‘Healing’ church faces ASA wrath
Johannesburg – A Christian church is facing action from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after repeatedly claiming to heal the blind, the lame, and people with HIV Aids or cancer.
This follows a complaint that the Johannesburg church, Solid Rock, is playing on the “desperation, ignorance and gullibility” of those who come to it, gathering large sums of money in the process.
The complaint, lodged in April this year by a member of the public, is not the first against the church.
The ASA has ruled on five previous occasions that Solid Rock has failed to substantiate its claims of people getting healed of diseases and broken bones, and has each time instructed the church to stop making them.
The latest complaint followed a church advertisement in the Northcliff/Melville Times saying:
“Bring the blind, the lame, Aids and cancer victims. 43 Crutches! 25 Walking sticks! 2 White canes from blind people! Already left behind!”
The ASA said the church’s pastor, Johan van Wyk, had submitted in response that the advertisement made no claims, and merely “encourages people to bring everybody. The crutches etc are hanging in its church so there is no false claim”.
In a ruling released on Tuesday, the ASA rejected this.
Unsubstantiated healing claims
“The respondent is clearly continuing to make unsubstantiated healing claims despite an instruction not to do so,” it said.
It said it was giving Solid Rock 10 days to make submissions on further sanctions.
Where an advertiser has “deliberately circumvented and/or flagrantly disregarded” the Advertising Code, the ASA may order that all future advertising be submitted for pre-publication vetting.
According to Solid Rock’s website, Van Wyk is the son of a Dutch Reformed minister who rebelled, joined a motorbike gang, and learned to live “in a very ungodly manner” before being saved.
The website includes testimonies from people who have allegedly been healed of illnesses.
One of them is headed “testimony of Aids healing”, from a person who claims to have been freed of HIV Aids through the power of the Christian god.
It is an integral part of Christian theology that it is possible for people to be miraculously healed of all sorts of diseases, and even to come back to life after being dead.
- SAPA
Source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Healing-church-faces-ASA-wrath-20100720
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Church’s ad with crutches banned in South Africa
(AP) – 1 day ago
JOHANNESBURG — A South African church won’t be allowed to show crutches or canes in its advertisements after some said it was making false claims of being able to heal people.
The church, which calls itself the Solid Rock Church of Miracles, says its display of discarded crutches and canes encourages ill and disabled people to join its congregation.
But others have complained that the ads are misleading, and South Africa’s main advertising complaints body said Wednesday it is banning the ads.
Leon Grobler, the advertising body’s disputes resolution manager, said the church is now being asked to provide more information.
Revivalist and healing churches have flourished in impoverished communities of southern Africa.
Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iuvmwXD0J6Ofeo0IRfB_aVXeJfHwD9H3GOHG6
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[Elmarie Note: Ok I had to do this and peek to see what is this church all about. The resemblance to Marc Bredenkamp from DHC is uncanny and scary!
WARNING PLEASE VIEW SOLID ROCK CHURCH WEBSITE WITH BIBLICAL DISCERNMENT.]
ABOUT THE PASTOR: Johan & Marinda van Wyk
For the first few years of his life, Johan grew up in a parsonage as his father was a Dutch Reformed minister. His parents nicknamed him “Cowboy” and he lived up to this name, believing that he was born to be wild!
While at school he loved sport, motorbikes and of course girls. He played first team rugby, and did well in athletics and tennis.
After a religious upbringing he rebelled after school – becoming a rebel without a cause. He moved to Hillbrow where he roamed the streets, spending most of his time in the discotheques. He joined a motorbike gang called “The Barbarians”, and this is where he learned to live in a very ungodly manner.
After getting saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues in 1981, he fell in love with Jesus and immediately started evangelizing, doing deliverance and getting people filled with the Holy Spirit. HE WAS NOW A REBEL WITH A CAUSE, rebelling against the devil, dead religious Christianity and traditions. [DTW note: He fell inlove with Jesus after he was baptised. Biblically it's the other way around: You love Jesus therefore you want to be baptised. Baptism with evidence in speaking in Tongues is not biblical. See article here on Speaking in Tongues. http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/07/18/speaking-in-tongues Also what exaclty is DEAD religious Christianity? Does he mean Biblical Christianity? Must be, that is why his new Christianity does not resemble anything from the Bible]
He finished two years of Bible School at Rhema Bible Training Centre in 1991 and in 1992 he was ordained as an IFCC minister. He started a church in Westdene called WORLD OUTREACH CENTRE. After two years the church developed into a ministry instead of a church. Johan then ministered in America, Swaziland, Gazankhulu, Venda, Durban, Ladysmith and Cape Town. He also ministered in Boksburg Maximum Security prison for two years, as well as Townships like Soweto, Alexandra, Diepsloot and many other places.
