WILD WORLD 
OF RELIGION Field Guide to the

Who’s Who Digest

of the

Wild World of Religion

The profiles on this webpage are part of a multi-page collection of 125+ influential individuals in the Wild World of Religion. For an explanation of this listing, and an index of all the names, go to the Introduction to the Who’s Who Digest.

 

Profiles of Names Beginning with I through M

Names that are underlined in the list at the left below can be clicked to go to more extensive profiles or more related information elsewhere in the Field Guide. Within the mini-profiles, terms or names underlined can be clicked to go to entries elsewhere. To return to the Alphabetical Index of Names, click on the link at the end of any entry..

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING LINKS:

Some profiles below contain links to other websites which may contain material of interest regarding the profiled individuals. Inclusion of these links should not be considered "endorsement" of all of the opinions, conclusions and doctrinal positions of the authors of those websites. They are included because they do contain credible documentation on the facts regarding the profiled individuals. Readers are encouraged to consider carefully the documentation and come to their own informed conclusions, based on their own understanding of Biblical doctrine and principles.

 

J

 

T D Jakes

One of the most influential African-American Word Faith televangelists. Founder and pastor of the 28,000+ Potter's House church in Dallas, Texas, cited by some as the fastest-growing church in America. Author of many popular inspirational books on topics from family relationships to "charismatic gifts." Host of the Potter's Touch daily TV show broadcast by TBN. Jakes' website notes ...

In January, 1999, the New York Times named Bishop T.D. Jakes as “one of the top five evangelists most frequently cited by scholars, theologians, and evangelical leaders to step up the international pulpit behind the Rev. Billy Graham” while Time magazine featured Bishop Jakes on a September 2001 cover and named him “America’s Best Preacher.”

Although many might agree with this evaluation of Jakes' popularity and even preaching skills, opinions of the Biblical soundness of his teachings vary widely. The Personal Freedom Outreach (PFO) has a 1996 article on its website titled "Get Ready" for T.D. Jakes, the Velcro Bishop with Another Gospel. Although seven years old, nothing has changed in Jakes' ministry that would in any way alter the perspective of this article-- other than that he has written many more books and has an even bigger income. He still appears with and endorses the same Word Faith teachers noted below, in these excerpts from the PFO article.

Jakes gives deference to the ministries of Marilyn Hickey and Joyce Meyer. Both these “celebrated ministers” are heretical and promote Word-Faith doctrine without apology. How many erroneous camps can you occupy and still be considered a good example? In 2 John 9-11, we are commanded not to endorse heretical teachers in any way.

Jakes has also shared the platform at a September 1996 conference with Roberts Liardon. Any discerning Christian should want to stay as far away as possible from Liardon who claims he was transported to heaven and there met Jesus face to face and that he and Jesus had a water fight in the River of Life! Liardon further claims he was shown a building filled with unclaimed body parts (hair, eyes, skin, legs, etc.). This heavenly warehouse of unclaimed body parts is overstocked, according to Liardon, simply because here on earth believers have failed to appropriate them by faith. Liardon’s charade is either lunacy or sheer deception and should be given public rebuke, not public relations.

Jakes patronizes and clearly finds himself among the celebrities of the Charismatic camps. A full-color advertisement on the inside cover of the January Charisma announced that Jakes would appear at the August “Victory Word Explosion” in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Benny Hinn, Richard Roberts, Rod Parsley, Joyce Meyer and Jerry Savelle. With this roster, it might better be called “Heresy Explosion.”

... The Dallas Observer goes on to report:

“He says he is not embarrassed by this, even though his extravagant lifestyle has caused controversy in his hometown that will likely follow him to Dallas. His suits are tailored. He drives a brand new Mercedes. Both he and his wife Serita are routinely decked out in stunning jewelry. His West Virginia residence — two homes side by side — includes an indoor swimming pool and a bowling alley. These homes particularly caused the ire of the local folks. One paper wrote at length about the purchase and made much of their unusual features. A columnist dubbed Jakes ‘a huckster.’”

Yet, what is most disturbing about Jakes’ prosperity is not the wealth itself, but his false teaching about Jesus to justify his fortune. The Dallas Observer shares further:

“Besides, Jakes says — during an interview and in his sermons — Jesus was a rich man. He had to have been, in order to have supported his disciples and their families during his ministry.”

To add to his false and mythical Christ, Jakes brazenly says:

“The myth of the poor Jesus needs to be destroyed, because it’s holding people back.”

Jakes obviously perverts the true biblical picture of Jesus in an effort to advocate his own lifestyle. The Fort Worth Star Telegram reports:

“Jakes, who drives a Mercedes, has moved with his wife and their five children to a luxurious seven-bedroom home with swimming pool in the White Rock Lake area of Dallas. He said the home cost more than $1 million. ‘I do think we need some Christians who are in first class as well as coach,’ Jakes said.”

Sadly, in the case of so many prosperity teachers, they are the ones flying in “first class” by way of the donations of their impoverished flock while the latter fly in “coach” — or miss the flight altogether because they lack the money to even buy a ticket.

For more details regarding aspects of Jakes' ministry which cause many religious commentators concern, see the PFO link above.

