Bishop Wooden’s Warning: Guard Your Church Against Esoteric Deceptions

Bishop Wooden begins by defining esoteric knowledge as secret or hidden wisdom possessed by only a few.

He warns that such knowledge has no place in the church.

Born-again Christians do not worship angels or communicate with the dead; their communication is solely with God through Jesus.

He stresses the reality of a dark spiritual realm and the presence of deception.

One of Satan’s greatest tricks, he says, is convincing people he does not exist.

But root workers and demons are very real, and believers must be vigilant.

Bishop Wooden cautions against believing that deceased loved ones can visit or communicate from beyond.

He explains that if a person was saved, they are with Jesus, and if not, they are lost.

There is an unbridgeable gulf between the living and the dead until death.

He recalls a believer claiming to have communicated with three angels, naming them Moheay and Tai, and immediately declared the person deceived.

He humorously compares it to talking to the Three Stooges rather than evil spirits.

The bishop warns that groups like the Masons harbor esoteric knowledge and believe the Bible is allegorical.

They think they possess secret wisdom unknown to regular preachers, which creates division and deception within churches.

He condemns secret handshakes, oaths, and rituals brought into church communities, insisting that God’s Word is settled and universal.

These secretive practices undermine the unity and purity of worship.

Bishop Wooden acknowledges he has made enemies by speaking out but stands firm, quoting scripture: “If God be for you, who can be against you?” He calls believers to come out of these deceptive practices and hold fast to Christ alone.

He references Apostle Paul’s struggle against gnostic and ascetic spirits that infiltrated early churches, warning modern believers to resist similar influences.

These spirits minimize Christ’s role and distract from true faith.

Using Colossians 2:19, Bishop Wooden explains the importance of holding fast to Christ as the head of the church.

When secret societies or alternative spiritual entities gain influence, believers lose focus on Jesus and have “options” other than God.

He urges churches to honor and respect leaders but never to worship them.

Jesus alone is Savior and Head of the church.

When other spirits or secret knowledge enter, they hinder the church’s spiritual growth.

The bishop concludes by emphasizing the need for believers to be deeply rooted in Jesus, the source of all nourishment and growth.

Only through Him can the church increase and thrive.