On 21 March 1998 he got married to Marinda van Wyk. Marinda originates from Cape Town. As Johan, she also got born again in 1981. After school she decided to spend a few years in academia and obtained the degrees BComm, BComm Honours, and MComm cum laude. She started her career as a training and development specialist, moved to Johannesburg and then also did her doctorate in Industrial Psychology. Currently she is a Human Resources Manager at a Financial Services Institution. She grew up quite differently from Johan, but God’s timing was perfect when he brought the two of them together. Subsequently Marinda also completed the Diploma in Christian Counselling at Rhema Bible School and also taught at Rhema’s Healing School in 2000 and 2001.
On 7 February 2002 Johan started with meetings called “THE GATHERING OF THE DANGEROUS” which later developed into this Church called SOLID ROCK (The Church on Fire) – officially launched on 5 October 2002. [DTW note: The gatherting of the Dangerous? No where does the Bible says that Christians are dangerous. It does say: Galatians 5:22-23; “22But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,23Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].”]
This has now become a pace-setting Church on the cutting edge of what GOD is doing worldwide. [DTW note: Oh another pace-setting church, just like Kobus van Rensburgs. God is doing nothing new worldwide. Ecclesiastes 1:9 " What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun." Satan is hoever working over time using many NEW things, gathering souls by the millions daily through churches such as this.]
MISSION
Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Raising the Standard of Christian Living by:
* Operating in the “Greater Works”, miracles, signs and wonders, deliverance and whatever else the Lord called us to do. [It's really annoying when people twist scripture. The 'Greater Works" Jesus was referring too in the Bible was in regard to the speading of the Gospel - going out and reaching nations (something that Jesus did not do as He only preached in certain areas). If anyone thinks they can be greater than Jesus Christ then they should think about the time when Jesus was tempted in the desert, where Satan came along and offered to give Jesus that which He always owned. Blasphemy and woe to those who would want to lift their toe one cenitmeter higher than Jesus Christs.]
* Developing a more intimate relationship with our Father through our relationship with the Holy Spirit, whom our Lord and Saviour Jesus has given us access to. [DTW note: Jesus has given them access to the Holy Spirit? Clearly they do not understand how the Holy Spirit works. The Holy Spirit abides in Christians, He does not hang outside Christians in the atmosphere waiting for His next command to perform a miracle.]
* Loosening the bonds of wickedness by the anointing of Christ. [Oh another twisted scripture]
* Being led by the Holy Spirit in everything and at all times. [I suppose if you are following a false Holy Spirit then they are telling the truth, otherwise they are lying, for if they did obey the Holy Spirit they would not be preaching another gospel.]
* Making true disciples of men.
* Caring for the individual: spirit, soul and body.
Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that say unto Zion, Thy God reigns!”
VISION
Habakkuk 2:2, “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that read it.”
Raising the Standard of Christian Living [I have never heard such a load of rubbish in all my life. Genuine Christians do not need to be taught on 'raising the standard' for the Holy Spirit abides in them and with genuine Salvation comes repentance and a changing of ways. Again can I say I have never heard such a load of rubbish in all my life. I suppose if you are not saved you will need to set goals on how to live a good life, and you will used your own flesh to try abide by them - which means they will never be achieved. Now the commandment from the 10 commandments, Thou Shalt Not Lie is something that ROCK CHURCH needs to be held accountable for.]
Luke 4: 18-19 : The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
-Being on the cutting edge of where the Holy Spirit is leading and what the Lord expects from the Final (John the Baptist) Generation [DTW note: Oh the John the Baptist Generation - where have I heard this before - is it not another name for Joels Army?]
-Reaching our full potential as individuals in our gift and callings and corporately as the body, having the Lord manifest himself so that the earth is filled with His glory [DTW note: This is Latter Rain, Manifest Sons of God teaching. They are building a kingdom on earth, awaiting THE CHRIST (anti-Christ) to show up. Anyone who is not in accordance with their beliefs by then need to be removed].
-Revival: Having the Sons of GOD revealed and the Bride prepared for His coming.
[DTW note: Sons of God revealed and the Bride? There are 2? That's news to me.]
