Fleecer’s Fleeced
By Gary Amirault
This year seems to be a harvest year, and the harvest was indeed plentiful. The leading Christian ministries headquartered in the United States were fleeced of hundreds of millions of, no not wool, but millions of your hard earned dollars. It seems their tickling ears just couldn’t resist a rumor floating around the Christian financial community that a Philanthropic organization headed by an Evangelical was offering a matching fund program which guaranteed them a doubling of their, (or should I say your) money. By being able to drop names like Rockefeller, Billy Graham, etc. as references, John G. Bennett was able to convince the financial officers of the leading Christian organizations to invest hundreds of millions of believers money into a fund called New Era.
New Era, an interesting name considering John Bennett had many connections Evangelicals would term “New Age.”
It seems Mr. Bennett had concocted what was known in the investment field as a “Ponzi scheme.” The idea is to take the money the latter investors give to pay off the earlier investors. Then the news goes out that this thing really works. Greedy people looking for a quick dollar are usually the only ones who fall for such a scheme.
An accountant from one of the Christian Colleges saw through this scheme and recommended his college not participate. They rejected his suggestion. He followed up on his hunch, reported his finding to the proper federal authorities and the hammer came down. It was a scam.
A partial list of those Christian ministries who were fleeced are:
- James Dobson’s Focus on the Family
- Pat Robertson’s 700 Club
- Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade
- Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship
- World Vision
- Youth For Christ, International
- Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
- Salvation Army
- Walk Through the Bible Ministries
- Young Life
- Moody Bible Institute
- Christian Broadcasting Network
- Wheaton College
- Chapel of the Air
. . .and the list goes on and on and on. The government estimates as much as $550 million dollars were involved. Surely these ministries will throw the blame onto anything other than themselves.
The American church, as I mentioned on the audio tape entitled, the Church is a rich prostitute, owns over a trillion dollars of real estate, stocks, bonds, etc. It’s gathering and use of this money is on extremely unscriptural grounds.
In the last Dew I recommended some of you to ask for names of ministries in foreign countries that you can personally help without Tentmaker becoming a middleman. Can you now begin to see why I recommend this method rather than the ones being use by the above listed ministries? The god of Mammon rules in the American church, I don’t care what anyone says. It reigns supreme.
Handling finances is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian walk. It is easy to get duped. This area is the area of ministry I hate the most. I know I am just as capable as falling into these pits as well as anyone else. I have shared some of that on a tape, Plates, Buckets, Bags, and Envelopes. I sure don’t have all the answers on the subject of the proper way to manage ministry money.
Many ministers do the best they can and still fall short just like the rest of us. Fortunately, we serve a God of mercy. Some ministers, unfortunately too many, are in ministry purely for self-gain. These stars will all eventually fall. At least one of the ministries involved in this “Ponze scheme” will be out of business next year due to their loss.
Please do not let these kinds of events stop you from giving. If you do, you will fall into the same pit. Rethink the whole concept of what is a ministry, how should it be supported, how can you be the best steward of what our Father has given you to invest.
One suggestion that might be helpful is this: Jesus said if you see someone hungry, feed him. He didn’t say send the money to a ministry headquartered in a nice posh office building on prime real estate that will only be able to send less than 10% of your dollar to the hungry one. (Because their salaries and expenses and profit-making schemes that fail have eaten up all the rest.) Give the dollar directly to the hungry one. Give him Christ the True Bread at the same time. Enter into your ministry, the ministry of reconciling the whole world … one at a time.
I encourage you once again to write for addresses of those overseas who desperately need you. Your dollars personally invested into the poorer countries of the world will reap a return far greater than “Ponze schemes.” A dollar plowed into Africa or Asia will do far more than what a dollar can do invested in many American ministries. Please pray about writing for those addresses.
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Giving to true, New Testament ministries is important. That is, ministries where Christ alone is magnified and all involved simply see themselves as mere servants of His (2 Corinthians 1:9; 3:5; 4:5). And, where His pure Word, in His holy fear, nothing left out, is declared in His love (Ezekiel 3:4; Ephesians 4:11-15; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 4:2-5; 1 Peter 4:11, etc.). Also, the feeding, maturing, and tending to of Christ’s sheep is transpiring and the winning of lost souls – Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:47; 1 Timothy 4:6, 16; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.). Much More Fascinating information here Stewardship
De-Funding the Wolves| Local Church Revenues | Wise Kingdom Giving
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Abiding
The Evil Winds of Satan with Judge Travis Bryan III [podcast]

