Discernment-Ministries Inc.

 

    ADDRESS TO THE DOCTRINAL PURITY COMMISSION

 

 

 

 

          At the 1999 General Council in Orlando, Florida, Resolution #16 was postponed indefinitely with the stipulation by the General Superintendent that the matter would be given to the Commission on Doctrinal Purity for further study and a paper to be distributed to the whole fellowship.  The authors of 'A Return to Biblical Integrity' brought the resolution to General Council in as much as the Council is the highest governing body in the Assemblies of God.  There is precedent in the Scriptures for reaffirming positions and actions taken in the past as Joshua did with Israel before leading them into the Promised Land.

 

            We know the Assemblies of God took a strong stand on Latter Rain in September of 1949.  Fifty years have now elapsed and most of the generation that took that action are now gone.  A new generation knows little or nothing of that action and are again being confronted with the same repackaged error.  Only now our society is of a different bent of mind.  Debate on the floor of General Council would have served to educate.  Also, a vote would have indicated how far we have drifted from our position of 1949. 

 

            We are not unhappy that the Commission on Doctrinal Purity will address these issues.  We are aware however that the General Council Bylaws are silent about the strength and authority of the Commission's conclusions.  It is entirely possible that we are so far along that many churches 'in the river,' will choose to ignore the action of this Commission as some have the other positions papers. 

 

            The authors of Resolution #16 wish to emphasize that they are not in opposition to revival.  However, they cannot believe that the sovereign God, the God of Truth, has of some necessity made a marriage between revival and false doctrine.  We are instructed to 'earnestly contend for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints.'  If, as it has been suggested, revival is both divinity and dirt, then we are under obligation to deal decisively with the dirt. 

 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

 

            We are currently facing an extremely virulent form of Latter Rain.  The New Order of the Latter Rain surfaced in this century in the late 40s as a part of a belief system that has precedents going all the way back to the early church.  I will mention only a few.                                                                                                                                           

            Even while the apostles were living, the early church had to struggle with incipient gnosticism which claimed esoteric revelations of God and Christ and exalted these above the scriptures.  This is readily discernible in the writings of Paul, Peter, John and Jude.   

 

            Montanus, as early as the mid-second century, claimed to have the final revelation of the Holy Spirit.  This implied that something could be added to the teaching of Christ and the Apostles and that, therefore, the church had to accept a fuller revelation.  In this, his teaching bore a striking similarity to the later Latter Rain teaching.  He announced the fulfillment of the N.T. promise of Pentecost, (the enlightenment of the faithful by the descent of the Spirit) and was joined by Priscilla and Maximilla his two prophetesses. Eusebius gives some very telling accounts concerning Montanus and company that sound so similar to the present, it is uncanny.

 

            Martin Luther in his day faced Thomas Muntzer who was an exponent of the supremacy of the inner light of the Holy Spirit as against the authority of the Scriptures.  He presented himself as a prophet, and preached a type of dominion theology, a belief very much associated with present day Latter Rain teaching. 

 

            The Irvingnites with their leader Edward Irving established the Catholic Apostolic Church in the 1830s.  These, by prophetic utterance, established an order led by 12 apostles.  They, much like later Latter Rain, emphasized restoration, apostolic succession and through allegory, the fulfillment by the church of O.T. prophecy. 

 

            Before the founding of the Assemblies of God, David Wesley Myland, in 1910, wrote a book entitled 'The Latter Rain Covenant' where he advanced three levels of interpretation: literal, typical, and spiritual and that one should look for the 'deeper' meaning of a particular Scripture.1  This 'deeper' meaning is the source for an allegorical hermeneutic which drives the engine of Latter Rain doctrine and fuels the fire of Latter Rain Revival. 

 

            As E.S. Williams and our leadership in 1949 rightly pointed out, the New Order of the Latter Rain was nothing really new. 

                                                           

THE ASSEMBLIES  OF GOD v.s. THE NEW ORDER OF THE LATTER RAIN                          

 

            During the mid-40s, a great expectation was being promoted that God was going to do a 'new Thing.'  In 1946, a book came out that enjoyed widespread popularity among Pentecostals.  It contributed to the general expectation of a 'new day.'  It was called, Atomic Power with God, Through Fasting and Prayer, by Franklin Hall.  To those 'who could receive it,' answered prayer, signs, wonders, immortality, and even release from gravity awaited those who would fast and pray.  In 1947, George Hawtin, a Pentecostal pastor and director of an orphanage and Bible school, attended a William Branham meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.  He, his brother Ernest, and Percy Hunt had left the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.  He along with several students and faculty members, received an 'impartation' from Branham, through laying on of hands.2 

    

            By July, 1948, Hawtin's group put on a huge camp meeting which attracted several thousand from the U.S., Canada, and all over the world, wanting to be a part of the 'New Thing!'  Very shortly the New Order of the Latter Rain was a worldwide phenomenon.3    

                                                

            In the spring of 1949, after attending public and private meetings, talking and corresponding with Latter Rain leaders, devouring many articles and booklets on the subject, and listening to hours of wire recordings, the Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God authorized General Secretary, J. Roswell Flower to prepare a special 6-page letter to deal with the growing problem. 

 

            General Superintendent, E.S. Williams, cited unfortunate precedents he had observed in the Azusa Street Mission as early as 1906.  In his words, 'It did not take some of us brethren any time to know where this new teaching was going to lead, for we have seen it repeated at different times during the past 40 years, each time with disaster.'4    

 

            The 1949 General Council in Seattle, adopted a resolution disapproving of the doctrines of the New Order of the Latter Rain.  The minutes of that Council record that after brief debate it was adopted with an overwhelming majority. 

 

            The Resolution dealt with the following issues, evidently those most effecting them at that time:

 

   1. 'The overemphasis relative to imparting, identifying, bestowing or confirming of                       

       gifts by the laying on of hands and prophecy.

   2. The erroneous teaching that the Church is built on the foundation of present-day    

       apostles and prophets. 

   3. The extreme teaching as advocated by the 'New Order' regarding the confession of

       sin to man and deliverance as practiced, which claims prerogatives to human agency                    

       which belong only to Christ.

   4. The erroneous teaching concerning the impartation of the gift of languages as special

       equipment for missionary service.

   5. The extreme and unscriptural practice of imparting or imposing personal leadings by        

        by means of gifts of utterance.

   6. Such other wrestings and distortions of Scripture interpretations which are in             

       opposition to teachings and practices generally accepted among us.'

 

            All of these but number 4 are present in the current Latter Rain revival.

 

            The Latter Rain Revival centered around several themes:  (1) Restoration of fivefold ministry (Eph. 4), (especially apostles and prophets).5  These people gave what is called 'present truth,' or, 'What is the Spirit saying today?'  These utterances had authority equal to the Bible.  (2) The complete unity of the body of Christ was an important emphasis.  By this thinking, the New Order of Apostles and Prophets would unite the church, and perfect the Body of Christ, of course, around the instructions of these apostles and prophets; the New Order would replace present church structure and elected leadership.  So of necessity, these and their followers were all very anti-denomination and anti-organization.  Denominationalism was seen as 'Babylonian Captivity' and subsequently a host of churches affected by the 'Latter Rain' broke away from their denominations and became independent churches, many being 'set into the body' by the newly discovered apostles.  In practical terms, even Assemblies of God ordination by local presbyteries were discounted because such laying on of hands involved no prophetic designation of the particular ministry and gifts the ordained should exercise.  These apostles and prophets assumed a powerful and arrogant higher order even within local congregations.  (3) The restoration of personal prophecy.  (4) The impartation or transference of spiritual gifts through laying on of hands; deliverance, healing and baptism of the Spirit through laying on of hands.

 

            The General council action did not halt the continuation of the Latter Rain movement.  Strong centers of New Order teaching formed in Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Beaumont, Texas; Tacoma, Washington; Portland, Oregon; as well as pockets in Duluth and Hibbing, Minnesota; Hornell, N.Y., etc.

 

            The Latter Rain survived and influenced the course of other movements we have interacted with in the past forty years.6  One of the most notable was the salvation/healing revival.  Various of the Healing Ministries took up this doctrine, including A.A. Allen, William Branham, Jack Coe and others.  Many of the issues covered in the past in our 'White papers' have their roots in Latter Rain Doctrine.  This river flowed through the Charismatic movement, the Word/Faith movement, the Shepherding movement, into the Vineyard, was active among the 'Kansas City Prophets' and found open expression in the Toronto Revival.  Time will not allow to deal with all the bizarre growths that have come with this river.  But we do know with certainty that this very same river has recontacted the Assemblies of God through Brownsville. 

