Andy Thompson is the founder and ‘senior pastor’ of World Overcomers ‘Christian Church’ (WOCC), a word of faith organization in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.

Word of faith theology promotes a false ‘gospel’ of prosperity that God wants us to be wealthy, healthy, and happy, and if we “exercise our faith” by thinking positive, speaking positive confessions, and most importantly — giving LOTS of money to word of faith leaders — God will be so pleased that He blesses us with wealth, miracles of healing, and whatever else our heart desires.

If you believe in the false ‘gospel’ of prosperity and you don’t understand why it’s wrong, I encourage you to watch this easy-to-understand presentation on word of faith theology, A Call For Discernment by Justin Peters.

As always, “test all things” by comparing what you hear to Scripture, pray and ask God to show you the truth and give you understanding, and do your own research on the word of faith movement and the origins of word of faith theology.

It seems that Andy Thompson is sinking deeper and deeper into disgraceful deceptions.

It is sad to see him continue in word of faith heresy and stoop to even lower levels of financial exploitation.

It is sad for Mr. Thompson, because he himself is deceived and storing up wrath from God if he doesn’t repent.

It is sad for WOCC members, because they cannot see that they are following a false teacher, and if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit (Matthew 15:14).

It is also sad because when nonbelievers see false teachers like Andy Thompson, many of them think that they are seeing a representation of God/Jesus, the Gospel, the Christian Faith, and the body of Christ. But they are actually seeing a misrepresentation.

This misrepresentation leads many of them to believe that God/Jesus is a myth, the Gospel and the Scriptures are a money-making scam, the Christian Faith is a business, all pastors are pimps, and Christians are gullible naive sheeple who follow con-artists.

This misrepresentation of the Christian Faith by false teachers was spoken of in 2 Peter 2:2, “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.“

One of the reasons why the Christian Faith is slandered, is because of false teachers in the church who misrepresent God/Jesus, the Gospel, the Christian Faith, and the body of Christ. And what I saw this past Sunday at WOCC was definitely a misrepresentation.

Exhibit A. CD’s For Sale!

Chris Hill, the ‘senior pastor’ of the Potters’ House of Denver, was the guest speaker at WOCC this Sunday on September 14, 2014. He spoke at all three services (8am, 10am, and 12:30pm).

To watch the live streaming video of the 10am service click here.

The video of the 10am service begins with Andy Thompson introducing Chris Hill.

Shortly after Hill got on stage, he went into sales pitch mode and started advertising CD’s of his messages which were for $ale on the product/resource table.

It should have been crystal clear to everyone sitting in that service, that Hill was interested in making money by selling his CD’s. He wasn’t even slick about it. Almost immediately after he got on stage, he shamelessly and flagrantly engaged in self-promotional advertising and openly stated that his CD’s were for sale on the product/resource table.

Have WOCC members not read John 2:14-16? The same scenario played out right in front of them and most of them didn’t detect it.

“In the Temple area He [Jesus] saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, He told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!“

Can you picture the original apostles selling their messages? Is there a recorded incident anywhere in Scripture of a man of God selling a message from God?

“For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.” (2 Corinthians 2:17)

Paul said that the apostles were not like the false teachers of their day who peddled the word of God. They spoke before God with sincerity.

The koine Greek word translated as “peddling” means “to be a retailer, to peddle, to make money by selling anything, to get sordid gain by dealing in anything, to do a thing for base gain, to trade in the word of God, to try to get base gain by teaching divine truth” (Strongs Concordance number G2585).

A peddler is someone who travels from place to place selling things, basically a salesman.

Even during the apostles’ day, there were many false teachers who preached and taught for financial profit. They were ‘church to church’ salesmen who saw the word of God and Christians as a means of financial gain.

When a so-called ‘pastor’ hops on stage and almost immediately goes into a sales pitch, your discernment antennae should go up. He is not ‘ministering’, he is trying to make money off of you by selling you something.

Why is it that we can tell when someone outside of the 4-walls of the church-building is trying to sell us something, but when someone with a title in the pulpit is waving CD’s back and forth trying to sell us “revelations from God”, all of a sudden we can’t see it?

Not that Chris Hill preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but even if he were, the Gospel isn’t for sale.

Jesus said, “freely you have received, freely give“ (Matthew 10:8).

The apostles followed Jesus’ example by preaching the Gospel free of charge (1 Corinthians 9:12, 15-18).

Exhibit B. The Scripture-twisting of Elijah & The Widow

False teachers love twisting the Biblical account of Elijah and the poor widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17).

When I heard Chris Hill tell the congregation to turn to 1 Kings 17, I already knew what he was going to do because I have seen false teachers run this game on people before.

