie of first fruits is probably the most dangerous because it is conceptually mentioned a lot in the Old Testament as a system Israel had to follow. The vast majority of those references however dealt with two very specific things that have nothing to do with sowing seeds into the pockets of millionaire preachers of today. The first is dealing with a specific feast that God ordained for Israel to remember his deliverance of them from slavery in Eygpt. The second is in direct relation to the tithing system for the Levitical Priests. Neither one has anything to do with setting up a principal to be followed by believers today. If that was God's intention, he would have made it abundantly clear" (FLEECING THE FLOCK BY ANTHONY WADE PAGE 111).
"What is behind this is a loss of fear of the Lord. How else can you explain such shoddy hermeneutics from those who claim to have a divine calling on their lives? This is also the result of Purpose Driven Theology. When church becomes a business, and the pastor becomes a CEO, it is only a matter of time before money becomes the primary focus over our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. To support visions God never gave. If you ask pastors who still teach tithing, THEY WOULD PROBABLY SAY THEY ARE SCARED. AFRAID THAT IF THEY LEFT IT UP TO CHEERFUL GIVERS and the Holy Spirit, that they would not get enough to keep their church doors open. It is sad really because that is no excuse to mangle the Word of God. Then there are those who know full well what they are doing. Without this fear, these tithing preachers continue to abuse the sheep of God, the Bride of Christ all for filthy lucre. The truth is that as the church has seen more and more leaven infiltrating it's walls we have seen carnal thinking explode exponentially. Chasing secular leadership principles. Employing non-biblical growth theories. BUT UNDERLYING ALL OF THEM IS THE CENTURIES OLD BACKDROP OF TITHING. IT IS FOUNDED AND DEFENDED BY A PATCHWORK OF SCRIPTURES TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT AND COBBLED TOGETHER BY WELL TRAINED RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS TO SELL COMPULSORY GIVING. AND MALACHI CHAPTER 3: 8-12 IS AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST"! (FLEECING THE FLOCK PAGE 71 BY ANTHONY WADE).
The following excerpt is taken from the booklet GENERAL CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES PUBLISHED BY THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, QUESTION SIX, PAGE ELEVEN ON TITHING and I quote:
"WE DO NOT BELIEVE TITHING TO BE A CONDITION FOR SALVATION. OUR BY LAWS STATE WE RECOGNIZE THE DUTY OF TITHING AND URGE ALL OUR PEOPLE TO PAY TITHES TO GOD(ARTICLE IX, SECTION 7A).AND IT IS TRUE THERE IS NO DIRECT COMMANDMENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYING " YOU MUST TITHE TO GOD ONE TENTH OF YOUR INCOME"end of quote.
Dear CTI congregant, this by law is a man made doctrine and not binding as scripture. I am fully aware that when you become a member at CTI the senior pastor makes you take an oath before the entire congregation stating that you are obligated to give ten percent of your income to his church. And he claims that this is according to Holy Writ. THAT IS FALLACIOUS and something that is not verifiable in scripture!
Everything about tithing ended at Calvary: 1) The Mosaic Covenant, 2) it's priests, 3) it's definition as food, 4) it's temple and 5) it's sacrificial system. Tithes were never used to fund buildings or missionaries. Calvary Temple Int'l what part of the O.T. plan for supporting the Temple is still followed today? They had other means of support per Numbers 18: 1-20. The only thing that was carried over from the Old Testament into the New Testament is God's moral laws. And that has been reiterated under the New Covenant!
As Christians we are commanded against following teachers blindly, but are told rather to test everything, and hold to that which is good cf 1 Thessalonians 5:21. We are to judge on the basis of Holy Scripture & proven facts cf John 7:24 & Romans 16:17. Even the Apostle Paul had a confrontation with Peter's personal biases against Christian gentiles cf Galatians 2:11-14. According to the Word of God, no one in his household is exempt from scrutiny. AND IT'S NOT SLANDER IF IT'S TRUE.
Hopefully the information presented in this article may serve to help believers in Christ to recognize the warning signs, take appropriate measures and establish healthy boundaries to protect themselves and their loved ones, especially if you just recently as a new Christian came to the faith.
Moving on, it is unfortunate that I have to share with you something which I have observed and feel has gone terribly wrong with the church named above CALVARY TEMPLE INTERNATIONAL located at 1111 Preakness Ave Wayne, NJ.CTI is affiliated with Assemblies of God.
