The dangerous Word of Faith Movement and how it harmed Christians in twi.
By
WordWolf,
in About The Way
By
WordWolf,
in About The Way
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WordWolf
From the first link.....
Dangers of the Word of Faith Movement
Word of Faith preachers are common on television and have massive followings. They typically teach that God wants his people to be healthy, wealthy, and happy all the time and that speaking the right words, in faith, will compel God to deliver on his part of the covenant.
Most believers in mainline Christian doctrine disagree. They say the Word of Faith movement is false and twists the Bible to primarily enrich the Word of Faith leaders themselves. Many of them live in mansions, wear expensive clothes, drive luxurious cars, and some even have private jets. These preachers rationalize that their lavish lifestyles are proof that Word of Faith is true.
Word of Faith is not a Christian denomination or uniform doctrine. Beliefs vary from preacher to preacher, but they generally profess that children of God have a "right" to the good things in life, if they ask God and believe correctly. The following are three key Word of Faith errors.
Error #1: God Is Obligated to Obey People's Words
Words have power, according to Word of Faith beliefs. That's why it is often called "name it and claim it." Word of Faith preachers isolate verses such as Mark 11:24, often citing them out of context, to emphasize their beliefs:
The Bible, in contrast, teaches that God's will determines the answer to our prayers:
God, as a loving heavenly Father, gives us what is best for us, and only he is capable of determining that. Countless faithful Christians have prayed for healing from illness or disability yet remain unhealed. On the other hand, many Word of Faith preachers who claim healing is only a prayer away wear eyeglasses and go to the dentist and doctor.
This error is dangerous because it leads followers to a false understanding of God's sovereign nature and a faith that is unstable. When our faith is not built on the solid foundation of God's truth it will easily crumble and fail.
Error #2: God's Favor Results in Riches
Financial abundance is a common thread among Word of Faith preachers, causing some to call this the "prosperity gospel" or "health and wealth gospel."
Supporters claim that God is eager to shower worshipers with money, promotions, large homes, and new cars, citing such verses as Malachi 3:10:
But the Bible abounds with passages that warn of pursuing money instead of God, such as 1 Timothy 6:9-11:
Hebrews 13:5 cautions us not to always be wanting more and more:
Wealth is not a sign of favor from God. Many drug dealers, corrupt businessmen, and pornographers are wealthy. Conversely, millions of hardworking, honest Christians are poor.
This error is dangerous because it leads followers into a life of self-centered and selfish pursuits, disillusionment with God, and at worst, the sin of idolatry.
Error #3: Humans Are Little Gods
Human beings are created in the image of God and are "little gods," claim some Word of Faith leaders. They imply that people are capable of controlling a "faith force" and have the power to bring their desires into being. They cite John 10:34 as their proof text:
This Word of Faith teaching is blatant idolatry. Jesus Christ was quoting Psalm 82, which referred to judges as "gods"; Jesus was stating that he was above judges as the Son of God.
Christians believe there is one God only, in three Persons. Believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit but are not little gods. God is a creator; humans are his creations. To attribute any type of divine power to humans is unbiblical.
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the Word of Faith movement is its power to deceive and entice people away from biblical truth. Since the days of the Garden of Eden, Satan has been effectively twisting the truth as a weapon against God's people. The believer's best defense against this cunning enemy is to know the truth through diligent and consistent Bible study.
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OldSkool
Great post. When I did my homework on the subject I was AMAZED at how many sources there are on the subject. Ill go through all the links when Im home later today. Thanks.!
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chockfull
Very interesting reference material T Bone.
I never before realized how evil and widespread this “faith movement” is. Name it and claim it. Wow. No God involvement at all except for God needing to “obey the law of believing”.
Come on dashboard Jesus where is my prosperity?
And the manifestation of believing is kind of a “hedge your bets” word of faith. Why no results? Either no revelation or you didn’t beeeeeeeeleeeeeeeeeeeeve enough.
I guess the more you look at PFAL the more you see since it is a hodge podge of plagiarized sources it is not tremendously coherent between the sources. The Frankenstein stitches are pretty visible.
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Charity
I know Kenneth Copeland has been mentioned on GSC before. He was the first preacher I started following shortly after leaving twi because of his teachings being similar to vp. I didn't stick with him for long though. He has a net worth of $300 million plus a private jet. Here is a quote from his website "How to Present Your Tithe to Jesus." (underlining is mine) The 3 paragraphs in italics are the end part of this "confession in faith."
If you’re ready to take your tithing to the next level, present your tithe to Jesus by speaking this confession in faith:
Jesus, as my Lord and High Priest, I bring the firstfruits of my income, which You have given me. I expect You to set it before the Father and worship Him with it. I rejoice in all the good which You have given to me and my household. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that You have commanded me.
Now look down from heaven, Your holy habitation, and bless me, Your son and servant, according to Your riches in glory. Bless my job and the work of my hands as You have promised in Your Word.
I declare THE BLESSING is pouring out, and there’s not enough room to receive it! God, You have rebuked the devourer for my sake. The work of my hands will not be destroyed and come to nothing. Today, I am experiencing God’s supernatural increase, and I walk in it by faith. I worship You, Lord, and I call it done, in Jesus’ Name.
When you take the time to stop and honor the Lord with your tithe—offering it to Him with prayer, thanksgiving and honor—you will see a powerful change in both your relationship with the Lord and your faith for finances. Don’t let the devil rob you of the blessing that comes from tithing. The windows of heaven are open over you in Jesus’ Name!
I don't know anything about how he runs his organization, how hierarchical it is, but based on the name of your thread and the fact he is so big in the faith movement, it probably is and so much more. Well, since his treasure/reward is here down on earth, I'm suspecting there won't be any for him in heaven.
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chockfull
You gotta beeeeeeeeeeeelleeeeeeeeeeeeeeve when you’re sending in that tithe or you won’t see the results.
Well, the suckas gotta beeeeeeeleeeeve Ken to send in their money so I would say this is a works great for Ken but not so much for the suckas situation.
Im sure the same situation applies to the modern prosperity gospel gurus: Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Olsteen with the red Ferrari and many others.
I beeeeeeleeeeeve I will support local Christian ministries as there is more return to the body of Christ than paying for electricity on a mostly empty auditorium has.
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OldSkool
If people keep sending these jack@$$es money they will have to belllleeeeeve to pay their rent...and belleeeeeve to pay their mortgage cause they sure love taking someone's money
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WordWolf
It's always seen backwards.
