I received a response from Malcolm by way of e-mail and I replied by interspersing comments in bold type below:

Hi John, thank you for your response. I know you love us and you speak from you heart with any and all types of concerns for God’s people.

Hi Malcolm, I am so glad you caught the spirit in which I wrote. Yes.

When I first encountered God when visiting your church that experience took me way outside of the box, the church box. You preached the Gospel

Yes.. and still do today.. though I feel I have greater insights into it.. I am a Gospel preacher and seek to be nothing else.

and displayed a life encounter with God contrary to anything I had seen or experienced myself. Being under your mentorship was the beginning of God encounters, visions, a trip to heaven, open eyes into the spiritual realm and demonic encounters. I didn’t pick and choose these but they happen. God has always been careful to place people into my life to walk with me, correct me and stand with me when no one else wanted anything to do with who I was.

Yes.. these things do happen.. they have happened many times in church history as God has poured out His Spirit. Jonathan Edwards, mightily used by God in the Great Awakening here in America, write a book about such things called religious affections. He made it clear though that these experiences should not be sought. There is not one New Testament verse that tells Christians to look for trips to heaven this side of the grave. If you remember, I have never taught on such things or encouraged people to seek such things. Even though my understanding of the Scriptures has increased greatly on some things, and even though there is still limitless things I dont know, I have always sought to root people in the word of God and not experience. That was Peter’s whole point in 2 Peter 1.. The text says:

having witnessed the transfiguration of Christ with his own eyes, something only 3 human beings ever did, on top of the mountain, he said “we have a more sure word of prophecy.” In other words, “the word of God is surer than any experience we have – even though I have had the greatest.”

When I share the Gospel with people I have the opportunity to see the majority of them receive Christ as their Savior but some do choose to say no, not now or how can you expect me to believe that?

Yes, I have always been aware of your gifting and passion as an evangelist.

I have no idea what they have been through so I know it may be hard for some to accept. When I share my encounters with people as I did in this last email I share them with believers. They don’t need to believe me or choose to accept that what I say can possibly be true just as some of the lost people don’t accept the Gospel I just shared with them but the fact remains the encounters are real and I share them as an encouragement to people. They may never have those experiences but why should I not testify about them. The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophesy.

There can be a strong tendency for people to think their Christian life is sooo sub par if they dont have those experiences.. People can say “why dont I have them like Ron does?” Can you not see that? Experiences have to be tested, the word of God does not… the word of God is the diet of the Christian, all else is sinking sand. Yet the Christian who struggles sometimes to read their Bible and pray is just as loved as you.. just as cherished by the Father.. why not share your insights into His word, rather than your experiences? My mother has seen the Lord.. she could have made a movie about her experience.. she could have milked it for all it was worth – but instead she wants Christians to base their lives on the written word of God and in services here and abroad, has always just taught the word of God.

I don’t just want to lead the lost to Christ, I desire to lead those who are discouraged even as believers to a deaper relationship with Christ.

Deeper relationship – yes.. amen.. dramatic experiences – no – that is none of your or my business.. Leave that to God – our task is to preach the word.. in season and out of season..

Until God tells me different this is how I will continue to do it.

He already has said differently in the Bible Malcolm.

My story was not a Gospel presentation it was a story about Jesus sharing something of value to him with me. As for Jenn Johnson, I have not attended any of her classes that are taught at the Bethel School of Supernatual Ministry. That video was one of those classes. I don’t attend this school but I do attend this church. The teachings and the move of God durring these services remind me of a great preacher I have had the opportunity to learn under, You.

I am now at Bethel because I asked God to take me out of my comfort zone to a place I have never been before just like he did when I first encountered your church. A lot of people use to ask me about my comfort zone cause it was a place too hard for them yet it still intriqued them. That part of my life is behind me and I am reaching for more. Bethel Church doesn’t teach their people to bring the lost to church to get saved, they train them to lead the lost to Christ and then get them into a church that will minister to their own needs. I don’t see Bethel Church as a place of signs and wonders, it truely is a place that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is taught and it so happens that signs and wonders do follow, but its happening all over this nation and the lost are coming to Christ in a way I have never seen before.

I seek none of these experiences you mention.. I seek to spend time with my Lord and in His word each day and to feed the flock He has entrusted to me. All else is foolishness.

Because you have shared this with me I will be dillegent to keep my eyes and ears open to what is being preached to everyone here. You are a true friend..

I hope so – I remain very deeply concerned.

A friend of mine whom I will call Malcolm (not his real name) wrote to me this week. He recently moved to Redding California to be part of Bill Johnson’s church there. He writes:

I haven’t purchased a digital recorder yet so I’m an sending these God moments to you via email. This is what happened today – Saturday July 2nd, 2011.

Caroline (not her real name) and I went to the Healing Rooms at Bethel Church here in Redding California this morning. Caroline has been having some pain in her knee joints as well as some other issues in her body. I didn’t go for prayer myself, i just wanted to be there to be in the soaking room. This room is filled with the loving fragrance of God. People are dancing, praying, singing and worshiping God to come into His presence. It is such a wonderful place to be it is easy to get caught up in the Spirit as he moves among his people. My goal was to be in that presence this morning because I just wanted to look God straight in the eyes and tell him I love him. I didn’t really know what to expect but I did go there with an anticipation of having a refreshing encounter with him some how.

