Reconstructing Word of Faith Theology
[36] Bruce Barron, The Health and Wealth Gospel, (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 44.
[37] McConnell, A Different Gospel, 22.
[38] Ibid.
[39] Barron, The Health and Wealth Gospel, 60. Barron’s quote from Simpon is from Four-Fold Gospel, 62.
[40] R. Kelso Carter, The Atonement for Sin and Sickness, (Boston: Willard Tract Repository, 1884), 110. Reprinted by Garland Publishing. See Russell Kelso Carter on Faith Healing. New York: Garland Publishing, 1985.
[41] Ibid., 118,119.
[42] Kenneth E. Hagin, “Why Do People Fall Under the Power” Classic Favorites Series (Tulsa: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1976), Audio Tape 17H06.
[43] Kenneth E. Hagin, Healing Belongs to Us, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1991), 18-19.
[44] Farah, “A Critical Analysis,” 5.
[45] Charles G. Finney, Revival Lectures, (Grand Rapids: Flemming H. Revell), 76.
[46] Smith Wigglesworth, Ever Increasing Faith Revised Edition, (Springfield, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1924), 30.
[47] Kenneth E. Hagin, The Believer’s Authority, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1984), 24. Hagin also quotes Wigglesworth concerning knowing God through Scripture. See Kenneth E. Hagin, What Faith Is Second Edition, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1998), 63. See also Kenneth E. Hagin, The Real Faith, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1980), 13.
[48] This statement does not exonerate every word of faith teacher or proponent. Critics have documented cases where word of faith teachers seem to elevate their subjective commentary above Scripture in the name of revelation knowledge. This is serious error, but I would interject that it is the exemption and not the rule. See Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis, 123ff.
[49]Barron, Health and Wealth Gospel, 110.
[50] Hagin, New Thresholds of Faith, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1977), 56. “The Integrity of God’s Word” is also the chapter heading for chapter 6 in Kenyon’s In His Presence.
[51] Kenneth E. Hagin, What to Do When Faith Seems Week and Victory Lost, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1979), 28.
[52] Ibid., 29.
[53] McConnell, A Different Gospel, 72.
[54] Hagin, What Faith Is, 68.
[55] Gordon D. Fee, “Hermeneutics and Historical Precedent – A Major Problem in Pentecostal Hermeneutics,” Perspectives on the New Pentecostalism, Russel P. Spittler ed., (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976), 118-132. As quoted by Walter J. Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide, (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997), 313.
[56] “Have the faith of God” is found in the KJV, NKJV, RSV, NIV, NASB, NLT and is often a classic example of an objective genitive in Greek Grammars. For example, see James A. Brooks and Carlton L. Winbery, Syntax of New Testament Greek, (Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 1979), 16.
[57] Hank Hanegraaff, Christianity in Crisis, 91.
[58] Charles Farah, From the Pinnacle of the Temple, (Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos International, 1978), 101.
[59] D. R. McConnell, A Different Gospel, 139.
[60] Hagin, New Thresholds of Faith, 74.
[61] See The Holy Bible: Authorized King James Version, (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 1985), 1022.
[62] Finis Jennings Dake, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible: New Testament, (Lawrenceville, Georgia: Dake Bible Sales, 1961), 48. There is no historical evidence that Hagin is familiar with Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible. The reference to Dake’s note is provided as an example of marginal notes that include the subjective genitive as an exegetical alternative.
[63] Hagin, New Thresholds, 77.
[64] Concerning the essential quality of faith see Luke 18:8, 22:32; II Corinthians 1:24, 5:7; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8, 3:17; I Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:1, 11:6, I Peter 1:5,7; I John 3:23, Jude 1:3.
[65] McConnell, A Different Gospel, 135. McConnell’s quote from Hagin is taken from Right and Wrong Thinking, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1966), 3.
[66] McConnell acknowledges that Faith teachers say that their confession is rooted in God’s word, but he dismisses this with the argument that the metaphysical cults also use Scripture as their foundation for their confessions. However, in word of faith theology, the confession is a verbal utterance of Scripture.
[67] Kenneth Hagin, How to Turn Your Faith Loose, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1978), 17.
[68] Ibid., 13.
[69] Ibid., 3.
[70] II Corinthians 4:13
[71] Luke 6:45
[72] Bruce Barron, The Health and Wealth Gospel, 105.
[73] See Hagin, How to Turn Your Faith Loose, 23.
[74] Isaiah 55:8,9
[75] Alexander Dowie, Talks with Ministers on Divine Healing, (Chicago: International Divine Healing Association, 1892), 1.
[76] This includes references to unbelief in the lack of healing as well as positive affirmations of the presence of faith or “believing” in the manifestation of physical healing.
[77] See Matthew 9:22 (Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48); Mark 10:52 (Luke 18:42); Luke 17:17
[78] Acts 3:16
[79] Acts 14:9
[80] James 5:14,15
[81] Ken Blue, Authority to Heal, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1987), 42.
[82] Francis MacNutt, Healing, (Lake Mary, Florida: Creation House, 1988), 120.
[83] Kenneth E. Hagin, Redeemed from Poverty, Sickness, and Spiritual Death, (Tulsa: Faith Library Publications, 1983), 5.
[84] Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “The Old Testament Case for Material Blessings and the Contemporary Believer,” The Gospel and Contemporary Perspectives, Douglas Moo, ed. (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1997), 31.
[85] Psalm 103:2-5
[86] Edward K. Pousson, Spreading the Flame, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publications, 1992), 83. He also notes that the Rhema churches of South Africa, which are associated with Hagin’s ministry, have been considered “the most compassionate and generous Christians” in South Africa. He quotes Allan Anderson, a local pastor in South Africa, who testifies, “Far from abandoning their responsibilities towards the poor, these Christians see it as their God-given duty to do what they can to alleviate poverty – and not just through the proclamation of ‘prosperity,’ but in practical giving!” See Pousson, Spreading the Flame, 144.
[87] Hagin, Redeemed from Poverty, Sickness, and Spiritual Death, 2.
[88] Luke 12:15
[89] Oral Roberts, My Favorite Bible Scriptures, (Tulsa: Oral Roberts Evangelist Association, 1963), 51.
[90] Kenneth E. Hagin, Jr., Another Look at Faith, (Tulsa: Faith Publication Library, 1996), 101.
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