Hill was going to paint Andy Thompson as “the Elijah” or “prophet of WOCC”, and then tell the congregation that “God said” to fork over cash “sow a seed” into the life of Andy and LaShawn. . . “just like the poor widow gave to Elijah.” And that’s exactly what Hill did.

There were so many errors, nonsensical “super deep” tangents, and materialistic statements in this message — it was one of the worst messages that I have ever heard. Statements about pigfeet, neckbones, slavery, “wealth transfers” “There are four portals in the spirit” “There are doors, gates, and windows in the spirit, and your tithes and offerings open the windows of heaven.” Hill was all over the place, weaving his own imaginations together as one big jumbled web of lies.

“In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.” (2 Peter 2:3)

Let’s set the record straight here.

Both Elijah and the widow were poor. Elijah was practically homeless and the widow was in poverty. They were both in urgent need. The Thompsons are clearly not. They are wealthy and live a comfortable lifestyle.

A pampered leader who has armor bearers that tend to his WANTS (not his needs) is in no way shape or form comparable to Elijah, a poor and humble prophet who relied on God to supernaturally provide for him.

Elijah asked the widow for water and bread because he was starving. The Thompsons on the other hand are not starving. In fact, they eat quite well. So there was absolutely no need for Chris Hill to collect thousands of dollars at three separate services for a wealthy couple.

And then for Chris Hill to have the audacity to lie on God by saying that “God said” for seven people to give them $1,000. God said no such thing!

The widow gave Elijah simple meals (bread and water). Giving a starving person bread and water is a far cry from giving a wealthy couple thousands of dollars for no apparent reason.

Another thing. . .

Elijah was a Christ-type, meaning that he foreshadowed the Person and ministry of Jesus Christ. Elijah’s life pointed to our Lord and Savior, not Andy Thompson or any other local ‘pastor’ and especially not a false teacher.

The only other person in Scripture who resembled Elijah was John the Baptizer, who came in the “Spirit of Elijah.”

Word of faith leaders love exalting themselves to the same level as Old Testament Christ-types like Moses, Aaron, David, and Elijah. They practically paint themselves into the pages of the Old Testament. They do this to lift themselves up higher than everyone in the congregation and receive preferential treatment as “THE man of God.”

Exhibit C. Money Lines

Some ‘churches’ run a money-making scheme called a money line.

Normally how it works is, the speaker will ‘preach’ the audience into an emotional frenzy (along with the assistance of church musicians who play along and use music to hype up the crowd).

Once the audience is caught up in the emotional high, the speaker will draw his/her message to a close as the music softens and take advantage of the fact that the audience is emotionally vulnerable and open to all sorts of unbiblical and demonic suggestions.

Then comes the emotional pleas to give, “bless the man or woman of God” with a ‘love offering,’ or “sow a seed.”

The speaker will claim that “God said” a certain number of people need to give a specific amount of money (normally a high amount). If no one walks to the front with the initial amount in their hand, the speaker will keep lowering the dollar amount in a fast-talking manner just like an auctioneer.

The fact that the speaker keeps lowering the dollar amount should show you that God didn’t tell them anything! Because if He did tell them that a certain number of people would give the initial amount — it WOULD have happened. But since they are lying on God, they keep changing the dollar amount and decreasing it until people start coming to the front with money in their hand.

Seven people didn’t immediately walk to the front with $1,000 in their hand because God didn’t tell Chris Hill anything. So Hill kept lowering the amount until more people finally came to the front with money. “If you can’t do the thousand with me, cause I’m doing it too. . . amen. If you can’t do the thousand with me, then I want you to get as close as you can and let’s sow something into the man and woman of God’s life.”

In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus said to give in secret, “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

If you are standing in front of everyone in a money line, you aren’t giving in private like the Lord commanded. Has Chris Hill not read this passage? Why did he feel the need to announce that he gave and how much he gave?

“It’s his birthday. He’s driving to Charlotte. Where’s the cruise? Where’s the new car? Aint nothing wrong with Charlotte, hallelujah. But Hawaii would be nice.”

Ohhh, so is that what this is about? Raising enough money for the Thompsons to get a new car or go on a cruise to Hawaii? And what does this have to do with the story of Elijah and the poor widow? Absolutely nothing.

Feeding the poor and hungry (like the widow did) honors God. Not raising a huge offering for a wealthy couple so that they can buy a new car or go on an exotic cruise. That’s idolatry.

There is a huge difference between giving “double honor” to elders who have shown themselves faithful to Christ, and idolizing religious leaders. Giving thousands of dollars to wealthy leaders is idolatry.

Hill told WOCC members that their blessing is tied up in Andy Thompson — this is a lie. Your blessings are not tied up in any man or woman and do not depend on lavishing the Thompsons with thousands of dollars. Your blessings are in Christ Jesus in whom your life is hidden (Colossians 3:3).