Acts 27
The Significance of the Shipwreck
39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
The cross message, as taught from the Bible via brother Travis Bryan III, is unsurpassed the world over. His understanding of the cross life, his understanding of the cross message, is a gift from God to us all. What a gift he has been granted to teach the cross. Many will be in glory as a result. The cross is essential to eternal glory (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6, etc.).
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Abiding
Warned and Safe [podcast]

“By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Psalms 17:4
PWT = Preach, WARN, Teach
- Preach
- WARN
- Teach
Lynne Parker writes:
“I truly believe Christians will be tried by the Word in this hour. There is no more riding the fence or taking a neutral position. God Himself will place us all in a position to stand or fall according to the Word. “Deception” and its sister “delusion” are gripping the Body of Christ – like a dark cloud it is covering the land. The false dominion (NAR) theology and signs and wonders movement has effectively conditioned multitudes to forsake the authority of God’s Word and embrace their subjective feelings as guidance in discernment concerns. But in these latter days only those who divorce their feelings and trust only in God’s Word and have developed a love for the truth will overcome the devil’s schemes. Sadly many will be lost – it’s unfolding right before us.”
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Abiding
Teach the Bible [podcast]

JESUS IS COMING AND THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST IS “HOLDING FORTH (BOLDLY DECLARING) THE WORD OF LIFE”
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:16
WHEN you speak God’s Word, you are speaking divine authority.
“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:15
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20
“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 1:6
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16
Nourishing the Body of Christ
“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6
“All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15
The best way to learn is to teach.
HOW well do you know your way around in God’s Word?
Jesus knew His way around God’s Word. Do you? If not, why not?
“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he FOUND the place where it was written,” Luke 4:17
The disciple of Christ must daily and diligently search, study, and learn God’s Word in light of His Great Commission command to us to teach His Word to others (Matthew 28:18-20). Our ability to minister is in large part based on our knowledge of God’s Word or the ability to navigate God’s Word (King James Bible).
MAKE THE DIFFERENCE – OBEY GOD, “PREACH THE WORD.” (2 TIMOTHY 4:2)
Tip: Always know WHERE you are reading in God’s Word – chapter and verse. You’ll be surprised at the repertoire that begins to build, making you, like Jesus, a good navigator of our LORD’s Word as you preach His Word (Luke 4:17).
Have you ever pondered why there is little or no Scripture being used when listening to someone pretending to be speaking about the LORD? You should wonder (Matthew 7:16, 20; 1 John 4:1).
“Preach the word” is the divine mandate, command (2 Timothy 4:2).
Let us cease to pretend that we represent the LORD when everything we say isn’t coming straight out of His Word. Read that again please.
“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (written Word) of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
Think God is calling you to serve? Good. If He has saved you, He has called you (Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:7). Get lost in His Word every day (Jeremiah 15:16). Read it (Revelation 1:3). Study it (2 Timothy 2:15). Memorize it (Proverbs 4:4). Meditate upon it day and night (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1). THAT’s your prep for ministry, not going to an antichrist seminary. Jesus inducted you into His school of the Holy Ghost and Word the moment He saved you.
“As I was listening I was thinking of Paul. Who was a very educated man in the law. But after he was saved he spent three years being taught exclusively by the Lord Jesus Himself. And he says he “conferred not with flesh and blood.” But he was taught “by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:12-18). All of us should be taught by the Lord in His Word and not learned through mere men or books. But by a direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is The Word of God (John 1:1, Rev 19:13).” Karen Cochran
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