Evangelicalism is being rent asunder by a new liberalism in the academic world and, in the churches, by the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement. The latter, obsessed with theological novelty, has fallen into heresy, most notably in the form of the Toronto Blessing and 'Word Faith' teaching.
Modern Pentecostalism is only about a century old. Outbreaks of Pentecostal
or Charismatic-type activity are discernible in church history. These include
Montanism in the second century, the Zwickau Prophets in Luther’s day,
and Irvingism in the nineteenth century. But these movements have always been
on the margins of the church and were decisively rejected by the mainstream.
The Pentecostal churches themselves largely arose from the radical wing of the
Holiness movement, itself the radical wing of Methodism. From their earliest
beginnings, they were characterised by theological divisiveness and heresy.
US theologian Donald Bloesch points out that almost one-fifth of American Pentecostals
today are unorthodox with respect to the doctrine of the Trinity!
Even as recently as the 1950s, Pentecostal churches were regarded as distinctly
sect-like because of their novel doctrines and practices. However, all this
changed with the rise of the Charismatic movement (from 1960, and known originally
as Neo-Pentecostalism) which saw the introduction of Pentecostal-type teachings
into the older denominations.
Even the Roman Catholic Church (from 1967) was not immune. Within a decade,
Pentecostalism had gone mainstream.
John Wimber and the ‘Third Wave’
Following the mainstreaming of Pentecostalism, the 1970s saw the movement established.
A plethora of Charismatic organisations were set up and numerous Charismatic
conferences were held, often attended by huge audiences.
Then in the eighties there arose another spate of Pentecostal-Charismatic activity.
Known as the Third Wave, and focused particularly on the ministry of John Wimber
(the leading figure in the Vineyard churches), this represented a radicalisation
of the movement.
A succession of novel teachings were introduced. These included: power healing;
power evangelism; restorationism; the new prophetic movement; demonisation of
the believer; territorial spirits; exorcism marches; spiritual warfare; and
signs and wonders.
Needless to say, none of these is based soundly on Scripture. Some of them even
had their roots in the ‘Latter Rain’ teachings of the late 1940s,
which the older Pentecostal denominations themselves declared heretical.
As the decade progressed, this Third Wave led to further acceptance of all things
charismatic across denominational boundaries. At the same time, a worship revolution
was taking place, with the introduction of songs rooted in the popular music
styles of secular culture.
Meanwhile, the spectre of heresy arose in the form of the Word Faith movement
which began to exercise more and more influence in Pentecostal-Charismatic circles.
The past decade
The place of biblical authority having been progressively usurped in the previous
decades, the nineties saw many of these trends institutionalised. For example,
‘March for Jesus’, often misunderstood as a united Christian witness,
is rooted explicitly in the theology of territorial spirits. Through the work
of songwriter Graham Kendrick, it has generated its own music and ecumenical
momentum.
However, the single biggest event of the decade was, without doubt, the Toronto
Blessing. This phenomenon brought together many of the trends of the previous
decade, including prophecies concerning ‘a great revival’.
The manifestations associated with this movement (e.g. falling, shaking, laughter)
had been in evidence previously, in Wimber’s Vineyard churches and elsewhere.
But their increased intensity from 1993 was largely the result of association
with false teachers in the Word Faith camp, such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland
and Rodney Howard-Browne.
Word Faith movement
The Toronto Blessing is known to most readers, but this may not be true of the Word Faith (also known as ‘Health and Wealth’ or ‘Positive Confession’) movement. Chief among Word Faith teachings are that:
1. God is a supernatural power who operates by spiritual law and who can be influenced by men to accomplish their desires (e.g. with regard to financial prosperity).
2. Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver men from sin, sickness, failure and poverty. Following his crucifixion, he went to hell where he was born again.
3. Faith is a spiritual force that can be used to control the created order, command angels, influence the future and manipulate God.
4. The Bible contains words of divine power which must, however, be interpreted in the light of Word Faith principles.
5. Revelation is given supernaturally and directly to the leaders of the movement.
6. Salvation involves promotion to the ‘God class’, a higher spiritual life. Man is thus a potential, even actual, ‘little god’.
