Open Heaven?
Above: Hind is regurgitating a false teaching that has been circulating within NAR circles for years by false prophets and teachers such as Paul Cain, Bill Johnson, Bob Jones, Todd Bentley, Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner, Emma Stark, and Benny Hinn. Those who teach it often refer to "the seer anointing". They cite the experiences of Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, and John etc. These examples are rare pivotal moments in the bible and are not normative experiences. From this false teaching come stories of divine or angelic visitations and outrageous, unverifiable prophesies. Like many false teachings, the "open heaven anointing" is based partly on truth, but the scriptures are warped to an extent that distorts the meaning and gives narcissist wannabes a delusional sense of their own importance as prophets or seers.
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17).
The epistles are the manual for believers to follow. We have instructions for holy living and are required to trust God and to humbly follow him. Significantly, the miracles in the above passages were not coveted or sought by the people involved. Rather, they were initiated by God Himself and are powerful moments in redemptive history. Taking verses out of their original context and using them as a blueprint for how we should hear from God when the circumstances of the story are completely different is extremely problematic.
The noun δύναμις > power (Acts 1:8). Dynamite was the interpretation frequently used by false teacher Reinhard Bonnke. δύναμις comes from the English dynamic or dynamite. However, as with many faith healers with tall stories and claims of mass "miracles", Bonnke was exposed as a fake in a HBO video in 2011: A Question of Miracles (Faith Healing) Part 1
Strong's: "From dunamai: force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself) -- ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work."1
Hind's manic OTT style, his revisionist history of TLC/One Church, his false prophecies, exaggerations, out-of-context teaching, and ethical compromises are highly dubious on many levels.
Hind puts the Bible at the top of his list as a way of hearing God's voice. However, his own careless handling of scripture and his inaptitude fall woefully short of the biblical standard required of a pastor. (James 3:1). Hind's "confident assertions" are based on myth and mere speculation. (1 Timothy 1:3-7).
Hind demonstrates the folly and presumption of using scripture to validate ungodly decisions. He quotes Genesis 12:1-2 in order to justify his move to Leicester in 2007 as God's will. In fact, Hind was allegedly "invited" to come to Leicester by Brian Niblock, who failed to support the man whom he had trained for years as his successor, and arguably the man who was called to lead TLC. If Niblock had done the right thing, the whole church would have supported him. Niblock's weakness and capitulation to the three elders at that time was a pivotal moment in the life of TLC! Almost as soon as Hind arrived at TLC, there was a discernible drop in biblical standards. After witnessing Hind's ungodly style of leadership, it was not long before a number of attendees, including myself, began to have grave concerns about his competence as a pastor. This woeful beginning has progressed into a long list of unethical decisions and damnable statements ethusiastically spewed by Hind during his tenure at TLC/One Church.
Further examples..
In 2013, God allegedly spoke to "them" to become a multisite church: "Enlarge the place of your tent.." (Isaiah 54:2). As far as I am aware, no one questioned the fact that this alleged prophecy does not fit the New Testament autonomous leadership model of church leadership.
In 2021, Hind claims that he was given a "prophetic word" from Habakuk 2:1. "The Lord wants you to climb up". From this alleged "prophetic word" came the union of TLC and All Nations Church Leicester (ANCL), which was a "shipwreck". When churches host false prophets like Emma Stark and Heidi Baker and are rabid NAR proponents, we are to mark and avoid them, not join with them! The temptation of acquiring the building on Frog Island was no doubt a significant factor in their decision to unite with ANCL.
David Hind (1st May 2022): "This is a fulfillment season, an outbreak season."2
(Deuteronomy 18:32; Ezekiel 13:13; Jeremiah 23:16; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Hind frequently insists that One Church is not about ego or about him personally.
Hind: "Sometimes we can get this picture, this green room culture of the mighty man or woman of God, separate from the people coming in. I don't want to disappoint you, but that ain't us because without the grace of God, I'm done."
Methinks Hind protests too often and too much! Authentic godly leaders do not need to speak such things or repeat them at every opportunity. If Hind is as humble as he claims, then he would not refer to himself as "an apostolic leader of leaders". Only a narcissist would adopt such a title. A true man of God, confident in his calling, would not find this kind of repetition necessary. The constant reminders of his so-called "calling" are a tactic to convince others and possibly even himself that he is authentic.
Dr Jesse Collins: "Often religious leaders use Bible scriptures or scripture-like soundings, or they'll say they had a vision of something, and this vision told them X, and they'll keep repeating these lines over and over again.. a repetition of mantras is a common, well-known worldwide control mechanism for people.."3
The standards required for testing spiritual gifts have been ignored by NAR false prophets, and the resulting abuse and damage to believers is glaringly obvious. The latest abominable "prophecy" from Mike Bickle's sister, Lisa Bickle Stribling, is one of the most shocking examples I have seen: Survivors of Mike Bickle’s Alleged Sex Abuse Condemn His Sister’s Attempt to Discredit Them
Believers are required to test everything and not just accept any "word" allegedly from God. (1 John 4:1). If a prophecy fails, then that man or woman is to be marked and avoided! (Romans 16:17-18). Just because Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, Shawn (smartphone) Bolz, Mike Bickle, and David Hind (fill in the blank) claim to have received a word from God, we should not automatically believe them; in fact, quite the reverse, since these men are proven false prophets.
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind.. (Colossians 2:18).
We are in very dangerous territory when we imagine that God is communicating something to us that cannot be validated by the scriptures or fails to come to pass. Every book in the New Testament, apart from Philemon, warns about false prophets and teachers. Paul anticipated this problem within the church. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. (Acts 20:29-30).
For those ready to deconstruct from NAR indoctrination and onslaught, I recommend Leaving the Message*, which traces the development of the NAR to the cult of William Branham. Branham's cult has many deep historical connections to the AoG.*
2. WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: FALSE PROPHETS AND BIBLE TEACHERS IN THE LAST DAYS: ONE CHURCH LEICESTER (FORMERLY TRINITY LIFE CHURCH): DAVID AND SUSAN HIND NARCIGESIS
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