Question: Dear Greg,
Our church has begun heavy use
of “Deliverance Ministries” type materials. I am concerned at this and
have begun an in-depth search to come to a better understanding of my
own. The trouble is although there is a lot of material on the web in opposition
to this ministry view, our church leaders say that this opposition comes from
people with a very “legalistic stance” (whatever that really means!).
The trouble is that they even say to me that I have to be careful reading
opposing views because the devil can deceive me.
How do I know which way is the truth -- and also what is a gentle way of
showing our church this truth?
Grant
Answer: Dear Grant,
As you report, it seems that those
who follow some fad or fancy often become dogmatic and judgmental about those
who question the wisdom of practices that are at best peripheral to the gospel,
and at worst contradictory and opposed to the central core teachings of Jesus
Christ (see 1 Timothy 1:3-7).
Deliverance ministries put a great deal of emphasis, as you probably know, on
the power and work of Satan and his demons. Some insist that we must determine
the names or provinces of power of specific demons so that prayer walking, done
in an almost primitive superstitious pagan manner, can deliver us from the
clutches of the demons. Of course there are many other themes of
deliverance ministries having to do with disease, emotional dysfunction, etc.
A common “technique” of some deliverance ministries is to pronounce a problem
or difficulty as the work of Satan, and then, through a manipulative
methodology, pronounce a cure -- the cure of course attributed to the specific
deliverance methodology employed by the individual or his/her ministry.
Big problem. Huge oversight. Major theological and biblical difficulty. Logical inconsistency. If we are in Christ we are not in the
clutches of Satan. Jesus Christ has delivered those who accept Christ from
the clutches of Satan. The “deliverance ministry” of Jesus Christ did this
once and for all -- it was accomplished on the cross and as a result of the
empty tomb. Jesus has triumphed over death and the grave, over all powers
and all principalities. He has already, once and for all, delivered
us. To God alone goes the glory, not to some deliverance ministry.
Another huge concern -- there are times when the mere interest in those things
that are evil and pernicious can lead to problems. Paul tells us in
Ephesians that we should have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of
darkness, but rather expose them. It is, according to Paul, shameful even
to talk about things that are done in secret (chapter 4, verses 11-12).
The primary problems with deliverance ministries:
1. They often give credit to the wrong
source. Jesus alone is our Savior, not some method or charismatic leader.
2. For Christians, the emphasis of deliverance ministries is “tilting at
windmills.” Christ has already, once and for all, delivered us from Satan
and his minions.
3. Deliverance ministries often obscure the primary themes of the gospel and
send Christians off on wild goose chases, fighting battles that have already
been won. As a result, Christians often fail to address and stress the central
and core beliefs of Christianity while off on deliverance crusades.
4. The act of becoming involved with deliverance ministries often results in
individuals believing that they now have problems that they never had. Real or
imagined, those involved with deliverance ministries often find that they lived
a less complicated and problematic life in Christ before they knew that there
was such a thing as "deliverance ministry." The Bible gives us
the standard of measuring activities by its/their fruit.
5. Deliverance ministries often become the watershed issue for those involved,
and those who have little time for such a ministry are often condemned and
judged by advocates of deliverance ministries as being self-righteous,
legalistic, uncaring, unspiritual or perhaps not even converted at all. Once
again, we look to the fruit of such activities.
Hope this helps.
In Christ,