By Rick Becker 24 January 2019 (Updated)
At Boshoff is the lead pastor of Christian Revival Church (CRC) CRC has obviously succeeded in establishing a large movement –90 churches in South Africa, and 15 in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, this success can only be defined by numbers – which are never an indication of whether the whole counsel of God is being taught, or whether true discipleship is ta king place. A massive movement or megachurch is in fact probably a sign of an attractive gospel instead of the gospel once and for all delivered to the saints. Many are going to follow ear tickling teachers who exploit gullible and biblically illiterate people in order to build their personal empires. These false teachers know exactly how to motivate a crowd; their smooth words comfort the hurting and spur on the ambitious. An attractive gospel ignores the law and gospel. It captivates those who want to improve themselves and live their dream.
What better way to make your gospel attractive, than to teach the “law of attraction.” This new age teaching is utilized by word of faith teachers. The idea is that negative words and thoughts have negative side effects, but positive words and thoughts can actually create your destiny by attracting good things and people. There’s no place for the sovereignty of God in this philosophy, and one would think that the disciples must have been huge failures considering their trials, sufferings, persecutions, and ultimately martyrdom.
The clip below is a perfect example of what should make any true believer sitting in CRC, jump up, run, and never look back. Here is clear evidence of his prosperity teaching, and new age teaching in the form of the “law of attraction.'”
At Boshoff (AB): “I want to talk this morning on a very powerful law that governs your life, we know that the GOOD LIFE is God’s will for you, for every Christian born again”
The “good life” that Boshoff is referring to, is a successful business, prosperity, favour on all fronts – basically the health and wealth gospel. Paul had a different perspective. The gospel was not a means of earthy comfort or gain, but spiritual gain: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8
The message of the cross is not attractive to carnal souls looking for a divine agent to help them fulfill their dreams.
AB: “God doesn’t work in years as we want every year to have a new dream and new promise..:”
So then why the annual CRC dreamweek? 
AB: “God has already decided 2000 years ago that every child of God should live the blessed life on planet earth – “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
A blessed life does not necessarily mean a successful business, financial security or any other earthly comforts. It’s a pity that Boshoff ignores this first part of the verse:“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
The thief in this context was not any negative confession or demonic attack, but the false teachers of the day. The abundant life Jesus referred to is primarily eternal life. Wealth and health are not spiritual barometers. Some believers may enjoy earthly success, others may struggle their whole lives. Some believers may suffer from a lifelong condition, others may enjoy good health. “I can do all things through Christ” does not mean you can build a successful business etc, it means that whatever circumstance you find yourself in, your trust is in the Lord: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4:12-13
AB: “We know from the bible that we have already been blessed to live this great prosperous life – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”
According to this verse (Ephesians 1:3), God has blessed believers with spiritual, not material blessings. A pastor’s duty is to explain what verses really mean utilizing sound exegesis. This is a great verse which should have been used to expound on the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. Instead, Boshoff is using it as a means to justify the false doctrines he is poisoning his people with.
AB: “God wants you to live the blessed life – “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” Galatians 3:13-14
Yet another wonderful verse that should be used to present the gospel; instead it’s being misused as a paving stone for the vile prosperity gospel. Prosperity teachers make no distinction between the old and new covenants when it comes to material blessings. The blessing of Abraham that applies to believers is justification by faith (Romans 4:11) – not material wealth.
AB: “You have been empowered by God to prosper in life, we know it is our fathers highest desire for each one of us to succeed in life. 3 John 2 – the bible, God says beloved, not just somebody out there, my beloved, my son, my daughter, I wish above all things that you may prosper. Literally translated “succeed in financial matters” especially in what the world is calling a recession.”
It’s God’s desire that we are conformed into the image of his son. If At Boshoff had simply continued with the verse he quoted from Ephesians, he might have discovered God’s highest desire for us: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6
How did the early Christians “succeed”? Many lost their businesses, their homes, their lives. How are believers in China succeeding at this present time? Let me show you what “success” in God’s eyes looks like. This is an excerpt from a declaration written by Chinese pastor Wang Yi, just prior to his arrest: “Separate me from my wife and children, ruin my reputation, destroy my life and my family – the authorities are capable of doing all of these things. However, no one in this world can force me to renounce my faith; no one can make me change my life; and no one can raise me from the dead.”
Friends, this is how far the visible church and empires like CRC have drifted from the true gospel, choosing mammon over God.
Now for 3 John 2, a verse that has been butchered by prosperity teachers for decades. Boshoff does not give the context; in fact he suggests that God is speaking to his beloved children. I don’t believe that this can be an oversight, but deliberate deception. Let’s read the opening verses of 3 John:
“The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
God is not speaking to his sons and daughters. John is writing to a personal friend – Gaius. The opening salutation contains John’s prayer for Gauis, a customary form of greeting – not a doctrine that guarantees wealth for all believers. It was going well with Gaius in a spiritual sense – “as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth“ and the apostle is merely expressing his hope through a prayer that Gauis would experience good health and success in other areas, including financial.
