The Word Faith "Prosperity Gospel" Movement

Go directly to these exposes at Deception in the Church.com:

John Bevere, Markus Bishop, Morris Cerullo, Kim Clement, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, T.D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, Miles Munroe, Steve Munsey, Mike Murdock, Joel Osteen, Rod Parsley, Fred Price, Oral Roberts, R.W. Shambach, Robert Schuller, Karl Strader, Robert Tilton

(1) An Examination Of The Word-Faith Movement by Richard J. Vincent, 1991
"The Word-Faith Teachers. This is the group that would seek to convince us that Jesus and His disciples were rich, that to be poor is a sin, to be sick is a sin, and that faith is a creative force that we can use to shape our world just like God supposedly created this world and universe that we live in through His "faith"! Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, John Avanzini, Robert Tilton, Fred Price, and Benny Hinn (who at the time of this writing has authored the number 1 best selling Christian book in America, 'Good Morning, Holy Spirit') are just a few that spew out this theological vomit." Copeland is one of the fathers of the Toronto/Brownsville "counterfeit" revival movement.

(2) The "Faith" Movement May Be Prospering But Is It Healthy? by Mark E. Howerter, 1997
"What would you say, I wonder, if you were told that there is a teaching sweeping through evangelical churches in our day that not only has made changes to, but has also taken out the very core of the Gospel and replaced it with a fake?" Copeland is one of the fathers of the Toronto/Brownsville "counterfeit" revival movement.

(4) A Profile Of The Word-Faith Movement compiled by Clete Hux, 1997
"Positive Confession is the belief that if a believer speaks "spiritual" or "faith-filled" words then he can have what he says. Unfortunately, this influence has invaded the church and continues to cause much turmoil and confusion."

(5) What's Wrong With The Faith Movement - Part One by Hendrik H. Hanegraaff, 1993
"What's wrong with the "Faith" movement? Its leaders include many of the most popular television evangelists. Its adherents compose a large percentage of charismatic evangelical Christians. Its emphases on faith, the authority of the believer, and the absolute veracity of Scripture could appear to be just what today's church needs. And yet, I am convinced that this movement poses one of the greatest contemporary threats to orthodox Christianity from within. Through it, cultic theology is being increasingly accepted as true Christianity."

(6) What's Wrong With The Faith Movement - Part Two by Hendrik H. Hanegraaff and Erwin M. de Castro, 1993
"Copeland is responsible for spreading many of the Faith movement's unbiblical teachings. He distorts the biblical concepts of faith and covenant. He reduces God to the image of man while elevating man to the status of God. He lowers Jesus to being a product of positive confession who took on a satanic nature at the cross. And he promotes the occult practice of creative visualization." Copeland is one of the fathers of the Toronto/Brownsville "counterfeit" revival movement.

(7) Faith in Faith or Faith in God? by Hendrik H. Hanegraaff, 1990
"Walter Martin used to say, "All faith is subsumed under the overarching biblical doctrine of the sovereignty of God." The Creator is the Lord of the universe, not a cosmic "gofer" at the beck and call of His creation. It is not our faith that sits on the throne, but our sovereign God (1 Chron. 29:10-12). "

(8) Freedom from the Faith Movement: The Personal Testimony by Jeff Beard, 1990
"At Rhema, I was taught the heretical doctrine that Jesus had to die spiritually, which, by the way, renders Jesus' work on the cross insufficient for man's redemption and justification. I remember Kenneth Copeland telling us that when Christ died on the cross, the Second Person of the Godhead was broken off from the other two Persons."

(9) 10 Reasons To Reject Word Of Faith Teachings by Cross + Word, 1997
"'Positive Confession', a movement that came to popular acclaim through supposedly good fruit such as healing, has revealed its true nature as something more like a cult, with extremes of belief that bring the Name of the Lord into disrepute. The roots of Word of Faith doctrine are firmly planted in the soil of the metaphysical cults."

(10) Misplaced Faith by B. M. Rocine, 1997
"By saying the right formulas, can people control God? Can the Holy Spirit be held in the palm of the hand, pumped, or scooped into other people? Is it true that Jesus Christ will not come back until Christians all over the world unite under the leadership of new apostles and prophets and take control of the whole earth? Can Christians be gods?"

(11) Atonement Where? by Moreno Dal Bello, 1998
"A Biblical Analysis of the Disturbing Claims Put Forward by the Faith Movement, Which Include the Inefficiency of
Christ's Blood, Alone, to Atone for the Sins of Man; the Need for Christ's Spiritual Death, and that the
Redemption of Mankind was Completed in Hell!"

(12) My Word Of Faith Testimony by Cross + Word, 1998
"Some people have asked me, how did God open your eyes to the errors of the Faith Movement? So, I thought it would be helpful to post to this website my own story. It's not a researched article, but a personal testimony, so take it or leave it."

(13) Heresies Of The Word-Faith Movement by Christian Youth Alliance, 1998
"These examples and many, many others can be demonstrated from the materials produced by the Word-Faith teachers. If you would like to hear these and many other quotes for yourself (.wav files), please send an email specifying the individuals you are interested in."