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Grant Jeffrey

  

Popular prophecy pundit, part of the End Times Prophecy movement. His 1988 book Armageddon: Appointment with Destiny was based on his personal theories regarding the Jubilee cycles of ancient Israel, and strongly suggested 10/9/2000 as the probable date for the Return of Christ. This of course didn't pan out.

His later prophetic speculations have emphasized the importance of the hotly debated— and now debunked—Bible Codes, starting with his 1996 book The Signature of God. In spite of virtually no verifiable positive record of speculating in advance anything of significance, and in spite of the miserable failure of the theories put forth in his 1988 book, he is still a "recognized prophetic scholar" in many circles. He appears regularly on TBN, as do fellow failed prophecy pundits such as Hal Lindsey, and is a coveted speaker at prophecy seminars and such.

Why is he still viewed as a guru? That is as mysterious as his mysterious prophetic theories.

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Bob Jones

   

One of the "Kansas City Prophets" group. Has been considered by many to hold the office of "modern prophet" and thus regularly receive direct revelations from God, along with Paul Cain, John Paul Jackson, and Mike Bickle (Not the same Bob Jones that founded conservative Bob Jones University.)

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Rick Joyner

  

Prolific Charismatic speaker and writer viewed by many in the "Apostles and Prophets" movement as one of the most significant "modern Prophets." Founder of Morningstar Minstries, which publishes the Morningstar Journal and the Morningstar Prophetic Bulletin.

The ministry also hosts numerous "Prophetic and Apostolic" Conferences and Councils.  Both Joyner's own "prophetic" pretensions and those of other individuals he promotes and is affiliated with are hotly contested by many critics. Joyner has charged  in many books, articles, and tapes that other Christian ministries and teachers who question the validity of the current hyper-charismatic "revival movements" such as the Toronto Blessing and other "signs and wonders" movements are fighting against a true "move of God" and thus may incur the wrath of God.

For more commentary on Joyner’s ministries:

The Higher Life of Rick Joyner: Chasing the Illusion of Power and Dominion

Some of Joyner’s latest activities

 

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Monte Judah

Popular speaker in End Times Prophecy circles. Has a Hebrew Roots emphasis. Declared dogmatically in 1996 that the Great Tribulation would occur in 1997.

(Click on name above to go to a more extensive profile.)

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K

 

E W Kenyon

   

(1867-1948) Early pioneer of the Word Faith movement, whose writings were extensively plagiarized by Kenneth Hagin ... word for word ... in numerous Hagin publications.

Common sayings in the Word Faith movement such as "What I confess, I possess" were originated by Kenyon. The following bold and controversial statement which appears in Hagin's "The Incarnation," (The Word of Faith, December 1980)  was originally published in Kenyon's, The Father and His Family :  "Every man who has been 'born again' is an Incarnation, and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an Incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth."

Kenyon's own religious roots were not in the Pentecostal movement of his time, but in the teachings of various "metaphysical" groups such as Christian Science. An extensive investigation and documentation of Kenyon's formative years and influence on the Word Faith movement, including documentation on Hagin’s plagiarism of Kenyon, is available in D.R. McConnell's 225-page  book A Different Gospel ( c. 1988, updated 1995), Hendrickson Publishers Inc.  The chapter about Hagin’s plagiarism is available for free download online.

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John Kilpatrick

  

Pastor of the Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Pensacola FL who invited Steve Hill to speak there in 1995 and thus ignited the "Brownsville/Pensacola Outpouring", a clone of the Toronto Blessing movement.

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Kathryn Kuhlman

  

(1907-1976) One of the most famous female evangelists of the Healing Ministries movement.  Kuhlman modeled her preaching style and flamboyant personal appearance on earlier woman evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Beginning her preaching career as a "tent evangelist" in the 1920's, by the late 1940s Kuhlman had inaugurated her "miracle healing" crusades which she took to some of the largest meeting halls in the country and finally on to TV. She claimed huge numbers of people were miraculously  healed at her meetings over the years, although, as with almost all such healing ministries,  no hard documentation of any  specific healings of organic conditions seems to be available anywhere.

Contemporary healing evangelist Benny Hinn considers Kuhlman his primary mentor, and he obviously models his stage presence and appearance (he consistently wears all-white suits at his meetings, she typically  wore long white dresses) and other aspects of his ministry on her example. For instance, old-time healing evangelists such as Oral Roberts typically encouraged people who needed healing to come forward so that he might lay hands on them with the expectation that at that point the healing would come.  Kuhlman used the same method now employed by Hinn: People in the audience decide from where they sit that they have been healed as a result of their attendance at the meeting. And Kuhlman and Hinn would ask any who were convinced that they had experienced such a healing to come forward and declare it, explaining their affliction and its symptoms, and what has now convinced them that it is gone. After their declaration  Kuhlman, as Hinn does now, would reach her hand toward them and most would fall backwards in what is termed being "slain in the spirit."

 In fact, Hinn is so enamored of the memory of Kuhlman that  he has mentioned visiting her gravesite (as well as that of Aimee Semple McPherson) and believing that he received more  of the "anointing" for his own allegedly miraculous manifestations there.