Source: http://www.solidrock.org.za/about%20us.html
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[Elmarie note: All I can say these false teachers/preachers are jumping out of nowhere: Here is more about SOLID ROCK CHURCH OF MIRACLES
"Raising the Standard of Christian Living. This blog is for men and women of God that want to break out of religion and experience and walk in the great power of God, healing the sick, raising the dead, and setting the captives free! http://churchofmiracles.blogspot.com WARNING PLEASE VIEW SOLID ROCK CHURCH WEBSITE WITH BIBLICAL DISCERNMENT.]
2 Peter 2:1 (Amplified Bible)
1BUT ALSO [in those days] there arose false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among yourselves, who will subtly and stealthily introduce heretical doctrines (destructive heresies), even denying and disowning the Master Who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
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A testimony from SOLID ROCK CHURCH from a person who was healed from AIDS.
Testimony of Aids healing
Hello, Pastor! I greet you in the most wonderful name of Jesus Christ. I was so glad to hear from you and surely was blessed. Before everything, I would like to briefly give my testimony to you.
Long before God adopted me in His family, I did many things, bad and evil, the world could offer. I married and had one child who was discovered born with HIV/AIDS virus and later died. After that we decided to go to the mountain in the forests seeking God for our healing, where we stayed for six months.
It wasn’t easy for us to be in the forests seeking God’s face, for six months without His grace. But in the sixth month, Heaven was open and God spoke to us that He’s healing and miraculous power to demonstrate unto the dying world that is swinging into space without hope.
Therefore, we went down for HIV test, made it, showed that we were extremely made whole (HIV negative), we’ve been traveling around the globe and seen God’s power mightily manifested in such marvelous ways.
It is my prayer to God that we meet. I’ll let you know everything about my healing, and will show you the HIV tests I had from different hospitals. I am telling you, let the South Africans get prepared for God’s power explosion. Look forward to hearing from you. http://www.solidrock.org.za/testimonies.html
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See below article for ministry called 220 Generation run by a Youth pastor Ivan Viljoen who quotes Johan van Wyk. Go look for the Quote of the Year – It’s guaranteed a laugh and a half. http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2010/07/23/the-fires-of-hell-burn-bright-for-220genergation/
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Here is a video of Kobus van Rensburg from Spirit Word Ministries who uses ‘Healing’ as a way to bring people to his church so he can take their well earned money.
Another unverifyable healing of a women who supposedly had AIDS.
I know you will delete this but I will tell u anyway cos you are really stupid – ‘building a kingdom waiting for christ to show up (anti-christ)’ dont you know He has already showed up, He is being manifested in the beleivers. You can tear the page out of your bible that says we are to come forth in the image of christ – the full stature, full measure cos it doesnt apply to you – in fact tear out half of the new testament cos you are not walking in Christ. You people should get lives – try the Christ life – it has certainly worked for me. I will pray for you guys – stop being so pathetic – you honestly have way too much time on your hands to create rubbish like this – we also have a church with miracles and no asa (hole) will stop me advertising what God is doing - asa is not above God and neither are you.
Dominique
Noooooo Dominique/Pastor Debbie you are kidding me. Oh my goodness Pastor Debbie aka Dominique what are you saying?
How can you tell people to tear out pages from their Bibles that is not good.
Pastor Debbie aka Dominique since when have you the authority to say what and what does not apply to us?
Yikes talking about APOSTASY from Pastor Debbie aka Dominque.
How would you know ooohhh but I forgot you are the Christ Pastor Debbie aka Dominque. You said this in another thread as far as I can remember.
Not the life you have surely I just see Apostasy and false teachings there.
Yeah you betha cause your are Imortal and getting younger is it? as you also said on another thread.
You like to insult people do Pastors usually do this kind of thing and then you offer to pray for us? I smell a rat here eeeuuuuwwww
Well If you want to call Discernment rubbish it is your problem not ours. Read your Bible and ask for forgiveness of your sins and pray for mercy.
Oh yes we know yes ? You seem to do funny wierd things at that church. You know it is called APOSTASY what you are preaching. But you said this already else where I think you said this: God is using us in a church where we have signs, wonders and miracles following the Word – which is undiluted, uncompromised -TRUTH. If you need healing in any area in your life then please visit us. God will touch you………………………………………..let the asa try and stop me – I stand up for Jesus before man – He stands up for me before the angels.
We never claimed to be so stop the lies please.
Oh I forgot to say oh my oh my but you can make claims like you are the Christ wow Pastor Debbie aka Dominique
You certainly cannot claim to be immortal yet while here on earth as God Alone makes the descision who will have eternal life hereafter we must all apear before the Judgement seat of God one day .
