Generations Cult

Cesar Castellanos Investigated for Unjust Enrichment & Drug Trafficking Connections

John — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:39:00 GMT

Check out this NEWSPAPER ARTICLE for a report about Colombian authorities investigating Cesar Castellanos, the inventor of the G12 Cult.

"One of the witnesses came to the Prosecutor on 27 August 1998, signed by a person identifying himself as John macabre, in which it was said that Madame de Castellanos and her husband "illegally enriched themselves through the laundering of proceeds of drug trafficking. "Based on this complaint, on 15 October that year the investigating agency opened a preliminary investigation and the researchers found that Cesar Castellanos had survived an assassination attempt a year earlier, in northern Bogota, and then some witnesses had been assured that was the result of a vendetta between rival drug gangs.

"Prosecutors continued investigating to see how the family income grew like wildfire, multiplied by the tithes and offerings of the thousands of believers in the Charismatic Mission. Some of these movements appeared suspicious to them and thus researchers examined the records of the couple."

G12 Cult Resources

John — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:36:00 GMT

Here's a new Web site that lists numerous resources exposing G12 for what it is. Very interesting and powerful testimony of the horrors the G12 movement brings to the churchs and communities who are tricked into embracing it.

National Cult Awareness Group Joins Fight Against Generations

John — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:43:00 GMT

Apologetics Index (AI) is a non-profit, online Christian ministry with a two-fold purpose:

1) to provide Christians with apologetics research resources on cults, sects, other religious movements, doctrines and practices, and

2) to help non-Christians find relevant information on the same subjects.

The Apologetics Index (apologeticsindex.org) 'family of web sites' provides 39,925+ pages of research resources on religious cults, sects, new religious movements, alternative religions, apologetics-, anticult-, and countercult organizations, doctrines, religious practices and world views. These resources reflect a variety of theological and/or sociological perspectives.

The Index recently investigated Generations and posted the following Research Page on their findings:

Generations Church Research Page

Ramblings of a brain-washed teen

John — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:12:00 GMT

The following passage is taken word-for-word from the Web site of a teenager who attends Generations.

See THIS LINK.

-----------------------From the Web site of “Lil Miss G12------------------------------

“Well I know that there is RUMORS about the Generation church that it fools you and steals your money but it does not it only asks for $20 for the encounter and it invloves a relationship with god and it provides food and other stuff like fun activities..and if a child cant pay we figure out a way for the child to raise the money themselves with help so we dont steal anything and we do pass a small bucket like basket and you put 10% of the money you have and it is for the church and also the 10% your giving is for god and so we dont not steal money and we deffenetly dont brain wash you because we read dirrectly from the bible.Also we are not religious people we dont want religons just so that people can fight over a bielief that is not what god is about its just about loving him and always having a connection with him and we take ourselves more as a community not a religon.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

Ironically, despite the superficial message suggesting otherwise, this is a very telling example of the technique Generations employs to manage its followers’ thoughts. Clearly, if there was nothing suspicious or unethical going on at the Cult, then its members would not be trained to defend the organization. The mere fact that Cult followers are inclined to defend the Cult suggests that the Cult leaders are engrossed in a strategic plan to systematically influence its members’ thoughts and beliefs. This technique creates the automatic, defensive responses exemplified above.

Oh, and the best line from this is: " ... we take ourselves more as a community not a religon." Sure sounds like a sign of a CULT to me!

The Painful Truth About Church-Corporations

John — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:02:00 GMT

The following article is reprinted from: http://www.hwarmstrong.com/enlyten-church-corporations.htm

It sheds a unique light on the cult-business called Generations Church.

------------------------

Church Corporations
Or
Let The Buyer Beware

By John O.
Enlyten@hotmail.com

Church is big business today. It doesn't matter whether it's a cult, like the COG offspring, or whether it conforms to a more "acceptable" format. It's all still big business.

So therefore, it's interesting to have a look at the background behind some of these corporations and see just how easy it is to "start your own church." The late Ron L. Hubbard of the Scientology church once said: "If you're going to make money in today's world, you have to start a church."

Let's then take a realistic peek behind the scenes and see how easy it is to have your own church business, bring in money, have people regard you as guru, and then sell out your soul for the acquisition of mammon. Inside the protection of your own church, you can give false information to congregations about their well being (e.g. on healing), you can teach false doctrine (e.g. rigid laws that follow your interpretation), you can mislead people on their finances (e.g. tithing), you can ruin peoples' security (e.g. giving ALL to help "the work"), and lead them astray from any spiritual truth they may have ever had. You can destroy people's lives, their health, their attitudes, their families, their hopes and dreams, their retirement, their will and spirit, all in the name of "God." And it's all legal.

Some may take exception to the fact that all this is legal, although it's NOT moral or ethical, but that's the way our laws are written. We live in the United States, and that's a great blessing. And in the U.S. we have a lot of freedom. While this is never misused by most folks and we're thankful to enjoy what we have, some will always take advantage of these freedoms. Over the years, we have seen all sorts of hate-filled groups who demand a variety of "special" rights, only because they feel they can. If they don't immediately get them, many will go on a rampage, or start protesting, whine, or even riot to get attention from the authorities. Although, what they may be doing is not ethical or moral, unscrupulous, money hungry lawyers usually find a loophole in such behaviour, so the untoward activity is seen as "legal." When we have such abundant freedoms, there are always base people who will abuse them. So it is with many churches.

Here then, are the steps to help us legally start our own cult and make lots of money. While there's satire herein, the FACTS ARE TRUE, and the following can realistically be the address of a future church leader to his friends and family who are looking to go into the "church business." Many a reader will recognize the following as being familiar to something they've known or experienced. Most will see it all as having happened already.

The meeting is called to order, and the leader speaks . . .

My friends, I've called you all here because we want to make money. Since we're all intrinsically lazy (pause for giggles), we want to make as much money as possible in the shortest period of time. It is my proposal therefore that we start a church, and we control the purse strings. Here's how we can proceed.

FIRST, We register the name of the church and open a non-profit (no shares) corporation and we pay the fees involved. It's usually much less than $500. This corporation must be registered with the state in which we plan to do our business. Obviously, our corporation has nothing to do with anything of higher spiritual values. It's business and that's all. We mustn't ever get carried away with any thought of a God being involved. However, it's always wise to throw in the name of "God" somewhere, as this tends to make all people think that somehow our corporation and God are spiritually connected.

We will follow the regular rules of incorporation with our application. It's always a lot cheaper in most states to incorporate as non-profit. We may as well start incorporating in California as anything goes there, and any fruitcake can start a church in that state. In these applications, we must put down something that looks like we're actually doing something that will benefit mankind. So, we put down that we're (for example) going to preach a gospel, and feed the flock. It sounds good and it all goes to make good paperwork in the state's Chamber of Commerce, but naturally, God has nothing to do with it. All sorts of other fluff and stuff can be added, but it doesn't matter what we put down for a corporate purpose, we can do whatever we like, as no one will ever check up on us.

We don't have to be anyone special to incorporate this way in most states, as the state itself doesn't care. It gets its fees, and that's all that matters. We need NOT be ordained ministers to start our church, for most states don't give a hoot. If we must, we can always say that we have studied theology from some school or other, and since no one checks on this, they'll think we're ordained ministers.

With incorporation (that comes in a week or two), we can then legally call ourselves ministers, perform marriages, run our church with the by-laws that we ourselves made, and garner in flocks for profit. In this way, even someone like Adolph Hitler could make application in most states, incorporate, call himself an apostle, perform all church functions, and garner in tithes, etc. And it's all legal.

