Comments on: Paul Melnichuk of the Prayer Palace responds to Toronto Star/ Florida paper investigative articles. http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:31:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bene Diction http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-84886 Bene Diction Tue, 01 May 2007 07:59:23 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-84886 tortienutmeg: I am sorry to read about your sister, if she is an adult there is not much you can do. What I strongly suggest is that you get yourself educated and strong. Her choices are currently harming you, and that is hard. Loving someone that is caught in a group that consumes them is very difficult, it's not unlike an addiction. A lot of what your sister is being taught is fear based misperceptions of spiritual relationships and maturity, so it is understandable her behavior has changed. ie: the family pollutes her. That is painful to hear isn't it? Fighting with her only pushes her deeper into this church. There are good resources online and in the GTA to help you understand what she is going through and how you can respond in ways that are healthy for your family. It is important to learn the theology the Melinchuks follow and why and how it is not orthodox. It's called Prosperity Gospel or Health and Wealth teaching. Lots of resources online. If you are looking for hands on counselling for yourself immediately here are some listings of Christian Counselling Centres in Ontario Be careful. Check out credentials, you want competent and qualified, not spiritualized. High fee structure and lots of God language doesn't mean qualified. You'd be further ahead to make an appointment for yourself at the local Mental Health Centre than see someone who will empathize just to take your money. You need support and you need to be educated. http://www.salem.on.ca/directory/agencies.php3 If you can't afford counselling, call any mainline denominational church in your area (United, Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist, Salvation Army) and ask tough questions about where you can get help for yourself. You need to start to understand what it is you need and want from your sister without the rest of the family suffering and how to go about that. Many ministers deal with families who have members caught up in churches like The Prayer Palace and will take time to meet with you and refer you to a support group. Steve Hassan has good online information. http://www.freedomofmind.com/ Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend http://store.cloudtownsendstore.com/books.html Churches that Abuse by Ron Enroth http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a04.html This may not be what you want to hear. I'm sorry, it is lonely, confusing, infuriating and hurtful when a family member joins a group that scares and alienates and fractures relationships. Helping your sister means learning how to help yourself first. I hope you are able to take a first step. tortienutmeg:

I am sorry to read about your sister, if she is an adult there is not much you can do.

What I strongly suggest is that you get yourself educated and strong. Her choices are currently harming you, and that is hard.

Loving someone that is caught in a group that consumes them is very difficult, it’s not unlike an addiction. A lot of what your sister is being taught is fear based misperceptions of spiritual relationships and maturity, so it is understandable her behavior has changed.
ie: the family pollutes her.
That is painful to hear isn’t it?
Fighting with her only pushes her deeper into this church.

There are good resources online and in the GTA to help you understand what she is going through and how you can respond in ways that are healthy for your family.

It is important to learn the theology the Melinchuks follow and why and how it is not orthodox.
It’s called Prosperity Gospel or Health and Wealth teaching.
Lots of resources online.

If you are looking for hands on counselling for yourself immediately here are some listings of Christian Counselling Centres in Ontario
Be careful.
Check out credentials, you want competent and qualified, not spiritualized. High fee structure and lots of God language doesn’t mean qualified. You’d be further ahead to make an appointment for yourself at the local Mental Health Centre than see someone who will empathize just to take your money.
You need support and you need to be educated.

http://www.salem.on.ca/directory/agencies.php3

If you can’t afford counselling, call any mainline denominational church in your area (United, Anglican, Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist, Salvation Army) and ask tough questions about where you can get help for yourself.
You need to start to understand what it is you need and want from your sister without the rest of the family suffering and how to go about that.

Many ministers deal with families who have members caught up in churches like The Prayer Palace and will take time to meet with you and refer you to a support group.

Steve Hassan has good online information.
http://www.freedomofmind.com/

Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
http://store.cloudtownsendstore.com/books.html

Churches that Abuse by Ron Enroth
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a04.html

This may not be what you want to hear.
I’m sorry, it is lonely, confusing, infuriating and hurtful when a family member joins a group that scares and alienates and fractures relationships. Helping your sister means learning how to help yourself first.

I hope you are able to take a first step.

]]> By: tortienutmeg http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-84663 tortienutmeg Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:36:39 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-84663 My sister is involved with prayer palace. WE,our family do not see as we used to know her. She tells us that we are polluting her and we are no good for her,you can't talk to her she only listens to this stupid churh she is with. She has even said she has no time for anythingelse in her life. She sees herself as the only person that does good and that nothing she does or says is wrong. How can we get her to realize she is being brainwashed? She spent her brithday with this church,my mom never got her a cake because my sister said don't bother I am having it with the church. We really need some help,she is not the same person and acts like she walks on thin air. I personally can't stand to be around her. In what you say about the cult definitions is 1000% just like her,I was shaking my head. Two minutes from her home is a reputable church and I see nothing wrong in her attending there but she won't and she says it is no good. She also says that god has entered her body and she can feel him. PLEASE help us we really don't know where to who to go to. My sister is involved with prayer palace. WE,our family do not see as we used to know her. She tells us that we are polluting her and we are no good for her,you can’t talk to her she only listens to this stupid churh she is with. She has even said she has no time for anythingelse in her life. She sees herself as the only person that does good and that nothing she does or says is wrong.

How can we get her to realize she is being brainwashed?

She spent her brithday with this church,my mom never got her a cake because my sister said don’t bother I am having it with the church. We really need some help,she is not the same person and acts like she walks on thin air. I personally can’t stand to be around her. In what you say about the cult definitions is 1000% just like her,I was shaking my head. Two minutes from her home is a reputable church and I see nothing wrong in her attending there but she won’t and she says it is no good.

She also says that god has entered her body and she can feel him.

PLEASE help us we really don’t know where to who to go to.

]]> By: filo http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-81420 filo Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:09:29 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-81420 These guys demand that people pay their tithe so they can save their souls (minimun 10% of the gross income). This is outrageous. It is extorsion at its best. And the issue receipts only upon request. Even they make people believe that the money they give will come back to them multiplied. This fraud is committed without risk, since the money is given voluntarily I just don't understand that people fall for this. Do they think that god is stupid? I think that God is wise enough to judge people by their actions in this life and not by allowing preachers rip them off. By the way, one of the things that Martin Luther rebelled against was the pracice of extorsion by the catholic church. Watch the movie "Martin Luther" These guys demand that people pay their tithe so they can save their souls (minimun 10% of the gross income). This is outrageous. It is extorsion at its best. And the issue receipts only upon request.
Even they make people believe that the money they give will come back to them multiplied.
This fraud is committed without risk, since the money is given voluntarily
I just don’t understand that people fall for this. Do they think that god is stupid? I think that God is wise enough to judge people by their actions in this life and not by allowing preachers rip them off.
By the way, one of the things that Martin Luther rebelled against was the pracice of extorsion by the catholic church. Watch the movie “Martin Luther”

]]> By: Andrea http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-75676 Andrea Sun, 25 Mar 2007 04:58:16 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-75676 As the scripture said, "some of us will believe a lie and think it is the truth as well as believe the truth and preceive it as a lie". In my opinion, Some of the memebers are so manupilated and brainwashed by this Pastor and his sons. They hate to believe that this investigation is not whether or not the pastor is a good preacher but where the so called church funds are going. If the government can audit a single family then the government should be able to audit an organization. This is not a typical ministry. This is bascially a business. A business that is run and supervised by family memebers whereas the congregation are slaves. Slaves for food, spiritual food. How many non whites hold offices in this church beside preparing meals? I bet not too many. Again, we blacks are so easily led by people who we preceived as God fearing, "Man of God". Just remember, " Many are called, few are choosen". Don't be upset because the media released information to the public. How do you feel when a particular politican is spending x amount of dollars on business trips? I'm not disputing the fact that church members are not supposed to pay their tithes. None the less, you deserve to know where the money is going. You also deserve to know if this man is really what he says he is. Is he a man of God? The behaviours and comments I've witnessed, many of you would lay down your lives for your Pastor not thinking that he and his family do not care about you. Wake up! Because this is the new kind of SLAVERY! You've been sleeping for too long. You've been robbed very diplomatically. He has studied you all. He attracted you by televising his so called Ministry and many of you ran for it because you wanted to be on television. He dominates you because he knows that he could prey on you. He knows how weak we are especially when we are confronted with the word of God. He robbed you because he knows we have short term memory. We forget easily. When are we going to learn? When? Because Slavery hurt, even in the church. As the scripture said, “some of us will believe a lie and think it is the truth as well as believe the truth and preceive it as a lie”. In my opinion, Some of the memebers are so manupilated and brainwashed by this Pastor and his sons. They hate to believe that this investigation is not whether or not the pastor is a good preacher but where the so called church funds are going. If the government can audit a single family then the government should be able to audit an organization. This is not a typical ministry. This is bascially a business. A business that is run and supervised by family memebers whereas the congregation are slaves. Slaves for food, spiritual food. How many non whites hold offices in this church beside preparing meals? I bet not too many.

Again, we blacks are so easily led by people who we preceived as God fearing, “Man of God”. Just remember, ” Many are called, few are choosen”. Don’t be upset because the media released information to the public. How do you feel when a particular politican is spending x amount of dollars on business trips? I’m not disputing the fact that church members are not supposed to pay their tithes. None the less, you deserve to know where the money is going. You also deserve to know if this man is really what he says he is. Is he a man of God? The behaviours and comments I’ve witnessed, many of you would lay down your lives for your Pastor not thinking that he and his family do not care about you. Wake up! Because this is the new kind of SLAVERY! You’ve been sleeping for too long. You’ve been robbed very diplomatically. He has studied you all. He attracted you by televising his so called Ministry and many of you ran for it because you wanted to be on television. He dominates you because he knows that he could prey on you. He knows how weak we are especially when we are confronted with the word of God. He robbed you because he knows we have short term memory. We forget easily. When are we going to learn? When? Because Slavery hurt, even in the church.

]]> By: Okyere http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-75012 Okyere Tue, 20 Mar 2007 21:07:13 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-75012 Hey Roy, are you one of the rastafarians who stand around the gates when service is starting? How about actually taking the time to sit in on a service and see how it is? I mean look at tons of other people, personally I believe that Benny Hinn is a crook, not Pastor Paul. Im black and my parents do quite well in fact (almost 80 000 a year by my father alone). I truly do feel for people who have to struggle, but my father struggled. My lord did he struggle and now he's one of the top guys in the company he works for. If you help yourself and have a determined mind set, nothing can hold you back. Complaining about "the white man" or Pastor Paul is only living up to what people expect you to do. Hey Roy, are you one of the rastafarians who stand around the gates when service is starting? How about actually taking the time to sit in on a service and see how it is? I mean look at tons of other people, personally I believe that Benny Hinn is a crook, not Pastor Paul. Im black and my parents do quite well in fact (almost 80 000 a year by my father alone). I truly do feel for people who have to struggle, but my father struggled. My lord did he struggle and now he’s one of the top guys in the company he works for. If you help yourself and have a determined mind set, nothing can hold you back. Complaining about “the white man” or Pastor Paul is only living up to what people expect you to do.

]]> By: Roy http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-74953 Roy Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:40:49 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-74953 Both the Pastors and his sons are crooks. They should be put in jail. I never trusted neither one of them. I am living in Canada for 26 years and I have only gone to that church once to attend a wedding. The very first time I saw the father on tv preaching, my spirit was so troubled. You black people better stop talking about God's anointing. If he were God's anointing he would try to be like Jesus. The majority of his congregation are living in shackle while he and his sons are using your hard earned money to buy mansions. Open your eyes and see what this family is doing to black people. Both the Pastors and his sons are crooks. They should be put in jail. I never trusted neither one of them. I am living in Canada for 26 years and I have only gone to that church once to attend a wedding. The very first time I saw the father on tv preaching, my spirit was so troubled.

You black people better stop talking about God’s anointing. If he were God’s anointing he would try to be like Jesus. The majority of his congregation are living in shackle while he and his sons are using your hard earned money to buy mansions. Open your eyes and see what this family is doing to black people.

