Comments on: An Apology from Dutch Sheets on behalf of the Charismatic church leaders to the Body of Christ

By: Pastor Kelly

Pastor Kelly — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:32:43 +0000

A lot of comments on what happened but no one seems to understand that the problem with the church today is the lack of the B-I-B-L-E!!! The Word Of GOD!!! When you take out the Word of God and replace it with man that’s exactly what you get MAN. We all need to remember that GOD is still in charge NOT MAN!!! The problem with this church is it was closed to the Bible and Jesus Christ. Remember it was said at the church that we’ve all heard enough and know enough about Jesus Christ let’s talk about angels and miracles etc. And forget the Word. When you kick Jesus out you get the end results. Satan. He comes in like a flood and dressed as a sheep in wolves clothing deceiving all. Remember satan comes as an angel of light and can also fake miracles and such. I believe that’s exactly what happened when Jesus was kicked out of this church. I can’t say it enough get back to teaching the Bible! Only then can the church truely have a genuine Revival!

By: thenonconformer

thenonconformer — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:07:31 +0000

>>The prophetic and apostolic movements of today are pathetic and apostate

Not just iun the pentecostal churches, but there is the same problems in all of the so called christians churches, evsngelcial ones especially that put me to sleep in their predictable church servcies much too easy.

http://witnessed.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/the-ungodly-unholy-wars-now-amongst-christians/

By: johandav

johandav — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:50:29 +0000

Unfortunately, this news did not surprise me at all. What surprised me was how many people were taken in by Todd Bentley’s carnival act masquerading as a movement of God.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:15:39 +0000

Hi there well dutch your apology is great and seen with sincerity and I am no sure as to how grave you really see the situation. you leaders for many years have been steadily moving down this path and have led to this demise many strong beleivers have walked away from churches all around the world. There are som interesting scriptures that Jesus himself stated clearly, take heed for their will be false teachers and prophets amongst you not in the world but in the church. How does a False teacher get to be a teacher, someone gives him the Authority, like you guys have, you have been a part of many false teachings and as you admit have made many major mistakes, also we are told in scripture that many will heal in Gods name and cast out demons in Gods name but we are told clearly that some of us will not enter the kingdom. All and much of what has transpired not only from your corner but many others is a fulfillment of Gods word a fullfillment that there are false teachers and prophets speaking from the Pulpits……………..I have many Non beleivers that have seen some of this stuff and even they Judge the Church and say clearly, this is not God …. the Church is no Longer Holy, i walked into a Gothic like Night club with mesmerizing music that hypnotized people and then all they talked about was getting money…….I have seen much, where for years leaders from the Pulpits your pulpits have said do not question just receive but scripture tells us to question all things. When I or others have started to question we have been told to leave.God gave me a Vivid dream where demons were attacking me and in the Dream a word appeared, ICHABOD, then there were hords of demons coming God was showing me with all that is going on around the Globe that His Glory has actually departed from the Church and a hord of demons has now come in, so I am encouraged and glad for your confession and repentance and for you I pray that you realize that your influence and other of your ilk have been a part of Gods Fulfillment of his word of having false teachers and Prophets amongst the poeple and now you get on the right side and become a sheep not a Goat as many of you clearly may be . Your INfluence has yes unarguably destroyed the face of Christianity but only because God has allowed it. Will you and others be judged, Praise God you have seen the Truth and are willing to repent but as you have done this you are now sitting in our camp, be ready to be scorned by your closest. IN Truth and In Christ Steve from Adelaide Australia

By: We have had enough of false prophets! « The Church of Jesus Christ

We have had enough of false prophets! « The Church of Jesus Christ — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:48:50 +0000

[...] [3] An Apology from Dutch Sheets on behalf of the Charismatic church leaders to the Body of Christ http://freedomtofollowjesuschrist.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/an-apology-from-dutch-sheets-on-behalf-of... [4] Regarding Todd Bentley: A letter from Bill… [...]

By: Ian

Ian — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:01:35 +0000

So glad, at last, to hear someone offer a wise perspective on all that has happened in Lakeland. No `self preservation` here just honest observations and true repentance. It is a shame we haven`t heard this kind of acceptance of responsibility and apology from Peter Wagner and his `apostolic` team.
Thankyou for your honesty, we can all surely learn from your approach to this and other similar situations.

By: Leah

Leah — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:01:37 +0000

Thank you Dutch Sheets. This apology from church leadership is long-overdue. How can we build churches if trust is gone? It begins with apologies like this one. Thank you for showing a backbone– like a true man of God. The Father did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of boldness and that comes through in this strong letter. These words will resound across the planet and resonate in the hearts of so many wounded by the leaders of our church. May we begin to rebuild a firm foundation of accountability, trust, transparency and love. May we begin to run after the heart of our Creator and step up to be His Royal Priesthood as we are called. Thank you for your prophetic words of healing.

