A Conversation with the Church of Almighty God

A recent surge of friend requests I received on Facebook included members representing the Church of Almighty God, an organization I hadn’t heard of before. Their graphics accompanying their posts reminded me of those used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Therefore, I suspected this group is a cult. To find out more about this “church”, I watched a BBC documentary about them that looked rather disturbing. Then I logged onto their website. Immediately, a chat window opened up. I decided to respond to the other person online. Here’s how the conversation went (my comments are in bold)…

Hello, and welcome to the Gospel of the Descent of Kingdom. Think back on the “Your kingdom come” prayer that we have often made in the past. Now, God's kingdom has already descended, and God has returned in the flesh to express the truth and carry out the work of judgment in order for us to be able to come face to face with God and listen to His voice with our own ears! Do you want to understand the details of God's work? You are welcome to get in contact with us.

What do you mean “carry out the work of judgment?” I thought we are to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

It means God has already carried the judgment work on earth.

How?

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). In the last days, God has already comes into flesh and expressed a lot of truth to judge our corruption, He uses all aspects of truth to reveal our corruption, that is God's end-time judgment work.

How has "God has already come into flesh"? I thought that's supposed to happen at Armageddon. 

(My question got deleted and the first paragraph from them was repeated)

This sounds like a cult. Revelation 19 says Jesus will come back on a white horse with the armies of heaven. The Lord warned of deceivers prior to His return. 

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:23-24) Yes. there are may false christ will happened before Jesus return. But I think How to Distinguish Between the True Christ and False Christs that's a big thing for each of us.

So who is Jesus Christ to you?

The creator. Can I share with you a video about How to Distinguish Between the True Christ and False Christs? I think you are a devote [sic] Christian. About Jesus return is a big thing for us 

(This was followed by links to two YouTube videos, which I didn’t bother to watch)

Are you born again? If so, I’d like to know how you came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Sure. Why not. But it's a long story. Shall i add you on Fb or Skype?

How about sharing it here? Just a paragraph or two would be fine.

I couldn't express by very simple words.

I want to make sure you follow the real Jesus Christ…so please answer this question. How can someone know that if he (or she) dies before His return, he will go to heaven instead of hell?

How do i know if He is God. I know God form [sic[ His words. John 1:1-4  Today Jesus has returned in flesh and express truth in a new book. Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. God comes back let us recognize Him through His voice (words).

I cannot agree with your claim that “Jesus has returned in flesh” Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM…” There are other things that must happen before the Lord’s return such as the rapture of His Church and enforcement of the mark of the beast system in Revelation 13.

Yes. What is the real rapture only when Jesus come back and open the mystery of it. But the Bible also mentioned that “… I come as a thief” (Revelation 16:15). “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)

“… for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes” (Matthew 24:44). Luke 17:24-25. “For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines to the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and again be rejected of this generation.”

I have another question. What if someone came to one of your meetings and had a demon. What would you do?

What do you wanna to know?

I saw a news report about your group killing a woman because she had a demon. 

We welcome those who wanna seek the truth. who welcome the lord return. Do you believe the media?

Usually not.

Friend In my opinion We have to know the fact ourselves and master the principle of discernment, only in this way can we not repeat what others say. When Jesus performed His ministry in Judea. Many people resist Jesus. John 7:12 said :”Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people.” Matthew 12:24 said :”But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Mark 3:21-22 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving

I’m an evangelist that shares the gospel mostly on the streets of various cities. The priority of every born-again Bible-believing Christian should be getting people saved instead of trying to get them to join a particular church or group. Many people are in hell right now because they were taught false ideas such as doing good works or simply believing there is a God will get them into heaven. Even the demons believe there is a God and tremble.

Yes. You are right. Friend I would like share the truth about the report (another YouTube link was sent). Have you ever read more about Almighty God's words.

Now you sound like a Mormon

Almighty God's said "God seeks those who long for Him to appear. He seeks those who are able to hear His words, those who have not forgotten His commission and offer up their heart and body to Him. He seeks those who are as obedient as babes before Him, and do not resist Him.”

"Those who are not cautious when they encounter the new work of the Holy Spirit, who run their mouths off, are quick to judge, who give free rein to their natural instinct to deny the rightness of the Holy Spirit’s work, and also insult and blaspheme it—are such disrespectful people not ignorant of the Holy Spirit’s work? Are they not, furthermore, the ones of arrogance, inherently proud and ungovernable? Even if a day comes when such people accept the new work of the Holy Spirit, still God will not tolerate of them. Not only do they look down upon those who work for God, but also blaspheme against God Himself. Such foolhardy people will not be forgiven, either in this age or the age to come and they shall forever perish in hell!”

Mat 12:31-32 Why I say to you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven to men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Let me clarify by saying I’m not trying to stir up doctrinal debates but find out the truth about the Church of Almighty God since I’ve seen Facebook posts by other members of your group that looked suspicious. My concern is that you are not following a cult leader or counterfeit deity. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Thank You. can I have you name plz?