(14) Essek Kenyon - Cult Founder Or Evangelical Minister by Geir Lie, 1998
A careful study of E.W. Kenyon by Geir Lie, who was himself brought up in the Faith Movement. We do not agree with all his observations, but the historical record is enough to point to the birth or the current Word-Faith Movement. Kenyon was heavily influenced by the New Thought and Christian Science. Kenyon spawned Kenneth Hagin and RHEMA, who shamlessly ripped off Kenyon's work and called it his own. That his work needed ripping off is what should mystify most Christians.

(15) How the Health and Wealth Gospel Twists Scripture by The Watchman Expositor, 1995
"Most Christians have heard some of the following: "You can have what you say," "The reason you haven't been healed is that you don't have enough faith," "We can write our own ticket with God if we decide what we want, believe that it's ours, and confess it," "He wants you rich and healthy," "What is the desire of your heart? Name it , claim it by faith, and it is yours! Your heavenly Father has promised it. It's right there in the Bible." Such statements reflect the models which set forth a theology of the spoken word (rhematology) or of thought-actualization, commonly known as "positive confession", which stresses the inherent power of words and thoughts."

(16) The "Jesus Died Spiritually" Heresy by Inner City Discernment Ministry, 1998
"One of the most blatant and blasphemous heresies taught by the major internationally known Word of Faith teachers is the doctrine that says Jesus Christ, God the Son died spiritually and had to be reborn spiritually due to becoming a lost sinner."

(17) David Wilkerson Blasts Faith Preachers In Sermon by Billy Bruce in New York City, 1999
"In a sermon preached six months ago and circulated widely on cassette tapes, New York pastor David Wilkerson blasts prosperity doctrines, "holy laughter" and the flamboyance of evangelist Benny Hinn." Here is the transcript of the "Reproach Of The Solemn Assembly" by David Wilkerson.

(19) Joni Eareckson Tada - Comments On Word-Faith by Joni Eareckson Tada, Bible Answer Man program, 12/99
On December 8, 1999, Joni Eareckson Tada was on the Bible Answer Man, and made devastating comments about Word-Faith teachings.

(20) The Reproach Of The Solemn Assembly by David Wilkerson, 1999
"This important transcript from a tape by David Wilkerson of Times Square Church, is shocking, moving and very timely."

(21) Word-Faith Movement - Profile by Clete Hux, Watchman Fellowship, 1996
"As a movement rather than an organized group, there is no founder or founding date, per se. The philosophical roots extend to Gnosticism. E.W. Kenyon (1860-?) was perhaps the earliest modern exponent to blend the
movement's eastern mystical and New Age elements with Christian teaching."

(22) Positive Confession by Watchman Fellowship, 1995
"Positive Confession is the belief that if a believer speaks "spiritual" or "faith-filled" words then he can have what he says. Unfortunately, this influence has invaded the church and continues to cause much turmoil and confusion. "

(23) Wells Without Water by Cross + Word, 2000
"This is a major new study on the Word of Faith Movement, using verbatim transcripts from tapes produced by the Kenneth Copeland Ministry. ("Wells Without Water" was originally produced as four audio tapes in the 1980's). The four major sections of the study are as follows:"

(24) An Evaluation Of The Key Doctrines In The Health And Wealth Faith Movement by Vincent McCann, Spotlight Ministries
"Even though the health and wealth faith movement continues to attract a following it has been seen that in many of its key doctrines it deviates from historic Christian belief. This is evident in almost every aspect of doctrine and practice, such as Christian living, the doctrine of God, the atonement, and anthropology."

(25) Did Jesus Die Spiritually, His Spirit Become Re-Created, And He Become Born Again? by Neil Rivalland
"The cross of Christ and the Atonement are at the heart of the Christian faith. Our understanding of the doctrine of the Atonement affects our understanding of all other fundamental Christian doctrine - everything from the attributes of God, to the person of Christ, to the doctrine of salvation, and to our understanding of sanctification."

(27) Becoming Rich Under The Anointing -The Wealth Of The Wicked Transferred by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 5/21/00
"Want to know what someone really believes-watch how they live, their lifestyle. When men live and promote an opulent lifestyle they have ignored the warning of Jesus of loving God or loving money. You cannot serve both! Listen to what they are teaching on. The majority of sermons are on getting money, and their life revolves around it, what more can be said."

(28) The Price Is Right Or Wrong? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 12/4/00
"Fred Prices' faith teaching on prosperity."

(29) Heresies Of The Word-Faith Movement by Hegewisch Baptist Church, 12/00
"Have you heard of Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Fred Price, Paul Crouch, Kathryn Kuhlman, or Marilyn Hickey? There are many proponents of the Word Faith Movement, which currently endorse a great number of heresies and blasphemies."

(30) The Word Of Faith Movement by Gary E Gilley, Pastor-Teacher at Southern View Chapel, Volume 5, Issue 4, 1999
"Have you heard of Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Fred Price, Paul Crouch, Kathryn Kuhlman, or Marilyn Hickey? There are many proponents of the Word Faith Movement, which currently endorse a great number of heresies and blasphemies."