Ever since they launched their Kingdom Builders Program in 2021,the ministry has engaged in what I will term here High Pressure collection offering tactics or fund raising for all aspects of their ministry programs, but in particular for missions. The Senior Pastor & his associates have set in motion a full spectrum of financial campaigns periodically throughout the year for their Kingdom Builders program. These campaigns have involved money collections separate from and in addition to the standard money collection on Sundays; Followed up by a series of HYPED sermons on the theme of "WE ARE GO GIVERS" centered on giving tithes & first fruits offerings. This fabricated doctrine of tithing or at least their own version of it, is their Golden Goose and one true love. The pastoral staff has repeatedly asked their members to contribute 10% of their gross income plus offerings above and beyond the biblical tithe. This obviously is not sanctioned in scripture AND IS A HERESY (see link below A STUDY OF ENFORCED GIVING AND TITHING WITHIN THE CHURCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE).Attempting to extract money from your flocks by any means possible, is reminiscent to what occurred at the Temple in Jerusalem as described in Matthew 21:13.
The senior pastor has stated that his goal is to raise $800,000.00 by the end of this year 2023 up from 500k plus in 2022 and 200k plus from 2021. I am wondering, is he going to raise the bar again in 2024 to $1 million dollars?
(UPDATE: ON JUNE 25TH THE SENIOR PASTOR ANNOUNCED TO CTI THAT HE NOW WANTS TO RAISE ONE MILLION DOLLARS BY THE END OF 2023 FOR HIS KINGDOM BUILDERS PROGRAM.
I don't know about you, but this is clear evidence to me that CTI's pastoral staff is employing high pressure collection offering tactics.You may be wondering why. Simply put the churches affiliated with Assemblies of God have been competing with each other since around 2021 to see which church can raise the most money for the Kingdom Builders Program. CTI came in second place for 2023 and was the recipient of an award from the State Superintendent from Assemblies of God here in NJ this past March. There is no doubt in my mind that they are now setting their sights to reach the position of TOP GUN for 2024 for first place in NJ.
I personally believe it's all a gimmick backed up by stage props, twisted scriptures taken out of context and a lot of pizzazz, all sanctioned by the Assemblies of God's Council. And let's not forget the BUZZ WORDS.
Fundraising and conferences seem to be quite lucrative nowadays. No wonder there are so many of them going on. And this is still happening in congregations across America every Sunday. Money is collected during fundraiser after fundraiser , and the church building still needs it's own fundraiser to be repaired. The Senior Pastor wants the best of the best and nothing less. Large LED WALLS, cordless microphones, portable tv cameras, coffee cafe and elaborate furniture-and the list is never ending. I respect wanting what you want Pastor Matt, but don't you think it's high time YOU START DIGGING DEEP INTO YOUR OWN POCKET AND PAY FOR IT? After all your congregants are not HUMAN WALLETS! They have families to support. The bombardment of the requests for money in many churches never ceases. The cunning tactics of those who are asking for more money are always at work. For example, last year on October 2022 the Senior Pastor held a conference with his volunteer ministry team and asked for them to donate 15% of their income in tithes up from 10%. Where on earth is that sanctioned in God's Word for him to make such a demand upon his flock?! CHURCH LEADERS CANNOT CONTINUE TO PULL ON THE PURSES AND WALLETS OF THEIR MEMBERS TO GET WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THE CHURCH CAN NOT AFFORD IT. It should not be a mandate that CTI'S congregants give the Senior Pastor all of the desires of his heart.
The scriptures says it differently:
"TAKE DELIGHT IN THE LORD, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART" PSALM 37:4.
THIS IS WHAT THE MAIN
STAGE OF THE CHURCH
LOOKS LIKE TODAY
DEAR CTI CONGREGANT, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH THIS LED WALL IS COSTING YOU AS A MEMBER WHICH YOUR PASTOR IS NOT TELLING YOU? THEN WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
CTI CONGREGANTS : WHAT YOU GIVE TO GOD IS BETWEEN YOU AND GOD! "YOU MUST DECIDE IN YOUR HEART HOW MUCH TO GIVE. AND DON'T GIVE RELUCTANTLY, OR IN RESPONSE TO PRESSURE. FOR GOD LOVES A PERSON WHO GIVES CHEERFULLY" 2ND CORINTHIANS 9:7 NLT.