 

PRESENT DAY LEADERSHIP

 

            Let me review.  Ern Baxter, (commonly known as one of the Fort Lauderdale Five Shepherding leaders of the 1970s) was a personal secretary of William Branham, and ministered extensively with him from 1949 to 1953; he became widely known in the Charismatic Renewal.  In 1975, he became closely associated with the Christian Growth Ministries in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.7

 

            Bill Britton of Springfield, Missouri is one of the most prominent ministries that has brought Latter Rain beliefs and practices into the Charismatic Movement.  Bill Britton came into the Latter Rain in May 1950 through meetings at Faith Temple in Memphis, Tennessee,  pastored by Paul Grubb.  The guest speaker was Fred C. Poole, who laid hands upon him and prophesied that he would be an evangelist, a 'publisher of good news.'8  Britton died in the mid-80s and through his life contributed many writings to the movement.

 

            Joseph Mattson-Boze and Gerald Derstine: Logos Journal, which, was one of the most widely circulated magazines of the Charismatic Renewal, grew out of the publication, Herald of Faith/Harvest Time, edited by Joseph Mattson-Boze and Gerald Derstine.  Mattson-Boze played a part in the 1948 Latter Rain Revival, and Gerald Derstine was associated for several years with J.Preston Eby, who had had some contact with the 1948 Latter Rain.9 

                                                                                                                

            One of the most prominent leaders of the Charismatic Renewal in the '60s and '70s was John Poole, who was a major Latter Rain teacher.  In the early 1970s John Poole was frequent contributor to 'New Wine,' just about THE most important magazine of the Charismatic Renewal.  John Poole was the son of Fred Poole, who had close associations with the Latter Rain movement in the 40s.10

 

            George Warnock picked up the concepts for Tabernacle of David worship in 1948.  He was the author of  The Feast of Tabernacles, one of the most influential books arising from within the Latter Rain Movement, and acted as Ern Baxter's personal secretary for two or three years, immediately prior to the 1948 revival.  Eric Simila, Ern Baxter's secretary in 1975, referred to George Warnock as an associate, a ''Timothy' if you please,' to Ern Baxter, who became widely known in the Charismatic Renewal.11 Warnock is still living and resides in western Canada today.

 

            Bill Hamon, though not traceable to the '48 'Revival,' founded a school of Prophets in Florida that maintains complete the original doctrines and spirit of 'Latter Rain.'  In his book, The Eternal Church, Bill Hamon entitled a chapter 'The Charismatic Movement--An Expansion of the Latter Rain Movement.'

 

            Paul Cain, a leader in the Kansas City Prophets and a senior prophetic authority is a former associate of William Branham.  Paul Cain has exhibited the ability to tell people the details of their lives, hidden sins and even things they have said in confidence to others.  Cain is highly regarded as a 'Terror of the Lord.'  It is reported that power surges of electricity occur at places where he ministers.12  The Kansas City Prophets were for a time taken into the Vineyard Movement and have asserted a heavy influence both on the Vineyard and the present revival movement. 

 

            Two people who have been strongly influential in exporting Latter Rain beliefs into the Assemblies of God are John Wimber and C. Peter Wagner.  They have been welcomed into our churches across the country as church growth consultants.  'Wimber, former Quaker and rock guitarist, founder of the...Vineyard Ministries...openly advocates a 'paradigm shift' away from thinking with Western logic into the exclusively experiential way of oriental thinking...  He also claims that 'first century Semites did not argue from a premise to a conclusion; they were not controlled by rationalism.'

 

            'This is a highly erroneous and mischievous statement.  Not only is it historically inaccurate but it...denigrates logic...[and] epitomizes the considerable confusion in the Charismatic Movement in its failure to identify the difference between (unhealthy) rationalism, whereby the miraculous is denied and the supernatural work of the Spirit is blasphemed, and (wholesome) rationality, whereby the Christian exercises necessary discernment...

 

            The ultimate first century Semite was surely the Lord Jesus Christ: yet He continually used the most devastating logic to demolish His opponents...  Never before [today] has a 'sound mind' been so necessary in the life of the Church.'13  

 

            John Wimber, until his recent death, taught how to do signs and wonders and how to prophesy, and charged a stiff fee for attendance at such seminars.  And some of the techniques the Vineyards still use, such as moving one's hands slowly back and forth a few inches from a subject's body to feel for hot spots to see where God is at work, or letting one's mind go blank and speaking forth whatever thought comes, open the door to the occult.  Biblical prophets never learned techniques.14

 

            In one of his meetings, C. Peter Wagner said, 'One fundamental thesis will control this discussion...the thesis that ministry [experience] precedes and produces theology, not the reverse.'15  We in the Assemblies of God have never believed this.  We have always believed that all theology must have its roots in the Word and must be measured by the Word!

 

            Wagner calls Wimber 'my mentor.'  Wimber said, 'We are cataloguing all of our experiences so we can develop a theology.'16

 

            Recently, C. Peter Wagner convened the 'National Symposium on the 'Post Denominational Church.'  The goal is to inaugurate and establish an organization to replace denominations and provide 'structure' for the church of the 21st century.17  Of course the new order of Apostles and Prophets will be the new leaders of this charismatic amalgamation.  This kind of activity is straight from the pages of the Latter Rain teaching of the 1940s.  E. S. Williams, J.R. Flower and R.E. McAlister addressed these issues.  Documentation can be found in the A/G archives. 

 

ONE RIVER

 

            Latter Rain is not easy to address.  It is a complex system and consists of a variety of errors.  It serves up a smorgasbord of false doctrines.  Various groups emphasize different portions of the error.  However allegorical interpretation of Scripture, the circulation of apostles and prophets and their anti-establishment spirit tends to bring them together with some commonality. 

 

            The belief system coming down this river remains virtually intact from the 1940s.  Though the tag 'Latter Rain' is seldom used, and many would not even recognize the term, the doctrine is virtually the same.  It has simply been repackaged.  The term 'River' is an apt figure of this 'revival.'  Whatever is upstream in this river will inevitably make its way downstream.  The term 'Revival' is opening the doors of receptivity.  Once the camel gets its head through the flap of the tent, it eventually moves in. 

 

            There is a direct relationship between Brownsville and Toronto.  At an 'Arise Deborah Conference in Brownsville, Jan. 20, 1999, Brenda Kilpatrick was joined on the platform with Carol Arnot (Toronto), and Lois Gott (Sunderland, England).  Brenda Kilpatrick told the gathering of women, 'Then on Father's Day, 1995, we are going into our fourth year, and I went to Toronto and received my impartation, you see God is keeping us connected.  But it is all the three 'Rivers of God' that's moving and the three of us...'

 

            Carol Arnott from Toronto then read in Ecclesiastes 4:12, 'A cord of three strands is not quickly broken...,' and blessed the unity of the rivers.

 

            At a later point Lila Terhune, a Brownsville minister, was introduced.  In her remarks she explained, '...Then the Holy Spirit spoke within my spirit and said, 'We must see that there is only one River.  There are different streams, they are affecting the world in different ways.''18

 

            So John Kilpatrick's wife has clearly stated that she received her 'impartation' while visiting Toronto.19  Steve Hill says he's been to both Toronto and to Trinity Brompton Anglican Church in London.  In both places he's been prayed for and received 'Impartations.'  Numerous people from Brownsville made the pilgrimage to Toronto, before the beginning of the revival in Brownsville.20  This is the origin of this 'sovereign move of God.'

 

            Consequently the record is clear that there is a firm connection between what is going on among us and what has flowed from Latter Rain through Toronto.  This is the river that is flowing in Brownsville. 

 

PROBLEMS:

 

            We have never in our history had such a media blitz in support of what is happening in a particular church.  Brownsville is being trumpeted as the consummate learning site on the subject of revival.  Articles are dedicated to Brownsville in our publications.  Headquarters has scheduled national meetings there.  People everywhere are encouraged to make the pilgrimage there.  Maps are published showing 'revival churches.'  Though there were warnings in our Dec. 1997 Ministers' Letter about a few doctrinal concerns in general, these are utterly contradicted by unwavering support for Brownsville, through which portal these errors are being propagated to our fellowship.  I would present the following as samples, all of which are fully documented in video and audio tapes and publications:

 

            1. John Kilpatrick said that the preaching in the church is what is turning people away, not the attitude of their hearts.  'Let me tell you something else about this revival,' Kilpatrick said.  'This move of God is not about preaching.'  He said that while he and evangelist Steve Hill 'do preach sermons that are simple and easy to understand, the signs and miracles are what actually turn people to Christ, not the Word of God.'21   Now it seems that I remember from my ordination service that we were charged, 'Preach the Word!'