If some states are a little reluctant to grant incorporation or tax exempt status, then we will wait a year or two. Once our church is "established," all other states will eventually grant us incorporation . . . because we're now "legit." That's how we work the system.

SECOND, is getting the tax exempt status. This may be getting harder in some areas, but if there's no criminal activity evident in our board members and the agenda seems Ok, then we'll get one in due time.

We must make sure of a couple of things. No one in our corporate group must ever have had a brush with the law. If you have, then change your names and reapply for another social security number. Illegal aliens have been known to do it all the time. Check with any their relevant people for details if you feel there's a problem.

The tax exempt status is for one purpose only. It is NOT to help out the congregation to give them a tax break. It helps us - as a business - to make more money. Again, it is NOT for the primary benefit of the congregation. In actual fact, we don't give a damn about them or their tax exempt donation. We only care about our income, but without that tax exempt status, people won't give as much because they know that cannot deduct their donation and get their tax break. So, the purpose of the exemption is primarily to stimulate donations for our business profits only.

At the end of our tax year, we must submit our forms to the IRS and the state. In these forms, we must make sure that our income equals our outgo. If the income greatly exceeds the normal outgo, then we must "hide" money somewhere to make that balance sheet equal. We can add to our expenses, or even create phony programs to which we appropriate millions of dollars, if our income becomes that big. We can create phony, overseas "work" and hide millions in those foreign areas. Since it's almost impossible for the IRS to track down any overseas church activities, this is a good place to conceal a good chunk of our income. Of course, that money is really in off-shore accounts, but we will say that it's for investment in the work overseas. And everyone will believe it. How can they prove otherwise?

At all costs, we must get rid of all excess income. It doesn't matter if it's in the guise of miscellaneous expenses, buying things that we don't need, buying extra things that we do need, bonuses and more bonuses, new cars every year, and a brand new, shiny, personal jet aircraft each for our top corporate leaders. They all need to travel in style if they are to minister to the world's leaders, and of course, remember our motto . . . God loves quality. And it's all legal.

THIRD is that we need a product. Jesus is usually a good commodity. God is always for sale, and Jesus is the bait. Since it's acceptable to most people to accept Jesus (even though they know nothing about Him), then we'll use Jesus as our lure.

We'll tell people something obscure that Jesus said (we'll find something or other), and we'll make a religion out of it. We'll drive the fear of God into everyone's hearts if they don't conform, because we'll claim that our teachings were "divinely given." We'll be safe from much of the criticism, because most people won't bother to check for themselves. Most folks would simply rather listen and have someone else tell them what to do. Because most people are like this, we have our business already booming.

Prophecy is always a very saleable commodity. If we can find some book on prophecy somewhere, make a few modifications, and come out with a new set of scenarios, then people (who will never check for themselves) will believe that we have God's ear, and He has ours. We'll write brochures on this and all other subjects as well.

So, now we're set. We have our product, the literature, the pitch that we'll use, and all that now brings us to the . . .

FOURTH thing, which is the advertising. We'll use any method we can. P.T. Barnum said that there's one born every minute, and we'll use the radio and TV and the Internet. For a modest investment, we can be bringing in money within two to three months.

We must focus on areas of the country that are Bible oriented but areas that are not too bright or too scholarly. If people were taught to believe that the Bible is God's word and if they're ignorant enough, then we can convince them that this book says anything we want. This is our first and primary market, because these people will form the base of our corporate income . . . all the trusting folks who are Biblically ignorant but very sincere. And we can make merchandise out of them.

All our literature must be free. The karmic principle of sowing and reaping applies to everything and not just to good deeds. We can use this principle to serve our purposes. We'll give away literature free, and as sure as the universe stands by its laws, we'll reap the harvest of money from these folks who have received their "free" literature.

If we all work hard, then within a couple of years, we'll all be driving new, luxury cars, and living in new homes. We'll even justify decorating all those houses, from the tithe payer's income, by putting each home in the category of a "parsonage." Coupled to this, we'll be able to justify all the parsonage expenses. For example, we can justify all decorations, utilities, repairs, general upkeep, additions (like extra rooms and a swimming pool), all food, servants, etc.

Since all our transport (cars, gas, upkeep) is paid for by the work, and our clothes are purchased by the corporation, then our salaries are pure gravy. We can easily justify $200k a year in our individual salaries which we can put into interest bearing, off-shore accounts. However, we must pay the legal taxes on our paycheck. I know, these taxes are a nuisance and that's a burden that we must all carry if the work is to be successful and we are to retain our tax exempt status. Of course, we can siphon off all the tax free bonuses we want and at any time.

My personal feelings is that we can work moderately hard for a year . . . two at the most. Then we can take it relatively easy for the next ten years or so, and then we can all retire in luxury. And it's all legal.

Are we all agreed? If we are . . . then let's start our own church.

Blessings to all the good guys.

Report Witmer to the IRS

John — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:44:00 GMT

CLICK HERE ---> Report Witmer to the IRS

Use the attached form to report Rich Witmer and Generations Chuch, Inc., to the IRS.

Witmer admitted to me in 2006 that he does not pay taxes. You can find my recording of this fact within this blog.

If you suspect illegal or questionable tax reporting on behalf of Rich Witmer or Generations Church, then use this form to report your suspicions and/or observations. For example, if Witmer uses tithes or offerings to take personal or family vacations (i.e. - "Pastor Appreciation Week") then he is required by the IRS Tax code to report these funds as income. Failure to do so is tax fraud.

For those of you who have contacted me with insider knowledge, I encourage you to use this form to report what you know or suspect.

Mail to: Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888

NOTE: While I encourage you to report Witmer to the IRS, please limit your reporting to your own knowledge or suspicions. Please do not use this form as an attempt to harrass Witmer by making false accusations. There is no need to lower ourselves to his level of immaturity through the use of harrassment and bullying.

Witmer Party Pics: Where The $$ Really Goes

John — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:29:00 GMT

I have collected various photos of Rich Witmer and his gang from publicly accessed Web sites. Their frequent vacations to various high-class resorts and locals should raise the awareness and concern of those they prey upon. If you have some photos that reveal Witmer as the charlatan that he is, please e-mail them to me at john@generationscult.com.

First, here's Mr Greed (Witmer) himself, childishly excited about the new BMW he bought with church tithes.

One of many SCUBA-diving trips the Witmers treat themselves to.

Diving in Maui. Ever seen a pastor with Down's Syndrome?

Chubby and happy in Maui.

\\
Another vacation ... I think this is Las Vegas. Sin much? By the way, this is the "before" pic.

This is the "after" pic. Fake pastors (and fake boobs) on vacation. Who paid for those implants anyway? Hmm ... makes one wonder. Tithes?

That hair is really bad. But the pool looks nice -- and expensive. Obviously very high-maintenance.

Rich Witmer: An overweight Bully hanging out in Maui.

A mission to Bali? Or a vacation? Not hard to tell what's really going on . . . Who paid for those implants anyway?

Found this on the Internet. Check out the text below the banner: "Our pastor, Rich Witmer, blesses us with an all-expense paid trip to the island paradise resort ..." Who's REALLY paying for this?

Nice ring.

The River Goes Under (The Spell): Generations Cult Consumes Sister G12 Church

John — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:50:00 GMT

The River Church, which was Yuma's other G12 pyramid, recently fell victim to a hostile takover from the cult named Generations Church. While I was aware of The River as a cult-based G12 rip-off scheme, I previsouly avoided writing about it because I didn't have any information on it and it had nothing to do with the reasons why I decided to challenge the way Generations steals from young Marines and community members.

However, now that The River was consumed by Generations, there is no reason to leave it out.

