Right, can't have messy theology gumming up the works! I bring BSSM and Bethel Church up because that is where Jesus Culture comes from. That is their home church who launched their ministry. Bethel is run by Bill Johnson, who discredits himself regularly. Johnson has claimed the spirit has manifested in his church through gold dust, gemstones, angel feathers, and even glory clouds. Johnson and the Jesus Culture leaders believe in a heretical gospel of dominionism, where the church is supposed to take dominion of the earth in advance of the second coming of Christ. They teach an over sexualized Jesus, which can be easily discerned from the lyrics of their songs. They further teach what they have learned from Bethel and possibly BSSM - that the signs and wonders and gifts can be imparted. Even though clearly, the key verses teach us differently. This following clip is disturbing and represents the end result of such heretical teaching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIgncKNHUU
I hope the severity is not lost on anyone viewing this clip. Taken at the Jesus Culture "Awakening" event in Chicago 2011 we see a wheelchair bound man, clearly paralyzed. He is surrounded by attendees of this event who proceed to lay hands on this man and pray for his healing. These are mostly kids who are simply acting out what they have been falsely taught. God has obviously been removed from the decision making process as they all seem to think they have the gift of supernatural healing. The ringleader, who does not appear to be anyone official, throws around Scripture as if it works without the Holy Spirit. The result then is this poor man is then carried around through the crowd his face turning beet red from the fruitless effort, only to return to his wheelchair while he hears the braggadocios ringleader, devoid of the Holy Spirit of God dare to praise this as a miracle! When I first watched this I was taken back to the story of the Seven Sons of Sceva:
A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!" Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. - Acts 19: 13-16 (NLT)
This is the end result of playing church. When you operate outside of the realm of proper doctrine you operate without the Holy Spirit. When you operate without the Holy Spirit you end up like the Seven Sons of Sceva, or like the wannabe healers in this Jesus Culture clip. There is a cost associated with such recklessness beloved. The main worship leader for Jesus Culture is Kim Walker and her "testimony" alone should send supernatural shivers down your spine and be enough to convince you to never follow this movement. Here is the testimony she proudly tells kids at these major events:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ECNQ_PtPY
Note please that these two events she describes are not dreams - they are waking visions. She feels scared when "Jesus" is approaching her. She "collapses in His arms." She admits to feeling in between the natural and this "vision." Jesus turns into a "Stretch Armstrong" doll and starts laughing maniacally. The second waking vision is even more disturbing. Jesus wants her to "come away with me." She claims that Jesus was begging her to ask the other question and she then is whisked away to the throne room of heaven itself! Now standing in the presence of the Father we are led to believe that God ripped out a piece of His heart to mold a little Kim Walker to dance for Him. God then pulls Kim into His heart where there is a mold of her waiting for her to fit into. What is wrong with this picture? Actually there is very little right. When the Apostle John saw the glorified Jesus he collapsed as if dead! Isiah said woe is me I am a man of unclean lips! And what about the assertion that she was actually in the visible presence of the Father?
The Lord replied, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live." The Lord continued, "Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen." - Exodus 33: 19-23 (NLT)