It's Todd. I will be leaving my house soon and need to log off when my roommate is ready to leave.

Okay. Would you like to know more detail about our Church? I would like to seek the truth with you.

I need to go now. Have a nice day. Jesus is Lord!

(end of chat session)

The Church of Almighty God claims Jesus has already come back to earth in China. If that's true, then why don’t they post videos and photos of the Lord Himself? Obviously the real Jesus Christ hasn’t returned yet. Let’s continue proclaiming the true gospel until He does.

“For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” - 2 Corinthians 11:4 

Redeeming Halloween

Next Saturday people around the world will celebrate Halloween. Christians have responded to this holiday in different ways. Some church-going parents allow their kids to go trick-or-treating not seeing anything wrong with that. Others ignore the day completely as to avoid “every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) Then there are parents who send their kids to a “Hallelujah party” or some other alternative event. I’ve even heard of believers having “hell houses” (instead of haunted houses) to show people what eternity will be like if they die without knowing the Lord.

Since becoming a Christian in 1991, there were a few Halloween nights when I went out street evangelizing. Another time I attempted to give out tracts instead of candy to kids who showed up at my door. I quickly realized this wasn’t an effective way to reach children for Jesus. I remember trick-or-treating as a kid and would have been disappointed if an adult offered me a tract without any candy.

Six years ago a friend of mine planned to hand out bags of candy along with mini-Bibles but had a prior commitment. We prayed about what to do and a creative idea came to us. I volunteered to take her place dressed up as Jesus. I grew a beard for the occasion and wore a white toga plus fake blood marking the spots where the Roman spikes went into the Lord’s hands and feet. In front of the house, I placed a lighted pumpkin with a cross carved in it and also had a replica of the Ten Commandments instead of a tombstone.

Trick-or-treaters started showing up around 6:45 p.m. I offered bonus snacks to kids who could tell me who I was supposed to be. Many of them didn’t know. To my surprise, a lot of them didn’t know who Jesus was. It was mostly a night of seed planting since the kids were in a hurry to get to the next house. Fortunately, one girl prayed with me to get saved after she stopped to feel one of my fake wounds. Later two more salvations occurred...teenagers who were with two younger kids. Another young man asked me if it's wrong to celebrate Halloween. I replied, “There's a better way to do it.” That’s to glorify not the dead but the God of the Living.

Sharing the gospel with trick-or-treaters is a way of doing “door-to-door evangelism” without leaving your own house. Ask the Lord what He may want you to do this Saturday night.

“redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” - Ephesians 5:16

Cross Dressing

Two days ago while waiting for a friend to pick me up at the Minneapolis Public Library, a man with a beard walked in wearing open-toed high heels plus short denim shorts. The latter in itself was bizarre considering the temperature outside was at the freezing mark. This man ended up causing a ruckus at the library. A couple of times I heard him defiantly challenge people to touch him. Because he refused to leave on his own accord, three security guards tackled the man to the floor and hauled him away in handcuffs.

I recall at least one incident when witnessing to a crossdresser. Again this happened in Minneapolis. While walking towards the downtown area, I encountered a homeless person sitting outside. He claimed to know Jesus but wasn't going to church anywhere because of not being accepted dressed as a woman. This man even claimed God told him it was okay to be transgender. If that was true, God would be contradicting His own commandment in Deuteronomy 22:5...

“A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God.”

On the other hand, there are preachers who go the other extreme by proclaiming man-made dress codes. Years ago while working for Billy Graham’s World Wide Pictures, I called one female pastor who wouldn’t show any of our films. Her reason? “Women shouldn’t wear pants.” What would this pastor do if God called her to minister in Scotland? She might have a hard time seeing Scotsmen wearing kilts.

I’ve also heard ministers preaching against men having long hair. Personally I’m not fond of women with really short hair but that’s between them and the Lord. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “...man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Nevertheless, God expects men to act like men and women to act like women. 1 Corinthians 6:9 (KJV) states that effeminate men will not inherit the kingdom of God. Anyone who lives a lifestyle as the opposite gender is rebelling against God’s word. 

There is one type of “cross-dressing” acceptable for Christians...wearing the cross of Christ.

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” - 1 Peter 5:5

Crossing Into Eternity

A minister known worldwide for writing the best selling book “The Cross and the Switchblade” and starting up Teen Challenge has gone home to be with the Lord. David Wilkerson was killed last Wednesday when the car he was driving on a Texas highway swerved into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. David was 79 years old.

Back in 1958 while pastoring a small church in Pennsylvania, the Lord compelled David Wilkerson to go to New York City. He later wrote “The Cross and the Switchblade” about his early years in the Big Apple ministering to drug addicts and gang members. Over 15 million copies of that book have been published in numerous languages. David’s story was made into a movie starring Pat Boone as David and Erik Estrada as Nicky Cruz, a gang leader who later became an evangelist.

