I Have Been Littered With Emails On HEALER So…

Posted on 20. Aug, 2008 by loswhit in Culture

I don’t know anything but what I read in the article.
The article is here.
Please pray for Michael Guglielmucci and his heart.
According to the article, Michael apparently lied about his cancer on the song Healer.
I don’t know if this is true or not but if this is true know 2 things for sure…
God can anoint any song with or without the messenger and I believe the song is annointed.
God is a God of second chances.
Pray for the hearts of those able to not forgive.
And I’m selfishly praying the article is wrong.
None the less…

Praying today for all that.
Los

5728C2008-08-20+15%3A28%3A13loswhit to “I Have Been Littered With Emails On HEALER So…”

Robert Pooley

20. Aug, 2008

All I can say is wow.. and all I can do is pray.
Adam Herod

20. Aug, 2008

Los…that’s not the best news I’ve heard today,but thanks for sharing it. Guess it’s time to pray and remove my post about the song from my site. Bummer.
Blake Thompson

20. Aug, 2008

Wow. I wonder how Hillsong is dealing with it too. How do you fake terminal cancer and deceive your wife?
Amanda G.

20. Aug, 2008

Maybe now God can really be his healer.
Toby

20. Aug, 2008

WOW! The song IS a great annointed song regardless of the circumstances surrounding it. BUT, as time heals, it may take a bunch for those of us who ordered SEVERAL copies of the CD/DVD combo at $40 a pop. I will join you in praying it is not true, but it’s not looking good.
jason salamun

20. Aug, 2008

Now i don’t feel like such a prick for thinking the oxygen tube was for dramatic effect when I saw it a couple of months ago.

You are right. We know that God can use imperfect people and that grace will prevail.
Chris

20. Aug, 2008

its true. and it sux. im from his hometown, and ive had a tonne of phonecalls and emails this morning from people about it, who have talked to family and such very close to the source.
i agree though Los, the power of the song remains the same… how God uses our weakness and selfishness to glorify himself continues to amaze me.
im praying.
Traci Tyson

20. Aug, 2008

I will pray for Mike and his family. That is very sad to me, but it doesn’t change anything about the song for me. Truth is, I WAS diagnosed with cancer last week and I have been listening to the song nonstop and it has been a great comfort to me. God can use anyone….even liars. The fact that Mike lied about his illness doesn’t change the truth of the song….God is our healer, he does walk with us through fire, nothing is impossible with God. I will still listen to the song and claim it’s truths daily. God IS my healer!
alex mclean

20. Aug, 2008

another great showing for the church… hopefully we’ll all learn how to have more grace through this if it’s true. If it’s not, that’d be good too. I wonder what would happen if all our lies & failures were broadcasted across the wonderful wide world of the web. I’d hope others would have incredible amounts of grace for me.
Dlake

20. Aug, 2008

Offering my prayers.
Mark Jaffrey

20. Aug, 2008

oh great.
Jason Cole

20. Aug, 2008

I too believe the song is very moving and will have a positive impact in the long run, but the short term effect is heartbreaking to say the least. I feel for him, his family, and his church. Prayers and hope for him.
Rich Kirkpatrick

20. Aug, 2008

Celebrity culture of our modern faith makes us tempted into areas never thought of in ages past.
Chris from Canada

20. Aug, 2008

My question is when did Hillsong know and how long did it take them to stop using the story to promote the album?

So yeah, that is messed up. The guy needs major healing.
Chris Green

20. Aug, 2008

Are God’s promises no less real? This doesn’t shatter my belief in miracles one bit. For every one liar, there are countless others whose real stories mirror that of Michael’s fake one.
Greg

20. Aug, 2008

So sad. I wonder how many people he has hurt with this? He definitely needs prayer… We serve an awesome God - no need to “add” to his power by faking things…
Sully

20. Aug, 2008

here’s another source http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24216087-5006787,00.html
mandythompson

20. Aug, 2008

This really is a chance for the Church to show the world how forgiveness and restoration and relational healing really works.

