This
site was created for those who wish to know of or have ever been associated
with Christ Gospel Church and Sister Hicks and provide them an in-depth review
of her doctrinal teachings, specifically her own fabrication of the Bride's
doctrine. More
so, this site is to warn those of Hicks' more disconcerting and alarming
teachings of Kabbalism, Gnostic philosophy, and other unorthodox absurdities. It
is our hope that this site gives a clear and fair judgment of Hicks and her
teachings, leading to the salvation of some. Bernice Hicks, better known as Sister Hicks, makes prolific claims for herself and the "message" she espouses. That message is called the "bride's message." Hicks claims that God personally gave her this teaching. By analyzing her claims and weighing her teachings against the writings of the apostles this site will attempt to show that Hicks' doctrine has no support from the scriptures and should be considered an inferred fabrication. Her persistence to falsely proclaim and uphold a special prophet status with her congregation would eventually be her undoing. Her idiomatic doctrine of the bride and her congregants cultish adoration of her gave this group its form. Hicks delivers her message to her supplicant congregation in a no-nonsense, unpretentious, and plain drawl, telling it like it is, and as most would say, giving them the goods. No, she doesn't come with much fanfare, she comes humble, with no fancy degrees from the cemetery, that is, seminary. Yep, they say she's real, and that's all she ask of her members, "To be real." Her folks adore Sister Hicks, more affectionately known as, the captain, the chief, who brings the message home, a message unlike others, far different than lukewarm churches. Hicks has a very alluring and compelling message which she links back and forth from the OT tabernacle to the bride in chapter 19 of Revelations who has made herself ready. It is this doctrine Hicks has solely built for herself and her flock who long to be privileged enough to make their own selves ready for the Lord and His return. Hicks strikes out at lukewarm christianity with a vengence pointing out mealy-mouthed doctrines of conformity and hypocrisy. She brings back the ole-time religion when people had backbone and fortitude to go along with their faith, not ashamed of the gospel. Hicks leaves no stone unturned in finding her doctrine of the bride concealed throughout the OT and NT writings. The marriage relationship of God and His people, according to Hicks, are discovered in and out and back through the bible. Hicks leavens her message with spartan social and dress restrictions on her flock, eschewing any inkling of worldly temptations. And for Hicks, God had now chosen her in these last days to preach its message, the Crucified and Bride’s message. Hicks weaves a thread of truth interlocking scriptures from cover to cover analogous to one another that tightly fit the message God gave to her. Her message taught not all christians were to be in the bride. Not only will those who live in the churches of compromise risk losing their salvation, for sure, they will never make the bride, a sobering thought. And so with her stern admonition and bride’s walk, Hicks draws the attention of her hearers. The warnings in the gospel and the epistles for the saints to remain faithful and stedfast were now all the more compelling as Hicks’ message gave it a more serious and sober aspect if one were to miss the bride. Nevertheless, Hicks’ folks need not worry for she has been given this bride’s message from the Lord personally, and in that message are the secrets that will help assure them of making the bride. There’s the tabernacle, Egypt to Canaan’s land, white linen, the Prize, the Sun, the moon, the stars, and many other doctrines laid out for her people to use as tools so that they too can lay hold of being in the bride. And is it any wonder her congregants wonder to themselves in amazement of this revealed truth they have been counted worthy to have today the privilege of hearing. But it would be her introduction of some usual and curious teachings that caused real concern with many in her group. At some point in time after Hicks had gained a larger following, she began to delve into Kabbalism, Gnosticism, and other non-christian philosophy and by the looks of things created her own potpourri of a philosophical and mystical mess. What Hicks would introduce into her church in the mid 70s would be a far cry from poor exegesis and scriptural fabrication. Those who dared to question her, did the unimaginable, they began to doubt her authenticity. The new teachings of Hicks were so bizarre some were left with no choice but to investigate. The lies and deceit of Hicks would begin to unravel with the discovery of a book by Carlo Suarez and set in motion the exodus of many of her initial proselytes. And who would have thunk it, Hicks had copied Suarez' little book. Listen, attached below, as Hicks describes how God came to her as she waited on him for the glorious revelation of the Song of Solomon. Truly, a glorious day for Hicks that would later turn sour as her curious devotees learned those notes were plagiarized, see also below for comparison. To hear Hicks say, "And come He did," has such a ring to it. Ironically, some of Hicks' words rung true as those same people did find "things that have never been unveiled," for they found their leader, the Reverend Bernice Hicks, completely unveiled as a liar, deceit, and fraud. In the end, her followers are left with a poor doctrine that tickles their ears and leads them in a circle never going anywhere or gaining any real knowledge. All of her proof-text used to support her bride's theory is riddled with poorly drawn exegesis and contradiction. Hicks takes much of the apostles use of analogy way further than they had originally intended elongating said text for the sole purpose of holding her doctrine upright. But one only needs a cursory look into her thesis to find her doctrine utterly bereft of any legitimacy. Yet, this only describes her teachings taken from