For the complete story on Jimmy Swaggart, get my book, Swaggartism: The Strange Doctrines of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, available now on Amazon for only $6.99. For information click HERE.
Available in Paperback and Kindle eBook – 266 pages of documented facts!
The Swaggart Seduction from Mark Swarbrick on Vimeo.
The difficulty I have with some of these videos is they are heivily edited, especially those showing Jimmy and Donnie preaching. We need to see the context of the actual sermon in order to be able to make a fair assessment. I appreciate what you are presenting here, but I don’t think that the Swaggarts are being given a totally fair hearing. What exactly is wrong with their theology? A lot of the evangelical Church do speak scriptural error from time to time, but they are not being critiqued here.
Hi Robert – the full video is out there on Youtube. Just do a search under Donnie Swaggart and dancing. That should bring it up. The context was that he was denouncing certain churches engaging in questionable activities. Although these things were not done in an Assemblies of God church, he launches into a tirade against the Assemblies and blames them for it. Concerning your question, “what exactly is wrong with their theology,” take a look at the articles on this website. You can start here: https://christiananswerman.com/message-of-the-cross/ and then read here: https://christiananswerman.com/the-dangers-of-the-swaggart-bible/
…Pastor Mark
Which recording do you have that Jimmy Swaggart say that you don’t need Christ, only the cross? Mark, you do this man a disservice. He has never said that the cross is to be in place of Christ. The bible does teach the centrality of the cross, in that without it there is no salvation. Please put this right in your video talks? However, I did hear him say on a broadcast say: ‘that heaven was another planet, as the city of God comes down from heaven’. I certainly have misgivings of Jimmy and Donnie Swaggart, but he does preach truth, however does he live it, that is the question? One other interesting thing is, why does Frances have ‘yes’ people on her ‘Frances and Friends’ programme? I have personally been disturbed and dismayed by this, but there are some interesting points raised. I’ve been watching from the U.K. for over a year now and will continue to watch for the time being. Jimmy says repeatedly: it is not the piece of wood that we worship, but what was accomplished there’ I’ve heard him say this myself on his broadcast.
Hi Robert and thanks for your comment. I don’t have his statement in a recording, it is in writings, in his book Message of the Cross, and in the Expositor’s Bible and in his magazine. It is in these writings that he really gets off base. He is much more careful with what he says on TV. A Sample: “The answer which you seek is found in the Cross! The solution which you seek is found only in the Cross! And that’s the problem with the modern Church; it is building doctrines on other foundations. You must come to the Cross! You must constantly make the Cross the object of your faith. The Cross will set you free. There is nothing before the cross and nothing after because there doesn’t need to be. The churches are in darkness because they don’t understand the cross like I do. I am of God.” Statements such as this are unbalanced, putting an unhealthy emphasis upon his distinctive doctrine which detracts from Christ.
Pastor Mark,
Thanks you for your reply to me. How exactly does J Swagger’s doctrine on the cross detract from Christ exactly? Like I said above, I have a number of misgivings regarding J. Swagger’s doctrines, but I can’t see what your misgivings are regarding his ‘Message of the Cross’. He repeatedly says that it is what Christ did there. What exactly is unbiblical about this?
I am ‘legally blind’ as you say in America, but have a degree of sight and I now possess two copies of the ‘Expositors Study Bible’ which I am in the process of studying along with hearing his programme. I also get the ‘Evangelist’ magazine, but I’m not entirely happy with the method of distributing it, as you either have to buy something or give a donation within the year, or the subscription stops. I want to test many teachings that are out there, but for a person with poor sight, such as myself, research is difficult. ‘Testing’ doctrine is no easy task, as I’m finding out by experience.
I’ve been to ‘MorningStar’ recently and Toronto a few years ago and much of what I hear from those quarters is interesting. However, both these ministries have their detractors and supporters. I have worked for ‘Torch Trust for the blind http://www.torchtrust.org for many years and am now a volunteer working as a speech editor. My wife, also totally blind, works as ‘Clint Serves Manager’ for the same organisation. Many evangelical teachings have come my way over the years, hence my research. I feel for now that I must keep listening, but I also would love the opportunity to express some of my findings in a local church situation, easier said than done, as many leaders in my experience have a tendincy to try and manipulate you in some way to silence you.