God can show off here in a big way.
Michelle

20. Aug, 2008

thanks for making us aware of this.
praying…
Crystal Renaud

20. Aug, 2008

God is still a Healer. So, whether this story is true or not, doesn’t negate that God is God and He is Who He is.
jenn

20. Aug, 2008

we should pray for him, but also for the thousands of people this has the potential to cause to stumble. This is definitely a blow to the name of Jesus. Is it really “anointed” or did the story behind the song make it emotion fueled, thus seeming to have God’s presence?
Brian

20. Aug, 2008

This is VERY sad.

I know that people will be hurt by this; I pray that they’ll not doubt who God is because of this.

God is indeed a healer, and I’m praying that He’ll heal those hurt by this …and heal Michael.

God is indeed the God of second chances.
Sarah at themommylogues

20. Aug, 2008

I pray that this story is not used against the glory of God, but that it would somehow magnify it. A truth is true no matter who speaks it.
Ryan

20. Aug, 2008

Los - thanks for you great response to this. Much appreciated. I’ll be praying for him, Hillsong and everyone in the world that we would be gracious with the situation.
Josh Martin

20. Aug, 2008

It’s a shame that so many people stumble when in huge parts of leadership. Hopefully there will be lots of counseling. Very disturbing story, and I’m afraid it won’t be the last of its kind.
Marcus Hackler

20. Aug, 2008

Truth is truth - “I Believe You’re my Healer” doesn’t become any less true with allegations.

My faith isn’t shaken and we all know God can and will be glorified through any circumstance or failure of human efforts.
Steve in Rhode Island

20. Aug, 2008

First Todd Bently leaves his wife, now this…what a week!
Rob

20. Aug, 2008

WOW…Still a powerful song in my opinion!
Ryan Armstrong

20. Aug, 2008

Mark 13… in particular v22. Not saying we are in the end times, that is a whole other argument, but the point is, if we all fell for this seemingly minor deception and were able to be mislead, (including myself), unless we learn to stick to God’s word and nothing else, how can we be sure not to fall for new and much greater deceptions?
How can we say that the song is still annointed? What scripture do we base this ‘annointing of songs’ on?? It was a lie in the beginning and is a lie now. Just because we got a whole bunch of fuzzy feelings from it doesnt make it truth. The only truth is scripture, and the song is not from scripture.
Remember how the devil used scriptural concepts to try and deceive Jesus at his temptation? Jesus was only able to resist because he new the scriptures “in his heart” and out-bibled the devil every time. Don’t fall for bible-sounding concepts!
I love Mike, have known him some time, as many have and pray that God would reveal His grace in a new way.
I certainly don’t judge the brother, I know I am capable of the same sin. I think it is for the Gug’s family and church to deal with personal matter, and us as a wider church to learn, not from his mistakes, but from our own in being lead on a wild goose chase.
Did that sound too nasty? I mean it with love
Art

20. Aug, 2008

Folks, I beg to differ, but I think the church should stop just showing grace to these nutjobs (like Todd Bentley) and start distancing ourselves from them. He needs to have a strong bit of church discipline, and he needs to understand the irreparable damage he has caused to the church and name of Christ. Just like the other whackos in Christendom, when the get caught, they go for therapy.

Just admit you are a liar and repent. You don’t need therapy. You need a swift kick in the ass.
Malachi

20. Aug, 2008

After thinking and praying about this situation, it all makes the song even more powerful.
Because even if Michael didn’t need healing before, he definitely needs it now.
Mike K

20. Aug, 2008

The real shame here would be if we did not ask ourselves the hard questions that this issue brings up…are we too quick to follow an agenda (i.e. validation of what we already believe and experience) rather than seek the truth? what else is ” christian agenda” that we have been led to believe that has no basis or merit?

