I’ve been asked to
respond to the
latest controversy
surrounding The
Harbinger. Up
to now, I’ve
refrained.
I could not expect
The Harbinger
to have the kind of
impact and influence
it’s had and then be
surprised that there
be controversy.
The Harbinger
has overwhelmingly
been hailed across
the broadest of
Christian spectrums,
from Baptist to
Charismatic.
Controversy is
unavoidable. I
should be getting
used to it by now.
I generally seek to
avoid using names,
but in this case,
it’s been
impossible.
The latest
controversy involves
an article written
by T.A..McMahon of
The Berean Call
entitled
‘The Demise of
Biblical Discernment,
warning of those
things which
threatened his
discernment
ministry, an article
into which he
somehow managed to
include my name.
Though it’s an honor
to receive such
front-page coverage,
the picture painted
is far from
accurate.
His continual
attacking have led
some to observe that
McMahon has become
increasingly
obsessed with The
Harbinger.
People have written
to us asking that we
set the record
straight.
So what is it all
about?
McMahon told his
readers that
biblical discernment
was being threatened
and attacked by,
among others,
Charisma Media
and, of course, me.
He spoke of my
having part in
threatening a
lawsuit, of my
attorney being
involved in all
these things, and
that we were somehow
trying to prohibit
him from exercising
biblical discernment
and keep him from
being “the watchman
of Ezekiel 3,” or,
as he put it, “without
Cahn’s permission”
(!) (the
emphasis is mine).
This was sent out to
thousands of
readers. The
truth is I’ve never
been involved
in issuing any such
threat, nor have I
known what was said
between the two
organizations, nor
have I had any
attorney involved in
any such thing.
And the truth is
that the issue has
nothing to do with
any threat on
discernment.
The issue had to do
with intellectual
property law.
It began when The
Berean Call, as
most saw it, in
effect, took the
cover design of
The Harbinger
and basically
appropriated it for
its own book, down
to the use of
virtually identical
backgrounds, colors,
font styles, text
placement, etc.
Whatever the
motives, the effect
of this would be
deceptive as people
seeking for The
Harbinger could
be misled.
Charisma thus
wrote to The
Berean Call and
they complied by
correcting the
problem and changing
the cover.
A second issue arose
also concerning
intellectual
property law
and what is known as
“excessive use” of
copyrighted
material, in this
case, publishing a
book using a large
amount of material
directly out of
The Harbinger.
Thus Charisma
again contacted
The Berean Call
in the hope of
resolving the issue
as had been done in
the first case.
But unlike the
earlier situation,
The Berean Call
refused to provide
Charisma with
requested
information that
would allow the
parties to deal with
it. In all this,
Charisma
apparently
(apparently, since I
still haven’t seen
the actual
correspondences
involved) mentioned
the alternative of
dealing in the legal
realm. I do
know that
Charisma’s
intent was not that
it go into this
realm, but the very
opposite – to avoid
this by pressing for
a solution between
the two.
McMahon then decided
to present the issue
publicly on the
front page of his
newsletter and
portray it
as if it were an
attack on biblical
discernment and
righteousness.
Some might liken it
to a man being
issued a speeding
ticket and then
claiming to the
public that he’s
being persecuted for
righteousness’ sake.
He has the right to
contest whether or
not he was speeding,
but to portray the
speeding warning as
persecution for
righteousness’ sake
would be considered,
at best, misleading.
The story that has
not appeared
in The Berean
Call is perhaps,
more revealing.
A good brother in
the Lord asked me if
I’d be willing to
meet with McMahon to
resolve these
issues. I told
him “yes,” I would
be willing to do so
and would take
whatever steps I
could that things be
resolved for peace.
After some time,
McMahon contacted me
to inform me, with
much regret, that
the director had no
interest in pursuing
it and would refuse
to meet or talk.
The brother was very
discouraged.
Unfortunately, this
is not an exception
to the rule. I
and others have made
several attempts a
long while back,
when this first
began, to reach out
to McMahon, to
address any question
or concern. He
has continually
refused any
discussion, any
communication.
I wish the best for
all involved.
And my offer to talk
still holds.
In the larger
picture, the name of
“discernment” has,
in many cases,
become something of
a blank check
by which some
self-described
“discernment” people
have felt free to
launch all kinds of
public accusations,
knee-jerk
condemnations, guilt
by association
attacks, innuendo,
and the maligning of
reputations with no
accountability, and
worse, against good
men and women of
God. In the
past year, I’ve
learned how
such things have
hurt many good
ministers, including
some prominent names
in discernment
ministry itself.
My point in all
this, aside from
setting the record
straight with regard
to misconception, is
to bring up a
concern.
I have no
complaint. I
know this is par for
the course. My
concern is not for
The Harbinger.
It doesn’t need
it. The Lord
is fully in charge
of it as He has been
from the beginning.
The Harbinger
has continued
to go forth, to
spread across the
nation, to break
records, and now is
even reaching
Members of Congress
on Capitol Hill.
We continue to
receive reports of
repentance, revival,
and salvation which
have come through
the spreading of
this message.
My concern rather is
for the
deterioration
that has affected
some in this camp -
and that, in the
end, it may be
discovered, and
perhaps too late,
that the most
dangerous forces
threatening to bring
about the demise of
biblical discernment
were, after all, not
waiting from without
– but lurking from
within.