BETHEL CHURCH AND SIMON THE MAGICIAN

 

Many discernment blogs and Christian apologists over the years have two big targets that they've written heavily about:  Bethel Church in Redding, California, and The International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City, MO.  These two ministries have lured hundreds of young people into their churches with the promise of them being able to develop "spiritual gifts" also known as "gifts of the Spirit". 

There are three places in Scripture that lists spiritual gifts (see here).

The first is Romans 12:6-8 - prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.

The second is found in 1 Corinthians 4:12-11 - word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues.

The third is in 1 Corinthians 12:28 - healings, helps, governments, and diversities of tongues.

I don't know much about IHOP in Kansas City, so I won't speak on them, but this article is focusing on Bethel because they have what is called the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministries (hereafter BSSM).

Let me remind you of what we'll be discussing here and that is "spiritual gifts", and we'll break it down further to the word "gift".  What is the definition of "gift"?  

Let's first go back and think about what we learned in high school grammar.  The term "gift" in this instance is a noun.  So, the definition of the word "gift" as a noun according to Merriam-Webster is - "a notable capacity, talent, or endowment" and "something voluntarily transferred from one person to another without compensation".  The word "spiritual" is an adjective that describes the kind of gift it is.  

Who is responsible for the endowment of these "spiritual gifts"?  That would be the HOLY SPIRIT.

We read in Acts 8:9-25 (see here), the story of Simon the Magician (some use the term "sorcerer").  In this account, Simon, along with others in Samaria, heard the gospel, believed, and were baptized.  When it was reported in Jerusalem that many in Samaria had been converted, Peter and John went there and laid hands on them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.  Simon, when seeing what had happened, offered them money to receive this ability so he could go around laying hands on people.  Peter rebuked him saying "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money."

Going back to Bethel, this church lures young people into the BSSM with promises of being able to obtain one or more spiritual gifts; gifts that are only given by the Holy Spirit.  Want to see what they charge for this?  Check out this link.

THIS IS A SCAM!  There is not ONE SINGLE PERSON on this earth who can give another person the gift of healing, or the gift of prophecy, or the gift of teaching/preaching, or the gift of leadership.  These are only given to a believer by God, the Holy Spirit.

People are blindly and willfully paying out nearly $14,000 for something they think they can get just by paying money.  And Bethel has no shame in taking their money for something they can't give.

This is why I get so angry about this church.  They not only preach a false gospel (prosperity) but they are scamming people out of their money because of false promises.  Spiritual gifts can't be learned or bought.  Sadly, these young people are probably shielded from serious, deep Bible study or they would find that the story of Simon the Magician is no different from what they've fallen victim to.