Although one may think, by reading our faith statements and ideas about Bible faith beliefs, we should not be confused with the ongoing Faith Movement projected by so many of today's so-called men of God. Not to slander or demean them or their intentions, but we simply do not buy into, nor will we teach any fakery or purport any false doctrines not supported by Biblical canon. Would you be swayed by someone who makes statements like these? Read below:
(1) "Satan conquered Jesus on the Cross." Kenneth Copland
(2) "You're not looking at Morris Cerullo - you're looking at god. You're looking at Jesus." Morris Cerullo
(3) "Never, ever, ever go to the Lord and say, 'If it be thy will. . . .' Don't allow such faith-destroying words to be spoken from your mouth." Benny Hinn
(4) "God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf of man. . . . Yes! You are in control! So, if man has control, who long longer his it? Federick K.C. Price
(5) "Man was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in god's presence without any consciousness of inferiority." Kenneth E. Hagan
It has been said that the Faith Movement in nothing more than Christianity that is long on looks but short on substance. That is what preachers of the Faith Movement are dispensing - so watch out! What did Jesus say about such teachers? Read Matthew 7:15-16. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. . ." (NIV) Christ's disciple Simon Peter warned, "There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. they will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them. . . . Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up." 2 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV) And again the Apostle Paul says, Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. so be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." Act 20:30-31 (NIV)
Where did this nonsense and wrongful thinking begin? You find that answer you have to go way back to people like Phineas Parkhurst Quimby around the Civil War time of the early 1860's, considered to be the Father of New Thought. Although it is said that metaphysical practitioners taught people to visualize things like their own desires of good health and riches, then to affirm or confess them audibly, so those intangible images would be mystically transformed into tangible realities, we feel that such affirmations and beliefs, backed with substantial trust and faith in God, to make them happen, can either materize those various results one has looked for, or that one realizes those result in his own life. We raise that belief level to one of "knowing," We so we understand that in Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) which says, "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." and again in 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness, by in His wounds you have been healed." that although both verses may well be for salvation and spiritual meaning, we also believe such understanding may easily be attributed to us healing ourselves physically and perhaps, mentally.
Granted this is giving ourselves some latitude in interpreting these scriptures, but we have found that believing in God and His unlimited powers have provided for those who believe (to the their own level of "knowing,") that uncanny yet God-given ability to call forth their own healing by His authority and power. And yes, God is part of that equation - without His factor of involvement our healing would not be possible by ourselves alone. Let us not be misunderstood, God is present and part of every healing process we undertake, either for ourselves or for others.
Continuing with our discussion, other Faith Movement personalities are: H. Emile Casy, Warren Felt Evans, E. W. Kenyon, Kenneth Copeland, and Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, T.L. Osborn and William Branham, as well as Kathryn Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson. Also included in this movement Amiee Allen and Oral Roberts, Robert Tilton and Marilyn Hickey. Some of these folks have promised to be able to turn one dollar bills into twenty dollar bills, have prayer cloths anointed with miracle oil, or possess miracle tent shaving, all for a small price! Keep in mind as you take a close look at the ministry of CCHM, it is nothing like the purported ignorant garbage that Faith Movement purveyors put forth and try to sell to the unwise and weakened souls of their believers. When you examine closely their nonsense, you will see that "error begets error and heresy begets heresy." Hey! It just jumps out at you and smacks you upside of your head. Let's say just for kicks, giggles and grins, that these folks simply twist Biblical text meaning and content, come up with farcical make-believe immediate miracles, "stand back Benny Hinn," and produce counterfeit Christs to amaze you and give you wonders to think about. Who do you suppose gives them such ideas and notions and puts the wind in their ridiculous announcements and proclamations? Could it be Satan? Hmmm!
Perhaps you are personally familiar with some of their inane boasting and dribble. Such as, "What I confess, I possess." That comes from E.W. Kenyon. Or try Kenneth Hagin with his statement, "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." Just how stupid did Hagan think folks were, or are? Well, he found thousands of adherents and believers. Oh, yes. Did I mention that Hagin claimed to have visited Heaven and Hell? He supposedly did this via his out-of-body experiences. A little astral project perhaps.
