You are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5).
Marjoe Gortner (1944-present) was a Pentecostal evangelist associated with the denomination of my youth. He made his preaching debut at the age of 4 after claiming a vision, which he later said was made up.
Gortner became a world-renowned healing evangelist until the age of 25, when he publicly revealed the tricks used fake healings and to raise money, rejected Christ, and became a movie star. Children are cute, but are never Biblically qualified to preach nor hold positions of spiritual authority.
Marjoe Gortner is one in a long line of people claiming to be Christians but eventually rejecting the Biblical Christ and the doctrines taught in the Bible.
Recent months have added to the avalanche of well-known “faith leaders” (a term I despise; Jesus is a believer’s only faith leader) abandoning Christianity, many embracing popular sins. In the social media world of today, celebrities become religious heroes, entertainers become pastors, and evangelists become theologians (See this post from 2017 on this danger). A man ranting on a Facebook video from his car should not be your source for Biblical teaching. These are given a status they don’t deserve and haven’t earned, afforded influence they are wholly unqualified to hold.
The Bible has a term for those who abandon the One they once claimed saved them: apostate, one who departs from the Christian faith. They make claims of salvation, but their departure proves they were never saved at all. Claims of salvation are different than being saved! Jesus and the apostles warned of apostates (Matthew 13:20-22; Acts 20:30; Hebrews 3:12; 1 John 2:19).
God is the Saviour, not a preacher, evangelist, or motivational speaker (2 Timothy 1:9). God saves us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, not by our works or the works of our favorite faith leader. If our faith in Jesus is truly given by God, nothing will move us from Him (John 10:28-29). The power of salvation is in the gospel, not in a gifted gospeller (Romans 1:16)!
Look to Christ and Christ alone! You depend on God today as much as you did the day you were saved.
Where Living Begins 
Reblogged this on Logos Speaks.
I thank God that He sees the heart of man. God will deal with these false people who led thousands of people astray. Personally I don’t listen to most of these social media prophets and evangelists. They are only interested in fame and fortune. Thank you for posting the truth in this post.
Your welcome, blessings.
Thanks for the comment Beverley. It is a sad commentary on how the pulpit is so often used for man’s benefit rather than the adoration and exaltation of only wise God.
Excellent.
And there are preachers in the pulpit that fit this also.
There are many such preachers doing this, and even worse, there are an ever-abundant stream of audiences to encourage it.
Thanks. A sad indictment of the church, but never the faithfulness of God.
Indeed Pieter. Also enjoying your pics of Spain.
Sad to see what the church would allow this kid to be a preacher; messes up the Congregation and the kid!
Don’t you know it! I’ve seen kid preachers yelling and screaming as they repeat catchphrases and the audience goes nuts. These kind of things encourage mimicry rather than genuine personal faith and knowledge of God or His Word.