We never discuss all the people who "believe for" lots of money and never get it. We discuss a handful of people who ALREADY have lots of money and how their "believing" supposedly got it. But it didn't, and that's "cherry-picking" or "counting the hits and IGNORING the misses," and that's illogical.
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WordWolf
From the second link,
https://www.gotquestions.org/Word-Faith.html
Word of Faith teaching is decidedly unbiblical. It is not a denomination and does not have a formal organization or hierarchy. Instead, it is a movement that is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price.
The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. Its founder was E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science (where "name it and claim it" originated) was combined with Pentecostalism, resulting in a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism. Kenneth Hagin, in turn, studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most Word of Faith teachers align themselves with.
At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the "force of faith." It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God’s sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith—and by extension ourselves—into god.
From here, its theology just strays further and further from Scripture: it claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall, humans took on Satan’s nature and lost the ability to call things into existence. In order to correct this situation, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan’s nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God’s nature. After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the Incarnation in believers so they could become little gods as God had originally intended.
Following the natural progression of these teachings, as little gods we again have the ability to manipulate the faith-force and become prosperous in all areas of life. Illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith, and are remedied by confession—claiming God’s promises for oneself into existence. Simply put, the Word of Faith movement exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status. Needless to say, this is a false representation of what Christianity is all about. Obviously, Word of Faith teaching does not take into account what is found in Scripture. Personal revelation, not Scripture, is highly relied upon in order to come up with such absurd beliefs, which is just one more proof of its heretical nature.
Countering Word of Faith teaching is a simple matter of reading the Bible. God alone is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe (Genesis 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:15) and does not need faith—He is the object of faith (Mark 11:22; Hebrews 11:3). God is spirit and does not have a physical body (John 4:24). Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6), but this does not make him a little god or divine. Only God has a divine nature (Galatians 4:8; Isaiah 1:6-11, 43:10, 44:6; Ezekiel 28:2; Psalm 8:6-8). Christ is Eternal, the Only Begotten Son, and the only incarnation of God (John 1:1, 2, 14, 15, 18; 3:16; 1 John 4:1). In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). By becoming a man, Jesus gave up the glory of heaven but not His divinity (Philippians 2:6-7), though He did choose to withhold His power while walking the earth as man.
The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people, causing them to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical. At its core is the same lie Satan has been telling since the Garden: “You shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Sadly, those who buy into the Word of Faith movement are still listening to him. Our hope is in the Lord, not in our own words, not even in our own faith (Psalm 33:20-22). Our faith comes from God in the first place (Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2) and is not something we create for ourselves. So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.
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T-Bone
WordWolf, thanks for posting all that stuff! good info to have on hand
Charity, I have a related incident of two cults passing in the night…actually it was daytime
. In the early 80s I was working for a security company that won the bid to install a security system in Copeland’s recording studio, located at their 33-acre property.
Kenneth Copeland Ministries is located in Fort Worth, Texas, on a 33-acre (13 ha) property valued in 2008 at $554,160 (equivalent to $697,454 in 2021) by Tarrant Appraisal District. The site includes the Eagle Mountain International Church, television and radio production facilities, warehouse and distribution facilities, residences for the Copeland family, and Kenneth Copeland Airport.
From: Kenneth Copeland - Wikipedia
Anyway…here’s a little background – which I now feel is odd and creepy in so many ways…By this time I was already very active in TWI, running a fellowship, assisting in running classes, in a TWI-believer band playing at coffee houses that doubled as Public EXs, and helping to promote and coordinate advances. Around this time my wife and I were deciding to go into the Family Corps.
I was the lead tech on the Copeland installation. I met with Mr. Copeland several times over the layout and features he wanted and areas he was concerned about. Let me say upfront he was very personable and seemed approachable – not only observing my own interactions but with those of his staff. He didn’t seem to give off any weird vibe to me – not like wierwille or LCM who I always felt carried themselves with an air of royalty. Anyway, he gave our installation crew the grand tour of the recording studio and seemed to know what he was talking about when he explained every detail, right down to the dedicated circuits with an isolated ground for recording gear, amplifiers and musical instruments.
Wiring up all the security equipment and making tech notes for the panels in the communications room took me about ¾ of the day. Mr. Copeland would pass by occasionally with a friendly check-in, saying how he was always fascinated by electronics and how stuff like that is put together.
Before anyone’s imagination runs amuck – let me just say nothing weird happened while I was there. I’ve reflected on that installation a few times and I find it strange and sad to remember where my mind was at and can only imagine what Mr. Copeland thought. Job poaching is a common thing – especially in highly skilled technical services – so as cordial as Mr. Copeland was in showing off his studio I’ve wondered if he had me in mind to work there in some technical capacity.... I’m loyal to a fault when it comes to any company I’ve worked for – but I think my attitude of spiritual superiority thinking TWI is the only ministry rightly dividing the Word and company allegiance may have been double insulating – don’t know for sure but that may have come off like giving him the cold shoulder to his warm welcome....I'll never know..I just like sharing my stories of when cults collide - I've shared before about witnessing to a Moonie when I was a WOW...what a small world. what are the odds?
How ironic for me in my cult thinking I was better off than following his cult…what a precarious way to determine if some group is a cult, by seeing how they stack up to ‘my’ biblical research, teaching and fellowship ministry of TWI.
Edited by T-Bonetypos
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Charity
I'n not sure I understand. Did you believe his organization to be a cult at the time? Was it based on the fact that because it wasn't twi, that it was inferior?
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T-Bone
your 2nd question is the answer. at the time I was not aware that TWI was a cult - I simply was being a snob.
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OldSkool
It is also very noteworthy (and seemingly less mentioned across the internet) that Phineas P. Quimby was an occultist. For example, the following link is from Truth Unity: A Fillmore Fellowship of Metaphysical Christians.
https://www.truthunity.net/courses/mark-hicks/background-of-new-thought/phineas-quimby
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fillmore_(Unity_Church)
Fillmore was a Christian mystic. Fillmore Fellowships heavily endorse Quimby and they readily admit the occultic nature with out linking the obvious occult ties. They are renamed and these groups are rather liberal in their euphamisms.
Quimby was into Mesmerism
http://lightofchristtruth.com/Enl_spirituality/Mesmerism.html
Again, just the tip of the iceberg.
