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ON THIS PAGE
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION
PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS
FOUNDER
KENNETH HAGIN
CURRENT LEADERS
KENNETH COPELAND
BENNY HINN
JOEL OSTEEN
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
Their books are everywhere. Their sermons are broadcast daily to millions via television and radio transmissions. They have become, like it or not, the face of modern American Christianity. The “they” I speak of are the leaders of the Word of Faith movement. While most in the Church would not recognize the classification title of their particular brand of Christianity, they would however, readily recognize the names of leaders in this ever growing movement. What exactly makes one a “Word of Faith” teacher? What are the core doctrines in the Faith movement? Where did these doctrines originate? Our goal will be first, to define what truly constitutes the Word of Faith movement. Secondly, we shall trace its philosophical roots to the modern “founders.” Finally, we will identify some of its major leaders and to evaluate some of their more distinctive teachings.
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: DEFINITION
For practical purposes a working definition of what the Word of Faith movement is at its core must be established. Some have mistakenly claimed that the Word of Faith movement should be equated with the Charismatic and Pentecostal community as a whole. The truth is that not all Charismatics and Pentecostals ascribe to Word of Faith doctrine. However, it is equally true that all members of the Word of Faith movement are Charismatic or Pentecostal. Because there is no specific Word of Faith denomination it will be necessary to look elsewhere for a distinctive that may be used to identify those within this movement. This definition can be formulated by briefly examining some of the generally accepted doctrines found within Faith theology.
One of the primary doctrinal distinctions in the Word of Faith is the belief that not just spiritual healing, but also physical healing was guaranteed in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. [1] It is not only believed that physical healing is provided in the atonement, but the potential for financial prosperity as well. [2]The power necessary to unlock these benefits of the atonement is the act of “positive confession.” The line of reasoning is that faith is a force of sorts, and our words have the power to activate this force in order to produce positive outcomes, or negative outcomes, depending on how our words are used. [3] Further, it is generally taught that Christians are in fact a brand of “little gods”, or “incarnations” of godhood. [4] In the same sense that Christ was a physical incarnation of God, so are we. The final, and possibly most troubling common teaching among Word of Faith leaders, is the belief in Christ’s “re-birth.” Many prominent teachers present a doctrine that represents Christ as finishing His atoning work in hell, instead of the cross. The belief is that on the cross when Christ was “forsaken” by the Father, He lost the nature of the Father (deity) and in turn took on the nature of Satan. As result of taking on the very nature of the devil, He died spiritually and ascended in to the pit of hell. While in hell, God the Father raised Him and in that resurrection He became a “born again” man. D.R. McConnell, a believer in Charismatic renewal himself, notes that in Faith theology, “It was necessary that Christ die spiritually because sickness and sin are both spiritual in origin, not physical.” [5]
There are many other doctrines that establish the division between orthodox Christianity and the Word of Faith movement. However, for our purposes the focus will remain on the doctrines discussed above as the “bare-bones” essentials of what it means to be a member, or more specifically, a leader within the Word of Faith movement. The next goal, following the defining of core beliefs, is to establish were exactly Faith theology originated. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS
The roots of the Word of Faith movement are deep indeed. If one were to truly examine history in an effort to find where this widespread belief system originated it would be found in its most basic form as Gnostic in nature. There is much debate as to when Gnosticism first arose, however this topic is not pressing, it is safe to say it Gnostic philosophy has existed for at least 2000 years. Dr. Harold O.J. Brown, of Trinity Evangelical International University, describes Gnosticism this way: “Gnosticism and the Gnostic movement generally are essentially dualistic. In other words, they view reality as a constant interplay between two fundamental principles, such as spirit and matter, soul and body, good and evil.” [6] In discussing “dualism” as it relates to metaphysics, Dr. Norman Geisler writes that: “In metaphysics dualism is the belief that there are two coeternal principles in conflict with each other…” [7] Gnosticism then is primarily a dualistic approach to reaching and understanding some type of “secret knowledge”, a concept that is intrical to Faith theology.
