"For the time is come that judgment MUST begin with the House of God" (1 Peter 4:17) & our Charismatic movement is currently under that judgment

This morning, I listened to a powerful message from Ron Cantor. 

Note: I am grateful to Ron Cantor for he is doing what so many of our charismatic leaders were NEVER willing to do. He had to call out one of his own mentors, Dr. Michael Brown, whose clergy abuse of a young woman came to light. And now Ron Cantor is calling out Che Ahn. Because our "apostles" wouldn't do it, God has raised up men such as Ron Cantor and Mike Winger to expose the darkness that has resided in our charismatic movement. 

The title of the video – “#CheAhn Where is the Accountability? Where are the Apostle and Elders” – LINK

The charismatic movement that I have been a part of for many years is under severe discipline/judgment. For what? To name a few things: Fake prophecies, financial abuse/fraud, sexual immorality, clergy sexual abuse (even of minors), false teachings, and then the covering up of these things by leaders (being called “Cover Up Culture”).

What can now be added to these things would be lying and cowardice.

Why? Because, as leaders, such as Che Ahn, when confronted about things has lied and is currently lying. This is obvious cowardice. Rather than do the right thing and humbly admit these things, leaders such as Che are denying, minimizing, and even seeking to shift responsibility onto others. Arguably the most serious charge is that men such as Che, rather than protect the sheep under their care, they have protected other shepherds who were abusive and/or in sin and compromise.

Ron Cantor, in this video, especially at the end, captures the essence of what God is doing to our movement (and Cantor too is also a charismatic Christian acknowledging that it is our movement that God is cleaning up/disciplining).

When people are saying that it is a time of revival (as we charismatics are famous for saying all the time), he says this, “I mean, we talk about revival. Revival’s coming. Are you joking? I mean, I thank God for everyone who is getting saved, but the revival that we’re having right now is the fear of the Lord…[Numbers 25, when Phineas kills an Israelite and a Midianite to stop a plague]…that’s the type of revival that we are in right now. It is not a rah-rah. You know I was in Toronto. I was in Brownsville. It is not that type [of revival]. It is a holy revival of the fear of the Lord. And it is scary. When the Lord draws close, often people die. Remember that. When you are asking God to come, ‘come send Your fire’. Let me explain to you what happens when the fire of God comes… ” (44:34-47:19)

Within the quote and at the end, he shares a number of examples in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, where God comes in His holiness to judge His people, and people died.

Fasting is to be something penitential. What does that mean? It means “showing or feeling deep sorrow, regret, and repentance for wrongdoing” 

It is timely that Lent is happening now, and as men like Che Ahn and many ministries are under serious scrutiny, THAT IS FROM THE LORD.

We were warned over 15 years ago at the time of Lakeland. Serious sin was in our camp, and it was not really dealt with. Cover-up culture continued. More was exposed. People knew about the compromise, the fake prophecies, and the ongoing sexual perversion. But the show had to go on. The worldwide “revival” was spreading, the gifted individuals were using their gifts (which are wrongly believed to function regardless of the character of the individual with the gift), and platforms of influence exploded! A multi-million dollar industry became a multi-billion dollar one.

And all the while, the character of far too many could not handle the power, the influence, the money, and the temptations (to sexual sin, to fake prophecies and healings)

Lent is a time of repentance. My prayer for Che Ahn and the many others who are being called out and exposed in this hour will do just that, repent! To become penitent.

And for the rest of us, like Ron Cantor, we would fully discern the hour in the church is in. It is an hour when God is coming in judgment. He’s had enough. He didn’t pay the price He paid for a defiled Body of Christ to drag His Name and reputation through the mud.

I am grateful that I see others who are getting that memo. They are radically changing the way they do ministry. They aren’t positioning themselves to step onto the platforms that are being vacated by those who are being exposed/removed.

They are acknowledging that we got it wrong. We gave in to the celebrity Christian culture. We platformed people with gifts who lacked character. We tolerated it. We are also to blame.

Lent is a perfect season to be doing all of this for the one who said, “be ye holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 1 Pet. 1:16).

#judgment #charismatic #lent #humility #cheahn #penitential