This side of the so called “Visible” Church, (though it’s not really a part of the true “Visible” church has been taking some hits.
Btw. The Westminster Confession comments on the Church with this Chapter:
CHAPTER 25
Of the Church1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.
2. The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
3. Unto this catholic visible church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth, by his own presence and Spirit, according to his promise, make them effectual thereunto.
4. This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.
5. The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated, as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will.
6. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof.
Obviously, not the Roman Catholic Church, and also not these New Apostolic Churches….
The real problem is much of this reflects on the biblical church as seen by our culture. Not that the culture wants any part of that. Nor can they unless God actually calls them. If you read C. Peter Wagner’s (a Fuller Professor) words of Apostolic commissioning you can get the idea of how far off these guys are. Wagner served as the senior advisor for Rick Warren’s Doctor of Ministry (DMin) dissertation at Fuller Theological Seminary. His speciality was Church Growth…and in my observation along with the Word of Faith movement these sides of the “church” did grow massively worldwide. One encounters followers in Africa and we personally saw them in the Ukraine when we did a medical mission trip there.
Here is what Peter Wagner said to Todd Bentley when he stepped onto the stage: (All “prophecies” are from the VodPod video of Todd Bentley’s commissioning [7])
“This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley:
Your power will increase.
Your authority will increase.
Your favor will increase.
Your influence will increase.
Your revelation will increase.
I also decree that:
A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
A new life force will penetrate this move of God.
Government will be established to set things in their proper order.
God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error.
New relationships will surface to open the gates to the future.” [7]
[6] Todd Bentley’s Apostolic and Prophet Commissioning
[7] Ibid
I’m sticking with as best as I can a solid Biblical Faith as expressed in the Bible and as summarized in the Historic Reformed Doctrines.
Here is are links to the other recent hit on the Bethel Church Leadership. The First three from Glenn Chatfiled blog.
Shawn Bolz Is One Cog in the False Prophetic Wheel: A Conversation with Justin Peters
Bill Johnson & Bethel’s #1 Heresy: The Kenosis
Here’s a longer article examining Bethel, demonstrating that Christians should have noting to do with Bill’s Johnson heresy and blasphemy.
We Have Had Enough of False Prophets!
Posted by Marsha West ∙ February 10, 2026
Rainbow Trout 