A spiritually abusive group might claim that they are God’s sole channel of communication and that they alone can rightly interpret God’s Word. They might claim that salvation depends upon belonging to their church and that, since God speaks through them alone, there can be no further discussion on what the leaders say. Or the leaders might point to God’s blessing on their work—proved by increased baptisms, perhaps—and push members to contribute more generously to their expansion programs. Pushing for more money, promising that God will repay, and piling on guilt can be signs of covert abuse.
The dedication of each member is tracked and measured by the amount of time, effort, and money he or she gives to the cause. If an individual’s efforts begin to slip below expectations, it will be noticed.
BELOVED CTI CONGREGANTS: IS THIS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF YOUR SENIOR PASTOR DRESSING MODESTLY WITH TIGHT SHREDDED SKINNY JEANS & SNEAKERS ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE? (cf 1 TIMOTHY 2:9 & 1 PETER 3:1-4). (SEE PICTURE BELOW). HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF ONE MORNING YOU CAME TO A SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE AND SAW JESUS PREACHING FROM THE PULPIT DRESSED WITH SHORT PANTS HANGING AROUND HIS KNEES WHILE SWAGGING LIKE A HOME BOY FROM THE HOOD? WHAT IMPRESSION WOULD THAT LEAVE ON A SINNER'S MIND WHO IS SEEKING SALVATION WHILE ENTERING CTI FOR THE FIRST TIME? FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “Worship the Lord in holy attire” (1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2; 96:9).WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT TO COME TO A SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE AND SEE YOUR SENIOR PASTOR DRESSED IN THIS MANNER PORTRAYED BELOW. IS THIS THE WAY AN AMBASADOR OF JESUS CHRIST IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE WHEN HE COMES TO PREACH IN CHURCH??? OR IS IT PLAUSIBLE THAT MATT BAPTISTA IS TRYING TO BECOME A CELEBRITY PASTOR BY EMULATING STEVEN FURTICK?
NOTICE THE SIMILIARITY BETWEEN THE WAY MATT BAPTISTA WEARS HIS ATTIRE & HOW HIS STAGE IS SET UP. SEE STEVEN FURTICK'S PHOTOS BELOW.
PEOPLE WHO DRESS WITH THIS FAD ARE FOLKS WHO LIKE HANGING OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT WEARING TORN OR RIPPED CLOTHES?
There is no specific verse in the Bible that addresses the issue of
wearing ripped or torn jeans – mainly because jeans didn’t even exist back then.
However, there are a few principles that can be gleaned from the Scripture that may help us to answer this question.
First, we see that God is concerned with our inward character, not our outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7).
Second, we are told to dress modestly and not to draw attention to ourselves with our clothing (1 Timothy 2:9-10).
Third, we are instructed to avoid wasteful practices, such as tearing our clothes in a show of grief (Ecclesiastes 3:5).
Based on these principles, it seems that wearing ripped or torn
clothes, particularly in a church setting, would not be pleasing to God.
Wearing torn and “holey” denim pants didn’t become a fashion statement, however, until the 1970s, when jeans were commandeered by the punk rock movement. In 1973, designer Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols band
manager Malcom McLaren opened a London store named Let It Rock, which sold clothes that were considered outside the mainstream of fashion. “The type of clothing they sold would be things with safety pins in it, graphic tees with slogans, anything that showed anarchy, intentional rips and tears and stains and things like that,” Beasley explained.
"The whole idea of doing the ‘do-it-yourself’ stuff to your clothes was to show that you felt isolated from the mainstream.”
The rips and holes popularized during this decade were a symbol of the anger and non-conformity with society that defined the punk rock movement. Ripped jeans became synonymous with dissident cultures that
traditional thinkers deemed outcasts of ‘“normal” society. Because of this “bad boy” association, the Baby Boomer generation accepted the trend as a rebellion against their parents and authority.
At the core of dressing modestly is reverence(RESPECT) for God. Rather than seek to garner attention through appearance, godly men & women are to seek to glorify God. Of course, this same biblical principle also applies to both genders regardless of age. Both women and men are called to honor God in all aspects of their lives, including in how they dress. Instead of focusing on a societal impressive exterior, believers are to grow in godly character. Rather than be known for their
clothing or hair style, they should be known for how they honor God. Jesus told His followers, “You are the light of the world. A town built
on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).
