A question about Mr. Reinhard Bonnke

On March 16, Pierre J. asked: 

 

“I read your account of your experiences with the WF movement. Have you ever read 'a Different gospel' by DR Mcconnell? I read that years ago and found it very useful indeed. Since 1980, I have opposed the diabolical doctrines of glorifying self. I know Reinhardt Bonke has some type of friendship with people like Benny Hinn, but what in his conduct and preaching do you find wrong?”

 

Response: 

 

Hello Pierre, 

            No, I have never heard of the book you mentioned by D.R. Mcconnel before. I have seen and heard Mr. Bonnke preach at the River Church of Rodney Howard-Browne in Tampa, FL, on more than one occasion. According to 2 John 1:10-11 the principle of a "shared guilt" therefore resides squarely on Mr. Bonnke via his association and blessing on the ministries of men like Rodney Browne, aka the "Holy Ghost bartender." Not only this, he teaches the same things. Bonnke's website tonight is replete with teachings on "a life of fire," "healing in the glory," "full flame" and the like. I never knew of him well, but he is of the same spirit as men like Browne, and so I do know him well. I wish to flush this out a bit.  

            I cannot endorse evil without associating myself with evil in a very direct way, even if I don't teach it myself. This is especially true in theology, and of those who claim to know and teach the truth. I'd be guilty of advocating pornography, for example, by saying, "well I think that pornography is a wonderful thing," even if I were to then say, "but I myself do not view it." Bonnke puts his seal of approval on men like Browne. That's all I need to know. It shows he does not know the Bible. If a man 1) claims to know the teachings of, and 2) says, "I like the teachings of Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda" he's associated with him. 

            Mr. Bonnke's crusades in Africa and in other places are the kind of "miracle" crusades that do not accompany the sound ministry of any man of God that I've ever known. I believe in miracles, but not miracle “healers” and such crusades. I won't go into that further now for time reasons. Like Hinn and others they are showmen, and profiteers. 

            Our church bought and pre-positioned a brand new BMW in the garage of Mr. Bonnke when he returned from a record numbers crusade in Africa. He drove to our "church" in it. He’s a very wealthy man from a false gospel. I’ve never heard him preach the gospel. Never heard him talk on repentance and the precious glories of forgiveness. Just miracle stuff. Quite boring to me, really. If I ever heard men like this take like ten minutes to actually teach the gospel, I would truly check myself in my assessment of the veracity of their “miracles.” I truly would. I’d have to. Doesn’t mean they’d be of the truth for sure, but I’d have to consider if I’m wrong. I never have heard it. Tell me where I can see it, please? I’d love to see it!  

            Sir, I have witnessed their (such ministries) folly to a depth that many have not. Example: I was there physically in the days when Howard-Browne's daughter Kelly died of cystic fibrosis back sometime around 2002. Very sad time. I am not mocking her death. I am very sorry that Mr. Browne lost his daughter. Bonnke and many other "prophets" testified that she would most certainly "come back from the grave." This was a huge, several day event! Many eyes were on the coming resurrection/revival. "She would not die," they shouted. Many "ministers" like Bonnke, Kenneth Copeland, Christian Harfouche, Paula White (and her now ex-husband), and many many others all called or wrote to Rodney to announce it, claiming they’d been prompted to do so by God. They were all over the world saying this. He read their emails in our five hour services for days. I was there on the day we all packed the "church" (like I'd never seen it before) and other false prophet testimonies poured in with a "thus sayeth the Lord" stance that Kelly would live again. She was dead, in the casket before us as she had been for days, but we "were going to see her raise up." We all held hands and literally shouted to heaven for her to now return. Browne told us to. Eric Gonyon (another in Rodney's team) had dreams that she was going to come back. We were pumped. Rodney, he said over and over to us, had made a deal with her within the hour of her death that she would go to heaven, get her new lungs, and return to her body when he called her back. He made her promise. They all declared it vehemently and repeatedly. False prophets (who lived in my apartment with me at the time mind you) writhed on the floor on their backs before Rodney shouting loudly things like, "Thus sayeth the Lord. You will see my miracle power. She will rise, she will live, etc." All of this, of course, was ridiculous and she remains dead. Many excuses were given like she just didn't want to come back, etc. These false "prophecies" are the signature of the false prophets. Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Jeremiah 23:21, et al. Bonnke was in on it all. Now I ask you, how can you endorse such things as a teacher? I don’t see how you could. 

            Now, Bonnke is not Howard-Browne, I know. Bonnke, however, willfully looks upon the works of such ministries as Browne's and calls it of God. I don't believe any man of God ever could. I would expose the one to establish the other. And again, he teaches such things himself as well. 

            The whole word of faith movement, which is in my mind defined by identifying its proponents, is deadly. Men like R. Browne, C. Harfouche, J. Duplantis, E. Long, E. Kenyon, K. Hagin, B. Hinn, M. Murdock, and others couldn't care less about the gospel. That's why they say nothing sound about it. They don't talk about the gospel because they don't know it. Bonnke is associated with all of this, however loosely, and that is enough. They speak of the "fire" and "drunkenness" of God most freely; things that I feel are completely un-wholesome, and un-biblical. 

              I would like to recommend to you one ministry, sir. Justin Peters at justinpeters.org. Also, though I in no way endorse all the man’s work, I saw an episode of Wretched TV once from this guy Derren Brown. He did an expose on such men that I found very insightful. Follow the hyperlink here. 

              I look for a sound gospel, sir. Anything other than that and a ministry is suspect. I have looked for it from Bonnke. It’s a bunch of “decision card” jargon and 55 million people being “saved” in a year, but no gospel power. 

             Thanks for writing, sir. Please check out my Recommend Listening List to see men I most willingly associate myself with. I pray they would with me as well.