Steven Furtick is a super-creepy false teacher. He seems like a mean version of Joel Osteen crossed with a cult leader. This was going to just be a one-liner in a roundup post, but I kept coming across more things about this guy and rapidly growing Elevation Church.
His “Hey Haters” video is comical for its hypocrisy.
He trots out other false teachers like Perry Noble to preach sermons about how great Furtick is, all the while claiming that God gave him that text to preach about Furtick, not Jesus.
Poor guy only has a 16,000 sq. ft. house. It is sad that his “church” is growing so fast and taking in a half-million dollars in weekly donations.
His church has sketchy baptism rituals.
Then there is this coloring assignment for kids at the church. Yes, it is real. Yes, he takes a verse about government and applies it to himself. Yes, it is cult-like. This reminds me of the episode from The Simpsons where Homer joins a cult (“The leader is great . . .”).
Update: Furtick knew about the book and loved it.
He actively discourages Bible study (surprise!) so his followers probably won’t catch on any time soon. If only they would open the book . . .
Eternity Matters 
Sorry, just saw the link was already in your post!
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I’m sure Steve is proud of the fact that he is making a name for himself. However, Jesus words come to mind when I read of such foolishness: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
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BTW, I think it’s ironic that he had to disable comments for his Hey Haters youtube video.
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That is interesting! I’m sure he would have had tons of people exposing his false teachings.
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Wow…you can’t make this stuff up
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Wow, just wow! I just watched the Perry Noble link video. That’s blasphemy in the worst way.
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Heretics, plain and simple.
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Here’s a great list from http://defendingcontending.com/
STEVE FURTICK & ELEVATION CHURCH FREE FALL INTO APOSTASY
TIMELINE
(in reverse order)
“When Does a Church Cross into a Cult?” (February 21, 2014)
http://standupforthetruth.com/2014/02/church-cross-cult/
“Furtick Becoming a Cult Leader” Chris Rosebrough February 2, 2014
http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/2014/02/speak-up-speak-loud-speak-out.html
Radio broadcast:
[audio src="http://004f597.netsolhost.com/fftf/F4F022014.mp3" /]
“Steven Furtick and Elevation Church’s Playbook for ‘Spontaneous Baptisms’” – Chris Rosebrough, 2/20/14 – Issues, Etc.
http://issuesetc.org/2014/02/20/2-steven-furtick-and-elevation-churchs-playbook-for-spontaneous-baptisms-chris-rosebrough-22014/(about 35 minutes in)
“INDOCTRINATING CHILDREN INTO THE CULT OF STEVEN FURTICK” (February 19, 2014)
“http://apprising.org/2014/02/19/indoctrinating-children-into-the-cult-of-steven-furtick/
“Furtick & Noble Want Your Tithe” (November 5, 2013)
http://www.holybibleprophecy.org/2013/11/05/furtick-noble-tithe/
(note Rick Warren alliance and Furtick speaking at Saddleback Church link)
“Steven Furtick Debuts on Trinity Broadcasting Network Amid Financial Concerns” (February 12, 2014):
http://apprising.org/2014/02/12/steven-furtick-debuts-on-trinity-broadcasting-network-amid-financial-concerns/
“Pastor Steven Furtick’s ‘House from Heaven’” (February 18, 2014)
http://herescope.blogspot.com/
Furtick’s Heretical “Church”
“FURTICK’S HERETICAL ‘CHURCH'” April 8, 2012
Worldview Weekend radio broadcast
http://worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=8259
Furtick’s Heretical “Church”
“FURTICK STAY HOME” (August 20, 2011)
http://www.discernthetime.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=25145
“PERVERTING SCRIPTURE” (January 2, 2012)
http://www.discernthetime.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=29725
“WE CAN WORK IT OUT:” Is Steven Furtick Qualified to Have this Conversation (January 25, 2012)
http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2012/01/we-can-work-it-out-is-steven-furtick.html
“STEVEN FURTICK PERFORMER WANNABE?” (May 11, 2011)
http://www.discernthetime.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=18835
Steve Furticks’ Elevation Church Confidentiality Agreement
Click to access Confidentiality%20Agreement%20Form.%20pdf.pdf
“TITHING IS NOT A CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE”
Film Documentary
BY DR. RUSSELL KELLY:
Dr. Kelley earned his Phd on Tithing. This documentary does not name Steve Furtick, but it still applies to him)
STEVEN FURTICK/ELEVATION CHURCH (SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION) EXPOSED FACEBOOK AND VICTIM’S BLOG
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steven-Furtick-Exposed/276178349163904
President of Publishers Weekly denies that they ever published Rick Warren’s boast that his Purpose Driven Life book is
“the bestselling non-fiction hardback book in history” September 20, 2013
http://www.perfectpeaceplan.com/post/is-rick-warrens-claim-that-his-book-is-the-best-selling-non-fiction-hardback-book-in-history-true/
RICK WARREN, ZONDERVAN, HARPER:
“BESTSELLING NON-FICTION HARDBACK BOOK IN HISTORY” (Publishers Weekly), the Purpose Driven Life has sold over 32 million copies“
SOURCE: http://www.purposedriven.com/books/pdlbook/#purpose & http://media.zondervan.com/images/product/original/9780310329060.JPG
THE FACTS:
THE BIBLE: 6 BILLION +
(SOURCE: GIDEON)
A COLLECTION OF QUOTATIONS FROM CHINESE CHAIRMAN MAO ZEDONG: 6.5 billion copies
QUOTATIONS FROM CHAIRMAN MAO (THE LITTLE RED BOOK) Chinese, 1964, 800-900 million copies worldwide.
