Conrad Mbewe (known to some as the African Spurgeon) speaks about the damaging outworkings of Christian theologies which claim extra-biblical revelation at John MacArthur’s Strange Fire conference.
This time Cripplegate blog provide notes on his address.
Additionally, Tim Challies’ notes are here.
Reading Mbewe’s experiences will sadden any Christian. Realising that what he describes echoes a trajectory of western Christianity makes it all the more tragic.
From Cripplegate:
Many people invariably ask the question, “Why is it in such a short period of time there has been such an acceptance, multiplication of churches that can be described as I’ll be describing in a minute or two?” The answer that I’ve given in the blog post you’ll find on Grace To You, is basically that this form of Christianity has appealed to the African worldview in terms of its understanding of the spiritual world. Now, I don’t have the time to take you through all that, and I hope you will read that blog post. But what I do need to say is that almost invariably when you look at the outfits for the meetings, the crusades, church services, the messages amount to something like this: “Come and receive your deliverance, your healing, and your breakthrough!”
Now I realize that what I’m saying are but words to you. But there’s a whole world—in my mind as an African—that that describes. For instance, the word “breakthrough,” what it is really saying to the common man where I come from is, “If you’re struggling in your marriage, or struggling to conceive, or struggling to maintain a job, or struggling to be promoted at work, struggling with even ill-health – whatever it is you’re struggling with, despite your prayers, nothing seems to be happening , it is because between you and God there are other layers that need to be dealt with. One of those layers is that of angels and demons. The other layer is that of your ancestral spirits. Until those layers are broken through, you will not get what you want.”
That makes a lot of sense to an African, because that’s the way we have thought for centuries. We don’t doubt the existence of God, but He’s a God far away. He’s a God who has these layers in between. And until we deal with them, he will not hear us or act on our behalf. And that’s really the role—as I’ll be showing you in my next message—that the “man of God” seems to be fulfilling: giving that breakthrough.
Now you quickly realize that that’s not what the Bible teaches. And yet that is the form that the Charismatic movement, that is now clothed in African attire, that is what it has taken on. It’s basically saying the same language that has already been there for centuries in Africa, but now giving it a thin veneer of Bible verses. You can therefore well understand that if men and women are rushing in throngs to the witch doctor’s den, they will rush in throngs to these so-called churches. Because ultimately, it’s the same “power play” they are looking for.
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See, the Gospel is about the fact that we have offended our Creator, the Governor of history, the coming Judge of the living and the dead. That we deserve to go to hell because o that. But however, God, who is loving, has given His Son and through Him purchased a full and free redemption, so that we may come to Him, not trying to merit salvation, but in repentance in faith freely receiving that pardon, forgiveness of sins.That’s hardly ever being heard. And I mean it. Rather, the modern gospel is something like this: There’s about 20 minutes of motivational speaking. And when that is over, it’s now, “What problems have you got? Come to Jesus.” And coming to Jesus basically means come to the front, and then the “man of God” will help you get over it. The result is this: the churches are full of goats in sheepskins.
I do a lot of personal evangelism, and I come across a lot of people who will tell me they go to such-and-such a church and attend a certain international ministry. And when I ask the question whether they’re Christians they say yes. And when I ask how, their testimony is often something like this: “My marriage fell apart. My husband walked out on me. A friend told me that that preacher or that prophet or that Apostle he’s got powerful prayers. And so I began to go to that church. And when I spoke to him he invited me to the overnight prayer meeting. And there he prayed and prayed and prayed. One day, my husband showed up, apologized for what had happened, and so we now go to that church. Praise the Lord.”
That’s supposed to be salvation. The offending of God: absent. The redeeming blood of Christ: absent. The note of repentance, faith, trusting in His complete work: absent! But the claim is: “I’m now a Christian.”
False prophets spread this word. Even more reason for us to be involved with the church in Harare