Common Questions & Objections
Q: Why are you protesting the Rock?
A: We are not protesting the Rock Church but warning those who attend the Rock Church San Diego, including all of its campuses, of the heresy which is crouching at its' door. We love and pray for the people who attend the Rock Church or any church. Our concern is with the teaching which has come into the Rock Church. We have researched the history behind the teachers who spoke at the Kingdom Foundations event and are concerned they are false teachers who will bring heresy into the visible church.
Our motivation is love, love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember, true love warns. If your neighbors house was on fire and they were inside and did not know, would you sit back and relax because your house was okay or would you call 911 and warn your neighbor of the danger?
Objection: This is wrong, you have no right to do this.
A: As ambassadors of Christ ( 2 Cor 5:20) we have the responsibility to warn Christians of heresy. 2 Peter 2:1 reads, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as
there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction".Again, this is about having the responsibility to warn our brothers and sisters in Christ about the destruction ahead.
Also, Ephesians 5:11 commands us to not take part in the fruitless deeds of darkness but to expose them. This is not about spreading gossip, being hateful or mean, but exposing false teaching which Satan is the author of.
Objection: You should be more concerned about the unsaved.
A: We agree that telling others the gospel is extremely important and is a Biblical command (Mark 16:15). In fact everyone who has contributed to this website and participated in the outreach to the Rock Church makes a daily effort to verbally share the gospel with others. However, what we are doing here is attempting to turn back a brother to the truth as described in James 5:19-20:
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Q: These experiences are drawing people to the Lord and making them happier and more joyful. What is wrong with that?
A: Just because someone is happy does not mean they have the truth. There are people who have entrenched themselves in the New Age Movement, practiced Kundalini Yoga (Hinduism) and have experienced "positive" effects. Does this mean they have the truth or there is nothing wrong with this? No. Atheists even claim to be happy. Again, happiness does not mean one has the truth or it is right to be a part of such things. People can be living in sin and claim they are happy.
1 Timothy 4:1 warns that some will depart from the faith and be deceived by seducing spirits and things taught by demons.
Objection: You haven't met all of the leaders who you are against. You haven't even been to the conference. Therefore you have no right to speak about these things.
This logic is deeply flawed. According to this logic I would have no right to speak out against any false teaching if I had not met the leader or founder of it. For example, I have not met Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) or Charles Taze Russell (founder of Jehovah's Witnesses), does this mean I have no right to speak against their false teachings? No, it does not. I have examined their doctrines, compared them to the Bible and concluded they were false. The same goes with things taught by Christian leaders. We must compare what is taught to what the Bible teaches. We have researched these teachers and their history, compared it to the Bible, and have concluded it to be false.
Q: What is wrong with healings and miracles? These are good things, why are you against them?
A: There is nothing wrong with being healed or miracles. However, what is the source of these miracles? Just because something might seem good on the outside does not mean it is the truth or it is right. Remember, in Genesis 3 Eve was deceived by Satan and sinned against God. Eve was warned not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, yet Satan appealed to all of her senses and the fruit seemed "good to eat".
"When the woman saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for attaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." Genesis 3:6 NIV
Despite that the fruit was pleasing to Eve's eye and desirable for attaining wisdom, she was sinning against Almighty God and was punished with not only being cast out of the Garden of Eden, but that one day she would die.
In 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 Paul speaks to the church of Corinth how he is concerned they will be deceived just like Eve was.
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough."
Jesus warned in Matthew 7 that some will stand before him on judgement day claiming they knew him and he will tell them to depart from him because he never actually knew them. Surprisingly these false disciples performed miracles, prophesied and even were capable of casting out demons!
"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’" Matthew 7:22
Q: What is wrong with these miracles and signs if they are bringing people closer to Jesus?
But which Jesus? The Bible is clear that some will be deceived by a different (false) Jesus and a different gospel.
"For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." 2 Corinthians 11:4 NIV
"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed."
Galatians 1:6-8 NKJV
"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Matthew 24:24
Q: Who are you? Do you guys even go to church?
A: Yes we attend church, everyone who has contributed to this website attends a local church and we come from various denominations. However, who we are is irrelevant to whether or not Randy Clark is a heretic and the heresy which has come inside the Rock Church. What we have done is provide compiled research for easy access.
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8 NJKV
O: In Acts 2:13 it says the disciples were drunk in the spirit. So, being drunk in the spirit is Biblical and you are wrong.
A: Acts 2:13 NASB says, “But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine."” This response was by those who did not believe the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to be “drunk in the spirit”. In fact when Peter stood up and declared the Gospel to the men of Judea and all who lived in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14) he emphasized that they were not drunk.
“These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!” Acts 2:15 NIV
Keep in mind we are commanded to be sober minded, can we be sober minded when we are "drunk in the spirit" and also lose control over are bodies like many of these New Apostolic Reformation and Prophetic Movement teachers have?