It is this ideology that in modern times has given rise to a plethora of “mind science” cults. Speaking to the idea of “mental healing,” Ruth Tucker, of Calvin Theological Seminary, claims that the immense interest concerning this topic in Civil War era America was “…largely as a result of the experiments that German physician Franz Anton Mesmer was conducting with hypnosis.” [8] It is her belief that it was this man’s influence that first led P.P. Quimby (1806-1866), considered the father of “New Thought,” into the area of the “mind sciences.” Simply put, New Thought is a spiritual philosophy of the mind. It is the belief that a higher power resides in each individual and that positive thinking and words activate that power, and in turn results in positive consequences. Unlike Mesmer, however, Quimby developed his idea on “mental healing” into a dualistic mind over matter formula. Quimby believed that it would be possible to cure most ailments and ensure health by cultivating positive thoughts and verbal suggestions. This is the root of positive confession.
It was Quimby’s teachings and direct interaction with Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) that led Eddy to develop Christian Science. While Ms. Eddy denied Quimby’s influence on her own system of “mind science,” other groups readily acknowledge Quimby as their philosophical ancestor. According to D.R. McConnell, “The most significant of these are the Unity School of Christianity, Divine Science, the Church of Religious Science, the Home of Truth, the Church of Truth, the Christ Church League, the Society of the Healing Christ, and the Christian Assembly.” [9] As it will be shown later, one could at least draw an indirect connection from Quimby to the Word of Faith movement, and in doing so place the Faith movement into the “mind science” family tree.
The philosophical concepts of Quimby’s “New Thought” teaching had a profound effect upon a man named Charles Wesley Emerson (1837-1903). Charles Emerson left his position as a Congregationalist minister in 1860 only to become a Universalist minister in 1866. After spending about five years as a minister of the Universalist Church in Northfield, Vermont, Emerson left to become Unitarian minister in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Following a brief period of time in the Unitarian Church, Emerson left his position as a minister to further his education at Boston University. In 1879, this still active Unitarian minister founded Emerson College of Oratory, which later became simply Emerson College. [10] Under Charles Emerson’s leadership the school quickly became a hotbed for Unitarian and New Thought practitioners. This environment was incubated by the faculty at Emerson, who routinely pushed what they believed to be the “true gospel” within the classroom setting. [11] This “gospel” was not the one found within the New Testament but instead it was a New Thought gospel. It must be stated that, “Whether Dr. Emerson taught New Thought is not subject to question. It is clear that he did…” [12] As it will be shown later, Emerson College plays a pivotal role in the development of Faith theology.
The common thread that runs through this brief history is the pursuit of secret knowledge. This secret knowledge transcends physical knowledge and would qualify as what Word of Faith leaders call, “revelation knowledge.” This is a knowledge that goes beyond what we can know through our senses (sense knowledge). One Word of Faith leader has been quoted as saying that: “Sense knowledge cannot find God, and would not know God if it found Him.” [13] When we examine the founder of the Word of Faith movement and evaluate some of its current leaders, it will become quite clear that there are a number of parallels between the theology “mind science” cults and Faith theology. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: FOUNDER
Many today within the Word of Faith movement believe that their theology sprang from the studies and God given revelations of Kenneth Hagin. Even Charisma magazine has dubbed Ken Hagin as “the granddaddy of the faith teachers.” [14] This would however, be incorrect. The modern Faith movement is undeniably rooted in the teachings of E.W. Kenyon (1867-1948). Hagin’s primary role within the Word of Faith movement was to take its teachings mainstream. It will be discussed later exactly how much Kenneth Hagin borrowed from the writings and teachings of E.W. Kenyon.
E.W. Kenyon’s early life was quite ordinary to say the least. [15] Born April 24th, 1867, he spent his early years growing up in northern New York. At the age of 17 he evidently made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. [16] Shortly thereafter, Kenyon began his preaching ministry among Methodist churches.
His educational career was less than stellar. Kenyon never actually graduated from any institution of higher learning. Instead, every degree he has ever received was honorary. [17]Despite the fact that Kenyon never attained a degree of any kind his college career did indeed have an incredible impact upon his life.