(31) Faith Movement Exposed by David Dorozan, 2001
"The testimony of a man who get invovled with Henry Hinn (Benny Hinn's brother) and his church, Vancouver Christian Center. He details the false doctrines, false prophesies, and shady financial dealings of the church."

(32) The Pain Series by Rev. Gary Gilley, Southern View Chapel Newsletter, Volume 7, Issue 9 & 10, 10/01
A series on the issue of pain and the sovereignty of God. Where does the responsiblility for pain lie and what are the reasons for it? Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

(35) The Power Of Money by Paul Proctor, 2003
There’s nothing in the bible about Jesus or the apostles ever soliciting money from those they preached to. Despite the fact that it’s vulgar, offensive and counterproductive to the cause of Christ, televangelists and others like them have been doing just that and more for eons. You see, it takes a lot of money to keep a face on TV and I suppose many of them see that as somehow good for God.

(36) The False Teachings of the Word of Faith Movement by Jim L. Smith
Jim L. Smith is the Senior Pastor/Founder of Battlefield Church of Faith, Ringgold, Georgia. He was born in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1965, was raised in the First Baptist Denomination and was subsequently ordained by the Word of Faith ministry in 1999 after leaving Church of God to start Battlefield Church of Faith (Interdenominational/Pentecostal). This is his story and exposé - for Pastor Smith uncovered false teachings within the Word of Faith movement that caused him to turn away from it. Now he is eager to share what he found with anyone who has a love for truth. His work can also be found on his website at battlefieldchurchoffaith.org. [Note: This article is in PDF format.]

(37) C&MA Endorses the Word of Faith Movement by Sandy Simpson, 9/30/03
I have a great admiration for both A.B. Simpson and Christian and Missionary Alliance for their work for the Lord up to the present time. This is why I am writing this article because I believe that Jonathan Graf, Director of Prayer Mobilization for C&MA is attempting to indoctrinate that organization with false teachings from the Word-Faith movement.

(38) Tangled In The Miracle Net by Steve Mitchell, Power To Stand, 10/03
India and indeed all of Asia is being inundated and invaded by the worst false teachings imaginable exported from beyond its shores. Unfortunately, bad seed from the Word/Faith heretics and the Third Wave false teachers are finding fertile soil in Indian churches nationwide.

(39) The Lesson Of The Rich Young Ruler by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 10/03
He was rich, young and a ruler, what else can one need?

(40) Who Wants To Be A God? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/04
So many people seem to be convinced that the Bible teaches that we are gods. The Mormons, the New Agers and yes, there are a growing number of Christians that believe this as well. Each of these have a different variation on what this means. The Christian view comes from the influence of heretical Word/Faith teachers.

(41) Can Christians Buy A Miracle Like So Many "Christian" Leaders Teach?
"But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Acts 8:20-21

(42) The Culting Of Christianity by Craig Branch, New Man Magazine, April 20, 2004
Not long ago, religious cults were dismissed by many Americans as being the stuff of aging California hippies or eccentric gurus from the Far East. But things have changed. Today, you need not look any further than around the block to encounter the pervasive influence of cults. Their authors are on the best-seller lists. Their ideas are subtly communicated in popular music, movies and TV programs. Their propagators are, in some instances quite literally, knocking at your door.

(44) Christian Channel Europe: A Look At "God TV" by The Belfast Berean, 7/04
"GOD TV is not from God; it is a counterfeit of the worst and most diabolical kind and is to be rejected and denounced."

(45) Disturbing Trends within WoF: Scripture-Twisting and 'Jedi Mind Tricks' by Mike Oppenheimer, 7/04
As one who has spent a considerable amount of time researching and exposing a truckload of heretics and false prophets, I am extremely disturbed over two new trends being established by those who blindly follow these savage wolves of our day.

(48) “Sowing Your Faith Seed” or “Dialing For Dollars? ” –The TBN Praise-A-Thon by Michael C. Gaudiosi - The Berean Radio Network, THE NOBLE BEREAN: Volume Four October-December 2005
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! Well, here we go again! It’s Praise-A-Thon time! If you tuned into TBN during the week of October 31st, you saw the parade of stars…the spiritual elite stars that is! Among them were Paul and Jan Crouch, Juanita Bynum, Paula White, Jentezen Franklin, Mark Chironna and a host of other Word Faith teachers that gathered together for one week telling you to “sow a seed” or “sow a seed faith promise” or “sow a faith promise seed” …etc, however you slice it, it’s the same thing! The whole idea here is for you to “go to the phone and give”. This is your act of obedience to the Lord and if you hesitate, you are in rebellion! They don’t come out and say that directly, well at least some of them don’t, but that is usually what is meant here. I have been watching this lunacy all during the week it was on, and I wanted to give my two cents worth in this newsletter.

