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The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It is a loose collection of preachers and teachers who emphasise worldly success and the power of a Christian to control their future through positive acts. The movement is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Copeland.
The Word of Faith movement is based on the belief that Christians can attain power, financial prosperity, and physical health through prayer. It teaches that faith is a force that can be manipulated through words, creating what is promised in Scripture (health and wealth). This stands in opposition to the teachings of historic Christianity.
The movement is considered heretical and unbiblical by many Christian scholars and theologians, who argue that it exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| No central authority | God's legal contract |
| No formal organisation or hierarchy | God's will for Christians to be prosperous, successful, and in perfect health |
| Emphasis on worldly success | Positive confession |
| Power of a Christian to control their future through positive acts | God's desire for all Christians to be happy, healthy, and wealthy |
| God speaks to Word of Faith leaders directly | Sickness, poverty, and other struggles are a lack of faith |
| Faith is a force | Christians can get power and financial prosperity through prayer |
| Words are the containers of the force | Christians have a divine right to prosper in all areas of life |
| Jesus was rich |
What You'll Learn
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult
The Word of Faith movement is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price. It grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century and was founded by E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby.
The core claims of the Word of Faith movement are that God's desire is for all Christians to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. These teachers often claim that God allows a person to "speak" their desires into reality, as though they had a creative power similar to that of God. Sickness, poverty, and other struggles are seen as evidence of a lack of faith, or at least a poor application of it.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that Christians can get power and financial prosperity through prayer, and that those who believe in Jesus' death and resurrection have the right to physical health. It is based on the belief in the "`force of faith", where words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God’s sovereign will, and that God Himself is subject to these laws.
The Word of Faith movement exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status. It claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall, humans took on Satan’s nature and lost the ability to call things into existence.
The Word of Faith movement is rejected as unbiblical and heretical by almost all Christian scholars and theologians across nearly every denomination. N. T. Wright, an Anglican bishop and theologian, referred to it as a “myth” and a “pact with the Devil.
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It teaches that faith is a force that can be manipulated by words
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It has no central authority, formal organisation, or official set of beliefs, but adherents share a set of basic unbiblical beliefs about God, the nature of the universe, and the nature of humanity. It is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers, such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Copeland.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that faith is a force that can be manipulated by words. This is based on the belief that God created the universe using "faith-filled words", and that humans, as "little gods", can do the same. According to this doctrine, words are the containers of the force of faith, and speaking these words releases the power of faith, resulting in success, health, and prosperity. Conversely, speaking negatively brings trouble, failure, sickness, and disease. This is often referred to as positive confession or negative confession.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith and can be remedied by claiming God's promises for oneself. It is believed that God's will for Christians is to be prosperous, successful, and in perfect health, and that believers can use their words to create what they desire.
This teaching has been criticised by other Christians as being unbiblical and heretical. It is argued that it exalts man to the status of god and reduces God to being subject to the laws of faith. Critics also point out that the Word of Faith movement ignores biblical examples of faithful Christians who suffered, were sick, or lived in poverty, such as the apostle Paul.
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It teaches that God is subject to the laws of faith
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It has no formal organisation or hierarchy, but is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers, including Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, and Paul and Jan Crouch.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that faith is a "force" and that words are the containers of that force. It is believed that words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus create what believers think Scripture promises (health and wealth). The laws that govern the faith-force are said to operate independently of God's sovereign will, and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is considered idolatrous by critics, who argue that it turns faith, and by extension the believer, into a god.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that God created humans in His literal, physical image as "little gods". Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall, humans took on Satan's nature and lost this ability. Jesus Christ gave up His divinity, died spiritually, took on Satan's nature, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God's nature. He then sent the Holy Spirit so that believers could become little gods as God had originally intended.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith and can be remedied by confession—claiming God's promises as one's own. It teaches that believers have a divine right to prosperity in all areas of life, including finances, health, marriage, and relationships. Prosperity is not sought for personal gain but to fund missions for spreading the gospel and helping the needy.
The Word of Faith movement is considered heretical and unbiblical by almost all Christian scholars and theologians across denominations. It has been described as a Trojan Horse in the Christian church and a different gospel from what is considered orthodox.
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It teaches that Jesus suffered in Hell and was born again
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It has no formal organisation or hierarchy, but is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers, including Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, and Kenneth Copeland.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that faith is a "force" and that words are the "containers" for that force. This means that words can be used to manipulate the faith-force and create what believers desire, such as health and wealth. These teachers often claim that God allows people to "speak" their desires into reality, as if they had a creative power similar to God's.
The Word of Faith movement teaches that Jesus Christ gave up his divinity, became a man, died spiritually, took on Satan's nature, went to Hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God's nature. This is not biblical. Jesus did not need to be born again, as he never sinned and, therefore, did not need to be saved.
Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit" (John 19:30).
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It teaches that humans are little gods
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It has no central authority, formal organisation, or official set of beliefs. However, adherents share a set of basic unbiblical beliefs, including the idea that humans are "little gods".
The "little gods" belief stems from the Word of Faith teaching that faith is a "force", and that words are the containers of this force. According to this doctrine, humans were created in the literal, physical image of God and, therefore, share in His divine nature. This belief is based on the interpretation of Genesis 1:26-27, which states that God created humans in His own image. However, this interpretation is not supported by the rest of the Bible, which clearly distinguishes between God and man. For example, only God has a divine nature (Isaiah 43:10, Galatians 4:8).
The "little gods" teaching is also connected to the Word of Faith belief in the "force of faith". Proponents argue that, just as God used the "force of faith" to create the universe by speaking it into existence, humans can also use this force to manipulate reality and achieve their desires. This idea contradicts the biblical view of God's sovereignty and elevates humans to the status of God.
The "little gods" doctrine has been strongly criticised by many Christian scholars and theologians, who consider it cultic and heretical. They argue that it contradicts the fundamental Christian belief in the sovereignty of God and distorts the true nature of Christianity.
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Frequently asked questions
The Word of Faith movement is a pseudo-Christian cult that emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the 20th century. It is a loose collection of preachers and teachers who emphasise worldly success and the power of a Christian to control their future through positive acts.
The core beliefs of the Word of Faith movement include the idea that God's desire is for all Christians to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. They also believe that God allows a person to "speak" their desires into reality, and that sickness, poverty, and other struggles are due to a lack of faith.
The key figures in the Word of Faith movement include E.W. Kenyon, considered the "father" of the movement, and Kenneth Hagin, who is often referred to as the "father" of the movement due to his influence in expanding Kenyon's teachings. Other prominent figures include Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Dr Frederick K.C. Price, and Marilyn Hickey.
The Word of Faith movement has been criticised as unbiblical and heretical by Christian scholars and theologians across nearly every denomination. It has been called a "different gospel" from what is considered orthodox Christianity. The movement has also been criticised for its focus on worldly success and prosperity, with some teachers living lavish lifestyles.