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L

 

Tim La Haye (and Jerry Jenkins)

  

Co-author of the hugely-successful Left Behind series of books, which fictionalize LaHaye's speculations regarding  End Time prophecy.  Since La Haye was a well-known author and speaker before publication of this series, many readers may be unaware that his role in production of the books has not been one of "writer," but merely "consultant." Jerry B. Jenkins, listed on the book jackets as co-author, has really done the actual nuts and bolts of the creative process that resulted in the series. As the FAQ on Jenkins' own website puts it:

How do Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye work together? Who writes what?
The book series was Dr. Tim LaHaye's idea. He asked Jerry Jenkins to write a series of novels to fit his view of the End Times. And that's exactly what Jerry did. Dr. LaHaye is the biblical expert and prophetic scholar and Jerry Jenkins is the author who writes the books.

Prior to involvement with the Left Behind series La Haye was most famous as a Christian motivational author and speaker on family living and emotional and psychological well-being topics, frequently collaborating in books and speaking engagements with his wife Beverly. Beverly La Haye, an individual author of a number of books in her own right,  has also had her own outreach ministries which have included anti-abortion advocacy,  promoting various pro-family causes, and hosting an award-winning talk show in the 1990s. Tim La Haye has also authored a number of non-fiction books emphasizing his own prophetic speculations.

Many of La Haye's teachings in all of these areas, as well as the theological and Biblical foundation of the Left Behind series of books and movies, have been controversial for a long time. The book series is based on a conviction regarding what is called the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, which is not accepted by many Bible students and teachers. And many of his writings regarding psychological topics, such as his 1966 book Spirit Controlled Temperament, are viewed by some critics as attempts to wed unproven secular psychological theories with Biblical concepts in ways that are not theologically sound.

 A detailed overview of the history of La Haye's career, with an examination of some of the controversial areas of his teachings can be seen at the Biblical Discernment (BDM) website .

The author of this Field Guide Who's Who Digest does not necessarily agree with all of the doctrinal positions of the authors of the BDM site, including their approach to the validity of the theory of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Nor should inclusion of the website address be considered an endorsement of all of the opinions stated on the website. But the documentation regarding LaHaye's ministry in this overview may be useful to the reader who wishes to know more about what LaHaye does teach and practice.

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Paul LaLonde,  Peter LaLonde

  

Brothers who originally became notable in the End Times Prophecy movement as hosts of  their television show, This Week in Bible Prophecy, on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. They were also authors of a number of books on prophetic themes. They left behind their TV career to branch out into motion picture production. Their "Cloud Ten Productions" studio has now made several "Christian" movies, including bringing the first of the Left Behind (Tim La Haye and Jerry Jenkins) books to the big screen.

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Larry Lea

  

Pentecostal/Charismatic evangelist and author specializing in the topic of prayer and "spiritual warfare." Lea is the founder and former pastor of the Church on the Rock of Rockwall, Texas and former dean of the school of theology at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He first came to national prominence in the 1980s via publicity in the media regarding his evangelistic crusades emphasizing "coming against territorial spirits" in metropolitan areas.

In October 1990, Lea organized a crusade in San Francisco, sponsored by Jubilee Christian Center of San Jose and its pastor Dick Bernal, to be held beginning Hallowe'en evening. Plans at first included a march by up to 10,000 Christians through the streets of San Francisco, in a show of resistance to what they believed to be the rulership of the supernatural demonic "strongman" over the area. Warned by local authorities and other Christian organizations that this might lead to unpleasant or dangerous physical confrontations with other groups marching in the area that night, the plans were changed to hold all rally activities completely indoors at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium. A news interview at the time noted:

"Larry and I are beginning to look like a couple of wackos," says Bernal. "The misconception is that we're a bunch of narrow-minded goody-two-shoes. San Francisco's a city where everybody has parades; I wanted our people to be a presence, too. We weren't going to call down fire on anybody; it was not going to be a confrontation, just a little show of force.

"But the war on Satan will go on - inside the auditorium. There won't be any pussy-footing around," Bernal promises. "There'll be singing, preaching and speaking in tongues. It'll be wall-to-wall spiritual warfare."

Bernal, a former ironworker and self-described hell-raiser who says he was born-again a dozen years ago, has gained some fame himself as a televangelist and spiritual warrior.

After the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, Bernal traveled to Beijing and in a much-publicized ceremony, annointed the stones of the square with oil to drive the devil out. He also has prayed to cast the devil out of several sites in the South Bay, including the San Jose Mercury News. "

 

There are no records to show that this "spiritual warfare rally" had any lasting affect at all on the San Francisco area. But there was one  significant result from the crusade-- the alleged conversion of a man named Eric Pryor, who claimed at the time to be a witch and an influential force within the occult movements of America. Pryor had come to public attention just before the crusade by claiming to be organizing a counter-demonstration to Lea's efforts. Yet within days, he became a member of Bernal's congregation. For the next few years, Lea used Pryor's amazing conversion story as part of his ministry efforts. And Pryor went on to become a regular speaker on the Spiritual Warfare circuit within the Charismatic movement.

