The Highway Forums General Discussion ExCharisma Christianity in Crisis

Has anyone either read the book or listed to the series by Hank Hannagraff called 'Christianity in Crisis'?

I listened to it the other day and my reaction was <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/jawdrop.gif" alt="" />
More that 24 years ago now I was in the Word of Faith movement and it was bad enough back then. But, I am shocked as to the great depths they have plummeted now.
It was/is no secret that their whole focus is on man more than God. "Everyone can be driving their own Rolls Royce" "Jesus was Rich and He wore designer clothes".
"How can the Holy Ghost reside in anybody, who is sick, He can't and will not". This also includes people who are in wheel chairs.
But are you aware that they believe that God was the biggest failure in the history of time? They also believe that when the Bible talks about being created in God's image. It is talking about us being created little gods? Now when we become Christians, we actually get that image back and subsequently with faith we can do the same kind of things God the Father can.
One faith teacher said about the Trinity. It is true that God is three persons; however it is also true that each one of the Trinity also has 3 persons. Yes there are 9 persons.
Another faith teacher heaped scorn on Job for his lack of faith.

I could go on and on about many other heretical teachings that Word of Faith teachers teach. But I think you get the idea.
For those who haven’t listened to this series, if you can stomach it I recommend that you do.

Tom

Tom because of Hanegraff's antipathy toward Reformed theology I have a hard time really taking him seriously. I've listened to him on the radio a time or two and sometimes I really wonder where he is getting his answers.

The Charismatic movements take many different forms and go by different names (Pentecostalism, "Full Gospel," Spirit-filled, "third wave," Word-of-Faith, etc). But the Word-of-Faith heresy is by far the most blasphemous, damnable stuff to come from the Charismatic movement. No longer Christian at all, because of it's heretical teaching on the nature of God and Man, as well as the identity and work of Christ.

One of the things that attracted me most to the Reformation and that keeps me here is that the doctrines recovered from obscurity in the Reformation exalts God as God, absolutely Supreme in every way. Any doctrine which makes God anything less than God Almighty cannot be true. While all of the Charismatic movements and teachings do that to one degree or another, the Word-of-Faith doctrines make gods out of men and reduce God to the level of a creature subject to the same natural laws that govern all spiritual creatures.

As for Hanagraff, I'm glad there's an Arminian sounding the alarm about this Charismatic blasphemy... most would not listen to the very same thing if it was voiced by a Calvinist.

Hanagraff may not be right about everything but he was spot on in this book.

MacArthur also has a book Charismatic Chaos which was pretty good. It's similar in content to a series of sermons that were transcribed and are available online:

http://www.biblebb.com/mac-a-g.htm

Scroll down to "Charismatics".

I hear you when it comes to his antipathy towards Reformed theology. However, if anyone listens to this particular series, you will see that he isn't just making up his answers. He has taped messages from the horses mouths themselves. They included, Kenneth Hagan, Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Seville(sp?) Benny Hinn, etc...

By the way, Hank hasn't always had antipathy towards Reformed Theology. In fact he used to have as guests on his show the Bible Answer Man years ago. They include Dr. Michael Horton, James White and a few others.
My guess is that he had to make a choice about Reformed theology after his Reformed guests made some truthful but unkind (at least in his mind) statements about Arminianism.
One in particular I heard Dr. Michael Horton say when quizzed by Hank.
The question went something like this: Dr. Horton, Arminians are Christians aren't they?
To which Dr. Horton said something like: It is my and I believe also the position of A.C.E that yes there are many Christians who are Arminians. However, if they really believe Arminian theology in their heart of hearts, then I am afraid that it is impossible for them to be truly saved.

This comment made me laugh, but there was silence from Hank and the subject was changed.

Tom

Well you have a point Robin God uses all kinds of instruments and it is good that this error is pointed out.

I was also in the word of faith movement 25 yrs ago. Thank God for His deliverance. I believe that most of the early heresy about us being "little gods" came from Oral Roberts pilot Kenneth Copeland. He doesn't need teachers he is taught directly by the Holy Spirit. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/rofl.gif" alt="" />

Hank has had James White on as recently as a couple years ago and he debated Norman Geisler. Hank's dad was a reformed pastor, so I think he was reared right? At any rate, whatever misgivings we might have about his Arminian views, Christianity in Crisis is still a great book (or tape series). It does a lot of good exposing some of these people that I (and many others) once took very seriously.