Modesty also has to do with respect for others. Our outward appearance does communicate things to the watching world. When believers are overly concerned about externals—flaunting wealth or beauty or flashing cultural status symbols—the world misunderstands who God is. When we dress in “respectable apparel,” with modesty (unassuming, humble, reverent, respectful), we better demonstrate the truth of God. We better demonstrate that our worth is in Him, not in the things the world pursues.
Our appearance also affects fellow believers. First Corinthians 10:31–33 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” We should be cognizant of how our choice of apparel affects our sisters and brothers in Christ, and we should be willing to lay down our own rights for the sake of their spiritual maturation when necessary (1 Corinthians 10:23–33; Romans 14). We should not purposefully encourage others to sin.
Dressing modestly often requires us to check our motives. Are we dressing a particular way to draw attention to ourselves(BODIES)? To
feel superior to others? To engender jealousy in others? To incite lust? Out of idolatry? If so, we need to check our hearts and possibly change
our clothes. It’s also important to consider the cultural and situational context. For example, in the United States, it would be immodest to wear a ball gown to serve at a soup kitchen. But the same gown might be appropriate at a charity fundraising event. Our clothes should demonstrate a right understanding of God, a right understanding of ourselves, and respect for the people we are around.
There are Fortune 500 companies whose employees provide an exemplary example in their dress codes when compared to many of today's senior pastors in America. If they or their CEO's were to show up to work dressed like the above senior pastor from CTI, they would be fired right on the spot. Should God deserve any less from his servants? There are some sinners in the world who are more modest and decent in the way they dress compared to many of today's Christians. God has established BIBLICAL BOUNDARIES on how we are to dress ourselves modestly. Boundaries help us keep the bad things out of our lives and keep the godly things that please God inside our lives. I've seen some videos on You tube of so called Christian women wearing sexually provocative clothing that make those Churches look like a BROTHEL! THE MINISTERS OF GOD ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THE BIBLICAL EXAMPLE FOR THEIR FLOCKS TO FOLLOW. ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOD'S HOUSE ALWAYS BEGINS AT THE TOP. God has not called his people to engage in POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, BUT TO BIBLICAL CORRECTNESS BY ABIDING IN HIS WORD.
Currently CTI does not have a written policy posted on their website enforcing a dress code according to Biblical standards. In other words what they are saying indirectly is COME AS YOU ARE. The Biblical doctrine of Holy attire for honoring/respecting God's house or His presence is outdated and irrelevant for the 21st century church.
It doesn't matter if your Senior Pastor and his worship team lead a worship service dressed up like PUNK ROCK PREACHERS as long as the pews are filled to maximum capacity. It doesn't matter if you come in dressed like male or female strippers with your private parts protruding through your clothes!
I make the following quotation from the AOG by laws Section 6 as follows:
"Section 6 (Wordliness) reaffirms the AOG adherence to Bible standards in view of the alarming erosion of national moral standards. Rather than listing a catalog of explicit activities, some of which might become confused in time with cultural issues, the statement reads, "We urge all believers to love not the world, neither the things that are in the world....For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world"1 John 2:15-16".
To make the definition of worldliness more clearer without drawing up a list of rules & regulations, the statement notes that the Bible warns against participation in activities which DEFILE THE BODY, CORRUPT THE MIND AND SPIRIT, GROW OUT OF PREOCCUPATION WITH PLEASURES OR POSITION OF PLEASURES, INVOLVE EXTREME BEHAVIOR OR INAPPROPIATE SPEECH, OR INAPPROPIATE APPEARANCE, OR TEND TO LESSEN ONE'S AFFECTION FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS" end of quote (page 25 General Christian Doctrines booklet published by AOG ).
So you see CTI congregants, our appearance does matter before God because our actions speak louder than words! If you are not in compliance with the biblical standard of how to dress modestly, then you are sending the wrong message to the world, especially if you are the senior pastor of your church. And in essence you are damaging your Christian witness.
Beloved CTI congregants, I sincerely believe that as per the evidence presented in this article, the by Laws of the AOG and the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been seriously tainted and compromised.
" FOR THE TIME HAS COME THAT JUDGEMENT MUST BEGIN WITH THE HOUSE OF GOD; AND IF IT FIRST BEGINS WITH US, WHAT SHALL THE END BE FOR THEM THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF GOD"? 1 PETER 4:17.
" FOR WITHOUT HOLINESS NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD" HEBREWS 12:14.
