We met at a Saturday afternoon fund-raising and promotional rally sponsored by a para-church organization. His calling card introduced him impressively. He was the pastor of an independent church congregation not aligned with any denomination, and a radio preacher. They called him “Doctor”. And why not? After the good reverend’s name, his calling card displayed the symbol D.D. for his honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.
He was at least fifteen years my senior. For reasons I cannot explain, we became friends. I learned he never attended college or seminary. One day I dared to ask about his degrees. With what I hoped was jest, he quoted part of the thirteenth verse from the third chapter of the apostle Paul’s first letter to the young pastor Timothy, which says that a minister “doth purchase to himself a good degree.” So I was not surprised to learn later that his honorary degree was from a diploma mill–the same school from which ultimately earned his doctor of theology (Th.D) degree.
Radio and TV preachers, who are typically within the charismatic, evangelical, fundamentalist fold, are not known for having much formal education or having credible academic credentials. Some religious media ministry celebrities are college or even high school dropouts. One college drop-out who conducted a religious radio broadcast for decades told inquirers that he took a few correspondence courses from a Bible Institute but received most of his training from the Holy Spirit. Still he introduced himself as “Dr,” and used an N.D. (Doctor of Nutripathy) degree to promote himself as “Dr.” in media ministry and as a nutritional therapist.
What is nutripathy? Gary A. Martin, D.N., Ph.D., Th.D., D.Sc., who originated the system in the late 1970s, allegedly thanks to divine influence, taught that “nutripathy is a religious science of experiencing mental, financial, physical, social and spiritual health using specific universal laws.”
While no other media minister I know holds the highly suspect Doctor of Nutripathy degree, other radio and TV preachers rely on honorary degrees as the base for their “Dr.” title.
I doubt that the use of the honorary doctorate and the abuse of the “Dr.” title it conveys has been more popular than among ministers, including media ministers. While the honorary doctorate has no academic standing, because of the “Dr” title, it is a popular degree among those in some ministry settings who have little or limited formal education.
When a featured speaker is introduced as “Dr,” people who listen to religious radio and view religious TV programs have reason to ask, what kind of “Dr” the title means: Is the reference to a D.D., (honorary doctorate with no academic value), the Th.D. (doctor of theology), a research degree strictly in theology, a D.Min. (doctor of ministry) a degree based on the practice of ministry, or a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy), a research degree that adds knowledge to the field in which the degree is pursued?
With the information in hand that the answer to the degree question asks, the next would be: What school awarded the degree? Just as it is no surprise that so many ministers, including those in media, seek honorary doctoral degrees, it should surprise no one that some Doctors of the Air are created by doctorates granted that are diploma mill degrees.
Dr A H Barbee is a minister and educator. He has served as church pastor, conference speaker, consultant to nonprofit organizations, businesses, Fortune 500 corporations, and professor offering courses in the humanities, management and organizational studies with five colleges and universities. He holds the Ph.D. in Human Resource Development.
infocite@yahoo.com
You have all heard me talk about Smith Wigglesworth. He had a major healing ministry in the early to mid 1900’s. In my opinion, he was one of the greatest eagles to have ever walked this earth. If God has a hall of fame, this man will definitely be in it. The only book he had ever read was the Bible.
One of the main secrets to his incredible healing ministry was his high level of faith. On a scale of 1-10, he had a perfect 10 - and that is why there were so many mighty miracles in his ministry. He was called the “APOSTLE OF FAITH” because of his high level of faith. He believed everything he read in the Bible and was not afraid to push the envelope with God. One of his favorite sayings was: “If the Spirit doesn’t move me, I’ll move Him.”
I recently was reading one of my books on his life when I came upon a message he gave to some younger people. As soon as I read it, I felt it was a word from the Lord. I do not know if he himself was aware of it, but I believe he received a prophetic flow from the Holy Spirit on this message.
He is giving a message on the POWER
of the word of God. I’m going to type this out for you because I would consider
this a “classic statement” on how powerful the Bible and the individual
Scripture verses really are. Here was the message.
The Message
“Fill your head and your heart with the Scriptures. Memorize passages from the Word, with the name of the book, the chapter, and the verse, so that you can quote the Scripture correctly in addresses or in open-air meetings.
As you do this, you are sowing in your heart seeds, which the Spirit of God can germinate. He can bring to your remembrance from time to time that which you have once memorized. You must be so soaked with the Word of God, you must be filled with it, that you yourself are a living epistle, known and read of all men.
Believers are strong only as the Word of God abides in them. The Word of God is spirit and life to those who receive it in simple faith, and it is a verifier of all who own its sway. Know your Book, live it, believe it, and obey it. Hide God’s word in your heart. It will save your soul, quicken your body, illumine your mind. The Word of God is full and final, infallible, reliable, and up-to-date, and our attitude towards it must be one of unquestioned obedience.
