Here is Part 3 of my next review on the C3 Church movement.
The theme of this review is “How to Read the Bible”. I review ‘Bishop’ Dale Bronner’s sermon delivered at C3 Church Oxford Falls on Sunday 29/07/2012 (6pm Service). In order to emphatically make the point, I put every Scripture he quotes (or at least the ones I could recognize) back into context, demonstrating that he twists EVERY SINGLE verse. That is NOT how you read or teach the Bible.
The ‘Bishop’ also spoke at this year’s Realmen Conference held at Oxford Falls (July 27-28). I find it hard to image how we are raising up godly men of character and integrity by teaching them to twist and mangle God’s word.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle or Dale Bronner, especially if they attended this year’s Realmen Conference (2012).
Here is Part 2 of my next review on the C3 Church movement. This particular review took much longer than I anticipated (nearly 3hrs!) and so I have broken it up into three parts which I will upload separately.
The theme of this review is “How to Read the Bible”. I review ‘Bishop’ Dale Bronner’s sermon delivered at C3 Church Oxford Falls on Sunday 29/07/2012 (6pm Service). In order to emphatically make the point, I put every Scripture he quotes (or at least the ones I could recognize) back into context, demonstrating that he twists EVERY SINGLE verse. That is NOT how you read or teach the Bible.
The ‘Bishop’ also spoke at this year’s Realmen Conference held at Oxford Falls (July 27-28). I find it hard to image how we are raising up godly men of character and integrity by teaching them to twist and mangle God’s word.
I will have Part 3 up soon so stay tuned.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle or Dale Bronner, especially if they attended this year’s Realmen Conference (2012).
Here is Part 1 of my next review on the C3 Church movement. This particular review took much longer than I anticipated (nearly 3hrs!) and so I have broken it up into three parts which I will upload separately.
The theme of this review is “How to Read the Bible”. I review ‘Bishop’ Dale Bronner’s sermon delivered at C3 Church Oxford Falls on Sunday 29/07/2012 (6pm Service). In order to emphatically make the point, I put every Scripture he quotes (or at least the ones I could recognize) back into context, demonstrating that he twists EVERY SINGLE verse. That is NOT how you read or teach the Bible.
The ‘Bishop’ also spoke at this year’s Realmen Conference held at Oxford Falls (July 27-28). I find it hard to image how we are raising up godly men of character and integrity by teaching them to twist and mangle God’s word.
I will have Parts 2 & 3 up soon so stay tuned.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle or Dale Bronner, especially if they attended this year’s Realmen Conference (2012).
Credit goes to C3CW for getting me access to the footage from Presence Conference 2012. Cheers.
[I apologise in advance for the occasional skipping. Its a little bit of a rough edit, but everything’s there.]
Here is my next review on the C3 Church movement. The theme of this review is ‘the price of a human soul’. I review Andrew Kubala’s statements at Presence Conference 2012, namely, that we can sow a financial ‘seed’ offering for the salvation of our loved ones. I point out that no amount of money can buy salvation, and that the redemptive price of a human soul is the blood of Jesus Christ ALONE shed on the cross. It is ONLY by Christ’s sacrifice that sinners are saved; this one offering accomplished salvation once for all and is never to be repeated.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle or Andrew Kubala, especially if they attended this year’s Presence Conference 2012 (April 10-13, Darling Harbour Convention Centre, Sydney)
[Email c3churchwatch@hotmail.com for access to the original audio/video of Kong Hee played in this review.]
I received some positive feedback from my last video review and so I decided to record another. This particular review focuses on Phil Pringle’s negligence in allowing Kong Hee of City Harvest Church Singapore to collect the opening offering on opening night at Presence Conference 2012, all the while being under investigation for misuse of church funds, about which Phil Pringle was completely aware and yet failed to mention any of the relevant details concerning the investigations to those attending the conference and watching online via live webcast. I critique Kong’s offering talk wherein he twists God’s word to fleece the audience.
