My 7 Years Working for the Elijah List 8 – The Next Generation

My Elijah List Experience

• Elijah List Intro: Prelude to My Story
• Elijah List 1: In the Beginning
• Elijah List 2: First Impressions Crumble
• Elijah List 3: My Experience with Todd Bentley
• Elijah List 4: Dismantling the Wall
• Elijah List 5: Mortar in the Wall
• Elijah List 6: Wicked Roots
• Elijah List 7: Lack of Discernment Has a Price
• Elijah List 8: The Next Generation
• Elijah List 9: My Way Home
• Elijah List 10: Post-Prophetic Rehab – How to Get Back On Track

“Prophetic” Youth

If you’ve read this far, you probably agree with me, or are convinced that I am not walking in love and have a vendetta against the Elijah list and/or the prophetic movement. While I admit that it has been very therapeutic to get the events of the past decade out of my head and online, my main concern, and the cause of my grief, is watching an entire generation of young people being sucked in to this deception.

There have been multiple prophecies by people in the prophetic movement aimed toward the youth. The prophecy goes something like:

“There will be a great move of the Spirit among the youth and they will reach everyone in the bars and clubs and on the streets and, because of the signs and wonders, and the fact that the youth look and act different than older people who have been in church, the lost will listen to them and then a HUGE revival will take place!”

Obviously that is not verbatim, but if you research words on the Elijah List and other prophetic sites, you will see words that are very similar.

Preference Given

Because these “prophetic words” have been circulating for years, a mindset has developed in the prophetic movement that gives preference to the youth. Instead of being taught by the older and wiser in the ways of the Word, the youth are encouraged to put priority on looking different, being original and expressing themselves creatively. The older generation are looked upon as “religious” and “out of touch” and, therefore, ignored. In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with originality and creative expression; but when God’s Word is downplayed and tattoos, piercings and other forms of bizarre self-expression are emphasized, you get a group of young people who look and act like the world … and that’s about it.

People can argue that I’m being too legalistic and I really don’t care, I’m going to let the fruit speak for itself. Look at your youth groups, prophetic church … look at your twenty-somethings … what impact are they really having for the Kingdom of God? Are they adding to the number of the Church daily? Sure, they look really “cool” with their new tattoos (how original) … are they doing the works of Jesus? Are they daily feeding on His Holy Word? Or are they down at the bars being a “witness” (sarcasm implied)?

Are You Going to Do Anything?

I really WANT to come across stronger on this point, more than any other in this series of posts. I WANT you to be offended to the point of ACTION, because it is those same youth who you are raising to be leaders of your “movement” within the next few years. These same youth, who may “worship” more extravagantly than any of the older people in your church, are riddled with addictions and idolatry behind closed doors (read Isaiah chapter 1 to see God’s view on extravagant worship without holiness). Weep and grieve over this, church … we’ve taught them that Jesus is your buddy, and they have no concept of His Kingship! They have no concept of His hatred for their sin!

The Bible says in Revelation:

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What makes us think that we can turn them into the next Smith Wigglesworth without the Word, or without holiness?

As we draw nearer to the End of the Age, I know that there will be a large influx of people who will come into the Kingdom. But it will be made up of, not just the youth, but babies, children, old people, middle aged people, black, white, Hispanic, etc. No people group should feel a sense of entitlement to God’s coming move. I also know that II Thessalonians speaks of a great falling away before the end of the age. Take heed to this, church; receive the love of the Truth so that you will not be deceived into believing the lie.

A Final Loss

During the final couple years at the Elijah List, I was a wreck. My foundation was all but destroyed, and I had no “anchor point” to judge whether I was hearing God or not. It was at this time that a young guy was hired on who fit the prophetic move’s description of a “cutting edge” christian … approximately 20 years old, black, tattooed and pierced with a very shady past and a “flamboyant” personality. He had already been attending the Vineyard church and was regarded by many as one of the “New Breed” leaders that were rising up to help bring in the great revival that had been prophesied.

