The Word of Faith Movement

The rise of this movement is credited to Kenneth E. Hagin, who popularized, and factually plagiarized in several cases the works of E.W. Kenyon as a base of the theological principles of the movement.  Hagin is affectionately called “Papa Hagin” by many in the movement.  If Hagin is Papa, then Kenyon is Pappy.

Kenyon’s famous quote, and summary of his belief system, was “What I confess, I possess.”  This statement establishes the principle behind the name “word of faith,” as it is believed that the word one speaks in faith has a mystical power- beyond even that of God himself- as they teach that even God uses this fictitiously defined “faith” for his own work.  The basis of that doctrine will be developed later in this study.

Hagin developed a rough draft of what has become the basis of Word of Faith theology.  It was then borrowed, embellished and redistributed by numerous other disingenuous teachers, many of whom have connections with Trinity Broadcast Network, a substantial enabler and co-conspirator in the propagation of Word of Faith doctrines.

The essence of those doctrines will be examined in light of scripture throughout the bulk of the remaining work of this section.

Revelation Knowledge

Principles

Revelation knowledge is defined as “revelation” (that which is hidden, becoming revealed) by direct intervention of God himself.  One claiming revelation knowledge is claiming that God has told him something that could not have been revealed in any other way.

This study takes no issue with the existence of revelation knowledge, or that God can speak to a person and grant knowledge, either audibly or in one’s spirit.  He has spoken to this author quite clearly in giving direction at times.

Yet, this study does take issue with supposed revelation knowledge which changes the written Word of God. 

Matthew 22:29 (NIV)
²⁹ Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

Galatians 1:6-8 (NIV)
⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

God does not change.  Truth, which is defined by him, does not change.  His word does not change.

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Since the reformation, Protestants have underscored the Bible, and the Bible alone as the source of revelation (in contrast to Roman Catholicism with teaches the Bible plus history as the basis for revelation) for the essentials of the Christian faith.  These essentials of the faith are unchanging in light of the unchanging nature of God’s word which revealed them.

While God may quicken someone to knowledge, that knowledge never usurps scripture, else it is considered utterly reprobate.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Groups which added “their” books are called “cults” and are excluded from inclusion in fellowship with the true church.

The security of scriptures is a fundamental element of protestant Christianity.  To change scripture- by any means- according to Paul, is to be eternally condemned.

WOF Revelation Knowledge Examples

WOF teachers depend on a substantial repertoire of “revelation knowledge” to teach their doctrines.  While this is clearly erroneous, it is understandable from the standpoint that the Bible does not contain their doctrines.  In fact, the only way to claim to follow the Bible and teach unbiblical doctrines is to assert something else as authoritative beyond the Bible itself.  That something, in WOF teaching, is the unverifiable realm of revelation knowledge.

In this section, some general and specific claims of various WOF teachers will be examined.  By “general” claims, it is meant that these are claims which do not necessitate verifiable events to be validated; only a trust in the teacher who makes them.  By “specific” claims, it is meant that the supposed prophecies are of a specific nature which can be empirically verified. 

·         Some general supernatural “revelation knowledge” claims of WOF teachers are:

§  Joyce Meyer:  “The Bible can’t even find any way to explain this. Not really. That’s why you’ve got to  get it by revelation. There are no words to explain what I’m telling you. I’ve got to just trust God that He’s putting it into your spirit like He put it into mine.” 
 Joyce Meyer, “What Happened from the Cross to the Throne,” audio

·         Romans 10:17 (NIV)
¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

§  Jesse Duplantis claims to have seen and had conversations with God.  He states that he “was taller than I thought He would be.”

