How to Stay Above Deception Part 17

Charismatic Syncretism

By Apostle Felix

As I urged you when I left for Macedonia, I’m asking that you remain in Ephesus to instruct them not to teach or follow the error of deceptive doctrines, nor pay any attention to cultural myths, traditions, or the endless study of genealogies. Those digressions only breed controversies and debates. They are devoid of power that builds up and strengthens the church in the faith of God. 1 Timothy 1: 3, 4

The greatest threat to Christianity, especially in Africa is syncretism. Syncretism thrives where theology discrepancy has been normalized. Why do we have so much falsehood in the church today? This is because of porosity in theological doctrine of the charismatic movement. The fluidity and freedom in the charismatic to claim the pastor’s preaching as a revelation from God has allowed syncretism to take root in the church. Anybody can come up with new revelations that can be adopted into the church as part of God’s revelation.

It is that approach to ministry that has allowed false prophets to operate freely and comfortably as men and women of God. The charismatic pays less attention to theological doctrine. Prominent men and women in the charismatic movement have made careless statements such as, ‘one does not need Bible school to qualify for ministry.’ It has been heard from charismatic clergy confessing in pulpits that they are not theologians. They don’t need to be theologians to preach. Statements like that have made especially the upcoming ministers to despise theological training.

Today’s church has been invaded by cultural practices, and many of them are occult practices. The question is, how did these practices sneak into the church unnoticed? Occultists came into the church because the charismatic ministers had introduced wrong doctrines and practices. The charismatic movement in African introduced spiritism into the church. The doctrines of devils were taught in the church by sincere men of God, who thought were teaching the undiluted word of God. These were respected figures in the body of Christ who preached and taught doctrines that framed the church to accommodate occult men and women.

The church had started using water and salt before the occultists came to church. It was not prayerlessness that allowed occultism into the church, but wrong doctrines. When the church neglected sound doctrine, the devil and his doctrines entered the church. The devil found the foundation had been laid. He simply started building on the foundation that had been laid. It is about time to begin to examine the foundations we have been building our lives on. Is it Christ or cultural belief? Let us begin to question some of these doctrines that we adhere to.