I invite anyone who has any information about this business transaction to post their stories. I personally encourage those who were members of The River to post stories about how the change has affected them and how they feel about being part of the tarnished Generations Cult.

My advice to members of the former River Church: Don't drink the cool-aid!

Witmer justifies his selfish pyramid scheme by pointing to charitable Atheists: Warren Buffett & Bill Gates

John — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:35:00 GMT

In one of many instances where Rich Witmer proves up his own ignorance and sly trickery, he attempts to justify ordering his flock to give large amounts of money to his corporation by pointing to Warren Buffett's donation of almost $40 billion to the Bill Gates Foundation. In this recorded conversation between Rich Witmer and myself, Witmer asks me: "Why did Warren Buffett give away $37 billion dollars?" I attempt to explain to the uneducated Witmer that Buffett simply didn't need his entire wealth and that Buffett wanted to do something positive for society. I caught Witmer off guard when I pointed out that Warren Buffett did NOT give his money to a church. Witmer responds by admitting, "No, but he gave it to Bill Gates." I again surprised Witmer by informing him that Bill Gates is not a church. In a lame and shameful attempt to outwit me, Witmer correctly pointed out that Warren Buffet gave the $37 billion to Bill Gates's charity. However, Witmer erroneously claimed that Bill Gates is a Christian. This is not a fact. (Confirm this for yourselves, simply Google search Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to find out for yourselves whether they are Christians).

The reality of Warren Buffett's contribution to the Bill Gates Foundation is best summed up by Buffett's own words, which are: "huge fortunes that flow in large part from society should in large part be returned to society." Buffett's donation will support such things as "world health -- fighting such diseases as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis -- and on improving U.S. libraries and high schools."*

The simple truth is this: While Witmer attempts to justify his greed by pointing to other people's charity, Witmer is involved in ZERO charitable efforts. Instead, Witmer collects the tithes and offerings of hard working people and uses them to support his own selfish and lavish lifestyle. Witmer is a proven charlatan whose greed and false teachings are poisoning Yuma's youth. Witmer is more interested in his next BMW than in helping anyone!

*Source: http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/25/magazines/fortune/charity1.fortune/

Marine commanders who belong to Generations are threat to force protection

John — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:08:00 GMT

The following e-mail highlights the threat Generations Church poses to force protection. When senior Marine commanders follow the cultic teachings of G12 over military policy, you have to question whether they are using their positions in unethical and dangerous ways. Any military commander who is a member of Generations Church should be investigated for "conduct unbecoming an officer" or abuse of authority. Certainly, at the very least, one should question their ability to think clearly!
-------------------------------
Gunny,

As a former MALS-13 AVI 610 Marine, I know exactly what you mean when you say Generations is a cult. They are taking advantage of many young naive Marines that don't know where to turn once they no longer have mom and dad to advise them. They are taking advantage of the impressionable. I considered this church a serious problem, concerning the amount of money they extract from these young people. The integrity of the command has also been compromised by higher ranking Marines that encourage others to participate in this church with them. Many, many times I had heated discussions with fellow Marines that considered this church more of an obligation than their duty as a Marine, only to have my authority reduced by my Generations attending superiors.

Semper Fidelis.

SGT. Jeffrey Bixby

An Abundant Life? Navy Chaplain against "prosperity gospel"

John — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:36:00 GMT

By U.S. Navy Lt. Shawn Osborne

Station Protestant Chaplain

MCAS Yuma, Arizona

One of the most misused verses in the Bible is John 10:10 where Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." This verse is especially popular with churches that push a prosperity
"gospel."

Ironically, Senator Charles Grassley is pushing for a congressional inquiry into the six top mega-churches in the country to see if they are abusing their non-profit status. The televangelist Creflo Dollar (befitting name) claims the prosperity teaching is "steeped in scripture."

I would really like to see what Bible he is reading. If you read what happened to Jesus' disciples and the Apostle Paul, you might look at this from a different perspective. The life Jesus is talking about has nothing to do with material possessions or how much money you have in the bank. Did Paul have a more abundant life after following Jesus? You bet he did. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul writes, "Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in
danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers."

Most biblical historians believe Paul was finally beheaded in Rome. There weren't any BMW's or fat bank accounts on his horizon, so was he lied to? Of course not, but thousands of church-goers around the country are being fed a lie that if you come to Jesus, then you will somehow be blessed materially. These people are experiencing a false conversion. Far too many of these poor sheep do not experience the "abundant life" promised by these false shepherds and their end result is worse than before. They didn't receive what they were promised, so they become disillusioned about Christianity and never go back to church.

On more than one occasion Jesus teaches us not to be concerned with material things. In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"

Again, in Luke 12:15, Jesus says, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." The prosperity lie cannot stand up against the rich or the poor. Try to
convince Hugh Hefner that if he accepted Jesus as his Lord, he would be blessed materially. He would laugh in your face. The guy is already rich and lives with a mansion full of beautiful women! How about a goat herder in a Muslim country? A conversion to Christ would probably get him killed. You can forget about Jesus miraculously blessing him with more goats because he will have family members shunning him or even trying to kill him.

The true Gospel message is not one of happiness or material blessings. The true Gospel is about righteousness. We were all born into sin and only the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross can pay for the crimes we have
all committed against God in thought, word and deed.

Jesus never promised an easy life. On the contrary, Jesus says in Matthew 10:22, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

Are you being commanded to tithe? Navy chaplain speaks out!

John — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 16:12:00 GMT

The following article was published Sept. 27, 2007, in the official military newspaper of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ. Yuma's false teachers, Rich and Melissa Witmer (and all their sidekicks), mandate heavy tithing and offerings in order to be monetarily "blessed" by God. This message is an abberation of Scripture.
Lt Osborne holds a Master's in Divinity from an accredited seminary, and speaks out against this false doctrine based on his significant and studied knowledge of the Bible.

-----------------------
The 11th Commandment?

By U.S. Navy Lt. Shawn Osborne

Station Protestant Chaplain

MCAS Yuma, Arizona

When I was a seminarian, I had the privilege of serving as a youth pastor for a small rural church in Minnesota. Every year, one Sunday in September was devoted to reminding the congregation on the importance of tithing. In passing I told one of my seminary professors about it and he told me tithing is part of Jewish law and not a part of the Christian faith. I argued back, “But it’s in the Bible!” “Yes, it is in the Bible,” he replied, “but, not in the New Testament.” I was dumbfounded; so I went and did my own investigation and, sure enough, he was right.

The closest bit of Scripture the New Testament gives us is found in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Guess what; you can cheerfully give of your time and talents. As difficult as it is to get people to give money, getting people to donate their time and talent is even more difficult. Churches across the country are struggling to get their members to give up their evenings for youth group or choir practice -- 10 percent (if that) of the congregation does 90 percent of the work.

I have heard several churches and Christian radio programs that preach tithing as the 11th Commandment. The Apostle, Paul, warns us in Galatians 5:2-4, “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

Again, I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” The same can be said regarding tithing. If you maintain tithing as part of a command, then you better be eating kosher, abstaining from eating meat with blood still in it, and refraining from getting tattoos.

All of these laws are a part of the old Levitical code and not a part of the Christian faith. Isn’t it convenient that the one law churches will pull from Jewish law is the one that benefits them the most? To be candid, I wish I could mandate a tithe. There would be a lot less hungry and homeless people today if people gave 10 percent of their income to the church. People spend a lot more than that on entertainment, toys and designer clothing!

Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 9:13, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” God doesn’t need your money, he desires your heart. If you’re tithing simply to get blessings from God, then you better check the purity of your motivation.