Thank you for reading my reply to you, and hopefully I have not caused you any offence as these are my thoughts and mine alone.
God bless
Robert Armstrong. United Kingdom.
Hi Robert, I appreciate your comments. You have not caused any offense. I welcome sincere questions. Your question is a good one: “How exactly does J Swaggart’s doctrine on the cross detract from Christ?” The answer to your question is found in these three articles:
Swaggartism: What Harm?
Message of the Cross
A Fundamental Flaw
Since you have his study bible, I suggest you read this article also:
The Swaggart Bible
Just click the links above to read the articles. Another good question would be, “What harm do the Swaggart doctrines cause?” Take a look at the comments people have made on the articles for an answer to that. These are real life experiences of those who have encountered Swaggartism. What you will see is: Disruption of family harmony, people forsaking the local church, confusion and disillusionment.
I pray this helps you. May God bless you.
…Pastor Mark
Could you please give the exact resource you are refrencing? (i.e book, chapter, page ?
Hi Fred, I recommend you get my book, Swaggartism, where I have sources annotated. You can get it here: https://christiananswerman.com/get-the-book-swaggartism-jimmy-swaggart-false-teaching/
God Bless,
Pastor Mark
I watched the swaggart seduction video. I confirms a lot of what I felt and thought. My mom lives with me and watches him all the time! She has swaggart withdrawals if she can’t watch him! Like when I changed from dish to cable! I didn’t think he was on cable, I couldn’t find any channel that he was on, mostly the reason I changed! I told her it was cheaper. She had given me one hundred dollars to help pay the dish sat alive bill. I told her it wasn’t worth a hundred dollars just to watch one channel, she said it was to her!! In my spirit, something about that “show” just grates at my nerves! Now I understand why! I hate listening to all the money coming in, how much so and so gave and where their from. A whole week, twice a month, one week money to further the gospel (pay the bills) and I forget what the other week of begging for money was for! They need, I believe it was over 3 million a month to “stay on the air”! I can’t stand to even hear it on!! Oh, by the way it’s on channel 90 on our cable! I felt like I had to tell her when I found it, by chance. At least she’s not pouting anymore! Oh, she’ll be 90 in July.
Hi Brenda, I appreciate your comment. It is interesting that watching Swaggart seems to be an addiction with Swaggart followers, to the point that they often will forsake assembling themselves together with the Church. God bless,
Pastor Mark
Brenda; Their beg-a-thon is up to 4 million 155 thousand now a month. Then they have a camp meeting about every 3 months, Donnie ask about 20 -40 people to give a thousand or more. Then their monthly bible-thon, you buy 35 thousand bibles from them for missions, and they ship them. Wow, good-deal right. Oh, you get a signed one for 500.00. And with all the things they sell, I’m betting the sweat rags will be next. Your a great daughter watching out for your mother. Donnie told viewers last week that many will stand in judgement before God for not sending in money. Many will believe that! It’s extortion, bible tells what will happen if they don’t repent.
I too did enjoy their music which does seem annointed
BUT Donnie so lacks humility it is beyond belief.
Also and Frances and friends. They have the same folks on week after week. Also two of the panel make such snide remarks about other denominations.
Sadly when we moved back we attended our old
Aog church. But seem now only to preach a social
gospel. They no longer seem to use any of the gifts
Instead of a simple cross have a huge set of drums
and are so loud that I feel like saying The lordiisnt deaf
They now have this coffee machine folks just casualy
Walk about.
Hardly have communion any more. Everthing is just
So casual
It’s more like a night club. I see nothing wrong with this happening somewhere else. But surely a church that
is dedicated to God. Should not be ashamed to call itself a church.Not a hub or campus or whatever.
Sadly we now attend a Roman
Catholic church. We enjoy the respect and disipline
and are most loving sincere peoplepersonalydontpray
to Mary. Because of much sickness am able to go on a
Sat night if needed.
Maybe because I was originalyaanglican I feel more at home there. Also most of our excellent schools here in the uk are Roman Catholic.I just couldnt just watch
God chanel and never mix with other christians
I and my husband are both born again and Love
Jesus and also support Israel.