I think by asking these hard questions it strengthens our faith rather than weakens it…and it actually becomes a faith worth having.
Los

20. Aug, 2008

Art.
Sorry. But when the church stops showing grace, we are no longer Christ followers.
Dude. Seriously? How could you say that?
Scary man.
metromom

20. Aug, 2008

So. This is definitely sad- I have watched many ministers operate out of their hearts while compartmentalizing the rest of their lives/lies. God used a donkey to speak to Baalam…so maybe he can still use this message to touch lives. The word of God is true and prevails regardless. Pray for hurting hearts and those who might be shaken by this.

One thing none of us can afford to do is judge- at least I wouldn’t imagine anyone of us wants more judgment, (pressed down, shaken together, and running over) given back to us. (Luke 6:37-38)

On a happy note…one less person with cancer?
Chris Ediger

20. Aug, 2008

Integrity took down their “Healer” website that they had been using the market the song/album (http://healer.integritymusic.com/).

So sad. I totally agree that the content of the song is extremely powerful and wholeheartedly true. I hope the story surrounding Michael dies away quickly and that the song will still be able to impact people’s lives just the same.
Anna

20. Aug, 2008

This is so disturbing.
Mike K

20. Aug, 2008

Agree that Art’s position is graceless but I think there is a point to be made from what he is saying. This guy knowingly and willingly lied and I have to wonder if it really was for “the kingdom” or for himself. If the basis is a falsehood let’s not deceive ourselves…it was for himself.

As Christians we are called to extend grace even in these kind of circumstances however let’s be wise in making it clear that this kind of behavior is not to be tolerated. To do otherwise is to “laugh in the face of the devil” as C.S. Lewis puts it.
Jad

20. Aug, 2008

Los:
Great thoughts. I heard the news early and have been wrestling with it all morning.

Your thoughts sum it up best.
Dee

20. Aug, 2008

so many teens were touched by his testimony and in turn- touched by the song. I pray that those teens don’t lose site of the fact that God is God- and that He IS the healer.
Josh

20. Aug, 2008

I am wondering about the use of this song. I believe truly that he must have been sick and needs a lot of prayers and help. To play a song and continue to sell it seems strange to me. I’m very discouraged because I actually posted the story of his cancer on my blog and now will remove it due to the truth.

I pray for our leaders that people live strongly, have an even stronger support group(we are all able to fail and stumble), and that we are lead by the Holy Spirit, because then we can have an impact that no tv show, song, or speaker could ever have.
Batsirai Chada

20. Aug, 2008

See: http://www.embassyworship.com/journal/report-michael-guglielmucci-writer-of-healer-faked-his-illness/
Kelli

20. Aug, 2008

You know, I had never heard the testimony behind “healer” when we started singing it at my church, so in my mind I dont feel deceived or betrayed.

I honestly feel a burden to pray for him, his family, and those who are directly effected by this.

As a songwriter, there have been times Ive written from someone else’s perspective. granted I didnt lie and say I had a terminal disease, but the “story” of the song was inspired by someone else’s trial.

The message of this song still stands firm, and God will still get the glory
bryan allain

20. Aug, 2008

Folks, all truth is God’s truth. I don’t care if it comes out of the mouth of Kid Rock, Michael Phelps, Joel Osteen, John McCain, Barack Obama, Brad Pitt, or Jeff Probst. I don’t care if it’s done with a deceitful heart, a greedy heart, a loving heart, or a depressed heart. If it’s true, it’s true. period.

Can someone tell me what percentage of the church’s songs over the past 100 years were written out of a humble heart? out of a heart loging to praise God? out a heart looking to write a hit? out of a heart looking for personal fame and glory? out of a heart looking to glorify God? Nope. No one can. Because we don’t know.

We sing these songs because they proclaim truth about the God we serve. It just so happens that Hillsong and Integrity were duped into including the backstory to this song because it was so powerful, and as it turns out, it was a lie.

But if the words were true before you found out Mike was lying, they are still true now.

Also, what if Mike wrote this at a time when he had good intentions, and only after it was written did he decide that making up a story would give extra oomph to the song?