Astral projection, or astral travel, denotes the astral body or double leaving the physical body to travel in the astral plane. The astral body, in classical, mediaeval and renaissance Neoplatonist philosophy as well as that of the later Theosophists and Rosicrucians, is a body of light intermediate between, and uniting, the rational soul and the physical body, while the astral plane is a world of light, composed of the spheres of the planets and stars, likewise intermediate between heaven and the physical world. These astral spheres were held to be populated by gods, angels, demons and spirits. Guess who Hagin has had as friends and cohorts? Our beliefs are not any where close to these ideas.
It is a couple of statements made by Kenneth Copeland that make us angry to say the least, but also want us to be sure that everyone knows we have no connection with such utter blasphemy and nonsense. This is what he has said, "God is the greatest failure of all time," and his best yet, Satan conquered Jesus on the Cross!" Let's go on to Mr. Hinn. Benny Boy has actually said some of the most blasphemous and unreal statements possible. He claim that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that women were originally designed to give birth out of their sides. Go figure that one! He has also prophesied incorrectly on some rather embarrassing occasions, like that all American homosexuals would be consumed by fire from God in 1995, and that Fidel Castro would die in the 1990s sometime when God was going to visit Cuba! You get the picture.
Let's try one more example, how about John Avanzini? Now John I know in a different way. Back in 1984 he asked me, Dahk Knox, to create a university for him in El Cajon, California and then promised me the presidency when I was done. John may have been sincere, but it was while he and his wife, were bleeding to death those unsuspecting and trusting souls in his congregation. A high school friend of mine, Richard Torres, even gave John his house. That was the kind of power John had over people; he knew how to manipulate the poor among God's most beloved people. His best claim to infamy must be the hundredfold lie that goes something like this. Go to Nigeria, one of the poorest and least educated nations of the world. Assemble 1000 Pentecostal holiness preachers whose main education is from preaching seminars. Tell them that God appeared to you in a vision last night. Promise them that God said He would give a one hundred-fold financial increase to those who would give what he instructed in faith. The result? The crowd of preachers went wild. They gave everything they could get their hands on and even gave their rings and watches. The motive? Do I have to spell it out? Avanzini appeals to greed, avarice, covetousness and especially ignorance of God’s Word. CCHM is not part of that kind of a farcical ministry. We don't utter such things to cause faith to be diminished in God's real blessing that are free for the asking.
Let's look at the faith we consider at CCHM as spoken of in Hebrews 11:1 and 3 (NIV) , "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." and "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." This is the kind of faith we understand and believe, yet the ilk of faith that is also possible to become powerful with because of that power which God has granted us. Yet we must all be aware of something else. It just might be good for some of us to be afflicted by the Lord for our own good. Yes, I said "afflicted by the Lord." How so? Let's look at these two scriptures, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees, " Psalm 119:71 (NIV) and "I know O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me." Psalm 119:75 (NIV) And do you recall what Jesus told His disciples about the blind man they questioned Him about? Jesus made it clear that neither the blind man or his parents had sinned causing the man's blindness, but He told them, . . .but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. . ." John 9:3 (NIV)
Considerable time and space can be wasted discussing this group of heretics, but let's conclude with these comments about the Faith Movement and those who are part of it. This movement has systematically subverted the very essence of Christianity so as to present the world audience with a counterfeit Christ and a counterfeit Christianity. It has fully embarrassed true Christian believers and has made it difficult for most sincere Christians to be taken seriously and listened to by others. Lastly, it is a travesty that Faith Movement teachers and preachers have so easily and cleverly disguised themselves as charismatics. Having done this so well, these unscrupulous individuals have almost completely tarnished and stained the reputations of those ministers who have a legitimate claim to a legitimate movement of faith in our true Christian community.
What we at CCHM adhere to and believe can be somewhat summed up in these two scriptures. First, promised to us by Jesus, ". . .my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16: 23-24 (NIV) and "Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all. . ." and "the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as thought they were." Romans 4:16-17 (NIV)