Hi Freydis, thanks for your comment. Yes, their lack of humility and their vicious defamation of others is rampant. It is surprising, they can dish it out, but if anyone criticized them, the Swaggarites will then call you every name in the book and say you are being un-Christian for pointing out their errors. I pray you can find a good protestant church to attend, for the false teachings in Catholicism are abundant. Take a look at this article: https://christiananswerman.com/catholicisms-errant-teachings/ and also this one: https://christiananswerman.com/the-origin-of-the-papacy/
…Pastor Mark
Hi Pastor Mark,
Been reading through your website as I find the issues interesting. I have to say I’m a little perturbed at your above comments. Roman Catholicism does not have abundant false teachings, just a different interpretation of biblical doctrine. For you to say such a thing is doing what you accuse Jimmy of doing – that only your beliefs are right. The word Protestant means to protest, so the whole denomination is based on people protesting against something else and that is not a good basis for faith. Look now to the history of such – a wicked and brutal nutcase of a king with numerous wives, who wanted to have a divorce law to replace chopping off the heads of his spouses. Not a good start is it for a religion? I realise we are culturally very different as the UK has very strong laws about discrimination and if you stated what you have just said, you would be breaching them. This is why the UK is a world leader in challenging discrimination of all kinds. I thought Jesus said we must love each other. He did not say love only the people who think like yourself. Love means not insulting people who are different from you. Someone above says they believe in Israel. Very sorry to hear that. The Arabs were resident in Palestine for 500 years before they were turfed out and left in abject poverty in order for the allies to settle the displaced of WW2. What happened to the Jews was an absolute disgrace, but that does not give them the right to do the same to someone else. The current Israeli PM is a complete Fascist and there are hundreds of examples of him breaching the Torah which he claims to believe in. If you examine the original constitution of Golda Meir, you will see it is the complete opposite of what is happening now.
I found your video extremely interesting and you have obviously worked very hard in your research. I do not think that JS is objectifying the cross. It is rather a shorter way of expressing what happened at the cross. If someone is wearing a gold cross around their neck, surely it is to remind them of their faith not because they are worshipping their jewellery. I think you may be taking JS a bit too literally. When Jesus is talking about a camel going through the eye of a needle, he is trying to show the impossibility of something; it isn’t really about needles and camels!
I like your website and enjoy talking with you, so please don’t feel I am getting at you.
Just one more thing. In your video there is a song/hymn that plays before half way through. Contains the words “celestial globe”. I have heard it before somewhere and I like it. Do you know what it is called please? Thank you.
The problem with jimmy Swaggart and some other churches is that they need to write and sell us books to make clear what God is trying to tell us because God has apparently not been able to make it clear in the Bible nor is the Holy Spirit.
Hello Pastor Mark,
At time of writing I’ve read the comments and some of the points raised here are to some extent valid. I still need to read the links you suggest, and may comment further on these.
However, most of the comments relate to personal taste with regard to music etc. People walking about during the service is not exactly unbiblical, but you may direct me to Paul in 1 Corinthians 12-14 in regard to this. Addicted to Swaggart? If this lady is putting J Swaggert, or anyone else on a pedestal, then yes, this is wrong, because she is worshiping J Swaggart and not the Lord. Donnie says he is just being enthusiastic in what he says in reply to callers etc, and would refute any suggestion that he is not being humble. However, I listened to Donnie the other day shout down a pastor who called in who claimed that a member of his church was living in a wrong relationship etc, but was still allowed to sing from the stage. Donnie proceeded to preach 1 Corinthians 5 to him. Unfortunately, Donnie has a habit of shouting down people who he disagrees with him, and proceeds, metaphorically speaking, to wipe the floor with them. Point 1. Donnie did not know all the facts of the situation he was judging. Point 2. in this instance he should have remembered his own father, who was in a similar situation a few years back now admittedly. Was J. Swaggart put out of the ministry at that time when he committed fornacation with a prostitute for the 2nd and 3rd time? O.K., yes, he may have repented now, but was 1 Corinthians applied in his case in 1991 and 1997?
Having said all this I believe there is a book about Marvin Gorman written by his lawyer, can you throw some light on this book, i.e. title, and where it may be obtained online?