(1) Beware Of John Bevere! by The Belfast Berean, 9/01
John Bevere sounds like he is firmly within the 'Word-Faith' camp broadcasting along side such heretics as Copeland, Hinn, Saville, Duplantis and Crouch on GOD TV. Sadly his message is no different!

(1) Markus Bishop by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
"A series of short articles about Markus Bishop."

(2) Morris Cerullo - The Last Great Anointing? by Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 1998 Morris continues to spew forth false teaching regarding the "anointing" which has no biblical basis whatsoever. Let me ask you a question. What was the "first" great anointing He released upon the Church? If we want to call the Day of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, the first great anointing, so be it, but what was the second, the third, the fourth. . .and now the "last" great anointing?

(1) Updated 3/27/03! Kim Clement by Contenders, 1999
Kim Clement is a self-proclaimed prophet and a frequent guest on the Trinity Bradcasting Network. But is he a genuine prophet or one of those prophets that Scripture warns us will tell us to follow after other gods? The quotes from Mr. Clement in this section should give us a hint.

(2) Is Kim Clement A New Age Prophet? by Mike Oppenhiemer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 9/02
A careful and detailed look at prophet Kim Clements teachings and prophecies.

(1) Paul Crouch Issues Death Threat! by Bob Hunter, 1997
"TBN's Paul Crouch has issued a death threat against anyone who would come against the Trinity Broadcasting Network."

(2) TBN Replies to Charge of Death Threat by Bob Hunter, 1997 "In response to numerous inquiries, Trinity Broadcasting is sending out a standard reply to the charge that Paul Crouch issued a death threat against the enemies of TBN. However, did they address the issue, or avoid it by set up a strawman argument? The text of their reply, including a gif file of a standard reply, is included, along with my comments."

(3) Omega Syndrome Author Versus TBN Dateline Los Angeles, California - It all started July 11, 2000
"SYLVIA FLEENER, author of The Omega Syndrome, filed suit in Los Angeles, Federal Court against Trinity Broadcast Network and it's principals, Paul and Jan Crouch, additionally naming their son Matthew Crouch, TBN Films, Inc., Gener8Xion Entertainment, Inc., Western Front, Ltd. along with writers Stephan Blinn, Hollis Barton and Lance Charles for copyright and trademark infringement for their use of her original novel, The Omega Syndrome, in the creation process of the Christian movie and book, The Omega Code." For the conclusion to this matter, see this story in Charisma News Service entitled "TBN Settles "Omega " Suit. The records are now sealed. I wonder how much she got?

(4) Paul Crouch by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
"A series of short articles about Paul Crouch."

(6) Crouch Buys $5 Million Palace by Rick Wiles,
Copyright 2001/AmericanFreedomNews.com, November 28, 2001
"TBN’s fall telethon must have been a big success."

(8) The Confused World Of Paul & Jan Crouch by Joseph Chambers, Paw Creek Ministries
Expose of the Crouches and their TBN guests such as Benny Hinn and Kenneth Copeland from a number of years ago. Contains a number of quotes.

(9) Jan Crouch Hears Voices and Levitates by Jackie Alnor, The Christian Sentinel
Crouch told her TBN newsletter readers of this strange mystical episode in the July 2004 TBN newsletter. Later,
something awakened her in the middle of the night and left her suspended in mid-air, she claimed: "It happened last Wednesday," she wrote. "‘Jan,’ I heard a voice say. ‘Yes,’ I responded, looking around…. ‘Hello.’ I heard nothing. "Hello, is someone there? Did someone call me?’ Working in my office about 4:00 p.m., I heard it again from down the hall: ’Jan.’ I answered, ‘Yes, I heard you…hello? Did someone call me?’… "It was 10:30 p.m. — and I was still in my office finishing up late faxes — I heard it again. ‘Jan.’ I froze in my chair. I said, ‘Is someone there?’ and got up quickly and went to the back door."

(11) Crouch Flouts Christian Tradition by Dana Parsons, Times Staff Writer, LA Times, 10/17/04
A soft-voiced woman left a phone message saying she'd read my column chiding Paul Crouch and his money-grubbing evangelizing empire at Trinity Broadcasting Network. "I prayed about you," the woman on the phone said, "and the Lord showed me that one day soon you'll be at TBN on TV publicly apologizing to Mr. Crouch." You'll think I'm being sarcastic — I'm not — when I say I was touched to be in her prayers. That said, I guarantee her I won't be appearing on TBN and certainly not to apologize.

(1) Dollar and the Gospel The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mar. 9, 2000
"The Rev. Creflo Dollar Jr. has unabashedly embraced his name by building a religious empire on the message that his brand of piety leads to prosperity. He drives a black Rolls-Royce, flies to speaking engagements across the nation and Europe in a $5 million private jet and lives in a $1 million home behind iron gates in an upscale Atlanta neighborhood. (...) But now Dollar is wrestling with more temporal matters. He's been cited for contempt of court in the Evander Holyfield divorce."

