Neil Anderson

[Reg]

For those who may be interested, Neil Anderson was at our church http://www.bramaleabaptist.org/ Sunday and gave a sermon entitled Extreme Church Makeover

I should be posted on MP 3 format this Thursday for those who want to hear it.
http://www.bramaleabaptist.org/contact/messages.php

I found it very enlightening. My opinion of him hearing him for the first time is good.
After reading one of his books, "The Bondage Breaker" I got a bit of a negative opinion of him. I thought it was a little extreme. However, his other two books I read "Victory Over Darkeness" & "One Day at a Time" I found very good. We also use his "Seven Steps Towards Freedom" that have proved very good. All-in-all I feel he is one of the good ones. He emphasizes freedom in Christ which is what we all also acknowledge as the one thing we want having exited our previous churches that held us captive.

[Kerrin]

I found it very enlightening. My opinion of him hearing him for the first time is good.
After reading one of his books, "The Bondage Breaker" I got a bit of a negative opinion of him. I thought it was a little extreme. However, his other two books I read "Victory Over Darkeness" & "One Day at a Time" I found very good. We also use his "Seven Steps Towards Freedom" that have proved very good. All-in-all I feel he is one of the good ones. He emphasizes freedom in Christ which is what we all also acknowledge as the one thing we want having exited our previous churches that held us captive.[/QUOTE]

When I read this I felt extreme terror!!! :eek: :confused:
My old church uses a lot of Neil Anderson's teachings in their Spiritual warfare, and as essential reading for "new recruits" into the "kingdom'! :rolleyes:

I have read just about ALL of his books and , while I find a lot of his teaching sound, I'm still very wary about HOW it is being used!!! ( BY mainstream Churches),

I don't know.
Jury's still out on this one with me! :confused:

My previous Vicar ,who is still in his position and still A "respected: member of the Melbourne Community", meaning he has power, has written his own book,(he is completly obsessed with the Enemy and witchcraft...I could write my own book on his teachings.

My two cents again..........sigh
Kerrin :confused:

[molehills]

To be perfectly honest those books give me the creeps. They are so "magical" instead of Biblical. They use the Bible like a magic book. It's hard to explain the difference between their methods and what the Holy Spirit does, but the Holy Spirit doesn't give me the creeps. I think it's all the formulas and steps. It's like if you just do all this stuff then God has to do for you whatever it is you want and need done. God knows better than we do what we need, so even if I could make Him do what I want I hope I'd have the courage to let Him do what I need in the way He sees best.

I must be honest and admit that I haven't read him extensively having been very creeped out by the first book. I must also say that just because I disagree with his "system" doesn't mean I think he's evil. He may just be misguided, or I've been known to be wrong occasionally :rolleyes:

[Kerrin]

:)
Thanks Molehills,
I thought I was the only one "freaked" out by these particular books.
Maybe it is misunderstanding?
Maybe his teaching is being mis-used?

I don't know :confused:

Oprah has a saying,"When in doubt, DON'T"! :p
( I have too much doubt) :confused:
Love
Kerrin

[ex-shep]

Oopsie!! Nothing worse than when an innocent reference sets off triggers. I can say that it was an inadvertent mistake on Reg's part. Reg has been with the forum since it practically began. He works a good program and many times has some good words of wisdom. His heart was in the right place.

[Kerrin]

Oopsie!! Nothing worse than when an innocent reference sets off triggers. I can say that it was an inadvertent mistake on Reg's part. Reg has been with the forum since it practically began. He works a good program and many times has some good words of wisdom. His heart was in the right place.

No personal attack on Reg intended! :( :o
In actual fact, Reg has obviously copiuos amounts of wisdom and has provided a lot of great and useful web sites, answers to questions, and references in general.

So, REG, No attack on you intended!
I have only read the books, had them used "against" me to prove to the congregation I was being used by satan, hence my response. :o :confused:

SO, if the misuse of his material is the problem ,i am more than willing to go back an re-read with a different attitude.

I'm sure Mr Anderson would be horrified to hear his material being used so recklessly :eek:

Love
Kerrin ;)

[molehills]

Oopsie!! Nothing worse than when an innocent reference sets off triggers. I can say that it was an inadvertent mistake on Reg's part. Reg has been with the forum since it practically began. He works a good program and many times has some good words of wisdom. His heart was in the right place.

I know Reg is a good guy. I didn't mean to pick on him. He just seemed uncertain about Neil Anderson, and I thought I'd share. Reg has been really helpful to me.

[Voyager]

I read some of the book "Bondage Breaker" before I left my spiritually abusive church - in which Neil asserts that 85 percent of all Christians are struggling with various levels and depths of demonic bondage. Books like this play on the imperfections in all of us and make people feel like they are filled with demons just because they are human.

No offense intended Reg. I know how some of these guys can come across as "angels of light" when they give their charismatic sermons (I listened to hundreds of them over the years), but I simply cannot digest this kind of stuff any longer. It fills you with fear and guilt, and then promises to free you of the same - if you will only buy his latest book to figure out how to do it.

