Error in the Ministry!
[An open letter to Jimmy and Donnie Swaggart]
I take no pleasure in writing this letter, but I must obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. The 4th of July camp meetings have come and gone. As most of you know that these meetings are held at Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge Louisiana every year. And this year it was held on the 29th June until 3rd July. I had the privilege to attend these meetings. I was truly blessed of the Lord. But what I am about to say may seem at times very blunt, or even forthright and unswerving. But there is no other way to send this message to the Jimmy Swaggart Ministries—leadership. After attending these camp meetings I felt the Spirit of God dealing with my heart, concerning some things that are not right at the JSM. The Holy Spirit urged me to write a letter to Bro’s Jimmy and Donnie concerning some errors. I have no option but to obey! So on the 17\07\2005 I wrote them the following letter.
Bro’s Jimmy and Donnie, camp meeting has come and gone and I had the privilege to have been there. This was the first time I have been to your country and of course to attend 4th July Camp-meetings at FWC. Saturday morning 10am service was to me without a doubt the highlight of all the services. The Holy Spirit showed me in a special way that He was present, and in control, as the other services were very much man-controlled.
What I am about to share with you must not be seen as criticism, or brow beating; but rather as correction, reproof, rebuke, inspiration and encouragement [2Tim 3v16], because whom the Lord loves, He corrects [Proverbs 3v12]. I know the Lord has given me direction to share with you some errors in your ministry.
[1] What the Lord has shown me and impressed upon my heart to share with you [Bro Jimmy] is that some people still put you on a pedestal. The Spirit clearly showed me at the morning service during camp meeting, when you were promoting the ‘Expositors New Testament’ at a reduced price and signing them after service. The Holy Spirit would have me say that this flocking around you, and with your men [red-jacketed ushers-cum bodyguards] who keep the ordinary folk from approaching you. This is what the world [movie-stars] is doing out there. It is what God’s word calls idol-worship. And God is not pleased with this, as our God is a jealous God [Exodus 20v1+5].
[2] Bro Jimmy, I have listened over the years to countless sermons of yours. The Spirit has shown me that you have now for years been saying this! ‘ I think the Lord is saying this or that, or I think that is what the Spirit has told me to say.’ Yet for many years you had always so boldly proclaimed, with much conviction and confidence; ‘The Lord has told me to say thus or that.’ Brother either the Lord has told you thus and you believe that He has said it. You cannot think if the Lord has said thus. Or are you not sure anymore if God has said thus to you?
[3] The other error that the Spirit has shown me to share with you is this. Bro Swaggart, you quote this scripture many times, and even quoted it during camp meeting weekend at the Sunday 10am service. Luke 14v26 says, ‘If any man come to me, and hate not your father, mother, and wife, children and brethren and sisters, and your own life, you cannot be my disciple.’ You tend to leave out the ‘wife’ portion. Why is that Bro Swaggart? Would you perhaps have problems on the home front if you do? I am sure you are aware what God’s word says about removing or changing any words or letters from scripture.
[4] The other error the Spirit has shown me to share with you is this. By your own admission, and your wife Frances in her article on ‘Testing the Spirits’ of the February 2005 issue of ‘The Evangelist.’ Your wife Frances say’s in the article that, ‘The King James Bible has been instrumental in millions of conversions to the Christian Faith. More than anything else, the teachings and doctrines of the King James Bible, has always rung true. It has helped millions who are searching for truth to find it. If this is so Bro Swaggart, why is it that you tend to say of the King James Bible. [And you said it in your discussions over Son-life Radio during camp-meeting weekend] ‘The King James people should have translated this or that, this way; or should have said it this way or that way’ My question to you Bro Swaggart is this. Why are you changing words to suit your own way of thinking, if [as your wife quotes, that] millions have benefited from the King James Bible just as it was translated in 1611. Since 1611, the martyrs and millions of others who suffered for Christ, have benefited without changing anything in the King James Bible. And the Lord so clearly states in His Word not to change anything.