If this was a song about Mike’s power, I’d throw it in the trash. But it’s a song about God’s power, and because of that I’ll keep singing it. But that’s just me…
Batsirai Chada

20. Aug, 2008

Phil 1. 15 - 18
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice
Anna

20. Aug, 2008

Why the heck would he lie about something like this?
Derek Sweatman

20. Aug, 2008

please remember:

peter - a liar
matthew - a legalized thief
simon - a militant zealot
moses - a murderer
the woman who was set up - an adulterer
david - all kinds of issues
james & john - arrogant

the list could get pretty long.

“it is by grace you have been saved.” - paul, eph. 2:5
Becky

20. Aug, 2008

I’m with Bryan Allain. Amen, brother.
Mike K

20. Aug, 2008

To Anna: “Why the heck would he lie about something like this?” you are on the right track…keep asking these questions. I think you end up with some disturbing answers that have a lot of implications for how we view our faith. Many Christians look for something to validate what they already believe. When a song is written that does this particularly well (and then is found to be based on fraudulent claims) we feel duped.

We need to be Berean and appropriately test what we are being feed and call things for what they are and not whitewash…even if you have found it meaningful.

Yes grace…but also shrewdness. We don’t seem to do this very well.
Michiel

20. Aug, 2008

@Derek that’s one of my favorite bibleverses! We are saved - while we were still sinners…

And God - He still is our Healer, He still is more than enough for each and everyone of us.

Wow.
alex mclean

20. Aug, 2008

(can’t resist)
Yeah Derek.
Art - Maybe we should have kicked King David in the ass and thrown away his book of Psalms…

This just reminds us once again how messed up we (all) are and how gracious God is.
Scott

20. Aug, 2008

I agree that we need to show grace, but I gotta tell you that it still hacks me off that he used this lie to increase the sales of his song. I’ll get over it though…
JudiFree.com

20. Aug, 2008

Wow…I really hope this doesn’t taint the song.

Wow…

Praying…
Tracy

20. Aug, 2008

Thanks for updating us….I just posted this video a few days ago. Great point, God can annoint anything, with our without the message. THANK GOD for that!
LV

20. Aug, 2008

I was shocked, and still am shocked…even angry. Then I remember that anger is a secondary emotion, most often to fear. Maybe it’s fear that my own humanity identifies with this darkness. If I’m honest, I admit that I could do something like this - I want attention and could go to great lengths to be recognized. I guess what I’m saying is that the extent to which my emotions have been stirred is the extent to which I must admit that my flesh is capable of the very same thing…maybe even worse. Where does that leave me? In greater recognition that I need help…from the only One that can truly help.
Heidi Wilson

20. Aug, 2008

I was surprised. Not so shocked. People mess up all the time, and I’m not as surprised as I used to be. It doesn’t change my faith in Jesus one iota… it just reminds me that I cannot follow “people”. The people involved need our prayers to get through this.

As far as the song goes… I wouldn’t play it anymore, not because the message changed… but because most people will think about this every time it is played, rather than being able to worship freely. It will be difficult for people to seperate the story behind it from the song itself.
Jason_73

20. Aug, 2008

Mike K.

The funny thing people forget to mention about the Berean’s is that they received the gospel with joy and then checked it out with scripture. Most modern day folks who call themselves “Berean’s” have no joy and are just out to save their own reputation.
Mike K

20. Aug, 2008

I think an appropriate act of restitution might be for the guy to donate the money he made from the song to cancer research (or whatever terminal illness he was supposed to have had)…whaddaya think?
adam

20. Aug, 2008

lame. shame on him. but God’s grace covers all sin.

too bad people will use this against Christ…

praying for him.
Andrew

20. Aug, 2008

Gotta say that after reading all of these comments, I am encouraged. Both in the appropriate responses of love and grace, and that the people who think otherwise are here to read what real christianity is. This man deserves punishment for what he did. But this song does not. The song remains Bible based and true and will set people free regardless of the writers intentions. And as for the man who wrote it, God is your judge, not I. I will do as instructed. Love. I am not saying to forgive without thinking. But to realize that we have all wronged others and that there is no scale of sin as if one sin is worse than the other. His sin makes him no worse than me. Rather it makes him equal to me. A born again man, in need of continual grace.
joshua

