Meet the pastors.
Does anyone recognize the symbols or letters on Pastor
Matthew Barnett's
jacket?
The Dream Center: THE BIOGRAPHY OF MATTHEW BARNETT:
"Matthew Barnett, best selling author of 'The Church That Never Sleeps', and
pastor of one of America's fastest growing churches, is one of the most
dynamic voices God is using in Christianity today. Son of pastor Tommy
Barnett, also best selling author, church growth pioneer and pastor of
what Time Magazine considers
one of the three largest churches in America, he has learned powerful principles of ministry, which have gifted him in founding the Dream
Center in Los Angeles....
"A
fresh vision:
The Dream Center began... with the fresh vision that God birthed in
Matthew's heart, to impact an entire city. The church grew from 39 members
at it's conception in September 1994, to reaching more than 30,000 people
every week in the Center's 40 services and nearly 200 ministries today.
Meeting needs in the community The Dream Center houses close to 500 people
who are being rehabilitated for the glory
of God. Over 30,000 people a week receive food.... As of April
2002, there have been over 130 Dream Centers launched around the world."
Note: That "vision" sounds
very similar to the grandiose vision of dominionist and "apostolic" leaders
such as C. Peter Wagner. Sarah Leslie described the movement in her article,
The Second Reformation:
"Believers during the First Reformation were persecuted and martyred for holding biblical beliefs such as
sola scriptura, the priesthood of all believers, and justification by faith. These core doctrines can be found in the great writings of godly Christian men the past 500 years – men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Matthew Henry...
Latter Rain leadership has been openly promulgating the necessity for a Second Reformation for well over a decade now. It is sometimes referred to as the
New Apostolic Reformation. C. Peter Wagner, Luis Bush, Ralph Neighbour, Ralph Winter, Bill Beckham, Mike Bickle, Lyle Schaller, Todd Bentley, Jim Goll, et al, have all written and spoken about a new reformation. The Latter Rain’s Second Reformation is characterized by a reversal of tenets of the First Reformation. It teaches that revelation can supercede the Word of God, that believers must come under apostolic leadership, and that works are necessary for the Kingdom."
Dream Center - Tommy Barnett:
"In September 1994, Tommy Barnett, as a result of the invitation from the
Southern California District of the Assemblies of God, launched the Los
Angeles International Church as a home missions project now known as the
Dream Center."
Master's Commission:
"God has birthed in our hearts a dream to develop a modern-day
ministry training program for
young adults that are looking to grow spiritually, as well as a place where
they can develop their gifting and talents in a safe and structured church
environment. We believe there is no better program around the world to
accomplish this than Master's Commission....
"God
may be calling you to begin your next journey with us.... The place you need
to start is with prayer. ....if you believe applying is the next step,
fill out an application as soon as possible."
Understanding the Fivefold Ministry:
"The ministry gifts are alive and well today! ... But their operation has often been surrounded by neglect, confusion, and outright controversy. Jack Hayford, Cindy Jacobs, Reinhard Bonnke,
C. Peter Wagner, Fuchsia Pickett, Tommy Barnett,
and many others combine decades of experience, reflection,
and biblical study to uncover the true purpose for
the fivefold ministry....
"
God is building His body around the world in the most unexpected ways through the most unexpected people. Take a
self-test to find out where your gifts lie and what area of ministry God may have custom-designed you for."
Note: God
wants us to rely on Him and His Spirit, not on our talents
and worldly wisdom. See
Spiritual Gifts and Community Service and
His
strength in my weakness
"...not many
wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish
things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God
has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame
the things which are mighty... that no flesh should glory in His presence."
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
"... we were
burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired
even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves but in God..."
2
Corinthians 1:8-9
"... we have this
treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the
power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed
on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in
despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not
destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the
Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our
body. For we who live are always delivered to death for
Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in
our mortal flesh. "
2
Corinthians 4:7-11
"'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness.'
"Therefore most gladly I will rather
boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest
upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for
Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Find more information on
Dominionism here:
At first it may seem like totalitarianism &
Redemptive Analogies