If a thing is in the Bible, it is so; it is not even to be prayed about; it is to be received and acted upon. Inactivity of faith is a robber, which steals blessing. Increase comes by action, by using what we have and what we know. Your life must be one of going from faith to faith.”
Conclusion
He had 3 other “pet sayings” which I feel are really catchy. These are true words of knowledge and wisdom.
“Great faith is the product of great fights.”
“Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests.”
“Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.”
The Bible is referred to as the seed of God. Like he says, when you read the Bible, the individual Scripture verses are going into you like seeds. The Holy Spirit will then take the knowledge that is in those verses (seeds) and start what he calls the germination process.
In other words, the Holy Spirit will start to produce fruit and Godly change into your personality and life. But the Holy Spirit always needs knowledge to work with and the individual Scripture verses give Him the knowledge in which He can start the molding and transforming process within you. It’s the Word and the Spirit working together that will start the transformation and sanctification process within each person.
For those who would like to read a good book on this man, there is a small 157 page paperback book titled “Smith Wigglesworth - Apostle of Faith.” The author is Stanley Howard Frodsham.
You can click on the link and order it from Parable.com Christian bookstore online. It talks about all of his “secrets” and a lot of the unbelievable healings that he had in his ministry.
In addition to the healing ministry that he had, he also was a powerful evangelist and won many souls to the Kingdom of God. He traveled throughout most of Europe and the United States.
In all my research this man, in my opinion, may have been one of the greatest eagles to have ever walked this earth. He truly tapped into the real power of God and God used him mightily in getting people saved, healed and delivered.
The funny thing about him is that most Christians have never heard of him. He was non-denominational. He did not belong to any one Church or denomination and he went wherever the Holy Spirit would lead him. He perfectly followed the leadings he received from the Holy Spirit on a daily basis as to where he should go, what he should do, who he should see, etc.
They say his second secret, besides his high level of faith that was responsible for all of his success, was his ability to mesh with and follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis - and that is what being a real eagle for God is all about.
Eagles have to learn to fly on strong wind thermals in order to be able to fly to heights that no other bird can - and Eagles of God have to be able to mesh with and follow the leadings and directions of the Holy Spirit if they want to accomplish great things for God.
That is why I call this man a True Eagle of God - because he was able to master the skill of being able to read and move with the Holy Spirit on a daily basis.
Notes - “Smith Wigglesworth - Apostle of Faith” by Stanley Frodsham, Page 111.
Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible Knowledge, articles, commentary and teaching.
Smith Wigglesworth on the Power of the Word of God can be printed out on
their website.
WHAT AN ABOMINATION WORHSIPING ” THE ACCIENT OF DAYS!”
The big name, “ACCIENT OF DAYS” has confused lot of bible
scholars from around the world since from the ancient times as
there is no detailed information about who Prophet Daniel
described as the ‘THE ACCIENT OF DAYS”. Lot of song books had
been composed praising the “ACCIENT OF DAYS” with the believe
that he is the “ALMIGHTY FATHER IN HEAVEN” worthy to be
worshipped.
Worshipping a prophet of God is an abomination before the Lord
except where it is commanded by God from the scripture like in
the case of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gave his
precious life to save the whole world as was predicted in the
books of the prophets( Isa 9:6-7 and Revelation chapter
5:1-end). Therefore God concealed the grave of Moses from the
people of Israel during his death so that he is not worshipped
as GOD (Deut. Chapter 34).
WHO IS THE ACCIENT OF DAYS?
Prophet Daniel described prophet Elijah as the Accient of Days
one who must come first to restore all things including the
kingdom of God to be ruled by the sons of Abraham whose
government will be overthrow later by the antichrist (see Daniel
7:1-25). Daniel disclosed that thrones were cast to the earth
and one that was ancient of days took his seat(representing
Christ; Rev. 1:12-14). Note that Daniel did not call him by his
real name instead he described him as an aged man full of many
years. Use King James version and the Revise Standard version
and read Isaiah chapter 24:23 describing “Ancient” as Elders.
Prophet Elijah who appeared to Daniel looking very elderly like
Moses his collogue who ascended into heaven in a Chariot of fire
made of two wheels (2 Kings 2:11-12) also saw his second coming
just as he ascended into heaven sitting on a throne made of
fiery wheels and fire was streaming out from before him(being a
prophet who destroyed his enemies by fire; see 2kings 1:9-18
also described as one the two witnesses who shall destroy his
enemies by fire streaming out of his mouth; Rev: 11:3-7).
