Is the Word of Faith Movement Really From God?

The charismatic movement was led by many people–the most popular being Chuck Smith, who founded the Calvary Chapels. He began baptizing hippies and praying for God to fill them with the Holy Spirit. And sure enough, God did.

God was pouring out his Spirit on all people, including long-hair, pot-smoking, barefooted hippies. This made the old-time pentecostals upset. They couldn’t believe that these people were receiving the Holy Spirit without first cutting their hair, throwing away their dope, and dressing modestly. But God was filling them with the Spirit despite their objections. The pentecostals criticized Chuck Smith and many of the charismatics, including the Catholic charismatics. But time showed that the charismatic movement was here to stay.

This brings us to the current move of God: the word of faith. This movement is an extension of the charismatic movement. It is bringing to Spirit-filled Christians everywhere the message of uncompromising faith–that believers can receive answers to their prayers, including healing, so long as they exercise sufficient faith.

The charismatic movement experienced dramatic healings, but most people were not taught that they could be healed on their own faith and that they didn’t need to be healed at a great miracle service like those of Kathryn Kuhlman. The word of faith ministers have shown the power of faith and that God will bless the believers in every way, including materially, if they will live according to the Word. This is revolutionary to many Christians.

Because it is the current move of God, we should expect it to be criticized more than any other movement. And this is the case.

I am not surprised at all when we are criticized. We should expect it. After all, every past restorational movement was criticized by the religious establishment: the Catholics persecuted the Lutherans, the Lutherans judged the baptists, the baptists ridiculed the holiness people, the holiness community criticized the charismatics. And today, many charismatics unfairly accuse the word of faith ministers of heresy.

The heresy hunters are still here. When will they learn from the past and quit criticizing what God has begun?

Tom Brown is the founder and pastor of Word of Life Church in El Paso, Texas. He and his wife, Sonia, host a weekly television program, The Bondage Broker, available online.