When I was publishing a newspaper, and writing and editing for it, I'd publish articles covering needed construction of a municipal building, a child in need, a family who was burned out, a criminal on the loose. You know, all the sorts of things a newspaper publishes.
Once, someone asked me to do a follow up on one of the articles. "Whatever happened?" they asked. Did they catch the guy...did the family ever get a home again...did the building ever get fixed?
I thought then as now, that following up is a good idea. Especially in Christian realms, we grow in knowledge, insight, learning and sanctification. We are not the same now as we were then. Things don't remain static.
I've been writing on this site for ten years. Things have changed. I've reviewed movies, bands, books, and ministries. People have apostasized or have grown in wisdom and stature. How is it going with some of these? How about a follow-up?
ANGUS BUCHANSeven years ago I reviewed the ministry of a man named Angus Buchan. Sadly, American evangelicalism has exported charismaticism, kingdom gospel, health/wealth gospel and other nasty and false doctrines to Africa, India, Asia and everywhere, thanks to global media. In 2006 a movie was released called Faith Like Potatoes, based on the life of South African Farmer Angus Buchan. The movie focused on Buchan's long-sought after success via a personal miracle of God intervening in his life. The movie also brought notice of his name and his ministry to those outside of South Africa.
Buchan continued in his joy of the 'miracle' by beginning to preach. Some of what he says is good. Some of what he says is not. Buchan then began combining charismaticism and health-wealth, and then added political promises that he claimed that God was making to and about South Africa as a nation. National ease and political stability as well as individual prosperity and miracles permeated his speeches.
He was successful, he filled stadiums, one after another.
I wrote about him twice in 2012. One was an essay reviewing the movie and the other was an examination of his ministry.
Seven years later, today, Mr Buchan is still filling stadiums. He is still speaking of miracles, prosperity, and salvation for nation South Africa. He has additionally partnered with more full-blown charismatics and heretics.
I recently came across this 2018 assessment of Mr Buchan's ministry from a graduate from The Master's Seminary, who is pastoring and preaching in a church in South Africa. I don't want to underestimate how popular Buchan is and how his preaching has affected many millions of men. In SA, Buchan is HUGE. The entire global church should concern us
I thought this assessment from pastor Tim Cantrell of Antioch Bible Church near Johannesburg, South Africa was gracious and fair. I agree with both the positives and the negatives stated about Mr Buchan. They align almost exactly with what I had written in 2012. Which sadly means that Mr Buchan has not course-corrected. He has unfortunately brought disrepute onto the name of Jesus, all the while seeking to honor it. This is what zeal without knowledge does.
Please see the video, it's good. You'll see Pastor Cantrell employ discernment on behalf of his flock, with graciousness and humility. You'll see him compare what Buchan says to the Bible. It's a good lesson all around.
I also came across this amateur Youtube short of a South African layman who also has concerns with Mr Buchan. In this shorter video than the one above, Brother Louis compares a short segment of one of Mr Buchan's speeches to the Bible. In the speech, Buchan taught that the more important moment in Jesus's life came in Gethsemane, not the cross, where in Gethsemane Jesus said 'It is finished'. Jesus did not say that in Gethsemane, and in fact, the teaching and Buchan's story behind it, is another gospel. Watch this short video to see how.
For someone who is preaching something falsely, there are only two ways to go. Either the Spirit in them course corrects them and they begin preaching rightly (like Apollos, he accepted correction. Acts 18:25-27). If one is unstable and twists the Bible's words without correction, it will be to their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16). You trajectory up, or you trajectory down.
Perhaps Mr Buchan will swing up at some point. The Lord may graciously open his eyes to the more correct teaching and he may hopefully abandon the miracle-seeking, different gospel. But so far, Mr Buchan is seen to be heading on a downward slope with no slowing.
And that is the follow-up to 2012's essays on Mr Angus Buchan.
