Exposed: Confronting the Dark Underbelly of Charismatic Christianity

2 Kings 9-10; 1 Corinthians 2; Psalm 144

An open letter to the charismatic church: What are we wearing?

We are being exposed. The church is being sifted and purified. Things are heating up. The Lord is coming after the dross, and He will not relent until He has it all. (Let the reader understand)

We, as leaders, cannot protect the church from God. And if we think we can, if we believe we can stop the exposure either out of our own embarrassment or soulish love, then we ourselves are the dross that will be removed.

God will purify His bride. And we better not get in the way. We better get ourselves right. We’re not doing business as usual right now. The light of God is shining on the dark places, the hidden places, because He loves His church, and there is indeed a wedding coming.

Recently, I was in a gathering where the discussion centered around priestliness, covenant, and the purification of the church. The backdrop was the exposure of sin happening at IHOPKC, and the response required by the church.

Why was this the discussion? Because the issue here isn’t just about IHOPKC, is it? The issue is the whole charismatic landscape. This is not just about one man’s immorality; it’s about an immoral system. This is about a theology, narrative, and value set that allowed for this kind of abuse to be fostered. And now, not just fostered but covered up, spun, and continued.

I’ve been complicit. I nodded when I should have gotten up to leave the building. I said nothing when I should have been willing to risk being misunderstood. And for that, I apologize and repent. I want to walk in love and covenant. And love risks it all.

Back to the conference. What is God after? He’s after what He’s been after from the very beginning: Priestliness. Adam and Eve were high priests of creation. Although naked, they were clothed in righteousness, covered in light. They walked in union with God.

When they fell into themselves, into separation, it was God Himself who came and clothed them again. This time animal skins would have to suffice, and the first blood sacrifice, performed by God Himself, was enacted. But take note, it was God who covered. God who clothed. It is always God who clothes. For who else can cover?

2500 years later, God, still bringing humanity back to the same storyline, institutes a priesthood. Moses is instructed to bring out Aaron in front of all the people and undress him publicly, and to wash him with water publicly.(Lev. 8) Before Aaron is clothed, he’s first going to be undressed and washed! Do you see it?

Could it be that what we are experiencing now as a prophetic church is that we, in our wisdom, thought it best to skip that part. We got right to the vestments. We wanted to dress and be dressed without the exposure and washing. Well, something’s been rotting our garments from the inside out. And now, the whole world is seeing our filth.

Zechariah 3:3-5 “Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by.”

We need to remove our filthy garments! We need to get undressed.

Yesterday, I watched a leader do just that. He exposed his sin. He exposed his complicity in the system. He exposed his silence. It was brutal. It was godly. And it was required. It is being required by God for this moment. There’s no getting around it.

And the Lord began to move. There was a sobriety as the Holy Spirit began to deal with our hearts. The Holy Spirit, just like in the beginning, hovers over the deep and dark places of creation, waiting for the command, “Let there be light.” (Gen. 1) And that command was coming out of this leader, namely toward his own darkness, but it was doing what it always does, it was bringing light and exposure to all.

And then, the unthinkable happened.

Another leader took to the stage to stop it. With hugs and kisses, the sentiment was exactly this: Far be it from you to have done these vile things.

Well, we’ve all done vile things, haven’t we!

And I could feel the darkness closing back in, rolling over us with its immediate relief from the light we claim to long for. If we want the light, if we want to stand in the council of the Lord, and we do, then we are going to have to be prepared to say what Jesus said to His own well-meaning friends.

Matthew 16:22-24 “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Anything that gets in the way of what God is doing, however well-intentioned, is from the adversary. We cannot allow ourselves to be talked out of heading to the cross. It is the only way. Jesus is the only way.

Our prophetic words and conferences won’t save us. Our ministries and intercession for the nations will not save us. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. This is the only way.

That leader, later in the night, went on to say they were embarrassed for the sin that was exposed during the segment I’ve referenced. And it is embarrassing. We should all be embarrassed. Our false theology, our “push-delete” model, is embarrassing. This exposure, this undressing, is embarrassing for all of us.

But we need it.

We’ve put men and women on platforms, and we’ve worshiped them. We’ve worshiped the stories and the dreams and the words and the narratives. We’re in idolatry, and the Lord is saving us from ourselves. We’re off! And we’ve got to get right.

Look at this promise:

Zechariah 3:6-8 “And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.”

If we will obey. If we will allow the exposure and the washing, God will indeed dress us in His righteousness once again. If we will allow ourselves to be humbled in front of our friends, the Branch will come.

We have cried out for a Jesus movement, and this is the order. This is the way.

As for me, I wasn’t embarrassed for the sin that was exposed. I’m embarrassed that we stopped the Lord from doing all that was in his heart. I’m embarrassed that we tried to minimize and silence a confession. I’m embarrassed that we, the collective we in this case, felt embarrassed at what the Lord is clearly doing in our midst.

And this is why I’m writing now. I don’t want to be complicit in the cover-up. Not someone else’s and not my own.

We are sinners! All of us. And we are saved, and being saved, by grace. We need God. This exposure is an invitation. And I’m not going to be talked out of it. Don’t let yourself be talked out of it. Confess your crap, and get free! Get the filth off of you and get clean.

Being exposed and cleaned is not embarrassing. Getting new garments, new priestly vestments, is not embarrassing. Wearing your filth, while standing in a holy place, that’s embarrassing and dangerous. Get free! Get clean. And don’t let anyone, no matter how well-meaning, talk you out of the process.

As painful as it is, we’re going to have to say, “Get behind me, Satan.”

Now, if you’re still tracking with me and asking how this relates to the reading from today, here’s how.

Every god demands a priesthood. And every priesthood is robed in something. If God is dealing with us, as His church, you can be sure it’s because His intentions are to deal with the principalities the church must face in this hour.

2 Kings 10:22-27 “He said to him who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out the vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out the vestments for them. Then Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab, and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search, and see that there is no servant of the Lord here among you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, “The man who allows any of those whom I give into your hands to escape shall forfeit his life.” So as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the guard and to the officers, “Go in and strike them down; let not a man escape.” So when they put them to the sword, the guard and the officers cast them out and went into the inner room of the house of Baal, and they brought out the pillar that was in the house of Baal and burned it. And they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.”

We’re in battle with the gods. It’s priesthood against priesthood. Let’s do what we must to be dressed for union. In that place, seated with Christ, we shall surely be victorious. Let’s say yes to the process.

Deepening Faith: Reflective Journal Prompts

1. Examination of the Heart: Reflect on areas of your life where you might be resisting God’s purification process. What fears or pride might be hindering you from allowing God to remove the dross from your life?
2. The Role of Leadership in Purification: Consider the responsibilities of leaders within the church during times of exposure and purification. How can you, in your capacity (whether in leadership or not), support the church’s journey towards purity?
3. Personal Response to Exposure: Have you ever experienced a moment of exposure, where something hidden was brought to light? Write about this experience and how it led to a deeper cleansing and relationship with God.
4. Priestliness and Covenant: Reflect on the concept of being a priest in today’s world. How does understanding your role as a priest before God change the way you live out your faith?
5. Confession and Repentance: In light of the call to confess and get clean, think about areas in your life that need repentance. How can confession to God and possibly to others lead you into deeper freedom and cleanliness before Him?

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