Alexey Melnikov. About a new and very charismatic clown

· Andrey Shapovalov, On Emigration, Denunciations, Pentecostals, Religious Mafia, Russia, Seattle, Urals

Andrey Shapovalov

Currently, Russia’s charismatics are everywhere entering a phase of reassessing their own “spiritual baggage.” This process can be observed in the example of leaders of the ROSHVE union, who have begun to distance themselves from the “Toronto Blessing,” certain elements of spiritual warfare teaching, and other patently absurd beliefs. Of course, all of this is nothing more than cosmetic repairs covering the rotten boards of false spirituality; nevertheless, the once utterly unhinged charismatics are becoming more lucid and open to dialogue. However, there are also opposing tendencies rooted in a desire to preserve “traditional charismatic values.” These tendencies are present within ROSHVE itself, whose congregations, for instance, have plunged into “encounters” of the Colombian G12 system. The true bearers of the “charismatic spirit,” however, continue to be the Embassy of God of Adelaja, Ledjaev’s New Generation, the “rivermen,” and a few other communities that have not succumbed to the general trajectory of the ROSHVE charismatics.

The already‑mentioned Ledjaev and Adelaja only recently enjoyed tremendous popularity in Russia; now they are universally ostracised. The same fate has befallen many other foreign preachers once thundering across Rus’: Benny Hinn, Learedon, Yonggi Cho, the Copelands are now out of favour. Yet the demand for “anointed ones” in charismatic circles is ever present, and the extravagance of the “gift‑bearer” always adds bonus points to his popularity. Benny Hinn thrashed those being healed with his jackets, Ledjaev preached from a toilet, Learedon flew to heaven already in childhood. A distinctive feature of charismatic preferences, in general, is a love for clown‑prophets. Many charismatics I know still rave about that very toilet‑sermon of Ledjaev’s.

And now a new anointed one is ascending the charismatic Olympus—Pastor Andrey Shapovalov of the Transformation Centre (what a name!). Pastor Andrey is quite remarkable for his unique preaching style. I am unlikely to be mistaken if I state that he is the most “shrieking” charismatic preacher around.

Shapovalov lives in the USA, and his “church” is also located there, made up predominantly of Russian‑speakers. In Russia he has not yet gained momentum, but he already has admirers of his talent among certain members of ROSHVE congregations. The secret of his popularity lies in aggressive advertising on neo‑Protestant internet resources. Striving to build on his success, Pastor Andrey periodically visits Russia as a speaker at all kinds of conferences. The obvious goal of these trips is intra‑charismatic proselytism. At the “Reformation of the Church” conference held in Perm in August, Shapovalov, without any embarrassment, delivered a verdict on the Russian charismatic movement:
“I turn to the pastors and churches of Russia: if there are still those here who thirst for the real Fire of God, you are in illusion and lies; in Russia there is no freedom for God’s Spirit! There is no real Movement and awakening! All you have is what the spirit of religion and communism has agreed to and permitted you to have, and what satan has agreed to has long belonged to him.”
The overseas anointed one asserts that the local anointed are no anointed at all but satan’s puppets. In general, Shapovalov can discourse for hours about himself and about demons:
“Personally, I needed only to take a single step onto the soil of Russia for all the demons to stir at once; churches and pastors rose up against me; church officials with political connections (sleeping with communism) started to move against me; in the entire huge city of Perm we are known, and renting a building is practically impossible. What does that say? It says that the spirit of religion and communism is alive and that Russia truly needs a total Reformation of the church.”
Immodest, but how loudly it rings! While Russian charismatics are around, the demons sleep; but when the American prophet steps off the plane, they rise up in horror against the great anointed one. I would not be surprised to learn that Shapovalov will soon expand in Russia: after all, he offers to take the path of charismatic fundamentalism and return to the very things that ROSHVE is now abandoning.
And special mention should be made of Shapovalov’s statement about the cause of charismania’s main problems:
“Andrey testifies: the previous night Bobby Conner warned Andrey about a coming red bear with an Orthodox Bible on its head. Now, he says, he understood what that was and why the Orthodox Bible was on its head. The red bear, he says, is the Russian state, but over its head is the religious system that governs the state.”
And still the American demons fear Orthodoxy, nor do they love Russia.

Alexey Melnikov

Print, save, email .pdf