Thursday, April 2, 2009

Earl Paulk is in a better place?

Earl Paulk Jr., has died. Someone wrote, “He’s in a better place now”. Is he really? I have my doubts. Throughout his pastoral career, controversy has followed him. Many women have claimed that he manipulated them into sexual relationships, including Jessica Battle who claimed she was sexually abused by Paulk as a young girl. Was he a child molester as well? He would tell the women, “…such bonding relationships were used by God to bring confidence and power to one's spiritual calling”. There’s no doubt that Earl Paulk enjoyed sexual relationships outside his marriage, but is that enough to deny him access to heaven? Aren’t we all in danger of being excluded? Don’t we all fall short of the glory of God? If that’s all there was, I would not be writing about him now, especially so soon after his death. But there is in my mind something greater to consider. What about Earl Paulk’s theology?

Earl Paulk taught
Kingdom Now Theology, which is:

A Heretical teaching. It holds that Jesus can not return unless and until "the Church" subdues and rules the earth. For an extensive overview, see
Kingdom Theology Defined
.

Kingdom Now Theology comes in various flavors, goes by a number of different names, and permeates several related movements. See, for example, Latter Rain Movement, Manifest Sons of God, Dominion theology, and Five-Fold Ministry, as well as the New Apostolic Reformation.

Pat Robertson (CBN, Christian Broadcasting Network, 700-Club) is a major proponent of Kingdom Now theology. Other proponents include Bill Hamon (and other so-called ''prophets),'' Larry lea, Thomas Reid, and many prominent leaders and teachers of today's controversial renewal and revival movements.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/k00.html

See also, Kingdom Now Theology by Al Dager, for an in-depth study.

Teaching heresies and misleading God’s people is not the way to get on God’s good side.

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2PE 2:1-3

God’s Word warns us about these people and that we should avoid them (see
MT 7:15
, MT 24:11,MT 24:24, MK 13:22, Gal 2:4, 1 Ti 6:3-5, 1 JN 4:1).

The apostle Paul worked diligently to preach the truth to counter false teaching.

And I [Paul] will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Cor. 11:12-15

Earl Paulk spent his final years teaching false doctrine. I don’t know if he actually believed what he taught or if he was in it for the power that he could have over others, or if he was in it for the money he could gain, or maybe all of the above. I do know God’s Word is clear. He will be held to a higher standard for his teaching.

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. JAS 3:1

Did Earl Paulk have a deathbed confession? Did he plead on God’s mercy for his sins against those that he was charged with shepherding? Did he plead on God’s mercy for his greed and manipulation, for teaching heresies? Only God knows what was in his heart when he was alive. His death is a sad one for me because the hope I have for him is slim. I have my doubts about Earl Pauk’s salvation.

For more information about Earl Paulk, go to
http://www.iamforsure.com/False Teachers/Paulk/ReasonsPaulk.html

Contact me about this article

Permission is granted to copy and distribute this article in its entirety, provided that it is not sold or used in any publication that is sold. Also, this disclaimer must accompany the article along with the author’s copyright and Zondervan’s copyright. All other uses for this article must be approved by the author in writing.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

2 comments:

MrSkeleton NEWS! said...

So many are quick to [not understand] or attempt to ignore, or better be willing to consider that Bishop Paulk's life's work and the world it reached far outweighed the litany of allegations laid against his life.

Does this statement absolve any wrongdoing that he's admitted to? It does not. Nor does his admission of weakness in his flesh disqualify the valididt of his message.

An historical chapter in the history of modern Christianity has come to a close with the passing of Bishop Earl Paulk. Our Bishop went home to be with the Lord during the evening of March 29, 2009 at the age of 81. While the book of life is brief, Bishop Paulk’s life’s work of God’s Kingdom in demonstration was promulgated throughout the world during the course of his 60 years of active ministry.

Countless thousands and millions by extension throughout the earth have been touched by the positive message of the Gospel of the Kingdom. This powerful message for our times was also carried by many others who followed their own high calling but the Gospel of the Kingdom was delivered to the Christian mainstream by Bishop Paulk. Though this Biblical message of God’s rule in human hearts didn’t originate with him, his dynamic preaching and teaching brought relevancy and clarity to the Christian church in the late 20th century.

Doubtless a man after God’s own heart, it’s without question that Bishop Paulk struggled with areas of his humanity as do so many of us who must balance life in the flesh with our spiritual inner man, confined to this earthen realm. Personal failures among mankind notwithstanding, the callings of God are without repentance and God continues to use those faithful to the call that he places in their life, and such was God’s call on the life of our dear Bishop.

While unfortunate, it is also understandable that the human condition compels us to castigate in the light of impropriety’s discovery. Even so, the media outlets have announced Bishop’s passing, not with the recognition of his life’s work but rather the litany of accusation ascribed against him during his later years. The unbelieving world and those blinded to God’s goodness suffer greatly with the lack of understanding. As Christians, we however see and perceive the treasure of God’s deposit in the life of his called. As Jeremiah 15:19 tells us; If you can but extract the precious from the worthless then you will be my spokesman.