Lea continued his efforts during the following year, which included more crusades and his own regular television show. Then on November 21, 1991, the ABC show PrimeTime with Diane Sawyer ran an investigative reporting piece on several televangelists, including Larry Lea.

Here's how one article about televangelism in 1994 summed up the show and its aftermath for Lea:

 CRI Christian Research Journal Fall  1994

Lea's most embarrassing moment may have been when ABC ran videotape of the televangelist persuading viewers that when his house burned to the ground he was left virtually homeless, losing everything he and his family had but the clothes on their backs. When Prime Time cut to Lea's other, unmentioned home -- a mansion filled with furniture and other valuables -- his fate was sealed. Donations dropped off, churches canceled his appearances, and for many Lea became persona non grata.

 His ministry crippled and floundering in up to $800,000 in debt, Lea left Tulsa and in February [1994] assumed the pastorate of friend Jerry Barnard's Christian Faith Center in La Mesa, California. According to staffers at Barnard's office, Lea's organization -- now called "The Prayer Ministry" -- is on the rebound and looking like "the old Larry Lea."

In an April appeal letter, the unrepentant evangelist reminds his followers of "the horror of the 'Prime Time' television program that ABC-TV aired nationwide" and "the lies and distortions about me and about our ministry that they spoon-fed to an unsuspecting American public." Lea describes a prophecy in which Pentecostal leader Jack Hayford compared him to the biblical Joseph, condemned to languish in "a prison of disbelief" in North America for two years.

For Lea, the predicted release came in February at the "National Conference on Prayer & Spiritual Warfare" in Anaheim, California. At the conclusion of Lea's message, Fuller Seminary church growth specialist C. Peter Wagner unexpectedly approached Lea on the platform and, "as a representative of the Body of Christ," asked the stunned televangelist to forgive the church for believing Satan and his "false reports."

In the words of the appeal letter, "IT'S A NEW DAY....the headline over our ministry is now the same as the headline over Joseph's life: FALSELY ACCUSED, FULLY EXONERATED....We've been set free from the chains of disbelief and confusion that have sought to bind our ministry here in North America!" Lea then summons his "worldwide Prayer Army" to give to "Operation Goliath," his debt-reduction campaign, urging them to "obey the Lord" even if He impresses them to give "an amount that seems impossible."

 

Unfortunately, the record does not show at all that Lea's record was "fully exonerated."

Another issue brought to light by the PrimeTime program was the conversion of Pryor. The report alleged that there were many questions about the credibility of Pryor's claims about his past, as well as the circumstances surrounding his "conversion" and his later connection to Bernal's church. Details of this saga can be seen at the following links. Included are details of a phony "marriage ceremony" performed at Bernal's church in which Pryor and his live-in lover were supposed to become man and wife. Yet at the time, Pryor was still legally married to a former wife. More questions involved Pryor's financial windfall from going around giving his "testimony," and the denial by those involved in such groups as Wicca that Pryor ever had any influence in any Wiccan, occult or New Age movement in the US.

One report from that time period gives evidence of the reason for concerns about the  financial matters:

The "PrimeTime Live" report also cited a Herb Caen column in the San Francisco Chronicle saying Pryor made $100,000 last year. Pryor vigorously denies it, maintaining that he's only virtually penniless. His only sources of income, he says, are "love offerings" from the church and people moved my his preaching - as well as sales of "From Pagan to Pentecost," a $25 video version of his purported transformation. He gets $3 in royalties per sale.

Pryor also says he spends one day a month passing out money to homeless people and inviting them to listen as he spreads the word. "I do this because I've been there and I care," he tells them, "and this is my way of serving the Lord I call king of my life, Jesus."

As Pryor is making his case, Bernal enters the room to offer his support. At the same time, however, the minister clearly is taken aback by Pryor's flashy attire, extravagant jewelry and Rolex watch. "You're supposed to be penniless," Bernal says with a chuckle, "and you're sitting here dressed like a riverboat gambler."

Later, Pryor explains that his watch, gold chains, and bejeweled rings - some real and some fake - are all simply more "love offerings."

Whatever the ultimate truth about the situation at the time, things went downhill for Pryor from that point on:

"Yet, the Pryor saga gets worse. While Pryor was receiving up to $20,000 per appearance he was arrested in 1994 for spousal abuse and assault with a deadly weapon. Shortly after, he went back to drugs and the occult.  In October 1998, Pryor, the wife beating occultist, was charged with battery, spousal abuse, and being under the influence of narcotics. Pryor is a habitual batterer and criminal."

 

 November 1998 Silicon Valley Metro:

"Pryor's situation started heading south, so to speak, on October 24--just a few days after a Metro interview in which he professed to have returned to Satanism after an eight-year stint preaching at San Jose's Jubilee Christian Center. That evening Pryor and his wife had an argument in the communal home where they live in the Santa Cruz mountains. When the argument moved into the hallway and Pryor began shoving and hitting his wife, according to witnesses, tenant Barbara Abbot intervened. She says Pryor ripped her glasses off and stepped on them, and she beat a hasty retreat back to her room.

When she came out later to retrieve them, she says, Pryor threatened to kill her and kicked her in the leg and in the groin, leaving bruises. And the next morning, Abbot says, while she was making lunch in the communal kitchen, Pryor told her never to come between him and his wife and said, "I will slit your throat."