 

            2. Steve Hill has said, 'I have hundreds of times laid hands on the unsaved, and I have watched them fly through the air, fall to the ground to where they couldn't get up for an hour or two hours.'22

 

            'We have had people, agnostic, God-haters, businessmen come into our meetings and they've been thrown through the air up against a wall and hit the ground when we shook their hand.'23

               

            Further, 'I've come home with wounds and bruises all over my body, friend.

     

            This is revival!'24

 

            There is absolutely no Biblical basis for this, and neither does this fit the character of the Holy Spirit, who is 'another Comforter' just like Jesus.

                           

            This does, however, fit the violent occultic patterns of Hindu Kundalini manifestations.  There is also indication that already the idea of levitation is being accepted as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

                  

            3. According to documentation, among the 'manifestations,' was a man on the stage of the Brownsville A/G Church.  He was lying on the stage 'thrusting his pelvis up and down, writhing on the floor...'  This was Steve Hill's explanation to the audience: 'Now, some of you are watching this young man up here.  I want to tell you exactly what he is doing.  Then, I want you to turn your eyes from him.  'He's interceding for your soul...  Some of you are on the verge... You're hanging over Hell.  It's moaning and groanings, words that can't be uttered.  God's put it on him.  You can't tell me God doesn't love you, when He will stricken another young man who loves God with all his heart, cause him to fall to the ground and experience the moanings and groanings and the birth pains.  He's giving spiritual birth to you...  He's dying for you right now.  He's dying for you that you might have life.' [emphasis mine]25

 

            This is blasphemous!  But it surely fits the Catholic mysticism which has always associated ecstasies and physical manifestations with intercession.

 

            'Little Rose,' our near-patron saint in Woonsocket, when suffering and going into ecstasies was declared to be interceding for the Providence Diocese. 

 

            The same thing is said of Brownsville's Allison Ward and her violent shaking. She has been told she is interceding.  Where does the Bible connect shaking with intercession?  Much emphasis is given in the 'revival' to receiving a 'gift of intercession.'  I find no Biblical support for a 'gift of intercession.'  If one needs a gift for intercession, the rest of us, then, can excuse ourselves for not interceding.                         

 

            Closely related to this so-called intercession is the practice called 'birthing.' The subject goes into a fetal position and trembles and shakes.  Some go into a sitting down birthing position to give birth to souls or ministries.  This is accompanied with grunts, moans, and screeching, and perhaps panting.

 

            Emphatically, we must remember, we cannot physically create spiritual life. Only God can give 'new birth.'  Our Savior suffered once for all.  No suffering on our part can ever give souls eternal life or give Christ's merit to others!        

 

            4. Brownsville leadership have instructed people, 'Now, let yourselves go, don't even think about what you are doing, forget about those around you and what they are doing.  Release your mind--release your spirit--and let the mighty river of 'The Holy Ghost' take you wherever He wants you to go.'26

 

            Those who dare to question the Brownsville manifestations are referred to as 'Pharisees' or 'God-mockers.'  In fact Steve Hill has written a whole book by this title.  At a 'Sacred Assembly' in Springfield, Missouri, Steve Hill announced to his hearers, Anyone who resists this revival is a 'God Mocker.'

 

            This is blatant and reprehensible intimidation which was characteristic of the Latter Rain in the 40s.

 

            5. Kilpatrick, in one very questionable and melodramatic close to a sermon called down 'the sword of the spirit' to hover over the congregation (of ministers), and cut away sin: 'Lord--congregation please bear with me--this is  personal and  it sounds strange, but hear me.  I ask the Lord to bear His sword and brandish it around your midsection, your lower extremities, where your sexual organs are.

           

            That the Holy Ghost cut off all the pollution that the devil has attached to you through bygone days of illicit promiscuous sexual activity.  That the Lord begin to cut all of that pollution and all of that attack of the enemy.  Where the Devil has incarcerated you and imprisoned and intimidated you.  And even when you had to violate your own conscience and your own ministry to satisfy that lust and that urge.  I ask that the Lord brandish that sword and cut that lustful spirit off you in the name of Jesus.  Whew!'27

               

            'Does sin linger on body parts?  Perhaps Kilpatrick has been reading dubious spiritual warfare authority, Mark Brubeck.  Brubeck recently came up with prayers to get demons off bones, muscles, glands, hair, skin, and even sexual organs.'28

 

            'Is it that easy to just have an invisible sword shave that area, or whatever it is supposed to do?  Surely this is just innovative nonsense without a shred of Biblical evidence.  Sin does not reside on our epidermis or cling to our skin.  If it were that easy, we could wash it off with a bar of soap and a bottle of shampoo.29     
           

            6. Isn't it curious that in the Galatians 5 list of the Fruit of the Spirit, we find the fruit of  'self-control.'  In the current 'revival,' leadership are instructing people, 'do not think about what you are doing...,' 'just give yourselves completely to the Spirit.'  People glorify being 'drunk in the Spirit,' when the scriptures continually direct us to be sober and watchful, neither of which occurs with drunkenness.

 

            At the district conference of the Peninsular Florida District (Nov. 1996), John Kilpatrick admitted to the assembled pastors that he has been so 'drunk in the Spirit' that he actually struck his youth pastor's car with his own.  He said that while driving he had hit many garbage cans sitting at the curb on several occasions because he was so 'drunk.'30  We must ask, Does the Holy Spirit cause us to destroy property? Further, what happens if on the way home this man hits a pregnant woman or collides with a school bus and a fire is ignited, killing all on board...remember, he is drunk!  May one be excused for killing people while under the power of the Holy Spirit?  The answer ought to be obvious enough.              

           

            7. In 1997, in a 'Conference on the Ministry,' in Grand Rapids, Michigan, John Kilpatrick in a dramatic and theatrical move, had everyone write out their single most heart's desire on a small piece of paper.  They were instructed to write out what they most wanted from God--it had to be something only God could do.  Then hundreds of petitions were collected and he promised them they would be put on a cot and he would lay on them. 

                       

            A gurney was brought to the platform and the requests were spread out. Kilpatrick laid face down and began to intercede for the petitions.  He explained that on two other occasions when he did this, the requests were being answered before people got home and were able to put their key in the door.31

 

DEVIANT DOCTRINES:

 

            The center of current Latter Rain Activity lies largely in the following doctrinal aberrations: An allegorical interpretation of the Scriptures; Manifest Sons of God; the 'restoration' of Apostles and Prophets to the church; Impartation; Spiritual Warfare in the Heavenlies; and Tabernacle of David worship.

 

1. Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture:

    

            As stated earlier, David Wesley Myland, who wrote 'The Latter Rain Covenant' believed that one should look for the 'deeper' meaning of a particular scripture.  This became an identifying mark of Latter Rain preaching which is very visible in early Latter Rain writers such as George Warnock, and Bill Britton and can be traced down to the present in such people as Dick Iverson, Rick Joyner, and Derek Prince.

 

            This is used by virtually all Latter Rain preachers and writers as the means of support for all the deviant doctrines that are being imported under the name of 'revival' into our fellowship.  This is further driven by an artificial dichotomy, pitting the mind against the spirit.

 

            In other words we are encouraged to give up thinking since this limits the Spirit's ability to work.  Thinking is always 'the natural mind.'  But what about the spiritual mind?  Romans 12:2 speaks of being 'transformed by the renewing of your mind.'  Paul speaks of the 'Spiritual mind or the mind of Christ' (Rom. 8:6; I Cor. 2:16).  Latter Rain is notoriously anti-intellect and anti-education.  Revelation from the 'Spirit' is credited for their deviant interpretations.   

 

            This kind of Latter Rain doctrine and preaching was well displayed at the 1997 General Council by evening speaker, Sam Rijfkogel, from Grand Rapids.  In his message from the book of Esther, King Ahasuerus, a scoundrel heathen king was the type for God.  Vashti, a decent sample of womanhood became those in the church who want to do their own thing and reject this 'revival.'

 

            Uncle Mordecai was the Holy Spirit who prepared Esther for God's beauty pageant and selection as a revival church to throw his 'Party.'  The scripture was made to support things that neither the writer, nor those who heard him or any orthodox teachers in Israel would have believed.  This was what Peter would have called 'wresting the scriptures.'  The Commission should seek out this tape.

 

            The trouble with allegorical interpretation of scripture is that it allows subjective innovation to move the interpreter to declare as authoritative anything that darts through his brain.  This is likely the foundational error that leads to all the other errors.

 

            We believe that implicit within our first fundamental truth is the idea that when we say the scriptures are inspired...we are referring to verbal inspiration and this assumes a literal method of interpretation.

 

            According to J.Dwight Pentecost in his book, Things to Come,  'In direct opposition to the allegorical method of interpretation stands the literal or grammatical-historical method. 