I was sitting in a chair rocking back and forth just soaking in the moment when two ladies started dancing in front of me. These were worshipful dances, I sensed it was an expression of their love for God. As I was watching them I asked God if the people in heaven dance the same way or is the motion and movement more elevated than what I was seeing. Right then I saw myself standing in a park like setting. I don’t know what was behind me but before me I saw hundreds of people in what looked like a park It was somewhat bowl shaped. There were a lot of kids dancing and laughing and just having a wonderful time. I saw older people joining them, it almost looked like Gypsy’s dancing as they moved in and out of the people around them. Their movements were smooth and precise and very fast. There was so much laughter. I stepped forward to join them and then I was no longer watching myself but I was seeing what was going on from the perspective of being in the flow of people. The music was very worshipful. As I danced through the people I moved on to another group also dancing but not to the same music as the first group. It appeared as though they were doing a two step country jig. Although the music was different it did not clash with the other dancers or the music they were dancing to. I asked what was going on and I herd someone say that the first group were worshiping God in their dance and the second group was declaring his power and authority in their dance. There also appeared to be more men in this group than women. The first group there were more children, then women then men. I hope that makes sense. As I was watching these worshipers in the expressive dances I looked further away into the park and could see an elevated patio off in the distance. It was large about half the size of a football field actually a little smaller. It was elevated four steps higher than the grass area and there were large columns on it but no solid roof over it. It all looked like a white polished stone. It had the appearance of fogged glass. I walked up the steps and to my right stood a very large angel. As my son Brian would say when he was six years old, “he was a dark man”. He looked like a warrior, maybe 8 ft. tall and well over 400 lbs. I’m not sure how I know this its just a guess.

I walked up to him and he just stood there looking straight ahead. I asked him if he ever smiled and he looked down at me and did so. I looked over to where all the people were dancing and celebrating and I asked him if he could dance. He started moving around like a ballerina. He was very graceful and light on his feet and smoooth. As he danced around more angels appeared. I don’t know where they came from they were just there and they were all watching. They had long hair, some with blond hair others brown hair and still others with black they too looked like warriors. Some of them had braided hair. Their skin color was not all the same but the majority of them appeared to be Caucasian. One stood out cause he looked like the movie character Thore. Then the angel dancing stopped and the others stepped forward and started dancing with power and authority, it was as if they were declaring something or telling a story. It didn’t last very long cause Jesus showed up. He was standing in the middle of them and then they all stepped back to give him some room and he looked at me. I just stared at his face. I walked up to him and said “once you asked me to dance with you and I told you I didn’t want to dance and you replied that you wanted to and so you took my hand and we just started dancing, well would you dance with me now?” And like someone on Dancing With the Stars we just started doing what looked like a Waltz. He took my hands and we just started sweeping around this patio, we looked good. It didn’t seem to last very long, when we were done we just stood silent for a moment then he pulled my head into his chest and just held onto me and loved on me the way a dad does who never wants to let his child go. I buried my face into his chest and just cried. I was so overwhelmed by his love for me. He didn’t have to say a word yet he spoke thousands to me. I just kept saying thank you over and over to him and then it was over. I opened my eyes and I was back at the Healing Rooms with a bunch of people loving on God and getting healed among other things. Several people started standing up declaring that they received their healing and no one had even prayed for them yet.

This is what happened today, it was a good day….Malcolm

I waited a few days to gather my thoughts and pray and wrote the following to him this morning.

Hi Malcolm and Caroline,

Many thanks for the updates. It is always great to hear from you. I think you are a terrific guy Malcolm – always have. Caroline is amazing too – but you already know that. Actually in what I can discern of my heart it is love that prompts me to write this now. That is because I do have genuine concern.

My concern is about where you, places like the IHOP and the Redding Church seem to be going spiritually. I dont attend of course, this is only an observation from a huge distance away. But the e-mail you sent does seem to be a pattern. Please let me explain.

As I understand it – a good day in the church for the people of God is when God is worshiped in reverence, the Gospel is presented clearly, the word of God is read to the people and the saints are edified because the Word is exposited, right interpretation takes place that is then applied to all of life. This last Sunday we had a good day at our Church.

I am not sure that is enough for people in these venues. Actually I feel sure it is not. They want something much more dramatic – visions, dreams, experiences, out of body experiences, gold dust, sights of angels.. and on and on we go. I think that is dangerous… VERY dangerous. I am convinced that these poor people would be bored to tears if the Apostle Paul himself left heaven and started teaching Romans in their pulpits.. yawns would emerge from the crowd within minutes.

Yet his charge for ministers remains – 2 Tim 4:1 – I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

I read through your update you sent me Malcolm and as interesting as it is, I dont see anything of the Gospel. There is no word of God expounded. Its just your experience.

… would you be gracious enough to watch a couple of very short videos which highlight my concerns.. Would you do that for me?

(1) From an IHOP church – http://slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/unholy-manifestations-at-ihop/

(2) Jenn Johnson from your church in Redding – http://slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/this-is-sound-doctrine/

Now I dont know if either of these videos are typical or representative of the sort of ministry and emphasis at your church.. I make no accusations at all.. I just believe our safety is in the God breathed Scriptures and not the slippery and dangerous slope of experience.

I just want to alert you as to my concern.

Your friend always and because I care,

John