Voice of Reformation

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Martin Luther

In 1517 an obscure German monk by the name of Martin Luther nailed his 96 Theses (objections) to the door of the Wittenburg Church.  His  reputation was ruined, he was excommunicated, and his life was threatened.  But his act of confronting the errors and excesses of his day sparked the Protestant Reformation, lighting holy fires that burned around the globe, removing errors and destroying man-made religious traditions and structures.  In the same manner, we must again nail the scriptures and sound doctrine back on the church door of our day, rebuking the errors and excesses that are so common, and call on God to forgive us, cleanse us, renew us, and revive us again that we may proclaim the Gospel of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to a lost and dying humanity. 

Sowing Seeds for a Reformation of 

Charismatic and Word of Faith Christianity

Rev. Mel C. Montgomery, Editor

 June 2009 Issue

     The Lord visited me on February 17, 2009. 

     I did not see the Lord.  No vision was involved.  But I listened to Him as he emphasized to me an aspect of great faith from the life of the Syro-Phoenician woman that I had never before heard taught.  The Lord said to me, "When you pray to Me and all you get from Me is silence . . ." and then He went on to give specific instructions that transformed my faith walk and prayer life, and I believe this word from the Lord will transform yours also.

     I shared this message in a brief form at the yearly H.I.M. ministers meeting, and several ministers approached me after the service and said that this message had encouraged them, strengthened them, and answered questions for them.  I share it in an expanded form here so that you too may be encouraged and strengthened in your walk with God.

"Jesus Answered Her Not a Word"

By Rev. Mel C. Montgomery

Copyrighted Recording

Part I

Length:  30 Minutes

Part II

Length:  29 minutes

New Goodwin Recording:

     This message that Brother and Sister Goodwin preached at Christ For the Nations in 1971 is a wide-ranging one.  They speak of the lions and giants they had to battle and conquer, throughout their lives but particularly in the first couple of years of their ministry.  They bring wonderful balance concerning faith.  Brother Goodwin tells in detail the story of their infant son Charles being taken to a Smith Wigglesworth meeting, but not receiving healing.  Then how months later, Charles was healed in response to their persistent prayers and faith.  Brother Goodwin declares, "There is healing for all!"  The recording ends with the Goodwins ministering to the people and giving several words of knowledge, a couple of which are really humorous.

"Kill the Lions and Stone the Giants"

(Ministering at CFNI 1-15-71)

Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin

Copyrighted Recording

Part I

Length:  32 Minutes

Part II

Length:  48 Minutes

"How Our Ministry Started"

(Ministering at CFNI 1-10-71 Afternoon)

Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Goodwin

Copyrighted Recording

Length:  67 Minutes

Live Stream

     This page, and the theological document to which it links, has been on this website for over two years.  Recently I reviewed Derek Vreeland's paper "Reconstructing Word of Faith Theology," and found it even more insightful than when I first read it.  He lays out the major flaws in Word of Faith theology in a manner that is clear, accurate, objective, and courteous.  I have edited my introductory comments substantially based on what I have seen since its original publication.  I urge everyone to read this, even those of you who read the previous version.  Brace yourself.  I cut straight to the heart of our problems as a movement.  This is not for the fragile, the thin-skinned, or the unpersuadable.  

David Du Plessis Recording:

      In the process of making the recordings on this site accessible by live streaming, I did some additional sound editing on this recording.  This remains one of the most remarkable sermons I have ever heard.

"Robe or Reality"

By David Du Plessis

Copyrighted Recording

Length:  44 Minutes

Live Stream

     A past issue of the Assemblies of God's "Heritage" magazine features a biography of Howard Carter that is several pages long, and provides a good overview of his life and ministry:

Alfred Howard Carter:

Pentecostal Warrior

By David Bundy

Please Note:  Once the PDF loads, scroll down to page 11.  This magazine issue is 8.86 MB, so even on fast computers it will take several seconds to download.  Be patient.

Ministers Call for National Day of Repentence

A Report by Charisma Magazine

     I am joining with a number of national Christian leaders in asking Christians to repent and to turn to God for His help on Sunday July 5, 2009.

     Charisma Magazine reports:  "A cross-section of Christian leaders on Tuesday issued a call for churchgoers to kneel in prayer on July 5 not for the nation but for the body of Christ.  "We're asking churches as an act of humility, on behalf of the church first and the nation second, to get on our knees and cry out to God on July 5," said Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins, who is spearheading the initiative being dubbed the Call2Fall. "On July 4 we celebrate our independence, and it's our desire on July 5 to declare our dependence upon God as a people and as a nation."