 

            The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking.  It is called the grammatical-historical method to emphasize the fact that the meaning is to be determined by both grammatical and historical considerations.'32  This method was emphasized by the reformers who rejected the allegorical approach introduced into the church by Origen, and Augustine.  We are quickly becoming experience oriented with doctrine being regarded as a hindrance to the Spirit's moving.  Once we sell out the literal interpretation of scripture we are adrift on a sea of subjectivity.

 

2. Manifest Sons of God>Joel's Army> Man-child Company> New Breed> Overcomers> Phineas Priesthood, etc.:                                                     

   

 

            Latter Rain gives all these names and more for the same elite group within the Church.  They will be Christ incarnated on earth and are considered equal to Christ as his body on earth, Jesus being the head.  Their teaching is that Christ must first come within the church before he can come for the church.  This teaching envisions a civil war within the church in which there will be a dismantling of denominations and traditional organizations and judgment on those who will not buy into this revival, even to the point of bloodshed (Phineas Priesthood).  They will take over the world for Christ and most of the world will come under the domination of the church.

 

            J. Preston Eby, who had some contact with the 1948 Latter Rain has lived to be a contemporary Latter Rain teacher.  He sums up their mission by characterizing their movement as 'a people being prepared for the coming third outpouring...this third great work of the Spirit shall usher a people into full redemption--free from the curse, sin, sickness, death and carnality.'33 

 

            In Joel chapter 2, by an allegorical interpretation, the locusts are figured to be the church militant (Joel's Army); in Rev. 12, the Woman is the church who gives birth to the elite 'Man-child' company who rules the nations with a rod of iron.  The Church and Jesus are equal as parts of the 'Christ.' All the O.T. prophecies concerning Israel are applied to the church.  Many of the Messianic prophecies concerning the reign of Christ are applied to the church. 

 

            Rick Joyner a 'prophet' disseminating these views spoke in Brownsville, A/G.34  A seven-page article by him called, 'The Hordes of Hell are Marching,' appeared in our GPH Youth Sunday School material this past spring.  I addressed my concerns to the editor and later received a courteous response and an acknowledgment that this was a mistake.  This is, however, serious business in as much as Joyner received much exposure among our youth and his 800 number was printed and distributed to our youth constituency across the country. 

 

            Choruses bearing this doctrine are popular in many 'revival churches.'  Among them are, Blow the Trumpet in Zion; and Will You Ride with Me.  The first pictures the church as Joel's Army.  The second pictures Jesus riding across this country with his church as they conquer (dominion).  Where in the scriptures does Jesus ride a white horse across America?

 

3. The restoration of Apostles and Prophets:

 

            Basically this issue is raised from Eph. 4:11.  The question before us is not whether we believe in the gifts of apostle and prophet among the five-fold ministries of Eph. 4:11, but what are the functions of apostle and prophet.  The claim being made is that the offices of Apostle and Prophet have been lost from the church and are presently being restored.  This was part and parcel of Latter Rain going back to '49, and also a part of movements down through the centuries that the church rejected going all the way back to Montanus.  Gnosticism, also was closely related to this in that it claimed esoteric, authoritative revelation from God going beyond the scriptures. 

 

            Current Latter Rain ministries being allowed within our churches are teaching Eph. 4:11 as offices rather than ministry gifts, and that in Eph. 2:20, the meaning is that the church is built on the foundation of present day apostles and prophets, rather than the original N.T. apostles and prophets.  These are looked upon as positions of authority and rulership within the church on a plane equal with that of the original twelve plus Paul in the early church.  Instead of present apostles being servants of the church, sent out from the church on assignment they are self assigned rulers who have been given esoteric revelations to direct the church.  This is tied in with the belief in Apostolic succession.  (This has been addressed in our position paper 'Theological and Functional Dimensions of Ordination, GPH, 1977.)

 

            These people are believed to have the capacity to give forth divine directives and expound 'present truth,' which is equivalent in authority to the scriptures.  Their 'Signs and Wonders' will include blessing upon those whom the Apostles and Prophets bless, and cursings upon those whom they curse.  It is no accident that John Kilpatrick publicly placed a curse on Hank Hanegraaf, since the company he keeps looks upon him (Kilpatrick) in apostolic and prophetic light.

 

            In 1949, R.E. McAlister pointed out in his Truth Advocate, '...the word 'missionary' is the Latin form of the Greek word which is translated 'apostle.'  The word 'missionary' and the word 'apostle' literally have the same meaning, except, of course, as stated above, a distinction may be determined by the conditions, purpose, or context of the Scripture.'35

 

            Our early forefathers opted to use the name Pentecostal instead of apostolic because of these implications.  Brumback says, 'while they knew that the faith which they held was apostolic doctrine, they felt that 'Pentecostal' did not make them appear to arrogate unto themselves apostolic office, and yet continued to identify them with the outpouring of the Spirit.'36

 

            We have believed that the original apostles, the twelve and Paul were authorized and 'sent out' specifically by Christ and as such are unique.  The twelve would sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel (Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30), and their names are on the 12 foundations of the New Jerusalem, and they are the only ones called 'apostles of the Lamb' (Rev. 21:14).  This first group was indeed authorized by Christ to direct the church and set forth church doctrine.

 

            There is a second group of apostles in the N.T., who were simply messengers appointed by the church.  They traveled and carried out various assignments all the way from preaching the gospel to delivering special messages or even money.   These were church messengers on assignment and not by virtue of  office governors of the body.  Pulpit Commentary, volume 20, Galatians, has an excellent dissertation on this that sheds much light.

 

            Does the 20th century church have apostles?  Or have apostles been lost to the church and need to be restored?  Most certainly we still have servants of the church who are sent with special commissions or assignments...the church has always had them.  There is no need for restoration!  To surrender our form of church government to governing apostles who assert themselves on us and have absolute authority would be utterly disastrous!

 

            It is significant that although we hear much of the Ephesian church's forsaking their first love, not much time or attention is given to the fact that they are commended by Christ for having 'tested those who claim to be apostles but are not,' and having 'found them false' (Rev. 2).  The question is, how did they test these people?  My observation would be that these were measured by an objective standard, God's Word, and they didn't fit the picture.  The Ephesian church was not open to subjective, extra-Biblical authority. 

 

            R.E. McAlister from Canada, who worked closely with our executives back in the forties rightly observed from history the following: 'It is a significant fact, which challenges contradiction, that every group of people who have arisen since Apostolic Days until the present time, and have claimed to restore the apostolic function and authority to the Church in Church government, sooner or later have found themselves in 'no man's land.'  Time renders a true decision, and exposes error which might not be apparent at the beginning.  Presumptuous claims of superiority in church relationship take time before they are neutralized and analyzed by Truth.  The unfortunate part is the fact that many innocent souls are deceived and hindered in their Christian progress, before the error becomes sufficiently apparent to be rejected.  Another sad feature is the fact that men who make presumptuous claims, although they may show a very generous spirit in the beginning, soon become arbitrary.  The people who come under their sphere of influence soon find themselves under serious bondage.37

 

            It needs to be noted that the Australian Assemblies of God after several years of drifting toward this pattern has adopted the apostolic model and has embraced the teachings of a host of independent apostles and prophets from the U.S. and other countries.  The U.S. Assemblies of God is quickly moving toward this paradigm at the grassroots though this is not our official position.  We are succumbing to a new ecumenical movement which is far more dangerous than what we faced in another generation with the World and National Council of Churches.  The Charismatic ecumenical movement has more in common with us while it exports insidious Latter Rain and other rank heresies into our churches through our common associations.  (The author is willing to pursue this with the Commission and provide further documentation.)

 

            As for prophets, all O.T. prophets pointed to the coming of Christ.  Christ was the pinnacle of their revelation.  'In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe' (Heb. 1:1-2).  The prophets (other than the original apostolic prophets) in the epistles do not give new revelation, but point us to what God has already said.  They minister to the church 'for strengthening, encouragement and comfort' (I Cor. 14:3) etc.

 

            Former General Superintendent, G. Raymond Carlson, responded to questions about the new breed of apostles and prophets, 'We are concerned about the extremes which come on the scene from time to time.  This latest move concerning the restoration of prophets and apostles is really not a new thing.  I saw it in the New Order of Latter Rain in the late '40s and early '50s.  Before that it made its presence felt in the early days of the century among early Pentecostals...