Instead of getting the facts, the audience was fed a one sided propaganda piece, painting Kong as the victim and Phil Pringle as the hero who swooped in to save the day. As you watch this review, ask yourself: would the audience have been so willing to hand over their money at the conference if they knew that the man encouraging them to ‘give’ was currently under investigation for misuse of church funds? I don’t think so. This review will focus on Phil Pringle’s NEGLIGENCE in allowing all this to happen.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle, especially if they attended this year’s Presence Conference 2012 (April 10-13, Darling Harbour Convention Centre, Sydney)
Below you will find links to the news articles I play in this review.
City Harvest’s founder Kong Hee, four others arrested – 26Jun2012
[Disclaimer: I agree with the statement made by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean in this video that the law should be allowed to take its course and speculation or pre-judgments should be avoided. Therefore, I do not endorse Joanne Chan’s explanation concerning how CHC’s funds may have been misused over the years (see video at 2:20), as this could be considered by some as speculation and pre-judgement.]
City Harvest’s founder Kong Hee, four others charged – 27Jun2012
This video is a full length (90 minute!!) review of a sermon preached by Phil Pringle of C3 Church Oxford Falls, Sydney, Australia. The sermon is entitled “Make Room For God” and was released in iTunes on 21/07/2009.
The main theme of this review is “eisegesis”. I point out how Phil Pringle imposes his own agenda onto the Biblical text in order to manipulate people into donating money to the C3 Building Fund.
Please share this video with anyone you know who attends a C3 Church affiliated with Phil Pringle.
p.s. I apologise for the poor audio/visual quality. Due to the length of the video it was necessary to compress it for upload to YouTube and so naturally the quality has been significantly diminished. Again, my apologies.
When a pastor teaches the congregation, they are meant to use exegesis.
A basic definition of ‘exegesis‘ is a, ‘Critical explanation or interpretation of a text, esp. of scripture.’1
This is the correct way to handle scripture. However, eisegesis was a very popular method used by pastors to approach the scriptures.
A basic definition of ‘eisegesis‘ is a, ‘personal interpretation of a text (especially of the Bible) using your own ideas.’2
This is an incorrect way to handle scriptures.
A basic definition of ‘narcissism‘ is ‘Extreme selfishness, with a grandiose view of one’s own talents and a craving for admiration’.3
When you combine a narcisistic pastor using eisegetical methods you get Furt- a pastor who reads themselves into biblical passages. For example, they are to be a King David conquering giants. They are a Moses, leading the people. They are Solomon bringing the glory of God through their wisdom and expansion of the House of God. This is now becoming known as ‘narcigesis‘. No pastor should use the bible to exalt themselves.
ALL SCRIPTURE POINTS TO JESUS
Jesus said,
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” John 5:39
By reading ourselves into the text, we replace Christ with ourselves. To do this is to be antiChrist-like. John MacArthur says,
“The spirit of Antichrist has always been in the world. It has manifested itself both in open opposition to Christ and in subtle attempts to replace Christ.”4
The term Antichrist is explained in Vines Expository Dictionary,
“Antichrist: can mean either “against Christ” or “instead of Christ,” or perhaps, combining the two, “one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ” (Westcott). The word is found only in John’s epistles”
This is what makes pastors, teachers or leaders who practice narcigesis dangerous. If pastors are reading themselves or their audience into the biblical text, they are reinforcing the belief that scriptures point to themselves, “instead of Christ”. We have seen Phil Pringle also replace God the Father with himself and Jesus with money. See articles:
“When it says ‘God so loved the world’, we need to put ourselves in there and say, ‘I so love the world, that I will give the only begotten son’. And for us to actually achieve that, to spread the Word of God around the world; to plant churches, make disciples, empower saints, build bible colleges- all of it is done through your giving.”
And again:
“We will so love the world that we will give sacrificially”.
In other words, his narcigetical interpretation of the text is, “For I so loved the world that I gave my finances sacrificially.” He would not be that bold to say something so obviously wrong. However, that is what Pringle was essentially saying.