In 1892, E.W. Kenyon moved to Boston, soon thereafter he enrolled at the previously mentioned Emerson College of Oratory. This is quite significant. As noted previously, Emerson College has unabashedly cultic roots. By the time Kenyon had enrolled at Emerson, its founder Charles Emerson could no longer be simply identified as a Unitarian. Instead, “his religion was a veritable smorgasbord of the sources underlying New Thought metaphysics: Platonism, Swedenborgianism, Unitarianism, and Emersonian Transcendentalism.” [18] Further, a lecturer at Emerson College Charles Mallory stated of the school that, “All people should come here…This is a school where the philosophy of life is taught. It ought to be called The First Church of Emerson.” [19] This is, in and of itself, a very telling statement. For as it has been shown previously, the “philosophy of life” being taught at this “church” was nothing more than New Thought metaphysics. The simple fact that Kenyon attended a college whose leader followed New Thought philosophy, and openly taught these principles to his students should raise red flags in the minds of his followers. As D.R. McConnell has observed, “Kenyon did not merely attend a school of oratory at Emerson College, but a school in which both faculty and student body were heavily involved with the metaphysical cults.” [20]
Upon leaving Emerson, Kenyon began engaging in evangelistic tours, as well as continuing his previously established Bethel Bible Institute. At this same time Kenyon ended his affiliation with the Methodist church and became an independent Baptist. [21] It was at this period in his life that Kenyon developed his cultic theology.
Staying true to his metaphysical education at Emerson, Kenyon developed certain principles that were used as the guiding force in his theological growth. For the basis of his theological system Kenyon “Christianized” the Gnostic principle and metaphysical principle of dualistic knowledge. Kenyon believed that there were two kinds of knowledge: sense knowledge and revelation knowledge. [22]Sense knowledge was that which we attained through our five senses. As previously stated, however, Kenyon believed that true knowledge of God, and the way things truly are, can only be attained by going beyond the sense realm and entering into revelation knowledge. This is Gnosticism in every sense of the term. Kenyon believed that in order to walk in the spirit as a believer one must d9ny his sense knowledge and instead rely on revelation knowledge. The reason being as Kenyon puts it, “there will always be a conflict between our senses and the world.” [23] This is similar to Mary Baker Eddy who wrote that, “The corporeal senses are the only source of evil and error.” [24] Further than this parallel to the mind cults, Kenyon testified to his status in the revelation knowledge realm by stating, “I am no longer hemmed in by limitations because I am united with the limitless One.” [25] It is this type of thinking that clearly connects Kenyon to Gnosticism. Kenyon also believed in levels of revelation knowledge which inevitably leads to classes of believers. Writing to those whom he deamed “supermen,” Kenyon said, “You have gone outside the realm of the senses, outside the realm of Sense Knowledge, and you have passed into the realm of God, the spirit realm.” [26] It obviously cannot be denied that Kenyon believed in a Gnostic dualism.
Another distinct Kenyon teaching is his belief in Christ’s rebirth. According to Kenyon, “if His [physical] death paid it, then every man could die for himself. Sin is in the spirit realm. His physical death was but a means to an end.” [27] Kenyon teaches that after this purely practical, physical death, Christ died spiritually and ascended into hell. [28] Finally, Kenyon stays true to his role as father of Faith theology by claiming that, “Jesus was born again before He was raised from the dead.” [29]
In direct connection to the above doctrine, Kenyon taught that during salvation, man takes “the nature and life of God in one’s spirit.” [30] In this doctrine of small scale incarnation, E.W. Kenyon muddies the waters between orthodoxy and New Age theology. It is no wonder that many today within the Faith movement teach various versions of this belief. [See Section on The New Age]
Kenyon further meets the “bare-bones” qualifications for what it means to be a member of the Faith movement in his doctrine of positive confession. Kenyon, like Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy, taught that our words activate an impersonal universal force. He believed that “our confession rules us,” [31] and because of this it could be stated that, “what I confess I posses.” [32] Kenyon described this process and its role in the work of God as follows: “faith-filled words brought the universe into being, and faith-filled words are ruling that universe today.” [33] Clearly, Kenyon held to a belief that faith and positive confession are the keys to activate this impersonal force. This is the very same force that God Himself needed to use in order to create our universe.
