Letter by Bill Randles to the You Magazine regarding their article on TB Joshua (02/25/2001)
Dear Sirs,
I am writing in regard to your article (02/25/01) on the prophet T.B. Joshua entitled MIRACLE MAN. As a Christian Pastor and teacher I am concerned about some of the aspects of this prophet’s ministry which are either unreported or perhaps unappreciated for their significance.
[DTW: underlining emphasis added below]
In the light of the fact that we believe we are living in the last days before Jesus’ return, and that one of the warnings Jesus gave us was that immediately before that time there would arise “False prophets”, who would be able to perform “signs and wonders so that if possible they would be able to deceive even the very elect”, it is extremely important that we be all the more discerning.
I don’t know Pastor Joshua’s heart. Indeed, it seems to be that he is a very sincere man living a simple lifestyle. Rather than taking money constantly (as a good many of the celebrated televangelists do) there are stories of T.B. Joshua’s generosity to the poor who struggle to come to him for healing. Nonetheless, we are told to be discerning in our evaluation of anything which claims to be “of God”.
“Try the Spirits to see whether they be of God” (I John 4). There are several caveats I offer to those who are seeking discernment regarding these phenomena,
o On a French television interview, Prophet Joshua said that he had received this ‘gift’ at birth. In God’s word, the true Gifts of the Spirit of God are not bestowed at birth to anyone – see 1 Cor:12-14. One must first be converted to Christ to have God’s Spirit indwelling one – and even then the gifts are distributed “as the Spirit wills“.
o Transubstantiation - On videotape distributed by the Synagogue of all Nations, a “Blood of Jesus ” service was shown. It consisted of the Prophet Joshua blessing a huge tank of water, touching each of twelve running spigots, proclaiming them to now be “the blood of Jesus“. The congregation were then shown rushing forward, pushing and pulling among themselves, seeking to get to those spigots first, that they might drink, splash, and in some cases even shower in “the blood of Jesus”. This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of it all as it turns the Biblical doctrine of the blood of Jesus (His vicarious death) into a sensuous, superstitious experience. No Priest or Prophet can turn any substance into the blood of Jesus – that is more akin to paganism and magic than Christianity. The blood of Jesus was shed as a sacrifice to God the Father, not as a potion to be splashed and bathed in!
o False separation between the Sheep and the goats- In addition to the other antics at the blasphemous “Blood of Jesus” service, as the people pushed, pulled and shoved forward to participate in the so-called blood, those who had “agents of Satan”, were put into a demonic frenzy, rolling on the ground, through the muck and mire (more on that next) screaming and moaning in agony. There is demon possession indeed, but one would look in vain anywhere in the scriptures to find any deliverance service remotely resembling this so called “Blood of Jesus” service. Joshua proclaimed this as the” separation of the sheep and the goats”, which actually takes place at Judgment Day.
o There is also a degrading and even humiliating aspect to these healings. When Christ healed it was in a dignified manner. True man is below, God is above, but man is not “Nothing”, he is made “In the Image of God”. In the Joshua videotape, released by the Synagogue, men with rectal cancer are asked to take down their pants, before others, both before and after the healing. A woman is made to bare her breasts, one showing cancer, and stands in front of a mixed assembly in the agony of her pain. As the healing progresses, her breast is seen oozing puss onto her dress and flowing down to make a puddle on the floor.
o People are seen “Vomiting their troubles away” on the floor. Some vomit blood, others vomit rocks, shells, large worms and live insects. There is no scripture for this. Where did Jesus or His apostles ever do any such things? Yes these stains can be seen on the floor, the very spots where people vomited blood, and where women are seen on camera passing bloody “fibroids” from between their legs! And then on this same floor, people are put into trances, laid out on that same floor, (you can see the spots) and those in trances are seen rolling about in those spots.
o Remote control- T.B. Joshua uses a technique called “remote control“. Standing about ten feet away from “patients”, with hand motions he manipulates their motions: By scooting his hands to the left, the patient seems irresistibly drawn to the left; and to the right, the patient goes to the right; by circling his hands, Joshua sends the patient into a circle, often until they spiral out of control, falling into a dazed heap! Once again, this method is more akin to occult healing practices than it is to Biblical healing and in the compassionate manner of Jesus Christ.