The word prosper (εὐοδοῦσθαι – euodousthai) occurs in two other instances:
“ always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you” Romans 1:10 – clearly not referring to financial prosperity.
“On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.” 1 Cor 16:2
The apostle’s hope and prayer is that it would go well in all things for Gaius – don’t we all have that hope for our friends, family, brothers and sisters in Christ? Boshoff believes God’s highest wish above all things is that his children succeed in earthly terms – with finances being Boshoff’s emphasis. What really gave the apostle joy was not the financial prosperity, but the spiritual prosperity of his friends:
“For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.“ (vs 3-4)
Instead of dangling a carrot in front of his audience, At Boshoff should be warning them about those who chase after financial prosperity:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” 1 Timothy 6:6-9
Boshoff then has a brief moment where he throws in some truth – “storms do come that we have no control over, Jesus guaranteed that trials and tribulations will come” But then he resorts back to false teaching.
AB:” So lets talk about it this morning, why do good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people, why? We’re creating our own future all the time…God doesn’t sit in in heaven with a bunch of blessing and he decides well today I’m blessing this business and I’m withholding blessing from this one.”
No one is good but God, and good things can happen to all people, including the wicked: “Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches” Psalm 73:12. Good things happened to the rich man in Luke 16, and he ended up in torment in Hades, whereas Lazarus the beggar who longed for crumbs and was bothered by dogs licking his sores was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.
If we can create our future, we must be gods. If only the apostle Paul knew this law of attraction, it would have saved him tremendous hardship: “ To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.” 1 Cor 4:11-13.
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and Boshoff simply cannot refrain from using examples related to business.
AB: ” How come so many people falter and fall and still live in defeat, and just don’t live this life that the bible guarantees….I believe it’s very simply, people don’t understand this powerful law. We know there’s the law of seed time and harvest that governs our lives, but I’m going to talk to you this morning on the law of attraction.”
The “law of seed time and harvest” is a construct of prosperity teachers- it’s a scheme that enables them to get rich: “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” 2 Peter 2:3. Obviously there are many reasons people live in defeat, but Boshoff seems to think the reason is ignorance concerning the law of attraction. Where is the gospel, justification, sanctification, where is Jesus, where is the sovereignty of God in Boshoff’s reasoning? Boshoff’s gospel is a new age law, and you become the saviour.
AB: ” Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, you are attracting things into your life all the time, good or bad, wanted and unwanted. All the time you are sending out a force, a power, an energy that either attracts good things and good people into your life, or that repels good things and good people…The law of attraction really simply says like attracts like, your’e attracting to yourself who you are.”
If this was such an important law, and according to Boshoff the main reason “people falter and fall and still live in defeat,” don’t you think there would be at least one verse in the bible that states elements of this principle such as “All the time you are sending out a force, a power, an energy that either attracts good things and good people into your life, or that repels good things and good people.”
The term “law of attraction” is not in scripture, and the first time it was used in print was in 1877 by the Russian occultist Helena Blavatsky. I found this quote by Blavatsky enlightening: “As God creates, so man can create. Given a certain intensity of will, and the shapes created by the mind become subjective. Hallucinations, they are called, although to their creator they are real as any visible object is to any one else. Given a more intense and intelligent concentration of this will, and the form becomes concrete, visible, objective; the man has learned the secret of secrets; he is a MAGICIAN.”
This is what the “law of attraction” boils down to – you become a magician. Other “new thought” writers such as Phineas Quimby built on the term and philosophy, and the “law of attraction” is featured in popular books such as “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, and “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.
Boshoff is not preaching the gospel, but a new thought philosophical concept.
Now for a summary of the annual 2018 “DREAMWEEK” conference highlights:
“One touch of God’s glory and your life will never be the same again,that is what Dreamweek is all about.” – At Boshoff
In his book “Live a Yes! Life” Boshoff writes: “God instructed me to raise up an army that will liberate the masses from the kingdom of darkness.”
The opposite is taking place. Boshoff is fulfilling 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”
Dreamweek was all about importing a consortium of ear ticklers to motivate the crowd and feed carnal souls all under the guise of “Christianity.”
“God has a certain time in his calendar when your dream is going to come to pass” – Marcus Lamb.
“If you walk with God you are a dreamer, you have vision, you have inspiration” –
John Bevere.