Finally, E.W. Kenyon believed whole heartedly that the believer’s prosperity in his most basic needs was purchased by the atonement. Much like P.P. Quimby, Kenyon believed that disease is spiritual in origin. [34] He has boldly stated that, “it is wrong for us to have sickness and disease in our bodies when God laid those diseases on Jesus.” [35] He pushes this statement to the limit when he writes, “…No believer should ever be sick…he should live his full length of time and actually wear out and fall asleep.” [36]
After leaving Bethel Bible Institute in 1923, Kenyon took his now refined “Christianized New Thought” doctrine to the masses in the form of books and monthly newsletters. He eventually moved to Seattle where he formed an independent Baptist church, a small Bible college, a radio program, and his own publishing group. [37] His works can still be accessed and purchased today through this publishing group, now called the Kenyon Gospel Publishing Society. Since his death in 1948 Kenyon’s publishing society has gone on the defensive regarding their founder. Just a brief visit to their website reveals an entire page dedicated to defending the teachings of Kenyon. Further, and much to this authors surprise, they also offer a defense of the very man who routinely plagiarized Kenyon in taking his doctrines mainstream; that man is none other than Kenneth E. Hagin. [38] [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: KENNETH HAGIN
The man most people first recognize as the originator of the word of Faith movement is without a doubt, Kenneth E. Hagin (1917-2003). In fact, almost every leader in the Faith movement directly traces their primary influence back to Kenneth Hagin. “Dad,” as he is affectionately called by Faith leaders, was born in MicKinney, Texas, on August 20th, 1917. Hagin has reported that he was born prematurely and had a congenital heart defect. At the age of 16 he became so ill that he was bedridden for over a year. During this time he reports that he was literally taken to hell a total of three times. [39] After this third trip to hell Ken Hagin says that he placed his faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. In the winter of 1934 while he lay on his death bed, Hagin received a series of visions. These visions were evidently an impartation of revelation knowledge about the “principle of faith” supposedly found in Mark 11:23-24. After this principle was revealed to Hagin he began to confess his healing and supposedly recovered from his ailment within 10 minutes. [40]
Oddly enough, when Hagin began his public ministry just after high school, he was primarily associated with the Baptist community. However, by 1937 the Baptist community had turned its back on Hagin due to the Charismatic nature of his preaching. After leaving his Baptist roots he became a licensed minister within the Assemblies of God denomination for a total of twelve years (1937-1949). His time as a minister was reportedly filled with all types of supernatural events including resurrections from the dead. [41] In 1943 Hagin believed that he received “anointing” to be a teacher, which was followed by a 1952 “anointing” into the office of a prophet.
Another claim of Hagin is that he has been personally visited by Jesus Christ. The first visit was said to have occurred while he was holding an evangelistic meeting in 1950 at a small church in Texas. He claims that this visit was followed by at least seven other meetings. During these meetings with Christ, various kinds of doctrine were revealed to Hagin. [42] These doctrines included those that have been previously defined as the basic foundational doctrines to Faith theology. Unlike Kenyon, who preached the same exact message, Hagin states that, “The Lord said to me, “If you give a message for…a church, or a pastor and they don’t accept it…[t]hey will be responsible…ministers who don’t accept it (the message)…will fall dead in the pulpit.” [43] In Hagin’s theological system, he stands in the position of God, because his message comes directly from the lips of Christ. If that message is denied, people will have to die. It is this threat that has enabled him to spread the Faith message to many who would otherwise deny it. It is through fear that Hagin has propagated his theology.
Hagin’s supposed Christ-given theology includes a belief that, “if anybody anywhere…will put these four principles into operation,” the four principles of positive confession: Say it, Do it, Receive it, and Tell it, “…He will always receive whatever he wants…from God the Father.” [44] Obviously Kenneth Hagin is in agreement with Kenyon in the fact that he believes that God is bound by impersonal, universal, spiritual laws. With these laws we may lay claim to both good health and financial prosperity. Hagin further sides with Kenyon, by teaching that, “ [T]he believer is called Christ…That’s who we are; we’re Christ!” [44] This establishes without a doubt that Kenneth Hagin believed that we are an “incarnation” of sorts. With absolute clarity Kenneth Hagin has made his position known regarding the work of Christ on the cross when he writes, “Spiritual death also means having Satan’s nature…Jesus tasted death-spiritual death-for every man.” [46] It is in this doctrine that Hagin teaches that Christ’s death on the cross did nothing to earn our salvation. Instead, Christ became a demoniac and went to hell. While in hell our redemption was bought when Christ was born again. [47] As we have seen previously, all these doctrines were being taught by E.W. Kenyon long before Kenneth Hagin’s ministry career got off the ground. While these represent just a few doctrinal similarities between the two men, far more parallels could be displayed. What then do we make of Kenneth Hagin’s theological influence?
Despite Hagin’s insistence that his theology came from divine imparting and exceptional knowledge of Scripture, it has been shown at great length by various researchers that “Dad’s” teachings are far more human in origin. One of those who has documented this human origin is D.R. McConnell. In McConnell’s book A Different Gospel, the case is made that Hagin has extensively plagiarized the writings and doctrines of E.W. Kenyon. [48] While Hagin did eventually admit that there was uncanny resemblance between the two men’s writings (even to the point of using the same title and text almost word for word), Hagin denied that he plagiarized Kenyon in the least. Instead, Hagin suggests that they were, “using different words to express…the same truth.” [49] This excuse is unlikely however, simply because more often than not, they use the same words to express the same “truth”!
In 1966 Hagin took his divinely imparted doctrine to Tulsa, Oklahoma. While in Tulsa, he began a radio program called “Faith Seminar of the Air.” This program was picked up by over 180 radio stations within North America. As a result of the incredible popularity of the program, Hagin decided that he should build a correspondence school to further educate his listeners. In 1974 his plan became reality when Rhema Correspondence Bible School was opened. It is this program, coupled with his Word of Faith magazine that has taken Hagin’s teachings worldwide.
In the 1980’s, Kenneth Hagin and many other faith leaders attempted to codify the Faith churches around the world into an organization that would loosely resemble a denomination. While this attempt never formed into what Hagin and others envisioned, it did however aide in developing a Faith fellowship of sorts, made up of independent charismatic churches. It is this independent connection today that further adds to the difficulty of classifying those leaders and churches that should be designated as part of the Word of Faith movement. This fellowship calls itself the International Convention of Faith Churches and Ministers (ICFCM). [50]
After radically changing the world with his popularization of Faith theology, Hagin died in September of 2003 at the age of 87. This would seem to be an incredible blow to the world of the Faith movement, but it is not so. Hagin’s legacy has been secured through the success of the Rhema Bible Training Center (Formerly Rhema Correspondence Bible School). According to Rhema’s official website they now have over 23,000 alumni worldwide as well as having established training centers in 13 countries. [51] Further, the Faith movement now has a score of leaders who vie for Hagin’s role as the elder of the movement. With the help of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), founded by Hagin supporters Paul (1934-) and Jan (1937-) Crouch, a handful of faces have emerged as the icons of the Faith movement This new cast of characters has elevated the mainstream acceptance of Faith theology to a height that Hagin and Kenyon could not have dreamed. Due to space constraints just a handful of these leaders will be profiled. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: CURRENT LEADERS
Today the World of Faith movement boasts a myriad of popular personalities that present themselves and their teachings in books, videos, and study aides. These names include the likes of Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen and many others. Multiple volumes could be written about each of their doctrinal positions alone, without even addressing their ministries and level of influence. However, for the purpose as hand, only a brief survey will be taken over these leader’s ministries, influence, and some of their doctrinal distinctions. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: CURRENT LEADERS-KENNETH COPELAND
When Kenneth Hagin died, a shift occurred within some circles of the Faith movement. Followers clamored for a “prophet” and a “teacher” to follow. The man in whose ministry many readily placed their support shared “Dad” Hagin’s first name. It was Kenneth Copeland (1936-) who quickly attempted to assume the role of elder spokesman within the Faith movement. This would only seem fitting. After all, it was Copeland’s memorization of Hagin’s tapes that reportedly “mentored” the younger Kenneth into ministry.
After spending over a year listening to Kenneth Hagin’s tapes, the Oral Roberts University educated Copeland began his own ministry. In 1968 He and his wife began holding Bible studies in their home town. Shortly thereafter the Copelands began holding evangelistic meetings and in 1973 published their first newsletter, The Believers Voice of Victory. This later became the name of both Kenneth Copeland’s radio and television programs.
