Toronto Blessing - a Deception >>

Camberwick Green · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 7:36 pm Post subject: Toronto Blessing - a Deception >>

This is from a former minister of the Toronto Vineyard church

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The TORONTO DECEPTION"
-by former Toronto Vineyard Pastor Paul Gowdy.

It has taken me nine years to actually come to the place where I would write this story. Part of the reason was because I was not fully convinced that it is appropriate to speak out against weaknesses in the body of Christ publicly. Another reason is because it has taken years of soul searching to become convinced that what happened in the Toronto Airport Church was actually all bad or at least more bad than good!

For the past number of years I have called it a mixed blessing. I think James A. Beverly called it this in his book Holy Laughter and the Toronto Blessing 1994. Today I would call it a mixed curse concluding that any individual good that came from this experience is far outweighed by much harm and satanic deception. I suppose that therein has been my dilemma. I have tried to live my life in thefear of the Lord and Jesus told us that the unforgivable sin was the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Attributing to Satan what was in fact a work of God. If pressed as to whether or not the Toronto blessing is all God or all Devil I will still be hedgy, but I am convinced that Satan has used this experience to blind people to the historical doctrines of God, to produce fruit in keeping with repentance, to failing to test and discern the spirits and failing to test prophecy.

After three years of being in the thick of the Toronto blessing our Vineyard assembly in Scarborough ( East Toronto) just about self destructed. We devoured one another, with gossip, backstabbing,division, sects criticism etc. After three years of 'soaking,' praying for people, shaking, rolling, laughing, roaring, ministering at TACF on their prayer team, leading worship at TACF, preaching at TACF, basically living at TACF we were the most carnal, immature and deceived Christians that I know. I remember saying to my friend and senior pastor at Scarborough Vineyard Church in 1997 that ever since the Toronto Blessing came we have just about fallen to bits! He agreed!

My experience has been that the manifestation of spiritual gifts
mentioned in 1st Corinthians 12 was much more common in our assembly before January 1994 (when the Toronto blessing started) than during this period of supposed Holy Spirit visitation.

During 1992-1993 when praying for people we would experience what I believe was genuine prophesy, deliverance and much grace and favour from the Lord. After the Toronto Blessing started, all ministry time changed, the only prayers were 'More Lord MORE', the shouting of 'Fire' the jerky shaking of the body with the 'oohooh OOH WOOOAAH' prayer. (I kid you not!)

On January 20th 1994 about 15 people from our church traveled over to Toronto Airport Vineyard in order to listen to Randy Clark, a Vineyard pastor from the USA. John Arnott had called our senior pastor to invite us. He communicated that Randy had been to the Rodney Howard Browne meetings and that the stuff had broke out in his church in the following weeks. John was hoping that something might break out with us too. We were only too happy to travel over. We were a church plant out of the Toronto Airport and we started in 1992. In those days there were three Vineyard Churches in Toronto. One Down Town church, Scarborough
vineyard church to the east and the Airport Church. We were one big happy family. Because we were small in number we did special meetings, conferences etc, together.

