The DeGRAFF FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
State Route 235/ 100 East Miami Street
DeGraff, Ohio 43318
Phone: (937) 585-4463
James R. Roby, Pastor
"THE PENSACOLA PROBLEM."
by Pastor James Roby, May 1997
1 In 4:1
From Pensacola, Florida comes the claim that God is pouring out Revival upon His people...that He is doing a "new thing" in the church. The experiences happening at the Brownsville Assembly of God have appeared in the past, but have always been REJECTED by church leaders as Satanic, confusing and disruptive. In the past when these kinds of outbreaks occurred they destroyed the movements that received them...leading them into the ditch where they never were of any value to the Lord. You might ask, "What kind of things are happening at Pensacola?" Let me give you just a few examples:
1.) (John Kilpatrick, Pastor of the Brownsville Assembly of God, describes one of his experiences at this so-called Revival.) "Man, I hit the floor up here...and I stayed there from 12:30 until 4 o'clock...one of our worship team ladies had fell into my arms on the floor (laughter). Long after revival broke out, a lady came up to me during a revival and she said, Urn, Brother Kilpatrick, your wife is so sweet, she sings so good in that worship team. And I thought, Hum, worship team?"She said, You know, the blackheaded one that was laying in your arms on the floor up there on the platform. I said, That's not my wife! She said, It's not? (laughter throughout, both Kilpatrick and the congregation.).
Does God knock people unconscious on the floor? If so, where is it in the Bible? Would God knock a man down and then cause a woman who is not his wife to fall into his arms? Would God have them lay together on the floor for hours? Anyone with any discernment KNOWS BETTER THAN THIS!
2.) A man was lying on the floor on the stage thrusting his pelvis up and down and writhing on the floor. Evangelist Steven Hill explained to the Brownsville Assembly audience: "Now some of you are watching this young man up here. I want to tell you exactly what he is doing...He's interceding for you who are on the verge...You're, you're you're, it's, it's like we've got a thread and you're hanging over Hell. This is intercession in the deepest form right here. It's moanings and groanings, words that can't be uttered. God's put it on him. You can't tell me God doesn't love you, when He will stricken another man who loves God with all his heart, cause him to fall to the ground and experience moanings and groanings and birth pains. He's giving birth to you, friend. He's giving you spiritual birth. He's dying for you that you might have life."
This is absolute blasphemy! Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. He is the ONLY ONE able to give us a spiritual birth...no man can do one thing toward our salvation!
3.) A very innocent appearing young lady is the focus of Pensacola. Watching her on video broke my heart. It is sad that men like Pastor Kilpatrick and Evangelist Hill would be willing to sacrifice her sanity and her health and exploit her for their own personal gain. (2 Pe. 2:3).
Here is a quote from one of Brownsville's own pamphlets: "Hill's agenda was definitely put on hold August 18, 1995, when the Pensacola Outpouring had been in full swing for two months. That was the night Alison Ward gave her testimony. The 19-year-old college student, who has attended Brownsville Assembly of God all her life, told the crowd how God convinced her of her spiritual compromise, and how she had decided to stop being a lukewarm Christian. As she spoke, Allison shook in a manner So awkward that a casual observer might think she suffered from cerebral palsy (a common experience at Pensacola). Then, while shaking violently, she issued a plea so heartfelt that those in the room say they heard God speaking through her. Choking back tears she said intently: "God is in a hurry. There's not much more time. He aches and grieves for your spirit." At that moment Alison fell to the floor, slain in the Spirit. A deafening chorus of moaning and wailing filled the room... Within minutes, dozens of people ran to the altar to repent. And Hill, who came prepared to preach a sermon that night, realized that God had overridden his plans. Alison had given the altar call instead." The writer of this article, Lee Grady. says that this event "represents the defining moment of this revival."
Here is a quote from one of Brownsville's own pamphlets: "Hill's agenda was definitely put on hold August 18, 1995, when the Pensacola Outpouring had been in full swing for two months. That was the night Alison Ward gave her testimony. The 19-year-old college student, who has attended Brownsville Assembly of God all her life, told the crowd how God convinced her of her spiritual compromise, and how she had decided to stop being a lukewarm Christian. As she spoke, Allison shook in a manner So awkward that a casual observer might think she suffered from cerebral palsy (a common experience at Pensacola). Then, while shaking violently, she issued a plea so heartfelt that those in the room say they heard God speaking through her. Choking back tears she said intently: "God is in a hurry. There's not much more time. He aches and grieves for your spirit." At that moment Alison fell to the floor, slain in the Spirit. A deafening chorus of moaning and wailing filled the room... Within minutes, dozens of people ran to the altar to repent. And Hill, who came prepared to preach a sermon that night, realized that God had overridden his plans. Alison had given the altar call instead." The writer of this article, Lee Grady. says that this event "represents the defining moment of this revival." You would have to see the extent of jerking and uncontrollable convulsion that this poor girl does to understand the shame that is involved in this exploitation. It certainly is not of God.
4.) Another quote from Cathy Wood, a member of Brownsville, "I cannot possibly explain but it was like a lightening bolt hit me and I hit the wall and slid down it and shook and jerked uncontrollably for I don't know how long. It took my breath away and I was taking DEEP gasps over and over. As each breath would come in, my head would jerk and snap to the back. It Was not unpleasant at all like you might think, or scary... This continued all the way home (have no idea how I drove!). I would start wailing out loud then would just grin a few minutes and then go back to wailing. I continued jerking and extremely deep inhaling so much that I had to sleep on the couch. I would drift off to sleep and awaken with the biggest JERK!"
5.) "I've come home with wounds and bruises all over my body, friend. This is revival!" Evangelist Steven Hill.
6.) "As they Were slain in the spirit, they would go into a fetal position and tremble and shake. Some of the women would go into a birthing position to give birth to "revival." This was accompanied with grunts, moans and shrill screaming."
These are just a few of the claims made by the folks involved in the Pensacola "revival." It is obvious to the Bible believer that this is not an outpouring of God, but a satanic deception. There are folks from our area who are traveling to Pensacola in hopes of importing this mess from Pensacola back here to Ohio. BEWARE! (Mt. 7: 15). The Bible warns us that, in the last days, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4: 1). God is certainly not the One behind the strange happenings at Pensacola!