“Before this year is out God is going to blow your mind“ – John Hannah
“You are not one of God’s leftovers,you are God’s chosen, child of God,you are one that he is looking to – to lead the way, you are one that God sees greatness within“ – “Pastor” Charlotte Gambill (female pastor should say enough)
“You’re not being in the place where you should be, get up, get up, stand up and proclaim I’m going back to where the word of God was” Ray McCauley (If only he would do that and repent of his prosperity gospel)
At Boshoff’s special revelation for the new year:
At Boshoff says 2019 will be a year of glory: “From glory to glory, glory means God’s goodness will be revealed in our world in South Africa, in our church, wherever the name of Jesus is mentioned; we are going to see the glory of God, we are going to see the pain and the suffering in South Africa alleviated, we are going to see poverty eradicated because we’re not going to sit on the sidelines of Christianity we are going to do our part as a move of God, you haven’t seen what I’ve seen a wave of glory, you haven’t seen the wave I’ve seen that is about to break on this church, I’m telling you across the land, a wave that will drive out the forces of darkness and a wave that is going to bring the presence of God, and the miracles of God, and the release of God,and the favour of God, I have seen this wave break upon our church and there will be a glory like we have never imagined, there will be a power like we have never imagined, even if you were told you would not believe it.”
Going from glory to glory is a phrase from 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Paul is comparing the veiled glory of the old covenant, to the unveiled glory of the new. The gospel is glorious, and responsible for our transformation. It is we who are transformed, not necessarily our bank account or the state of our nation. Special knowledge is one way cult like leaders elevate themselves above their followers. It creates the impression that they have an intimacy with God, and hear directly from him on behalf of their followers. This is a great opportunity for leaders to prime their audience, create expectancy, and the result of course is that no one wants to miss out on what God will be doing in that particular church. No one has apparently seen what At Boshoff has seen, but we have heard it all before, and things just stay the same in the visible church (apart from an increase in delusion and deception) The next clip gives a good indication of what CRC is really about, and it’s not the gospel, it’s the kind of message every South African is hoping for. That’s what false teachers do, they offer a false hope:
“I want to tell you next year is going to be a great year in South Africa. Next year is going to be a year of great blessing for South Africa. I will declare it and you can stone me by the end of next year, I declare it, I prophesy that next year will be a turn around for this country not because of my prophesy because that’s what God determined, you are going to see the Rand strengthen, you are going to see the Rand strengthen, you are going to see the Rand strengthen, you are going to see money flow into this country, jobs flow into this country, prosperity flow into this country, people who have left this country are going to come back, and they are going to rebuild South Africa. God bless our country, because God says I’m not finished with this nation, this country will be a blessing to the nations of the world, if you believe it today shout amen in Jesus name.” (14:00- 14:42)
So by his own admission this is a prophecy. Fortunately for At Boshoff, we are under the new covenant, so we mark and avoid false prophets. South Africans will know that money flowing into South Africa flows directly into the hands of corrupt ANC politicians and greedy opportunists. The Rand will go up and down as usual, and the cookie jar in South Africa has been looted with impunity – things will not get better. With elections in a few months we can count on electoral fraud and subsequent protests (which in this country basically means intimidation and destruction). The ANC have destroyed everything that worked, and for Boshoff to say that this year will be a year of blessing, is a bold statement. But here’s the point – did you notice that the gospel does not feature in this prophecy? It consists of comfort in this world, and I’m reminded of Jeremiah’s words to lying prophets: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you” Jeremiah 23:16-17
Is there hope for South Africa? This article addresses the issue.
In conclusion, At Boshoff does not preach the gospel. He will include elements of it (what false teacher does not?) CRC is growing (so is Islam) and that’s not surprising given the nature of Boshoff’s motivational teachings and attractive gospel. Defenders of CRC will maintain that people are “getting saved” at CRC and that is proof enough that God is in their midst. But while Boshoff may lead many in a “sinners prayer”, are they sinners who have felt the weight of the law and their own sin? Are they sinners who have heard that the gospel may cost them everything? Are they sinners who have repented, or are they sinners looking for a therapeutic gospel to solve their problems? Have they been fooled into thinking that merely reciting the “sinners prayer” can save them?
I am not pronouncing judgement on CRC members, I am exposing the false teachings that they are exposing themselves to. There are true believers caught up in the tentacles of CRC. I know because some of them who have escaped the clutches of CRC have written to us, and we thank the Lord that he opens the eyes of his children to the false teachers and teachings that plague the visible church. Perhaps you are still in CRC, but beginning to question things. You will already be reasoning with yourself, and contemplating what you stand to lose if you walk away. The question you need to ask is this – Are you being faithful to God and his word, or are earthly ties and allegiances to people and a movement more important? This article will help you with your dilemma.
There is more – In this sermon review, we review a message by At Boshoff titled “The power of your thoughts.” The review will once again, prove beyond any doubt, that what At Boshoff teaches is NOT the gospel!