(2) Becoming Rich Under The Anointing - The Wealth Of The Wicked Transferred by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason, 2000
"Some current teachers seem to think that Moses forsaking the riches of Egypt was not necessary. He could have had the best of both Egypt and God. He didn't have to give up anything for Gods kingdom. The teaching that is promoted is that if we are working for the Lord we should get paid better than we did when in the world. After all, we are serving God."

(3) Was Jesus Rich? by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason, 2000
"Among those who teach Jesus and the apostles are rich are Oral Roberts, and Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Hagin."

(4) Updated 1/8/03! Creflo Dollar by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
"A series of short articles about Creflo Dollar."

(6) Are Christians Equal With God? by David McAllister, The Belfast Berean, Last Updated 2/5/02
"Man is not divine or can he ever be! Man is not omnipresent, omniscient or omnipotent like God, and neither does he have an ability to create with words! Only God has these abilities. May Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Copeland reject these silly notions once and for all."

(7) Creflo Dollars' Teaching On The God/man (pt.1) by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/4/03
An introduction to one of the main ministries on new revelation and prosperity -- what Creflo Dollar teaches on Adam, man and God. Also read Part 2 and Part 3.

(9) The Good News - YOU Too Can be Rich by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 2/05
Rags to Riches - Creflo Dollar's teaching on the gospel of
wealth.

(1) Jesse Duplantis' Whopper by Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 1998 I recognize it is a serious thing to charge a fellow "minister" with lying, but I am given no other choice. Jesse Duplantis is growing ever more popular by the day, yet he consistently refuses to answer questions about what he teaches or the statements he makes.

(2) Jesse Duplantisby Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
A series of articles about Jesse Duplantis.

(3) Jesse Duplantis - A Man With A Short Theology And Tall Tales by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 8/01
"He is a man with more stories than anyone else has in their holster. Unlike his discipler Copeland there is very little expository teaching from him. Nonetheless, we have another who alters the word to his likin'. Instead, Duplantis uses his personal stories to woo his audience into laughter. And he is funny, but it is not funny what he teaches! Duplantis disdains doctrine."

(1) Plagiarism, Kenyon And Links To Word-Faith Unknown Compiler, 1995 Essek William Kenyon plagiarized Kenneth E. Hagin, Sr. and held to virtually the same Word-Faith teachings. These are two men who were influences on the current Toronto "Blessing"/Brownsville "Revival" phenomenon.

(2) Kenneth Hagin - Serpant Power at The Interactive Bible, 1998
For an clear picture of one of the main influences of the Third Wave, take a real video and audio visit to RHEMA where Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland balspheme God, laugh demonically, roll around on the floor, hiss like snakes, make animal noises, and tell people that the disciples were drunk at Pentecost. This sickening display is also available on video from Paw Creek Ministries.

(3) Kenneth Hagin - False Prophet by Rev. Robert S. Liichow, 1998 "Mr. Hagin has long been touted as a prophet by many within the charismatic movement for years. Without a doubt, all people within the Word of Faith Movement look to Mr. Hagin as a genuine prophet of God. The facts seem to indicate otherwise! Here are three examples of Hagin's prophetic ability - all of which failed to come to pass."

(4) Kenneth Hagin - Another Failed Prophesy by Contenders, 1999 "Another Failed Prophecy! Kenneth Hagin Prophecy For October In July Kenneth Hagin issued a prophecy which indicates that the great revival everyone has been waiting for will begin in October after "that which has hindered shall be taken out of the way." Does this mean the removal of the critics, the rapture of the church, the "cleansing" that New Agers have spoken of? You decide."

(5) The Counterfeit Dreams and Visions of "Prophet" Kenneth Hagin by Rev. Robert Liichow, Discernment Ministry International, 1998
"Kenneth E. Hagin is the acknowledged "father" of the modern Word of Faith Movement and is viewed by charismatic Christians globally as a true prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. Kenneth Hagin has been active in ministry since the late 1930's and worked around the fringes of the Pentecostal healing revival of the 1940's through late 1950's.

(6) Word-Faith Founder Kenneth Hagin Sr. Dies 9/23/03 by Sandy Simpson, 9/03
Hagin is responsible for bringing the cult of Word-Faith into mainstream Christianity, while most Christian leaders stood by and let it happen. This is why we are plagued by his followers like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney Howard-Browne, Creflo Dollar and thousands of others today.

(1) Marilyn Hickey by Rev. Robert S. Liichow, 1997 "From her school (and these others) a new generation of Word of Faith ministries is being grown, with more and more error and heresy. Remember heresy does not get better, it does not improve with age, like a fine wine. It continues to drift further and further into darkness. The only way heresy is stopped in the Church is by godly people standing up for the truth and being willing to swim upstream against what is popular. I pray you are I will be some of these people."

(2) Marilyn Hickey by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
A series of articles about Marilyn Hickey.

(3) Marilyn Hickey's Whopper by Rev. Robert Liichow, Discernment Ministry International, 1998
Gimmicks and fabrications.

(4) Marilyn Hickey - Are Christians Cursed? by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 40
Popular television faith teacher Marilyn Hickey has published a book entitled Break the Generation Curse that claims to help Christians break curses that are coming upon them.

