Foursquare Church- Is it a cult?

similar to aog and Calvary chapel

not a bad church

not a cult by cult definition

love peace and joy

rb

+1 :-)

I'd swear to God if I believed in one. Can I swear on Buddha's Nirvana? I did happen.

Calling that a church is a cult because of doctrine is like saying that the problem in the Catholic Church is doctrine. The problem in the Catholic Church is abuse and the problem in Foursquare and cults is abuse. There are all kinds of abuse. In Foursquare it mainly seems to be about fraud. That may be different than the Catholic Church, but Foursquare can use the same methods as the Catholic Church to cover it up, such as paying victims to keep quiet. Because of the exposure of the Catholic Church, places in America and Europe are moving to change laws to protect victims. These laws will have to apply to all clergy; they couldn't single out the Catholic Church. That mean churches like Foursquare are going to have to start reporting abuse the the authorities. The Catholic Church got caught, but it is very large. Up to now churches like Foursquare could stay off the radar. With new laws, people are going find out that Churches like Foursquare are just as abusive as the Catholic Church if not worse. Abuse has little to do with doctrine or orthodoxy. All Churches are a cult to someone who believes differently but, hopefully, not all churches are dangerous. Contracts requiring victims to keep silent in exchange for money should be illegal.

It is nowhere near a cult. For those of you who say it is why don't you read it's "what we believe" statements. It is theologically the same as Assembles of God which is a well known denomination. I am a Foursquare Pastor and have worked with Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian,Assemblies of God, Non-denominational and Lutheran Churches. Get your info rightbefore you post remarks.

Not only is Foursquare church a cult, it is downright evil. My daughter atended this church because her husband's father and mother were both pastors there. Her husband played in the band.

My daughter invited us to come visit the church. Since we didn't see each other very often, it was a great opportunity to see more of her and the children. I sincerely believe that they changed their entire service for us because I did not see ANY tongue speaking, no offbeat type of antics like barking like dogs, rolling around on the floor, etc. Everything was above board and traditional. This went on for several weeks and all I saw was the typical Sunday service--minus the Sunday School part. Apparently, they didn't believe that studying the Bible was necessary for the parishiners. There was very little talk of Jesus, but lots of stories and laughter. I did not see it as very effective for salvation, but it certainly kept everyone "happy".

I am "anti-pentecostal", so I watched very carefully what they were doing. I only cared about being with my daughter and grandchildren. I thought it odd that ANY semblance of Pentecostelism was evidently missing. My other daughter also attended a four-square in another city, and their behavior was typically pentecostal--lots of prophetic utterances, speaking in tongues, odd behavior, etc. After about 10 weeks of "missing pentecostal behavior", I finally saw some secret signs back and forth between pastor and head elder. Then, the head elder jumped into it with both feet. It was totally choreographed. After jumping about with "Satan trying to enter", and spouting a bunch of garbage, he took several (to me) mentally deficient women and began parading around the church and "stamp, stamp stamp that evil spirit away", looking like total fools. It was a big charade. To say that there wasn't a "spirit" there, would not be totally correct. Those women were shaking in their shoes. They looked like they were in awful pain. It was a totally humiliating sight. I felt really bad for those poor women! They had no choice whether to take part or not. They were literally pulled up from their pews to take part in the macabre dance. It was as evil as anything I had ever seen. Still, I did nothing. I simply watched to see where the madness would lead. My wife did no such thing. She got up, went to the front of the church and brought it all to a screeching halt. She accused the men of hurting those women and told them to STOP. They stopped DEAD. So much for the "power of the Holy Spirit". I was never more proud of her. I was too concerned about what my daughter would think and say if I did anything like that. My wife was simply concerned for the women's sake.