o Another similar technique is called “point of contact“. For example, the bare-breasted woman suffering in agony from cancer, before the congregation, Joshua stands about 15 feet away, and rubs his chin vigorously, This then evidently affects her cancerous breast, in some way. In contrast, the healing of the woman with the issue of blood in Luke 8:44, simply touched Jesus and was healed!
o Calling Fire from heaven – Joshua has the power to call fire from heaven upon the body parts of sinning members of his congregation! A woman in the video is seen clutching her private parts in agony as Joshua’s fire cleanses her of the sin. This causes mild amusement of others in the audience. It does not bring fear of God! We are told in the book of Revelation that the false prophet calls fire from heaven to the amazement of those under delusion!
o Joshua has strange beliefs. For example, he is a vegetarian : he told an interviewer that many of the people he ministers to in the area of deliverance are “Half fish and half man“. In another interview, he said that “the divine person” within him can appear to thousands simultaneously, even coming to them in their dreams! This is not Biblical or Christian!
In closing, I don’t pretend to know Joshua’s motivation; by all accounts he seems to be a very sincere man. However sincerity is no safeguard against deception. I am sure Edgar Cayce, Jean Dixon and countless other prophets, who by Christian, Biblical standards would have to be regarded as False, were equally sincere and unassuming. There are countless warnings in scripture about the emergence of False Prophets and teachers who like Pharaoh’s magicians, withstood and hindered the true gospel by means of signs, wonders and miracles. Just because Joshua seems to be able to produce “results”, doesn’t make him a man of God, nor should we go there. The end does not justify the means. The very idea of having to go to Nigeria to receive a healing, or a miracle, or a Word from God, is unscriptural.
“Jesus Christ is the same, Yesterday, Today, and forever”. He is as closer to us today as our breath, for “Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved”.
We at Moriel Teaching Ministries SA will happily verify these claims by providing access to the video we have cited here today. Any one needing further clarification can contact us.
Sincerely, Pastor Bill Randles (Reply to YOU magazine following an article. Note: Even Radio Pulpit is promoting him) Source: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/tbjoshua-rebuke.html ~*~*~*~*~*~If anyone has a current subscription to access the You Magazine, I would be really greatful if you could download the following article and email it to me.
http://www.you.co.za/articledisplay.aspx?iContentRecord_id=444&iCategory_id=40
The Prophet comes to SA
Author: By Pieter van Zyl | date: 25 November 2004
South Africans hoping for miracle cures flocked to his church in Nigeria now hes here.
Prophet T B Joshua is a true man of God. He lives for God and help convert most people to Christiality. Even Jesus in his days on earth was mocked by the same people he came to deliver. The fact is you can never satisfy everybody, what matters most is for us to know who we are in Christ. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. If you operate in within the realm of the Holy spirit you will understand that Pastor T B Joshua is a blessed man. He is an ordinary man who was made extra ordinary by God. “God is Spirit, and only by his Sprit can people worship him as he really is”
Okie Dokie then….next!
@Discerning The Word your name is as deceitful as your opinions. You have joined the hoards of satans agents who live for the downfall of the people of God. If the lies and deceptions of you and your kind had any weight, would these men you defame not have fallen by now? Instead you revive ancient and disproved texts by other misguided reprobates and begin to use it to fortify your own warped perceptions. Unless God is merciful, you will enjoy the hotbeds of Hades where you will scream your repentance.
i read the book by pastor brandler concerning tb joshua, to my amazement the pastor said that the rthe church of prophet tb joshua there are pictures of dragons which are not there, this tells me that the pastor was saying waht he was just told by people, this is very dangerous for the man of God to tell story he has no proof.
i believe the greatest lier is a person who tell stories he just heard.
its important for pastor to tell the true with evidence than lies
i ve watched tb joshua, but i ve been inspired by pst william kumuyi, lazarus muoka, enock adeboya and brother Chima okelek, but this does not make me to say evil of tb joshua.
pst kasavi vernon maseka
Zambia
I have never read the interview where TB Joshua says he was baptised in the womb (if he ever indeed said it). But I am reminded of Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
So what is really the problem? He is confessing God’s Word over his situation. As a child of God, this is God’s spoken word to us even today. God knew you in your mother’s womb. I honestly don’t think people read their bibles today.