Oh yes, you mentioned how the ‘Expositors bible’ is presented, in my view he is at liberty to do this as long he is not saying his notes are scripture, and as far as I can see Swaggart is not doing this. The layout, as far as it goes, in my view, is helpful. However, I agree with you it is hard to read it with his notes interspersed throughout the text. On the other hand, it is a ‘study’ bible and not meant to be read like a bible that is not presented as a study bible. Hope you get my point here.
Sorry this has been a bit long. My wish to comment further on this later.
God bless
Robert Armstrong.
Dear Robert Armstrong,
The book you are referring to is called, ‘Let Us Prey’, written by Hunter Lundy – the young attorney who represented Marvin Gorman. Although he was in his 20s, I believe, he did a phenomenal job & won a $10 million lawsuit against Swaggart. Swaggart’s insurance company settled for $1.5 million, as I understood it, so neither Swaggart nor his church was required to pay a dime (other than insurance premiums). Jimmy Swaggart thinks that he is 1 very small step below God, & the truth is that he is a very, very bad man.
Blessings, David Thomas Burket, Midlothian, VA
Thanks for your comments yes I do realise where the RC are wrong but many of the FLOCK are changing read the bible and are so loving I understand you can be sincerely wrong. I notice their is no longer a free phone number for the uk on the swaggerts I guess it’s because our culture is so different from southern Baton Rouge FRANCIS in fairness does not seem to force anyone to pay what they can’t afford.
I would hope that the recent horrendous flooding in Baton Rouge shows them that all these denominations that they criticise are giving so many things For the flood relief.
I just think that their other guests make abides about every denomination. But I wonder what they will do with the passage in the Last days God’s Spirit will be poured out on all flesh.
Many who call in they watch them 24/7 surely this can be like a cult.
Billy Grahame is one of the most humble people I know
Blessings for your patience with my post
Hi Mark, I just wanted to share a thought and an experience about Jimmy lately.
First, I think what Jimmy and other associates mean by “the cross” is what Paul was saying in Gal. 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Now, having grown up in the AG church in the same era as Jimmy (although I’ve not attended in several decades), I understand a lot of the manner in which he and Donnie present themselves and their way of speaking, but can see through that to their intention. Yesterday, I heard Donnie preach for the first time. I was surprised and delighted with his sermon. It was beautifully Pauline, so much above the works salvation we grew up with. I am speaking only of that sermon, which was about the time of the 500th birthday of The Reformation.
Because of Donnie’s sermon, I rejoiced in their growth in coming closer to biblical truth. Before the last few days, I had refused to let their station stay on when I was flipping the channels. I had not noticed my own heart as judging him since the revelation of his great sins and the great disappointment we had experienced upon learning about them years ago. But, lately I lingered on his channel to listen to the worship service as I remembered the worship services I grew up in and how back then my heart was moved to love Him more as there’s nothing as precious as the Real Presence of the Lord.
Now I’m thinking (a paradym shift) that the Lord forgives over and over, as He told Peter. And if I can sense the Presence as I know Him in Jimmy’s worship ministry, then I choose to let down my heart’s barrier to receive him as a cleansed and broken vessel, and in The Lord’s hand and ministry of His calling, but in the process of sanctification and progressively coming to know the love of God more and more deeply — as each of His children are, whether at times, in ignorance, we may rebel or fall away for a season, Even then He is loving us and working out His will in our lives.
In spite of still having some doctrinal errors and some personal flaws, I’m hoping that you and your followers can think upon God’s process of growth in grace and bless the Swaggarts for breaking from the works salvation. That is a really big deal!!
God bless you, and thanks for reading my thoughts.
Hi Shirley, Thank for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time to express your feelings. I hope that you will prayerfully consider my reply. You said, “I think what Jimmy and other associates mean by ‘the cross‘ is what Paul was saying in Gal. 6:14, ‘But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.’” I submit to you that Jimmy means more than just that. Here is why:
Jimmy says that his cross revelation is not available to the Church, except through his ministry. He claims that no church, denomination, minister or teacher has this revelation except Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. Unless they learned of it through JSM, they do not have this secret information. That is what he teaches.