20. Aug, 2008

i agree with a lot of the other people who say we need to extend grace, love and prayers to this man and his family.

my question is why does one person get this grace, and not another?

http://www.loveisgreaterthan.com/reason-124-why-i-dislike-christians
Carrie

20. Aug, 2008

IF its true will not matter anymore - the damage is already done - people will believe only what they want to. Sad eh.
LV

20. Aug, 2008

been keeping up with the response…this dialogue is helpful for me, thanks everyone! i thought back to an interview we did with Ed Young and wanted to share it - he talks about betrayal, an appropriate term to highlight this whole issue:http://www.catalystspace.com/catablog/full/road_trip_flashback_ed_young_on_betrayal/
bub

20. Aug, 2008

Reading the article and all of the comments this particular verse kept coming in to my heart.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11″No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” - John 8:6-11.

I guess I’m glad I don’t know the back stories of the other writers of songs that have special meaning to me. I’ve done as bad if not worse things in my life. God’s grace covers all.
Chris from Canada

20. Aug, 2008

I posted this on someone else’s blog but is grace the same thing as giving the guy a free pass??

Here’s my thoughts - http://www.chrisfromcanada.com/?p=710

We have some serious soul-searching to do, I think.
Dana

20. Aug, 2008

I think it’s ironic really….he sings about healing…faking a terminal illness… He believed that God gave him this song…and I think HE DID…but with different motives. Maybe…just maybe God was speaking life…healing…into a DIFFERENT part of his life…not so much physical healing…more emotional. Regardless…God has used it to bring himself glory, which STILL blows me away. So WHAT… this world is satan’s domain…but MY GOD (YOUR GOD) is bringing HIS kingdom to earth…therefor HE WILL have every once of glory for his own.
Ryan

20. Aug, 2008

I think it is funny that people think they need to compensate for God by making stuff up. That is the biggest issue here. God dosent need us to make him look good.
Gary Durbin

20. Aug, 2008

not good. Here’s my thoughts on it:
http://garydurbin.blogspot.com/2008/08/people-let-you-down.html
Ben

20. Aug, 2008

The best part of this story is that is a chance for Christian leaders, whether we be leaders of 10,000 member churches or 5 member bible studies, to stand and with one voice agree that we are jacked up, and still in need of a savior.

Art, I agree he deserves a swift kick in the ass. But I deserve worse than that and God adopted me into his family and called me righteous, In Christ.

So I’m forced to put down the stones I had picked up to throw at Michael.
Rich S.

20. Aug, 2008

Well, to balance it out, I understand Art’s emotion, even tho I don’t agree with his conclusion.

Forgiveness and redemption are the core of being a Christ follower, but you can’t just say “there, there, it’s OK, we forgive you” if the guy has no repentance in his heart at all. I can’t see how the church can be TRULY loving the guy if there’s no reproof, no correction, no admonishment to have true repentance.

But it’s gotta be done in a loving way…wise as serpents, gentle as lambs, as they say, yes?

Rich
Leo

20. Aug, 2008

I’m just embarrassed.
Chris

20. Aug, 2008

Los:
I think what Art is saying could actually be Biblical…ONLY IF another very important process takes place…c/o Matthew 18:15-17.

15″If your brother sins against you,[a] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[b] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Not sure how we are to treat pagans or tax collectors…but I know those in the times of Jesus were not treated politely.

In verses 21-22, Jesus said that we should forgive our brother 77 times. Anyway…just dropping some scripture on it.
Chris from Canada

20. Aug, 2008

Questions that have come up from people as I’ve talked to them about this -

Was this guy planning a miraculous healing as a next step?

Will God use this song in an authentic healing experience for Mike now?