Prophet Daniel revealed that as a GREAT RESTORER he shall be
the first to restore God’s kingdom on earth with thousands of
the saints and more than ten thousands stood before him for
judgment he was referring to the books of the law as a Chief
Judge and one who will execute judgment on beast which is the
antichrist(in the battle of Armageddon)and who will cast the
beast into the furnace of fire during his military regime before
the second coming of Jesus Christ follows.
Daniel now revealed the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ from
heaven to meet the accident of days here on earth immediately
the beast had been defeated and cast into the furnace of fire by
the end-time biblical prophet whom Daniel described as the
“ACCIENT OF DAYS” NOT GOD THE ALMIGHTY PLEASE..
Daniel said, ” I saw in the night vision and behold one like
the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven(which is Jesus
coming with the clouds of heaven) and he came to the “Ancient of
Days”(who was already on earth after he had cast the beast into
the furnace of fire during the great tribulation) and (JESUS)
was presented to him (the “ACCIENT OF DAYS” JUST AS THE WAY
JESUS PRESENTED HIMSELF TO JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO CAME IN THE
SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH WHO BAPTIZED HIM AND DECLEARED HIM
FIRST AS THE MESSIAH AND WAS CONFIRMED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE
LIKENESS OF A DOVE; see Dan. 7:9-28 and Mat 3:1-17). THIS IS
GOING TO RE-OCCUR IN THE END-TIMES
Similarly, Prophet Malachi predicted the coming of the prophet
Elijah before the coming and dreadful day of the Lord who shall
put the holy laws into force giving through Moses in collogue as
the Lord commanded him at Mount Horeb for all Israel (Mal.
4:4-6). However the second coming of Elijah was first manifested
through John the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of
Elijah (Luke 1:3-17) and Jesus indicted that there shall a
further fulfillment of the coming of Elijah in the end-times who
shall come first to restore all things just as it was revealed
to Prophet Daniel.
I hereby advice song writers and gospel song publishers to
please retrieve and stop using that name “ACCIENT OF DAYS” from
those publications since it is an abomination before the Lord to
take a prophet as the ALMIGHTY FATHER IN HEAVEN including the
angels as the prophet Elijah is still the very Archangel Michael
the great Prince who shall re-appear and fight the beast in the
great tribulation as revealed in the books of the prophets as
indicated in my past articles.
May the Lord forgive all of us now that we have come to know
the truth of the matter which he revealed to us from the angel’s
scroll in this end-times; lot of mistakes and beliefs has to be
corrected so as to avoid the wrath of God descend on us.
You are warned!
Why people need compass? People use it as an important equipment
to steer them the way to their destination, whatever the
conditions encountered.Similarly, when we embark on our
spiritual journey, we need a spiritual compass to help us steer
our way through the “minefield” of life’s hurts, failures, and
defeats that the Great Deceiver uses to lead us astray.
Man has always used his conscience as a guide in his spiritual
journey, but in today’s world of compromise, our conscience is
not always a sure guide. It is like the magnetic compass needle
that points to the magnetic North, but never the true North;
there is always a magnetic variation, which needs to be
corrected by constant reference to the mariner’s chart.
Similarly, our conscience needs to be constantly corrected by
reference to the Word of God. The Bible is therefore, the
spiritual compass of our life. How we use spiritual compass? We
use it to:
1. Enter into a personal relationship with God so that his mind
and heart is revealed to you. This can be accomplished if you
read the Bible, not only intellectually, but with deep longing
in your heart for God to reveal himself to you.
2. Nourish your spirit and to avoid being infected by the
values, principles and ideas of the world that are contrary to
the will of God. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” ( Mt 4:4 ).
3. Learn God’s will in your life. Although God speaks to us in
various ways, the Scriptures are the one sure place where God
reveals his will to us. And he does so in two ways:
(1) When we study God’s Word, it will reveal to us our basic
vocation and what we are going to do with our life, just as God
revealed to aged Abram, in Haran, a new direction in his life (
Gen 12:1 ). As we read and reflect on the Scriptures, we will
realize that God is never ever finished with us, for he
constantly extends and expands the horizons of our life.
(2) When we study God’s Word, it will help us to recognize his
presence and to hear the promptings of his Holy Spirit, amidst
all the hustle and bustle of every day life.
3. Grow in your Christian faith. Somebody said that the word
BIBLE is an acronym for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving
Earth”. How true! Our lives have been created by God and he is
the best person to teach us what we are to do, not only when we
have a break-down in our lives, but also what to do to attain
the Kingdom of Heaven.
4. Grow in your prayer life and have a regular dialogue with
God. Prayer and the Word of God go together. They are like the
two wires of a telephone connection which makes it possible for
us to listen to God, and to speak to him. The more we listen to
the voice of God and understand what he wants to reveal to us,
the more our prayer becomes inspired and soaked with the Word of
God, which is pleasing to him.