One of the greatest threats to the American church is not from an attack without, but rather from an attack by those who are viewed by many to be within. The “word of faith” movement, or “prosperity gospel” movement, perverts the Word of God and distorts the nature of what it means for God to bless His people. Folks at McCarthy certainly know how I feel about this false gospel and the false teachers who peddle it. I never want it to become a “pet” subject of mine, but I’ve seen too many people hurt and disillusioned by the false expectations the “word of faith” preachers present to folks when they are at their most vulnerable to not speak out. I think an understanding of this movement is a necessity for every Bible-believing Christian in order to have the discernment and tools he or she needs to help others avoid the same pitfalls.
I strongly recommend Hank Hanegraaff’s Christianity In Crisis: 21st Century Edition–which you can get at any Christian bookstore, on Amazon.com, or on his website, www.equip.org. This is one of the best explanations and refutations of the “word of faith” movement I’ve ever read.
Here are two great audio clips about the dangers of the “word of faith” movement. The first is from Hanegraaff’s March 26th broadcast of The Bible Answer Man. Listen through the first 5 or so minutes to hear a great explanation of the danger of this movement. The second is a well-listened to clip from John Piper, one of my favorite preachers. His clip really needs no explanation.