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:30:40 +0000

I just read Dutch Sheets essay about Lakeland. I sincerely appreciate his words not only about Lakeland but also about where the leadership has gone wrong in their zeal for revival and a move of God. Everyone needs to examine their ministry and ask for Christian brothers/sisters to judge everything said and done according to the Word and life of Jesus. That is scriptural.

I won’t repeat the content of Gail and Sherrie in the posts before this one, however I want to say how much I relate to their situation. I, too, discerned problems with Bentley and researched what was happening in Lakeland because my family expressed a desire to fly to there from New York State. I gave them factual information to no avail. My married daughter was mesmerized by godtv and stayed home while her father joined eight others from the local church and flew to Lakeland just a couple days before the “alignment”. I also watched this on my computer and continued to be appalled by what I witnessed.

My daughter doesn’t want to talk about this. Her father returned with such an ugliness toward me. I wasn’t to “speak against God’s annointed/this move of God.”

So Bentley has been removed but the residue of this revival remains in my family. I know more than I want about Latter Day Rain, etc. My daughter and her family are going to participate in a late September miracles conference at the Toronto Church where the Toronto Blessing began. This is John Arnott’s church and Bentley was suppose to be there. I am praying for a miracle that opens my family to the Truth. They are good people who are born again and don’t need to look for experiences to affirm their belief.

So I appreciate Dutch’s words…it’s a beginning. All people involved in Lakeland and with a public ministry need to be as transparent. If not, then they do not know how to discern the truth. They should be asking for Christians to judge their ministry according to the Word.

By: neophyte

neophyte — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:28:04 +0000

Love and respect you, Brother Dutch, and agree with much of what you had to say about the situation in Lakeland and the body of Christ in general. But, you know, when all’s said and done I have to admit I feel like a young girl who’s been molested most of her life, and there comes a time when she says, “Enough!”

Yes, enough. Leave us alone. Please leave His church, His people, His bride, alone. All you “leaders”. All you pharisees, saducees, and teachers of the law. Please take your hands off us and let us be.

You’ve been telling us all these years that you’re meeting our needs. That we need you. That we can’t do “it” without you. But we’ve been seeing for awhile now what’s really been going on. How we’ve been meeting YOUR needs all this time. Our time, our money, our talents, our families, our homes, our hearts and minds, our LIVES… you’ve stuck your hands where they don’t belong for far too long, and it’s time to say, “ENOUGH!”

We’re not going back to business as usual. We’re not going to waste another 10, 20, 30 years listening to your sermons and your teachings and your prophecies and your plans. The product isn’t what’s been advertised and we’re done chasing the carrot. We see it for what it is and we forgive you, but we’re done playing the game.

We’re done gazing up at you from our lowly perches. We’re done saying “How high?” to your “Jump.” We’re done placating your enormous egos and craven need for adulation at our and our families’ expense. For the little scraps we get that fall to the ground from your table. Because, you see, we don’t really need you. At least not the “you” most of us have had all these years. The closest to God, smartest about God, most anointed of God and blessed of God, infallible prophet, priest and king “you”. So, thank you very much, but we’re done pretending the emperor has clothes.

God must come to our hearts and our homes, brothers and sisters. That’s the simple bottom line. All the failings we see in the body of Christ are a direct result of God not taking His place in hearts and homes.

It’s not complicated at all. It’s really very simple. Much simpler than most would have us believe. If God isn’t God of our hearts and homes, what is He God of? And if God isn’t God of our leaders’ hearts and homes, what do they really have to give us? Theory?

They would have us believe “higher levels mean higher devils”. They would have us feel guilty when they fall as if it’s somehow our fault. (When they’re actually caught red-handed, that is. The rest of the time we do as we’re told and look the other way, pretending not to notice because what good would it do anyway?) If only we prayed more or supported them more. If only we gave more. Yes, somehow it’s all our fault. Just like the molested little girl. (But all of this is neither here nor there. Because it’s a brand new day.)

Love God, love others as you love yourself. At least that’s what Jesus said it boiled down to. You know, CHRIST Jesus?

How complicated is that? You need a PhD for that? Even a little child can understand it. How many commandments did God give the people through Moses? This isn’t rocket science, folks. Faith in Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection remits our sins and creates in us a clean, new heart. So that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit of God who IS love. So that we CAN love. Ta-daa. Pretty basic stuff, I think we’d all agree.

So, please, exalted rulers, please back down and leave us and our families alone. Please know your place. Please TAKE your place. Because you do realize, don’t you, that it’s high time, and then some.

I’m sure you realize, way deep down inside even, that there’s an awful lot of us out here whose shelves are filled to overflowing with your never-ending, not freely given verbiage, who have the audacity to think we might actually be able to do this thing called love… without you. (Oh my God, how could we, it’s all so horribly complicated!!)

Please, know your place, take your place. With all due respect.

Shalom,
One though many of His children
——————–

http://greateststorytold.com

By: Patrick Bestall

Patrick Bestall — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:49:18 +0000

This spirit that urges people to leave their “dead” marriage for greener pastures, is it not the same spirit that urges people to leave their “dead” church for a more exciting one?