Scriptures say,
“… This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22
John 3:16 is a fantastic verse that teaches that the Father sent his Son so that we may believe in Him to have eternal life. Pringle denied this passage to speak alone on eternal life given to us by the Father and Son. He denied people access to the gospel. He denied people access to the Way of Salvation through the Father and Son. Instead he pointed a different direction to his congregation – self and money.
This is a good example why narcigesis is dangerous. Unfortunately, Executive Pastor Mark Kelsey took it one step further.
IF ONLY THIS WAS APRIL 1ST…
On the 1st of June 2011, Mark Kelsey spoke at the C3 Church Sydney Leaders Meeting.
“… And then Isaiah 61 sees Jesus walk into the temple. And goes, ‘Oo! Could be my day!’ He sees the scroll handed to the son of God. He sees him unfold it. He’s going, ‘Isaiah sixty one. Isaiah sixty – sixty one! One! One!”
And He, Jesus starts to read it. And He said, “Today this scripture’s fulfilled in your hearings.” Suddenly that scripture was fulfilled. You see, even Jesus found his identity in the word of God. Even Jesus- He didn’t go, “I’m the Messiah by the way. Did I tell you that? I am the Messiah.” He didn’t say that. He went to the scripture, found Himself in the word of God.
Where are you in the word of God? Where are you in it? Where are you in the word of God? Because THAT is what gets God on you. It’s not about knowing scripture, it’s about finding yourself IN the scripture. There’s the difference!” – Mark Kelsey, C3 Church Sydney Leaders Meeting June 1 2011, 19:19, http://vimeo.com/24594951, Uploaded Thu June 02, 2011.
At 10:49, Mark Kelsey says to C3 leaders about Christians in their bible studies (Connect Groups),
“They wont be impressed by what you know. They’ll be impressed by what’s on your life. That’s what touches people. That’s what feeds people. That’s what brings revival.” – Mark Kelsey, C3 Church Sydney Leaders Meeting June 1 2011, 19:19, http://vimeo.com/24594951, Uploaded Thu June 02, 2011.
WHY KELSEY SHOULDN’T USE MARKEGESIS
Remember what Jesus said?
“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” John 5:39
Mark Kelsey above teaches C3 leaders that “it’s not about knowing scripture” but wants them to apply scripture in a way that makes other Christians ” impressed by what’s on [their] life”. He is using the scriptures for selfish gain. This directly opposes the declaration of Christ and should not be how any Christian minister should teach.
Finally, Mark tells the C3 leaders that other Christians “wont be impressed by what you know” and how “what’s on your life. That’s what touches people. That’s what feeds people. That’s what brings revival.” Really Mark? Are we God? Are you speaking from experience?
1. Who touches people’s lives IS the Spirit of God.
2. Who feeds people IS the Word of God.
3. Who brings revival IS God when we exalt Him by preaching repentance through the gospel.
4. And we are NOT Jesus who IS the Word of God.
IN CLOSING
What was just reinforced in the minds of C3 leaders was narcigesis: putting confidence in the flesh; throwing out the Word of God and BECOMING the Word of God (“It’s not about knowing scripture, it’s about finding yourself IN the scripture”). This is very troubling.
This is the very EXACT THING that Pastor Matt Chandler spoke against at Steve Furtick’s ‘Code Orange Revival’. This was the sermon that annoyed Steve Furtick which he afterwards sensored. Possibly due to critics, he uncensored Chandlers sermon. Read our articles about this here:
In essence – the scriptures NEVER point to fallen, sinful creatures. They point mankind to God, Jesus Christ – the fulness of God in bodily form. We are in Jesus but we are not Jesus. We are made in His image but we are not God.
If you feel lead to pray for Mark Kelsey and the C3 movement, please do so.
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[1] Oxford American Large Print Dictionary, Oxford University Press, pg. 434.
C3 Church Watch 