Quimby and his works are also venerated by practicing occultists (What concord does Christ have with Belial?)
https://occulthealth.com/?s=Quimby
The way international teaches people to practice Christian witchcraft.
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WordWolf
From the third link of the first post.....
https://www.equip.org/articles/whats-wrong-with-the-word-faith-movement-part-one/
What’s Wrong with the Word Faith Movement? (Part One) E. W. Kenyon and the Twelve Apostles of Another Gospel
This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 15, number 3 (1993). The full text of this article in PDF format can be obtained by clicking here. For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org
SYNOPSIS
What’s wrong with the “Faith” movement? Its leaders include many of the most popular television evangelists. Its adherents compose a large percentage of charismatic evangelical Christians. Its emphases on faith, the authority of the believer, and the absolute veracity of Scripture could appear to be just what today’s church needs. And yet, I am convinced that this movement poses one of the greatest contemporary threats to orthodox Christianity from within. Through it, cultic theology is being increasingly accepted as true Christianity.
This article will highlight several serious problems with the Faith movement by providing an overview of its major sources and leaders. Part Two will focus on the movement’s doctrinal deviations as represented by one of its leading proponents.1
ITS DEBT TO NEW THOUGHT
It is important to note at the outset that the bulk of Faith theology can be traced directly to the cultic teachings of New Thought metaphysics. Thus, much of the theology of the Faith movement can also be found in such clearly pseudo-Christian cults as Religious Science, Christian Science, and the Unity School of Christianity.
Over a century before the Faith movement became a powerful force within the Christian church, Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866), the father of New Thought, was popularizing the notion that sickness and suffering ultimately have their origin in incorrect thinking.2 Quimby’s followers held that man could create his own reality through the power of positive affirmation (confession).3 Metaphysical practitioners have long taught adherents to visualize health and wealth, and then to affirm or confess them with their mouths so that the intangible images may be transformed into tangible realities.4
Although proponents of Faith theology have attempted to sanitize the metaphysical concept of the “power of mind” by substituting in its stead the “force of faith,” for all practical purposes they have made a distinction without a difference. New Thought writer Warren Felt Evans, for example, wrote that “faith is the most intense form of mental action.”5 In treating a patient, Evans commented that “the effect of the suggestion [or positive affirmation that the patient is well] is the result of the faith of the subject, for it is always proportioned to the degree in which the patient believes what you say” (emphasis in original).6 Likewise, H. Emilie Cady, a well-known writer for Charles and Myrtle Fillmore’s Unity School of Christianity, explained that “our affirming, backed by faith, is the link that connects our conscious human need with His power and supply.”7 Cady also claimed that “there is power in our word of faith to bring all good things right into our everyday life.”8 Such statements strongly indicate that the distinction between the “mind” of metaphysics and the “faith” of Faith theology is nothing but a figment of the imagination.
SUBSTANCE, STYLE, AND SCAMS
There is no denying that much of Faith theology is derived directly from metaphysics. Some of the substance, style, and scams endemic to the movement, however, can be traced primarily to the teachings and practices of certain post-World War II faith healers and revivalists operating within Pentecostal circles.9 With regard to substance, for example, both Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin point to T. L. Osborn and William Branham as true men of God who greatly influenced their lives and ministries. Of course, Osborn himself has consistently followed E. W. Kenyon’s (see below) Scripture-twisting antics,10 and Branham has (among other things) denounced the doctrine of the Trinity as coming directly from the Devil.11
Unfortunately, Hagin and Copeland are not alone in affirming Branham; Faith proponent Benny Hinn gives him a hearty “thumbs up” as well.12 When it comes to style, however, Hinn gravitates more toward such faith healers as Aimee Semple McPherson and Kathryn Kuhlman. In addition, Hinn has given his endorsement to notorious revivalist A. A. Allen,13 who was truly a huckster if there ever was one — which brings us to our third “s,” the scams.
Faith teachers such as Robert Tilton and his female counterpart, Marilyn Hickey, have copied many of the scams pioneered by Pentecostal preachers such as Oral Roberts and A. A. Allen. In fact, Tilton and Hickey have managed to exceed even their predecessors’ outrageous ploys. This is hard to believe when one considers what sort of schemes they had to outdo.
Roberts, the reader may recall, is the man who claimed that Jesus appeared and told him God had chosen him to find the cure for cancer. In a lengthy appeal, Roberts avowed that the Lord told him, “I would not have had you and your partners build the 20-story research tower unless I was going to give you a plan that will attack cancer.” Roberts then said that Jesus instructed him to tell his partners that “this is not Oral Roberts asking for the money but their Lord.”14 (The project was completed, but has since been “shut down and sold to a group of investors for commercial development.”15 Not surprisingly, no cure for cancer was ever found.)
In like fashion, A. A. Allen “scammed” his followers by asserting that he could command God to “turn dollar bills into twenties.”16 He was also known to have urged his followers to send for his “prayer cloths anointed with the Miracle Oil,”17 and he offered “Miracle tent shavings” as points of contact for personal miracles.18 Allen even “launched a brief ‘raise the dead’ program.”19 Of course, it died.
Allen was eventually kicked out of the Assemblies of God denomination when he jumped bail after being arrested for drunk driving.20 In 1970 he died from what “news accounts report [as] sclerosis of the liver.”21
As we proceed to examine the primary purveyors of Faith theology, we will see living proof of the maxim that “error begets error and heresy begets heresy.” If, for example, one examines the cultic progression of E. W. Kenyon’s theology, one will discover that his original deviations from orthodox Christianity were minor compared to those that characterized the later stages of his ministry. And with each of Kenyon’s successive disciples, the errors become even more pronounced. Hagin, who popularized and plagiarized Kenyon prolifically, not only expanded Kenyon’s perversions but added to them as well.22 The progression from bad to worse has continued with people like Kenneth Copeland and Charles Capps, and is now reaching heretical heights that are almost inconceivable through ministry leaders like Frederick Price, Benny Hinn, and Robert Tilton.
THE CAST OF CHARACTERS
Twisted texts, make-believe miracles, and a counterfeit Christ are all common denominators of the Faith movement’s leading teachers. And, as all who look into the matter will clearly see, it all began with the metaphysical teachings of Essek William Kenyon.