Jesus never promised an easy life. When a person becomes a Christian, they are turning in one set of problems for another set of problems. The stresses and temptations of life don’t magically disappear. On the contrary, Satan will increase his efforts to get you out of Jesus’ fold. Three Gospels record Jesus telling his disciples, “All men will hate you because of me.”

Read “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” sometime and tell me if the early Christians were blessed by worldly standards. Check out the “Voice of the Martyrs” Web site and see the persecution Christians in other countries are facing today. It’s easy to preach a prosperity gospel in the United States because we’re not facing threats of imprisonment or death for our faith. But try preaching that to a Christian in Saudi Arabia. It won’t work because it’s not biblical.

Pastors or Impostors? Navy chaplain speaks out against Yuma's false teachers

John — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:56:00 GMT

The following article was published Aug. 30, 2007, in the official military newspaper of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ. It clearly addresses the "qualifications" of the false teachers who are robbing Yuma's Marines and community members. The leader of Generations Church is not a qualified nor educated theologian. In fact, his education stopped after high school. The Navy chaplain's message here highlights why this is a problem.

-----------------------
Pastors or Impostors?
By U.S. Navy Lt. Shawn Osborne

Station Protestant Chaplain

MCAS Yuma, Arizona

I have been living in Yuma for the past nine months and I am amazed at the number of churches in this city. I have seen churches set up in old theaters, the local food bank, warehouses and people’s homes. It’s quite commendable that there are so many places of worship available for Christians to choose from in the Yuma community. With that said, it is important for every churchgoer to educate themselves on the training and educational background of the person who is responsible for preaching and teaching.

A pastor not only preaches, but also does marriage counseling, leads Bible studies and is there during serious moments of crisis. To be quite honest, one of the reasons I went to seminary for three years was to earn the right to be taken seriously when I preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The message I preached never changed, but now I have the education and credentials to back it up. The U.S. Navy has very high standards for anyone who wants to be a chaplain.

There are three requirements: first, the candidate must have a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited seminary; second, the candidate must have at least two years of parish experience; and third, the candidate must be ordained and endorsed by a recognized denomination. These requirements alone would eliminate from contention several of the so-called “pastors” here in Yuma.

Think about it this way; if I were to call myself a doctor or a lawyer -- without any formal training -- and start practicing medicine or law in Yuma, I would be sued and put in prison. Yet these so-called “pastors” can preach and teach without any accountability.

This notion of a non-denominational Christian church is commendable, but every church has their own theological slant, which means they are of a particular theology even if they claim no denominationalties.

Recently, I called a local “non-denominational” church to see what kind of educational background the “pastors” have. The husband and wife “pastor” team was busy, but their personal assistant asked me if she could help. I asked what seminary the “pastors” attended and her response was, “I don’t know.” She then asked me if I would like to speak to another husband and wife “pastor” team on staff when they got in. I said that I would like that and then I asked the personal assistant what seminary this other couple attended. Her response again was, “I don’t know.”

Isn’t it amazing that someone who works for a church doesn’t even know the credentials of the leaders who are responsible for preaching and teaching its members? Now your argument for me might be, “Hey Chaps, look how big their church is, they must be doing something right.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Big numbers in the church does not equate to truth.

Experience generated from applying proper education is priceless. Ask yourself, would you take your pet to a person who wasn’t trained in veterinary science -- so, how much more valuable is the human soul?

2 Peter 2:1-3 says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign

Lord who bought them -- bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

You owe it to yourself to make sure that those you are entrusting to your spiritual care are the real deal.

----------------
To view the original go to:

http://www.yuma.usmc.mil/desertwarrior/archive/2007/august/august-30-2007/august302007.pdf

Who's Raising Your Kids, Part 2

John — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:44:00 GMT

The following video clip of cult leader Rich Witmer was recorded from a "sermon" on dating he delivered Nov. 25, 2006. In it, he exposes his arrogance, hateful temperament, and the control the cult exercises over its members.

Rich Witmer on being a "kind, compassionate" pastor

Rich admits he was a terrible youth pastor and attempts to suggest that he's now more kind, compassionate, and under control than he was "back then." Check out my earlier blogs for examples of how untrue this statement really is. Rich is a poor excuse for a Christian pastor, and the scathing comments he’s sent to me and others are a testament to this fact.

This one has a classic and fitting ending, courtesy of Rich himself.

Warning to Yuma parents: Who's raising your kids?

John — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 06:54:00 GMT

The Generations church-cult concentrates its recruiting efforts on impressionable young people who have little or no Christian background. The reason they do this is simple: if the new recruit doesn't know what Christianity really is, he or she is more susceptible to the cult's false teachings and brainwashing.

The following video clip of cult leader Rich Witmer was recorded from a "sermon" on dating he delivered Nov. 25, 2006. In it, he exposes his arrogance, hateful temperament, and the control the cult exercises over its members.

Rich Witmer's cult rule: No dating if you're under 18!

Rich suggests that anyone under 18 should not date because it will set them up to fail. Haha! Yeah, right. Where's that in the Bible? Cult logic obviously requires no proof or common sense. Interestingly, at the end of this clip Rich attempts to make a joke about common sense not being so common. The irony is laughable!

Exit stories: Testimony from former members

John — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:36:00 GMT

I have received numerous e-mail from people who have recently left Generations Church. Their stories are so fascinating and convincing that I am compelled to start this special blog area for those former members who would like to share their "exit" stories on this site.

Because I know Rich and his gang often seek revenge on those who speak out against their cult, I allow anonymous postings. Also, when contacting me through e-mail at john@generationscult.com, I will always honor your personal requests to remain anonymous.

Feel free to share your experiences regarding your decisions to leave Generations. Some questions that you might consider answering are: Why did you leave? How were you treated after you left?

Generations commits perjury

John — Tue, 15 May 2007 22:11:00 GMT

Generations Church complained to YouTube on April 20, 2007, that my audio clips infringed on their copyright. To do this, Generations Church filed a formal and signed statement with YouTube that claimed "under penalty of perjury" that they owned the audio files I recorded of Rich Witmer and posted on YouTube and embedded within this Web site.

The illegal complaint was obviously a desperate attempt to prevent people from hearing the truth about this church, so I immediately filed a counter-notification staking claim to my recordings.

YouTube investigated the situation and restored my clips this afternoon.

Where does the money go?

John — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:22:00 GMT

Check out this link To access Arizona's records for Generations Church, Inc.

The following documents comprise the 2004 annual report for Generations Church, Incorporated. It is interesting to note that Witmer reports only $305 for "benevolence" -- otherwise known as charity. However, he spent over $18,000 on "auto expenses."

A lot of money came in, and a lot of money went out (a zero or minimal profit is required for a non-profit organization). This leaves open the question of where the money went. A quick look at this report shows some questionable expenditures. I will list some of the more egregious and suspicious expenses here (see link at the top or bottom of this blog for your own examination of the original documents on Arizona's Web site).

2004:
Airfare - $11,483
Travel - $30,000
Gifts - $24,790
Payroll - $133,000
Production - $56,000
Cell Phone - $6,000
Internet - $2,287
Phone - $2,374
Auto - $18,000
Candles - $1,000
Cleaning Supplies - $2,800
Health Club - $230
Office Supplies, Other - $27,200

The total 2004 income reported by the president of Generations Church, Inc. (Richard Witmer) was over $590,000. Interestingly, this was the last year he reported a detailed list of income and expeditures. For 2005, Witmer simply supplied the State of Arizona with a form that reports an annual income of $1,019,634.56. My question is: where is the detailed list that he supplied the previous year? Is he afraid of what it would show? While doubling the churches income in one year, did Witmer and his gang also double their Internet, travel, gift, and cell phone expenses? It leaves one to wonder ...