Please take a few minutes to watch these 5 short videos below before moving on to the next section.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMMENTS OR CRITICISMS MADE IN THESE VIDEOS ARE STRICTLY THOSE OF THE AUTHORS/PARTICIPANTS INVOLVED. THEY ARE STRICTLY BEING USED HERE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.
Moving along, the Senior pastor recently announced in February that we/he is planning on taking 5 short term mission trips between May-Dec 2023 to the following countries: Mexico, Vietnam, Panama, Scotland and one here in NJ-Royal Family Kids Camp.
My concern is who is covering his expenses and where is that money coming from? See this link for the answer
I find these short term missionary trips highly questionable for the simple reason that his calling is that of a Pastor and not a Missionary to some foreign country. His primary responsibility is to his church not the mission field.
Now please don't get me wrong. I am not opposed to a pastor going on a short term mission trip with his spouse at least once a year and all expenses paid by the church provided the members vote to approve it. This serves to provide a check and balance as well as financial transparency. After all it's their money they are donating and they should have a voice in the matter. And of course the Senior Pastor should not view this as an entitlement; but a privilege to be blessed by his local members. I think that is reasonable wouldn't you say? And pastors of mega-churches like CTI usually have a very lucrative compensation package(SEE LINK FOR DETAILS: https://reachrightstudios.com/pastor-compensation/#cash-salary ).
But 5 short term mission trips in less than a year? How can he justify that? That is sending a WRONG MESSAGE to your flocks when you take into consideration that these mission trips include expenses like air fare, hotel accommodations, meals, gratuities and transportation services to and from other locations etc. And that will easily amount into the thousands of dollars. For example; The cost of a mission trip land package to all Caribean and Latin American countries is approximately $1,150.00 per person and subject to change. Domestic and International air fares is not included. And that's just here in the western hemisphere. Can you imagine what it must cost to go to the other side of the world? Continue reading....
THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF SHORT TERM MISSION TRIPS
1. Expensive
A team of ten missionaries heading overseas might pay between $2000-3000 per person. That adds up to $20,000 or $30,000 for a church to send a team of ten to another country.
2. Drain on Long-Term Missionaries
The logistics of organizing teams that come from the United States can be very difficult. The stress is enormous. Hosting a short-term team can drain energy from those who need to stay focused on their long-term tasks.
3. Lack of Efficiency
Consider what a team of 10 costs to do work in another country. Roughly $30,000. Now consider what $30,000 could be done if given directly to the missionaries and indigenous pastors already involved in mission work. No wonder people question the efficiency of short-term mission teams! After all, it’s not just money… it’s also ministry. Native pastors and full-time missionaries can do ministry better and more effectively than those who parachute into a country for a week or two.
4.Thrill Seeking
The ease of travel and the number of agencies eager to accept short-termers has made it possible for “experience junkies” seeking an adventure to participate, even though they may not
be truly interested in selfless cross-cultural service. This can leave the nationals or long term missionaries embittered, feeling as if they have been used to host a glorified vacation that used up valuable time, energy, and finances.
5. Self Focus
Mission trips today are often used to bring about change in the participants. A trip to another part of the world may well change how a visitor views that world or how that visitor understands
God. However life change with some of the church goers was not the only motivation for these short term missions in the past.
These groups might also spend large amounts of money on souvenirs without any thought to how this appears to nationals who struggle under incredible economic difficulties. It is possible that such teams, though sincere, may cause more harm than good?
Please Note: How much money is spent on short term mission trips? As of February 28, 2022 on a national level, it is estimated that Christians in America spend around 2 billion dollars every year going on short term mission trips. Yet many short term mission trip opportunities often offer little more than spiritual tourism! They give the participants a sense of individual satisfaction but lack sustainable benefit to the community being served. (watch video at the end of this article "BELOW: SHORT TERM MISSION TRIPS. HELPFUL TO WHOM? for more details). Dear viewer: TRUST BUT ALWAYS VERIFY.
I personally knew an elderly couple who were member's of CTI Spanish congregation many years ago. They went on one of these short term missionary trips with their pastor of the Spanish congregation to a Latin American country. They personally told me that when they were done completing their tasks on this trip, they ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF CTI'S SPANISH CONGREGATION spent the remaining days sunbathing and swimming at one of the nearby local beaches. And CTI expects me to believe that they went there for the purpose of strictly sharing the Gospel? WHAT A TRAVESTY TO THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! How sad when you compare this to early church history's Apostles and missionaries. Some of them never came back home to their families because they died as martyrs for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
And CTI church members are expected to sacrifice their money and take on this financial burden without question? Something is terribly wrong with this picture.