Hmmm..
Crystal Renaud

20. Aug, 2008

i’m listening to Healer right now and it brought me back to this post because dude, seriously… God can heal him too. heal him from pride, from whatever drove to such extremes for fame, etc. God is the Healer and God will be glorified and God-willing this guy will be redeemed as well.
Los

20. Aug, 2008

Great discussion guys.
It is not our job to be his accusers.
It is his local church body’s.
I trust that Hillsong is doing what they need to do biblically.
In that trust over suspicion I choose to forgive Mike for lying and also know that not only will God use this song… but I am pretty sure God will use Mike to pen an even greater song.
Jay King

20. Aug, 2008

So if God is not the God of grace……

Should we start removing Psalms from the bible???? David was a huge lier, murderer…the only difference is we have been able to see how David’s story played out a few thousand years later!!!!
Los

20. Aug, 2008

Oh. And if I’ve only got 77 times to be forgiven…
Well. Don’t tell my wife.
I think that is my daily tally.
Mike F.

20. Aug, 2008

Hey, it rhymed.
Heidi

20. Aug, 2008

I think as individuals and the church we need to be very careful of passing judgement on Mike. It sounds to me like there is an element of mental illness involved here, such an elaborate plan and with apparant disregard for the huge implications to those in his world that he loves dearly, as well as the wider church must be attributed to some disorder greater than simply ‘falling into sin’ I will be praying not only for Mike, family, his church and wider church - but also for wisdom in his therapists and doctors. We also need to be praying for the media at this time, that they will act sensitively to the situation.
Kelly Moreton

20. Aug, 2008

how have i not heard of this song? i am so irrelevant.
Dean

20. Aug, 2008

The bottom line is that the song is awesome and obviously God inspired. It proves that God can work through anyone to advance His message - regardless of where that person is spiritually or emotionally.

Here is the truth - his junk just got exposed - none of us are any better than him - we are all just one decision, one mistake away from falling hard and being humiliated.

All the guy needs to do is get right with God, get into a community of real folks that love him, and make amends as best as he can - God will take care of the rest. I look forward to the day that he is restored and using his writing gift for the kingdom again. What a kick in the nuts that will be for the devil!

I’ll definitely pray for the guy and give him plenty of grace. I just wish that Christian soldiers would stop shooting their own wounded. The devil howls with delight every time we do it.
todd

20. Aug, 2008

This is horrible. I think there’s a balance to be found here. To agree with many of you, yes, this guy needs our prayer and he needs healing.

But I also see where Art is coming from, too. This guy used an emotional ploy to engage people in a song. He’s not the first to do it, but maybe the most public so far. This is bad, bad stuff. This is dangerous stuff. Christian culture (and worship music) is already littered with so much emotionalism, I think Christians should be both praying/restoring and crying “foul” with equal volume. I think stuff like this so tricky, but we’ve got to be balanced in our approach.

In all honesty, if this song had been released by a guy who was “healthy,” would it have been a hit? We’re all saying it’s a great song, but for me, I found the song’s value to be its honesty - a prayer of faith and trust sung by someone staring down death. To find out a dude lied about that - it makes me sick.
Dave ©

20. Aug, 2008

I think this underscores the general problem with taking our eyes off Christ and putting them on anyBODY or anyTHING else. None of us are perfect. Not Michael. Not Art. Not Los. Not you. Not me. Not even Andy “Flat” Stanley (although he might be close…if only for that holgram, blinky thing…he! he! he!).

Let this be a somber reminder to us all.
Wendy

20. Aug, 2008

My favorite…..”One less person with cancer”!!! Wins the prize!

Here are my thoughts on the situation! God’s grace extends to everyone! Love the sinner, hate the sin! Pray for him and his family and for anyone who may allow the devil to use this to turn them away from Jesus! Should he be held accountable? Yes! Should he be publicly stoned or crucified? No! Jesus did that for him already!

I still love the song! It will still encourage me! I still have a million miracles in my life and all around me! Take that devil! Stick it in your ear!
Rachel

20. Aug, 2008

I think that all this, in the end, should get us back to a bottom line of this:

God is God. We are not. God is good. We are prone to sin. God is perfect. We screw up. A lot.