The year before most of our leadership teams joined and had headed to Nicaragua for a short term missions trip. We had genuine love and fellowship with each other. Since leaving the Vineyard churches I have read a fair bit of analysis from the critics. Some make out that the Toronto Blessing was one huge conspiracy to lead the body of Christ into heresy. Heresy and apostasy I suspect may well be the result, but none of these destinations were intentional. I am honestly convinced that the
leaders in the Vineyard churches are genuine born-again Christians who love the Lord, but have fallen into deception. Theyhave not loved the Lord enough to keep His commandments. They have failed to obey the scriptures and have been led astray by our longing for something bigger and brighter and more exciting and dynamic. I am guilty of this sin also. I have preached renewal in Korea, the United Kingdom, the USA and here in Canada. I amgenuinely repentant and in writing this story I would ask you the bride and body of Christ to forgive me. Especially the Pentecostal/ Charismatic Christians among you, for you are my immediate family theologically. I am an evangelical Christian, I always have been but I do not believe in the cessation of the spiritual gifts at
the end of the apostolic era. I believe that it was my evangelical roots (my family are Baptists and I was born again in the Presbyterian Church.) that started to open my eyes to problems with this so called renewal. In hind sight I look back and think how could I have been so blind? I laughed at people acting like dogs and pretending to urinate on the columns of the TACF building. I watched people pretend to be animals, bark, roar, cluck, pretend to fly as if they had wings, perpetually act drunk and singsilly songs. How I thought that any of this was from the Holy Spirit of God amazes me today. It was loud irreverent and blasphemous to the Holy God of the Bible. I suppose in my mind I reasoned that as long as they did not teach any thing in direct violation to
scripture then it was what we called the exotic. This is a buzz word for manifestations that could not be justified from a biblicalperspective. I was taught from the pulpit that we had two options. The order of the nursery full of life and messy or the order of the graveyard, very orderly but dead! As a young immature pastor I wanted life with mess. I failed to remember that God wants us to become mature and grow up in him. I became disconcerted by the prophetic words that came forth especially one by Carol Arnott in which she had her bride experience where she was taken into the very presence of Jesus and said that the love that she experienced was even better than sex! I was shocked in my spirit and thought how can one compare the love of God with sex? When we
suspected that demons were running riot in our services John Arnott would teach that we should ask are they coming or going. If they are leaving then that is ok! John would defend the chaos by saying that we ought not be afraid of being deceived, if we have asked the Holy Spirit to come and fill us then how could Satan come and deceive us? This would make Satan very strong and God very weak! He said that we needed to have more faith in a Big God to protect us than in a Big Devil to deceive us. This sounded very convincing but was totally contrary to scripture for
Jesus and Paul and Peter and John all warn us about the power of deceiving spirits and especially so in the last days. Again we did not love God enough to obey His Word and the result was that we opened ourselves up to lying spirits. May God have mercy upon us!

Finally the penny dropped for me as I was rolling around one night 'drunk in the Spirit' as we would say. I started singing and as I rolled around the floor the Nursery Rhyme 'Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow.' came to mind. I sang this in a mocking spirit and instantly my heart told me this was a demon. Instantly I repented and was in total shock. How could a demon get into me? Did I not love God? Was I not zealous for the things of God? Was I not nuts about Jesus? I knew that an unclean spirit had just manifested through me and I was guilty of great sin. After this experience I stayed away from TACF. I did not go back there any more. I did not possess the conviction to denounce the whole
experience but thought that we where failing to pastor the Blessing
well enough.

Even after I stopped going over to TACF, I had to pastor the fruit of it. One example was when some of our people returned from a meeting there asking us if we had all received the golden sword of the Lord? I asked them what they were talking about thinking that it was some prophetic reference to the Holy Scriptures but they said, 'no, it's not the Bible, it's an invisible golden sword that only the really pure can receive. If taken in an unrighteous fashion thenthe Lord would kill you. But if you are holy enough to receive it then you can wield this sword and it will heal AIDS, Cancer etc. and bring salvation. How one wielded this sword was by pretending to have this invisible sword in your hand and motioning
to strike people with it when in prayer! I thought while even in deception at this time that the TACF had become Looney bins! This was purportedly first received by Carol Arnott and then given to the ones holy enough to receive it! Another thing was the golden fillings in the teeth. We had people in our assembly peeping down one another's throats looking for the gold fillings that God had placed there to show how much he loved them! In all my time there I only heard one message on repentance given by a visiting speaker from Hong Kong named Jackie Pullinger. It
went over like a lead balloon. We were not there to repent, we were there to party in the Lord! After one year into the blessing I spoke out at a pastors meeting and said 'guys we have shaken,rattled, rolled, laughed cried and bought the tee-shirt. But we have no revival, no salvation, no fruit and no increased evangelism so what's the deal?' I was soundly rebuked - who was I to expect to see fruit when the Lord was healing his broken people? We had been legalistic long enough and God was spending this time restoring his wounded and freeing us from legalism I was told not to push the Lord and the harvest would come in his time.'