One thing is for sure: there is no record or proof of any charitable efforts on behalf of Generations Church. At least other Yuma area churches aim to help the community it serves.

Since Rich Witmer filed his vague 2005 report about four months after I began exposing his cult, I am forced to wonder if Rich is attempting to hide something. It's the first of three annual reports that don't include a detailed list of expenditures ...

Here is the Generations Church Inc. annual expense report for 2004:

Check out this link To access Arizona's records for Generations Church, Inc.

Kids Forum

John — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 04:12:00 GMT

A 14-year-old sent me an e-mail about Generations and suggested I create an area in this blog for kids' stories. I thought it was a great idea, so here it is.

On another note, I get a lot of personal e-mails from people who are worried about posting to the blog section of this site because of their fear about remaining anonymous. Don't worry ... posters always have the option to remain anonymous.

Jim Bakker: Prosperity Gospel is Wrong

John — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:23:00 GMT

This is from Jim Bakker’s book, "I Was Wrong." (I edited it down to a manageable size). There’s always hope that true believers will see the error of teaching greed and love of money. It happened for Bakker when he was in prison. Rich Witmer et al. should take note … It’s a bit long but I thought it was an interesting "from the horse’s mouth" account against prosperity teachings:

“…During my time at F.M.C. Rochester, I observed something that it seemed to me had gotten nearly every inmate into trouble. It was something insidious, pervasive, something that I too had tried to cover and push aside in my own life—the love of money…

About the time of my parole hearing, I completed my study of all the words of Jesus in the New Testament. To my surprise, after months of studying Jesus, I concluded that He did not have one good thing to say about money. Most of Jesus’ statements about riches, wealth, and material gain were in a negative context…
I was amazed at this “new” revelation, but beyond that, I was deeply concerned. As the true impact of Jesus’ words regarding money impacted my heart and mind, I became physically nauseated. I was wrong. I was wrong! Wrong in my lifestyle, certainly, but even more fundamentally, wrong in my understanding of the Bible’s true message. Not only was I wrong, but I was teaching the opposite of what Jesus had said. That is what broke my heart; when I came to the awareness that I had actually been contradicting Christ, I was horrified.
For years I had embraced and espoused a gospel that some skeptics had branded as a “prosperity gospel.” I didn’t mind the label; on the contrary, I was proud of it. “You’re absolutely right!” I’d say to critics and friends alike. “I preach it and live it! I believe in a God who wants to bless His people. Look at all the rich saints in the Old Testament. And the New Testament clearly says that above all, God wants us to prosper even as our souls prosper. If your soul is prospering, you should be prospering materially as well!”…

…when I began to study the Scriptures in depth while in prison… I was very distressed at what I discovered.
I realized that for years I helped propagate an impostor, not a true gospel, but another gospel—a gospel that stated “God wants you to be rich!” Christians should have the best because we are children of God, “King’s kids,” as I often put it. And shouldn’t the King’s kids have the best this world had to offer?

The more I studied the Bible, however, I had to admit that the prosperity message did not line up with the tenor of Scripture. My heart was crushed to think that I led so many people astray. I was appalled that I could have been so wrong, and I was deeply grateful that God had not struck me dead as a false prophet!
How could I have taught and even written books on the subject of “how to get rich” when Jesus spoke so clearly about the dangers of earthly riches?

One of the statements of Jesus that kept echoing in my head and heart was in the parable of the sower, where Jesus said that “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). The deceitfulness of riches. The more I thought about it, the more I had to admit that I had fallen into that snare. I had allowed the quest for material possessions and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts for other things to choke the Word of God in my own life and in the lives of my family members and coworkers. As PTL grew larger and our ministry more widespread, I had a financial tiger by the tail, and just coming up with enough money to meet the daily budgets dominated my thoughts and my time.
In prison, I decided to dig into the Scriptures further to see what else Jesus had to say about money. I noticed that He said, Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19-21 NIV)

Another Scripture that seared into my heart was Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (NIV). In that same passage, I discovered that God’s priorities were much different from what mine had been.
Jesus said, Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? . . .So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt. 6:25, 31-33 NIV)
Other teachings of Jesus scored direct hits upon my heart, as well: “But woe to you who are rich, / for you have already received your comfort” (Luke 6:24 NIV).

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matt. 16:24 NIV). This verse dramatically illustrated the stark contrast between what Jesus taught and what I had been teaching. I had taught that Christians could have the best of both worlds, the best that this world had to offer and heaven too. Jesus said, “Deny yourself”

Jesus taught, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24 NIV). Unwittingly, I had tried to explain this verse away with the help of modern scholarship. I had taught people that the “eye of the needle” of which Jesus spoke was a low arch in the Holy Land. Supposedly, a camel carrying a heavy load had to get down on its knees to slip through the “eye of the needle.” This was the explanation that I had heard from other prosperity teachers whom I admired and respected, so I simply passed on their explanation as fact without really examining the verse carefully, especially in the original Greek. Nor had I consulted any Bible dictionaries or encyclopedias. If I had done so, I might have found that not a shred of reputable archeological or historical evidence supports the camel-through-the-arch theory.

In prison, however, when I took time to study the meaning of Jesus’ words in the original Greek language, I discovered that Jesus was not talking about camels walking on their knees at all. The word He used was one commonly used to describe a sewing needle, not an archway. In other words, the verse meant exactly what it said: It may not be impossible for a rich man to enter heaven, but apart from a miracle of God, he doesn’t stand a chance!

In my cell, I studied the Bible long hours into the night. Often as the sun rose in the eastern sky, I was still poring over the Scriptures. The more I studied, the more I had to face the awful truth: I had been preaching false doctrine for years and hadn’t even known it!
Tragically, too late, I recognized that at PTL I had been doing just the opposite of Jesus’ words by teaching people to fall in love with money. Jesus never equated His blessings with material things, but I had done just that. I had laid so much emphasis upon material things, I was subtly encouraging people to put their hearts into things, rather than into Jesus…

…I knew the verse well. It had been my favorite “prosperity verse” for years; it was the premier New Testament verse upon which I had built my prosperity message and lifestyle. The verse reads: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (kjv).
I had preached on this verse for most of my ministry. It said exactly what I believed—that God wanted His people to prosper, and by that, I interpreted it to mean prosper financially and materially, in other words, to get rich. Again, I never really examined the true meaning of the text, nor did I ever seriously consider why this verse, on the surface anyhow, seemed to contradict so much of what the New Testament said in other places. I simply pulled this verse out of context and took it to the bank—literally!..

The apostle John, the writer, was saying simply, “I wish you a good, safe and healthy journey throughout your life, even as your soul has a good and safe journey to heaven.” John was not saying “Above everything else, I want you to get rich. Above everything, you should prosper and make money.” That is not even implied in the true meaning of the verse. Yet I had based much of my philosophy at PTL and even before that on this one verse that I had totally misunderstood!

Romans 1:10. The apostle Paul wrote, “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you” (kjv). Paul often took special care to make sure that his motivation could not be misconstrued or maligned because of money. It would be unthinkable for the apostle to say, “Please pray for me that somehow or other I might obtain wealth by coming to preach to you,” or “Please pray that I will make a lot of money on this trip.”…

The apostle John was saying something very similar when he said, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” It was a greeting, a prayerful desire of the apostle’s, not a principle suggesting that Christians should be wealthy…
I looked at the passage to which David was pointing. I wasn’t surprised to see that he had been referred by some of my friends to Deuteronomy 8:18. I had used the verse myself in countless messages and appeals for money. The verse reads, “But thou shalt remember the lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (kjv).

At first glance, the verse did seem to support the idea that God is the one who gives us the power to get rich…By looking up wealth in a Hebrew lexicon, we discovered that it comes from the Hebrew word, chayil, which is used times in the Old Testament. In almost every case, the word is meant to imply “might, strength, power, ability, virtue, valor,” and, oh, yes: “wealth.” It is used most often to describe valiant men and women and armies…What He was really saying was: “Remember, it is God who has given you the power to receive everything you have. He is the one who has given you strength. He is the one who has given you a house, land, or other possessions.”
I admit, in the past I had used this verse to make it sound as though it was God’s will to make everyone wealthy and if any of His people were poor, it was probably due to lack of faith or not applying the biblical “formulas” correctly. That was an improper interpretation of the passage. Yes, it is God who gives us the power to receive all that we have, but to assume that He wants all His people to be wealthy based on this Scripture is an illegitimate extension of that truth…

God also gives us the principle of sowing and reaping,… But God does not intend for this principle to foster lust for money and things or to support attitudes of greed, both of which are totally contrary to the teachings of Christ. This principle does not give people a license to love money under the guise of sowing seed, reaping a huge personal harvest and assuming that their gain is a sign of godliness…

He doesn’t want us to equate mere money with godliness. In fact, the apostle Paul said that “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness . . .supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:3, 5-6 KJV).

For the first time, I began to really understand what Paul meant when he wrote, But they that will be rich [which I discovered meant: “they that want to be rich”] fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, 0 man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Tim. 6:9-11 kjv)

For years I had glossed over that passage of Scripture. I ignored it, made excuses for it, or tried to explain it away. I refused to accept the obvious interpretation. I now see that the message was right there all the time, so plain that even a child could see it and understand it. I was wrong. I knew I could not keep this newfound information a secret. I had influenced so many people to accept a “prosperity message,” I now felt that I had a responsibility to tell my friends what I had been learning from my studies of the Bible. I wrote a simple, straightforward letter and sent it to some of the people who had written to me in prison. In the letter, I told of the verses I had used improperly and what I had discovered by studying the true meaning of those verses. I apologized for preaching a gospel that emphasized earthly prosperity rather than spiritual riches. I wrote, “I ask all who have sat under my ministry to forgive me for preaching a gospel emphasizing earthly prosperity. Jesus said, ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.’ He wants us to be in love with only Him.” I went on,
Many today believe that the evidence of God’s blessing on them is a new car, a house, a good job, etc. But that is far from the truth of God’s Word. If that be the case, then gambling casino owners, drug kingpins and movie stars are blessed of God. Jesus did not teach riches were a sign of God’s blessings. In fact, Jesus said, “It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” And He talked about the “deceitfulness of riches. . . .” There is no way, if you take the whole counsel of God’s Word, that you can equate riches or material things as a sign of God’s blessing.

If we equate earthly possessions and earthly relationships with God’s favor, what are we to tell the billions of those living in poverty, or what do you do if depression hits, or what do you say to those who lose a loved one? Many “in name only” Christians would curse God if they lost all of their material possessions.
Jesus said, “Narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it.” It’s time the call from the pulpit be changed from “Who wants the life of pleasure and good things, new homes, cars, material possessions, etc?” to “Who will come forward to accept Jesus Christ and the fellowship of His suffering?” Jesus calls us to come and die, die to ourselves and to the world, so He might give us true life.

The letter was not meant to be published to the world. I didn’t know how The Charlotte Observer got a copy of my letter, but the paper ran portions of it on the front page under the headline: “Ministry of Prosperity Was Mistake, Bakker Tells Friends.” Other publications picked up on the story, and ran excerpts of the letter as well.
Soon I began receiving mail from all over the country concerning the letter. Some people were appalled that I—a person they considered as a primary propagator of the prosperity message in the twentieth century— had disavowed my former teaching. Others who wrote to me were delighted that I had “finally seen the light.”…
Frankly, I was not greatly concerned with what the critics or the skeptics had to say about my speaking out against the prosperity message. I knew what God had clearly shown me from His Word. I had studied every word of Jesus over a period of two years, and I was convinced that the prosperity message was at best an aberration and at worst “another gospel” contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although I still believed that God blesses His people, the prosperity message I had preached for many years was wrong.”

Rich Witmer: My God is bigger than your God

John — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:36:00 GMT

The following e-mail conversation took place between Rich Witmer and a friend of mine on Oct 24, 2006. My friend comments on Rich's insults to me and questions his acquisition of a luxury car while members of his flock barely make ends meet.

My friends e-mail: Anyone who is truly a spokesman for the Lord God Jesus Christ would not SAY the things you've said, the catty little bitch remarks and insults you've made because SOMEONE actually DARES to prove you for what you really are. A TRUE Christian leader would not need to harass and insult someone who disagreed with their point of view.

An HONEST, RESPECTABLE pastor wouldn't be driving an expensive ass car & bragging about his houses, while at the same time strangling the financial life out of the TRUE followers of Christ.

Rich's response: you're so sweet and are truly a fine example of a Christian young woman. I pre-ordered a 2007 BMW. God has blessed me tremendously. I guess my God is bigger than your God.

-Pastor Rich Witmer

Rich Witmer's 24 hours of pastoral insults

John — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:06:00 GMT

Rich Witmer posted the following comments to my MySpace blogs before I moved to this Web site. These quotes are representative of Rich's immaturity and un-Christian ways. I ask: What Christian pastor would say these things to another person? What kind of example is he setting for his flock?

"You are a liar and a coward, you are pathetic and weak." – Oct. 12, 2006

You know nothing about being a Christian. And, for the record, you are not a man. Sit, boy." – Oct. 12, 2006

"My BMW is not new (2004), but you don't have to change that because in January I am getting a new one." [I had previously written that Rich drove a new BMW.]– Oct. 12, 2006

"You are providing great entertainment for me and my friends. You are providing hours of humor for us! No one listens to you! hahahhaha ... stay stupid, it's more fun for me. Thanks for the jokes! heel, girl. " – Oct 12, 2006

"If you want to do a mental 'thrust and perry' [sic] bring a sword next time! role [sic] over boy " – Oct. 13, 2006

"The only time anyone reads what you write is when you write about me. does someone need to be taken for a walk?" – Oct. 13, 2006

"hahahahhaha ... that's so dangerous! real bravery in action. thanks for keeping me safe, kids. austin, are you keeping me safe from doughnuts? hahahhahah" [This comment was in response to a former church member, Austin, telling Rich that even though Yuma isn't a war zone, Marines put their lives on the line because they volunteer to wear the uniform. Austin is a retired Marine.]– Oct. 13, 2006

"challenge to take it to the ring? hahahahaha... gained a few since the corp, [sic] huh? hahahhahahhahah..... yep, cowards.... both of you I can get a tandem leash." [This comment was directed at Austin, the retired Marine, and me.] – Oct. 13, 2006

"I'm going to buy a little female dog and name it john. hahahahahahahhahah..." – Oct. 13, 2006

The annotation "[sic]" means the mistake was a verbatin reproduction of the original and is not a transcription error.

Rich Witmer should read Luke 19:22 - "Out of thine own mouth I will judge thee!"

A Marine speaks out

John — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 05:24:00 GMT

A young Marine who was new to the Yuma air station and was aggressively recruited by members of Generations Church wrote the following letter. It was originally offerred to the senior Marine leadership on base as an example of the threat that Generations cult posed to force protection, but every leader it was offered to shied away from addressing the problem for political reasons. The Marine's letter follows:

To Whom It May Concern:

I've been stationed at MCAS Yuma since around July 31, 2006. Coming from a very strong Christian background and suffering severe homesickness, I thought I'd look around for a church to attend. Another Marine in my shop knew how I was feeling and invited me to go with him to his church. It was early in the week, and he told me about a meeting that he goes to every Thursday. It's sort of like a bible study, but it's held in a person's home. The meeting is called "cell." After I went to my first cell meeting, I thought that the church might be a bit different than what I am used to, but it was a way to try and grow spiritually and possibly make friends. I decided that to make a valid decision on what the church was all about I should go to an actual service.