To me, it was total theater. The church has no place for theater, That is what makes it evil. It is false theology, false tongues, false "baptism of the Holy Spirit", and false church practices--period. My daughter (and her husband) no longer attend the church. They are looking for a good church for their family, but that is getting harder and harder to find. They have become "homogenized", by a simple model that has emerged out of "Willow Creek" that is turning Christianity on its ear because of its "success" in growing churches. The theme is fairly simple: give the congregation a screen with pictures and letters on it that they can follow, a band set up to the left of it that can get the people toe tapping and entertained, and a preacher that literally hyperventilates himself (or herself), before going on stage to give a "rousing" sermon. More often than not, the preacher is a "comedian" to continue keeping the people entertained, or spouts out nonsense that is supposedly the "voice of angels". It is all meaningless garbage and they don't even ATTEMPT to do what the Scriptures say when using "tongues"--one speak and another interpret. It is either a bedlam of noise, or a cacaphony of "prophetic utterings" that is so vague as to be explainable in almost any way.

Pentecostelism is SPIRITUALISM--plain and simple. I've seen the Catholic charismatic renewalists make an attempt to counterfeit even this dribble. What comes across is a more boring spectacle, and PURE LIES. To me (again), it is no different than trying to conjure up the dead and speaking to them to get some insight on life. The dead are dead. The scriptures plainly say that. These people are conjuring up evil spirits--and saying it is from God. If there were a supernatural aspect to it, then I could at least say that there are "spirits" at work. At best, it is just theater--at worst it is a crime--a crime against nature and a crime against God.

Is it a cult? Cult just doesn't sum it up enough. It is Satanic.

I have been in a Foursquare church in Japan for the last 4 years. I used to interpret in japanese for the pastor who was a filipino. He preaches a Christ centered message although oftenly I could tell that it was borrowed from someone elses message.

I realize that this denomination itself has been accepting many false teachings and doctrines such Purpose Driven Fad, Prayer of Jabez, Alpha Course, 4th Dimentsion, Discipleship, church growth movement, new apostolic doctrines.

Jack Hayford came to japan on Jun for 2 days as a guest speaker at the anniversary convention for Foursquare Japan. I personally didn't go because God has been telling me that this denomination is doing idolatry worship. In the convention, they had a skit and I thought that it was going to be about Jesus but guess what? The skit was all about the founder of Foursquare denomination Aimee McPherson. And guess what again? Ofcourse they hide all the negative things she's done and make her all look nice and acceptable.

I have been telling the pastor about all these are not of God, but he still believes till now even after knowing all the apostacies this denominations has been doing that this denomination is from God.

By the way, Jack Hayford states in his website that he is in trust relationship with this prosperity false prophet called Benny Hinn. Just a tip of an iceburg.

Bottom line, is Foursquare a cult? It's more than that, it's from Satan like someone has said in this thred.

Not all Foursquare churches are like that or believe things that you are saying. I attend one and I havent heard a damn thing about any of this internet propaganda

Let me restate, I have been at one and things are not at all like those ones my pastors don't talk about things of Anne at all, those are things of the past and I have heard them talk down of things that have been said here. My Church is one that honestly comes nothing close to these things and I have been with other Churches in the past, mine wants to make sure that we are humble, that we are in the word of God daily that we are people who extend grace and fallow God in obedience. there is no strange different things about my church and I could comfortably sit there or in a church of non-denomination. In fact just so that you know I am a Non-denominational Christian and fallow what the Lord tells me is right not parts or sects of a relationship. I can never understand how they make Christianity from a personal relationship with the lord my God in to a religion where you don't know God at all, and if you are told by God that they are doing things wrong I fully encourage you to leave and seek a new place to be with the Lord, not to stay stagnant and silent for things that should not be shown as the right thing or the Truth. The lord calls you to be bold and to step in to a faith that is about him and not the world one where the holy sprite fills you. I hope that you pray to find a new church or change the one you are in,and I hope that you pray that The lord can show you to what is right and what is not and that leaders gates maybe open and they may see where they are wrong who knows maybe the Lord calls you to pray for them and show them where they have become wrong in there walk with the lord. After all if there is corruption and Idolatry no matter the Church God can rebuild and shape just as he would with any of the people that he did that for in the Bible, from the start to the end of that fine book he changed lives, churches and formed newness among them and in there hearts. though we are not perfect and only human, all of us marred with pain and suffering form the past ,we bare on and our hope remains in his name alone. -Haleigh Cherin.

