Why do you support the Counterfeit Revival?

Today’s Question: I recently picked up a copy of your paper as I walked out of Barnes & Nobles. I read the interview with Mr. Brown on the Heaven's Gate Suicide. After reading the first couple of pages I said to myself, "This is great, a paper about Christianity that tells the truth about the counterfeits." Later, as I read the last page I was shocked to read the ad for the Charismatic Bible School.

Many of the names mentioned in the ad are well known counterfeit leaders from past and present.

How can you believe Marilyn Hickey who tells you to speak to your wallet? Admire a W. Seymour who had a bizarre cultic church with bizarre manifesta-tions, and to as far as to invite witches and psychics to his place of worship? How can anyone believe that Mr. Wigglesworth could raise someone from the dead, when the Bible warns us against this type of false teachers and prophets. Does the Bible mention anyone, besides Jesus, being able to raise someone from the dead?

I am really sad to see that you endorse this type of movement.

Gilbert Lujan rlujan@utep.edu

Bible Answer: It is clear from your email that you must not be a charismatic Christian.

You wrote: "How can you believe Marilyn Hickey who tells you to speak to your wallet?" Friend, Jesus taught you to speak to mountains and trees. (Marks 11:22-24 and Luke 17:6) Money is simply made out of trees. Speaking to your money is simply applying the biblical principle of speaking to objects. We have authority to do this.

You also wrote, "W. Seymour...had a bizarre cultic church with bizarre manifestations, and to as far as to invite witches and psychics to his place of worship." That's untrue.

It is true that witches and psychics would infiltrate his church in order to lead it astray. And sometimes Seymour could not discern the difference. Parham, a fellow minister of his, did try to correct this error. I encourage you to read the book, "God's Generals" by Roberts Liardon to get more facts about the Azuza Revival.

You also ask, "Does the Bible mention anyone, besides Jesus, being able to raise someone from the dead?" Yes, Peter raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-43) Elijah also raised the widow's woman son from the dead. Jesus also told his disciples to raise the dead. (Matt 10:8)

Brother, it is clear that you are very skeptical about the power of God. It's time that you quit listening to the skeptics who are not bringing revival and who criticize those who are, and instead, start listening to good fruitful ministers—the very ones who have rejected.

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