He teaches that the entire church world does not have the complete gospel because they are missing his revelation. Swaggart claims that this revelation which he received from God is “the single most important material for the believer to know and understand.” Jimmy Swaggart claims that his special revelation from God is “new to the Church.” In this revelation Jimmy claims to have received “more light than the Church has previously known,” and that his revelation sheds “more light on that which was originally given to Paul.”
If you would like proof that he said these things please read my article Forgiveness for the Fallen and note the footnotes at the bottom where there are links to where he said these things. You can click the link below when you are ready to read that.
https://christiananswerman.com/forgiveness-for-the-fallen/
Also read my article Is It a Cult? Be sure to watch the video on that page. It shows Swaggart teaching some of these things. That article is available here, by clicking the link below.
https://christiananswerman.com/is-it-a-cult/
If Jimmy only meant what is said in Galatians 6:14, then the Church already knows this and has known it for two thousand years. There is nothing in Galatians that is “new to the church.” We have had it since it was taught by the Apostle Paul. Yet Swaggart claims that this was “previously unknown” to the Church.
I suggest that you read Galatians 6:12-17 and consider what the context is. Judaizers were teaching that Christians had to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul taught that we were saved by grace through faith alone. Paul taught that Jesus’ shed blood on the cross washes away all our sins. It is a free gift and nothing had to be done by us to receive it other than repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The teaching of the Judaizers was basically a teaching of salvation by works and this is what Paul taught against. Paul, before coming to Christ, was of the same mind as the Judaizers, thinking that salvation was through keeping the law. When Paul came to Christ and found salvation to be a free gift through what Christ had done for us, he no longer considered all his previous learning about the law to be of any merit for salvation.
The Judaizers boasted whenever they convinced a Christian to be circumcised for salvation. Paul says that on the contrary all he boasts about is what Jesus did for him. Thus he says, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
Paul was not saying that “the cross” is the only thing in the Bible worth knowing about. When Paul speaks of “the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” he is using that phrase as representative of the entire Gospel wherein Christ comes into our heart through faith and we become a new creature in Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit who miraculously causes us to be born again to a new life. All this is possible because of Jesus’ shed blood on the cross. Paul is saying that the free gift of salvation and the transformation that comes when we are born again is what it is all about. Paul says that he does not care to brag about his great training in the law or anything about his former position. He says that Jesus and what He did for all of us on the cross is what he brags about now.
That is the point of the passage – Jesus saves us, we do not save ourselves. That is what that passage teaches and that teaching is not new to the Church. It has been taught for two thousand years.
Proverbs 30:6 commands, “Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” In spite of this command of scripture, Swaggart takes these passages and adds his “new” revelation to them. Swaggart, as per his secret revelation, says that the entire Christian Church is in darkness, that only he has the truth, and that no one can live for God without his special revelation.
He claims that when Paul was preaching the gospel and planting churches that he didn’t understand the gospel properly and that Paul himself lived a defeated Christian life. Swaggart says that he alone has this knowledge and that God has commissioned his ministry alone to be the vessel by which the Church is to be reformed. He teaches that the Christians who put their faith in Christ are in error, that they need to put their faith in the cross. That’s what Swagart teaches and none of that nonsense is in the Bible.
All of that is patently false. All that we need is found in the Bible. It is our sole rule for faith and practice. Every cult in the world says, “Oh yea, the Bible is fine, but you need our special revelation to go along with it.” The Mormons have their Book of Mormon, the Jehovah Witnesses have their infallible publishing house, the Catholics have their infallible pope, the Seventh Day Adventists have their writings of their prophet Ellen G. White, and on and on. And Jimmy Swaggart says we all need his revelation to go along with the Bible. Sorry, not so. All we need to know to be saved and live for God is already in the Bible.
Furthermore, our faith is not in a thing or an act, it is in a person. Our faith is to be in the Lord Jesus Christ, not in the cross, as Jimmy claims. Galatians does not teach all the errors that Swaggart is espousing. So you see, Swaggart is teaching far more than just what is said in Galatians 6:14.
You mentioned that you heard a beautiful sermon by Donnie Swaggart and that it was “about the time of the 500th birthday of the Reformation.” No doubt Donnie made that point. That is another problem with their ministry – a total lack of humility and a strange megalomania that they are somehow something special and above every other ministry. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, in spite of Jimmy’s self-promoting imagination, is not a new reformation of the Church.