AMEN !

AMEN

AMEN

: ) amen.

yes thank you and I love you my brother in Christ.
Just as any can be wrong this is a vary good word.

It's a very good Christian Church!

Mormons thinks their church is very good. Church of Christ thinks their church is very good. Jehovah's Witness thinks their church is very good. Many people in cults think their church is very good or else there wouldnt be any cults around.

The point is not wether a person thinks a church is good or not. What matter is what a church teaches. Foursquare is strongly related with the 3rd Wave Movements, Word of Faith regarding on healings, Alpha Course, even to some degree of prosperity gospel. Many 4square churches applies the Purpose Driven teachings, Prayer of Jabez and other man made fads that are false teachings.

The point is are these teachings false or true? If it's true then why are these like fads... it comes and goes? The truth never changes yesterday today and tomorrow! Which is Christ alone! Lies changes everyday and it evolves too lol

Yeah my exhusband's dad was a four square pastor and they literally wouldn't give us room to date to figure out if we wanted to get married. We probably wouldn't have, but he pressured us so hard and we were young so we did and ended up divorced because of it.
His congregation was very legalistic for sure.
They can be cultish though because the individual pastors
have a lot of 'power' over the congregation and freedom to do what they want.
They do try to cut you off from friends and family that aren't foursquare. They have some cool ideas about art and spirituality but IMHO iy isn't worth it because they are so freaking wacky about everything else.

I attend a Foursquare church, and (the church I attend) is a church based purely on the authority of the word of God (Bible) the salvation found in Christ, and the fellowship of the body (the Church).
[link to www.foursquare.org]
^ Foursquare core values

I have found that the church has helped me deepen my relationship with Christ, though it has not changed any of my basic beliefs. It does not teach anything contrary to the Bible as that would be false.

I'm thankful for my church family because they've been with us through thick and thin. Our pastor even drove 3 hours to be with my husband while he was at our daughter's bedside, wondering if she'd live or die.

When wondering about a church the bible gives us clear instructions: Compare it's teaching to the words of Jesus. If they do not match up, the church is false. Example: "Adultery is ok in certain situations" Does not match up with the Bible, so if a pastor was claiming that, then he is wrong.
another example: The Bible teaches us to love everyone, because Christ first loved us. If a pastor is inciting hatred against homosexuals or some other group, he/she is doing wrong.

I am a Foursquare pastor from the Southwest area of the U.S. I was laughing as I was reading some of the materials that you people send in. I am convinced that the vast majority of you write things that you have heard from somone else or that you think might happen. Foursquare pastors and people will be the first ones to tell you that there are some rotten apples in the basket. But that does not meant that we get rid of the the whole bushel, we take out the bad one and use the majority, the good ones. I have been a Petecostal all of my life and I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, but I have seen 98% of its pastors correct the wrongs, all of our churches believe that "all things should be done decently and in order".

Are we a cult? Most certainly not....a cult is one that deviates from the fundamental thruths of the word of God. We stress a personal relationship with Jesus, being born again is a must. We stress a daily walk with God, pleasing Him and living our lives with our neighbors declaring to them that God not the Foursquare church changed us. We preach that Jesus was virgin born, that there is a literal heaven to look forward too, and a hell to shun. We, being pentecostal, believe that we should all be filled with the promise of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and we believe, but are not dogmatic, that as a person is filled, he/she will be able to speak in tongues, as the Spirit of God allows it to happen. All the time things are done decently and in order. We together with the Assemblies of God, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness, and many others, work together to see people saved, marriages restored, children cared for, addicts become worthy memebers of our communities and cities, and Jesus declared as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

xtard scared of other xtards
if god had any jam one of you would know you were wrong

THE INTERNATIONAL FALSESQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH
Quote

I haven't heard a cult group that admits in public that they are a cult group. hehehe

Is Foursquare Church is a cult or not may not be the perfect question for this case. A better question might be.... Is Foursquare church teaching, mixing or have embraced some false teaching with the biblical teachings of Christ?