Copeland and his wife teach all the same fundamental doctrines that have been established as the core basis of Faith theology, and as it will be shown, they take things a step further. Some of Kenneth Copeland’s more bizarre teachings include the belief that, “Adam, in the Garden of Eden, was God manifested in the flesh.” [52] In what seemed to be a an attempt to appear as if he had some secret knowledge about God that others did not, Copeland espoused teaching that was ominously similar to what many Mormon prophets have taught. [53] Perhaps even more startling is his insistence upon blatantly cultic visualization techniques. Copeland once stated that; “Any image that you get down inside of you that is so vivid when you close your eyes you see it, it’ll come to pass.” [54]
If these were the only instances in which Copeland made such bizarre statements one could perhaps overlook it as a misspoken thought. However, he has a history of radical teachings including that God lives on a “mother planet” of some type. [55] This again reeks of Mormonism. [56] The goal here is not to catalog every unorthodox doctrine that Copeland teaches, but rather to give a brief feeling for just how far he goes in the realm of heresy.
His reach is ever expanding and his doctrine is becoming evermore dangerous. Commenting on this issue, Hank Hanegraaff wrote, “Volumes could be written about the dangerous doctrines espoused by Ken and Gloria Copeland. Only from eternity will we understand fully the human suffering that has followed in their wake.” [57] With his ministry now attaining global status, Kenneth Copeland has sufficient enough of a platform to divert countless people away from the true Christ of the Bible, and instead toward his Mormon-like “Christ”. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: CURRENT LEADERS-BENNY HINN
Today no single ministry can match the sheer sensationalism of that belonging to “Pastor Benny”, as his followers call him. Benny Hinn (1952-), has received international acclaim for his “miracle crusades” around the world. According to Hinn, in December of 1973 he traveled to a healing service being held by Kathryn Kuhlman. [58] This trip would be followed by many more. Despite the fact that he never met Kuhlman, he insists that she had a profound impact upon his life. Much like Kenneth Hagin before him, Hinn fondly admires Faith healers of the past as those who helped initiate today’s Charismatic renewal. After performing many miracle services of his own in Canada, Benny Hinn moved to Orlando, Florida. It was upon moving to Florida that Hinn met and married the daughter of a local minister. Then in 1983 he began the Orlando Christian Center. He has since left the church and moved his ministry to a state that is quickly becoming a gathering place for heretical teachers, Texas. He has become a mainstay on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, and is routinely brought in by the Crouch family anytime they are holding a telethon, or as they call it a praise-a-thon. It is because of his relationship with TBN that Benny Hinn has enjoyed such immense exposure and, consequently, immense success.
In 2002 Benny Hinn Ministries Inc. came under fire after a Dateline NBC report investigated the legitimacy of Hinn’s claims of healing for many of his followers. It further examined the ministry’s financial practices. This only magnified the fact that Hinn has for quite some time refused to join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. [59] Despite the controversy over the use of contributions he receives, and the lack of evidence for any genuine healings, Benny Hinn continues to increase in popularity daily. Some of this ever increasing popularity can be attributed to his ecumenical approach to ministry. Hinn has gone to great lengths to build a bridge from his branch of the Charismatic movement into the various threads of Catholicism around the world today.
Some of his more controversial teachings, beyond the common core Faith doctrines, include a belief that Adam could fly! Hinn, appearing on TBN’s “Praise the Lord” program, stated that: “Adam not only flew, he flew to space.” [60] Hinn claimed that after doing a thorough exegesis of the Hebrew word for “dominion,” he came to the conclusion that Adam could fly. He asserted that when the Bible states that Adam had “dominion over the birds of the air,” that the implication was he had the ability to do whatever they could do. Any exegete of the Scriptures with even minimal training could point out that this is utterly false. As result of this embarrassing display, some of Hinn’s defenders have blamed this “misunderstanding” on the fact that Hinn has no formal Biblical training. Far worse than being a poor student of Scripture, Benny Hinn is also a false prophet. [See False Prophets]
While appearing once again on TBN for the “Praise the Lord” program in April of 2000, Hinn claimed that Christ would soon appear physically in churches across the United States as well as appearing on stage with Benny himself at an upcoming crusade. [61] Needless to say, this prophecy was never fulfilled. There are many more shocking prophecies and statements made by Benny Hinn, many of which have been cataloged by other authors. For our purposes however, what has been displayed is sufficient enough to call into question the ministry of Benny Hinn. [TOP OF PAGE]
THE WORD OF FAITH MOVEMENT: CURRENT LEADERS –JOEL OSTEEN
If Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn represent the two most well-established ministries currently dominating the Word of Faith landscape, then we could say that Joel Osteen is the up and coming personality poised to take control.
