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Specific questions I asked a local pastor ...

Specific questions I asked a local pastor who we understood to be pentecostal/word of faith, yet were told soething contrary to that:

Dear Pastor XXXXXXX


You and I seem to have access to e-mail pretty regularly. I would be glad to keep our lines of communication open through this method as well if and until we ever meet personally.

We are a bit confused as to where you say you stand now regarding the beliefs we have discussed so far as it relates to the church you started in 1994. On one hand you seem to agree with our concerns about those teachings, yet on the other hand you didn’t seem to approve of my use of the term “heresy.” Also some of our people believe your old church did and does adhere to these teachings we are concerned about. Do you mind answering the following questions to help us understand where you stand doctrinally on some things?


1. Do you believe the office of Apostle still exists today? And if so, do you consider yourself an Apostle?

2. Do you believe that Christians can have the gift of healing and miracles as did those in the 1st century?

3. Do you further believe Christians can have the gift of raising people from the dead as did Jesus and the Apostles?

4. Do you believe that “Tongues” is a known intelligible human language or an unknown unintelligible non human language or both?

5. Do you believe it is always God’s will to heal and that it is a matter of the Christian having enough faith?

6. Do you believe that it is God’s will for all of His people to not be poor and to have wealth?

7. What do you think of the beliefs, ministry and writings of Joel Osteen?

8. Do you believe in the Trinity, that God is One, yet three distinct co-equal, co-eternal Persons known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

9. Do you believe in the authority and sufficiency of the word of God and that it is God’s means to save those He draws by His Spirit and for them to grow in the grace of knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and be conformed to His image?

10. Do you believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone in the Person and Work of Christ alone, that He secured salvation in His death and resurrection and not just made it a mere possibility?

11. Do you believe that Christ could fail by losing anyone, in consideration that Joseph was told that they shall call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins? (Mt. 1:21)

12. What do you think of expository preaching through books/letters of God’s word chapters and verses at a time as the best method of proclaiming the whole counsel of God and equipping the saints for the glory of God?

13. Can women teach and have authority over men in the local church and be pastors/elders?

14. Are those who believe good works or anything they do contributes to a person’s salvation, deny the deity and virgin birth and sinlessness of Christ, and deny the Trinity, saved and our brother and sisters in Christ?

15. Does Baptism of the Holy Spirit happen at salvation, or can it happen some time later in the Christian’s life?

16. Will some or all Christians become “sons of God” in the same way Jesus is the Son of God?



Thanks Pastor, if you will answer these. If anything, it can certainly give us a chance to let iron sharpen iron.

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