Part III

Empowerment 101

Written By Christopher Mentzer

From the American Heritage Dictionary, Empower—1. To invest with power… 2. To equip or supply with an ability; enable.

This is part of the marketing process of religion today. Once you have your church full of people, you deliver a message. And it’s not just any message but one of positive attitude, feel good, and making people feel like a god themselves. Don’t believe me? Check out these quotes:

"God came to earth and touched a piece of dust and turned it into a God." --Benny Hinn (TBN, Dec 1, 1990)

"As a believer, you have a right to make commands in the name of Jesus. Each time you stand on the Word, you are commanding God to a certain extent because it is His Word." --Kenneth Copeland (Our Covenant with God, 1987, p. 32)

“Yes! You are in control! So, if man has control, who no longer has it? God." --Fredrick K.C. Price ("Prayer: Do You Know What Prayer Is ... and How to Pray?" The Word Study Bible, 1990 p. 1178)

The bulk of this belief comes from Gen. 1: 27, “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Nothing in this verse though says that God created us as gods. Are there other gods? Here’s what Jehovah says:

“Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not declared unto thee of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.” (Isa. 44: 8)

“…I am Jehovah; and there is none else.” (Isa. 45: 18)

Here’s what Jesus says, “The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Mk. 12:29). And here’s what Paul wrote, “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6. yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.” (1 Cor. 8: 5-6)

These men, like so many others, want you to think of yourselves in a god-like manner. And that God, Himself, cannot do anything without your approval. That then is a reversal of Gen. 1: 27 saying that God is made is OUR image.

This empowerment is what fills the churches today. People want to be lifted up with a message that will give them the “warm fuzzies”. They don’t want to be told they are lost in sin and will go to Hell. That’s too negative even if it is the truth. So preach positive and allow people to feel good. What does God say? 2 Thess. 2: 11, “And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie.” This means God will allow this to happen, he won’t prevent it. Forget the cotton candy theology and the Megapreachers today and get back to the Bible!