Brain Stopper No. 3: 'What False Prophets?'

[This post is No. 3 in a series about "Brain Stoppers." Brain stoppers is my term for a variety of tactics NAR apostles and prophets use to get their followers to shut off their minds so they don't critically evaluate NAR teachings. See No. 1 and No. 2.]

What do you get when you let a fox guard a hen house?Dead chickens.You may wonder what this old proverb has to do with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement. Unfortunately, a lot. Let me explain.In my last post, I pointed out the repeated warnings in the Bible about false prophets. The message is clear: There will be false prophets in the church, and there will be lots of them. So be on guard.You would think that, given these warnings, Christians would be on high alert for false prophets. Sadly, this is not the case. Even those churches that talk the most about prophets and the gift of prophecy--the Pentecostal and charismatic churches--say very little about the need for discerning false prophets.And what's worse: many of the prophets in the NAR movement are actually telling their followers that they don't need to worry about false prophets.Imagine that!Why don't people need to worry about false prophets? Their answer: Because there just aren't that many false prophets around. The following comment, from influential NAR prophet Bill Hamon, is typical.

Despite the occasional false prophet we encounter, we should not let the counterfeit keep us from receiving the genuine. ... The percentage of false prophets is certainly much lower than the devil would have us believe. Out of the 600 pages of personal prophecy I have received over the years, only two were absolutely false, and perhaps were a person's own opinion rather than God's word to me. But I am more than willing to put up with the fraction of a percent that are bad in order to receive the overwhelming majority that are God-inspired." (Prophets and Personal Prophecy, 128).

Pay close attention to Hamon's words. He says false prophets' appearances in the church are only "occasional," and that the percentage of false prophecies given is only a "fraction of a percent."Wow. There is a marked difference between Hamon's careless dismissal of the possibility of false prophets in contrast to the sober words of Jesus and the apostles.Why would any church leader--and especially one who calls himself a prophet--attempt to downplay the threat of false prophets? If Hamon were a true prophet, then he would honor God's Word--not dishonor it by contradicting its teachings about false prophets.And a true prophet would show more concern for God's people by warning them about the serious threat posed by false prophets.There is no good explanation for why Hamon would encourage his followers to let down their guard.That is unless this is a case of a fox guarding the hen house.Read "Brain Stopper No. 4: 'God Won't Let You Be Deceived.'"