In my experience for being in a FalseSquare church for 4 years, my answer is YES they do. Like what I wrote in the past thread before, they teach and some accept the Prosperity Gospel, Prayer of Jabez, Purpose Driven, accepts the false tongues that are only phsycological hype, Alpha Course, Inner Healings and other fads that get's old after a few years.

If these things are not false, then they shouldnt become old but should continue teaching it like the pure Gospel of Christ. But the fact is, they embrace a fad teaching for a while when it's still popular, envites the teacher who preaches it, and then when it becomes old and not popular anylonger the church will throw it away and find a new fad to embrace. This doesnt apply to Foursquare church alone but in many other churches as well.

[link to www.livingway.org]

Not to mention Jack Hayford is endorsing Peter Wagner and also Benny Hinn. Peter Wagner strongly teaches the false Church Growth Movement fad and Benny Hinn.... a big bad wealthy false prophet who strongly preaches the prosperity gospel.

Now if any Foursquare believer says there's nothing wrong with all the things above.... then it is only natural for them to claim that FalseSquare Church is not a cult. Mormon's, Jehova's witness and friends dont claim they are a cult right?

The founder or Foursquare Gospel.... Amy McPherson, divorced and remarried, committed sexual sins with a married man, punched her mom's nose and broke it due to money issues, and yet she never got fired from her position of being the leader of FalseSquare Gospel church. Claiming that she is a healer but funny that at the end, she couldnt heal her own sickness and died from overdose of sleeping pills. In Japan only suicidal people dies from sleeping pills lol

The worst thing is that her past is hidden from the official website of FSG but made it look like as if she is a saint.

And you know wat? When I brought all this up to my former FalseSquare Church after finding this out, he didnt deny it but said that these are all fine and doesn't matter. (to him atleast lol) I had to get out of that church ASAP when I heard him tell me that!

My advice, stay away from this oraganization!
Seek Christ alone and His pure living words alone and He shall set all free from bondage.

Where did you get your information to me sounds like your are talking off the top of your head

Right on
I am also a Foursquare Pastor
and your information is so far fetch it is any wonder our world is mixed up

In reading all the opinions people have on this church movement, it seems most of the opinion givers need to look further into what a cult is and what the charismatic movement is all about. Walter Martin is a good source for cults and John McArthur has a very informative book on the charismatic movement. Let's not throw out opinions until we learn the facts.

I grew up in Foursquare. My parents are Foursquare pastors I graduated from their Bible college and spent fifteen years of my life ministering in this denomination, so I am pretty familiar with it. I wouldn't quite call it a cult, but I also wouldn't advise anyone to go to a Foursquare church. It is full of corruption at all levels.

Notice all the different versions of what they believe that has been posted in this thread. The reason is the denomination is so hot to grow in number that they pretty much embrace anyone that wants to bring their church into the fold. You could go to one church and they are preaching Holy Laughter. The foursquare church in the next town might be preaching against it. Another church is claiming that gold dust is floating in their sanctuary while another one says that is of Satan. The denomination itself is too chicken to make a hard stance...don't want to offend anyone and not continue to build their numbers and bank account.