David also founded Times Square Church in an area of Manhattan that had been infested with X-rated movie houses, strip clubs, prostitution and drugs. The church now has more than 8,000 members and many outreach ministries.

I first heard about David Wilkerson in the late 1990’s. While working at World Wide Pictures (Billy Graham’s film ministry), I occasionally received inquiries for “The Cross and the Switchblade” from pastors who thought the movie was one of our productions. Around this time I made visits to the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida. Evangelist Steve Hill and his wife Jeri were both discipled through Teen Challenge, a biblically based drug recovery program that David founded.

Since then I’ve met other individuals whose lives were transformed through Teen Challenge.

In 2000, a fellow street evangelist gave me one of David Wilkerson’s monthly newsletters. If I recall correctly, the teaching article was about forgiveness. At the time, I was struggling with forgiving a close friend who had betrayed me.

A year later during a road trip through upstate New York, I made a pit stop at a convenience store that happened to be giving away copies of “The Cross and the Switchblade.” One thing I distinctly remember reading in the book was that some of those going through Teen Challenge weren’t totally delivered from drug addiction until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Three years later I watched “The Cross and the Switchblade” movie for the first time (and have since seen it many times). That same year I visited Times Square Church but never got to see David Wilkerson minister there. I later heard David preach via the Internet.

David often wrote and spoke frank prophetic words. I didn’t agree with everything he preached. But there was no questioning David’s compassion for the lost and the impact his ministry had on people. Many saints in heaven are thanking David for his obedience to the Lord.

It’s unfortunate how David Wilkerson died. Had he worn his seat belt like his wife Gwen (who was seriously injured in the accident but is expected to recover), David might still be with us today.
Nonetheless, he is with the Lord now. A private funeral will be held tomorrow in Texas. A public memorial service at Times Square Church will be broadcast online on May 14th.

Let’s keep the Wilkerson family in our prayers during this time of transition.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” - Romans 12:15

New Disciples in North Dakota

This week I returned to Fargo, North Dakota where I was born (but raised in the bordering city of Moorhead, Minnesota). For several days prior to arriving here, I had recurring thoughts of sharing the gospel at North Dakota State University, a college some of my family members attended. My late grandfather also taught entomology there.

Two days ago as I was preparing to leave a Caribou Coffee shop in West Fargo, I noticed a young man working on his laptop and felt impressed to minister to him. Tito wasn’t sure of his eternal destiny but prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Tito is originally from Manhattan and I noticed him wearing an MSUM (Minnesota State University Moorhead) shirt. But strangely enough, Tito is a student at NDSU. I took that as a confirmation that God wanted me to minister there that day.

After riding my bike to NDSU and briefly resting in the Student Union, I went out evangelizing and set a goal for 10 salvations. Nine more names were added to the Lamb's Book of Life. Among the most memorable salvations were two young men named Matt and Shane who were tossing a ball amongst each other. Both of them took off their baseball caps when they prayed to get born again.

During my time on campus, I also got into a lengthy conversation with an atheist who kept asking me questions. Aaron was a bit contentious and I correctly discerned that he wouldn’t pray with me to receive salvation. Nevertheless, many seeds were planted as various Scriptures kept coming up in my spirit. One issue Aaron repeatedly brought up was his idea that Jesus was poor. I took out my Bible and showed Aaron numerous Scriptures on prosperity (Psalm 35:27, Matthew 6:33, Luke 6:38, Philippians 4:19) and then asked him, “Would a poor man have a treasurer?” After about 15 minutes I felt it was time to end the conversation.

Later that afternoon I went to McDonald's to enjoy a cold drink and do more work on my laptop. There I noticed an employee who sat around for a long time. Adam had come to work early and was waiting for his shift to start. Eventually, I decided to witness to him. Adam originally thought that lying wasn’t “a bad enough sin” to keep him out of heaven. In response, I pointed out that Revelation 21:8 says, “…all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” Adam prayed to get born again.

That evening I attended a party hosted by a former co-worker who I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. Before going to this party, I stopped at a grocery store to buy drinking water and meat for the grill. When I returned outside to unlock my bicycle, I initiated a conversation with a woman whose bicycle was next to mine. After Dorian prayed with me to get saved, she told me her mother had recently become a devout Jehovah’s Witness. Fortunately, Dorian hadn't been exposed too much to the Watchtower's false doctrine and was therefore very receptive to the gospel. Before leaving the store, I gave Dorian an NKJV New Testament in case the two bibles she has at home are both New World Translation.

The next day (yesterday), I evangelized in South Fargo and saw eight more precious souls get born again. The harvest is ripe. God needs more laborers. Will you go?

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “ Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” - Isaiah 6:8