THE KORAN (Q’URAN): 800 million copies sold
XINHUA DICTIONARY: sold over 400 million copies
CHAIRMAN MAO’S POEMS: 400 million copies
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER: 300 million
FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS: 150 million
SCOUTING FOR BOYS: 150 million
THE BOOK OF MORMON: sold 120 million.
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY: ELLEN G. WHITE: 100 million
THE TRUTH THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE: 107 million
STEPS TO CHRIST: ELLEN G. WHITE: 60 million
BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST: sold 50 million
(Published by Harper. You would think they would know that 50 million is greater than 32 million since both Ben-Hur and
Purpose-Driven Life are under Harper (now Harper/Collins Publishing)
WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY: 24-100 million
SOURCES:
http://crunkish.com/top-ten-bestselling-books-of-all-time/
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/09/03/the-15-biggest-bestsellers-ever-after-the-bible/
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/literature/21-best-sellers.htm
http://publishingperspectives.com/2010/09/top-25-bestselling-books-of-all-time/
http://www.greatcontroversyad.com/The%20Great%20Hope%20Exposed.htm
http://www.cs.uni.edu/~campbell/gened/webster.html
Isn’t 50 million, 4-8 hundred million, and a billion, more than 32 million?
I have requested specific proof of page number, date, year of publication in Publishers Week for verification from Zondervan and Harper/Collins of the statement on Rick Warren’s site that Purpose Driven Life is the “Best Selling Non-Fiction Hardback Book in History”. NONE was provided.
George W. Slowik, President of Publishers Weekly:
“I’ve checked our site which includes all of our content from about 1995.
Also touched base with our religion editors and there is no finding of a
quote like that…We don’t generally use the term hardback.” September 30, 2013 11:33:08 PM EDT
WARNINGS FROM SCRIPTURE:
“But God forbid that I should glory , save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
“I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus Christ, John 14:6
“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:…A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16,18
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
AND HERE IS ANOTHER VERIFIABLY FALSE PUBLISHED STATEMENT BY RICK WARREN THAT HIS BOOK IS THE MOST TRANSLATED BOOK IN HISTORY.
re Rick Warren at World Economic Forum…I just revisited the videtape of that conference…
“My Islamic brother from Italy”…”It became the best-selling book…in English in a world history..it’s, next the Bible, the best selling book. And It’s the most translated book next to the Bible in over a hundred languages.”
Rick Warren, at World Economic Forum, “Faith and Modernization” Panel, January 28, 2008, Davos, Switzerland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGytW4yh0C8 at 1hour 9 minutes in to 1 hour 11 minutes.
&
1:53-2:05 minute mark
Church of Tares – Purpose Driven Life, Seeker Sensitive
Purpose Driven Life book is not even listed on the list of the most translated books in English (language origin) on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_literary_works_by_number_of_translations (sort by language)
Warren made this claim in 2008. In 2013 he posts that his PDL Book is translated in 85 languages:
http://www.saddlebackresources.com/new-purpose-driven-life-book
Note that there are 7 books listed which are translated from English with number of translations greater than 85 that Warren boasted in 2008.