 

            Unfortunately, doctrinal aberrations frequently raise their heads.  It is sad when people in our circles become like the Athenians, spending their time...either to tell, or to hear some new thing.  The admonitions of the Holy Spirit again and again in the N.T. epistles counsel us to 'earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.'  There is no new revelation for which to contend.  If revelatory truth goes beyond the bounds of Scripture where is the standard?'38

 

            In our tests both for license and for ordination, two of the questions were: (1) Is an utterance in tongues and its interpretation or a prophetic utterance as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit equal to Scripture?...and (2) 'Are there circumstances under which utterances should not be judged?'  The answer to both is 'no.'  Yet there is a 'new order' of Apostles and Prophets arising out of this river whose words are looked on as 'the Word of God,' who are adding on to the Scriptures and preaching their own views and creating their own bizarre traditions in the name of the Lord.

 

            In regards to the incidents associated with Agabus in the book of Acts, R.E. McAlister again writes, 'There is no clear statement of fact that the N.T. prophet should foretell future events such as these, neither is there any promise.  Consequently, this incident cannot be regarded as promise.  That being the case, it cannot be used as a foundation for a doctrine or a system.  It is a precious and wonderful thing which God did in His sovereign intervention.  No person would question the genuineness of this prophecy.  You cannot build a doctrine or a system on it, however, for the reason that it is not related to a fact, or supported by a promise.  It is just an incident which occurred once, and may never occur again.'  In other words this is an exception and not the rule.39

 

            In regards to 'predictive prophecy,' J. Roswell Flower in the Assemblies of God Ministers' Letter, April 20, 1949, said, 'It is our judgment, after years of experience with spiritual utterance, that it is a perversion of the gift to use it for the impartation of gifts and callings, or for general predictions pertaining to ministries.  Predictive prophecy resulted in untold disaster wherever it had been given free course.'   Yet in the flood of material from across our country crossing our desks, we are aware that in 'Revival' churches prophecy is being used to direct ministries and manipulate people's lives.

 

4. Impartation:

 

            This is a Latter Rain error that has been recirculated over and over again in Pentecostal circles.  This has its roots in the occult, being interpreted into Charismatic terms.  This teaching primarily asserts that the gifts of God are communicated through an agent of God--or one who is chosen to 'impart,' or 'channel' the Spirit's power.  It is also asserted that spirits may be transferred from one to another.  Revival manuals make an important point of who is allowed to pray for others.  They must follow prescribed formulas. They are instructed not to pray in Jesus name and told to repeat mantras such as 'more Lord,' 'Holy Spirit come,' and 'fire! fire!' etc.

 

            The following is offered as a sample taken from the Brownsville videotape entitled 'Honey, where are we from?' and is dated June 8, 1996.  Evangelist Steve Hill announced that God was going to do a 'rapid work' in the service that night, and called for people from the 50 U.S. states to come forward for the following prayer and impartation: 'Now now fire now now now now now now Lord now fire.  Fire fire now now now now now now.  Spirit of the Loorrdd!!  Ohhh!!

 

            This is for the government of the United States of America.  May the anointing, may the anointing rest upon our politicians.  May they receive you Lord Jesus!

 

            Now now Lord now now Ohh!  I felt that!!  Now now now now Yeah!  Now now!  Ohhh!  Now now Lord now!!  Such anointing!!  Now now Ohh!  Ohh!  Now now Lord now Ohh!  Ohh!  Now Lord now Lord anointing anointing now now Lord Ohh!  Now now now Lord now now Lord now!  Anointing anointing now, I felt that brother!  That's from Jesus!  That's from Jesus!  Ohh!!  Now now now now Lord now fire God, fire.  Anointing anointing anointing anointing anointing!  Now now now now now now now now now Lord.  Now now now now now Lord Now now.  Yes Lord, Yes Lord, now now now Anointing!  Fire! fire fire now now Ohh!  Ifelt that!!!  Now now now Lord anointing anointing.  Now Lord fire now now Lord now Lord!  Fresh anointing, more more, More!  Yesssss Lord!  Power of God!  More!

 

            Ben Wilson observes, 'First, it appears that one doesn't need a vocabulary beyond five or six words to be able to engage in powerful, impartational prayer; 'Now,' 'Fire,' 'Lord,' 'Anointing,' 'More,' and 'Ohh!' should be more than adequate.  Second, it doesn't seem to make any difference how you arrange the words.  They appear to make the same amount of sense no matter in what sequence they are spoken, and presumably have the same effect.' 

 

            Dr. Michael Brown, on the leadership team in Brownsville A/G, very clearly states their support of this doctrine on pages 183-186 of his book, Let No one Deceive You.  This is testified to by Brenda Kilpatrick and Steve Hill as stated earlier.  Brenda Kilpatrick says she received her impartation' while visiting Toronto.  Steve Hill says he's been to both Toronto and to Trinity Brompton Anglican Church in London.  In both places he's been prayed for and received 'impartations.'  Numerous people from Brownsville made the pilgrimage to Toronto, before the beginning of the Revival in Brownsville.  The fact is that impartation is essential to the whole revival scene both in Brownsville and outside the Assemblies of God.  Great emphasis is given to being on site or having a representation (such as a video) that is taken from the site.  Do Pentecostals need relics or holy sites?  Is not God omnipresent?  This 'revival' runs on impartation.           

 

            Quoting from our own 'Theological and Functional Dimensions of Ordination': 'Authority and power for ministry are conferred directly by Christ and not through those who perform the ordination ceremony.  No particular man or group is essential to the ordination process.  Evangelicals stress an immediate spiritual connection with Christ (a vertical concept) rather than a historic Episcopal (apostolic) succession (a horizontal concept)...[and referring to the gift given to Timothy]...it was a divine enduement and those who prophesied and laid on hands were dispensable instruments.  This verse, if overworked, provides the only possible support for the liturgical notion of the transference of special power and grace of ministry by the words and hands of the bishop.'40  The same is true of all gifts of the spirit.  They are given to each 'just as He determines' (I Cor. 12:11, NIV).

 

             The current Latter Rain teaching, as that in the 1940s, stresses the passing of power through the laying on of hands (impartation or transference).  They especially seize on the Timothy references (I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6).  In I Tim. 4:14 it is critical that in the Greek text, the reading is '...which was given to thee through (dia) prophecy with (meta) the laying on of hands of the presbyters.  It is clear if comparison is made with Eph. 2:8, that 'by grace (dative) you have been saved, through (dia) faith..., ' that 'by' with the dative points to primary agency, the grace of God, and 'through' designates secondary agency, faith.

 

            Going back to the Timothy references, it is the Spirit who is the source, prophecy is a secondary instrument, or here the announcement, and the laying on of hands only happened to be an accompanying human activity.  'Nothing in my hands I bring!'

 

5. Spiritual Warfare in the Heavenlies:

 

            This doctrine is an outgrowth of allegorical interpretation and Manifest Sons of God teaching.  One notable passage of scripture that is used is Rev. 12:7-9.  Here by allegorical interpretation the Woman is the church.  The Man-child is an elite group of overcomers to which the church gives birth and they are the ones who cast Satan, the dragon, out of heaven, and bring a rule of the church over the whole world (dominion or kingdom now).

 

            Bill Randles in his book, 'Making War in the Heavenlies,' writes: 'Item 1 Argentina.  Christian leaders openly challenge, mock, taunt and curse Satan and Evil Spirits.41  Item 2 San Jose, California.  After 'seasoned veterans' of spiritual warfare met to discuss how to 'purge the skies' over the actual locations (geographical) of two 'strongmen,' 900 prayer warriors fanned out with a special decree.  They climbed mountain tops, top floor rooms of hotels, and even the tops of tall building.  At the agreed upon hour, they broke the seals off their proclamation and jointly declared, 'To the Dark Powers over San Jose and the surrounding communities, that we are taking back our land in Jesus' name!'42

 

             According to Dick Bernal, the way to take a city is fourfold:

1. Proclaim a fast with prayer.

2. Identify the principality over the city.

3. Determine its geographical location.

4. Call him/her by name.43

 

            This is pure and dangerous mysticism.  This mysticism exalts subjective experience over objective truth.  Descriptions are given of 'strongmen' over cities and how they operate.  This material could only be revealed mystically because the Bible does not describe such .

 

            At General Council in Florida, the speaker in a Children's Council group explained to the children before an altar call that in order for them to receive all that God had for them, they needed, first, to say a prayer to rebuke and cast out all the devils.  He then led them in a prayer.  This practice is becoming rampant in our churches across the country. 

 

            It would seem that we are returning to the practice referred to in Jude 8-10, which speaks of slandering celestial beings.  These teachings are an accompaniment of Dominionism (Kingdom Now).

