4 Truth Ministry

Word of Faith Movement

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By David Sheldon

Last Updated: March 07, 2022

Word of Faith Movement Overview

The Word of Faith Movement, also known as the prosperity gospel, is an attempt to utilize God for personal benefit based upon supposed truths from the Bible. Followers of the Word of Faith Movement are taught they were created as little gods and are encouraged to speak their own desires out loud to God. In return, God is obligated to fulfill those desires, since their words literally manipulate the “faith-force.” In this movement, you may also hear things like “Name it and Claim it” or “Health and Wealth.”

Word of Faith Movement Roots

The Word of Faith Movement has its deepest roots in Pentecostalism, specifically both the Latter Rain Movement in Canada in 1948 (which greatly affected the Assemblies of God denomination) and the ministry/teachings of William Branham and E.W. Kenyon. In many ways, its basic philosophy is most easily defined as a “mind science” type cult. By “mind science” we mean it teaches there are universal laws which God has put into place. Those laws are useful to anyone who wishes to “tap” into them, and they are supposedly found in the teachings of the Bible. This allows the believer to “claim” the truths found in the Bible as their own and God is now obligated to carry them out. In one sense, through this belief, a person can place God in their debt because He is now subject to and committed to these supposed laws. But if the laws are not actually true and Biblical, then the person has actually committed idolatry!

Word of Faith Movement

Word of Faith Movement Teachings

Some of the specific false teachings in the Word-Faith Movement: Kingdom Now Theology, Manifest Sons of God, New Breed, Joel’s Army, Revelation Knowledge, Positive Confession, Name-It and Claim-It, Prosperity Theology, Adam as God Incarnate, and The Born-Again Jesus.

Initial Leaders of the Word of Faith Movement

William Branham, E.W. Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts

Church-Growth Movement

The Church-Growth Movement (Seeker-Sensitive) is about having large numbers of people in the church by any means necessary rather than with the pure gospel.

Spiritual Formations

Biblical ideas like sanctification, discipleship, & prayer have taken on new meanings in many institutions titled Spiritual Formations (Spiritual Disciplines).

Emergent Church Movement

The Emergent Church Movement is all about a new church, relevant and sensitive to the culture, appearing on the scene for a world that is “searching.”

New Apostolic Reformation

The New Apostolic Reformation emphasizes “new apostles/prophets,” spiritual warfare, & inaccurately views that Christians are to establish dominion over society.

Signs & Wonders Movement

The Signs & Wonders Movement (Third Wave) is all about “power evangelism” and miracles, healings, prophecies, and speaking in tongues rather than the gospel.

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Somewhere East of Eden

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Church-Growth Movement

Church-Growth Movement

The Church-Growth Movement (Seeker-Sensitive) is about having large numbers of people in the church by any means necessary rather than with the pure gospel.

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Spiritual Formations

Spiritual Formations

Biblical ideas like sanctification, discipleship, & prayer have taken on new meanings in many institutions titled Spiritual Formations (Spiritual Disciplines).

read more
Emergent Church Movement

Emergent Church Movement

The Emergent Church Movement is all about a new church, relevant and sensitive to the culture, appearing on the scene for a world that is “searching.”

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