I knew this was wrong because the Lord had commanded us to go into all the earth and make disciples! Not that everyone should take a sabbatical for who knows how long, while God does some strange new thing! Ultimately I left over something as controversial as the ordination of women. Personally I believe from scripture that women should not be pastors/elders in a local assembly. I couldbe wrong on this and there is much debate in the Church today but that is my conviction and in the Vineyard churches they were ordaining all the pastors' wives to co pastor with them. I am certainly for women in ministry but believe that the Elder/pastor role in a local assembly has been reserved for men. I did not write scripture but God willing I will have the grace from now on to obey it.

So there is my story. I could go on and document much excess, folly, sin and latter day reign teaching that manifest from the prophetic end of this Blessing but others have already done that. We sang about Joel's army and the billion soul revival as if it were one of the Ten Commandments, and as always it was just around the corner. Next month, next year etc. Jesus said that when the son of man returns will he find faith upon the earth? And if he does not return when he does no flesh would be saved but for the sake of the elect he comes. This is a far cry from the dominionism that is being taught all through the vineyard/prophetic/ spiritual warfare movement. I honestly think that they think they are going to take over the whole world! While in the Vineyard I embraced a life verse from the Apostle Paul the phrase do not go beyond what is written!

To finish I just want to say sorry for the damage, that I have personally done by teaching things that are not correct biblically. I repent before men as I already have before God. I will not excuse my falling into deception. I did not bother to test things when the scriptures commanded us to do so. Everyone who was there when this thing started knows that what I write is true, they would just come to different conclusions especially if they are still promoting the 'river!'

To those in the river I would say swim out, there are things living in the water that will bite you real good! I love the people of TACF and the Vineyard movement but I think that we have much to answer for and may the Lord open your eyes sooner rather than later. I suspect that when this letter goes online I will get bombarded by emails from both camps, some damning me for still believing in the ministry of the Holy Spirit and still walking in deception andsome old friends damning me for exposing dirt or being negative about the Lords anointed! Well, the Lord knows my heart and by his grace he will guide me into all truth as I seek to know Christ and him crucified! If you believe that I walk in sin and error please pray for me that the Lord would forgive me and open my eyes. I will study the word to show my self a work man approved! I would
call on all who read this to pray that the Lord would open the eyes of all who have been involved in this deception. Whether leader or follower, we are loved and the Lord is a forgiving God. He says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. I believe we are like the church in Laodicea, we think that we are rich, have prospered and need nothing, we do not realise that we are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. We must take the Counsel of Jesus and buy gold refined in the fire (which is his suffering, not a false spirit!), white garments to clothe our shameful nakedness and
salve for our eyes that we might see again. Jesus is calling us to repentance and thank the Lord that he is, for it will lead us to true restoration with our Father! If God has forgiven me and opened my eyes then he can do it for all those caught in deception too. I will finish with a warning from Paul, he says if you think you are standing firm be careful lest you fall.

Sincerely Paul Gowdy
_________________
It might sound funny to others, but suddenly thinking you are French is terrifying. Louise Clark Sufferer of rare condition Susacs Syndrome

COME ON SALE !!!!

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1367

How recent is that article Mr Green? I note that the latest date mentioned is 1997 which is ten years ago now. Has the TACF cleaned up its act in the intervening decade? I ask because even though I am no lover of charismatic Christianity I'm not sure that using a ten year old club to hit them with is partcularly fair or proper.

Camberwick Green · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject:

I found this on another site just posted fresh

by the way how are stagecoach buses

I suspect I know who you are but you are not telling me
_________________
It might sound funny to others, but suddenly thinking you are French is terrifying. Louise Clark Sufferer of rare condition Susacs Syndrome

COME ON SALE !!!!

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1367

Yes but how old is the actual article? It might be ten years old even though you found it very recently.

Stagecoach buses sounds like something from history.

You know who I am. I'm bobbyc. That's not a secret, everyone on KTF can see that.

Sisyphus · Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject:

I agree Bobby. I read this article on a web site a long time ago.

