E.W. Kenyon: The True Story
Joe McIntyre

This has to be the most excellent book I have read in defense of Word of Faith doctrine. McConnell (A Different Gospel), Hanegraaf (Christianity In Crisis), and many others have built their whole foundation for attacking the Word of Faith upon the premise that E.W. Kenyon received his teachings from metaphysical cults. Then they attempt to show that Kenneth Hagin, who is recognized as the father of the modern faith movement, plagiarized Kenyon's writings. If this is all true then the whole faith movement is herectical and cultic and anyone affiliated with it is heretical and cultic.

Joe McIntyre shows evidence that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kenyon did not derive his teachings from metaphysical cults and as a matter of fact rejected such teachings. McIntyre then goes on to prove that from study notes, newsletters, and other material that Kenyon wrote who Kenyon's real influences wer. These influences were men such as C.H. Spurgeon, G. Campbell Morgan, A.B. Simpson and a host of other Holiness and Pentecostal pioneers. He was close friends with many of these people and were greatly influenced by them. This is a great read. I highly recommend it. A strong inspiration for the articles on this web site concerning WoF's classic roots.

If you have had doubts about the origins of Word of Faith teaching then get "The True Story" on the subject.

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Christianity In Power
Michael Bruno

I am surprised that I have not been able to find much concerning this book on the internet.

This book provides a very passionate answer to Hank Hanegraaf's book, Christianity In Crisis. Michael Bruno answers Hanegraaf from a scriptural point of view showing in many areas where Hanegraaf's own doctrine deviates from Scripture while at the same time showing that Word of Faith teaching has it's foundations in the Word of God. He deals with such subjects as "Having faith in your faith" and how Hanegraaf has taken statements that faith teachers have made out of context concerning the deity of Christ. Bruno then goes on to show that much of Hanegraaf's theology neither lines up with Scripture or a host of other classic and modern Christian authors.

My only problems with this book is that it sometimes seems rushed in some areas and there is no easy reference if you want to look up a defense on a certain subject. Nevertheless, it looks at the Word of Faith from a true Scriptural point of view. I highly recommend reading this if you have read Christianity in Crisis. This will book will give you the truth from another perspective. Too many have believed the lies because some critics such as Hanegraaf (and his staff of CRI writers) were able to present these lies in a scholarly manner. Now it's time to get the truth. Stop having a "Christianity in Crisis" and start walking in a "Christianity in Power."

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Faith And The Pharisees
Ted Rouse

Here is another gem in the books that are being published in defense of the Word of Faith teaching. Just as Michael Bruno, Ted Rouse is dealing with the Word of Faith critics from a Biblical standpoint, answering the major attacks of the Word of Faith message with Scripture. Some of the chapters that may really be of assistance to the reader are Chapter 7: Do Faith Teachers Deify Man and Teach We Are "gods" as the Critic States and Chapter Ten: Do Faith Teachers Teach Man is Boss Over God. Those are probably the biggest lies told by the critics to persuade their listeners that WoF is herectical and cultic. Ted Rouse does an excellent job (in this reviewer's opinion) of repudiating such ridiculous accusations.

However, I believe that Rouse makes the mistake that many in Word of Faith circles make in assuming that the criticism is coming primarily from cessationists. My research has shown that many Pentecostals and Charismatics also reject the Word of Faith message (Hanegraaf claims to be Charismatic and McConnell claims to be Pentecostal). I personally believe that Satan has done a thorough job in turning many of our brothers against us. I just hope that many of them will read this book and learn the truth.

Brother Rouse truly believes that sincere critics have been sincerely wrong about the Word of Faith teachings. I personally question the sincerity of many critics as one can see here that there is ample material available to refute their claims. Yet none of the critics have yet publicly acknowledged that they could be wrong. Nonetheless, Ted Rouse presents an excellent Scriptural treatise on the Word of Faith doctrine. A highly recommended resource for all who desire to know the truth concerning Word of Faith Teachings. If you don't have a copy then stop wasting your time reading my review and order one now.

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Heresy Hunters: Character Assasination In The Church
James R. Spencer

I must first apologize for almost believing many of the lies told about this man and his book while surfing the internet for information on it. I kind of like to get a review of something before I spend my hard earned cash (well, sometimes it's "Hard earned, Hehehehehe!). I heard a few negative things such as he was defending Mike Warnke (famed satanist turned Christian who has had some books written exposing some things about him) and Bob Larson. I went ahead and bout the book (along with his other book reviewed below). I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it through in two nights (for me to do that you really have to have my interest).

Spencer does not defend nor does he endorse the actions of any of these men but exposes the unkind and ungodly way in which these men's sins were exposed to the public. We are told to approach our sinning brother with a spirit of meekness (Gal. 6:1-2) but so called "Defenders of the faith" are doing just the opposite. Many have picked up the secular journalistic ways of using 30 second soundbites and out of context quotes to make someone say something that they were not implying.

