Theology

Is Word-Faith Movement Out on a Limb

When cult-watching organizations first came on the scene a few decades ago, they focused mainly on exposing the non-Christian beliefs and alleged brainwashing techniques of such groups as the Unification Church, the Children of God, and The Way International. In addition, they sought to expose the teachings of more conventional religious groups, including Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose doctrines were incompatible with the essential tenets of Christian faith.

These long-standing emphases have continued for many apologetics ministries, which today number about 600. In recent years, however, the countercult movement has increasingly focused its investigative energies on individuals and organizations that have a strong foothold in certain segments of the Christian community.

This refocusing was reflected in the title of the Evangelical Ministries to New Religions (EMNR) conference, “The Cults, Occult and Word-Faith Movement,” in September in Philadelphia. One of the plenary sessions featured a panel discussion on the issue of whether the Word-Faith movement should be considered cultic.

Among those identified as subscribing to some form of Word-Faith doctrine were Trinity Broadcasting Network president Paul Crouch, Korean megachurch leader David Yonggi Cho, and television preachers Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey, Fred Price, Benny Hinn, Oral Roberts, Rodney Howard-Browne, and Kenneth Hagin.

Plenary speaker Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute (CRI), explained that, according to Word-Faith teaching, “faith is a force, words being the container of the force. And through the force of faith, you can create your own reality.” Hanegraaff, whose best-selling Christianity in Crisis details the “erroneous teachings of Faith teachers,” added that within a Word-Faith context, “when you’re born again, you not only have salvation, but you have unlimited health and unlimited wealth. All you have to do is visualize it, speak it into existence.”

Nearly all in the countercult community believe that Word-Faith teachings are laden with aberrant and heretical departures from sound Christian doctrine.

Apologetics ministries are divided on the Vineyard movement, founded by John Wimber. Bill Alnor, EMNR executive director, said there are “horrible things going on” in Vineyard churches, including people roaring like lions and barking like dogs, all in the name of Spirit-filled worship. Hanegraaff accused Wimber of promoting “rank heresy in the church.”

One workshop was devoted to critiquing Howard-Browne, a South African who has been dubbed the “laughing evangelist.” Howard-Browne encourages his listeners in “holy laughter,” a phenomenon he attributes to the Holy Spirit (see “Is Laughing for the Lord Holy?”). Workshop leader G. Richard Fisher of Personal Freedom Outreach claimed that “Howard-Browne’s spiritual expressions and methodology are more at home in the occult than in Christianity.”

UNITY ELUSIVE

The Philadelphia gathering was in part an effort to bring more apologetics ministries together under the EMNR umbrella. Norman Geisler of Southern Evangelical Divinity Seminary said those active in apologetics have been “the countercult people.” Geisler denounced the efforts of those who have tried to dismiss the apologetics community as “heresy hunters.”

Achieving unity among apologetics leaders, however, may be far more easily envisioned than accomplished. The countercult community has its own share of critics who contend that standards for evaluating churches and organizations are overly subjective, and that they differ from ministry to ministry.

These charges are understandable in light of some of the divisions within the countercult movement. For example, one of the best-known figures in the movement, Ron Enroth, was noticeably absent from the Philadelphia event. Enroth took Jesus People USA (JPUSA), which is represented on EMNR’s board of directors, to task in his book “Churches That Abuse.”

JPUSA representative and panelist Jon Trott observed that at least three times during the conference, speakers-to his dismay-accused the evangelistic organization Jews for Jesus of employing cultlike tactics.

Geisler affirmed apologetics ministries as crucial to the life of the church, claiming that cults and aberrant Christian groups have flourished to the extent that churches have “failed to teach the truth.” Geisler quoted the late Walter Martin, a pioneer of the contemporary countercult movement, as saying, “Cults live on the unpaid bills of the church.”

Copyright © 1994 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Re-engineering the Seminary?

Bringing the Poor to the Polls

NORTH AMERICAN SCENE: Church Refuses to Vacate Building

President, Quayle Tout Values Theme

Ministers Decry 'Censorship'

Finance Agency Faces $500,000 Suit

Camping Misses End of World

State's Religious Ed Questioned in Nicaragua

Haitian Relief Teams Prepare to Return

News

Korean Presbyterian Church Refuses to Vacate Building

Tunnel Mystery Unearthed

Survey Questions Protestant Figures

Gridiron Star Tackles Urban Inner City Problems

BOOKS: Getting to Yes

BOOKS: Worth Mentioning

Whose Feminism?

PHILIP YANCEY: The Power of Writing

PHILIP YANCEY: The Power of Writing

ARTICLE: Shouting Heresy in the Temple of Darwin

News

Teaching Manhood in the Urban Jungle

News

News Briefs: October 24, 1994

Wire Story

Clinton Intervenes in RFRA Test Case

Wire Story

Prolifers Arrested in Cairo

Back from Bulgaria

Editorial

Get Real

Editorial

EDITORIAL: Cairo’s Wake-up Call

Editorial

EDITORIAL: Take Us Out of the Ball Game

News

News Briefs: October 24, 1994

ARTICLE: The Good Capitalist

ARTICLE: Why They Helped the Jews

ARTICLE: The Translator’s Tale

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from October 24, 1994

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letting the Boat Out of the Bag

News

Is Laughing for the Lord Holy?

View issue

Our Latest

What Another Trump Presidency Means To Evangelicals Around the World

Christian leaders from Nepal to Turkey greet the US election results with joy, grief, and indifference.

Our Faith’s Future Depends on Discipleship

The Lausanne Movement’s State of the Great Commission report details where and how Christianity is growing. 

News

Trump’s Promised Mass Deportations Put Immigrant Churches on Edge

Some of the president-elect’s proposals seem unlikely, but he has threatened to remove millions of both undocumented and legal immigrants.

God Is Faithful in Triumph and Despair

I voted for Kamala Harris and mourn her loss. But I want to keep politics in its proper place, subordinate to Jesus.

Vance’s Chance

How VP-elect JD Vance could build a bridge between populism and Christian conservatism.

How to Pray for Persecuted Christians

Leaders from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa offer guidance on interceding for believers suffering for their faith.

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ Could Be A Classic

The new movie from Dallas Jenkins is at times too on the nose—but also funny, heartfelt, and focused on Jesus.

News

Trump’s Path to Victory Still Runs Through the Church

The former president held on to the white evangelical vote while making gains among Catholics and Hispanic Christians.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube