KATHRYN KRICK AND THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT

Why She is Symptomatic of All that is Wrong in This Movement

There is a cloud of controversy swirling around a young female preacher, Kathryn Krick, who presents herself as “Apostle Kathryn Krick.” My purpose in this article is not to pile on with more personal criticism, but to point out that she is symptomatic of all that is wrong in the modern charismatic movement. She is a product of what the charismatic movement has become in the last 30 years.

I come to this task as an insider who has been a part of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement my entire life. The three problem areas I will address in Krick and the charismatic movement are: (1) An Inordinate Love of Titles, (2) An Ungodly Celebrity Culture, and (3)  Merchandising the Gifts of God.

An Inordinate Love of Titles

If you go to Kathryn Krick’s website, it is obvious that she loves the title “Apostle” in front of her name. Throughout her story, it is always “Apostle Kathryn.” It is never “Kathryn” or “Ms. Krick” but always “Apostle Kathryn.”

Now, this is not unique to Kathryn. Beginning in the 1990s there was a so-called "Apostolic Reformation" among charismatics in which it was claimed that God was restoring the "office" of the apostle to the church. Suddenly, many self-made apostles  began appearing on the scene. Many pastors changed the name plate on their office door, putting "Apostle" in front of their name rather than "Pastor."

I recall being in a large metropolitan area on the east coast and picking up a Christian tabloid that carried advertising for many independent, charismatic churches and fellowships. As I turned the pages, I was astounded at all the bishops, archbishops, prelates, apostles, covering-apostles, presiding-apostles, jurisdictional-apostles, etc.

One person even had a full-page ad filled with a large photo of herself with a caption underneath that read, “Her Super Eminence Apostle so and so.” I thought to myself, “Can these people be followers of the One who humbled Himself and washed the feet of His disciples, a task reserved for servants and slaves in that culture?”

This love of titles, of course, has no basis in Scripture but is rooted in pride and the desire for status and importance. Words used to describe leaders in the New Testament, such as apostle, prophet, pastor, etc., were functional in nature describing the leaders’ task, rather than official describing their status. They were never used as titles.

This is obvious in the Book of Acts where Luke mentions Paul by name more than 120 times and not once does he say “Apostle Paul,” but merely “Paul.” In 2 Peter 3:14, Peter refers to Paul as “our beloved brother Paul.” In Rev. 1:9, John the apostle, in his letter to the seven churches, puts no title in front of his name but refers to himself as “your brother and companion in tribulation.”

This obvious avoidance of titles in the early church is understandable in light of the words of Jesus in Matt. 23:6-12 where He warned His disciples about adopting titles that would set themselves above other believers.

But you, do not be called “Rabbi”; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

The love of titles, such as “Apostle,” is a symptom of pride and the desire for power and control. The well-known historian and Pentecostal statesman, the late Dr. Vinson Synan, expressed his concern about all the new charismatic “apostles” in his last book entitled, An Eyewitness Remembers the Century of the Holy Spirit. He wrote,

From the outset, I was concerned about any movement that claims to restore apostolic offices that exercise ultimate and unchecked authority in churches. The potential for abuse is enormous. Throughout church history, attempts to restore apostle as an office in the church have often ended up in heresy and caused incredible pain.

 Synan also tells of being invited to become a member of the new International Coalition of Apostles that had just formed. Only “apostles” were being invited, and Synan was told that he was being recognized as a “calling apostle.” Members would pay a monthly fee of $69.00.

Synan thanked them for their invitation but declined, explaining that he had concerns with their association of the apostolic with office and power. Interjecting a bit of wry humor, he then added, “Besides, at $69.00 per month I can’t afford to be an apostle” (Hyatt, Apostolic Leadership, 95).

A person with a charismatic personality and boldly claiming to be an apostle or prophet will draw a cult-like following from among the immature and naïve. However, there is a very real inherent danger, for the love of titles is rooted in pride. And we must never forget that “pride is the stronghold of deception.”

An Ungodly Celebrity Culture

“Hero worship” has been a characteristic of mankind from ancient history. The ancient Greeks had Hercules, Ajax, Achilles, Ulysses and others whom they idolized. In the modern world we not only have Superman, Batman and Spiderman, but we have our heroes in Hollywood, sports and politics with devoted followers who continually share their videos and follow their every move.

Sadly, this celebrity culture has seeped into the charismatic movement. I read an article in a Christian magazine in which the writer referred to a Christian leader as a “celebrity worship leader.” I was stunned! There is no such thing as a “celebrity worship leader.” It is a contradiction of terms. The only celebrity is Jesus Christ and a true worship leader will do everything in their power to direct the people’s attention away from themselves to Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the most bizarre example I have seen was a pastor in Atlanta, Georgia who allowed himself to be hoisted on a throne-like seat, sitting on two long poles, which four men then carried and paraded around the church platform as the congregation clapped and cheered. It was idolatrous and sickening.

We see Paul addressing this celebrity issue in his first letter to the Corinthians. In I Corinthians 3:4 he rebukes them for forming cliques around different “celebrity” preachers and says it is a sign of their carnality. For when one says, “I am of Paul” and another “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Paul then rhetorically asks, Who is Paul and who is Apollos but ministers through whom you believed. The word “ministers” in the KJV and NKJV is not the best translation. The Greek word is diakonoi and it referred to a household servant who had no status, importance or power. Interestingly, this is one of Paul’s favorite words for himself and his coworkers.