Concerning “vomiting their troubles away” where were you during the early 80′s charismatic pentecostal movement in northern california and throughout the us? Many popular pastors were just beginning to understand that what was not planted in our systems, spirit soul and body must come out at the command of Jesus Christ. God heals as He wills.
“He is a vegetarian”. Said who? Have you ever visited him? Have you seen him eat?
Most of your claims are baseless gossip that has been transferred from one jealous pastor to the next.
You have discerned nothing. You have simply given in to the common female gossip so common in churches around the world today. Perhaps this is why Paul said women should be silent in the church.
Please, let us return to the truth of the Gospel and our responsibilities as children of God – to tell the sweet story of Jesus Christ, of His love for us. And leave the verbal attacks we like to launch from our pulpits, tv stations and private jets.
If he is not a man of God, he will fail. But if he is from God, there is Nothing you can do to stop the work of God through him.
Thanks for your message. Prophet T.B joshua is doing what God almighty has sent him to do, that wish he has been born for, live for and will die for. God bless him.
Love u all.
God does not bless EVIL men. But God has given TB Joshua time to repent of his wickedness.
Thank God for controversies like this they remind us of how shallow man can be and remind us that through it all we need to seek the face of God. The only question I have is why is there so much noise over this man? Surely if what he was doing was corrupt he would have fallen by now but quite the opposite – God Himself seems to be promoting him more and more. More strength to him!
Well, it’s not my duty to judge another man’s servant because God did not call me to be a judge. Prophet TB Joshua has the solution whether from God or Satan i dont know, God knows. He call Jesus Lord, preaches the bible correctly, Does good, and practicalises christianity through GIVING and FORGIVENESS. What i expect me and you to do is, to do the miracles he’s doing thereby saving lives, help the poor masses and focus on our ministry.
Remain Blessed
Pastor Isaac from Abuja
Isaac
>> Prophet TB Joshua has the solution whether from God or Satan i dont know,
So you saying that Satan has solutions to problems too. And as long as Satan appears to do good, gives, and appears to forgive and does miracles by saving lives on earth but sending their soul to hell in eternity it’s ok.
Well ‘Pastor’ Isaac one needs to wonder where you studied to be a pastor. Because what you are saying is not what the Bible says, and if your studies were based on the Bible then why do you preach another message?
Some of you may wonder how I, as a woman, can dare speak to a man who is a pastor the way I do even as I claim to be a Bible believing Christian. Should I not learn in submission from my husband? Should I be assuming authority over a man, whether it be in my “church” or over the internet? Probably not. But I answer to no one but myself! So if you have a problem with this, go drink coffee and talk about LOVE. hahahahhahaha
[Edited: This is the person who impersonated my blog and name]
I only have this to say…
Please explain Christ on a crusifix, next to a banner saying “there is no deity (god) except allah” quoted from the quaran in his church…
The quaran states that allah has no son. So who is this “jesus” that he refers to in his statement of faith…
oh, since when does water symbolize the blood of Christ?
Just a couple of thoughts…
J O
i got my very first research (2009-07-16) from here: http://www.letusreason.org/Poptea8.htm
i quote a few lines, but it’s best to follow the article yourselves.
Q: Why members of The Synagogue greet one another: Emmanuel? A: My God is a universal God, so He knew the mission He has entrusted me with.
> There are three entrances to the synagogue when one enters through the first gate, there are sets of tap nozzles fixed to the walls. These taps are connected from the public water distribution networks. The Man In The Synagogue sanctifies the water and it becomes Blood of Jesus Christ.
> The congregation … to get to those spigots first, that they might drink, splash, and in some cases even shower in the blood of Jesus….it turns the Biblical doctrine of the blood of Jesus (His vicarious death) into a sensuous, superstitious experience.
> After … they begin to writhe on the floor as in pain, they vomit and pee (mostly women). Both men and women seem to have pain in a certain area as they grab their genitals. > This blood that was once water is said to perform signs and wonders, but the people are tortured. Afterward we see them crawling on the floor scraping their buttocks as they leave. This is no miracle, it is not setting people free, but bringing them into spiritual bondage.
> almost all the supposed miracles are about people being afflicted in the private parts….Afterwards to prove they are healed to an audience the people pull down their pants or dress and show themselves publicly to others….inside a (the) Church.