Essek William Kenyon
Essek William Kenyon, whose life and ministry were enormously impacted by such cults as Science of Mind, the Unity School of Christianity, Christian Science, and New Thought metaphysics,23 is the true father of the modern-day Faith movement. Many of the phrases popularized by present-day prosperity preachers, such as “What I confess, I possess,” were originally coined by Kenyon. Kenneth Hagin, to whom we next turn our attention, plagiarized much of Kenyon’s work, including the statement, “Every man who has been ‘born again’ is an Incarnation, and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an Incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.”24
Kenneth E. Hagin
As I thoroughly demonstrate in my book Christianity in Crisis (Harvest House, 1993), Kenneth Hagin takes Kenyon’s theology from bad to worse. Not only does he boast of alleged visits to heaven and hell, he recounts numerous out-of-body experiences (OBEs) on the earth as well.
On one occasion, Hagin claims he was in the middle of a sermon when, suddenly, he was transported back in time. He ended up in the back seat of a car and watched as a young woman from his church committed adultery with the driver. The entire experience lasted about fifteen minutes, after which Hagin abruptly found himself back in church, summoning his parishioners to prayer.25
Despite his propensity for telling tall tales and describing false visions, virtually every major Faith teacher has been impacted by Hagin — including such “luminaries” as Frederick K. C. Price and Kenneth Copeland.
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland got his start in ministry as a direct result of memorizing Hagin’s messages. It wasn’t long before he had learned enough from Hagin to establish his own following. To say his teachings are heretical would be an understatement — blasphemous is more like it. Copeland brashly pronounces God to be the greatest failure of all time, boldly proclaims that “Satan conquered Jesus on the Cross” (emphasis in original),26 and describes Christ in hell as an “emaciated, poured out, little, wormy spirit.”27
Yet, despite such statements, Benny Hinn ominously warned that “those who attack Kenneth Copeland are attacking the very presence of God!”28
Benny Hinn
Benny Hinn is one of the fastest rising stars on the Faith circuit. According to an October 5, 1992 article in Christianity Today, sales of his books in the last year-and-a-half have exceeded those of James Dobson and Charles Swindoll combined.29 While claiming to be “under the anointing,” Hinn has uttered some of the most “off-the-wall” statements imaginable — including the claim that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that women were originally designed to give birth out of their sides.30
Hinn also admits to frequenting the graves of both Kathryn Kuhlman and Aimee Semple McPherson to get the “anointing” from their bones.31 Despite his outrageous antics, Hinn has somehow managed to gain wide acceptance and visibility within the evangelical Christian church. His platform on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), as well as his promotion by a mainstream Christian publisher (Thomas Nelson), have catapulted him into prime-time visibility.
Whether Hinn is referring to his family history or his rendezvous with the Holy Spirit, fantasy is often passed on as fact. A case in point are the thousands of “documented” healings claimed by Hinn. Recently, he sent me three examples — presumably, the cream of the crop — as proof of his miracle-working power. One of the cases involved a man who was supposedly healed of colon cancer. A medically naive person reading the pathology report may well see the notation “no evidence of malignancy” and be duped into thinking that a bona fide healing had indeed taken place. CRI’s medical consultant, Dr. Preston Simpson, however, was not fooled by the report. His investigation revealed that the colon tumor in question was surgically removed rather than miraculously healed. The other two cases had comparably serious problems.32
Frederick K. C. Price
Fred Price is the most notable of a growing number of black prosperity preachers. His church in Los Angeles now claims some 16,000 members. He is seen nationally on television and has referred to himself as the “chief exponent of Name It and Claim It.”33 Price has added his own unique twists to Faith theology by asserting that Jesus took on the nature of Satan prior to the crucifixion34 and by claiming that the Lord’s Prayer is not for Christians today.35 Despite telling his followers that he doesn’t allow sickness in his home, Price’s wife has been treated for cancer in her pelvic area.36 Referring to his wealth, Price says the reason he drives a Rolls Royce is that he is following in Jesus’ steps.37
John Avanzini
John Avanzini is billed by his Faith peers as a recognized authority on biblical economics. The truth, however, is that Avanzini is an authority on perverting Scripture as a means to picking the pockets of the poor. He has honed his craft into such an art form that when Faith teachers need money, they inevitably call on “Brother John.” Armed with a bag full of Bible-twisting tricks, he tells the unsuspecting that “a greater than a lottery has come. His name is Jesus!”38
According to Avanzini, if Jesus was rich, we should be rich as well. Thus, he recasts Christ into a mirror image of himself — complete with designer clothes, a big house, and a wealthy, well-financed advance team.39 Thinking otherwise, Avanzini claims, will prevent Christians from reaping the prosperity God has laid out for them.40
Avanzini runs the gamut from teaching people how to get their hands on the “wealth of the wicked” to what might best be described as his “hundredfold hoax.”41 When it comes to fleecing God’s people, few can match the effectiveness of John Avanzini. There is an exception, however; his name is Robert Tilton.
Robert Tilton
Robert Tilton hit the big time as a fisher of funds by developing a religious infomercial called Success-N-Life. It all began when he traveled to Hawaii to hear from the Lord. Says Tilton, “If I’m going to go to the cross, I’m going to go in a pretty place. Not some dusty place like Jerusalem. That’s gravel is all that place is.”42 While languishing in his exotic wilderness, Tilton “realized his mission was to persuade the poor to give what they could to him — as God’s surrogate — so they too could be blessed.”43
Then, one day, Tilton tuned in to television and turned on to Dave Del Dotto’s real estate infomercials. The rest is history. Tilton used what he saw as a prototype44 for building an empire that takes in as much as $65 million per year.45
It now appears that Tilton’s ill-gotten gains may dwindle rapidly amid reports of scandal and a variety of lawsuits.46 Responding to charges from ABC’s Prime Time Live that the prayer request letters he promises to pray over end up in dumpsters, Tilton claims, “I laid on top of those prayer requests so much that the chemicals actually got into my bloodstream, and . . . I had two small strokes in my brain.”47
Marilyn Hickey
Marilyn Hickey, much like Tilton, employs a broad range of tactics to manipulate followers into sending her money. Among her many ploys are anointed prayer cloths, ceremonial breastplates, and ropes that can be used as points of contact. In one of her appeal letters, Hickey promises she will slip into a ceremonial breastplate, “press your prayer request to my heart,” and “place your requests on my shoulders” — all for a suggested donation.48
For the most part, Hickey’s tricks and teachings are recycled from other prosperity peddlers like Tilton, Hagin, and Copeland. Her message is peppered with such Faith jargon as “the God-kind of faith,” “confession brings possession,” and “receiving follows giving.”