The following Saturday afternoon, I attended my first Generations Church service. My parents come from Southern Baptist and Pentecostal backgrounds, so at the very least I was just surprised to see how different it was. The service consisted of devotional singing, testimonies, and a sermon, which wasn't half bad. There was also tithe and offerings. This is where things got a bit weird for me.

The pastor explained to the congregation about how much to give in your tithe and then if you want to give more, that's considered an offering. That all made sense until he started talking about if you don't give a certain amount, then you are robbing from God and you will not make it into heaven. I felt that the pastor was very pushy and even aggressive when it came to talking about tithes and offering. They explained why the members of the church should put their names addresses on the money envelopes: tax write offs. I don't give to the church for a tax write off, so I didn't put anything on it.

Even in a place where a person may not feel comfortable worshipping at, I believe that God can still speak to your heart. That day I decided to rededicate my life, my relationship with God. I went to the alter and asked for prayer. After the prayer, I and others who had also rededicated or just come to Christ were escorted into a back room to talk about the Lord and the great decision we had just made. During that time is when I first heard about "The Encounter."

The Encounter is a weekend retreat wherein you are taught about God and grow in your walk with Him. I was uneasy about going to this. First off, because I wasn't and still am not sure what religion they are (I'm not really religious, but I'm very spiritual, so that didn't matter too much. I just still found it to be odd). I also wasn't sure because of the $120 fee to go on this trip. I was a PFC in the Marine Corps then, that's a lot of money. I ended up telling them that I would think about it and let them know later.

Every week I would attend cell meetings and go to church on weekends I wasn't visiting friends and family back home. Every single time they would see me they would ask about The Encounter. I wanted to know more about this before I just packed up with some strangers for a weekend. No one would tell me anything about it. I was always told, "It's just something that you have to experience for yourself ... I don't want to give it away." After talking about it with my father, he told me that that was a problem. My father is a deacon, so he has a good grasp on church and the Lord. He felt that if The Encounter was something so wonderful, you would be on fire about telling people how great it is and for them to experience it, that people would be telling you to shut up. He said that the secrecy and the attitude of the Generations members made it seem like a cult. Cult? Like Heaven's Gate back in the 90s? I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. That's when I knew that this really wasn't for me.

Since I've been attending the church I've made some pretty good friends who also attend. Marines, former Marines, and civilians all attend. My current dilemma is that I don't think that this church is for me based on just what I've experienced. At the same time, I fear losing friends or being "disowned" by the members of the church. It has been really hard for me to find people to have friendships with here. But I know I can't sacrifice my spiritual walk with God for just a few friends. So now I'm just trying to find the strength to completely distance myself from the church, regardless of how things turn out.

Signed,

LCpl. Timothy Stewman

No tithes? No blessings! Generations measures your Christianity by your giving

John — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The following is a conversation I had with Rich Witmer about his ideas on tithing. He first explains that if a member of his church calls for help, the first thing he would do is check to see if the member tithes. He further explains that he would not help a member of his church who isn't giving enough money to his church, even if that member is in financial distress.

-----------------

John: If you have a member, a church member, who isn't tithing or isn't tithing enough, and they need help, they're S.O.L?

Rich: Yeah.

John: Wow. Wow!

Rich: Let me tell you why. Let's say you're tithing. And let's say this guy right here, "Joe", he doesn't tithe. Should I take your money and give it to him?

John: I have a question about the ethics of your philosophy. I'm serious. Because it doesn't seem like you should, if you have a group of people following you or using your house of worship, and for whatever reason one of them isn't tithing, then you're not going to help them. That's very surprising to me.

Rich: We're going to teach them about tithing. ...

I find it frightening that a pastor thinks he has the right to ACT for God in deciding who should and shouldn't be blessed. It's ludicrous that Rich Witmer believes he can teach lessons on God's behalf. Romans 12:19-20 says, "Do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. But, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in doing so you will be heaping fiery coals on his head." This suggests that it is not man's job to determine blessings and punishments -- that's God's job. Shame on Rich Witmer for thinking he's like God!

I also asked Rich if the Bible says tithes have to be money. He said, "It's always money." However, other Christian churches teach their members that tithes can be time, money, or talent. In addition, other churches also don't force members to pay tithes directly to the church. Instead, legitimate churches allow individuals to give their tithes to other charities.

From a psychological perspective, I question a church system that actually monitors how much each member is giving to the church. This activity creates a level of pressure to give more than one can afford because the followers are aware that they are being "measured" on their tithing behavior. The pastor himself even said that he will check a member's tithing record before offering assistance.

Rich Witmer admits he doesn't pay taxes

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 18:52:00 GMT

Listen to Rich Witmer say he doesn't pay taxes. He offers this information while attempting to explain to me that he sets an example for his church by tithing 25 percent of his income.

Working people pay around 30 percent of their income to taxes. This means Rich pays less in tithes than his flock pays in taxes. Go figure!

Expert describes "abusive church" warning signs ... all fit Generations

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:33:00 GMT

This is an excerpt from a book review of "Churches That Abuse" posted at The International Cultic Studies Association Web site. The following characteristics fit Generations Church precisely.

If you have experiences with Generations Church, please post them to this blog. You can submit your postings anonymously if you desire.

Dr. Ronald Enroth presents characteristics that serve as reliable warning signals:

- There is strong, control-oriented leadership.

- The use of guilt, fear, and intimidation by the leadership to manipulate members and keep them in line.

- Followers led to think that there is no other church quite like theirs, and that God has singled them out for a special purpose.

- Other, more traditional churches are put down as being less "holy."

- Subjective experience, especially public or group testimonials (sometimes coached), are encouraged and emphasized.

- Many areas of members' lives are subject to scrutiny, and the church standards established are usually based upon the life-style adopted by the leader.

- Rules and legalism abound.

- Members not following rules established by the leadership (or threatening exposure of the manipulation and abuse) are often labeled "reprobates" or "dupes of Satan," and are dealt with harshly. Ostracism of former members and excommunication of dissenters are common.

- For members choosing to leave a spiritually abusive church, returning to the realm of normalcy is difficult.

For more information on abusive churches and religious cults, visit the International Cultic Studies Association

Rich Witmer writes me, shows his true colors

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:34:00 GMT

The below message was received from Rich Witmer's MySpace e-mail Oct. 12, 2006. The following is the entire text of his e-mail to me, and is followed by my response, which is only posted here:

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"thanks for meeting with me under the pretense of "helping one of your marines." you also misrepresented yourself as PR for the Marine base. In our conversation (which you have on tape) you said that you gave around $2,000 to charity last year. I challenge you to produce the documentation. you are a liar and a coward. you are pathetic and weak.

i dare you to print everything that i write to you... in its entirety.

long after you have been stationed somewhere else, we will still be loving the families in this community. we will be helping drug addicts get free from drugs, help single parents raise their kids, and continue to be a positive influence on Yuma. Our integrity and desire to serve God and people will long outlast your negative attitude and desire to hurt people. after you leave, another person will take your place as an annoying distraction. you are not the first and will not be the last. i pray that you have an encounter with the Lord and find the peace that you are lacking.

Rich Witmer

Senior Pastor Generations Church"

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RICH WITMER: thanks for meeting with me under the pretense of "helping one of your marines."