 

            A further evidence of this mysticism is demonstrated in Brownsville A/G in an intercessory prayer practice called 'sweeping the house.' People are instructed to grab the hands of two or three others and move through the auditorium and cleanse the house.  The explanation is that during the revival services the lost come in by the hundreds and demonic spirits who have oppressed many are driven out by the power of God.  So the prayer warriors move throughout the auditorium, praying over every seat, cleansing every area of the house.  They anoint the seats of those in the choir and the leaders on the platform.44

 

            Such practices lead us into grossest mysticism.  May I ask, what happens if a seat is missed?  Suppose that this one seat is occupied by 'legion.'  How may demons can occupy one seat?  If that seat is missed, are all our prayers then in vain?  We may question on from here.  What if the demons are in the carpet, or the chandeliers or, heaven forbid, the pulpit.  What if knowing this in advance they choose the coat room or the restrooms.  Or may we track them in from the parking lot or side walks?  There is no end to the uncertainty this will create.  Our only certainty is in One who has conquered the Devil and whose name we glorify in the church, at whose feet angels prostrate fall.  It is He whose presence we should anticipate when we worship and at the mention of whose name demons flee!

 

            There is a widespread misunderstanding among us of Mt. 16:19 and 18:18.  These are interpreted in reference to the binding of the Devil.  Edersheim writes of their true meaning in light of their times.  '...we must first inquire what idea it would convey to those to whom Christ spake the words.  It has already been explained, that the power of 'loosing' and 'binding' referred to the legislative authority claimed by and conceded to, the Rabbinic College.  Similarly, as previously stated, that here referred to applied to their juridical or judicial power, according to which they pronounced a person either 'Zakkai,' innocent or 'free'; 'absolved,' 'Patur'; or else 'liable,' 'guilty,' 'Chayyabh' (whether liable to punishment or sacrifice).45

 

            The truth of the matter is that these passages have absolutely no reference to the binding of the Devil, or the loosing of finances from heaven.  If we could bind the Devil, the words have been uttered enough times that he should be covered in a ball of chains, and the earth should be Devil-free!  The trouble is that after we have uttered the magic words, he is still loose on planet earth and prowling about seeking whom he may devour, while Christians go about with a false sense of security.  The scripture indicates that the Devil is allowed to circulate on earth until he is bound by Christ at the beginning of the millennium and cast into the Abyss.  Then at the end of the thousand years, after his release for a short time, he is cast into the lake of fire. 

 

            We are being side-tracked by the imaginary process of trying to identify particular spirit entities ruling over certain cities, staking off geographical boundaries of their rule, flying over their territory, and figuring out what their names are.  We have no Biblical authorization for such practices.  Neither do we see Jesus or the Apostles practicing anything such.  This entire process glorifies man instead of causing him to be humble and dependent on One who is all powerful.  These practices, which include staking, mapping, walking, flying over, etc., have infiltrated much of the current prayer movement.  In fact, prayer is being used as a tool to bring churches together for indoctrination in these Latter Rain practices.

 

6. Tabernacle of David worship

 

            Tabernacle of David worship is an outgrowth of the Restoration teaching being heard again by teachers circulating in the present 'revival.'  Featured guests such as Carlos Annacondia (Pentecost, Prophecy & Power conference, March 8-10, 1999 at Central Assembly, Springfield) and Claudio Friedzon from the Argentine revival have been featured speakers at our Assemblies of God seminars and revival services.  These men teach that the Tabernacle of David is being restored through the revival movement in the earth.  They teach that the end time Church must experience something that no other generation of believers have experienced.  Their compulsion is predicated upon the assumption that the Church has lost something of the revelation and power of the early church, and must be restored.  They claim, as many in the present revival movement, that God must restore the Church to her former glory and power and 'rebuild David's fallen tent' (Acts 15:16) before the coming of Jesus. 

 

            With the establishment of David's fallen tent has come an outbreak of new manifestations for the new order of priesthood and apostolic authority, anointing and impartation.  The new priesthood now prophesies with music, shofar, dance, banners, incense, tambourines, streamers, and other trappings supposedly being revived from Davidic worship. 

 

            The wrongful assignment of the Church to be a replacement for the House of Israel, is a hermeneutical error.  This again is brought on by allegorical interpretation of scripture.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up and preached to the House of Israel, not the Church.  Those who believed and obeyed the message became the Church of Jesus Christ.  The building that Jesus came to build was the Church, and later he will come to complete the work in the House of Israel and the two shall be one tabernacle.  It is not necessary to steal promises from the Jew in order to enhance the benefits of the Gentile.  There is plenty of blessing provided in Christ's inheritance for both Jew and Gentile. 

 

            The following is given as a sample of Tabernacle of David worship going on within the Assemblies of God: Bill Johnson pastors Bethel Assembly in Redding, California.  Tabernacle of David is the form of worship.  I quote from a newspaper called The Remnant, June, 1998: 'When you attend this church on Sunday night, you'll understand this is no ordinary Assembly of God Church.  Large men stand at the front of the church as flag wavers, the glass pulpit is pushed back, and prophetic dance takes center stage.  To the left side of the sanctuary women do prophetic dance in priestly garments.'46

 

            Mention must also be made of a gathering of 1,200 ministers and their wives in Brownsville A/G to learn about the Brownsville Revival.  A guest evangelist erected an altar to burn incense in the sanctuary.  Each attendee took incense and marched single file to this altar and placed their incense in the fire, burning it as though they were worshipping the Lord.  A report about this service in a periodical stated that 'the glory of the Lord came down!'47 

 

This is Tabernacle of David worship!

 

            Tabernacle of David worship is brought about by the confusion between Israel and the church.  O.T. rituals and practices under the Law were but types, figures, and shadows of that which was to come.  These were and are fulfilled in Christ.  The New Testament does not lay down O.T. rituals, dress or worship items as necessity for worship in N.T. churches.  Jesus established that, '...God is spirit and his worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in truth.'

 

            Hundreds of our people are being driven from our churches because of the enforcement of Tabernacle of David forms on congregations where leadership has bought into this.  Our elderly are being pushed into the back rows or out of the church because they cannot take the elevated sound level of body rattling amplifiers and sub-woofers, let alone dance, for an hour at a time in extended song services.  Those who should know Jesus best are looked down upon as those who 'are not on fire.'  The historical evidence does not suggest that David would even recognize the full-blown assault on the senses that is being done in his name. These are really pseudo-Davidic forms.

 

            It should normally be expected that the spiritually strongest would be those who have known and served Jesus longest.  But the new thinking is that those most physically involved in Tabernacle of David aerobics are the most spiritual.  This artificiality further feeds the arrogance of the Manifest Sons of God/New Breed doctrine that this generation will be greater...filled with more spiritual power than all who have gone before. 

 

            We cannot afford to wait for those who propagate this doctrine to die off to disprove their false premises.  An honest interpretation of the Word disproves the whole system.  The church all the way from the first century until the Rapture is one.  Our conquest and our reward will be together.  Those of these last days are dependent on all those who have gone before.  There is no superior generation.  We have seen these practices at close proximity within our district. 

 

            Our fellowship is in extreme danger.  We are walking down the same road Roman Catholicism travels.  Off-beat experience gets codified into church tradition.  In the long run, church tradition comes to hold the same strength as Biblical doctrine.  In the end tradition triumphs and commitment to Biblical doctrine becomes only lip service.  We are not immune to having the same misfortune!  What is before us is basic and foundational.  It grows out of our relationship to the Reformation, some 500 years ago.  The insistence of the Reformers was 'Sola Scriptura!'  The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice.  This was the A/G statement predating our Statement of Fundamental Truths.  Why are we so quick to adopt beliefs that have no foundation at all beyond human experience?  We have no authority to proclaim manifestations, doctrines, and practices to be of God or to be a work of the Spirit, which have no foundation in the Scriptures.  We must not go beyond what is written. 

 

            It is time to wake up.  Our Statement of Fundamental Truths is under assault.  These truths will gradually become discarded and irrelevant long before they are officially dropped.  The following of our fundamental truths are being effected:

 

I. The Scriptures Inspired

 

            We are presently seeing the first one, 'The Scriptures Inspired' being eroded away.  When the Scriptures are no longer the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct, we are on the 'Slippery slope,' since all the other fundamentals hang on this one.

 

            In the Assemblies of God we have always embraced Scriptural authority.  God's word emanates from Him and is one with Him.  Since the Spirit is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, a special office of His is the revelation of both the living Word and the written Word.  'All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work' (II Tim. 3:16).  [Whether or not we attend anyone's seminars!]   We need nothing more.  Peter says (II Pet. 1:3), 'His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us...'  Jude says, our faith was 'once for all delivered to the saints.'  God does not give nor do we need any new revelations.

 

            Furthermore, the trust in modern apostles and prophets to give us 'present truth' leads us away from the Scriptures as a final authority.  This subjective, esoteric revelation is nothing more nor less than adding to or subtracting from God's Word, which the scriptures forbid (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6).