1 John 4:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
1BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
2By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [actually] has become man and has come in the flesh is of God [has God for its source];
3And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [but would [a]annul, destroy, [b]sever, disunite Him] is not of God [does not proceed from Him]. This [[c]nonconfession] is the [spirit] of the antichrist, [of] which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world.
The following comments by Dominque aka Debbie aka Pastor Debbie and Jo-Ann, Tessa and Margaret. It is just so sad that people are blinded by deceipt and choose fleshly things above the truth. But this is typical of what is taught by the False churches who mainly teach Dominion now and Prosperity theology. It just numbs me that people like Kobus van Rensburg teaches Bible and Imortality , as claimed by Debbie. We are commanded to teach the Word of God only. Yes People like Debbie aka Dominique , Jo-Ann, Tessa and Margaret have fallen for these false teachings. So sad and we can only pray for their eyes to open and ears to hear.
This is what was said by Dominque aka Debbie aka Pastor Debbie and Jo-Ann, Tessa and Margaret :
The following was said here :
http://www.discerningtheworld.com/2009/11/06/what-a-tragedy-prophet-kobus-van-rensburg/
This is to show how people can be mislead by False Pastors/Preachers/ Prophets and teachers. They are so blinded by false teachers that they will make the most ludicrous claims.
When I read the following scripture I could not help to think things will not get easier it is already worsening by the day.
These type of places are also becoming more en more common and they all claim to be non denominational.
WOW – blasphemy!
South Africa: E.tv in Hot Water
3 August 2010
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has accused e.tv of promoting quackery by airing a weekly 30-minute church paid-for advertorial in which a pastor claims he is able to heal several life-threatening diseases, including HIV/Aids. </b.
Quackery loosely describes the promotion of unproven medical practices.
The TAC alleges that two people died after attending a healing session at the Christ Embassy church in Joburg, where they were supposedly “cured” of HIV and XDR TB.
The two allegedly attended the faith healing sessions at different times and were apparently told to stop using their ARV treatment because God had healed them.
Their doctor, Graeme Meintjes, said on Monday: “The patients were on treatment before they attended the Christ Embassy healing session and were doing extremely well.”
Meintjes said that when he saw the woman a year later, she hadn’t taken her medication and had advanced Aids.
TAC treasurer Nathan Geffen said religious organisations played a critical role in the fight against HIV/Aids and TB, but this was not the case with Christ Embassy.
“E.tv is promoting quackery by airing Christ Embassy’s commercial at 7.30am on Sundays,” said Geffen.
Geffen said that by claiming to heal life-threatening conditions, the church led people to believe they no longer needed to take their tablets or seek appropriate medical care.
“E.tv’s 3rd Degree has been outspoken against Aids quackery and denialism, so it is disappointing.”
But the free-to-air channel says the programme, Higher Life, which is produced by Christ Embassy, will not be pulled. E.tv spokesperson Vasili Vass said the programme was an advertiser-funded show.
“While individuals and organisations may not agree with the content of the show, it must be acknowledged that millions of people around the world believe that faith plays a role in healing,” said Vass.
“E.tv strictly adheres to the advertising standards and broadcast regulations by which we are governed, and in the event that there is a ruling against any programme or advertisement by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) and the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASASA), e.tv will comply with such ruling.
“As yet, no such finding has been made against Higher Life.” Vass said the station would continue airing the show, but with disclaimers before, during and after to inform viewers that it was an advertiser-funded programme.
The TAC lodged a complaint with ASASA in November. Under the advertising code, ads cannot make unfounded claims about treating or curing a disease, but ASASA ruled that the content was sponsored programming and not an advertisement, and therefore it did not hold jurisdiction over its content.
The TAC is appealing the ruling. Geffen said the TAC had contacted the church, but no resolution had been reached.
Christ Embassy directors were not available for comment.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201008040527.html
And then I found this about Christ Embassy – Rev. Chris Oyakhilome. Hmmmm another T B Joshua type.
Please read with discernment.
Need I say more ………….
What’s with all the different bank account details on Solid Rock’s website, including Johan’s personal savings account? If that doesn’t ring alarm bells, then I don’t know what will. If they are really able to heal the sick, then why in God’s name, ask for money? I always thought Christianity was a humble and charitable religion.
Annie
I wish every single person who comes across Johan van Wyk’s website and church asks the exact same questions you do. That means they are thinking and the end result would be that they have thought twice and put on their running shoes and make a b-line away from this fraud.
Johan van Wyk makes a mockery of Jesus Christ.
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