Paul Yonggi Cho (David Cho)
Paul Yonggi Cho — pastor of the world’s largest church, located in Seoul, South Korea — claims to have received his call to preach from Jesus Christ Himself, who supposedly appeared to him dressed like a fireman.49 Cho has packaged his faith formulas under the label of “fourth dimensional power.”50 He is well aware of his link to occultism, arguing that if Buddhists and Yoga practitioners can accomplish their objectives through fourth dimensional powers, then Christians should be able to accomplish much more by using the same means.51 In case one is tempted to confuse the size of Cho’s following with the truth of his teachings, let me point out that the Buddhist version of “name it and claim it” (Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism) has an even larger following than does Cho.52
Cho recently made the news by changing his name from Paul to David. As Cho tells the story, God showed him that Paul Cho had to die and David Cho was to be resurrected in his place. According to Cho, God Himself came up with his new name.53
Charles Capps
Charles Capps was ordained as a minister in the International Convention of Faith Churches and Ministers by Kenneth Copeland and derived his teachings directly from Kenneth Hagin. This unfortunate combination has led Capps to make some of the most blasphemous statements in Faith lore. Capps has gone so far as to teach that Jesus was the product of God’s positive confession: “This is the key to understanding the virgin birth. God’s Word is full of faith and spirit power. God spoke it. God transmitted that image to Mary. She received the image inside of her….The embryo that was in Mary’s womb was nothing more than the Word of God….She conceived the Word of God.”54
Capps not only preaches the blasphemous, he also preaches the ridiculous. For example, he claims that if someone says, “I’m just dying to do that” or “That just tickled me to death,” their statements may literally come true (i.e., they may die). According to Capps, this is precisely why the human race now lives only about seventy years instead of 900 years, as was the case with Adam.55
Jerry Savelle
Jerry Savelle has made his fortune by mimicking virtually all of the Faith teachers mentioned above. His greatest claim to fame, however, may well be his ability to mimic Kenneth Copeland. In fact, Savelle appears to be an exact duplicate of Copeland. Savelle demonstrates a total lack of biblical acumen, as he blindly regurgitates virtually every heresy in the Faith movement.
With regard to health, Savelle boasts that sickness and disease cannot enter his world.56 As for wealth, he says that words can speak your world into existence.57 Savelle now peddles his books and tapes to thirty-six countries at the astonishing rate of some 300,000 copies per year.
Morris Cerullo
Morris Cerullo claims that he gave up a driving ambition to be the governor of New Jersey in order to become a minister of the gospel.58 He purports to have first met God at the tender age of eight. Since then his life has been one mind-blowing experience after another: he says he was taught by leading rabbis;59 led out of a Jewish orphanage by two angelic beings;60 transported to heaven for a face-to-face meeting with God;61 and told he would be capable of revealing the future.62
On one occasion, Cerullo informed his audience, “You’re not looking at Morris Cerullo — you’re looking at God. You’re looking at Jesus.”63 Not only is Cerullo a master of make-believe, he is also a master of manipulation. Claiming that God was directly speaking through him, Cerullo uttered, “Would you surrender your pocketbooks unto Me, saith God, and let me be the Lord of your pocketbooks….Yea, so be thou obedient unto my voice.”64
Paul Crouch
Paul Crouch and his wife, Jan, are the founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, which today has an estimated net worth of half a billion dollars. As Crouch himself puts it, “God has, indeed, given us the MOST POWERFUL VOICE in the history of the WORLD.”65 Unfortunately, this voice is being used to promote teachings straight from the kingdom of the cults. Crouch’s influence has become so vast that he can now raise as much as $50 million during a single “Praise-a-Thon.” What many of the well-intentioned Christians who support TBN do not know, however, is that part of this money goes to promoting cultic groups and individuals who not only deny the Trinity but claim that this essential of Christianity is a pagan doctrine.66 It is indeed ironic that a broadcasting network called “Trinity” would promote anti-Trinitarian doctrine.
To those who would speak out against the false teachings proliferated on his network, Crouch has this to say: “I think they’re damned and on their way to hell; and I don’t think there’s any redemption for them.”67 Shortly after I met with Crouch to prove that the Faith movement compromises essential Christian doctrine, Crouch looked into the lens of the television camera and angrily declared, “If you want to criticize Ken Copeland for his preaching on faith, or Dad Hagin, get out of my life! I don’t even want to talk to you or hear you. I don’t want to see your ugly face. Get out of my face, in Jesus’ name.”68
Sadly, Crouch refers to the Faith message as a “revival of truth . . . restored by a few precious men.”69
GENETIC DEFECT?
The Faith movement was spawned by the unholy marriage of 19th-century New Thought metaphysics with the flamboyance and abuses of post-World War II revivalism. It should therefore come as no surprise that its doctrine and practices are palpably unbiblical. Yet, some charge that critics of the movement are guilty of committing a logical error known as the genetic fallacy — “that is, rejecting an assumption because of where it comes from rather than disproving the argument.”70
While the charge appears formidable, it is in fact defective. For it assumes that the criticisms against the Faith movement are made primarily if not solely on the basis of its historical roots. In truth, the bulk of critical evaluations are leveled directly against the unbiblical teachings of the movement’s leading proponents today.71 Historical discussions have, for the most part, served to place the phenomenon in its proper context.72
Now that we’ve dug up the roots and sampled the topsoil of the Faith movement, we are ready to take a penetrating look at its ripened fruit. Part Two of this article will do just that, by systematizing and critiquing the theology of the movement’s premier preacher of another gospel
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WordWolf
Fourth link of the first post:
https://www.harmonychurchofgod.org/spiritual-faqs/the-false-teaching-of-the-word-and-faith-movement-part-1
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THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD AND FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 1
THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD AND FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 1
By: Jack Guyler
The Word of Faith false teaching is running like poison through the Body of Christ. It is propagated by some of the richest and most famous teachers in America such as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn. There are many others as well. Many are found regularly on the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN). They all teach a version of this very destructive false teaching that many people both inside and outside of the church look to as their source of Christian teaching. Some even call this faith teaching heresy or a “different gospel.”
We aren’t here to judge these men and women as to the type of persons they are, but we do need to alert you to their teachings so you can distinguish between false and true Christian teaching. So what are these teachings and what is the truth according to the New Testament?