It's funny how all the demons left me when I left the charismaniac movement. What a coincidence!

See http://www.pfo.org/wdemons.htm for more on this guy.

:cool:

[Reg]

Thanks for your understanding Guys/Gals.

I felt much like you did when I read Bondage Breaker. A little extreme.

The only point I wanted to make is that when his stuff is used properly, there are good fruits. Any good thing can be used for the wrong reasons/purposes. That doesn't invalidate their value. Meeting and hearing him in person gave me a different view of him. I know that we have used his material and the Seven Steps to Freedom that have helped a lot of people. So, I see the other side of the coin as opposed to how some have used his material for other reasons.

Sorry if I triggered anyone. I just wanted to bring a different perspective. The main thing I like about his stuff is the emphasis in Our Value to God and Real True Freedom in Christ. Like we say, "Take what you want and leave the rest."

[Kerrin]

:)
Much appreciated perspective Reg,

I still have Neil's books and have often felt drawn to refer to them. again.

(I threw out most of the other "rubbish" we were taught!)
Anyway ,there always seemed to be a sense of truth in his words.
It's as you said, Taken out of context ,anyone can do anything with " words", I,E The BIble :rolleyes:

I want to now read with "fresh" eyes :)
Kerrin ;)

[molehills]

Thanks for your understanding Guys/Gals.


Sorry if I triggered anyone. I just wanted to bring a different perspective. The main thing I like about his stuff is the emphasis in Our Value to God and Real True Freedom in Christ. Like we say, "Take what you want and leave the rest."

ahh, so that's what being triggered feels like. I had the head knowledge, but now I have the heart. :) It isn't what I expected.

Thanks for the experience. I think it's a good growth point.

[Hope 98]

I am near the end of a group study of "Victory over the Darkness". I also went through the "Steps to Freedom" a couple of years ago.

I'll admit to EXTREMELY mixed feelings about the whole deal. I honestly can't say if it is Mr. Anderson & his material or the way it is interpreted. I fully believe that the Steps to Freedom made a huge difference in my life.

But...I'm concerned that there is an over-emphasis on things that may relate to "evil spirits". My personal view is that a thing can only have as much power as you give it. For example - I never ever ever thought of a "Magic 8-ball" as anything but a toy. I can't even imagine that the answers could be anything but random. Maybe some folks take that stuff very seriously, but it wasn't long before I began to wish that I hadn't repented of that.

There are people I know who are all but afraid of horoscopes and refuse to touch a fortune cookie. I'm beginning to think that those kinds of things have more power over them then than they do me.

On the other side of the coin, Mr. Anderson has a secure handle on the depth and strength of God's love for us, the power of forgiveness, and the tools that God has put into our hands.

I've begun to consider suggesting that Steps to Freedom for my daughter, because she is struggling so strenuously with issues that don't seem to be resolving with conventional methods. I have avoided it so far because I don't want her to think she needs to burn her Harry Potter books. (I hope that isn't a trigger for anyone)

This stuff needs to be sifted through, and there are times that it's not easy. If you can take what you need and leave the rest - great. If it just stirs up doubt - leave it all.

OK - that's my 2 cents :)

Is it Ok to throw them in when I've been absent for so long?

[jane]

Harry Potter doesn't trigger me (of course I have no children in that reading age group) what does trigger me;

Are parents who burn harry potter books and think that Lion, Witch and Wardrobe are so Godly. My oldest son loved those books- but to those mothers, isn't there imagenation, magic and witches in them too?

always confused me when the burning book club mother's got together. I would always be hushed up because I use to say, "isn't it more important to win our children's hearts for Christ instead of controlling their outside actions?"

I was a heretic who was obviously decieved because I could not discern the good in one imagination story over the obvious evil in others. . . .

proof of my not being saved; I had no discernment for evil kids books :D

yup, still bitter- sorry guys.

Jane

[Kerrin]

I gave my daughter the option of reading what she "felt" was ok for her, and made her "feel' comfortable!

At 13 ,she liked the "lion, the witch and the Wardrobe" but couldn't get past a few pages of Harry Potter without "feeling icky" (those are her words!!!!)

So, My guess is my daughter has pretty good discernment when it comes to reading, which she loves (Fortunatly), and I let her choose her own books and we discuss them.

Take it any way you want :)
Love
Kerrin ;)

[pblondeau46]

I read some of the book "Bondage Breaker" before I left my spiritually abusive church - in which Neil asserts that 85 percent of all Christians are struggling with various levels and depths of demonic bondage. Books like this play on the imperfections in all of us and make people feel like they are filled with demons just because they are human.

No offense intended Reg. I know how some of these guys can come across as "angels of light" when they give their charismatic sermons (I listened to hundreds of them over the years), but I simply cannot digest this kind of stuff any longer. It fills you with fear and guilt, and then promises to free you of the same - if you will only buy his latest book to figure out how to do it.

It's funny how all the demons left me when I left the charismaniac movement. What a coincidence!

See http://www.pfo.org/wdemons.htm for more on this guy.

:cool:

Boy can I relate to your words. Thanks for speaking them out!