It's pointless dredging things like this up again and again.
_________________
".... love thy neighbour as thyself." is the hardest thing I have ever done....

VictoriaPlum · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 718

CG, me old mucker, you often post things about charismatic worship of this type and we all know you don't like it (no condemnation from me here, a former charismatic). I wonder if you have had a negative experience which has influenced you? Would be interesting to hear about it if you feel like sharing.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(that's just to show I am not having a go at you Icon_laugh

, I am genuinely interested. I will share mine too if you like though I am not wholly negative about it)

keepingthefaith · Guest

I don't think for me is was a matter of a bad experiance regarding the Charismania Charismatic Church (vineyard, Toronto etc) it was more of a realisation it was far from scriptural.
Anything withthe terms 'soaking' 'meditating' maifestations' and 'holy laughter' i steer well clear of.
Having said this I know of people who have joined these churches and opened 'healing rooms' in Scotland and are truly born again, infact there relationship with the Lord is quite humbling and some I know personaly well.
I feel though that the devil has an opening and is useing it with some of these so called spiritual practices.
I think sometimes though as CG has experianced must have hurt you deeply as it seems hard to leave the thoughts of it behind, but sometimes it's good to be aware and realise deception when you see it, CG Icon_hugginsmileys_753

after all there is plenty going about in Church circles

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

The article may be old. That does not mean it is inaccurate.

Excesses occur in many things.
_________________
The effectiveness of a posting is inversely proportional to its length.
C.S.Craig

Sisyphus · Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 9:18 am Post subject:

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

What you mean is that there is no point in going over it again.

I was looking at it as if it were accurate age did not matter.
_________________
The effectiveness of a posting is inversely proportional to its length.
C.S.Craig

VictoriaPlum · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 718

Practically every subject we discuss has been "done to death"! If not on here, then elsewhere. It is interesting to discuss - sometimes - and 'new' people often put a different slant on subjects. I am interested in why CG is so anti! Icon_laugh

Only if he wants to tell us though.

Like you, Anne, I have known people who were very into the Toronto blessing and wonderful Christians.

I have also had my moments but looking back, and this I have said before, I have doubts about my own genuineness. Maybe I was fulfilling an emotional need. One of the people I mentioned above was a woman with great emotional needs but I feel her experiences were more genuine than mine.

I can't say any of it did me any harm. The only thing I didn't like, and it was an attitude I didn't adopt myself, was the implication, nicely put, that being slain in the spirit and speaking in tongues meant that the people concerned were just a little bit further on in their journey than others.

Eddie c · Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 685 Location: Manchester

If what went on in the so called Toronto blessing is remotely connected to christianity then i am off back to the Kingdom Hall.

I guess you will tell from this that i am somewhat anti.

http://www.intotruth.org/tb/laughsp.html

Take a visit to The Toronto Airport Church.

http://www.bible.ca/tongues-audio-video-documentation.htm#scotland
_________________
One thing i do know.I was blind but now i see.

crystal · Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 308

I am anti toronto blessing but I know someone who was struggling and it was Toronto Airport Church that turned his life around. He is now a strong Christian, not involved there anymore and old troubles in his life are being healed.
I cannot understand why but as we know God works in mysterious ways.

VictoriaPlum · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 718

Odd business. One of the people I knew who was most affected by the blessing attended Holy Trinity Brompton on occasions, where the Alpha course was born. She and the other two people all visited Toronto as well, and found it quite enriching.

I don't honestly know what to think.

As you say, Crystal, God works in mysterious ways. The Alpha course happened and many people came to Christ because of the Toronto blessing, even if they did leave a lot of it behind eventually.

Eddie c · Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 685 Location: Manchester

Victoria i have to disagree. People come to Christ because of the gospel. My thought is that if someone is truly seeking God then he will answer them despite such things as Toronto.

I am more concerned for the many who are cursed by this teaching and end up disallusioned and hurt. Did you watch the links to Toronto Airport church. Does Mrs Arnott have a left leg anointing? Icon_swoon

Is The HOLY Spirit the author of such chaos?.
_________________
One thing i do know.I was blind but now i see.