Word of Faith

I am increasingly convinced that there is a heresy within American Christianity that began in the not too distant past with parts of Penetecostalism and that is now rooting itself in the minds of average evangelical believers across the nation.  I was under its influence for awhile, people very close to me struggle with the harmful effects of its teaching, and I have many good friends in Christ who are being swayed by it in varying degrees.  The teachings of the Word of Faith movement are unbiblical and dangerous and I hope that you will take some time to read what I say here and then research the issue yourself. 

Lets start with "what is the Word of Faith movement or WofF?"  It is essentially the belief that if one believes the word of God, speaks and confesses the word, never doubts, and tells others about this premise - the person will receive whatever they spoke and confessed.  Yes...whatever.  Confess and have faith in your financial improvement (along with tithing of course) and blamo - God provides.  State with no doubt that you will be healed from cancer and God is obligated to take the disease away.  Ask God to improve family communication within your home and have 100% faith that he will - marital improvement will follow with absolute certainty.

WofF teaching makes God our personal slot machine.  Put a faith quarter in, pull the handle the right way, and JACKPOT - God provides.

Originally put forward by EW Kenyon, the teaching claims that miracles and supernatural acts common in regular Pentecostalism should not be viewed as random outpourings of God - instead they are covenantal guarantees to us by God that can happen at our command IF, as Ken Hagin says...

"say it, do it, receive it, tell it"


WofF teachers misuse Scriptures like Mark 11 and to support their theology. They regard Isaiah 53:5 to mean that complete bodily healing is avaliable now to those who have full faith and that physical sickness is a failure of the Christian to belief, thereby allowing Satan to ron us of our divine right to health.

The WofF crew also likes to teach the odd doctrine that Jesus was wealthy based on statements about him having a treasurer (Judas) and how he did not work during his 3 year ministry. Such teaching obviously influences believers to seek for material fortune, through a process of tithing that ends up being compulsory in direct contradiction to Pauls New Testament decree. How they get around the red letters of the Bible which are so abundently clear that "the love of money is the root of many evils" - I don't understand.

Of course, the primary tenet of WofF belief is in the "positive" and "negative" confession. Falsely based on Proverbs 18:21, the teachings holds to the idea that humans are endowed with the same verbal creative ability that God used to begin our universe. God spoke things into existence and so can we. Belief and confession creates power and likewise, negativity and doubt breed helplessness.

The "name it/ claim it" philosophy of WofF belief is based far more on the New Age Spiritualism and Eastern concepts that came to America in the last 150 years than on any biblical footing. The extraordinary nature of such ideas and the general lack of much Scripture that can even be possibly used to support them should give pause - much less the fact that no major figures in church history attested to such beliefs.

While the practices above are certainly heterodox, they have not yet demonstrated heresy. But, it doesn't take much digging to unearth the theological foundations on which WofF rests. Key to the movement is the premise of being "little gods"...

Ken Hagin notes that by being "born again" we are as much an incarnation of God as Jesus was. He also warps the traditional view of the Holy Spirit by claiming that "You don't have God in you - You are one." His views are founded in yet another misunderstanding of bible verse, this time Psalms 82:6.

Atlanta pastor, Creflo Dollar, teaches his congregation that they are not just the image of God - they are "little g gods." "You're not human" he says "The only human part of you is the flesh you are wearing."

As Hank Hannegraff says: Word of Faith teaching demotes God and Christ and deifys man and Satan.

I hope that these short comments have sparked you interest in looking more closely into the teaching of this dangerous movement that destroys the faith of those whom it fails and that breeds pride in the hearts of sinful men.