I Used to Watch TBN and Listen to Prosperity Preachers
After a person gets saved, they're starting all over again. They're infants in spirituality. Back then after I got saved, I really couldn't agree with any more of the Roman Catholic programs. I wanted to feed on Christian programming without being aware what I got myself into. I once thought TBN and Joel Osteen were God's instruments. Some programs in TBN were pretty good like they attacked several issues about gambling, abortion and homosexuality. I used to think men like Joel Osteen were men of God when I was newly saved.
A lot of stuff really started to change when I soon grew in the faith. One day, I started listening to hard Baptist preaching. The pastors weren't afraid to speak not only against the Vatican but also other deceptive teachings. I soon realized how the charismatic communities were not Christian, that they were not really speaking in tongues and that when a pastor starts speaking about health, wealth and prosperity that's not biblical. Nowhere in the Bible did Jesus say, "Follow me and I'll make you rich and famous." Instead, the Bible warned more about persecutions than it did promise blessing to the Christian life.
A lot of stuff really started to change when I soon grew in the faith. One day, I started listening to hard Baptist preaching. The pastors weren't afraid to speak not only against the Vatican but also other deceptive teachings. I soon realized how the charismatic communities were not Christian, that they were not really speaking in tongues and that when a pastor starts speaking about health, wealth and prosperity that's not biblical. Nowhere in the Bible did Jesus say, "Follow me and I'll make you rich and famous." Instead, the Bible warned more about persecutions than it did promise blessing to the Christian life.
What was also so surprising (at first) for me was that many of these pastors were not only charlatans but later, I figured out TBN was openly supporting the Vatican. I couldn't imagine the shock that it got me, at times I wanted to compromise but hard preaching always got to me. Later, I realized many preachers involved in several scandals either taught works salvation or were openly supporting the Vatican. It was just like Jim Bakker who many Catholic Faith Defenders tend to use as an example to demean born again Christians was also a part of the erroneous Evangelicals and Catholics Together. Many of the pastors they also use as examples to demean born again Christians are also aligned with the Vatican.
When people get saved, it's important to guide them. Sometimes, Christians can end up supporting the wrong ministries. Back then, I never realized that many "Protestant" denominations were not Protestant denominations at all. I didn't realize that many of them denied the Deity of Christ, taught salvation by works, required church membership salvation and had a central authority like the Vatican. So I'm not surprised that some born again Christians had erroneously supported a ministry while they were still immature and that by God's grace they'll become more careful in what to support and what not to support. Christians are not perfect and they're still in the process of perfection so it's important for them to rely on God's grace than their own understanding.
When people get saved, it's important to guide them. Sometimes, Christians can end up supporting the wrong ministries. Back then, I never realized that many "Protestant" denominations were not Protestant denominations at all. I didn't realize that many of them denied the Deity of Christ, taught salvation by works, required church membership salvation and had a central authority like the Vatican. So I'm not surprised that some born again Christians had erroneously supported a ministry while they were still immature and that by God's grace they'll become more careful in what to support and what not to support. Christians are not perfect and they're still in the process of perfection so it's important for them to rely on God's grace than their own understanding.