·         John 4:24 (NIV)
²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

§  Kenneth Copeland:  “The Spirit of God spoke to me and He said, “Son, realize this. Now follow me in this and don’t let your tradition trip you up.” He said, “Think this way — a twice-born man whipped Satan in his own domain.” And I threw my Bible down… like that. I said, “What?” He said, “A born-again man defeated Satan, the firstborn of many brethren defeated him.” He said, “You are the very image, the very copy of that one.” I said, “Goodness, gracious sakes alive!” And I began to see what had gone on in there, and I said, “Well now you don’t mean, you couldn’t dare mean, that I could have done the same thing?” He said, “Oh yeah, if you’d had the knowledge of the Word of God that He did, you could have done the same thing, ’cause you’re a reborn man too.”  
Kenneth Copeland, “What Happened from the Cross to the Throne,” audio

·         Acts 4:12 (NIV)
¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (and no, this text wasn’t written about Ken Copeland)

In this category, students are expected to trust the unverifiable revelation knowledge of the teachers, even though this knowledge literally changes scripture, such as in Copeland’s case; that even he (Ken Copeland) could have died for the sins of the world, when the entirety of scripture points to a unique Messiah, realized in the person of Jesus Christ.

If only WOF teachers would be content to stay general in their revelation knowledge, the job of exposing them would be more difficult.  Fortunately, they are not wary of that fact, and seem to believe their own teaching; that what they say will come true simply because they said it.  History has utterly defeated that postulate from the very teachers themselves, as is noted in their specific claims, which are easily discredited by verifiable history.

·         Some specific Claims of WOF teachers:

§  Benny: I had a word of prophecy from Ruth Heflin. You know who Ruth Heflin is? Ruth prophesied over me back in the ’70s and everything she said has happened. She’s just sent me a word through my wife and said, the Lord spoke to her audibly and said that He is going to appear physically in one of our crusades in the next few months.

Steve Brock: My God! I’m ready for that!

Benny: Yeah. She — I’m telling you! — she said, the Lord spoke to her audibly and said “Tell Benny I’m going to appear physically on the platform in his meeting.”

·         This was recorded from TBN, March 29, 2000, “This is Your Day”

o   Jesus hasn’t showed up on stage for 8 years, now

·         Wikipedia reports that Hinn also “prophesied” in the 90’s that before the year 2000 God would destroy America’s homosexual community, the death of Fidel Castro, America would elect its first female president and that the east coast would be devastated by earthquakes.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_hinn)

o   YouTube link

§  On April 1st 2001, I said “America prepare yourself, you will go to war”. Subsequently, the Spirit began to share some of the details about the possible length of the battle and the outcome. I spoke about certain attacks planned against the soldiers and the fact that God would protect them so that not one of them would be inflicted. I believe with all of my heart that America is in the perfect will of God. A tyrant lives, and yet there are people in this nation shouting the odds about the instrument that God has chosen as his battle-axe — the President of the United States of America.

Kim Clement (http://www.kimclement.com/newsflashes/newsflashes.htm, March 19th 2003 )

·         Bragging about a supposed fore-knowledge of the Iraqi war, Kim Clement then also noted “not one of them would be inflicted.”

o   Foolishly, he made this statement as the war was just getting underway.

o   There are 4,119 dead U.S. soldiers in this war as of July 15th 2008.

Incredibility of WOF Revelation Knowledge

While these are only a few examples of WOF teachers’ revelation knowledge, more will be given throughout the course of this study, chiefly because much of their doctrine is based on one of two things:  a maligning of the written Word or the imposition of supposed revelation knowledge when they are unable to adequately twist scripture.

In short, these examples of  a general nature demonstrate clearly that their revelation knowledge usurps God’s word in their claims.

In the preceding examples of specific claims it is demonstrated that their revelation knowledge is simply erroneous, fictional; wrong.  They do not even come adjacent to reality.

When God speaks, through revelation knowledge, he does neither of those two things.

He does not contradict what he has formerly spoken in the written word

Luke 21:33 (NIV)
³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

James 1:17 (NIV)
¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Psalm 102:26 (NIV)
²⁶ They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.

and he is never wrong.

Psalm 18:30 (NIV)
³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

Make no mistake; under these circumstances, the very foundation from which these teachers assert their falsified spiritual authority is broken.

Isaiah 8:20 (NIV)
²⁰ To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.