And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. - 2Peter 2: 3 (KJV)
Let me start by saying this. Anyone can write anything on the Internet. The fact that something appears on the Internet is not confirmation that it is a fact. That is why things must be double and triple checked before being offered up as truth. I always have and will continue to say that you should read what I write with an open Bible to make sure that I am not in error. That being said, it is a logical fallacy to then write off everything on the Internet as false, just because sometimes things are inaccurate. When a preacher does that in defense of his own heresy and the heresy of his buddies, it is even more important that we stop and review the facts.
Enter Robert Morris of Gateway Church in Texas. Morris is a false teacher and one of the more loathsome kind. He preys on the gullibility and vulnerability of those he is charged with shepherding. He does so for shameful gain despite the Bible admonishing he should not. I could go into the fact that he had Mormon Glenn Beck at his church and said that he "has a love for God that is so evident." This despite the fact that Mormonism is a Satanic cult that does not worship the same God as Christians. I could get into the fact that he allowed unrepentant Mark Driscoll to speak recently at his church and chastised those who correctly pointed out why Mark Driscoll is and remains wrong and false himself. I could get into his heretical word faith beliefs which he regularly preaches about. Instead however, all I will offer to show the falseness of Robert Morris is his teaching on money. He has written books on the subject and the public record is out there for those willing to see and hear it. Robert Morris believes that if you do not give him your first ten percent of revenue, then God will literally curse the remaining 90%. That is right. Even if you give him the ten percent but it is not first, God will still curse your money. He tells his congregants they must pay him before the mortgage. Before the electric. Before everything. He is a predator pastor. One of the most vile in the land feasting on widows and orphans instead of helping them. With that as the backdrop, here is a clip from his sermon this past Sunday, which Charisma News proudly republished today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=9NyXAtOO8GA
The clip opens up by claiming he has made "Satan's hit list" because people he refers to as bloggers have written about him. I say "refers to" because it is his way of trying to cheapen the reporting or the work being done. I am not a blogger beloved. This website is not a blog. I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I understand that the Bible demands that I not only spread the true Gospel but that I rebuke those who do not, such as Robert Morris. There is no way someone who Satan is using already, would be on his hit list. But what has Robert so upset today?
"Here's the thing that blows me away. You wouldn't listen to gossip but you'll read it."
Now I do not expect someone who cares so little about the Bible to understand a biblical concept such as gossip so let's explore. The Hebrew word for gossip is one who reveals secrets, a talebearer, or a scandal monger. It is also meant as a personal affront. So if I know that Peter is having an affair and I tell Bill, I am gossiping. Why? Because I am sharing privileged information that Bill does not need to know. I am bearing a tale. I am stirring up scandal. I am revealing secrets. If I knew that Robert Morris was out at a local Texas bar one night and I started talking about it to other people, that would be gossip. What Morris is actually upset about is what is known as "telling the truth." There are no secrets involved because it is based on things he has said in public in front of tens of thousands of people. Think about the idiocy of this position for a minute. If I stood before 30,000 people and said that I believe the sky is pink it is absurd to then call someone a gossip for saying that I said the sky is pink! Especially since it is not pink!
Therein lies the rub. The issue is not that people are "gossiping" about Robert Morris and his false teacher friends network. It's that people are exposing them for the charlatans they are. The only issue is whether that is biblical and the answer to that is a resounding yes. Paul called out false teachers of his day all the time. If someone came into your church and preached that Jesus was not the Son of God how in the world is it gossip to correct him? Well Robert Morris robs the poor and then writes books about it so until he repents of such he deserves to have the truth about him shouted from the rooftops. To offer up proof however, Morris refers to his good friend and fellow false teacher TD Jakes and a recent controversy he found himself in by making vague statements regarding his position on homosexuality to the Huffington Post. Morris pretends that this is the fault of the Internet who blew the story up and said his position has evolved. What Morris fails to do is tell the truth. Jakes was asked if his position has evolved and he said yes. He further suggested that those in the LGBT community find churches that affirm their lifestyle. That is hardly a conservative viewpoint and huffpo is hardly a blog. Morris closes out this clip with more silliness:
"Anyone can write on the Internet and the people that write on the Internet are people who would not have a platform unless they put my name, or Bill Hybels' name, or TD Jakes name in it they wouldn't have a platform if they didn't put someone's name who didn't already have a platform."
Well, someone seems to think an awful lot about themselves. Take it easy Bobby, most people do not even know who you are unless people write about your false teaching. The truth is that I certainly am not the first to make mention of you. The Bible does in our key verse when it talks about false teachers such as yourself. It is through your covetousness that you use feigned words Pastor Morris. Feigned words means lies. You lie to your sheep and tell them they will be cursed if they do not pay you. By doing so you make merchandise of the sheep. Your judgment lingers not Pastor Morris. Your damnation is not asleep. For the record, I do not need nor want your platform. I have one. It is called the Word of God and does not return void. You ought to try it some time. It just might clear some things up for you. It might just set you free.
Rev. Anthony.