 

II. The One True God

 

            This is the next Fundamental Truth being depleted of its energy.  God has left us a written record wherein is recorded his nature.  We may measure every 'manifestation' by this nature to see if it befits Him.  Many of the current manifestations do not fit the character of God.  We hear the slogans repeated so often, 'This is a sovereign move of God,' and, 'You can't put God in a box.'  But a sovereign God has already put himself into a framework, and His revealed character makes certain things impossible for God: '...It is impossible for God to lie...(Heb. 6:18).'  God does not remember our sins against us, etc.  God's sovereignty never contradicts God's character!

 

            The Son and the Spirit are being credited with activities which are incompatible with the revealed nature of God.  Things which were once recognized as a work of the Devil are now being attributed to God. 

 

VII. The Promise of the Father

 

            Too often the Holy Spirit is perceived as the 'Lone Ranger' of the Trinity.  He supposedly functions differently from the Father and the Son.  The Scriptures indicate that Jesus is the Highest Revelation of the Father.  'In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form' (Col. 2:9).  Jesus said, 'I and my Father are one' (Jn. 10:30).  To Philip he said, 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.'  There is no higher revelation of God than what has been given in Jesus. 

 

            Jesus promised, 'If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever--the Spirit of Truth.'  This presents us with two matters.  First, 'another Counselor.'  The Greek has two words for 'another.'  Allos denotes another of the same sort; heteros denotes another of a different sort.  The Holy spirit will be another (allos) Counselor just like Jesus.  He comes to 'teach us all things, and remind us of everything Jesus has said to us.'  The Spirit always points us to Jesus.  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are always in agreement.  Secondly, in the 1993 Spiritual Life Report it was stated, 'We believe that God's Spirit never goes where His Word does not.'  The Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.  We need not balance the Spirit with the Word.  The Spirit and the Word are one!

 

            When we face the rush of new 'manifestations' we need to ask ourselves, 'Did Jesus do this or teach this as a pattern for His church?'  If this is not the case, then is this really the Holy Spirit?

 

            Now, since the Trinity is one, and the Word cannot be separated from the Spirit, what spirit is it that is leading us into things which do not fit the character of God, which are not practiced by Jesus or taught as a pattern for the church, nor anywhere instructed by the apostles for the church.  The Spirit never contradicts the Word.  He is not schizophrenic!  Let us decide which we will follow.  If we wish to follow a spirit which is doing a 'new thing,' beyond and apart from the Word, perhaps we should just chuck our Bibles and go for this spirit and its superior revelation.  The Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses have been following the words of their prophets for a long time.  But if the Word of God is all sufficient, then it is through this Word that the Holy Spirit will work in all things to equip us for service. 

 

VIII. The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost

 

            It is presently being promulgated, in tune with Latter Rain dogma, that 'Tabernacle of David worship' goes beyond the Pentecostal experience (as if the Holy Ghost's work is still evolving)!  Pentecost is not enough.  This is why they are willing to consider any experience, no matter how bizarre, as being from God. This new revival is supposed to supersede anything that has happened since Jesus, including Pentecost. 

 

            Rick Joyner has said, 'As Jesus promised, the things that He did and even greater things will be done in His name, because He went to the Father.  His faithful will soon walk in unprecedented power and authority.  In the near future, the church will not be looking back at the first century church with envy because of the great exploits of those days, but all will be saying that He certainly did save His best wine for last.  The most glorious days in all of history have now come upon us.  You who have dreamed of one day being able to talk to Peter, John and Paul are going to be surprised to find that they have been waiting to talk to you!'48  Aren't we great!!

 

            The restoring of Davidic/Tabernacle worship has its origin in the twentieth century, in 1948 at a Latter Rain Camp with James Watt and George Warnock.  This impinges on our statement #7 on the Baptism in the Holy Ghost.

 

            In the current revival many churches are no longer presenting the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues.  One is anointed with the Spirit when he gets thrown across the room into the wall, gets stuck to the carpet, gets shaking or twitching spasms, gets gold fillings in his teeth, etc.

 

            In many cases people are being instructed not to pray or to speak in tongues or they will hinder the Holy Spirit!  How can we accept extra-Biblical manifestations as a 'new level' of spirituality and /or anointing when they are eclipsing in importance the Biblical anointing called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is witnessed by speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance?

 

X. The Church and Its Mission

 

            This fundamental is also affected, since with the advent of 'Joel's Army,' believers will be an incarnation of Christ upon the earth, riding through the land, taking over our society by the force of irrepressible power, rather than the preaching of the gospel.  These echoes are being heard already among us in 'Revival' churches. 

 

XIII. The Blessed Hope

 

            This fundamental will not be able to stand because the current in the flow of this 'river' is bringing an entirely different understanding of the coming of Christ.  The dominant belief in this river is that there is no rapture of the church.  In fact, the rapture is ridiculed as being escapist.  Rather, the rapture of the church is being replaced by a spiritual coming, in which the church becomes the Corporate Christ.  As such they will defeat here and now, sin, sickness, Satan and Death.  The Church will rule the nations with a rod of iron--and through the Church, rather than through the personal, physical return of Christ, God's kingdom will be established on earth. 

 

            We are being told that Jesus cannot come for the church until he comes in the church!  The dominant belief in the 'River revival' holds to eschatological agnosticism.  They do not know when the Lord is coming.  They only know that before that happens we will Christianize the world and become perfect enough, 'without spot or wrinkle,' to permit Christ to return. 

 

            Further, our doctrine of the 'Blessed Hope' includes the idea of imminence.  If there must be a world-wide revival before Jesus comes, Christ's coming cannot be imminent.  The Latter Rain idea of a world-wide revival comes from way back and has been talked about in Pentecostal circles for a long time.  The name of Latter Rain is taken from the O.T. passages in referring to the late rainfall in Israel (Hos. 6:3; Joel 2:23; Zech. 10:1).

 

            James uses the time between the former rain and the latter rain in James 5:7 as an illustration of patience.  This has no direct reference to revival.  These passages must be forced to draw any reference to a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit just before Jesus returns.  The feast of Pentecost or Shavuoth was understood by the Jews to be a celebration of the giving of the Law and an annual renewal of the Mosaic covenant.  This continues to the present day.  The Spirit's coming was in continuity with the giving of the Law and yet the Spirit's coming displays the difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus, in as much as the former is Torah centered and Torah directed, the latter is Christ centered and Spirit directed.  So the outpouring of the Spirit in the 'last days' has been continuing from the time of Pentecost to the present. 

 

            If one were to try to draw any types from these references, the best they could arrive at would be that the giving of the Law was the 'former rain' and the outpouring at Pentecost was the 'latter rain,' and that this latter rain has continued until the present.  There was certainly no separate 'latter rain' contemplated for the 20th or 21st century.  It is also equally sure that the 'former rain' did not come in 1906, leaving the 'latter rain' for some end-time revival yet to come.  We are not waiting for revival before Jesus comes.  We are simply carrying out the great commission.  During this time, when people repent and turn to God, 'times of refreshing come from the Lord' in various places (Acts 3:19).

 

            What we do have clearly indicated in Scripture is that in the last days 'some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits' (I Tim. 4:2), and, 'There will be terrible times in the last days' (II Tim. 3:1), and the many other warnings of the New Testament.  We are presently susceptible to Latter Rain error because it comes to us in the skin of 'revival,' which is sheep's clothing.  For how could anyone be against revival?

 

XIV. The Millennial Reign of Jesus

 

            The Latter Rain movement infiltrating us is at best post-millennial, and at worst, amillennial.  They do not see Jesus coming back until the Church, or at least, a superhuman class within the Church has subjugated the entire world for Christ (Dominionism).  The Church replaces Israel in the O.T. prophecies.  Here is where our new ecumenism is doing us in.  Apostles and prophets of this persuasion are ministering in the pulpits of our churches.  A number of them including Rick Joyner, Ken & Lois Gott, Kansas City prophet Bob Jones, Wes & Stacey Campbell, Michial Ratliff, and Graham Cook, have ministered in Brownsville and the Lord only knows where else. 

 

            These things were clear enough to our leaders in 1949.  Between the Ministers' Letter, The Pentecostal Evangel, R.E. McAlister's TRUTH ADVOCATE, and much correspondence, the issues were handled with relative thoroughness.  Our problem is that we have a generation which is completely in the dark about the happenings of 50 years ago.  Our present leadership is placing its stamp of approval on a modern version of our history.  Brownsville is being trumpeted as a modern version of Azusa Street.  What we are seeing is a new generation, many of whom are not inclined to think for themselves and who, because they are experience oriented, are uncritically swallowing whatever is on the popular menu.  Who knows...?  It might make your church grow!The pass word is, of course,  we must not judge.  If it works, that is all that matters.  The attitude is, that if leadership thinks this is all right then all must be well and we must get with the program.