Deputy Christine Swannack responded to Abbot's call at about 2pm on Sunday afternoon and arrested Pryor on charges of battery, spousal battery, and being under the influence of narcotics--most probably heroin, according to her report, as well as alcohol.

Four years ago, while still at Jubilee, Pryor did time in the Santa Clara County jail after a violent fight with his then-wife Sarah, in which he threatened to slice her face up with an eight-inch knife so no one else would "want" her. That marriage ended, and Pryor is back with his first wife. "

In spite of the enthusiasm expressed in the 1994 Larry Lea letter above, the set-backs to Lea's ministry started by the PrimeTime expose'  led to continued deterioration of the ministry and his family life. This led to a divorce from his first wife in 1999 after 26 years of marriage. He married again three years later. Lea no longer has a television program or an extensive Internet presence. The website of Larry Lea ministries seems to just offer his books for sale, without even a schedule for speaking engagements. And the website of Jerry Barnard's ministry no longer shows any direct involvement by Larry Lea.

For more details on the Pryor story:

The Witch Who Switched back. October/November 1998 Silicon Valley Metro paper online

In Charisma magazine, 1988, Lea was quoted making the following assertion:

"Several years ago one of my dear pastor friends said, "Larry, when I was praying for you the other day, I had a vision. I saw you with great big 'Mickey Mouse' ears. Everything else about you looked normal except for those elephant-sized ears. When I asked the Lord to tell me what the vision meant, the Spirit of the Lord spoke back to me and said: 'Larry Lea has developed his hearing. He has developed his spiritual ears."
      (Quoted from
Charismatic Chaos by John F. MacArthur, p. 67, citing Larry Lea, Are You A Mousekateer,  as published in Charisma, August 1988, 9)

It would appear that Larry Lea's friend was in error and not "hearing" from the Lord at all to arrive at  his interpretation of his "vision". For the fruit of Lea's ministry from that point on in time shows very little evidence that Lea had the sort of spiritual discernment that such Big Ears would indicate.

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Zola Levitt

  

(1938-2006)   Zola Levitt was the first "Messianic Jewish" teacher, author and TV evangelist widely accepted in Protestant circles. He had his own TV show since the 1970s. He shared lessons on such topics as "Christ in the Passover." He was not a "Torah observant Messianic"—one who still adheres to the requirements of Jewish law. He took the approach of most of those Jews involved in such evangelical Protestant outreach groups as Jews for Jesus—retaining some Jewish cultural trappings and family traditions, but, for instance, observing Christmas.

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Hal Lindsey

  

End Times Prophecy pundit, author of the all-time best-selling prophetic speculation book The Late Great Planet Earth ( © 1970). In spite of the fact that almost none of the specific dogmatic speculations of that book panned out (including the "end" coming in 1988 since that was 40 years since the birth of modern Israel) as he speculated, he has written many more prophetic speculation books since then.

And in spite of the fact that almost none of the specific dogmatic speculations of those books have panned out as he speculated, he continues to be widely honored in many religious circles as a prophetic speculation expert, and continues to issue almost all his opinions dogmatically.

There is no accounting for why such failures at prophetic speculation are considered "credentials" for such pundits. He has his own regular prophetic speculation news show on TBN ("International Intelligence Briefing"), has a website humbly called "hallindseyoracle.com", and is a regular guest speaker on religious TV shows and for Prophecy conventions.

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Craig Lyons

Webauthor of the Beth Emet website, which appears at first, with it's headline "Returning to the Faith of Yeshua (Jesus)," to promote a standard "Hebrew Roots of Christianity" perspective. But further reading clarifies that Lyons is totally opposed to the New Testament, claims it was a concoction of the early Roman Catholic Church, and that we can have no clear picture of the "Historical Jesus" at all since all the records about Him are, according to Lyons, hopelessly corrupt.

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M

 

Francis MacNutt

  

Former Roman Catholic Dominican Priest who is a well-known leader in both the  Healing Ministries movement and the Deliverance Ministry movement.  MacNutt evidently left the priesthood some time back under a special dispensation which allowed him to marry and yet still be in good standing as a layman in the Roman Catholic Church. But his current ministry efforts are totally ecumenical, and he often appears with and endorses teachers from many Protestant Pentecostal and Charismatic healing and deliverance ministries. He is on the Board of Trustees of the "International Charismatic Bible Ministries." The Chairman of the Board of Trustess of the ICBM is Oral Roberts, and other trustees include Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Morris Cerullo,  Rodney Howard Browne, and many other well-known hyper-charismatic teachers. MacNutt has particularly noted that he considers Kathryn Kuhlman to have been a major mentoring influence for his own efforts.