And then discussing an issue very close to my heart, the Word of Faith movement, Spencer, a former Mormon elder himself, shows how the teaching of Word of Faith doctrine is nothing close to Mormonism. For instance he shows that when WOF makes the claim that they are "little gods" they are not calling themselves "deity" or on an equal footing with God but simply saying that they are God's offspring through the new birth in Christ.

Like most of us, Spencer recognizes that some get out of balance in teaching certain Word of Faith doctrines and some even distort the truth, but also acknowledges that this message should not be rejected because of those who go too far. Great read. Add it to your library.

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Bleeding Hearts and Propaganda: The Fall Of Reason
James R. Spencer

After his first book which has been reviewed above, James Spencer came under serious attacks by the very people he exposes in his book. They even went as far as attacking his family.  This shows how far these Heresy Hunters will go to get revenge on those who do not agree with their mission to destroy the ministry of others. He exposes the true nature of many of these Heresy Hunters/Pop-apologists. Spencer is an apologist himself and believes in the true ministry of apologetics but does not believe in hunting for heresy.

I really loved chapter eleven where Spencer shows verbatim how Hanegraaf has taken statements Copeland says out of context by quoting the part that Hanegraaf uses to make Copeland sound heretical and then quoting the full context of what Copeland said to prove that it was not what Hanegraaf implied. In my opinion such tactics reveals dishonest y and a lack of integrity on the part of ministries such as this.

Spencer also deals with other issues in the church such as some evangelicals acceptance of the sin of homosexuality and the new social conciousness. A good read and follow up to Heresy Hunters: Character Assasination in the church.

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Quenching the Spirit : Discover the Real Spirit Behind the Charismatic Controversy
William De Arteaga,

I read the first edition some years ago and felt it was a good defense against cessation theology and distorted dispensational teachings. Arteaga provides answers to Dave Hunt's book, "The Seduction of Christianity", John MacArthur's book, "Charismatic Chaos" and D.R. McConnell's book, "A Different Gospel". His updated edition exposes the truth behind the attacks of CRI against the Word of Faith movement and the  Pensacola revival.

Using the Great Awakening and the attacks against Jonathan Edwards (I wonder if he was an ancester of mine? May have to research this someday), DeArteaga shows how there has always been a "Pharasaical" spirit in the church that has always opposed revival in every age. buy this book if you want a historical analysis concerning the true spirit behind the attacks of against the WoF and the current revival in Brownsville.

Although he attempts to defend E.W. Kenyon against the accusations by his critics that he (Kenyon) was influenced by metaphysical cults such as New Thought and Christian Science, DeArteaga does not do present the best of defenses on Kenyon's behalf. For the best defense on Kenyon's behalf I highly recommend Joe McIntyre's book, E.W. Kenyon: The True Story (See my review of this book above). He also makes an attempt to defend Kenneth E. Hagin against the charges of plagiarism which is the only defense of these accusations I have seen in print thus far.

All of that aside, I would still say that no one's library is complete without this book. It is obvious that DeArteaga has done his homework and has presented to the church an accurate historical account of pharasaical attacks against the movements of God. This is certainly a must read.

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The Spirit of False Judgement
Kathie Walters

A small book that packs a big punch. Kathie appeals to everyone in the body of Christ to see one another through God's eyes. She tells us that it is Satan that causes us to make judgemnts of others out of resentment, anger, or critical and negative attitudes. She teaches that it is actually an occult spirit that tells us all the things that is wrong with another person. She does not refute that God may reveal when another brother or sister is in error (either moraly or doctrinally) but God's plan for that individual is restoration and not destruction (Gal. 6:1).

She also teaches those of us who have been the subject of attack by critics not to take personal vengeance or to seek vindication. This little book convinced me to temper my own essays on this web site (and also not to include some links on my links page that would have revealed the hypocrisy of one major critic of the Word of Faith message). Her book is not a defense of Word of Faith doctrine but she does include a couple of paragraphs where she expresses her appreciation for Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Savelle and others. An enjoyable read and very helpful to those who have either been the subject of "false judgement" or who realize that they themselves possess a critical spirit and desire to be free.

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Surprised By The Power of The Spirit
Jack Deere

Jack Deere is a former professor of Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary and is well acquainted with the cessationist theological arguments against miracles and healing being manifested in the lives of God's people today. After seeing a revival of the miraculous in his church he began to change his views and began to find out what the Bible truly had to say on this subject.

Deere provides a response to John MacArthur popular book, Charismatic Chaos and uses Scripture as well as his personal experience to blow holes in cessationist theology. If "scholarly" cessationist arguments have caused you to question if God is truly working His power in the earth today then buy this book and read it. This will strengthen your faith in that area. Also for those who are firm in their faith in the area of the miraculous but not sure how to provide a scholarly answer to critics.

I am not in total agreement with the author on his views of why some people do not receive healing, however, I still found it an interesting and faith building book. Highly recommend it.

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