(1) Get Ready For T.D. Jakes: The Velcro Bishop With Another Gospel by G. Richard Fisher, Personal Freedom Outreach, Vol 17, No 2, 1997 "We must choose — the stakes are enormous — and eternal. Put away the Jakes materials and revisit the Bible. It will tell you the truth minus the velcro."

(2) T.D. Jakes by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
A series of articles about T.D. Jakes.

(3) The Trinity - Refused Or Confused by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries
Exposing anti-Trinitarians including Tommy Tenney, Creflo Dollar, Rod Parsley, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Gwen Shamblain, Arnold Murray, Joseph Goode.

(1) Bishop Eddie Long by MyFortress.Com, 12/04
"Bishop Eddie Long also uses Word Faith jargon such as: "Everything that you have been speaking is coming...Touch your neighbor and say, 'You got power in your mouth.' Tell them, 'There is power in your words...It is so important that you change your vocabulary. Alot of the stuff I found myself in, I spoke it."

(1) Joyce Meyer by G. Richard Fisher and Paul R. Belli, 1999
"Christians have come to presume that teachers and authors who profess to speak and write out of a calling from the Holy Spirit will present a message that is doctrinally sound and consistent from sermon to sermon and book to book. However, anyone who has watched the Christian Charismatic scene over the past several years knows that such a presumption is dangerous and often will fail to be borne out. Joyce Meyer, a rising star on the Charismatic horizon with a weekly program on cable TV and the Trinity Broadcasting Network and a new book, The Word, The Name, The Blood, is the latest example."

(2) The Preacher Who Doesn't Tell It Like It Is - The Truth Twisting And Tall Tales Of Joyce Meyer by Paul R. Belli and G. Richard Fisher, 1999
"Somehow, those who really, “tell it like it is” are looked down upon as overeducated, unanointed, critical, religious attackers. The bottom line is that as a result of not studying to show herself approved unto God, Meyer succumbs to heresies, promotes false teaching and does not tell it like it is — she tells it like it isn’t." Also, check out this earlier expose' from 1996 to see that this lady has been teaching false doctrine for a long time. It is called "Doctrinal Ambiguity Of A Wandering Star - The Changing Views Of Joyce Meyer"

(3) Joyce Meyer - Views by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
A number of Meyer's views on the following including: Jesus Was Tormented and Paid the Price For Our Sins In Hell and Was Born-Again, You Cannot Go to Heaven Unless You Believe Jesus Went to Hell, Generational Spirits, Angels Tell Joyce What to Say, Holy Laughter.

(4) No Prophetic Word About Fire From Meyer by MKG, PFO, January-March 2002
The disaster was the deadliest hotel fire in the Philippines and the worst such catastrophe in the country since a fire at a discotheque killed 160 people in 1996.

(5) Joyce Meyer by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 3/03
Is she a teacher to be respected or avoided?

(7) Preaching Prosperity - Joyce Meyer by Mary Warner, Religion News Service, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5/16/04
As part of a long line of "prosperity gospel" preachers -- a line that also included Jim and Tammy Bakker -- Meyer points her fans to a God who can fix their problems. He even wants them to be wealthy. "We're going to press in and take hold of what you have for us," she told God in an opening prayer, her arms spread wide and the light dancing off her dangling, sparkly earrings. "We refuse to leave the way we came." Meyer is part of a new breed of TV preachers who rebuilt the genre in the years following the scandalous 1980s downfall of the Bakkers and Jimmy Swaggart.

(8) Joyce Meyer: From Fenton To Fortune In The Name Of God by Carolyn Tuft and Bill Smith, ©2003, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/15/2003
Joyce Meyer says God has made her rich. Everything she has came from Him: the $10 million corporate jet, her husband's $107,000 silver-gray Mercedes sedan, her $2 million home and houses worth another $2 million for her four children — all blessings, she says, straight from the hand of God.

(1) Miles Munroe by MyFortress.Org
Myles Munroe teaches that God needs our permission to work on earth. He also teaches that angels need our permission as well to do their jobs.

(2) Televangelist Mike Murdock moves financial books behind closed doors by Darren Barbee, Knight Ridder Newspapers, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN, 12/04
HALTOM CITY, Texas - (KRT) - Televangelist Mike Murdock's new supermarket-size church has two types of entrances: public and private.

(3) Mike Murdock by Apologetics Index, 9/05
Mike Murdock is controversial for his overemphasis on money. He preaches 'seed-faith theology' - the Word-Faith teaching which claims that for someone to receive anything at all from God, her or she must first donate money, known as a seed-faith offering.

(1) Joel Osteen: The Prosperity Gospel’s Coverboy by Jackie Alnor, June 2003
Move over Robert Schuller, the Church of Laodicea has a new star on the rise in the world of positive motivational Christianity. It’s Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, whose motto is "Discover the Champion in You." He is the son of Pentecostal preacher the late John Osteen. But where his dad lacked in charm and charisma the 39-year-old son makes up for it in the style of a Tony Robbins with the looks of a Richard Gere.