the biblical writings, not to mention her nightmarish and aberrant teachings of eastern mysticism. Sadly, what her congregation yields is nothing but the totality of the most horrific, unorthodox, and Kabbalistic nonsense. Moreover, are the archaic and outdated social prohibitions imposed on her unsuspecting flock. Thus, t he children are left to suffer the violation of their innocence, following and enduring anachronistic ideologies and dress codes for which they do not understand only to be subjected to ridicule by their peers, notwithstanding their own skepticism and suspicions that for some are never answered.Much of her biblical doctrine is taken bit by bit from varied viewpoints common among theological circles. But Hicks dishes it out to her folks under the pretense it came to her personally from Christ's visitation. Her congregation would never know who she follows because she never makes reference in her books. To do so she would have to explain the contrasting theologies of Reformed and dispensationalism and there's no sense in enlightening her congregation and risk the chance they may lose their enchanted and hypnotic view of her. In her books, she just proudly blabbers her reading of the text with incoherent repetitions, crossing theological wires, giving her folks little and in many places no explanation of the complexities neither explaining her own selfsame contradictions. When reading other theological works, authors go to great lengths in explaining their interpretation giving details to contrasting viewpoints so as to give the reader the fullest accounting of the text. Hicks' book of Daniel as with her other books are so lacking in content and juvenile it's hard to imagine that someone would credit her with being such a great teacher? Neither does she give opposing viewpoints except to briefly mention some in few instances. And there are NO reference nor bibliography pages given to any other writers or theologians. This is not some frivolous practice with which people do at their own whim. It is the rule that authors must follow if they are to be given any credibility and avoid suspicions of plagiarism. Hicks is a person who supposedly has written hundreds of books yet not one person nor one other book is given acknowledgment. Students in any legitimate college would never have a paper graded without references and would be expelled if found guilty of plagiarism. And sure enough, it was plagiarism that found her out. Yet, the plagiarism, it can be argued, may be the least of the problems confronting those at CGC. The more alarming and disturbing concerns are her teachings of Kabbalism and its brew of chanting and incantations. Instead of Hicks aligning herself with great theologians she instead has more in common with Madonna, a timeworn half-baked songstress who has stopped at nothing to shock the public with sensual exploits. Even orthodox Jews do not support kabbalism and consider its fascination with letters and numbers as heresy. Most of the teachings are so bizarre it is hard to imagine that anyone would not question their validity and relationship to the gospel of Christ? To teach and purport this kind of gobbledygook and pass it on as a Christian doctrine is shameful. Listening to these tapes sounds similar to credulous kindergarten students lacking any sort of critical thinking sitting entranced as they hear their incredulous mother hen tell of fables and fairy tale stories. This kind of teaching and fraud should be a concern to all who have ever been associated with this movement. Hicks' main scripture to introduce new members is II Timothy 3.16, where Paul states that, "All scripture is ... profitable." If Hicks had stuck to her foundational scripture for her bride's message she may have avoided running off the road with deviant teachings. Profit from scripture and the applicability of the text are one in the same. There is no profit with the species of nonsense Hicks espouses. Instead of finding application to our lives, the mystic like Hicks, only intent is to find some hidden meaning. But this hunt for mysteries has been gone on for ages, and true students and saints of God are not deceived by this and know that the quest is only a quest and a fool's errand. And what did her quest lead to but the surreptitious copying of someone else's writings. Deviating from the strait and narrow road of the Lord lead squarely to Hicks committing a fraud and lying to her congregation. Inevitably, one who is unlearned first hearing Hicks throw out a few peculiar doctrinal phrases mixed with a little Hebrew and unpretentiousness becomes a perfect recipe for one such soul to become enamored and lured into an abyss of false doctrine, and possibly never to escape again to ever learn or attain true understanding and knowledge of the scriptures. Hicks has a laundry list of never-ending and bottomless proclamations to her credit but maybe none of which is more pathetic and representative of the lengths and depravity this pathological lunatic will go than her statement to her church concerning communist Russia. This expresses the typical psychosis which comes out of her mouth, "They are more afraid of me than anyone else in the United States." No better description of Hicks' defiant disregard to her own people's intellect than this farcical and cockamamy comment. You can hear it yourself below if you can refrain from laughing. Unfortunately, her church has little to laugh about, for they walk to the pied piper's discordant sound of fear. Warning her congregation to stay away from those who come against the “message” is a blatant misuse of pastoral authority. She states that the devils are too powerful to withstand if one were to speak to someone who has departed from her flock. This is insipid nonsense. This is not the attribute of the Christian faith much less a so-called leader of a congregation. This is not a sign of one who is learned in the word but of one who is desperate. A person who is aware of God’s truth would be open to criticism and instruction and would welcome such. But such is not the case