Quite possibly the brightest and fastest rising star within the Word of Faith movement today is the son of the now deceased John Osteen. Since assuming the role of pastor at Lakewood Church (Houston, Texas.) in September of 1999, Joel Osteen (1963-) has witnessed his congregation grow to well over 30,000. While Osteen does not blatantly teach Faith theology; it is nevertheless apparent throughout his writings. For instance, in his New York Times best seller Your Best Life Now, Osteen writes: “God doesn’t want you dragging through life…barely making it. It is not his preference for you to live in perpetual pain…Become a true believer, knowing that what you believe you will become.” [62] Without betraying his trademark message of self esteem, Osteen manages to slip in Faith theology. Osteen’s subtle approach to presenting Faith doctrine is a trend that many have documented in various critiques of his book. [63]
This message of self esteem is noticeably void of any references to judgment or the exclusivity of salvation in Christ alone. In fact, in a June 20th, 2005 interview on the Larry King Live show, Osteen was asked whether or not Christ alone is the way to heaven. The following is an excerpt from the interview:
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know…
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus. [64]
Osteen’s refusal to answer with an absolute yes or no earned him some much deserved criticism. A short time later in an interview with Charisma Now, Osteen clarified his statements on Larry King Live, stating that he does indeed believe Christ to be the only way to the Father. [64] While this is encouraging, is does not negate the fact that the pastor of America’s largest congregation could not give a direct answer on the nature of salvation. Much like the defenders of Benny Hinn, Osteen’s supporters pointed out his lack of formal Biblical training as a potential reason for his inability to answer King’s rather direct question. It would seem unlikely, however, that during his seventeen years in church administration under his father he never once heard a sermon on John 14:6.
Seemingly in complete ignorance to the event described above, Lakewood Church continues to grow at an incredible rate. Further, the praise for Joel Osteen and his self esteem gospel never ceases from Evangelicals and Charismatics alike. It seems that the sky is the limit for Osteen, and only God can know what the future holds for this “heresy with a smile” preacher. [TOP OF PAGE]
CONCLUSION
In summary, it has been concluded that from its inception, the Word of Faith movement has been riddled with controversy and cultic doctrine. Its basic concepts are deeply rooted in dualistic metaphysical philosophy and mind science. The movement’s true modern originator was heavily influenced by men entrenched in New Thought. The modern propagator plagiarized the man who truly conceived Faith theology, and called it his own. Its modern leaders are constantly embroiled in controversy and scandal over financial practices. There is no clear statement regarding the nature of salvation, and instead there exists consensus only on doctrines that demean the atoning work of Christ. All that can be said then, is that it appears the philosophy behind the Faith movement goes back much further than its Gnostic roots. Instead, it returns to the first lie ever told, the lie very like Satan spoke in the Garden of Eden. That men could be as gods and could posses’ secret knowledge of the divine. The Word of Faith movement then is nothing more than the most ancient of all heresies, repacked for the church age. [TOP OF PAGE]
References
[1] Kenneth E. Hagin, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, (Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., 1989)
[2] Kenneth Copeland, How to Prosper from the Inside Out, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, http://www.kcm.org/studycenter/finances/pdf/prosper_inside_out.pdf
[3] Kenneth Copeland, The Force of Faith (Ft. Worth, TX.: Kenneth Copeland Publications, 1983)
[4] Benny Hinn. Our Position in Christ #2–The Word Made Flesh [Orlando, FL: Orlando Christian Center, 1991), Audiotape #A031190-2, side 2.
[5] D.R. McConnell. A Different Gospel (Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), 117
[6] Harold O.J. Brown. Heresies (Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003), 40
[7] Geisler, Norman L.: Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 1999 (Baker Reference Library), S. 206
[8] Ruth Tucker. Another Gospel (Rand Rapids, MI.: Zondervan, 1989), 153
[9] McConnell, 38
[10] Ibid. 36-38
[11] Ibid.
[12] John Coffee & Richard Wentwoth. A Century of Eloquence :The History of Emerson College, 1880-1890 (Boston, MA.: Alternative Publications, 1982), 61
[13] E.W. Kenyon. Two Kinds of Knowledge page 34
[14] Sherry Andrews, Kenneth Hagin: Keeping the Faith (Charisma: Oct. 1981), 24
[15] There has yet to be a thorough biography written of E.W. Kenyon. Therefore all information regarding his early life and upbringing must be pieced together from various sources who have inquired into his early years.