FALSE TEACHING #1
GOD IS REQUIRED TO OBEY YOUR WORDS
They will take a verse such as Mark 11:24 that says, “I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it and it will be yours.” They take these words literally and out of context. They teach words have power. And we know that words do have power. We know our words can greatly affect other people for good or bad. We know the power that words have over children from parents for example. But they take it a step further and mix the contractual covenant of the Old Covenant between God and Israel into their teaching and say that God is contractually obligated to obey your words if you are living in alignment with God’s laws. And while it is true we always benefit from living by God’s laws, He is not under any obligation to hear our words and then act accordingly. Remember, this is God – the one who created you and the universe! We don’t get to say “frog” and then God says, “how high do you want me to jump?”
DANGER IN THIS TEACHING
1. Our faith is built on faulty misconceptions. If we follow this line of thinking, we end up thinking we can control God through our words. This really puts us in the position of “god” rather than God in our thinking and faith. We can pray using words and ask God to meet our wants and needs, but we need to remember He is God and He knows what is best for us. Prayer should not be a way to strong-arm God or manipulate Him
2. It sets us up for disappointment. If we think we can always pray or say away anything bad coming our way, we aren’t living in the real world. People every day die from the coronavirus, cancer, accidents, murder and other things. People get sick…people get hurt…people get divorced…people lose their jobs… Jesus prayed in the Garden to have the cup of suffering pass from Him, but it didn’t. Paul prayed that his thorn would be removed three times, but it wasn’t. What is true according to Jesus and the New Testament is that we should pray, but we should also know we live in a broken world and we will experience pain and disappointment. But the even greater truth is that a compassionate God will experience it with us and one day provide a new heaven and a new earth for us to enjoy together for eternity
FALSE TEACHING #2
HEALTH & WEALTH IS SIGN OF GOD’S FAVOR
There is a reason why the Word of Faith Movement is also known as the “Prosperity Gospel” or the “Health and Wealth Gospel.” It is because they teach that if you are following God’s laws, then you will have favor with God and one of the signs of His favor is health and wealth. Much of what they teach is about giving to God – what this usually translates into is you with little money giving generous donations to their lavish ministries. Is it any wonder that many of the high profile teachers in this movement live in million dollar homes, own private jets and vacation in extravagant locations?
DANGER IN THIS TEACHING
1. It leads to the pursuit of money and power. People who are living as if this teaching were true, pursue wealth and a self-absorbed life. While they are believing wealth is a sign of God’s favor, they are missing such passages as Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 Timothy 6:9-11 that talk about how deadly the pursuit of money can be for one’s soul
2. It keeps people from living out of grace. Because you have to pursue the image of wealth to portray God’s favor in your life, you are unable to live out the gift of salvation that God has graciously given you. You spend your whole life working and pursuing an image that you are favored by God rather than resting in the real thing
3. It causes people who follow this teaching as truth to look down on those who are poor or sick. Again, they forget that Jesus didn’t have much in terms of earthly possessions. They forget that Paul forsook earthly power, titles and riches to follow Christ. They forget that the disciples suffered much for the sake of Christ
4. And maybe worst of all, when this teaching gets into you it becomes toxic because you end up wanting what God gives you more than wanting God. This is the height of idolatry!
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WordWolf
That link had a second part.....
https://www.harmonychurchofgod.org/spiritual-faqs/the-false-teaching-of-the-word-of-faith-movement-part-2
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THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 2
THE FALSE TEACHING OF THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT, Part 2
By: Jack Guyler
I covered two of the primary flaws and errors in this movement in Part 1. I want to cover two additional errors of this movement here in Part 2.
FALSE TEACHING #3
POWER & COMFORT ARE SIGNS OF GOD’S BLESSINGS
There is a teaching that is derived from the Old Testament that says “don’t touch God’s anointed.” This has become a catch-all phrase in many Charismatic and Pentecostal circles that insulates pastors, teachers and other leaders from even being asked to address anything they are doing that might not be in good character, let alone abusive. Even when people know their leaders are doing wrong, they have been indoctrinated to turn a blind eye and say “we can’t say or do anything to God’s anointed.” The real belief here is, if they say or do anything against their leaders, something worse will happen to them – like karma coming back to bite them!
This allows many leaders to run free and do what they want with little to no accountability. This is one of the reasons why you see so many high profile pastors and teachers living such extravagant life-styles and getting away with perverse and abusive behavior for long periods of time. It is also why they get away with teaching false doctrines such as Word of Faith because no one would dare challenge them.
The real issue with false doctrine and teaching (when persons stray from the basic core tenants of Christianity established by the early church and confirmed by various church councils and creeds) is not just that it is bad teaching. But bad teaching leads to bad thinking; and bad thinking leads to corrupt behaviors, patterns and habits. And over time, these become the norm or status quo. When these are established as such, no one much questions them anymore. And then they are passed around as “truth” and passed down from one generation to the next, no one thinks to look deeper into them anymore and they become an established way of both thinking and behavior. Unfortunately, these types of thoughts and behaviors don’t align with the righteous and holy teaching of scripture.
And because of this, many Word of Faith teachers are telling the people in the pews and their online audiences that when they see power and comfort, it is a sign that these people are walking with God. This justifies their own self-centered life-styles and it encourages people to pursue wealth, power, prestige and comfort more than Jesus. So you can see how this teaching is the very antithesis of the true Gospel.
What does the true Gospel teach? It isn’t all doom and gloom, but it is about sacrifice and surrendering to the Lord. In fact, the Apostle Paul said his greatest joy and peace came from knowing and even suffering for the Lord. He wouldn’t exchange his life style as a Pharisee with great power and prestige, for knowing Christ. He wouldn’t go back to this life if he could have. Paul learned the true power of the Gospel. Listen to what he says:
“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ…”
Paul also learned that power was found in weakness because it was in this place where he really found connection with Christ, not in the pursuit of money, power, prestige and worldly things. Listen again to what he says:
“Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
God’s real favor is not found in power and prestige as the Word of Faith lies to you about, but rather in weakness that leads to knowing Christ. Do you see the error of this teaching?
FALSE TEACHING #4
YOU CAN CREATE REALITY WITH YOUR OWN WORDS
This is derived from the early words in Genesis where it is written, “And God says…” and then He created all various aspects of our universe including humans. They then take a big leap and say, because God created and brought things into existence with words, because we have the capacity to speak words, we too can create new realities and bring new things into existence.