Some church members of CTI are beginning to complain that all the Senior Pastor does is talk about money. He even commented about this rumor on a Sunday service a few months ago. He should take heed to the rumors for the following reasons: We are living in times when pink slips are being handed out by the thousands for job layoffs, inflation is at an all time 40 year high, economic recession is evident, and Americans are struggling to pay their rents, feed their children etc.
Is it fair to expect such financial demands from members of your own church? Not everyone at CTI commands a six figure salary. Some of these members live in Paterson, NJ; A low income neighborhood next door to Wayne, NJ. Is it plausible that some CTI church members can only afford to take one day vacation trips with their kids due to these high pressured collection offerings imposed upon them; while their Senior Pastor has the advantage of traveling to several different countries around the world on short term missionary trips? And at whose expense? And how do you suppose these high pressured collection fund raising tactics impacts their quality of life especially if your members are poor or live on a fixed income? Dear viewer how do you think God feels about this?
THE SENIOR PASTOR MAY BE SINCERE IN HIS ENDEAVOR. BUT FROM A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE, HE CAN BE SINCERELY WRONG! MANY PASTORS HAVE STARTED OUT ON A RIGHT FOOTING. BUT IN THE COURSE OF TIME IN THEIR MINISTRY CAREERS HAVE TAKEN A WRONG DETOUR, AND EVENTUALLY SHIPWRECKED THEIR MINISTRIES.
CTI PRAY FOR YOUR PASTORAL STAFF SO THAT GOD MAY PROVIDE THEM WITH GREATER INSIGHT AND WISDOM ON HOW TO PROPERLY MINISTER IN THESE MATTERS CONCERNING THE BIBLICAL STANDARD OF GIVING FOR THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL.
And I quote: "Anyway, always feeling such a desire to please God, we have gladly paid our tithes faithfully without grumbling or complaining, no matter how sorely pressed we were in our finances. We believed God would take care of our needs. It was a way of life. On January 30th (2003), while on a ministry trip, after spending three days in prayer and study, parked in our motor home without getting out of it, the Holy Spirit spoke strongly to me about tithing, and I wasn’t even seeking God about that. I had to repent. He said, and I quote, “Do you think it a marvelous thing that I, the Holy One of Israel, should set my people free from the oppression the Pastors are putting on them?” I said, Lord, what are you saying to me? He went on to say, “I am tired of the Pastors fleecing my flocks. Pastors are teaching their congregations to live by faith to believe I will meet all their needs by their tithing. And all the while, the Pastors are counting on men to supply their needs by the tithes they receive, instead of relying on Me to meet their needs. And I am fed up with the oppression of my people by the churches!”
"He led me to Ezekiel 34, and Jeremiah 23 about the Pastors and Shepherds that are abusing His church. Judgment is beginning, at the church. And some of it is happening right here, right now".
"Isn’t it funny, most New Testament churches teach the law is done away with. But they want to pick and choose which ones. Tithing suits them for keeping because it means money in the bank account, guaranteed.They want their people to be free, but not to the extent it jeopardizes the Church’s income. Just free enough to keep you coming back with your tithes in hand. Plus your offerings, by the way. And don’t forget the building fund, and the missions fund, and the benevolence fund, and the local outreach fund. In fact, why don’t you just hand over your whole
paycheck?! It takes money to run the church, you know. You need to learn to trust God anyway, right?Well God is telling you right now, stop being fleeced.Many churches are pulling the wool over your eyes, hoping you won’t search the scriptures daily to learn the truth. Find the nearest exit door and use it. Go where there is truth and liberty and where Jesus is being taught".
"Now, please understand this; I want you to give to your church and to your Pastor. But I want you to do it according to God’s word, and not according to some man made doctrine" end of quote.