Grace and discipline, in my life, have been inseparable. So have repentance and restoration. Like Los pointed out in the comments, it’s the local church’s job to handle these things. I am sure they are doing their part. I think that it is something God will use to shake us up (a lot of that has happened lately in our world, eh?) and get us to look to Him again, not to a person or a movement or a song or an institution.

Thank you, Los.
Rachel

20. Aug, 2008

p.s. I echo Wendy. Metromom’s last line was hilarious!
Fred McKinnon

20. Aug, 2008

Part of me thinks that Mike must have been completely delusional. (I’m 100% pure speculating here). I mean, that interview and video is so authentic … I just CANNOT see it being faked. The only way I can see that faked is if Mike TRULY BELIEVED (like, in a freaky, delusional way) that this was all true.

I’m not saying I can’t be suckered - but typically, I have a high sense of discernment .. and I can’t help but think if this was purely an intentional, willful, thought out scam that I would’ve discerned SOMETHING?

Will be interesting to see how it pans out.
For the Kingdom,
Fred McKinnon
http://www.fredmckinnon.com
http://www.theworshipcommunity.com
Mud Puppy

20. Aug, 2008

First bigfoot, and now this.

I kid.

Love your heart Los.
Jenni

20. Aug, 2008

still such a good song.

I’m so sad about this whole thing though. I’m hoping that one day soon, I can hear this song and sing it without thinking about the lie behind it.
Karen

20. Aug, 2008

I can’t leave Art hangin’. I, too, feel like we pet people too much. I know that you can gracefully kick someone’s butt, so to speak. Don’t we do that to our children? (not literally) I know that David actually got his tush kicked for many years. His son died, and then he was hunted by his other son and had to see him killed in battle. I still love the song. I never knew the story behind it anyway. Love and peace Los and friends.
Nathan

20. Aug, 2008

I’m wondering if we really know the difference anymore between the presence of the Lord and emotionalism. What does it mean now when we say “that song is so anointed”?
arti

20. Aug, 2008

Hi, I don’t even know the song or this person who has stuffed up. Phew… I’m glad this controversy won’t impact me. But, I will pray for all those affected! However, it doesn’t surprise me that another prominent Christian bites the dust. Who will be next? Some advice: guard your hearts and minds, and scrutinise the word of God.
Kazzles

20. Aug, 2008

I think it’s interesting that this exposure has come at the same time as Hillsong released their album in the US, but actually the song has been around for a lot longer and was released on Planetshakers latest album so I really can’t believe he faked cancer just to have success with a song… Mike had a great life, was Pastor in one of the most exciting churches in Australia and comes from an amazing family. I’m still waiting to hear the why behind this story like everyone else, but I can’t believe that it was simply to promote his music… he wasn’t even attending Hillsong at the time of writing it and was Pastor in another church.
I’m actually wondering how the guy was smart enough to fake it though… seriously? How did he sleep at night? I can only assume he really does have some kind of illness that he didnt’ want people to know about…
Wayne Cordova

20. Aug, 2008

Shows how much I know. I thought the “disease” was sin.

Either way, it still moves me and makes me love the Lord more each time I hear it.
Tina

20. Aug, 2008

They’ve taken down the integrity site that Los mentioned in a previous post. If there wasn’t any truth in the story, then why take it down. Makes me very sad.
ash

20. Aug, 2008

Derek S:: awesome point.

this whole story makes me sad.
Tracie

20. Aug, 2008

@ Tracy Tyson - I’ll stand in agreement with you in prayer that He is your healer. I look forward to hearing a report that you are cancer free.
I had the videos on my blog and would have left them up but it looks like they’ve been removed from youtube. great and powerful song.
Ryan Armstrong

20. Aug, 2008

Some us seem to misunderstand grace… grace is extended to all by the fact that we can turn from sin at any point and be restored into God’s inheritance for us.
The acceptance of grace is by repenting and turning from sin. Grace is not allowing a person in our church who has fallen deeply to maintain a place of influence in our lives. In fact Jesus and Paul teach the opposite frequently. There is to be two exhortations before finally, YES, a member of the church is told to leave and no longer welcome. Also read 1st Timothy and Titus. Don’t argue with me, argue with the author of the bible. This doesnt mean we stop showing God’s love or friendship to a person, it means they are removed from a position of influence. And this has happenned for Mike, and I’m SURE he agrees with it. We just need to remove his influence from our own lives.