While human words are powerful, and ideas are equally powerful in helping us see things in a new way and gain new perspectives and insights; only God can actually create things out of nothing and create new realities. This is really a mix of other religions with humanism. It is placing ourselves in the position of God. As I recall, the first humans tried to act and become like God. How did that work out for them? The truth is, this has been repeated by every human being that has ever lived. We all try to be god in their own lives and often in the lives of others. I can tell you it never works out well!
There is a reason God is God and we are not. We don’t have the power, insight, knowledge or eternal substance to be God. We are dependent creatures on the Creator – but for some reason, this is a very difficult lesson for us to learn. And the Word of Faith movement continues to perpetuate this lie by telling you that you can create reality with your words. Yes, it is true that we can live out self-fulfilling prophecies to our detriment; and yes thinking positively can help us in many situations, but we can’t create new realities with our words.
The one eternal change we can make using our words is found in Romans 10:9-10
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him form the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
May we use our words wisely in prayer and in sharing the Word of God rather than trying to use them simply for our own purposes. The Word of Faith movement looks to use words to benefit themselves, not glorify God and build up others."
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WordWolf
From the fifth and final link on the first post....
https://truthwatchers.com/the-word-of-faith-heresy/
The Word of Faith Heresy
After studying the Word-Faith movement, Hank Hanegraaff, determined the Faith movement was considerably a cult, saying, “Given these definition of a cult, it is completely justified to characterize particular groups within the Faith movement as cults – either theologically or sociologically or, in some cases, both….Copeland Ministries, headed by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, for example bears all the marks of a cult.”1) But because of the diversity of teachers and teachings within the Faith movement, Hanegraaff concludes, “Thus, while certain groups within the Faith movement can be properly classified as cults, the word cultic more aptly describes the movement as a whole.”2) There have been various opinions about the Word-Faith movement over the years. Judith Matta considers “the Word-Faith teaching is perhaps the most subtle, heretical system to emerge in our own times.”3) Rod Rosenbladt, wrote, “Virtually all of the leading American TV ministers have drunk at the trough of the esoteric, Swedenborgian, theosophical speculations of the late E. W. Kenyon.”4)
Many other who have researched this movement would agree with Rosenbladt considering Word-Faith occultism. For example, Hanegraaff’s predecessor Walter Martin added quotations from a leading proponent of Word-Faith doctrines, Kenneth Copeland, in his last published book before his death entitled The New Age Cult.5) Evidently, Dr. Walter Martin considered Copeland and the Faith movement part of the New Age movement. Albert Dagger compares Copeland’s doctrines with “theosophists,”6) and equates positive confession as “a tenet of witchcraft.”7) After quoting Yonggi Cho, another Word-Faith teacher, Mark Haville asks, “Is this a model for prayer or casting a spell?”8) John MacArthur wrote, “Word Faith theology has turned Christianity into a system no different from the lowest human religions – a form of voodoo where God can be coerced, cajoled, manipulated, controlled, and exploited for the Christian’s own end.”9) Robert Bowman proposed, “Of all the critics of the Word-Faith teaching who regard it as heretical, John MacArthur seemed to labor the hardest at striking a balance… issuing his judgment…”10) In McArthur’s more recent book Strange Fire, he wrote of the Word-Faith movement: “They are promoting crass superstition blended with false doctrines purloined from assorted Gnostic and metaphysical cults, cloaked in Christian terms and symbols.”11)
The core teaching of Faith theology is properly identified in the following assessment. “Faith as an external force and human ability to manipulate the supernatural by words are beliefs common in pagan magic, but are entirely foreign to biblical faith.”12) Johanna Michaelsen, a former occultist, explains the history behind this thought. “In ancient Egypt, the followers of the Egyptian god Thot (the master of all knowledge and originator of alchemy) believed that thoughts were real things, with vibrational and energy levels of their own which could be manipulated to produce physical effects. In other words, what you think is what you get.”13) She further asserts, “Put aside all critical faculties, enter an altered state of consciousness, have faith in your faith, and allow the Force to work through you. Nothing shall be withheld from you if only you believe! Herein lies the basis of all occult power. This is how channelers become channelers, how occultists develop occult powers, and how millions of our school children become open to demonic beings.”14) John Ankerberg and John Weldon, acknowledged in Facts On False Teaching In The Church:
Some of those stressing the power of the mind, “faith” or Positive Thinking include: Robert Schuller – “Possibility Thinking”; Clement Stone – “Positive Mental Attitude”; Norman Vincent Peale, the modern “founder” of positive thinking; Oral Roberts’ “Seed-Faith” principles; the teachings of Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland, also known as “Word-Faith” teaching; Paul Yonggi Cho, who stresses a health and prosperity gospel; and Charles Capps and many others who stress “Positive Confession.” The terms Positive Confession, Prosperity Thinking, Theology of Success Movement, or “name it and claim it” are all terms used to describe those stressing the power of faith as a force to influence the environment of God.15)
Word-Faith preacher Pat Robertson admits his principles are the same used by occultists such as Napoleon Hill. “I began to realize… the Bible is not an impractical book of theology, but rather a practical book of life containing a system of thought and conduct that will guarantee success [with] principles so universal they might better be considered as laws…such people as Napoleon Hill, who wrote Think and Grow Rich, have gleaned only a few of the truths of the kingdom of God…. Some of the metaphysical principles of the kingdom, taken by themselves, can produce fantastic temporal benefits.”16) Commenting on this statement from Pat Robertson, Dave Hunt distinguishes that,
Napoleon Hill was an occultist who learned his “metaphysical principle” from demons who came to him from the spirit world posing as masters of a “temple of wisdom.”
