IMPORTANT: If you have not viewed the video in which Steve Furtick shared the purpose for the existence of Elevation in his own words, I encourage you to do so before reading any further ....
For starters ... Furtick bragged in his own words that Elevation exist NOT FOR THE BELLIEVER, but so that ...
1. People far from God can come near to God
2. Those people can be equipped and trained to be soilders in order that ...
3. They can MULTIPLY the numbers of Elevation.
Those words were from his own mouth. Furtick said that once you get saved that Elevation is no longer about or for you. Let's compare this with what Paul said is the purpose of Church leaders:
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Let's let God's Word show us the purpose of the church and church leaders. In verse 12 we see why God gave the Body of Christ church leaders. Church leaders exist to help those they win to Christ:
1. Mature (perfect) as believers
2. Do the work of the ministry
3. and that .... edifies the body of Christ
Nowhere in the Pauline Epistles (doctrine for the church) do we see the gathering of the church being for unbelievers. It is for the believer. Unbelievers surely can come, but nothing happening at the gathering of the church is for the unbeliever.
Elevation has no basis for being a church ... if the Bible is to be our guide. It is a church that keeps people at very immature levels of spiritual being.
Second ... the passage above tells us HOW LONG church leaders are to do their jobs, and it is ... till we all get to heaven.
Third ... we are told WHY church leaders are to do their God-given jobs: so that people won't be mislead by deceitful false teachers. Uh-oh ... looks like we just found out why Furtick is so concerned with getting huge numbers rather than truly equipping the believer.
Now ... let's exegete Furticks own words about why Elevation exists. Men from all over the world have tried to help people see the danger of Elevation and Steve Furtick's false teaching. I will use his own words in the most simple example, but most important example, that exists.
Steve Furtick (in 2006) was bragging about winning 100 people per month to Chri
st and that for the last 5 months they had won over 500 people to Christ, and that they were committed like a laser to equip those they won to Christ to multiply that number. Sounds good on the surface, doesn't it?
st and that for the last 5 months they had won over 500 people to Christ, and that they were committed like a laser to equip those they won to Christ to multiply that number. Sounds good on the surface, doesn't it?
At this point I would like to expose why it is that Steven Furtick has NO CLUE about what the church really is. I'm just going to take a 2.1 year period and put the facts to his words. I am going to mathematically walk you through a month by month example of what should have happened with the numbers Steve Furtick gave if they were truly to do what the Bible says and MULTIPLY.
which has a parallel passage to:
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Ok ... so according to Steve in 2006 they were winning 100 people to Christ every month and equipping them to multiply themselves. Below are the numbers of what would have happened had Steven truly understood the Biblical principles of Discipleship when bragging about what he would do with those numbers. If MULTIPLICATION is what he wanted ... here is what it would have looked like:
Month (Year one on month to month basis)
1 - 100
2 - 200
3 - 400
4 - 800
5 - 1600
6 - 3200
7 - 6400
8 - 12,800
9 - 25,600
10 -51,200
11 -102,400
13 -204,800
If MULTIPLICATION were the purpose ... they would have won 204,800 in that year. They did not. Because Furtick does not know the PURPOSE of the gathering of the church ... #elevationisnotachurch
Month (Year two)
Let's follow Furtick's words through year two and see how it ADDS up to what he called MULTIPICATION....
1 - 409,600
2 - 819,200
3 - 1,638,400
4 - 3,276,800
5 - 6,553,600
6 - 13,107,200
7 - 26,214,400
8 - 52,428,800
9 - 104,857,600
10-209,715,200
11-419,430,400
12-838,860,800
That is 838 Million, 868 thousand and 800 people in two years!!! That is over ONE BILLION in 2.1 years.
That is 838 Million, 868 thousand and 800 people in two years!!! That is over ONE BILLION in 2.1 years.
Now did this happen ... NO. Could numbers like this be possible if Elevation were truly a church founded upon Biblical Discipleship ... yes! Let me show you what could have and should happen in Elevation and any entity that calls itself a church. Let's use the 100 he claimed to have won the Christ and begin their. Let's take one year to disciple each of the 100 with a personal discipler and see what that does in 10 years.
Year One (on a year to year basis)
1 - 200 (each person winning and discipling one person per year)
2 - 400
3 - 800
4 - 1600
5 - 3200
6 - 6400
7 - 12,800
8 - 25,600
9 - 51,200
10-102,400
(You would have 102 THOUSAND 400 HUNDRED discipled warriors for the cause of Christ who could grow people through, at least, level 4 of spiritual growth. Elevation Church doesn't even exist to help you become what they say they want you to become!
(You would have 102 THOUSAND 400 HUNDRED discipled warriors for the cause of Christ who could grow people through, at least, level 4 of spiritual growth. Elevation Church doesn't even exist to help you become what they say they want you to become!
Elevation Is Not A Church! It is an amazing self-help business; but it is not what the Pauline Epistles call a "church." Steven wants you to remain an immature believer so he can get away with deceiving you with enticing words. The above passage, matched with what Elevation actually does to "grow" you, proves they do not know the Bible ... or ... are using the Bible to deceive you purposefully. Elevation proposes to equip you through his "cotton candy" preaching and iGroups (which meet weekly at different locations). iGroups are not what the Bible calls discipleship; it is, however, what the Bible calls "ever learning but never coming to the knowledge therof." Elevation cannot possible fulfill the commission according to how they are established. A true church must be able to fully develop every person who they win to Christ, and who is saved, but have never been equipped fully (and goes to their gathering).
Doers Elevation perform good community service ... YES! Does Furtick talk about needed topics on Sunday Morning ... YES. But what Furtick does not realized is that the gathering of the Church is NOT for the unsaved .... it if for the SAVED ... so that they can truly be equipped and BE THE CHURCH where they live, work, and play. Can Elevation accomplish this according to their purpose statement ... NO! God know my heart and I wish that they could; however, that is wishful thinking!
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