 

            The available documentation is voluminous.  Materials, both pro and con are readily available on the internet.  A number of principle Latter Rain leaders who were living in the late 40s and early 50s are either still living or died relatively recently, and have directly contributed great influence toward the present move.  Many of the doctrines remain unchanged.  Some have become a little more systematized and developed since they depend heavily on new revelation.  All have new packaging to make them palatable to the present generation.  Deceptive language is being used, which changes the meaning of words.  The line of descent of these doctrines and teachers is readily available. 

 

            Latter Rain fits comfortably into the New Age.  'Rev. Ernest Ramsey, an associate pastor at Unity's Kansas City's Founder's Church, Unity on the Plaza, is an enthusiastic follower of the Alice Bailey and Benjamin Creme teachings.  In his Research Report #2, he tells of something he was led to by a spirit guide--what he terms 'Neo-Pentecostalism.'  An aberrant branch of Pentecostalism, this is more commonly known as the 'Manifest Sons of God.' 

 

            Ramsey's major report, entitled 'An Evolutionary Basis For The Reappearance of the Christ and his Executives, the Masters of Wisdom' was inspired by Benjamin Creme's appearance and speech at Unity on the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri...The most interesting section of Ramsey's report dealt with 'Neo-Pentecostalism.'  Ramsey spent a semester at one of the Neo-Pentecostal or Manifest Sons of God seminaries  (in upstate New York)...  Already familiar with the Alice Bailey writings, he was amazed to see that there was a branch of Pentecostalism that embraced the same teachings--albeit using sometimes different terminology.

 

            'Like those seeking the 'Age of Aquarius' these people too were seeking a 'New Age.'  Like the other New Agers, these people taught that 'The Christ' was an anointing--not necessarily one man.  They taught that Jesus was a pattern son who was to be a sign of something even greater to come--the 'Manifestation of the Sons of God.'  They too believed the earth was to be cleansed of evil.  And chillingly like the other New Agers, they believed they were to be 'God's' instruments to do such cleansing.  The New Agers believed they were gods.  The Manifest Sons of God likewise taught that if one accepted their 'new revelation' that they themselves would actually become Christ at the time of the unveiling or manifestation of the Sons of God.'49

 

            In these last several years there has been a great emphasis on our roots in Azusa Street.  While we are truly grateful for the good that came out of Azusa Street, not everything that issued from there was good.  We have mythologized Azusa Street, and are quickly adopting a revisionist form of our history.  The Assemblies of God did not start at Azusa street in 1906.  Our fellowship was born in Hot Springs in 1914.  Our early fathers in the Assemblies of God did not buy into all that went on at Azusa Street.  We were blessed with some godly, educated, common sense men who guided us away from the pitfalls of error that grew at Azusa Street. 

 

            We are hearing the siren song of Latter Rain from all sides in Charismatic circles.  There is no comfort in the fact that we are not yet taken over.  Latter Rain is already in many of our churches through the cross-pollination of seminars, the networking of the post-denominational movement, the proclamations of various prophets out of whose belly are flowing the waters that are feeding this river.  The message is being carried in numerous choruses being sung in our services. It is in the books, tapes, and magazines being sold to the people in our churches.  It is time to 'wake up!  Strengthen what remains and is about to die,' before Jesus comes to us as a thief. 

 

            During these last three years of research, we have heard from all over our country concerns over the direction the Assemblies of God is headed.  We have also heard from four foreign countries.  Australia, Papua New Guinea, Japan and Ivory Coast.  We have heard from Hawaii, Alaska, California, Washington, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire.  Of course the authors of 'A Return to Biblical Integrity' have observed the spread of this doctrine with its resulting destruction within the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island area.  The problem is widespread.  The annecdotes are multitude.  May God give you brethren grace and wisdom as you address this crying need. 

 

                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                                Carl E. Guiney, an author of                                                                                                 'A Return to Biblical Integrity'       

                                                                                                October, 1999

 

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

End Notes:                

 

1. Robert Liichow, Discernment.

 

2. Bill Randles, Weighed and Found Wanting,  p. 41.

 

3. Ibid. p. 42.

 

4. Letter to Mrs. Myrtle D. Beal, April 28, 1949.

 

5. Bill Randles, Weighed and Found Wanting, p. 43.

 

6. Edith L. Blumhofer, The Assemblies of God (2 Vol.; Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House), Vol. II,         

   p. 67.

 

7. Richard Riss, 'The New Order of the Latter Rain,' Assemblies of God Heritage, Fall 1987, p. 18.

 

8. Ibid.

 

9. Ibid.

 

10. Ibid., p. 17.

 

11. Ibid., p. 18.

 

12 Bill Randles, Weighed and Found Wanting, p. 80.

 

13. David Hunt, Occult Invasion, (Eugene Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1998), p. 301-302.

 

14. Ibid., p. 492.

 

15. Ibid., p. 513.

 

16. Ibid., p. 514.

 

17. Orrel Steinkamp, D. Min., The Plumbline, June/July, 1996, p. 1.

 

18. Brenda Kilpatrick, Carol Arnott, Lila Terhune, Arise Deborah Conference, Brownsville A/G,                                          

     Wednesday a.m., Jan. 20, 1999.

 

19. Ibid.

 

20. Dr. Herb Babcock.  The End Times, March/April, 1997, p.8, interview.

 

21. Presentation at the Garywood Assembly of God in Hueytown, Alabama, Jan. 20, 1997.

 

22. Steve Hill, '1997 Conference,' op. cit., Jan. 7.

 

23. John Kilpatrick, '1997 Conference,'  op. cit., Jan. 7.

 

24. Steve Hill, '1997 Conference,' op. cit., Jan. 7.

 

25. Transcribed from 'Bible Answer Man' radio program.

 

26. Jimmy Robbins, after his trip to Pensacola; reported in April/March 'End Times Magazine,'

     E-mail to Rev. Joseph Chambers.  

27. John Kilpatrick, '1997 Conference,' Jan. 6, 1997, Grand Rapids, tape.

 

28. Mark Bubeck,  Spiritual Warfare Basics, Sioux City, Iowa: International Center for Biblical Counseling,                             

     no date, pg. 23.    

         

29. G. Richard Fisher & M. Kurt Goedelman, 'The Murky River of Brownsville,' The Quarterly Journal,                                            

     Vol. 17, No. 2 (April-June, 1997), p. 19.

 

30. John Kilpatrick, meeting of the Peninsular Florida District of the Assemblies of God, Nov. 1996.

 

31. John Kilpatrick, sermon at '1997 Conference on the Ministry,' Grand Rapids, Mich., Jan. 6, 1997, tape.

 

32. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 1964), p. 9.

 

33. Rev. Terry Wiles, Paper, Revival: Understanding the Past and Protecting the Present, 1998.

 

34. Debra Bouley, E-mail, Sept. 30, 1997.

 

35. R.E. McAlister, Truth Advocate, Circa 1949, p.6.

 

36. Carl Brumback, Like a River, The Early Years of the Assemblies of God (Springfield, Mo.: Gospel                                                                      

     Publishing House, 1961-77, p. 3.

 

37. R.E. McAlister, Truth Advocate, circa 1949,   p. 3.

 

38. Dr. G. Raymond Carlson, personal letter to Mrs. Jewel Van der Merwe.

 

39. R. E. McAlister, Truth Advocate, circa 19 49, p. 6.

 

40. Assemblies of God, Theological and Functional Dimensions of  Ordination, An Official Position Paper,       

     Springfield: Gospel Publishing House, 1977), p. 39.

 

41. Bill Randles, Making War in the Heavenlies, pg. 10, citing C. Peter Wagner, 17 Veterans of Spiritual

       Warfare, Regal Books. p. 46.

 

42. Ibid. pg. 11., citing Dick Bernal, Storming Hell's Brazen Gates through Militant, Violent, Prevailing      

     Prayer, Jubilee Christian Center. p. 65.

 

43. Ibid., p. 55.

 

44. Don Milam, 'Intercessory Prayer,' Destiny Image Digest, (Volume V., No. 1, Winter, 1997), p. 35.

 

45. Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Erdmans Printing         

     Co., 1980), Vol. II, p. 645.

 

46. The Remnant, June 1998, p. 26. Mobile, Alabama.

 

47. Video, Paw Creek Ministries, The False Anointing. 

 

48. Rick Joyner, The Harvest, p. 26.

 

49. Constance Combey, A Planned Deception, as cited in 'Constance Cumbey's New Age Monitor,' 

      Aug.-Dec. 1987.