(2) Joel Osteen: The Leaven Of Lakewood by Robert Liichow, Inner City Discernment Ministries, 10/04
I want to begin this article by giving credit where credit is due. When it comes to the Lakewood charismatic
mega-church there are aspects of this ministry which must be cited as worthy. To begin with the church was originally started by John Osteen, who was originally a Southern Baptist pastor but after receiving the “baptism” in/with the Holy Spirit he became enamored with the charismatic renewal movement in its early stage and eventually became associated with the Word of
Faith (WOF) cult.

(4) Apprising Joel Osteen's Word-Faith Teachings by Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries, 2005
If these “teachers” would just leave it at self-esteem, perhaps it wouldn’t be as much of a concern. But unfortunately they don’t, and Osteen and Meyer, et al, then attempt to convey the idea to the unsuspecting masses that what they “preach” is in line with the historic orthodox faith which was once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 3, NASB). However, these false prophets of “Christian” self-esteem, such as Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer have been shown clearly to be a part of the cult of the Word Faith Movement. And as such, they do not represent the Christian Church and are definitely not worthy of the support of true Christians.

(5) Osteen's Ignorance by Discernment Ministries International, 9/05
If there has been one article on our website which has drawn more criticism is the reprint of "The Leaven of Lakewood." DMI has received numerous emails from people who believe Joel is truly one of God's most anointed servants and a force for good within the Church and world. Almost all of the complaints and calls for us to take down that article seem to focus in on my concern over his lack of theological training. Many people simply cannot see the need to go to seminary in order to be a pastor of a church. The following comments are taken from an interview given on Larry King Live, June 20, 2005. I will let Joel speak for himself and you, the reader, be the judge whether or not a formal biblical education is of benefit to someone who serves as "pastor" of the largest congregation in America. My comments will be in Ariel font, King's and Osteen's in New Times Roman. I have tried to tie the salient points of the interview together, which at best can be described as a stream of consciousness on both King's and Osteen's part.

(6) Joel Osteen: Smile When You Lie by Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries, 2005
Unless you have been living on another planet you have no doubt heard of, or even seen America’s smiling pastor Joel Osteen, head of Lakewood Church, one of the largest professing Evangelical Christian congregations in the world. What needs to be understood here is that the only way someone like this could even be considered an Evangelical is due to the disturbing low ebb of discernment today in the Body of Christ. Here is a man who at best has such an alarming simplistic message concerning Christianity–and at worst is yet another of the many Word Faith teachers currently infesting our Lord’s Church–an alarmingly arrogant breed who are now fearlessly spouting their doctrines of devils.

(1) Rod Parsley - Preacher/Entertainer by Joseph Chambers, Paw Creek Ministries,"End Times And Victorious Living" Volume 12, No. 6 This article was taken from the latest issue of "End Times And Victorious Living" Volume 12, No. 6. It details a few of the false teachings of Rod Parsley, and ever-present televangelist on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. We have been watching this man for a long time and, apart from his stated "prosperity gospel" position, he has departed even further from the Scriptures recently into some very blasphemous territory. We urge anyone who watches TBN (we do not endorse watching TBN at all) to beware of this man and his teachings and false anointing.

(2) Rod Parsley's "Whopper" by Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 1999 "ICCDM is of the opinion that this testimony, like so many others shared by Charismatic extremist ministries is untrue."

(3) Rod Parsley's "Anointing" by Mike Oppenheimer, 1999 "Parsley is a powerful motivational preacher who mixes truth with error. He is one of the most popular Pentecostal TV preachers in America right now. He is able to release the anointing to people. Cuts up prayer clothes to heal by laying hands on them and praying he literally transfers and releases the tangible anointing. The prayer is answered due to the what he calls the corporate anointing. This is more like a transferable energy since the anointing is the Holy Spirit who is God and is being used as a force. He tells us his faith is released toward us (faith is Godward not toward man) He states because he prayed every prayer is answered."

(4) Rod Parsley: The Raging Prophet “Breaking Through” His Unorthodox Doctrine And Practice by G. Richard Fisher, Personal Freedom Outreach, The Quarterly Journal, Oct. - Dec. 1999 "Parsley can scream, shout, stomp, prance, obfuscate and mislead but it is all noise and no substance. It is froth without real content which helps to pump money into his empire."

(5) Parsley, Purple Passion and Paisley by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason, 12/5/00 "Rod Parsley is a leader in the new Pentecostal paradigm, where is his teaching going?"

(6) Rod Parsley by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
"A series of short articles about Rod Parsley."

(1) Fred Price by Bob Hunter, The Contenders, 2000
"A series of short articles about Fred Price."

(1) The Life And Ministry Of Oral Roberts O Timothy Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 3, 1990 "It is obvious that Roberts is a deceiver and a false prophet. His prophecies have been proven wrong time and time again. Sadly, he has deceived multitudes with his lying words and false promises, and has robbed God's people of hundreds of millions of dollars. And in spite of all the evidence which proves Roberts' hypocrisy, he is still regarded as a great Christian leader in charismatic circles and is still promoted as a man of God."