He and I developed a pretty close friendship and, in spite of my own spiritual destitution, I kind of took him under my wing. My wife and I provided furniture for his apartment, a place to spend the holidays, and a basic sense of “family” for him. I have to say, we thoroughly enjoyed his company and loved him dearly, like a little brother.

Over time though, I started seeing serious inconsistencies in his walk with God. For example, he would have horror movies like “Saw” and “Hostel” at his house and, when I would point it out to him, he would say things like “It’s OK, the Holy Spirit said it was OK for me to watch them.” or “God understands where I’m at, so don’t worry about it.” Since I myself wasn’t providing the greatest example to him at the time (I drank beer in front of him and our conversation wandered into inappropriate subjects quite frequently), I never challenged him on it.

Also, I noticed that he had several young people (mostly boys between the ages of 14-18) at his house. He told me that they had come from abusive homes, or the street, and needed a place of refuge. “The church isn’t reaching out to them, so if I don’t, who will?” he reasoned to me. I had discerned early on that this kid was sexually messed up, so I felt very uncomfortable with this situation.

On top of all this, the church he was attending had not discipled or corrected him according to the Word of God. Granted, this would have been no easy task; because of the preference given to him earlier, his arrogance and sense of self-entitlement had really gotten out of hand. And, because of his appearance and his personality, people either automatically assumed he was God’s “New Breed” leader, or, despite their misgivings, they didn’t want to challenge the status quo and point out the obvious issues that really needed to be addressed. The young man worshiped extravagantly and “prophesied” just like he saw his church peers doing and he was left alone.

It was at about this time that I determined in my heart to rebuild the foundation of God’s Word in my life. I knew I had to leave the Elijah List at the first opportunity, so I began praying in earnest for a new job. Had I known the blessing that awaited me, I would have just quit.

As my foundation and my conviction started to grow again, the young man and I started to have serious arguments. I would point out to him that it was impossible for him to live the life he was living and name the name of Jesus. Rather than acknowledging what he was doing as sin, he would justify it and say that the “Holy Spirit says it’s OK”. I would tell him that it was NOT God’s Holy Spirit that was telling him it was alright to sin, but another spirit from hell. Obviously things got worse from there, to the point that we didn’t even want him around the house. Believe me, I took great measures to be as gentle and as “nice” as possible, but he continually rejected God’s rebuke.

Finally, one day he came to me and told me, “Kevin, I’m bisexual.”

Knowing he had issues in this area, I told him, “Yeah, I figured that.”

Then he said, “… and God made me this way, so I’m happy with what I am.”

To which I responded, “God did NOT make you that way! Maybe something happened to you before you can remember, or when you were younger, but Jesus does NOT make people bisexual, or homosexual, or anything perverse like that.”

But he justified himself in that, as well, saying “The Holy Spirit told me he made me this way and loves me just the way I am.”

It was at that point that I knew he was lost. He had absolutely no respect for the Word, completely justified himself in his sin, and was determined to continue in it. I haven’t talked to him since, but I know he’s moved to another city and is a practicing cross-dresser and bi-sexual, all the while convinced that he is “witnessing” to others by going to gay bars and dancing with other men.

And my heart grieves for him. He is going to hell, fully confident that he has a close relationship with Jesus.

But you see, he is the Ultimate Fruit of a movement who has no regard for the whole Word of God or holiness. The children grow up, seeing their parents seek after signs, wonders and a christian dog and pony show. They see the futility and hypocrisy of it all and, in the end, basically turn to the world.

I’m just as guilty of providing a shabby example, and I’m still in the process of picking up the pieces. I beg God every day that there will be lasting fruit in my children, and I’m happy to say that I’m starting to see it develop. Please God, let it continue!

For the Love of the Search,

Kevin Kleint
Email: kevin@honorofkings.org

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