Hi Steve, I too was introduced to the WOF movement through someone I respected when I was 19 and less than 2 years old as a Christian. I also found Kenneth Hagin to be the most appealing teacher. I even tried to turn others onto him. In fact, at the recommendation of the individual who introduced me to the WOF I flew down to Tulsa, Oklahoma and attended Kenneth Hagin’s Campmeeting….twice!!. The first time I went with the person who introduced me to him and the second time I went with a married couple and a friend.
By the time I went to the second Campmeeting I already had some questions about the WOF teaching. In fact, the friend who went to Tulsa with me was quite concerned about the teaching. We spent some time at a secular bookstore in Tulsa looking at a book by David Hunt called “The Seduction of Christianity”. My friend had found the concerns that were raised in the book about the WOF teaching insightful. He was more convinced of the error than I was but my mind was slowly changing.
I can’t point to one particular thing that brought me out of the teaching. It was a combination of reading 2 or 3 books on the subject, my friend, David Hunt’s teaching, prayer, and my own personal study of scripture. I also had one entirely subjective experience. While I was thinking about all of the visions Kenneth Hagin and others claimed to have, I felt the Lord impressed on my heart this verse from Jeremiah 23:16 “…..they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. “
As far as the BAM show, I’m not particularly comfortable with that style and actually didn’t hear his show until after I was out of the movement (to be fair, I haven’t heard his show for years). I found it to be over the top. There are two issues I had with the way he presented his case.
1. It came across as nitpicky and often seemed to be personal attacks. Even though I agreed with him that the WOF is wrong, I often didn’t recognize the WOF teachers he described. Although many of the points he raised had merit, he didn’t seem to have an intimate understanding of the teaching. I can only assume that many people in the WOF movement would hear certain things that he says and think “that’s not a fair representation of Kenneth Hagin” (or fill in your favourite teacher) and disregard everything Hank has to say. When I listened to Steve Gregg’s presentation, I found he presented the views of the WOF teaching accurately and in a fair manner. Steve was also measured and respectful in his response.
2. Ironically, by not having an intimate understanding of the teaching, the BAM actually misses some of the more subtle dangers of the teaching IMO.
One of the subtle dangers I see in the WOF teachers is the subject of “Spiritual Laws”. It’s quite possible this may be the most damaging aspect. Reason? It robs you of a personal relationship with a personal God. Rather than the focus being on God as your Heavenly Father who knows and cares for your needs, your focus is on applying certain techniques. Hence, you need to say the right thing, think the right thing etc.. I’ve seen people that accidentally said something “negative” and were afraid something terrible was now going to happen to them. They had lost all concept of their Heavenly Father who cared for them and their needs…..a Father who wasn’t waiting to pounce on them as soon as the wrong word popped out of their mouth.
Ironically, I’ve actually found that God seems to do more amazing things in my life when I’m entirely honest with Him and confess my lack of faith, my fears and weaknesses. I remember Dave Hunt saying something similar. He gave an account of when he was smuggling some bibles behind the Iron Curtain. He made a “negative confession” to God when he was waiting at the border check and prayed the following, “God I’m scared, I must be the worst bible smuggler there is” and so on. Guess what? He miraculously got through.
I remember when WOF teachers would speak about spiritual laws and they often seem to be unaware of the way we use the term “law” nowadays as opposed to two thousand years ago. When we use the term “traffic law” in a sense of something that is required or moral, that would be consistent with the bible usage of the term law. BUT, when we say the Law of Gravity or the Law of Supply and Demand, that is
not the way the bible uses the term. These seem to be more recent usages of the term “law” and refer to something being a fact and not something that's required or moral. Here’s an example. Some WOF teachers will quote the following verse
Rom 3:27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the
law of faith.
They will point to the phrase “law of faith” and not only pull it completely out of it’s context and miss the subject matter (I don’t know how they miss it) but use the modern scientific understanding of the word “law”. They will say this proves there is a certain law of faith that must be understood and followed just like the law of gravity. Huh?
I actually heard a local WOF teacher once say when the bible says we walk in the spirit and against such, “there is no law”, that would even include the law of gravity. Hence, we will overcome the law of gravity (the rapture maybe??). Again, completely missing the distinction of the modern usage of the term and completely missing the fact that Paul would have had no concept of the word “law” being used by modern scientists in a different manner and context.
Does God require us to act in faith? Absolutely! But it’s faith in an actual God rather than making sure we follow the correct techniques. I believe God is bigger than my techniques! I can make a million so-called “wrong confessions” and God can still override them all!!
I'm sure some of what I wrote sounds familiar to you.
I spent almost 2 years engrossed in the teaching in the mid 80's so I know it quite well...including all of Kenneth Hagin's stories.
Steve