You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. - Deuteronomy 4: 2 (ESV)
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. - Proverbs 30: 5-6 (ESV)
The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. - Psalm 119: 160 (ESV)
Pray then like this: - Matthew 6: 9a (ESV)
Over a year and a half ago I wrote several devotionals about an absolutely heretical book that came out called The Circle Maker. This book was written by Pastor Mark Batterson and promoted widely by the Assemblies of God. I thought that might be it and it would soon go the way of so many other "cutting edge" heretical "Christian" books like The Prayer of Jabez. Then last night I was flipping through what passes for Christian television and came across Jentezen Franklin. Since I had never heard him speak before and knew he was scheduled already for next year's false teacher lineup at the Hillsong conference, I thought I would give it a listen. I listened to him tell an opening story and realized he was reading the story of Honi the Circle Maker. The entire sermon was based on this. I woke up and did a YouTube search and found another pastor giving a Honi sermon. Then on Wretched Radio I heard that Batterson's book is still one of the top Christian sellers. I thought it might be time to address this again before any other people fall prey to this mixture of fable, witchcraft, and poor theology.
Batterson's book is designed to give us a new model for prayer. I do not cast any aspersion towards him personally. Perhaps he is just deceived. It matters not. His teaching is heretical regardless. It runs contrary to the Bible and leads people into a lifestyle of carnal prayer. There are three major problems with this teaching:
1) The Circle Maker is not based on Scripture. It is based on a legend of a person who may or may not have lived during the period of time between the Old and New Testaments. The story of Honi comes from what is known as the Talmud which documents several instances of legendary miracle workers. The point here is twofold. First of all, there is no verification that Honi ever existed and certainly no verification to the legendary story he is associated with. Secondly however and more important is that the story falls outside the bounds of Scripture. We believe that God breathed all of the scriptures we find in our Bible and if He felt the example of Honi was important then He would have ensured that it would be included. The first three verses in our key verses make things very clear about this. We are not to add anything to the Word of God. Every Word He has provided is true and we do not want to be found a liar. The sum of the words found in the Bible are truth. That does not mean we cannot use outside sources like commentaries and such to enhance our understanding but we do not create doctrine from anything other than the Bible. It is entirely sufficient on its own. The more disturbing part though is that Batterson seems to doubt the sufficiency of Scripture. Early on in his promotional video he exclaims:
You can't just read the Bible!
Actually we can because the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. What we should never do however is seek to add to scripture. It is not like the subject of prayer is not addressed in God's Word! The final key verse is the beginning of Jesus teaching the Lord's prayer. We have a book that teaches us prayer. It is called the Bible.
2) The Circle Maker robs God of His sovereignty. For those who do not know the story of Honi, he is believed to have been a local miracle worker during a time of severe drought. The people went to him supposedly and asked him to intervene on their behalf to God. Legend says he drew a circle in the sand, stood in it, and told God he would not move until He relented and made it rain. In this legend, God apparently likes being dictated to so it soon started to rain but it was not raining hard enough so Honi demanded again that God make it pour. God relented again and it began raining fiercely. Honi, like a petulant child, demands that God make it rain enough to solve the drought problem but to ease up on how violently it was raining and you guessed it. God relented again. This story is so absurd I am surprised that a word-faith preacher didn't invent it. Batterson however uses this to teach Christians that they need to pray differently than they have been. He actually claims that if your prayers are not impossible to you then they are insulting to God!
The reality is that the story of the legend of Honi is one that appeals to the typical American Christian today. That God is our cosmic bellhop here to answer our bidding. That He can be given silly ultimatums from His own creation. That the Author of everything in the universe is going to bow to our will if we just draw a circle around it. Batterson takes the staggering arrogance of Honi and teaches us to be more audacious. More arrogant. Here are direct quotes from Mark Batterson:
Your job is not to crunch numbers and make sure the will of God adds up. You job is to draw circles in the sand. And if you draw the circle God will multiply the miracles in your life.
"You are only one prayer away from a dream fulfilled, a promise kept, or a miracle performed."
"The greatest risk is failing to circle the promises of God because we forfeit the miracles God wants to perform ."
What is the glaring problem in all of these quotes? That God has to answer yes! That He simply has no choice or sovereignty anymore. That God wants to perform that miracle if we would only draw a petulant circle in the sand. That if we hold on and make one more prayer He will perform that miracle. That the mere act of a spoiled child will force God into multiplying miracles into our lives. It is all arrogant nonsense and it is all heresy.
3) The Circle Maker is generically heretical as well. The story of Honi being used as the basis to change our prayer life is obvious heresy. The fact that if we follow this teaching we rob God of His sovereignty is obvious heresy. Throughout the book and teaching however there is a consistent pattern of generic heresy in how Mark Batterson views God and prayer. Here are just two examples:
God "plays chicken" with us until we have prayed enough to satisfy him.
"Prayers are prophecies."
Beloved. Prayers are most certainly not prophecies. A prayer is supposed to be our words to God. A Prophecy is supposed to be God's Word to us. But woven into this intricacy is the problem at the heart of the Circle Maker. Like so many heretical gospels we see taught today and as old as the sin that cast Lucifer from heaven, this is really all about making ourselves equal with God. That our prayers, our words, are now equal to prophecy. That our words now must come to pass as a real Prophet's Words must come to pass. That our words have the power of creation or the power to force the hand of God. A true prophecy originates from God so by declaring that our prayers are prophecy we fool ourselves into thinking what we pray originates from God as well. This is what Lucifer sought when he wanted to ascend to the place of the Most High. It is what he offered Eve in the garden; that she too could be as God. It was a lie then and it remains a lie today.
God is not playing chicken with our prayers beloved. What a cruel God Mark Batterson creates here. That He would be sitting in heaven and withhold an answer to our prayers based upon whether we have prayed enough to satisfy Him. Or prayed boldly enough. Or arrogantly enough. That He would view the simple prayer of "Jesus help me" as somehow being beneath Him. That He would be offended and insulted by a simple prayer. Do not fall for it. God has instructed us about prayer thousands of years before Mark Batterson walked the earth:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. - Matthew 6: 5-8 (NIV)
This does not sound bold and audacious. It sounds humble; as we are called to be. There is nothing humble in the story of Honi the Circle Maker. Since Batterson's book as based upon it there is little surprise that there is nothing humble about it either. It is deception, plain and simple. Prayer is supposed to be about developing our relationship with our Lord. By calling Him our Lord that means we answer to Him; not the other way around. I pray we all realize this truth today. In Jesus name; no circle necessary.
Rev. Anthony.