The denomination has suppressed many a scandel...from youth pastors sleeping with the girls in the youth group to molestations, pastors that are closeted homosexuals, workers comp fraud, a real estate investment scheme that caused one president to resign and a ponsy scheme that cost another president the position a few years later. Sexual immorality is skyhigh at all levels of leadership. The pastor at one church I worked at slept with many of the members. A district supervisor, from Jose's Southwest district had to resign a few years back for innapropriate behavior with his secretary...another district supervisor from the Southern California district had a longterm affair. I only know about some of these because of who my family is. They are seldom up front with the average church members about any bad things that happen. I have personally seen the mishandling of money at three churches I was involved in.

The leadership at the national and district levels has a history of misusing their power and position. It is that way in the church too. The pastor has pretty much the final say in everything but budget and often they are so controlling of who can be on the council that they pretty much have a free hand to do whatever they want. The congregation has no say and there is no way for a church to fire a pastor. I know many Foursquare pastors that are very controlling of their congregation down to telling them what job to take, who to marry, which hand to wipe their butt with etc. There was one pastor a few years back that was telling people many of the women to divorce their husbands and he would be their spiritual husband so it was fine in God's eyes. Foursquare as a denomination doesn't believe this, but they didn't step in and stop it, so what does it matter what they believe? There is little to no accountability for the pastors. They all now it...they all joke about it. You pretty much know that when you are an associate pastor or youth pastor, your life is hell. You are a slave to the pastor and most of them are arrogant jerks. Once you arrive and become a senior pastor, it is all worth it because as long as you tithe to district and turn in your record sheets, they pretty much leave you to do things however you want.

I saw so much corruption that it shook my faith and even caused me to question the existance of God. I left quietly a few years ago and once I did, most of my life long friends, men and women I had attended Bible College with and ministered along side of cut me out of thier lives. A few friends have kept up some contact with me, but only in secret because they are afraid of the damage associating with me might do to their Foursquare careers.

Definition of Cult? A church that is not labled as a cult doesn't mean it's safe cuz the pastor could be preaching the right thing but doing the wrong things so it doesn't matter if FourSquare Denomination is labeled as cult or not cuz what's important to know is that the denomination has dictating ungodly pastors living in sin and it also teaches a mixed teachings from any kinds of Fads out out there which mostly are not biblical but unbiblical.

And the worst part is that these teachings has caused spiritual damages and deception into the lives of many people not only within the States but in other countries as well. Atleast here in Japan for sure.

Whether FourSquare is within the definition of a "Cult" or not, it doesn't change the fact that it's a dangerous, unbiblical, decieving, controlling, abusing denomation that started from a woman leader who lived in fraud and sin but never repented and on top of that killed herself.

Why did she killed herself? The denominatin never rebuked her from her sins, never took her down from her position when in sin but ignored her actions, pretending it didn't happen until her death and until now Foursquare is still covering her sex scandal and suicidal sins.

If the denomination has strongly obeyed the Bible and rebuked, took her down from her leadership position during her sins, she probably might have not had to kill herself but had a chance to repent from her sins and lived a new life. Covering up any sins in a Christian is the worst thing a person can do cuz that sin could lead to death if not repented.

Quote: "I grew up in Foursquare. My parents are Foursquare pastors I graduated from their Bible college and spent fifteen years of my life ministering in this denomination, so I am pretty familiar with it. I wouldn't quite call it a cult, but I also wouldn't advise anyone to go to a Foursquare church. It is full of corruption at all levels."

I praise the Lord to hear that Christ has opened your spiritual eyes and have brought you out from the falshoodness of human religion that is not of God.

I know for a fact that it wasn't easy for you to deny the religion that was almost part of your life. I bet it felt something like losing a member of a family. The bible says...

Luke 12:51
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

If you were to stay spiritually blinded and unaware of the Spiritual Battle going on, you would have probably remained in Foursquare doing the usual stuff every week in church. But our sacrifices to God is not what God really wants, but He desires our total obedience even to the point of being rejected and hated by men.

I had to go through the same thing and not rejected by the people in my former church cuz I had to confront the pastor for his compromise. Let's just run the race and focus on the Goal which is Christ alone and His pure living Word.