Peale, Schuller, Robertson, Hagin, Copeland, and others, have brought into the church ancient occultism as part of the “signs and wonders” and “prosperity” movement foretold for the last days.17)
Constance Cumbey criticizes Pat Robertson‘s book, observing:
There are disturbingly strong parallels in them with Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, including the Alice Bailey teachings, and even Russian occultist George Gurdjieff. Robertson’s Law of Reciprocity sounds amazingly like Gurdjieff’s “Law of Reciprocal Maintenance.”18)
Further alerting the influence of Robertson‘s television show, Cumbey mentioned, “While he has denied Biblical inerrancy, he has at the same time given important New Agers such as Jeremy Rifkin and Alvin Toffler access to his 30 million plus Christian viewing audience. He has done likewise for promoters of questionable, even blatantly New Age oriented – theologies, including Richard Foster, Bruce Larson, Robert Schuller, and Dennis Waitley.”19) And, “Rifkin has boasted to interviewers that Robertson’s program has been one of his chief entry points to the Evangelicals.”20)
Leaders of the Word-Faith movement have admitted the similarities of their teachings with metaphysics, but try to deny it. E. W. Kenyon, the forefather of Faith theology wrote, “We are not dealing with mysticism, philosophy or metaphysics. We are dealing with realities. …we are dealing with the basic laws of man’s being, the great spiritual laws that govern the unseen forces of life.”21) Assessing this statement, D. R. McConnell explains:
Kenyon claims that his teaching is not metaphysical and then immediately follows his disclaimer with a central dogma of metaphysics. For example, when he speaks of “the great spiritual laws that govern the unseen forces of life,” he is espousing deism, the metaphysical world view that the universe is governed by impersonal, spiritual laws rather [sic] that a personal, sovereign God.22)
Kenyon again applies this method of disclaiming his metaphysic doctrine prior to teaching it. “This is not a new metaphysics of philosophy. This is reality. This is God breaking into the sense realm.”23) And again, McConnell points out the obvious.
When Kenyon refers to “God breaking into the sense realm,” he is espousing dualism, which is the metaphysical view of reality that the spiritual realm and the physical realm are mutually exclusive and even opposed to one another.24)
Kenyon‘s frequent disclaimers, such as: “This is not psychological or metaphysics,”25) have been repeated by Kenneth Hagin who wrote: “When I preach on the mind, it frightens some congregations. They immediately think of Christian Science.”26) Vinson Synan reported:
Hagin insists “Kenyon’s influence on my ministry has been minute. Only his teachings on the name of Jesus have much to do with my theology. I absolutely deny any metaphysical influence from Kenyon. I teach not Christian Science, but Christian sense.”27)
Here we find an interesting admission from Hagin; he considers Kenyon’s teachings in line with Christian Science and metaphysics, yet, D. R. McConnell documented extensive plagiarism of E. W. Kenyon by Kenneth Hagin.28) While Hagin has always attempted to separate himself from anything to do with metaphysics, he has now placed himself in that very camp as he has endorsed Kenyon’s writings, even calling it revelation from God. “I began to look around to see what I could find written on the subject. For others, you see, have revelations from God. I was amazed how little material there is in print on this subject. The only good book devoted entirely to it that I have found is E. W. Kenyon’s The Wonderful Name of Jesus. I encourage you to get a copy. It is a marvelous book. It is revelation knowledge. It is the Word of God.”29) When accused of plagiarizing Kenyon, Vinson Synan related Hagin response: “the Holy Spirit gave him the same words as Kenyon without his having prior knowledge of the sources.”30) If we allow Hagin the benefit of the doubt, consider how the Mormons and Irvingites had no contact but they received revelations with correlating doctrines. Hank Hanegraaff also documents a number of Kenneth Copeland’s teachings with “striking similarities” of Mormon theology.31) P. Atkinson’s doctorate thesis on the “Jesus died spiritually” doctrine of the Word Faith movement stated, “Copeland can now be regarded as the unofficial leader of the wole Word-faith movement.”32)
…………..
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OldSkool
I would love if this thread could be pinned. Its valuable information and I wish I had access to this information back in 96 when I started my adventures with the way international, because those adventures wouldnt have happened.
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OldSkool
Or compile the posts Wordwolf posted in order in a pinned and locked thread so it cant be buried with nonsense.
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T-Bone
OldSkool, here’s some more options – you can make a list of hyperlinks of Grease Spot Café threads and other helpful websites / books / resources in your profile page…I wish WordWolf would do the same – in my book he’s like the ultimate chronicler and doctrinal consultant for all things TWI !
Doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking – Skyrider’s is concise and to the point - see Skyrider's about me
Or you can channel the spirit of verbosity like I do
bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha occasionally adding hyperlinks to the multi-volume Thelonious Hyphen Bone’s Guide for Those Disappointed with The Way International - I just added this thread to volume 5 Sidestepping Reality (see the following excerpt I just revised)
5. Sidestepping reality
One of victor paul wierwille’s methods of sidestepping any real issues folks had with the ministry’s extraordinary claims was to teach that we should not go by our five senses or worldly logic – that it was part of the spiritual battle... When I first got involved with TWI, being young and naïve I bought into all that – TWI’s ideas provided a means to rationalize away logic or reality…I think “successful” con artists have a real knack for embedding the process of self-deception into devoted followers. There seemed to be an endless number of pat answers for why you were not "manifesting the more than abundant life" – the ideal lifestyle of a Way-believer. Many TWI-leaders would often say things to build hype for some program or class or simply to encourage behavior and attitudes that were acceptable to the group. It all depended on how imaginative TWI-leadership could be and how proficient they are at “diagnosing” the cause of your "dilemma", using ministry jargon - buzzwords and spiritual or biblical sounding terms.
Sadly, it seems the goal of counseling someone having a hard time with the law of believing is to encourage them to continue to chase their own tail – to spend a whole lot of time and energy doing something but achieving nothing. Albert Einstein is credited with saying “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” …
…Here's a relevant thread:
The Dangerous Word of Faith movement and how it harmed Christians in TWI
And here's some interesting reading on the relationship of faith and reason...and about dealing with regret:
Beyond Seduction: A Return to Biblical Christianity by Dave Hunt
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller
Excerpt from About yours truly
Edited by T-BoneEmoji-fied for those not already emoji-fried
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OldSkool
Great suggestions! Thanks!
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Bolshevik
I think the little gods stuff is from gnostism, meaning this stuff has been around thousands of years. Suggesting it's simply a natural trap for any person, of any background.
It appears to make choices obvious. Certain results are expected. No weighing of options and making sacrifices. Decisions are hard. But this is lazy black and white thinking.
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WordWolf
https://www.greasespotcafe.com/ipb/topic/25452-dark-world-of-megachurches/
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OldSkool
Similarities in the secular world, self-help style, MLM cults. Napoleon Hill is a notable mention in the video. It's of note that my entire time I was in TWI there was always, and I mean always, someone pushing some MLM scheme besides the way international. Shaklee, Amway, Mona-Vie, etc,. Also, I can remember distinctly many, many way corps were really into the self help stuff, such as The Law of Attraction. That was actually one of waygb studies when I knew him and hes the one who introduced Mona-vie to HQ, but....Im rambling....
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OldSkool
https://www.equip.org/articles/infiltrated-recognizing-and-responding-to-occultism-in-your-church/
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