[16] The official E.W. Kenyon website: http://www.kenyons.org/who.shtml
[17] McConnell, 29-30
[18] Ibid, 35
[19] Coffee & Wentworth,68
[20] McConnell, 41
[21] Ibid, 47-48
[22] Kenyon, The Two Kinds of Knowledge, 11-36
[23] Kenyon, The Two Kinds of Knowledge, 52
[24] Mary Baker Eddy pg. 489.
[25] Kenyon, Two Kinds of Life, 58
[26] Kenyon, The Hidden Man, 158
[27] Kenyon, Hidden Man, 47
[28] Kenyon, Identification, 8
[29] Kenyon. What Happened, 64
[30] Kenyon, Hidden Man, 26
[31] Kenyon, Two Kinds of Faith, 67
[32] Ibid. 98
[33] Kenyon. Two Kinds of Faith, 20
[34] Kenyon, Identification, 15
[35] Kenyon, Jesus the Healer, 44
[36] Ibid. 65
[37] Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis (Eugene, OR.: Harvest House Publishers, 1997), 331
[38] http://www.kenyons.org/faq.shtml
[39] Kenneth Hagin, I Believe in Visions (Old Tappan, NJ.: Fleming H. Revell, 1972), 13
[40] Ibid. 27-30
[41] Kenneth Hagin, Plead Your Case (Tulsa, OK.: Faith Library, 1979), 16-18
[42] Kenneth Hagin, How You Can Be Lead by the Spirit of God (Tulsa, OK.: Faith Library, 1979), 29-30
[43] Kenneth Hagin, The Ministry of a Prophet (Tulsa, OK.: Faith Library, 1984), 19
[44] Kenneth Hagin, How to Write Your Own Ticket with God, 5
[44] Kenneth Hagin, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life (Tulsa. OK.: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Inc., 1989), 41
[46] Kenneth Hagin, The Name of Jesus (Tulsa, OK.: Kenneth Hagin Ministries Inc., 1981), 31
[47] Hagin, The Name of Jesus, 29
[48] D.R. McConnell, 7-14
[49] Kenneth Hagin, The Name of Jesus (Tulsa, OK.: Faith Library, 1981), preface
[50] A more detailed history and profile of this group is available on the ICFCM website: http://www.icfm.org
[51] According to the Rhema website: http://www.rhema.org/about/history.cfm, Bible training centers now operate within Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Pacific, and Thailand.
[52] Kenneth Copeland, Following the Faith of Abraham I (Fort Worth, TX.: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1989), audiotape #01-3001, side 1.
[53] Mormon prophets such as Bringham Young taught that Adam was in fact God the Father.
[54] Kenneth Copeland, Inner Image of the Covenant (Fort Worth, TX.: Kenneth Copeland Ministries,1985), audiotape #01-4406, side 2.
[55] Kenneth Copeland, The Faith of Abraham I, side 1
[56] Mormons believe that God the Father leaves on a planet called Kolob.
[57] Hank Hanegraaf, Christianity in Crisis 339
[58] Kathryn Kuhlman (1907-1976) was a Pentecostal faith healer who was very popular in the United States, especially during the 1960’s-70’s
[59] The EFCA assists ministries in keeping honest financial book keeping. Their website can be viewed here: http://www.ecfa.org
[60] Benny Hinn, Praise the Lord (Trinity Broadcasting Network: December 26, 1991)
[61] Benny Hinn, Praise The Lord (Trinity Broadcasting Network, April 2, 2000)
[62] Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now, 76
[63] Bob Hunter, Promoting the Gospel of Self Esteem (The Christian Research Journal, Volume 28, number 2, 2005)
[64] Larry King Live, Interview with Joel Osteen. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/20/lkl.01.html (Retrieved 11-21-06)
[64] http://www.charismanow.com/a.php?ArticleID=11413
About The Author. K.D. Hartman II is owner of thejude3project He has a B.S. Pastoral Studies - Antietam Bible College, M.A. Global Apologetics (Candidate) - Liberty University Graduate School of Religion
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