]]> By: Bene Diction http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-74279 Bene Diction Fri, 16 Mar 2007 03:22:32 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-74279 I'm sorry to read about your accident, and glad you have people praying for you, and a strong caring community around you. This isn't about your relationship with God, having been in a car accident, I think you get that better than a lot of people might, and I hope as you grow and thrive, your relationship with God does also. And you are so right, Jesus does love us. You have the ability to follow and research your church 'as a news story' yourself, and no matter how the internal audit and investigation plays out, it is about financial management and church management, not your faith. Being a Berean is hard, it takes work on our part, it is part of loving God. Here is a biblical look at what 'touch not God's anointed' means. http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j14.html I’m sorry to read about your accident, and glad you have people praying for you, and a strong caring community around you.

This isn’t about your relationship with God, having been in a car accident, I think you get that better than a lot of people might, and I hope as you grow and thrive, your relationship with God does also.

And you are so right, Jesus does love us.

You have the ability to follow and research your church ‘as a news story’ yourself, and no matter how the internal audit and investigation plays out, it is about financial management and church management, not your faith.

Being a Berean is hard, it takes work on our part, it is part of loving God. Here is a biblical look at what ‘touch not God’s anointed’ means.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/j14.html

]]> By: N http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-74260 N Thu, 15 Mar 2007 23:00:21 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-74260 I am a fifteen year old who attends Prayer Palace. I personally think you all are being rude and wrong about this (the media, newspapers,etc), leave God's annointed alone. The person who said touch God's annointed is 100% true. I had a car accident and was losing my life and i belive that without the prayers from my church family i would not be living today. These pastors are so nice and i love them with all of my heart. Why would you be picking on a 73 year old man, like you guys have not feelings for anyone. What is the world coming to i would like to know. Just please think of what your doing and who you are hurting. Jesus loves you all so much. And he cares for you. You all are amazing in his sight. And you need to stop this. I love this church, it has always been there for me and i think that if you gave it a chance it could do so much for you too. Like the old saying says don't judge a book by it's cover, and don't judge someone or something by what someone says. We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. But He loves us so much he died for us. And all these people are doing is bringing forth the gospel in a way that many people love it to be brought forth. We all have our likes and dislikes but we should always give it a chance. I know you would like to make your newspaper "big" by putting these things in it. But how would you feel. Pastor Paul, & other family, are just like anyone else, but they are workers for God, and i think that they deserve there luxuries. We all love luxuries, and look what they have put in that church LOVE. And that my friends conqures all.. because we all need a little bit of that :). Jesus loves you, and please think about what you are doing. I am a fifteen year old who attends Prayer Palace. I personally think you all are being rude and wrong about this (the media, newspapers,etc), leave God’s annointed alone. The person who said touch God’s annointed is 100% true. I had a car accident and was losing my life and i belive that without the prayers from my church family i would not be living today. These pastors are so nice and i love them with all of my heart. Why would you be picking on a 73 year old man, like you guys have not feelings for anyone. What is the world coming to i would like to know. Just please think of what your doing and who you are hurting. Jesus loves you all so much. And he cares for you. You all are amazing in his sight. And you need to stop this. I love this church, it has always been there for me and i think that if you gave it a chance it could do so much for you too. Like the old saying says don’t judge a book by it’s cover, and don’t judge someone or something by what someone says. We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. But He loves us so much he died for us. And all these people are doing is bringing forth the gospel in a way that many people love it to be brought forth. We all have our likes and dislikes but we should always give it a chance. I know you would like to make your newspaper “big” by putting these things in it. But how would you feel. Pastor Paul, & other family, are just like anyone else, but they are workers for God, and i think that they deserve there luxuries. We all love luxuries, and look what they have put in that church LOVE. And that my friends conqures all.. because we all need a little bit of that :) . Jesus loves you, and please think about what you are doing.

]]> By: BD http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2007/03/13/paul-melnichuk-responds-to-toronto-starbraendon-florida-financial-articles/comment-page-1/#comment-74115 BD Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:19:00 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=3004#comment-74115 The Public Relations firm hired by The Prayer Palace is releasing PR's and is making two members of the board of directors available for media interviews. http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&searchText=false&showText=all&actionFor=640144 The Public Relations firm hired by The Prayer Palace is releasing PR’s and is making two members of the board of directors available for media interviews.

http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&searchText=false&showText=all&actionFor=640144

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