James Sundquist
Director
http://www.perfectpeaceplan.com
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I’m a bit late to the conversation but I have an honest question. I too listen to F4F regularly and have seen most everything mentioned here about Steven Furtick. Here’s the rub… a leader a staffer at my church who I’m friends with has a self-admitted “man crush” on Furtick. When I tried to explain why I felt Furtick was a heretic, his response to me was that no one who believes in the full gospel and the Triune God could be heretical. He asserted I was arguing over nonconsequential issues and being “divisive” for no reason.
How should I respond to this person? Sadly I had no answer (which still bugs me)…
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Good question! Maybe some of the others on here can add to this. I think the trick is that he claims to believe the full Gospel but is doing such creepy things with it and elevating himself above it that it calls his entire ministry into question. Fake baptisms are consequential, as it is to claim that you speak for God and the people need to treat you the way the Bible says to treat Jesus.
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Steven Furtick recently came to a Hillsong Conference in Australia where he happily admitted to wanting to be a Super Apostle after quoting 2 Corinthians 11. I know some commentators claim that Paul is talking about Peter and the rest of the twelve, but I can’t quite see it. Either way, Furtick seems to have an abnormal amount of narcissism here. He has no problem admitting to a crowd of thousands that he is not content with simply being a pastor, he wants to be elevated to way beyond his own status.
If it turns out that he is actually wanting to be a false apostle after reading 2 Corinthians then there is even more to worry about!.
See hillsongchurchwatch.com for further information on the conference.
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Great points, and thanks for visiting and commenting!
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Sadly I have heard that Hillsong Church with Steve is embracing the homosexual agenda as if Jesus never spoke of it ? Perhaps they can’t recall the verse, I and the Father are One.
Jesus said, I came not to destroy the law but
To fulfill it. The chapter in leviticus that speaks about homosexuality; calls it an
Abomination, not once, not twice, not three times but 5 times in one chapter, and then once calls it once calls it a perversion. God said over and over again: be holy for I am holy. Jesus Christ who has been one with the Father, since the beginning ( see Hebrews 1, & Colossians 1 the whole chapters ) Jesus stated emphatically, Be Holy for I AM Holy embraces the attributes of the Fathet as they are One. Jesus does not Have to specifically say anything about immoral perversity for Him to embrace Exactly what the Father has said about Homosexuality. Jesus calls us to live a life that exalts and glorifies the Father; if we live a life satisfying the ” Lusts ” of the flesh
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Hi Randy,
Well said! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
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Not finished with last posting. A life lived in the uncontrollable human desires and lusts of the flesh do not glorify God. It is in 1 peter where it says: BLESSED are they who suffer for doing what is RIGHT in this world. Jesus talked about immorality and.it goes.hand in hand with homosexual desires. People try to manipulate themselves into believing; I was born this way ? Uh No, you were born a sinner into a lost and FALLEN world. Jesus gave His life at the Cross, TO REDEEM fallen man; He paid the price of death we all rightfully deserve for living lives aside from Jesus. To redeem, means to buy back. In 2nd Corinthians it says: For you have been bought witj a price, therefore (because of what was just said) Let us Glorify God in our body and our spirit. Paul says in Romans 7,I think, who shall separate me from this body of death ? Only a Great and Awesome Savior who is Jesus Christ. John 10:10 satan come ONLY to Kill, Steal & Destroy. I CAME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE, and that More Abundantly.
satan is tje deceiver, and if he can deceive a person into thinking their gay or lesbian, all the better; his desire is to destroy mankind; You the eader, know its true.Jesus lives today because He has so much more in life for those who hive themselves to Him.
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Last posting; thats give themselves to Jesus. The greatest passion a human being can have is a sound mind. See Galations 5:18-21. Lastly should someone ” Try “, to dismiss what I have shared through the Holy Spirit’s leading; 1st Timothy 3:16 FOR ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION of GOD
( In the Greek, Inspiration means; God breathed forth the Words ) and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness; that the man of God may ne Perfect, complete thouroughly furnished unto all Good Works.
Now go forth, rejoice and be glad, do not sorrow, do not be sad. Embrace Jesus for He is the Way, to lead us out of darkness, as God has shown us a better day. Love in Christ, to all Matthew 16:33 But seek you first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things ( God’s blessings and provision for you life by His Spirit ) shall be added unto you.
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