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 ESVThe devil prowls around seeking someone to devour, therefore we are to be sober minded. When someone enters in a trance, state of spiritual drunkenness or loses control of their body this is an opportunity for Satan to deceive that person or "devour them".
For more on this question please read this paper and this question and answer.
Q: Who is Jesus to you?
A: I suppose this question has been asked to make sure we ourselves are not heretics. Jesus Christ is the God-Man, second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, Creator of the Universe, the Word (John 1:1-3), the Mediator (1 Tim 2:5) and High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15) of those who have come to God in repentance and put their faith in Christ. All things have been made for him, by him and through him. He holds everything together and one day we will stand before him (Col 1:16-17, 2 Cor 5:10).
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13 NASB
If you do not believe Jesus is God please click here and here.
Q: Are you guys cessationists, like John MacArthur?
A: This website does not endorse a specific denomination, and we do not focus on the non-essentials. However, considering the information we have on the Rock Church people may assume we have taken a cessationist position. Although we respect John MacArthur we are not cessationists and do not agree with MacArthur's position on the gifts of the Holy Spirit or the recent Strange Fire conference. We do believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit should be done in order according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. As the old saying goes, "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater".
Watch: Has the gifts of tongues ceased?
O: You have to experience these things before you say they are wrong.
A: This argument has been risen when we have objected to the gold dust appearances, impartations, manifestations of angels, questionable healings and being knocked unconscious by a teacher or preacher. This objection is flawed both Biblically and logically.
We see how ridiculous this logic is when we apply it to other scenarios in life.
This objection is the same as saying, "You have to experience robbing a bank in order to say it is wrong" or "You have to experience cocaine before you say it is wrong". I do not have to experience something in order to say or know it is wrong. The Bible commands us to examine everything carefully.
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thess 5:21-22
As Christians we are not suppose to elevate an experience above God's Word. God's Word is to be our filter for truth. Psalm 119:105 says God's Word is to be a lamp for our feet and light to our path. Experience is not to light our path, but God's Word. Experience is not stable like God's Word is.
"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8
O: You are being divisive!
A: Yes we are because that is what the truth does, it divides. We are attempting to contend for the faith earnestly (Jude 1:3). When someone takes a stand for the truth there will always be those who do not agree, hence groups will be divided.
O: I accepted this belief when I took God out of the box. You need to take God out of the box.
A: Usually when an individual uses the “God out of the box” phrase it is referring to that they no longer limit God to their own understanding and what they have been taught in church previously. Therefore, since they took God out of the box, this allows God to manifest Himself in any way he pleases. God may choose to have gold dust, glory clouds, feathers, jewels and diamonds appear or He may give you prophesies and visions or even have you shake on the floor uncontrollably and cluck like a chicken. There is no limit to what God can do since He has been taken out of the box.
God is everlasting (Psalm 90:2); he has no beginning and no end (Rev 22:13), He sees everything, knows everything, is omnipresent, sovereign and does whatever He pleases (1 Chron 29:11-12, Psalm 115:3). However, God will not do something which is contrary to his character as revealed in the Bible. He will also not give a new revelation to an individual which does not align itself with the Bible. In one sense the box is good because we must have a standard for truth, faith, and the supernatural. If someone speaks a vision, prophecy, heals someone or performs other miracles we must examine these things against what is
written in the Bible. If any teaching or miracle does not line up with God’s Word it must be disregarded.
The major problem with the leaders involved in movements such as the Word of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation, and Signs and Wonders is that they claim to receive another revelation which has not been recorded in the Bible. They then elevate their new revelation above God’s Word.
In Galatians 1 Paul warns the church of Galatia that if an angel from heaven or even himself returns and preaches a gospel to them which is different than the gospel they already received they are to be accursed.
The leaders in these heretical movements usually attribute their authority to a vision or spoken word they had from God choosing them. But remember what Galatians 1:6-10 says:
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary
to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
Again, those involved in heretical movements usually have a low view of Scripture. They seek another revelation from God while the Bible which has been divinely inspired sits to the side. The Bible contains 66 books, written by approximately 40 men from all walks of life over 1,500 years and contains no contradictions, but a consistent message of God choosing to redeem His people through the Messiah. The Bible is sufficient!
What does the Bible say about discernment?
Some Christians may object to this website calling it critical and judgmental. However, God's Word commands Christians to use the Word to decide truth from error and use righteous judgement. There are many warnings given to be aware of false teachers and prophets who will draw people away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” 2 Timothy 4:3 NKJV
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works."2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NKJV
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved."
2 Thessalonians 2:7-10 NKJV
"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:6-8 NKJV“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9-10 ESV
“As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:9 NJKV"For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."
Hebrews 5:13-14 NASB
"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." 2 Peter 2:1-3 NASB"I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears."
Acts 20:29-31 NASB