for Hicks. This is how this insidious method works for Hicks, who though claiming freedom from the world is ensnared by her own fear. Throwing out senseless trumpery like "The demons are so powerful" is a calculated attempt to keep her group under wraps. Unmercifully does Hicks lay this hokey-pokey on her church they become so afraid that they also may be snuffed out of bride's message and that without warning. So, they are forever vigilant againt any word that comes against the message or Hicks. Any chance of critical thinking by her folks is thus thwarted by Hicks preemptive proclamation of powerful demons. This is the highest form of abuse, instead of a soul being enriched by the gospel of Christ, the soul now becomes enslaved to a tyrant. No, it’s not the demons with which Hicks would have her flock to fear, it is her, and her threatening, and her feigned humility, and her lies, and her Kabbalah crap, which those in Christ Gospel Church need to fear. In total, Hicks makes unfounded claims to secret knowledge from Christ personally, teaching an unsubstantiated and fabricated doctrine that no accredited theologian would endorse, puts useless and inane burdens of supposed holiness and self-affliction on her church members, causing untold harm and separation to children and families, has been caught in flagrante delicto with plagiarized notes from a Kabbalistic author, then lied to cover her own tracks including lying of those departed who were only guilty of wanting to learn God's word, all the while spewing and regurgitating unorthodox and fallacious theosophies which fancies the minds of her congregation with silly numbers, letters, and numerous other such imbecilic lunacies. This is the kind of preposterous idiocy that comes along with a pseudo-leader who purports herself as the one and only and the greatest teacher of the word when in fact she is nothing more than a crackpot, uneducated, backwoods warlord, selfishly lording over her flock, imposing groundless deprivations and fear through unfettered ignorance, self-absorption, and control. The terrible hold Hicks has on her church and the incorporating of Kaballism into Christian doctrine is the only real mystery going on here. Today, many protestant churches have been conned by preachers who teach the wealth and prosperity gospel. This is a scheme or con called seed-faith, hatched some 25 years ago, that has infiltrated the church and bilked many of its followers only to leave a stain on the overall church while the secular world laughs that people can be so gullible. Also today, there are approximately 4,400 sex-abuse cases confronting the Catholic Church. The people who have been bilked by slick preachers and abused by priest trusted these very same people with their lives and their children and were afraid if ever they would have thought anything evil of them. Does the Spirit of God teach us to be so respectful that we forfeit any common sense? God forbid. Many assume that the government is the greatest threat to religious liberty but it is those in the ministry who put that liberty in peril. They, the supposed ministers like Hicks, who usurp the authority of the Lord corrupting the gospel by using con-artist's tactics to cheat the wide-eyed and unwary of their money, their blood, and their children. The stench of this outrage reached the house of Congress in 2007 when six of the prosperity-preachers came under Federal investigation. These preachers live in such pure unadulterated opulence the details of which are unimaginable and hard to fathom when compared to Jesus, who had no place to lay his head. This along with the shenanigans for which these crooks use to sucker their congregations was enough to launch an inquiry and investigation. These characters or better yet, caricatures, do more to harm the gospel and run off way more souls than they gather. Those for whom they do manage to inveigle walk as lambs lead to the slaughterhouse, unbeknown to them that their will to think has been stolen by a shyster. When interviewed, speak as a lobotomized patient with glazed eyes claiming unrelenting support for self-evident skulduggery and hucksterism. You can almost hear Rod Sterling in the background, “those you see are real, but unlike you, they have just crossed-over to the Twilight Zone.” For those who have families in these groups only ask that their loved ones return home with their sanity. No, it’s not the government but cons like these and Hicks, who provoke normal everyday citizens, who in turn petition their representatives for action. It is those who corrupt true religion who pose the greatest threat to the tax-exempt status of churches and may eventually limit its freedom. This review of Hicks and her ministry was solely done for those who search the web looking for information on Christ Gospel Church and Sister Hicks. Oddly, little information can be found and for that reason this site was built. Information gathered was checked through a myriad of sources and based on known concrete facts and verifiability. Some of the stories obtained were not used on this site mainly because some were too outlandish and others added no real content to the review. Many of those who have left the church do not want to be reminded of it. Some who write suggest that the web page was written out of bitterness but be assured that the only bitterness would have been had it not been written. Nevertheless, the need to provide some insight into Hicks' church had to be done, if only for those few who wanted an outside review. The time and work in research and study to be able to give to some a real inside look into the backstage machinations of Hicks and her church is more than worth it when one writes to say, “Thanks, you saved my life." And it is for those that this site was created. This introduction was mainly developed from the pages of this site. Please send any comments or questions to romansletter@gmail.com or mrdthhandrsn@gmail.com All submittals will be kept private and remain anonymous. Thanks, |
Introduction to Christ Gospel Church and Sister Hicks Revealed |