     "I think the church is coming to a point where we're coming to the end of our own devices and we're looking to God for the prescription of what it will take to turn this nation around," Perkins said. "And I think we can't come to God on our terms, we have to go to Him on His terms, and He's made it very clear [in 2 Chronicles 7:14] ... that we are to humble ourselves before Him and seek Him and turn from our wicked ways—and that's not the nation, that's the church. So I'm very encouraged that if the church will take this challenge, take the call to fall, that God will move in this nation."

     I encourage other ministers and churches to join in this time of seeking God's face.

Rev. Oral Roberts

     The Oklahoma State Senate recently honored Oral Roberts.  To that honor I add, "Well done, Brother Roberts!"  We join with the leaders of your state in giving God praise for the great fruit your ministry has borne over the years, and in your faithfulness to your calling. 

     Although I disagree with some of Brother Roberts' teachings and ministry approaches, I also acknowledge the great contributions he has made to the Body of Christ:

Oklahoma Senate Honors Oral Roberts

Holy Ghost Meeting:

Old-Time  

Holy Ghost Meetings

      Rev. Elizabeth Pruitt-Sloan          Rev. Mel C. Montgomery

     August 7,8,9     London England

                                         Grace Place Church

                                         Pastor S. Sekou Abodunrin

          Postponed         in the Chapel at:

                                         Spurgeon's College

                                         South Norwood Hill

                                         London, England

     August 16          Jersey Island

                                         New Life Christian Fellowship

          Postponed         Pastor Maruice Allaire

                                         Communicare St Brelades

                                         Jersey Channel Islands

                                         Tel no 01534 736533

     August 17           Jersey Island

                                          FGBFI Dinner

         Postponed           Guest Speaker

      The Church meets on the campus of Spurgeon College in a historic chapel that is over 100 years old.  Repairs have become necessary and the College could not confirm the availability of the August dates.  We hope to reschedule for later in 2009 or early 2010, according to the availability of the venue.  The Jersey Island meetings are postponed also.

     October 10, 11   Mulberry, Arkansas

                                          Pastor David Garner

                                          314 North Main Street

                                          Mulberry Arkansas 

     Your financial support helps with the continuing costs of this website and the money and time involved in working with these rare recordings.  Your help is very much appreciated.

To donate by PayPal:

 "Choosing Between What is Right

 and What is Easy"

By Mel Montgomery

     A character in a movie said, "Life involves choosing between what is right and what is easy."

     That's a great line.  

     It is a true statement concerning life, but it is painfully true that ministry and the entire Christian walk involves "choosing between what is right and what is easy."  The great shock of my adult life, and the even greater shock of my ministry career has been seeing how many lay Christians and Christian leaders when faced with choosing between what is right and what is easy, will consistently choose what is easy.

     I know Christians who lie.

     I know Christians who steal.

     I know ministers who are master manipulators. 

     I also know other Christians who see these individuals lie, steal, and manipulate, and enable them by looking the other way.  The right thing is to confront sin or misconduct.  The right thing is to tell the truth even when your job is at stake, or when the truth might cost you a promotion, or even when telling the truth might get you voted out of your ministry office.  However, I've known very few Christians or ministers who consistently tell the truth regardless of the price.

     Very, very few.

     When telling the truth is almost certainly going to cost you comfort, money, or presteige, what do you do? 

     Do you tell lies, or play along with the lies of others, because to do so is easier and puts you at less risk? 

     When you get right down to it, do you stand for the truth only when it is convenient and costs you nothing?

     One day we will all stand before the Lord.  And when we do, we hope He will give us great rewards.  But we need to realize that great rewards are given only to individuals who stand for the truth regardless of the price.

     Allow me to direct my comments now to those of you who are ministers:

• When you hear a major prophet come up with some new teaching that you know is unbiblical, do you do what is right and take a public stand against the error?  Or do you do what is easy and pretend you are not aware of what is going on?
• When a prophet prophesies something that flatly does not come to pass, do you do what is right and call him on the carpet?  Or do you do what is easy and just ignore the false prophecy?  
• When a healing evangelist spends an hour taking up an offering ostensibly in order to "see that everyone gets in on this blessing," do you do what is right and quietly leave the building?  Or do you sit through the shake-down scheme, and then later tell a few people how "disgusted" you were?
• When the majority of the Charismatic world goes off the deep end by embracing a heresy, do you do the right thing and say in your meetings, "I know this is commonly taught in our circles, but it is absolutely unbiblical?"  Or do you do what is easy and say "it is all just a matter of interpretation?"

     Christ demands that we decide:

     Will you do what is right and preach My gospel?

     Or will you do what is easy and preach error?

     Will you do what is right and demand ethical behavior of yourself and others?

     Or will you do what is easy and ignore ministry corruption?

     Will you humble yourself before Me to win my praise?

     Or will you smooch up to men in order to receive their praise?

     Remember John the Baptist's warning to Israel as he was preparing them for the appearing of the Lord:

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."--Luke 3:9.