Jesus Himself directed his disciples away from visions of “celebrity” by emphasizing their role as diakonoi (servants}in His kingdom. When, for example, James and John requested the two most prominent seats in His kingdom, Jesus rebuked them for their preoccupation with “celebrity” and “power” and told them they were thinking like Gentiles, i.e., like people who did not know God.

They must have been shocked when He told these original apostles they were to function as diakonoi, or servants. Jesus made clear that the “apostolic” was to be characterized by “love” and “service” to others rather than “celebrity” and power over others.

This explains the response of Peter and John in Acts 3:12 to a crowd that was ready to idolize them and put them on a pedestal. It happened after they ministered healing to a man who had been a cripple from birth. This miracle happened in public at the gate of the temple.

When a crowd came running together ready to put them on a pedestal and shower them with accolades, Peter stopped them and exclaimed, Why are you looking so intently at us as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man to walk? Peter then directed the people’s attention away from him and John to Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, as the Source of this man’s healing.

Modern charismatics would have drawn attention to themselves, explaining this miracle as the result of the special apostolic anointing God had placed on them. They would then have exhorted the people that they can share in that new anointing by aligning with their ministry and sending in their seed faith offerings. Peter and John, of course, did nothing of the sort. They knew there is only One celebrity.

Modern television and video production have played a role in producing celebrity preachers. I have been on sets and noted that when the studio lights came on and the cameras began to roll, the demeanor of the host completely changes. There is suddenly a big smile, raised eyebrows and a charged tone in the sound of their voice. It is showtime!

When Sue and I pastored in eastern Canada in the 1980s, a couple from our congregation decided to attend a Christian conference in Florida from which a very popular TV show would be broadcast. When they returned, the wife told me about finding an opening to go up to the “celebrity” preacher and TV host and greet him.

She was so excited to meet this person whom she regularly watched on TV. She walked up to him and said, “Hi Jim, I’m Betty Hopey from New Brunswick, Canada.” He gave a very rude response and brushed her off. She was shocked, and later said to me, “He is nothing in real life like he is on TV.” That is what happens when a celebrity culture invades the church.

When I looked at Krick’s website and observed how she presents herself, it seemed obvious that she sees herself as a celebrity. Krick’s spiritual father, GeorDavie, from Tanzania, obviously sees himself as a celebrity. He loves titles and calls himself “the Landmark Senior Prophet of the Equator.” In and of itself, that sort of narcissistic self-promotion is a flashing red light.

But this is what happens when we allow a celebrity culture to invade the church. Preachers become performers, worship becomes theatrics and worship leaders become celebrities. The inhabitants of heaven, who continually fall on their faces and cast their crowns before the throne, must be stunned beyond words at the state of the modern charismatic church.

Merchandising God’s Free Gifts

There is a video of Krick on the internet that I found deeply disturbing. The video shows a young boy writhing on the ground, and whether it is demonic oppression or some neurological problem is not clear.

What is disturbing is that Krick tells the mother she is going to have to give more money for the boy to be delivered. “Now you need to sow specifically for his deliverance,” she tells the mother.  She even suggests that his deliverance will require more than a tithe, i.e., ten percent.

Again, this is not unique to Krick. I have heard charismatic preachers doing fundraisers in which they promised their audience everything from a new home to debt cancellation to the return of a prodigal son or daughter. But it was all conditioned on them sending a financial gift to that church or ministry. What a travesty!!

This flies in the face of the character of God and of Biblical truth. At no time does Jesus or the early church ever tie receiving healing or deliverance to money. In fact, one of the most stinging rebukes you will find in the New Testament is in Acts chapter 8 where an individual offers money in exchange for receiving God’s gifts.

It happened during a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit after Philip, the evangelist, began preaching in a certain city of Samaria. Miraculous healings occurred and many believed in Jesus and were baptized. One of those who believed and was baptized was Simon, who had been a well-known sorcerer in that city.

Peter and John heard about the revival and came down from Jerusalem to pray for those who had believed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Simon began following Peter and John around and was intrigued with their ability to lay their hands on people who would then be filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:18-19 says,

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

To put it in charismatic terminology, that Krick and many others use, Simon offered to plant a financial seed for his need. In return for his “first-fruits offering,” Peter and John would impart the anointing that was upon them into his life. It seemed like a neat and tidy arrangement.

The Holy Spirit, however, was deeply grieved, and Peter’s response was harsh. He rebuked Simon, saying to him, Your money perish with you because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.

God cannot be bought. His gifts are not for sale at any monetary price. Peter continued with his devastating rebuke, saying,

You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.

This clearly shows what God thinks of people who think they can manipulate Him with money. To Krick and other preachers in the charismatic movement, “Stop merchandising the gifts and blessings of God!”

Yes, teach people to be generous, but stop implying that they can buy God off by giving the right amount of money into your ministry. His blessings and gifts are not for sale. They are promised to those who love Him and obey Him.

Concluding Summary

If the charismatic movement is to be an instrument of God for Revival in the days ahead, there must be repentance and reformation. According to II Chronicles 7:14, we must humble ourselves before God, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, if we are to see a national healing.

God is merciful and longsuffering but He will put up with idolatry and narcissistic behavior for only so long. He may already be raising up a new generation of revivalists who have no connection with the charismatic movement. They have a passion for revival but are not tainted with the sort of unbiblical teachings and practices discussed above. I document some of these revivalists in my latest book, America’s Reawakening.

This article is derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt's books, particularly his latest book, America's Reawakening and in Apostolic Leadership. Both are available from Amazon and his website at https://eddiehyatt.com.