Turn away from transgression people. Obviously there is a spirit associated with this web of lies, and that spirit is in “The Healer” song. Sure it makes us feel warm and fuzzy but worship is for God, not for us. Bring a pure and blameless offering into his courts, not a lie.
Song’s have no annointing. This is a concept we invented, it’s not in scripture. We made it this far without “The Healer”, we can go on without it, and certainly go on without feeding any more royalties to the writer of this lie.

Truely, I love Mike and feel so heart broken for his family and friends. YES there needs to be a focus on restoring Mike into the Kingdom and into grace and that is the responsibility of his church and those around him, but it is our responsibility on the outer circle to tell the devil, NO we will not take any more lies, we’re getting back to God’s word and we’re putting away all influences that are not of God.
We created an environment where the devil can get away with this and he has made a mockery of us. We are partly to blame for giving Mike an opportunity to be above reproach and giving him the catch-phrases he needed to get away with this lie.

In case it hasnt come across, I’m not angry at Mike, although I feel for those closer to him, I’m angry at us and definately at myself. We fell for it. And by the looks of some of our reactions, we’ll fall for it again.
Even when it has been exposed as sin we rationalise and make excuses to keep the elements of this lie that we like. “It’s still annointed…” BAH. Can anyone give me a scripture defending the cause to keep singing this song in God’s house? Put away transgression.
Ryan Armstrong

20. Aug, 2008

Sorry that was too long
nickhoss

20. Aug, 2008

Wow……wow….*blank expression*….
Drew

20. Aug, 2008

I wonder if this guy and James Frey are somehow connected?

Still love the song, though.
Tyler

20. Aug, 2008

I’m in Houston for the Hillsong Conference this weekend. Should be interesting what they say about the situation. I feel for there church community.
Los

20. Aug, 2008

Ryan. I’m afraid if you take your post and apply it to all the songs you sing on Sunday…you might be left singing nothing.
todd

20. Aug, 2008

Los, you’re absolutely right. Most of us would be singing nothing…and that’s a sad fact.
FLIP from the Phils.

20. Aug, 2008

I think we can still use the song to express the deepest expressions of our hearts to the God who is indeed OUR HEALER! He is mine and i know He’s yours too. I remember reading Matt Redman’s Book “The Unquenchable Worshipper” (if you haven’t read the book pleas go get one!) one time he out of the blue felt led to sing “You are not alone” by Michael Jackson (only the chorus tho) he obviously resisted it in his mind because of the fact that it was from the pop king but eventually sang it…and a lady came to him after and was blessed that he sang that chorus and felt God talked to her “You are not alone”

I mean nobody is perfect do we stop writing songs? or singing songs from the same imperfect people?

Let’s forgive mike and yes pray for him but the song? The song is still true to it’s words - My God is the One and Only Healer! I CAN SHOUT IT OUT TO WORLD!
FLIP from the Phils.

21. Aug, 2008

i can’t edit my comment huh? hehehe sorry for the typo’s Los. i guess you can forgive me for that? hahaha
Tina

21. Aug, 2008

Here’s something else…It makes me sad to realize that I’m not all surprised by it. Sad not shocked. I would imagine that is most people’s take on it.
deborah

21. Aug, 2008

Rather interesting I saw the healer video on You tube for the first time two nights ago & I immediately said to myself nah you aint got cancer. Sorry I didn’t tell anyone. I guess if I had then I would of been seen as the enemy. Prophets of this nation where are you? & why are we not speaking out what we know. Rise Up!!
Catalyst

21. Aug, 2008

Ragamuffin Soul

I Have Been Littered With Emails On HEALER So…