> Although there was a sense of power at the church, Kiser said that from her experience ministering to people from occult backgrounds, she did not believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit. I saw more powerful miracles than I have ever seen, but they were not of God. (American ‘Held Prisoner’ at Controversial African ‘Miracle’ Church, by Andy Butcher– Charisma News Service, May 17, 2002)
certain gift of healing? He claims he was born with it. The Bible does not teach the gifts of the Spirit are given at birth.
> he touches the area on his body that needs to be healed on sick persons body. This is called transference in energy in psychic circles, this is not how the apostles nor Jesus healed. This is pure sorcery.
- The questions and answers that follow, can be find in this article: http://discerningtheworld2.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/t-b-joshua-the-deceiver/
cecilia
the contraversy behind tb joshua is that of a mentor, from my person experience you can receive mentorship by listening from someone, or by reading some autobiography, for example i ve never sat under pastor kumuyi, adeboye, chima okeleke, lazarus muoka and these people they don’t know me and they have never seen me at any time. but i have being inspired by them by virtue of listening to their teaching and some how i can say i ve being mentored by them indirectly. this can be so even to prophet tb joshua. its unfortunately that christians have taken the place of demons and demons have taken the place of christian. (when a demon of lust enters a person it will invite demons of murder, witchcraft, divination etc. to enter that person) why are we busy attacking one another. if prophet tb joshua is not the servant of God, Papa God will see to it that he is not. Most of the pastor in Nigeria i believe they have never being with tb joshua and i believe they just hear stories. May God help us to tell the truth with evidence than rumors.
Oh my…it would seem the spirit of witchcraft and the spirit of false Christianity runs rife in Africa. No wonder the African continent will be such a pushover when the anti-Christ comes to visit. Oh wait he was there the other day, infact he has been to African twice.
TB Johsua is a FALSE teacher who preaches WITCHCRAFT disguised as Christianity. I saw a program the other day on tv about how witch trials are the order of the day in some African countries. That innocent people are accused of being witches because of someone’s hatred for them.
Now here we have someone (TB Joshua) who is a genuine practitioner of black magic and he gets away free. Why should innocent people sufffer from false accusations and the guilty get away with blatant evil because he plays the part very well.
Pathetic.
Yes fake DTW3. I wonder what your wife would say about this comment, let’s not even mention to her the prologue on the fake blog you set up where you speak about women being unclean for 33 days…
T.B. Joshua is a pagan antichrist con man and criminal, like a vast majority of Nigerians whose whole lives are spent in schemes and criminality without one thought WHATSOEVER about Jesus Christ or the wrath of eternal damnation they are going to face since they refuse to repent and be saved.
Joshua has been involved with almost every crime imaginable and because he has so much money in one of the poorest countries of the entire world, he can get away with almost ANYTHING including murder, rape, abortion and any other crime that comes along with cult leaders of the Jim Jones or Hitler type.
Search this on youtube
Deception of the Age
It is a short documentary with testimonials of two people who were engulfed in TB’s cult for many years and have only recently been able to come to grips with what they were involved in and are now going public with everthing they witnessed and took part in while involved in tb’s criminal cult hoping it will shut him down and free many souls from the brainwashing that tb does through all of africa through his satanic emmanuel tv.
Look, Christians, we may all have diverse reasons to support or suspect Prophet T.B Joshua. But after all is said and done, no one will receive favour on THE DAY of JUDGEMENT because he came out with the fact or fallacy that T.B Joshua is a true Prophet. Actually, all of us, including Prophet T.B. Joshua will be judged individually by GOD. So i can only say that let’s be ardent readers of the HOLY BIBLE, Let’s continuously seek the WORD (JESUS CHRIST) till we find HIM and stay with HIM!! With this, we ourselves will know GOD’s true nature n live by HIS examples whiles HE dwelt among us on earth.
Santa
This is not a brownie points competition to see who can get the most facts etc, etc, etc. This about warning people that TB Joshua runs a cult and the most horrendus things take place in his ministry while he uses the THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST to deceive.
And anyone who ardently reads the Word of God would clearly see (because the Holy Spirit in you would WARN YOU so) that TB Joshua is evil and that people need to stay clear from him at all costs.