As Christians serving the same God as did Bishop Paulk, we are admonished to uphold those in authority, spiritual and otherwise and to recognize the ministry, not the man. To share in his vision, not his plight. To view the role of the man as representative of God’s kind intention to the world. The message of God’s Kingdom is the key – not the frailty or the weakness of its messengers. The message endures and continues to touch the four corners of a dying world after the transgressions of God’s servant is all but forgotten.

Many of you reading this tribute have been personally touched and perhaps even spiritually established through the life’s work and ministry of Bishop Earl Paulk. Regardless of personal life, he was the door through which many received God’s salvation. His was the vision that carried God’s Kingdom awareness to the world. It is therefore a credit to us individually and as a community of believers, united in God’s love to remember as 2 Corinthians 4:7 says: God’s precious deposit, or treasure lives in earthen vessels that the greatness may be of the power of God and that not of ourselves.

Spiritual History will be kind to God’s message of the kingdom. This message as delivered through Bishop Earl Paulk has been recorded in both books and sermons for the past several decades. Thanks largely to the visionary calling of Donnie & Gina Harris, the durable preservation of the Bishop’s body of work on the Kingdom will be established at BishopEarlPaulk.net even now as we celebrate the life, the ministry, and home going of Bishop Earl Paulk.

Jeff Nix 3/29/2009
jeffnix@gmail.com – 678-776-8861
POSTED = http://jeffnix.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/bishop-earl-p-paulk/

Bruce said...

Mr. Nix,

Earl Paulk died in dishonor, disgrace and shame due to his propensity to indulge in so-called “kingdom relationships”. It is natural that the world would focus attention on those kinds of exploits because they were perpetrated by a man who claimed to speak for God. Christianity takes it on the chin every time a so-called Christian leader falls, and Earl Paulk seemed to have more than his share for the media to kick around. As Christians, we are to be above reproach so that we don’t bring discredit to the body of Christ. The world will never remember anything good that Earl Paulk produced, especially the media because they thrive on tearing down the church whenever they get the opportunity. It is my belief that the Church (you and me) should call out religious leaders when they misbehave to let the world know that we don’t put up with such nonsense. If Christians policed their own, the world wouldn’t feel so compelled to.

My fear for Earl Paulk’s soul stems not from his sexual escapades, but from the very message that you seem so sure is correct. Earl Paulk did reach millions with his kingdom message, and that is the very reason his salvation is in question for me. I understand all too well the work or Earl Paulk, at least the last 15 years or so, and I am here to tell you that his message was filled with deceit. Kingdom Now Theology, Earl Paulk’s message, is not biblical as you state and you would do well to understand this other gospel before you follow any more false teachings. Do you believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God? If you do, then it won’t take long for you to figure out that you have been duped into believing lies. And why would Earl Paulk do such a thing? Greed! Greed for power, greed for honor, greed for influence, and oh yes, greed for money. The articles I have posted on my website about Kingdom Now Theology (and there are many others on the web) explain in great detail the many ways such teachers manipulate their congregations. Earl Paulk was a master at it. It is precisely the reason he was able to manipulate the women in his congregation into sexual affairs.

I was once a member. I saw first hand how he would parade around the cathedral, dressed in priestly robes, sitting in the most prominent seat, having his son wash and kiss his feet. Were you there when that happened? I was part of the collections, double and triple tithes, and offerings on top of that. Where did all the money go? Don’t say that it went out into the community. Were you ever a part of any of the ministries? It was rare that church funds were ever used to support church ministries. The money that the church received was kept in house, to promote Earl Paulk’s message, and to support his lavish lifestyle.

If your assertion about Earl Paulk’s kingdom message is correct, then my words are foolish indeed. But if my assertion that Earl Paulk’s kingdom message is not biblical then let this be a warning to all that have believed it. You owe it to yourself to study Earl Paulk’s teachings against what the Bible teaches, including the so-called new revelations that came out of that church. I have spent the last several years doing just that because I was once a member as I stated before. I learned that Earl Paulk often contradicted Scriptures, even as he read them aloud, making his words of more value than those of God. Look closely at the words of Earl Paulk. Read his books if you have to. And if you reach the same conclusion that I have about false prophets and false teachers, you’ll understand why I have doubts as to whether he’s in a better place or not.

God may have placed a calling on Earl Paulk at one time in his life, and maybe he led people to Christ. It is not for me to judge. But in the Bible, you won’t find a single true prophet of God die in shame and controversy as did Earl Paulk.

Donnie Earl has adopted yet another gospel, even worse that the one his father/uncle Earl was teaching, Universalism, or the gospel of inclusion. Ok, so no one will go to hell? That’s a topic for discussion at another time. Good grief!