7. Sanctification is spiritual growth in the knowledge of the God, who offers health, wealth, happiness and success through signs and wonders, notably the ‘slain in the Spirit’ experience.
False revival
With the advent of ‘Toronto’, the biblical and historic understanding
of revival suffered a near-fatal blow. The intensity and variety of psycho-spiritual
phenomena in evidence, and the claims of profound personal transformation, convinced
many that revival had indeed come.
The major Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders fell over themselves to hail this
‘great move of God’. As a result, most Charismatic churches and
a large proportion of the older Pentecostal churches were persuaded that the
movement was genuine.
Even non-Charismatics were divided in their view. Those who could see where
things were leading, and protested that Toronto was a step too far, were largely
marginalised. The result has been further division, confusion and ignorance.
High-profile para-church organisations such as the Evangelical Alliance (EA)
in Britain have been unwilling to give a biblical lead, because the Charismatic
movement is strongly represented in their leadership. Tragically, the many biblical
and historically informed critiques of the Toronto Blessing will probably go
unread by the very leaders who most need them.
Although there is little talk these days of ‘Toronto’, its practices
have spread far and wide. We find it incorporated into the ‘Holy Spirit
Weekend’ of the popular Alpha Course, which is being pursued in thousands
of churches of all denominations, including Roman Catholic.
Even Spring Harvest, the mainstream Charismatic ‘shop front’, has
experienced Toronto-style manifestations.
The question of truth
When the witness of the Bible and the testimony of church history are set aside,
the result is a crisis of discernment. No wonder that many leaders are unable
to see the events of the past few years in their true light. Whole ministries
have been built on the back of false teachings and movements. For such leaders
to admit that they have been wrong would be professional suicide.
The stance of the EA is symptomatic. When their long-promised book on the Toronto
Blessing is published, we expect that there is one question it will not answer:
the question of truth.
What believers need to know from their leaders is whether a particular teaching
or movement is biblical. However, the current climate is dominated by a post-modern
suspicion of all claims to possess truth. The greatest sin today is not heresy
but to claim that something is true in an absolute sense.
Non-Charismatics are not immune from this corrosive tendency. It is possible
to be regarded as an Evangelical today while denying such doctrines as God’s
foreknowledge; the inerrancy of the Bible; forensic justification; the reality
of hell; the need for divine grace in conversion; and faith in Jesus Christ
as the only way of salvation.
Privatised truth
Post-modern subjectivism has brought us to the point where, according to some
respected theologians, we should accept other professing Christians as brethren
despite major differences with regard to the way of salvation.
The scandal of the recent Evangelicals and Catholics Together initiative is
a case in point. Apparently, we must now operate on some non-doctrinal existential
level in these matters.
The past decade has seen a radical privatisation of truth. Subjectivism is dominant
in the Charismatic movement, and its poison is spreading further afield. Current
moves to ‘free up’ worship, for example, will not revitalise our
churches, as many hope, but will only move once-biblical churches further from
their moorings.
Lessons must be learned
We simply must learn the lessons of the last ten years. One commentator on
the Toronto Blessing warned darkly that, if Toronto was from God, it represented
judgement upon the Pentecostal-Charismatic world, not blessing. If repentance
does not follow, he added, worse was surely to come.
Well, since Toronto, we have had gold teeth fillings and (since there is no
evidence of repentance) worse may be on the way.
Yet non-Charismatics should not be smug. In some parts of the world, where they
major on simple gospel proclamation amongst the poorest of the poor, Pentecostals
and Charismatics have been mightily used of God.
In our concern for truth, let us not become inward-looking, but remember the
evangelistic enterprise that Christ entrusted to his church. But let us also
work and pray for the major reformation of doctrine and practice we so greatly
need, and which alone can arrest the downward trend in our churches.
The author is Chief Researcher with the Christian Research Network. He acknowledges help in compiling this article from the booklet The facts on the Faith Movement by J. Ankerberg and J. Weldon (Harvest House, 1993).
[Used by permission from Evangelical Times august 2001]