(1) Salvation Sold For A Donation To TBN by Sandy Simpson, 1999
"The Balaam Network (TBN) has really been raking in the cash lately. With The Omega Code movie in the top ten of money making movies (thanks to discerning Christians everywhere) and their regular Praise-A-Thon, they are rolling in dough. So much so that they can now afford to beam utter heresy, like what you are about to read, to all of China. I have been watching their fund raising antics the last three nights. I never thought they could top John Avanzini's "Jesus and the disciples were rich", "one hundred fold return" and "the widow's mite" (she "wonted" something) ploys, but R.W. Shambach has just hit a new low. This e-mail confirmed what viewers heard Shambach say the other night raising funds for TBN. He has been on solidly for the last three days."

Note: Though technically Robert Schuller is not of the Word-Faith camp out of RHEMA of E.W. Kenyon and Kenneth Hagin, his roots from New Thought and Norman Vincent Peale are much the same. Schuller's gospel has been termed "Possibility Thinking" while Word-Faith is termed "Prosperity Gospel". Both ideas have much in common.

(1) A Different Gospel - An Evaluation Of The Teachings Of Robert Schuller by Rev. Gil Rugh "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:6-7). Millions of people around the world are familiar with the ministry of Dr. Robert Schuller. His television program and books have made him one of the most recognized figures in Christianity today. Many look to him as an expert on Christian doctrine and living, but are the teachings of Dr. Schuller in line with what the Bible teaches? In his work, A Different Gospel: An Evaluation of the Teachings of Robert Schuller, Pastor Gil Rugh compares the teachings of Robert Schuller with the Bible to discover if the gospel presented by Schuller is truly the gospel of the Bible, or if it is "a different gospel." This is no longer available as a .pdf file, but is available as a booklet via the link above.

(2) Robert Schuller - General Teachings/Activities by Biblical Discernment Ministries, 1/99
"Schuller's false teaching is an extremely serious matter in light of his wide influence. His is the most popular religion television broadcast in America. His books sell by the millions. He appears with presidents. His "self-esteem Christianity" has been adopted by multitudes. These believe they are Christians and attend churches; but in reality, they worship a false christ and follow a false gospel. Robert Schuller and his mentor, the late Norman Vincent Peale, are two of the key culprits in promoting this error."

(3) Robert Schuller And The Seeker Sensitive Church by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 56
In this disturbing downward trend, the hard truths that are essential to the very nature of the Gospel, such as the wrath of God, sin, and the atonement are not preached, or at best given in small doses over a long period of time. Therefore, the heart of the Christian faith has been all but removed in order to appeal to a modern worldly culture.

(4) Self-Esteem - The New Christian Virtue by Bob DeWaay, Critical Issues Commentary, Issue 18
In 1982 Robert Schuller made a bold move when he wrote Self Esteem the New Reformation, and had free copies of it sent to ordained ministers across the United States hoping that by influencing us we could be enlisted to persuade our congregations and change the very foundations of the church.

(1) Will Dan Strader Get Out of Jail in 2004? received in an email 2/10/04
The Florida State prosecutors proved their case and convinced the jurors that Dan Strader, the son of the senior pastor Karl Strader, devised an elaborate scheme to attract cash in the real-estate and mortgage investments. He was selling the securities without a license and that the securities were unregistered. This was done in an organized method amounting to Racketeer-Influence and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act.

(2) Judge Denies Strader's Last-Chance Appeal Writ by Jeff Scullin, The Ledger, Published Saturday, March 27, 2004
After nearly a decade, a federal court ruling this week all but ended Daniel Strader's appeals of his 45-year prison sentence for cheating elderly investors out of millions of dollars. Also, see this article and this article.

(1) Robert Tilton by Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 1999
"These are just eight examples of the occult practice of the Third Wave "point-of-contact" (a form of sympathetic magic)."

(2) Everything You Wanted To Know About Robert Tilton But Were Afraid To Ask by Inner-City Christian Discernment Ministry, 1999
Rev. Liichow graduated from Mr. Tilton's Bible School in the mid 1980's. At that point in time Robert Tilton was one of the early mega-church Pastors, with a congregation of over 8,000 members. Tilton was one of the first to make use of real-time satellite technologies and he gave a platform to many of the charismatic televangelists today, including Marilyn Hickey and others. Due to Rev. Liichow's personal knowledge of Mr. Tilton this book has an added "edge" to it. It is fact-filled, fully documented and like all other ICCDM publications, it is the only book in print revealing the history and beliefs of this man. Tilton is still on television today and he is still deceiving multitudes. This is a fascinating look into the rise and fall of a Word of Faith movement "superstar." The price is only $10.00, which includes shipping and handling.

(3) The "Second Coming" Of Robert Tilton by Sean Rowe, Dallas Observer, 1997
"A jet-settin' Scotch-sippin' Robert Tilton washes up in South Florida -- and he still wants your money."

(4) The Price Of Success by Mike Oppenheimer, Let Us Reason Ministries, 10/03
Robert Tilton's comeback.