The following excerpt is taken from an article I came across a few years ago: (see link http://seraphimre.blogspot.com/search?q=Judas+Goat)
"I have an acquaintance whom prior to the crash of the housing market in 2008, was making in excess of 300 thousand dollars a year. He was a devoted and faithful member at his church. He was a devout tither. This of course put him in line to be an official at his church. For over 5 years he tithed in excess of 30 thousand dollars a year.This doesn’t include offerings and other monetary contributions. When the housing market crashed, he lost everything. He was married with two small children. The bank repossessed his Mercedes and his BMW. He needed 5 thousand dollars to save his home. He went to his pastor and explained the situation to him. He told him of his need. He had no one else to turn to. All he needed was 5 thousand lousy dollars! This was the same church that over the course of the previous 5 years he’d given over 150 thousand dollars. What do you think the pastor did? The pastor told him that he would pray with him and his wife that God would deliver them. They lost their home. He had to move in with his mother-in-law. Because of the stress on the marriage he would end up getting divorced.
Do you think he’d been following a Judas Goat? Well, he certainly got slaughtered"
In 1 Timothy 5:8 " If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever".
Paul emphasizes above that financial responsiblity to one's own family members must be put first in the believer's practice of biblical giving. Failure to provide, the Greek word used "pronoei" means to percieve before, to provide, and to think of beforehand for family members, denies a person's claim to know God and is a denial of the Christian faith. An old proverb: "Charity begins at home".
Before moving on, I just want to share the following excerpt from the book 'FLEECING THE FLOCK" by Anthony Wade page 62 and I quote;
"I have seen local churches strip memberships from people over tithing, even if they had a solid record of giving in the past. This is the problem with misusing the "WHOLE TITHE" portion of this scripture under Malachi 3:10. It gives the pastoral leadership the idea that the people are required to give them 10% and they hold no responsibility to them after that transaction" end of quote.
Does this practice by the clergy sound like financial exploitation of their flocks? Continue reading below....
In the summer of 2022 my wife and I encountered an African American woman from CTI. She informed us that several years ago she lost her job and was struggling financially to make ends meet while trying her best to keep a roof over her head. Because of her lack of income, she was unable to tithe to the church. The previous senior pastor who left CTI on July 2018(not the current one) advised her that he was going to revoke her membership because she was no longer tithing! She was shocked to hear this coming from her pastor. She stated to us that she had devoted many countless hours as a volunteer working for the church, not to mention the large sums of money she had contributed to support the ministry over the years. And now in her greatest hour of need the senior pastor wanted to cancel her membership because she could no longer afford to tithe. She eventually defected from CTI. Later on the senior pastor met with her privately and offered an apology. But it left a permanent scar in her heart. You could see it by the fractured emotions that reflected from her face as she was talking to us. Several members from CTI who felt she was treated unjustly encouraged her to come back. She eventually did. I was left totally stunned by what I had just heard.
Dear viewer: I know of an elderly woman, a saint from God who has since passed on from this life and is now with the Lord, who related to me the following story many years ago. During the late 1950's she was attending a smalll store front church in the lower east side of NYC with her husband and 3 little children. This was a Pentecostal church. This family was dirt poor. She only had enough money to drop 25 cents into the offering plate. Because of her extreme poverty she could not tithe. And on top of that, they were struggling to feed their 3 little children. One day she approached her so called pastor to ask him if he would give her some pocket change to buy a quart of milk to feed her 3 children because they had no food in the refrigerator. HE BLUNTLY SAID NO AND ADDED " BECAUSE YOU DO NOT TITHE TO THIS CHURCH, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO GET ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTACE FROM US"!
Her heart was totally devasted. And in case you are wondering who this saintly woman was; IT HAPPENS TO BE MY MOTHER! AND THOSE 3 LITTLE CHILDREN WHO WERE LEFT TO STARVE WERE MY 2 OLDER SISTERS AND ME.
James 2:15-17
"If a brother or sister is naked and lacking of daily food, and one of you says to him depart in peace be warmed and be fed, yet you do not give to him those things which are needed for the body, what does it profit you? Even so by itself, faith without works is dead".
Dear viewer: Let me repeat my previous question. Is Calvary Temple becoming a cash cow? Where in the New Testament did Jesus teach that a Christian's church membership is guaranteed as long as you pay your tithes and offerings? Did not Jesus say 'THIS IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER BUT YOU HAVE TURNED IT INTO A DEN OF THIEVES"? MATHEW 21:13.
During the life time of Martin Luther the great Reformer, the Roman Catholic Church were selling indulgences to their parishioners in order to raise money to build Saint Peter's Basilica while falsely promising them that their loved ones would be delivered from purgatory. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the rest of this story if you are familiar with church history and it's outcome which by the way is still being practiced today by the Roman Catholic Church.