Bro Swaggart, let me assure you that our Lord is not pleased with the above situation.
In your sermons over the years, you have said countless times, and Bro’ Donnie uttered these same words in his message on the 02\07\2005 at the evening service, and on Son-life Radio. Concerning submission to Godly authority!! As you both so boldly proclaim to your congregation and the world; my question to you is this. Will you, in the light of all these errors mentioned, submit to Godly correction from God’s prophet and accept this as ‘Thus saith the Lord’ concerning the mentioned errors and will you allow the Holy Spirit of God to guide you to correct those errors in your ministry.
In closing let me share with you what the Spirit has laid upon my heart to say concerning JSM. JSM will be used mightily by God, in the end time harvesting of souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries will be used mightily, if the WORD is preached and taught in its pureness, without error and without compromise.
Brother’s Jimmy and Donnie, please pray about the above situation as your ministry could suffer tragic setbacks; as the adversary the devil is watching and waiting, ready to pounce and to destroy the Lords work.
OK, this is what the Lord had directed me to share with Bro’s Jimmy and Donnie. With this writing, there has not been any response from them. Which is to be expected as the Swaggarts, feel that they are above correction, rebuke, and reproof. The ‘Amplified Bible’ expounds so beautifully, and is right on target concerning the above statement [2Tim 3v16+17]. Every scripture is God-breathed [given by His inspiration], and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline, in obedience [and] for training in righteousness [in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought and action [v16] So that the man of God may be complete and proficient; well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work [v17].
In his message of ‘The enemies of the Cross’ [#14-248 A Camp meeting Service 2001], Bro Donnie exposes the ‘false doctrines’ and the ‘teachers of false doctrines’. I have no problem with that, as that is what God’s Word says to do [Romans 16v 17+18]. But if bro’s Jimmy and Donnie so boldly do this, then surely they should be tolerant and acceptable towards other servants of the Lord who do likewise. As 2Tim 3v16+17 so clearly expounds; to do so is not to break down but rather to build-up.
When a person [child of God] reckons him or herself above correction of reproof concerning error in their lives or ministries , that is bordering on arrogant pride.
Proverbs 16v18 says, ‘Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29v23 says, A man’s pride shall bring him low; but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit; Obadiah 1v3 says, ‘The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwells in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high ; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Verse 4 says, Though thou exalt thyself as the eagles, and though thou set thy nest amongst the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
These are just a few of the verses concerning persons who have become prideful and arrogant in their ways. I pray that this is not the case in this situation. Am I being judgmental, toward fellow brethren? No, no, no! Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth [Gal 4v16KJV]. It is because of my concern for fellow Christians who err; yet are to blind to see their own error, but will rather see the error of others. That is why I must write or speak the truth. See what the psalmist says of them who err; Psalm 119v21 say’s, ‘You [speaking of God] rebuke the proud and arrogant, and the accursed ones, who err and wander from Your commandments. The apostle says in 1Peter 5v5, for us to be clothed in humility, [as a servant, so that its covering cannot be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance], toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud [the insolent, the overbearing, the boastful, the disdainful, the presumptuous- [and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace to the humble.
WOW!! This is hot stuff child of God. If God Almighty sets [resists] Himself against the proud [who are cursed], and those that err or wander [stray] from His commandments [Word]; shouldn't we strife to be more like King David, and draw the more closer to the Word of God, and pray more earnestly that we might not err from God’s commandments [His Word]. In other words; that we will preach and teach God’s Word in purity, and not in error like some do.
My earnest prayer, as I close this message that ministers of the Gospel, children of God, layman, or who ever you may be, who profess Jesus Christ as Savior, will always without error or compromise, speak the truth concerning the Word of Almighty God.
In Christ
William
[See Jimmy Swaggart Trashes Knee Worshiping Frances! (8/14/05) and Falling Stars - Jimmy Swaggart's Compassionate Ministry? for more details on "Frances Worship".]