     More times than I can count, I have told the truth when to do so appeared to be very risky.  I've stuck with the scriptures, when some new error has arisen in our midst that 99% of the Christians around me have embraced.  I have been through many tests and trials in which I was given over and over the opportunity to choose between what is right and what is easy.  To the best of my knowledge, I have consistently chosen the truth, the scriptures, and what is right rather than what is easy.  Many times in the short-term taking an ethical stand cost me a promotion, or made me persona non grata in some circles.  But I can say that time and time again when I chose what was right, and paid a price, the Lord always made it up to me later by giving to me, in some manner, far more than I lost.  The Lord stood with me and saw me through.  Paul similarly wrote:

 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength . . . "--II Tim. 4:16,17.

     Choose what is right, even when it is not easy.  In doing so, you will not stand alone.  Your Lord will stand with you, strengthen you, see you through the challenges, and receive you unto Himself and reward you at the end.

Copyright 2009 Mel C. Montgomery All rights reserved.  Article may be copied and shared with others as long as it is done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.

Dear Ministry Partners and Friends,

     The message of Reformation we present to the Body of Christ continues to resonate with increasing numbers of Charismatic and Word of Faith Christians.  Many ministers have come to realize that we can not continue promoting unbiblical and bizarre teachings and unethical ministry practices.  The Lord is steadily opening our eyes, and I am thankful for the part He is allowing us to play in this awakening.

     The London meetings are a little over two months away now, and I am looking forward to them.  I've received word that a number of you will be traveling or flying in from places in the UK and Europe to attend the meetings.  I'm looking forward to meeting you.  I thank  you also who have told me you are praying for the meetings.  I believe the Lord will do some remarkable things in those meetings.

     The Lord seems to be consistenly speaking to me along a certain line.  A few weeks ago, I was talking on the phone with a couple who have ministered in tongues and interpretation for many years.  Suddenly, I knew I had a message in tongues.  So I asked if we could stop and wait on the Lord and they agreed.  I spoke out the message in tongues in an usually forceful tone.  I did not have the interpretation, but I knew it was a warning of some sort to somebody.  The man interpreted it instantly, and I was surprised to find that it was a warning to me.

     The Lord warned me in the strongest terms not to change my message, and not to allow myself to be associated with ministry that is not legitimate or biblical.  After the message was thus interpreted, the couple and I talked on for several more minutes.  Then I asked if we could stop and wait on the Lord again, because I felt that there was an additional message in tongues to be given.  In a few minutes, I spoke out a second message in tongues, this time also in the same forceful tone of voice.  The man gave the interpretation, reiterating some of the things that the first message had said, and adding in a little more.  The thrust of this second message was also along the lines telling me to not alter my message, and to not play up to men in order to try to get something from them.

     A couple of weeks later, I was speaking on the phone with a sister in the Lord.  I've known this lady for approximately 20 years, and I have confidence in her.  This was the first time I had spoken with her in over a year.  I updated her on how the website was doing, the upcoming London meetings, etc.  We had a pleasant conversation.  At the end of the conversation she asked me, "Mel will it be alright if I obey the Lord?"  I replied, "Certainly."  Then she began prophesying to me.  I had said nothing to her of the content of the two messages in tongues that were given and interpreted about two weeks previously by the couple.  Even so, the prophecy she spoke out was almost word-for-word what the couple had prophesied to me two weeks previously.  In the prophecy that flowed from this sister in the Lord, the Lord sternly instructed me again and again, "do not water down your message," "preach the Cross," and "do not worry about what men think about it."

     So within the space of two weeks, the Lord warned me three times through two different vessels to not water down my message, to not associate with ministry that isn't real, and to not play up to men in order to gain some kind of fleshly favor with individuals.

     I can not say that I have been overly tempted along those lines since those messages in tongues and prophecy were given recently.  However, the temptation is always there in the background.  I am well aware that if I would just play along with certain errors, many more doors would open to me:

• If I taught that any believer can "step out" in spiritual gifts and prophesy whenever they want to, rather than teaching that "all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit dividing severally to every man as He wills" the "New Prophetic" people would love me.
• If I would just teach everything that Kenneth Hagin taught--even the teachings which he unintentionally expressed in theologically incorrect language and reasoning, rather than sticking with historic orthodox Christianity, far more "Word of Faith" churches would throw their doors open to me.
• If I would launch a full-scale attack against the Word of Faith message, rather than teaching as I do--"here is the baby . . . that is the bathwater.  Keep the first and throw out the second" many Christian apologists would love me.

     Instead of playing up to different groups by watering down my message, telling them what they want to hear, and associating with ministry that is not real, I choose to reason things through, stick with the scriptures and remain within the bounds of historic orthodox Christianity.  The Lord is directing me to stay on this same path.  I intend to obey Him.

     I encourage you to do the same.

     Kind Regards,

     Brother Mel

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