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Myron Martin

Former member of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong. Now has his own small Canadian ministry called Patriots of the Kingdom. Has a very small following, evidently mostly spreading his material through email and unsolicited mailings of ministry literature to addresses gathered from other Sabbatarian Church of God publications. Main claim to fame in exWCG circles is his assertion that the weekly Sabbath is not from sunset to sunset, but only from sunrise to sunset on Saturday. Claims special prophetic insight into the exact time of Christ's return: From a 2000 POTK newsletter (asterisks added to point out most significant claim)—

"While I hope the information provided will convince you that Christ expects us to "know the day and the hour", my status or skill at writing is not the issue. What is of primary importance, is your submission to the Holy Spirit, and your diligence in studying God's Word, without the prejudice of previous opinions, coloured by their source. When you have PROVEN where the place of safety is, HOW God will punish the wicked, and know the events to take place on the "Day of the Lord," KNOW without question the right day and time to keep Passover, and how to "count Pentecost" then and only then, are you ready to accept and PROVE the countdown to the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. For us to TELL YOU would be merely "spiritual titillation" inviting mockery by scoffers.(II Peter 3:3, Matt.7:6) ***If you study with us***, I am confident the Holy Spirit will in time, reveal it."

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Walter Martin

  

(1928-1989) Founder of the Christian Research Institute, and author of Kingdom of the Cults, probably the most widely-read book on non-mainstream Christian religious groups. The CRI under the leadership of Martin, and now under the leadership of Hank Hanegraaff, has been a leading investigator and documenter of the teachings and activities of such groups.

Martin's definition of "cult" was not the same as that used in this Field Guide. He emphasized mostly "doctrinal orthodoxy" in evaluating religious groups. Thus even if a group used extreme methods of control, and indulged in spiritual abuse, if the leadership promoted standard historical Christian theology it would likely not be subject to scrutiny as a possibly spiritually unhealthy organization.

However, since a large proportion of those groups investigated by CRI actually have indulged in questionable tactics in attracting and keeping followers, much of the research of the organization has been helpful even to those who do not share the exact same perspective on what constitutes sound Biblical doctrine. In general, the documentation provided by CRI appears to be objective, and it is quite easy to sort out the specific facts under consideration from the subjective opinions and evaluation of the CRI authors.

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Bill McCartney

  

Founder and CEO of the Promise Keepers Movement. Former University of Colorado football coach. Member of James Ryle's Vineyard congregation.

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Aimee Semple McPherson

  

(1890-1944) Flamboyant Pentecostal woman evangelist, played significant part in the history of the Healing Ministries Movement. Founder of the Pentecostal denomination International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Involved in a major scandal in 1926. Here is how one website  summarizes the incident, which pretty well lines up with most historical accounts:

McPherson, a radio evangelist whose eloquence and showbiz flair drew thousands to her Los Angeles temple every week. When not giving sermons, "Sister Aimee" liked to swim. On May 18 [1926], leaving her secretary on the beach, she swam out into the ocean and didn't come back. There was a huge uproar. A massive search failed to turn up the body. The newspapers churned out extras as ten thousand followers kept vigil on the shore.

Rumors swirled. Some said she hadn't drowned but had been eaten by a sea monster; others said the whole thing was a publicity stunt. She was sighted more times than Elvis—16 times in one day, in locations all over the country. The coroner refused to issue a death certificate. On June 20, McPherson's mother received a ransom note from "the Avengers" demanding $500,000.

Three days later the evangelist showed up in Agua Prieta, Mexico, just across the border from Douglas, Arizona. She told a bizarre story. She had been wading in the surf when a couple lured her into their car with a story about a dying child. She was chloroformed, driven to a two-room shack in the desert, and held there by two men and a woman. A few days later the men left, then the woman announced she was going into town for supplies. McPherson cut her bonds on the jagged lid of a five-gallon syrup can. Once free, she walked across the desert for 17 hours before collapsing inside the gate of a house.

But the story was fishy. The shack she'd described could not be found. Despite her supposedly lengthy trek, she was not dehydrated or sunburned, and her dress showed no signs of sweat. Her shoes weren't scuffed or worn except that she had somehow contrived to get grass stains on them in the desert. She was wearing a watch given to her by her mother that she hadn't taken to the beach, and so on. The cops searched halfheartedly for the kidnappers while hundreds of reporters tried to figure out what McPherson had really been up to. Soon it was reported that she had spent ten days in the seaside resort town of Carmel, California, with Kenneth Ormiston, her radio engineer, with whom she was thought to be having an affair.

A grand jury hearing on the kidnapping turned into an interrogation of McPherson. A woman claimed she had been bribed by McPherson and her mother to say that she, not the evangelist, had been with Ormiston in Carmel. Despite McPherson's protestations that she was an innocent victim, she was indicted for obstruction of justice, along with Ormiston and others. The story filled the newspapers for months and became an embarrassment for Los Angeles civic leaders. Finally William Randolph Heart's Examiner reported that the district attorney was dropping the charges. The DA declared he was doing no such thing but eventually took the hint, saying the evidence was too confused to permit prosecution.

What really happened? The story doesn't make sense any way you look at it. McPherson's kidnapping yarn was silly, but if all she wanted was a tryst with Ormiston there were a dozen easier ways to have one than faking an abduction. I've yet to hear a persuasive account of the whole mess. McPherson returned to preaching but remained a controversial figure for the rest of her life, dying of a sedative overdose in 1944.