"While abusive churches twist passages from the Bible out of their context to manipulate and coerce Christians into donating more, a plain and contextual reading of Scripture reveals that God provides for and protects the poor, while the Pharisees, the money changers, and the abusive shepherds of Israel exploited, extorted, and devoured them.
When it comes to their teachings on tithing and money, most of our local churches in America today resemble the abusive, exploitative behavior of the Pharisees, not Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t be using the story of the Widow’s Offering to take a poor Christian’s last two dollars. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for devouring widows’ houses. I think we ought to do the same". Sarah Leann Young
There are many so called ministers that have not been called to the ministry. They want the position only for the money. They use gimmicks, tricks, and all kinds of fancy footwork to get money from unsuspecting church members. Rich and poor members alike support the church, only to find out later they were bankrupt and taken to the poor house by these charlatans. In the meantime these religious charlatans are living in mansions, driving luxury vehicles, and wearing expensive clothes. They were only interested on creating the next gimmick to line up their pockets with their flock's money. They remind me of Simon the Sorcerer who saw the miracles performed by the Apostles and wanted to purchase the gifts of the Holy Spirit for personal financial gain cf Acts 8: 18-21.
The following is an excerpt taken from the book "FLEECING THE FLOCK" page 38 by Anthony Wade a former minister who defected from AOG and I quote: " I point this out because the modern tithing system has hijacked this basic principle from God (cf James 1:27). I have heard local pastors tell their congregations that they cannot spend their tithes in helping other Christians in need. Cannot spend it on helping the fatherless, the widow or the orphans. That if you choose to sow in this or that ministry instead, then don't bother to ask me to come and visit you in the hospital. I am not joking. I heard this from the pulpit. I have heard national preachers claim you curse all of your money if you don't tithe to them. The interesting thing then is that many preachers will refuse to reveal how they spent your tithe! I have heard preachers claim that it is none of your business what they do with it" end of quote.
How disgustingly sick! Does this notion actually line up with the rest of scripture? Does the Bible present a God that demands you first give 10% of your money to a CHURCH BUILDING and then if there are leftovers to possibly help other people in need? And let's not forget your immediate family.
The Churches of Assemblies of God unfortunately has a history of financial exploitation and sex scandals, and has been tainted by such infamous religious jokers like Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker & Jimmy Swaggart which rocked America during the late 1980's.
CTI needs to seriously reevaluate their methods of supporting these ministries and not deviate from the biblical standard of giving; in order to avoid attracting attention from the IRS from conducting an investigation and auditing their financial records to see if there is evidence of WRONGFUL USE OF CHURCH FUNDS .
The Church members of CTI are entitled to financial transparency. It is their legal right under Federal Laws.
DEAR VIEWER: TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW:
BELOW: SHORT TERM MISSION
TRIPS. HELPFUL TO WHOM?
PASTOR'S SALARIES REVEALED
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
HOW CHURCHES SPEND YOUR
MONEY & WHY THEY DEMAND
MORE(WATCH VIDEO BELOW)
MEGA CHURCHES IS AN
ENTERPRISE/BUSINESS THAT
CROSSES ALL DENOMINATIONAL
LINES AND WHICH HAS DECIEVED
MILLIONS. THE VIDEO BELOW
EXAMINES HOW WE GOT THERE.
RECOMMEND READING
About the Author
ANTHONY WADE (BS in Psychology, MA in Education). He also completed the ministerial credentialing process for the Assemblies of God and was a minister for them for several years before turning his credentials in 2016 over the AG embrace of several renowned false teachers. He has operated 828 Ministries for ten years, exposing false teachers in these last days so that some might be freed.
About the Book
Evangelist Norman Robertson claims that “Tithing is God’s way of financing His kingdom on the earth.” He asserts that “It is His system of economics which enables the Gospel to be preached.” Not bashful about telling his followers of their duty to give, he flatly states: ‘Tithing isn’t something you do because you can afford it. It is an act of obedience. Not tithing is a clear violation of God’s commandments. It is embezzlement.’ Most likely you accept that giving should be part of Christian worship. However, do you find continuous demanding appeals for money disturbing, perhaps even offensive? FLEECING THE FLOCK by Anthony Wade is an exhaustive examination of all of the popular tithing arguments made from the pulpit today. By applying the Bible to such teachings we can finally expose the bondage many preachers hold their congregants in and set the path forward into New Testament giving as God intended.
Go to the link below and read Anthony Wade's article:
Sarah Leann Young
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