The dangerous thing about any cult is that they mix truth with error. This is especially true of JSM. They do preach the Gospel, they say many things that are true and helpful. Of course, whenever the gospel is preached, some people will be helped, even if the ministry is off-base. This fools people. They think that if they hear beautiful music and some truth that helps them, that all is Ok. All is not OK. We must remember that even Satan himself appears as an angel of light so as to try to deceive the elect.
You said that you were raised Assembly of God and you mention the “works salvation I grew up with.” As one who was ordained by the Assemblies of God, I can assure you that they do not teach salvation by works. They teach that salvation is a free gift from God, by grace and not by works. It is in their statement of faith and it is what their churches teach. I have been Assembly of God for 43 years and I have been in service three times a week for all that time. I have never ever heard a sermon or teaching that said we were saved by works.
It is possible that you were in an Assembly that had a preacher that taught incorrectly, or perhaps taught incoherently and you misunderstood. That is possible. It is also very possible, that since Jimmy teaches that most all churches except his are apostate, that you have been deceived into thinking your church taught works when it did not.
This is one of Jimmy’s main teachings – the entire Church is wrong and only he and his followers are right. It is a lie. The entire Church is not teaching works salvation. The Church is teaching salvation by grace as a free gift through faith in Christ. Only the cults teach otherwise. The idea that all the Church is wrong and that Jimmy has wonderfully discovered the truth is nothing but a huge deception that Jimmy Swaggart Ministries is trying to plant in your mind.
Jesus said we would know false teachers by their fruit – that sin would be evident in their lives. You refer to Jimmy as a “cleansed and broken vessel.” When did that happen? When he cried and “repented” on national television after being caught with a prostitute in 1988? Or three years later, in 1991, when he was caught by police with a prostitute again and told his church, “God told me it is flat none of your business.”
That doesn’t sound like a cleansed and broken vessel to me. When did Jimmy’s repentance actually happen? He told the Assemblies he couldn’t take a year off and receive marriage counseling and their offer of help, arrogantly saying that he hears from God directly and doesn’t need them. Is that when he was cleansed and broken? Or was it in 1995, when Jimmy was caught a third time, In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in a red-light district known as The Strip, where Jimmy was pulled over by police under suspicion of soliciting a prostitute. The officer found pornography underneath Jimmy’s car seat. So exactly when did Jimmy repent and become this cleansed and broken vessel you speak of?
And then there is Donnie having an affair with a 5-time divorcee in their church. He left his wife for her and married this other woman. Then he divorced her and remarried his first wife. All the while pastoring the church. And what of the evil posters they have recently made in their print shop that promote drinking, sex, sin, profanity and gangs? Does this show brokenness and repentance?
Let me ask you, what do they have to do before you realize that the bad fruit in their lives and the false doctrines they teach mark them as false teachers, wolves in sheep’s clothing who are after your money? When will you obey God’s word which says, “And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.” (Romans 16:17)
Shirley, my prayer is that this website helps people like you – dear Christians who love Jesus – who are in danger of being misled by a false prophet like Jimmy Swaggart. I thank you for your comment and I pray I have not offended you by telling you the truth.
I hope that you are in a good church where you have wise leaders who can help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Swaggarts are experts at getting people to forsake their local church and become online “Media Members” of the Swaggart church. The Bible says not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and unfortunately the Swaggarts subtly encourage people to think all they need to do is watch TV and then call that “church.” It is not the same. You need to be with other believers in a local body of believers. It is the command of scripture.
My prayers are with you and I am here to help you in any way I can. God bless you as you walk with Jesus. Please read this article by clicking the link below. It will help you.
https://christiananswerman.com/forgiveness-for-the-fallen/
…Pastor Mark
Hi Mark,
I’ve only watched the channel since Friday, enjoyed the music and Donnie’s sermon plus the Insight program and the comments around the Tabernacle a couple of times each. It did strike me strange how Jimmy talked like it was a personal revelation, but I wanted to hear him out. Your paragraph 10 is how I think they really are believing just from what I heard.