Watched those 8 videos. Very scary stuff. It’s a pity though that the pastor who did the second half of the videos spoke so fast, it was difficult to understand. Never the less, the proof is there – yet still people don’t want to listen.
I ONLY WANT TO USE THIS MEDIUM TO REACH ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHOM JESUS CHRIST DELIBERATED ABOUT SAYING THAT THEY STAND AT THE DOOR .IN ENTERING THEY WILL NOT ENTER IN GOING OUT THEY WILL NOT GO. THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING GOOD IN WHAT THE LIVING GOD IS USING A MAN LIKE THEM TO DO . I AM HERE IN GERMANY PRECISELY KÖLN AND I HAVE CHALLENGED THOUSANDS OF THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTING THE WORK OF GOD TO COME OUT TO DOM TRAIN STATION TO COME AND SHOW THE POWER OF THE GOD THEY KNOW. PLEASE, WE DO NOT WANT THE FAILURES WHO HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER HUMANITY TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE REVIVAL OF THE BELIEVERS. MANY BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN SLEEPING NOW GOD IN HIS INFINITE MERCY IS TALKING TO US SAYING ARISE AND HE IS USING HUMAN BEING LIKE YOU AND ME AS A MOTIVATIVE FACTOR ,THEN IF THE PERSECUTORS AND ANY OF THEIR FAMILY ARE NOT ENJOYING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THEN, THEY SHOULD PRAY HARD FOR THAT RATHER THAN THEIR SARCASTIC STATEMENT EVERY WHERE:ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
OPEN QUESTION TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER BUT PERSECUTION AND SARCASTIC TALK.IF THE GOD THEY KNOW COME NOW IN HUMAN FORM IN THIS OUR GENERATION WHAT DO THEY EXPECT THE BELIEVERS TO SEE AND TO RECEIVE.
Akinwande
It is writtten:
Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:23-26
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.’
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Matthew 24:30-31
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:37-41
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luke 17:28-30
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:9-11
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Revelation 1:7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Psalm 50:3-4
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
Hebrews 12:26
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven
Revelation 19:11-14
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Ok, so as we can clearly see, TB Joshua IS NOT JESUS CHRIST the SON of GOD
Bola
[quote] If he is not a man of God, he will fail. But if he is from God, there is Nothing you can do to stop the work of God through him. [End of quote]
Gamaliel Alert
So by using this great insight of yours (and Gamaliel in the bible) we can deduce that Islam has succeeded because God is behind it? Right…
Uh, dude…sorry, that is not the biblical standard.
There was a ‘booklet’ found/excavated from one of the early churches in Asia Minor. It is not scripture, simply a simple one page-ish instruction on church administration. Nothing mind blowing, just reiterating scripture.
What is devastatingly interesting is the section on how to ‘spot a false prophet in the church’
You would expect a 10 page thesis and exposition to come after that. No, the answer – wait for it, it’s so simple – ‘if he asks the congregation for money’.
Makes you think.
Michael
>> You would expect a 10 page thesis and exposition to come after that. No, the answer – wait for it, it’s so simple – ‘if he asks the congregation for money’.
Oh yes, I read that a year ago. I laughed. But yet they will hand their cash over because they think that money can buy salvation. Like the time Simon Magus tried to buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit from Peter so he could go and sell it to others. Acts 8.
O’Ohhhh….well now….that verse just closed down every Profit out there running a Simony church.
I think performing miracles alone is not a sign that a minister is a true servant of God. My concern is that T. B. Joshua’s prophecies has to do mostly with carnal secular and not spiritual things. I prefere a preacher that talks about Holiness, Sanctification, Readiness for Christ’s return to the miracle worker who focuses so much on miracles. He prophesized the death of Jackson and the Victory of Ghan team, how is that related to salvation and making heaven which is the ultimate? though i dont know much about the man,i believe most of the negative things they are saying about him, especially looking at the carnal fleshly things that forms the hub of his prophecies. Are we saying that all the preachers writing against him are wrong? How about the confessions of his former close associates. let us not be decieved by miracles and philantropy.
Akaazua Hanmaikyur
Akaazua Hanmaikyur
Exactly, miracles (false or even true ones) do not bring about salvation and repentance of sin.