Ayn Rand wrote:But even if Bob Larson shouldn't be charging for sessions, that doesn't discredit all the other people who are ministry members and who do it for nothing.
But as mentioned Bob Larson charges his ministry members to learn from him.
If by "charges" you mean that his books and videos cost money, then yes, he charges money, just like any other preacher who writes and records and has costs to cover. I do remember, however, that a while ago he set up his website so you could watch recordings of his sermons in Scottsdale online. I don't know if you still can do that.
Ayn Rand wrote:I don't know too much about the details of orthodox exorcism, but somehow the resemblance between New Testament exorcism and that version escapes me. It seems so rigid and inaccessible.
So because it's hard to understand we should just reject Scripture?
Quite frankly, I suspect it to be more tradition based than scripture based. You don't have to be a highly-trained priest to perform an exorcism; you just need faith in Christ and the Word of God. (And some how-to knowledge, of course.)
Ayn Rand wrote:And hey, Martin Luther was stepping out on a limb when he opposed the Catholic church. Just because something is risky and goes against tradition doesn't mean it's wrong; in fact, sometimes it's an important change that needs to be made.
Well agree to disagree about the Reformation unless you want to start a new thread. All that to say that argument doesn't convince me.
Heh, yeah, sorry, but I'm speaking as a Protestant here.
Over time the church gets stuck in a rut, and so God rises up a new movement to 'shake things up', so to speak. Lutherans, Baptists, Pentecostals, they were all formed by those individual movements, and now another movement is rising up--perhaps the greatest movement yet! People are getting healed and restored, inside and out, and the power of God is being seen like never before.
Jelly wrote:Amethystic wrote:Jelly wrote:wait... what? This guy
charges by the hour to cast demons out of people?
Someone explain.. because I've never heard of Bob Larson, but from reading this thread he sounds more like some novelty performer who's trying to turn spiritual battles into some kind of business.
I really suggest you take a look at some of his recordings or books; his teachings are extremely fascinating, and they challenge one's view on Christianity and the demonic. And no, he's not a money-making novelty performer--if he was, he would've quit years ago when the ministry's finances went down the toilet. I'm familiar with people who both serve and receive help through this ministry, and the only time I've seen bad results was when someone gave up, gave in, or tried to go by their own rules. There's something very real going on in this ministry, and the people who stick with it are coming away with very positive, significant results.
ok sure, so he's good at what he does... but it all still sounds stupid. I'm kinda sick of these 'super ministries' and 'mega pastors'. These huge, luxurious churches and these ministries with all this best-selling material operate like businesses, and it all seems very material. If I had a friend with spiritual problems, why would I take them to someone who charges $500 an hour to 'fix' them?
That's so retarded. God didn't give a unique gift of exorcism to random mega pastors. It's God himself who has the power to fix people up, and he can use anyone with a strong, passionate faith.
"Super ministry" and "mega pastor" are terms that imply he's extremely popular and wealthy. He's not. Most churches won't let him in the door because they're in denial about the supernatural, and his church doesn't even have a building. His books are good, but I rather doubt that they're best-selling. And no, you don't have to pay anyone anything--if you need help, seek out one of the local groups. They don't charge anything. Meet them, call them, however you need to get a hold of them. Like you said, God can use anyone, and these groups are made out of people like you and me who have a passion for the things of God. Hey, they'll even teach you how to do it if you have an ear to hear. Even forgetting about Bob Larson for a minute, there are still hundreds of people in North America alone who are performing this kind of ministry just because they want to help people, glorify God, and strengthen their own Christian walk.