To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. -- 1Corinthians 12: 7-11 (ESV)
I went on the Line of Fire Radio show a week ago and listened to Dr. Michael Brown defend Bill Johnson as a brother in Christ. I came prepared with the top 12 egregious false teachings from Johnson and his cesspool known as Bethel Church. This includes grave sucking, dead raising teams, and "glory clouds" being pumped into his sanctuary through the ventilation system. I never got past the first one however as Dr. Brown exploded in defense and accused me of misrepresenting what goes on at Bethel. That first offense was the operation of a School for the Supernatural, where Johnson teaches gullible Christian youth the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. Brown first tried to play a switcheroo exclaiming that of course we are to teach on the gifts. I corrected him that we were not speaking about educating people about the gifts. What Johnson does is try to teach the actual gifts. A blasphemous deed in my opinion as this usurps the power of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Brown then played one of his favorite cards to defend the indefensible -- personal experience. I must be wrong because after all, Dr. Brown has taught at this school. In the devotional following this radio spot, I copy/pasted two course descriptions from the school website which made it clear they intended to teach you how to impart words of knowledge, how to prophesy and even how to heal! I say this as a backdrop to another discovery today.
https://www.bethel.com/events/school-of-the-prophets-2/
God always confirms and illuminates so there can be little disagreement or doubt for those genuinely seeking the truth. Not only does Bethel operate their school for the blasphemous supernatural, but they run a special week long course this summer called, School of the Prophets. For only $395 you can become a prophet in just five days! As a bonus, there is a combined rate of $750 if you are a married couple seeking to usurp the power of God together! There are no less than two catered dinners during the week and two of the teachers are Bill Johnson himself and Bethel mega-prophet Kris Vallotton. Folks, you are not going to get this good a deal on false teaching this side of Jennifer Leclaire's Prophetic University of the Sneaky Squid. If you are detecting a certain level of snarkiness, I would hope so because I am laying it on pretty thick. Bill Johnson is not a prophet. Neither is Kris Vallotton. They are wolves devouring the sheep of the Lord and charging them $395 for the privilege. One of the hallmarks of a false teacher is greed according to the Bible. They cannot teach you to be a prophet. How do I know this? Because the Bible tells me so.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?But earnestly desire the higher gifts. - 1Corinthinas 12: 27-31 (ESV)
This is the wrap up of the discussion of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is an implied answer to all of these rhetorical questions within the original language. That answer is "no." Do all work miracles? No. Do all possess gifts of healing? No. Are all prophets? No. Beloved, everyone does not have all of the gifts. Thus to operate a school to teach the gifts skips the part where God gives the gifts. It presumes that everyone who plunks down their 400 bucks can be taught what only the Spirit can provide. Further Scriptural proof is found in the key verses today, from earlier in the chapter. For to one is given the utterance of wisdom. To another is given the utterance of knowledge. To someone else the gift of healing and to others the gift of miracles. To another prophecy. Can this be any clearer? Just in case the Dr. Browns of the world are still confused, God drove the point home by saying it is the Spirit that apportions these gifts to each person individually as He wills. Not as Bill Johnson wills. Not as Dr. Michael Brown wills.
Beloved this is serious business. Prophecy is the declaration of what God has said. The modern churchianity landscape is filling up with wannabe prophets who were taught to sound prophetic without actually hearing from God. False prophets who learned their screed in Bethel Church's auditorium or in a little hotel room by the Fort Lauderdale airport if they went to Leclaire's "school." I have seen how Bethel teaches prophecy to their worship leaders and it is frightening. They are taught to empty their mind and reach out with their feelings for God and whatever pops into their minds via their wickedly deceptive hearts they are instructed to declare it as if it is from God Himself! I imagine in the five days at the Prophets School, the techniques will be similar and just as ludicrous.
Bethel references the Old Testament occurrences of the term "School of Prophets" even though some translations have this as "company of prophets" or "sons of prophets." They reference this to try and claim a biblical foundation for this blasphemy but it does not even pass the smell test. In the 6000 years of Biblical history this concept is mentioned less than five times. Even if you went with the generous translation of "school" that did not mean they were being taught to be prophets. Back in those days you were called to be a prophet and if you were ever wrong prophetically you would be stoned to death. They certainly were not paying $395 for a five day crash course. The largest point however is they were students of Samuel (or Elisha later) and were taught Scripture -- not the gift of prophecy. They did not need to be taught what God provided.
Beloved, if we ever think that usurping what belongs to God alone is not serious business then it is time to evaluate our own faith and where we receive our teaching. The Bible does teach us that we must even test ourselves. If we ever start to think that people can be taught to prophesy in five days for 400 bucks, it is time to realize that we are falling for what is undeniably false. Do not listen to gatekeepers like Dr. Michael Brown. If he has indeed taught at this school that is his problem and he will answer for it. The truth that cannot be ignored, which I shared on his program, is that this school is blasphemy - purely, simply, and biblically. I did not need a Holiday Inn prophet to tell me that. The Bible already does.
Rev. Anthony.