JOHN: I did arrange a meeting with you in order to get your perspective on a Marine who works for me who is giving you more than $250 a month out of his total net monthly income of $800. I felt that this Marine's "tithes" were too much, and I wanted your take on it. Our conversation led you to give me many, many interesting and telling facts about your "Christian" G12 church philosophy that, quite frankly, disgusted me. It was your own words to me that generated the suspicion I now maintain of your church-business.

RICH: you also misrepresented yourself as PR for the Marine base.

JOHN: What's scary is that YOU, Rich, brought up the position I hold on base during our conversation. I never even told you where I worked. The recorded conversation proves this, as it does my previously stated reason for meeting with you in the first place. This is an erroneous accusation.

RICH: In our conversation (which you have on tape) you said that you gave around $2,000 to charity last year. I challenge you to produce the documentation.

JOHN: I will produce this documentation as soon as you make public your church's financial statements (report of tithes, expenses, salaries, etc.). If you remember, I asked you to show me these documents when we met, but you refused. I'm not the one hiding here, Rich. Besides, my charity work is not and was never the issue. It's yours that is suspicious!

RICH: you are a liar and a coward. you are pathetic and weak.

JOHN: Typical Rich Witmer ... should/would a Christian church pastor say this to someone? I know you see me as an enemy, Rich, but are those words representative of how God would want you to treat me?

RICH: i dare you to print everything that i write to you... in its entirety.

JOHN: Done!

RICH: long after you have been stationed somewhere else, we will still be loving the families in this community. we will be helping drug addicts get free from drugs, help single parents raise their kids, and continue to be a positive influence on Yuma. Our integrity and desire to serve God and people will long outlast your negative attitude and desire to hurt people. after you leave, another person will take your place as an annoying distraction. you are not the first and will not be the last. i pray that you have an encounter with the Lord and find the peace that you are lacking.

JOHN: I think Yumans will be much better off without your Prosperity Gospel. Stop taking everyone's money, Rich, and maybe you, too, will one day be saved. It is interesting to me, however, that people leave your church with very negative feelings about their experiences there. Certainly, something is wrong with that picture. Additionally, you have said that your church does NOT help the needy. Instead, you support "missions" to other countries. In my opinion, these are nothing but tithe supported vacations to far off lands disguised as a "mission."

My thoughts and research on tithing

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:50:00 GMT

First, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: it's ok to tithe, so far as it's of your own free will and outside of any psychological manipulation (i.e. - guilt, fear, reward, punishment, etc.). In fact, tithes are how traditional churches maintain their abilities to operate. However, I do not believe that giving a tithe or offering should ever be a requirement within any religious organization.

The following article is the result of my research on tithing:

Did you know that in the New Testament tithing is NEVER referred to as a requirement? If Jesus really wanted us to tithe, wouldn't he simply say so within the New Testament text? Instead, pastors mostly rely on references to the ancient Church law offered within the Old Testament (and a healthy dose of guilt and fear) to justify their requests for tithes and offerings.

Also, as far as tithing goes, Generations "pastors" Rich and Melissa Witmer said that in order to be monetarily blessed by God, one must tithe money to the church. See video Logically speaking, isn't the very premise of this idea (giving money to get even more money) based on a degree of Greed? Interestingly, Greed is recognized throughout the Bible as sinful!

The revelation I share on tithing is based on the historical recognition that Jesus lived on Earth while man was subject to the "law" of the Old Covenant (in fact, the books of the New Testament were written years after His crucifixion). This is very important to understand, as this suggests that anything Jesus said about tithing (which wasn't much) was designed to appear as though he was still following the Old Covenant law that He was bound to while in the flesh. If, for example, he came outright and said, "Do not tithe!" then those who sought to persecute Him would have reason to since that comment would be a sin under that law of the Old Covenant. Simply, He presented his teachings in a form that would be acceptable for the times. This, coupled with the fact that the New Testament never commands or requires tithes, is enlightening.

Jesus NEVER taught anyone to tithe. Consider Acts 15, which describes how the controversy between the apostles and the Pharisees regarding the law of Moses was settled, and how being "saved" should not be burdensome. In Acts 15:28-29, a letter from the apostles to the Gentiles describes how to be saved. It says, "For it was the Holy Spirit's decision - and ours - to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things: that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immortality. If you keep yourself from these things, you will do well." Notice that of "these necessary things," there is no mention of tithes.

Second, the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:23 (and also in Luke 11:42) were in harmony with the requirements under the Old Covenant. He was not commanding anyone to tithe. Under the law of Moses, it would have been a sin if Jesus, at this time, taught against tithing. Additionally, there is plenty of evidence that suggests Jesus relieved us of the burden of the Old Covenant (to include tithing laws) when he died. Consider the following:

1) Galatians 3:13-14, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Jesus Christ, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

2) Galatians 3:22-26, "But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin's power, so that the promise of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming of faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ."

3) Galatians 4:4-5, "But when the completion of the time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

Rich Witmer, and the rest at Generations, teaches that God will monetarily reward a person based on the amount he or she gives to the church in tithes and offerings. Generations also teaches its members to buy expensive clothes, cars, houses, etc. However, giving money to get more money with the goal of accumulating expensive things contradicts the Romans 12:2 warning against conforming to this world. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 19:24 that, "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." That's because "coveting" earthly, materialistic things is a sin!

Here is an excerpt from a conversation I recently had with Rich Witmer:

John: If you have a member, a church member, who isn't tithing or isn't tithing enough, and they need help, they're S.O.L?

Rich: Yeah.

John: Wow. Wow!

Rich: Let me tell you why. Let's say you're tithing. And let's say this guy right here, "Joe", he doesn't tithe. Should I take your money and give it to him?

John: I have a question about the ethics of your philosophy. I'm serious. Because it doesn't seem like you should, if you have a group of people following you or using your house of worship, and for whatever reason one of them isn't tithing, then you're not going to help them. That's very surprising to me.

Rich: We're going to teach them about tithing. ... We can't take a person who God is not blessing and relieve the stress of that.

Prosperity Gospel has made an interesting comeback since the criminal bust of Jim Bakker's PTL ministry. At the time, that scandal drove away churches like Generations. Our capitalistic society and materialistic wants has recently given rise to these types of churches once again because they appeal to our earthly desires -- an easy message to sell!

If Jesus and His disciples were alive today, you would NOT find them driving luxury cars, living in expensive homes, and wearing fancy suits.

Rich Witmer on influencing politics

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:24:00 GMT

Rich Witmer states his distaste for the religious affiliation of Yuma's current mayor Larry Nelson (whom Rich says is a Mormon). Rich then says that Christians should be the only ones serving in government. This is an unethical position for a pastor to make because, according to the Constitution, politics must be separate from religion, and vice versa.

In this one, Rich Witmer describes his goal for his cult: to elect government officials into office!

Rich Witmer says Hindus are stupid

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:12:00 GMT

This is a recording from an actual sermon delivered by the cult leader of Generations Church.

In it, Rich says they have a dumb religion, and makes fun of their "red dots." He even makes a schoolyard bully joke about shooting them as they break into his house.

His off-color remarks are sickening, and further demonstrate his foul example as a Christian leader. Apparently, many of Rich's sermons are filled with hateful comments regarding other belief systems.

Cult leader Melissa Witmer preaches "Prosperity Gospel"

John — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Melissa Witmer, a Generations-cult pastor and wife of head pastor Rich Witmer, skews Scripture to support the cult's demand for large tithes and offerings. The cult teaches "prosperity gospel" to ensure followers give more then they can afford.

http://blog.generationscult.com/2006/12/11/cult-leader-melissa-witmer-preaches-prosperity-gospel-2.aspx