I have not kept up with Jimmy since the 80’s, so all the terrible things you discussed were news to me except the first ones.
I am a long time student of the Bible, so I’m very familiar with all you laid out about Paul’s teaching in Galatians.
Now about your paragraphs 18 and 19 regarding your defending Assembly of God teaching on salvation. Let me explain a little bit. I was in the AG church my first 28 years and thereafter a few years in my 40’s. I was saved at age 8 and baptized in the Holy Spirit at 21. I know the reality of what it means to be in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and loving His Word. But even though the teaching on salvation was, as you said, a gift, there was no assurance of staying saved if perhaps some temptation may come along. We were constantly made to believe if we wore makeup or went to a movie (which I did not), etc, that we would go to hell if we died without repenting. I call that a works salvation, and very lacking in the truth as provided by our Lord.
I do think now that most pastors in our area were not truly biblically educated and but a little enlightened in the truth of what our salvation encompasses, but in spite of all that, I still treasure the memory of how the people could really draw close to the Lord in prayer and worship, which created a deep hunger in me to really know My Lord; however, I don’t treasure the legalistic and judgmental part of church life from those days.
I began learning about salvation being a gift from attending an Evangelical Methodist Church back in the 60’s, and have gone from amazing to amazing in searching the Word and rejoicing in it.
Regards,
SS
PS: thanks for the videos.
I can’t watch the video it won’t load, is there anywhere else I can Watch it by chance???…
Hi Shawn, I just checked the video to make sure it was working. It seems to be OK. I suggest you try running the video directly from the Vimeo site. Here is the link:
I hope that works for you. Let me know. God Bless,
…Pastor Mark
Hi Pastor Mark
I wrote you something further up and would like you to answer me. Also, I really need to know the hymn that JS starts singing in your video, located at about the 32 point. I really like it, think I have heard it somewhere else and am going mad because I cannot find it. So please put me out of my misery and tell me what it is called.
Thanks
Frances
Dear Frances shah, I’m sure I can answer your question, but I don’t know what you mean by “about the 32 point”. I went to 0:32 as well as 32:00, & there is no song at either time-point. Thanks.
Hi David
Thanks for your reply. Start at the beginning – There is Mark introducing himself, then about a quarter way in he states before we analyse, etc, lets look at his lifestyle, etc. Video then switches to a guy who introduces what is coming – then there is a few minutes of Jimmy saying, “you’re looking at the new Jimmy Swaggart” etc and he cavorts about the stage addressing his congregation. Video cuts to the morning service and the song starts whilst the elders are blessing the people and next you see Jimmy singing. Its only brief and the presenter is talking over it so I can’t hear the words – but it is definitely a song. Frances
David cont. Song starts at 31.54 just at point where Jimmy is advertising his products. Frances
Of course! The song is ‘There is a River.
Here he is singing the whole song.:
https://youtu.be/ZaI8GKMuSWg
Here’s another.:
https://youtu.be/v-GNovYQz_c
Lastly, other artists doing it:
https://youtu.be/_Q8dYPNV4OQ
Hi David
No, I know that song and that’s beautiful too, but that is not the same song. The one I’m asking about is faster and everyone sings it with him. I can’t understand the words cos I can’t hear them properly, but is has the word “celestial” in it. Sounds like “celestial globe”, but that wouldn’t make sense. Thanks for trying anyway. If I can discover it, I’ll come back to you. Frances
Hello! Ahh – you are referring to the following song!: https://www.hymnlyrics.org/newlyrics_h/the_healing_waters.php
🙂
Hi David
Yes. I actually found it on the internet late yesterday. Bit of confusion because there is more than one song about healing waters, one by Joseph Larson, for example. (Like that one too). Possibly why its known by its other name- “O The Joy of Sins Forgiven”, which is the first line of the first verse.
Its quite an old English song, in the Pentecostal movement. JS sings the chorus at a 1998 Sunday Service and again on an album “The Healer”. But there are others singing all the verses in various places on You Tube. Thanks for your help in looking for it. Frances
Hi Pastor Mark
Trying to raise issues with you on this website, but don’t understand what I have to do. I have written several times before and you have answered me. Now I’m being asked to join Word Press and have an account and a password. I am being asked to log in. None of this happened before.
when I get through to Word Press, there is no mention of your website. What Do I do next?
