For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (II Corinthians 11:13-15 NKJV)
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:22, 23 NKJV)
I must admit that I never heard of TB Joshua or SCOAN (Synagogue Church of All Nations) out of Lagos, Nigeria before this past Monday March 3, 2014.
I can only plead ignorance, even though my website has been viewed up to this date in 144 nations in the world and most of my readers outside the USA are from the continent of Africa.
What raised my attention was a comment from a member of SCOAN ridiculing me for an article I wrote proving how the book ‘Heaven Is So Real’ by Choo Thomas does not line up with the Bible. When I read the comment, the Holy Spirit began to give me discernment that what was written was not of God nor what the person was involved in was of God. Here is how the comment and the exchange went:
SCOAN Member:
I am really amazed that Christians don’t believe in such revelations. They ascribe the revelation in the book to a kundalini experience. Are you very sure Mr. Annointing??? Please demonstrate it. Many Christians are worse than the pagan. Very sorry!
My Reply:
You make me feel like a dentist that struck a very sensitive nerve in a patient.
I see that you only mention the word ‘revelations’ but nothing about the ‘Word of God’. You give yourself away of where you base your authority.
On top of that you repeat something very similar to what Satan demanded of Jesus when he tempted Him. You told me, “Please demonstrate it.” If you notice in the Word of God that Jesus did not demonstrate anything to Satan’s demands. But Jesus very simply answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” (Luke 4:4 NKJV)
I recommend that you take the real Jesus’ advice and feed off of the written Word of God the Bible and not the false jesus’ advice that revealed himself to Choo. And by the way, I still very much believe in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.
SCOAN Member:
You really play with WORDS. That’s ALL I can say. Jesus is alive and may God bless you and open the eyes of your understanding that you can SEE and be a BELIEVER and filled with FAITH. Don’t play with WORDS anymore. God bless! Don’t need any explanation from you anymore.
My Reply:
I see that you still will not acknowledge that the written Word of God is still the final say for those that follow Jesus who is the Word made flesh.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (II Timothy 4:3, 4 NKJV)
I have one question, if you would be so kind to answer it. What kind of church do you belong to and do you submit to the authority there?
SCOAN Member:
Yes, sir, thank you. I am a member of SCOAN. Go to http://www.scoan.org/ or watch http://www.emmanuel.tv/
I am sure, you will maybe say a lot of bad things about that, too. Don’t worry. I know that Word of God very good and I really accept wound doctrine. But I don’t accept your lack of faith on such kind of revelation. Why do you believe on what Paul tells about in 2 Co 12 where Paul didn’t present ALL he has seen and heard?
Note:
At this point I felt it was best not to go on. What I will say about 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 is that later John was also shown things and this time was allowed to write what he saw in the Book of Revelation which became the last book of the Bible and completed the written Word of God. Notice the warning at the very end if anyone adds or takes away from it. God put it there for a very good reason knowing that false prophets would come trying to add and take away from His precious Word.
From there I knew that I needed to investigate TB Joshua and SCOAN. The first thing I discovered was that there was a whole website dedicated to bringing to light the deceptions of this man and his ministry:
http://tbjoshuawatch.wordpress.com
The best way to describe the man and his ministry is in the following Scripture:
You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! (Galatians 5:7-9 NLT)
It is Satan’s way to mix a lie in here-and-there. Paul had to intervene in the Corinthian Church before things got out of hand. Paul encouraged spiritual gifts, but warned of the abuses that were cropping up. Paul knew that if things were left unchecked that spiritual ruin would occur in many lives.
Because I did not want to limit my investigation to only a few resources, I scoured all over for the proofs I was looking for. These are but a few of the deep problems with TB Joshua and SCOAN:
- Over emphasis on the man TB Joshua rather than being a church worthy to be the bride of Jesus Christ
- Over emphasis on the Holy Spirit rather than Jesus Christ
- Over emphasis on personal revelation rather than the Bible
- Over emphasis on signs rather than the truth of the Word
- Over emphasis on so called deliverance rather than salvation
- Over emphasis on showmanship rather than a brokenness for lost souls
- Over emphasis of things of the world rather than the soul
- Over emphasis on gifts of the spirit rather than fruit of the spirit
- Over emphasis on money, making TB Joshua a multi-millionaire and one of the richest men in Nigeria
- Over emphasis on being a part of the SCOAN network and Emanuel TV, which is under one man rather than being a member of a local fellowship so that all can be used and participate
- TB Joshua presents himself as one who only answers to God and not to any church authority, which is cross-grained to New Testament teachings
- TB Joshua presents what he says on the same authority level as the written Word of God
- TB Joshua has set up a dangerous kingdom where the Nigerian government welcomes the tourism he brings into the country and the SCOAN members fiercely protect him for the sensationalism he gives them
What Does Scripture Really Teach?
1. Getting people saved is the heart of the Great Commission:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19, 20 NKJV)
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16 NKJV)
And said unto them, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48 KJV)
2. Signs are secondary to salvation and are not a requirement. They are a blessing that can be compared to icing on a cake:
And these signs will follow those who believe: …”(Mark 16:17 NKJV)
3. Jesus put it very simply that salvation is what really matters:
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20 NKJV)
4. Not only are signs secondary to salvation, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit shadow in comparison to love which is the heart of the Gospel:
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. (I Corinthians 13:2, 8, 9 NKJV)
5. If you have any doubts about this, carefully observe how Jesus stresses this twice, referring not only to His generation, but to every generation that follows, including ours:
“An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” (Matthew 12:39 and 16:4 KJV)
6. Whenever signs follow they must always abide by these rules and not be sensationalism that brings attention to itself or an individual:
Let all things be done decently and in order. (I Corinthians 14:40 NKJV)
For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (I Corinthians 14:31-33 NKJV)
7. Revelations and gifts are never to be a spectacle. Jesus always protected an individual’s dignity:
So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. (Mark 5:14, 15 NKJV)
8. Money and material goods are nothing more than a aid in spreading the Gospel. The Book of Acts records how money and material things must never interfere or go to the limelight of any ministry:
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6 NKJV)
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.” (Acts 5:1-3 NLT)
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:1, 2, 4 NKJV)
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.” (Acts 8:20, 21 NKJV)
9. Jesus Himself let us know that when we work we are worthy of our hire, but that riches are a terrible stumbling block for any man:
Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay. (Luke 10:7 NLT)
“I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (Matthew 19:24 NLT) see also Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25
10. It’s all about Jesus and what He did. The emphasis should never be on the Holy Spirit:
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26 NKJV)
11. The Bible is what makes us complete, not personal revelations:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16, 17 NKJV)
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (II Timothy 4:1-4 NKJV)
12. We are warned to be especially aware of prophets with signs and revelations:
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24 NKJV)
13. We are only to elevate Jesus Christ and not to elevate any man:
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 KJV)
14. It is never to be about a one man show:
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (I Corinthians 1:12, 13 NKJV)
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT)
15. The outcome of the soul outweighs everything else:
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NKJV)
“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.” (Matthew 18:8 NKJV)
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28 NKJV)
16. Christians must be known by their fruits and not their gifts:
Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:20 NKJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22 NKJV)
In summary: Sensationalism is the best word to describe TB Joshua and SCOAN. Sensationalism is what draws the masses and keeps the money flowing in. It has already been documented that they will use every means of deception to maintain that sensationalism, whether it will be the editing of video recordings or any of their carefully orchestrated tactics. My prayer is for those who have been bound by this deception to be set free. The truth is out there. People just need to want it and seek for it.
“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 NKJV)
Annointing 