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Roderick C Meredith

  

 Formerly a high-ranking minister in the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) under founder Herbert W Armstrong (HWA). Merdith attended Armstrong's Ambassador College as a young man, was ordained as an "evangelist rank minister" by Armstrong upon graduation in 1952, and served in numerous capacities at the church's Headquarters in Pasadena for many years. These included writing extensively  for the Plain Truth magazine and other church publications, and eventually positions of administration over other ministers. At one time he was believed by some to be in line, right after Herbert Armstrong's son Garner Ted, to inherit leadership of the WCG if something happened to the elder Armstrong. But he fell out of favor with HWA before Armstrong's death. Thus, even though Garner Ted Armstrong had been put out of the WCG several years before HWA's death, Meredith never achieved the position of top leadership to which he evidently believed he was entitled.

HWA died in 1986, and was succeeded as dictatorial leader of the WCG by Joseph Tkach, Sr., who in short order began dismantling the doctrinal base of the church. In the early 1990s, Meredith left the organization and founded his own rival group, the Global Church of God (GCG), which restored all of the doctrines of HWA. Although some ministers and members who joined his group were hoping for a more "collegial" style of church leadership, Meredith obviously intended to re-create the one-man rule that was HWA's policy.

By 1998 a struggle for leadership within the GCG led Meredith to pull out and form another split, which he dubbed the "Living Church of God". Once again he was the undisputed leader. The Living Church of God, with several thousand members throughout the world, supports Meredith's evangelistic efforts through the Tomorrow's World magazine and television show.

Meredith was famous in the WCG for the bombastic and dogmatic way he wrote and spoke about Bible Prophecy, as well as a number of controversial areas such as race relations. Articles by Meredith in the Plain Truth in the mid-1960s promoted the idea that God had ordained racial segregation in the Bible.

Here are samples of Meredith's pronouncements from the 1960s, during a time when Herbert Armstrong was dogmatically declaring that Christ would return to earth in 1975, and that the WCG's members would be taken to a "place of safety" by 1972 where they would ride out the worst years of the "Great Tribulation."

"Frankly, literally dozens of prophesied events indicate that this final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe-and its bestial persecution of multitudes of Bible-believing Christians-will take place within the next seven to ten years of your life!"  
(
The Plain Truth, Feb. 1965, p. 48.)

"Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972-or earlier ...."  
(
The Plain Truth, May 1965, p. 45.)

"After 1965, we are destined to run into increasing trouble with the Gentile nations. America and Britain will begin to suffer from trade embargoes imposed by the brown and oriental races.... We will begin to experience the pangs of starvation and the scarcity of goods!"
(
The Plain Truth, August 1957)

"You might as well wake up and FACE FACTS! The world you live in won’t be here 15 years from now!"
(
The Plain Truth, December 1963)

In spite of the fact that none of these predictions turned out to be true, Meredith to this day continues to make similar dogmatic predictions:

We are going to be spanked by the Great God [spanking is a recurrent theme with Rod]… World War III is coming up… I am God’s servant and God’s witness… I myself, Mr. Ames and others, may be killed or martyred… We are at that time now… We are entering the last generation… those under 20 years of age are undoubtedly living in the last complete generation of this world’s society.  (Tomorrow's World broadcast, 2001, "Is this the last generation." )

More details about Meredith’s organizations can be seen in the Field Guide WCG Family Tree section.

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Jacob O Meyer

  

(1934-2010) Founder (1960s) and authoritarian head of the Assemblies of Yahweh denomination. For decades the prime public promoter of the Sacred Name doctrine. Published the Sacred Name Broadcaster magazine and used a shortwave radio tower to disseminate his Sacred Name Broadcast radio program around the world. The denomination and the magazine and broadcast seem to be continuing after Meyer’s death in 2010 under the supervision of his son Jonathan S Meyer and other elders of the organization.

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Joyce Meyer

  

One of the most influential women Word Faith teachers. Offers common sense advice and her own personal inspirational approach to healing emotions and relationships, but unfortunately mixes them with hard-core Word Faith doctrinal teachings. Disseminates her teachings via the Life in the Word radio and TV broadcasts,public conferences, many audio recording collections, and numerous books.

Some sources of information on Meyer’s ministry and teachings, including some areas of controversy:

Joyce Meyer–Are You Paying Attention

The Teachings of Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer–False Teacher?

Wiki Article

 

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Chuck Missler

   

Hebrew Roots teacher with prophetic ministry. Speculates extensively on various conspiracy theories. Promotes the "Bible Codes," and the belief that angels had sex with women before the Flood of Noah.

 

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Bob Mumford

  

One of the founders of the controversial so-called "Shepherding Movement" of the Charismatic renewal of the 1970s, along with Charles Simpson, Derek Prince,  Don Basham, and Ern Baxter.

A detailed overview of the Shepherding Movement and these five men is available on the Seek God website.

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Mike Murdock

  

Pentecostal/Charismatic author and televangelist, part of the Word Faith movement,  who specializes almost exclusively in fund-raising--on his own TV show and the shows of other televangelists. He learned the "seed faith" principle from his mentor, Oral Roberts, and enthusiastically promotes it throughout all of his own efforts in writing and preaching. Some religious commentators compare Murdock's money-solicitation tactics to those of discredited televangelist Robert Tilton. The comparison is apt. Like most popular Word Faith televangelists, Murdock lives an unabashedly lavish life-style, which has brought his ministry's non-profit status under scrutiny by the press and tax authorities. And like many of the others, although it might be difficult to pin on him charges of technically illegal actions, the ethics and Christian integrity of his ministry seem to well deserve such scrutiny and criticism.