Frances
Hi Frances, I have no idea why you are having trouble with the website. Nothing changed on my end. Probably you had cookies deleted from your machine – that would make you log in again.
As far as not answering – your last post had lots of comments and questions and I am going to have to find the time to answer all of it. If you are really interested in learning on these issues, I will take the time. But if you have already made up your mind, please let me know, as I am short on time and have no time for debate. I do this for free, and I still have to make a living and take care of my family so my time is limited. I am also about ready to publish my next book, entitled Swaggartism: The Strange Teaching of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. That is taking up a lot of time right now. I will answer as soon as I can find time, if it will be a help to you.
God Bless,
Pastor Mark
Can’t wait for the new book, Pastor Mark!
Thanks Pastor Mark. Yes, I would be interested in your response, but don’t take timeout from what you are doing. Sorry if I seemed impatient, I thought I was not getting through.
Don’t think its anything to do with your website. More likely some peculiarly British thing trying to cut in. Anyway its gone now.
There are things I would like to ask you, but it can wait. I would like the name of that song in the video though, cant find it anywhere. I would like to read your book, will it be on sale here in UK?
Thankyou, Frances
Hi Frances, Yes the book will be available worldwide. It will be available on Amazon.com
…Pastor Mark
Thankyou
When?
Very amazing sensational blog! Thanks for the tips I found your blog very amazing I will continue to read and wait for more content like this.
Hi Seduzindo, So glad you like the website. God bless and keep reading!
…Pastor Mark
I’m so glad you made this documentary on Swaggart. I’m 30 years old but still live with my Mom because I have medical disabilities. I got into SBN after first watching it in 2013. I liked their sermons but soom noticed a lot of arrogance and slander. I once heard Donnie say that they were the only TV ministry that God is working through and thought that sounded very cult-like. It also bothered me whenever they criticized other churches and encouraged their fans to drop out of church. My Grandparents live right next door and they’ve been watching SBN since they got Direct TV in 2018. My Papa is a retired Pentecostal pastor. Both him and my Meme are in late 80s and not in good health. He’s slowly losing his sight and hearing and she’s in early stages of dementia. Unlike most other Swaggart fans they do attend church but their pastor isn’t a very good speaker. They watch Swaggart’s Sunday services because they get more out of it than they do at church. They also have a copy of Swaggart’s Bible. Whenever I visit them and they’re watching SBN I want to say something but don’t want to start an argument with them so I just sit there and read books. I once mentioned how the type of “tongues” the Swaggarts use sound more like made up baby talk than actual tongues. It also seemed weird how whenever a “message” in tongues is “interpreted” it’s just about how great their ministry is. Meme told me not to say that cause its dangerous to criticize the Holy Spirit and “don’t touch God’s anointed.” They do complain sometimes about Donnie’s arrogance though. I don’t really enjoy visiting them as much I used to cause I dread having to hear Swaggart’s nonsense. Thankfully that isn’t all they watch though. I appreciate your helpful website. I even bought your Swaggartism book last year on Amazon and found it very interesting. I notice how many Swaggart fans say that the music on SBN is anointed because it makes em feel good. Justin Peters who’s an expert on exposing the false doctrines in the Word of Faith Prosperity Gospel once said that if that movement didn’t have music they’d be out of business because music can have a very tricky psychological effect on our emotions.
Hi Brad, Thanks for your comment. I am pleased to hear that my website has been a help to you. Thanks for buying my book. There are many good preachers on the Internet. Perhaps it might help your parents to begin listening to someone normal. Here is a link to a church we attended when we lived in Tennessee. This pastor is enjoyable to listen to and it is good balanced teaching.
https://www.youtube.com/c/LIVELIFECHURCH/videos
Thanks again for your encouraging comment. God bless!
…Pastor Mark
Thanks for the advice and link but my Grandparents don’t have a computer. They don’t keep up with modern technology. Even when they did have a computer my Papa had hard time understanding how the internet works. But I do get them to watch other preachers on TV sometimes such as John MacArthur and Billy Graham. I also watch Chuck Baldwin and Justin Peters on YouTube at home.