Resources for more information on Murdock:

A three-part investigative report regarding Murdock's ministry, reprinted from the Fort Worth Star Telegram newspaper, beginning 3/2/2003:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

An in-depth evaluation of Murdock's teachings as they compare to the Scriptures

Sample excerpts:

On LeSea’s telethon [Lester E Summerall Evangelistic Association's TV network] to raise the funds he appeals in unusual manners by saying the blessing is only for 120 or for 70 people. Using biblical numbers that people recognize he abuses the context they were used in explaining to them that it is the Holy Spirit that is giving him this number. He prompts a certain number of people to quickly go to the phone. He explains they need to call in now while he is on the program, don’t hesitate now is the time, don’t miss the opportunity (If they hesitate and think about it they may certainly change their mind). Whether they are the 5, 13, 25, 40, 70, 100 or 120; different numbers are used all the time as he says God is leading him to give them a blessing for their seed. He asked the Holy Spirit to show him 120 people who would sow a $200 seed (June 18, 2001). Another time he asks the Lord to give him twelve unusual seed sowers of $1,000 each on his program. I wonder, if more than twelve give a $1,000 seed does he say we can’t accept this money and return it saying the Lord only told me 12? I don’t think so, do you!

... Murdock even offers upgrades on your seed - on one Telethon “there is somebody who called in the last 24 hours ... the Holy Spirit is telling you to upgrade your seed.” “The Holy Spirit is telling you come back to the telephone dial the 1-800 number… The Holy Spirit is telling you right now to upgrade your seed. When you change your seed you change your harvest.” But if you don’t do this quickly you will miss the opportunity. Like a sale at the shopping center people are prompted by Murdock’s advertising to move on this quickly or lose their opportunity for a miracle harvest. Now there are upgrades to seed faith, but its not free. Again I ask if there such a promise in Scripture? He then tells the people “the thousand dollars you keep wouldn’t make you debt free, if you kept the thousand you still owe everything you owe.” Not if you’re saving it to pay off a debt; but the truth is if you give Murdock the thousand dollars you’re way more in debt than when you first started. Something to seriously think about.

... Murdock says “There is about 6 levels of sowing that I have had uncommon blessing, one of them was one thousand seed”

Murdock gives a powerful significance to certain amounts of the seed “There’s been 5 levels of uncommon reaping in my life. One was a $58 seed I’ve been telling you about. One was $100, $200, $1,000 and $8,500. The thousand dollar seed broke the back of poverty in my life.” Nobody can sow this thousand dollars for you, you say Mike I never sowed any seed like that. That’s why you never reaped from that kind of harvest.” (Keys to the Kingdom LeSea).

“In the name of Jesus I speak four supernatural uncommon miracles in your life” He then tells the listeners to plant a $1000 seed.

“There is an uncommon anointing even right now on the thousand dollar seed through this ministry.” In my experience I believe there is the greatest anointing on a thousand dollar seed right now that there has ever been on any telethon on any service I’ve ever spoken” (Lesea fund raiser19 97 video tape).

When his convincing has not worked He resorts to manipulate his viewers by thinking it’s the devil who holds them back “Whatever seed stops you, that’s what Satan has purchased your future for, if Satan can stop my giving at $1,000 faith that’s where Satan has found the price tag on my future.”

...I broke the back of poverty with a thousand dollar seed, its what you can walk away from you mastered. If you can walk away from a thousand dollars you’ve mastered greed for the rest of your life. Satan can’t torment you.”

Is he kidding! What kind of a promise is this? Can a thousand dollars given to Murdock or his ministry actually make one free from greed their whole life? Where does Holy Scripture ever say such a thing? I guess for these people who so earnestly give it does not have to be in Scripture but said by the mouth of a prosperity prophet. If someone has a lot of money $1,000 is a drop in the bucket how would this affect their greed? He’s making this all up and the naïve and gullible believe it! Better know your Bible before you give away all your money to people like this.

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Arnold Murray

  

Founder and spokesman for the Shepherd's Chapel ministry and television program. The program has been on local Public Access channels late at night for many years. In recent years it has shown up on an increasing number of commercial stations, both secular and religious. Casual viewers who don't follow the program consistently seem to view it as just a nice old gentleman helping Bible students to carefully study the Bible verse by verse. Only those who commit more diligently to listen to all the programs and send for extra recordings of "deeper studies" will finally realize that Murray's "exegesis" of Bible passages is extremely idiosyncratic, his interpretations range from fanciful to fanatical,  and are laced with both racism and anti-semitism ... and much more.

Resources for more documentation and commentary on Murray’s teachings:

Who is Arnold Murray?

Arnold Murray and the Shepherd’s Chapel

Profile: Shepherd’s Chapel

 

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   Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website

   is © 2001-2011 by Pamela Starr Dewey.

 

Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.

 

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