From cover-to-cover this book is filled with non-Biblical manifestations. I do not doubt Jesse had some type of experience (maybe a flashback to his drug abuse days), but he did not go to heaven. Much of what he describes about his heavenly experience is blasphemous in content. Anyone who teaches that a person must perform certain works in order to make themselves worthy to see God once they are in heaven is blaspheming the finished and complete work of Christ on the cross. His blood was enough and will ever be enough for any believer. If we are told to come boldly to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16) in this life, can I expect to do any less in heaven? Anyone who dares to say King David regrets some of what he wrote is a person who does not fully believe in the inerrancy of the Scriptures. All of what Jesse saw does nothing more than affirm his own WOF doctrines, which is probably why his book has sold well within the Charismatic ranks.

Buy this book, it is a fun read, and a good tool to sharpen you doctrinally. You can challenge yourself by playing some games with his book. Like, how many false doctrines can you spot? How many non-Biblical experiences does he relate? Or my favorite, "what's wrong with this picture?" The book is filled with foolishness, but it is being read by thousands!

What saddens me is that nobody within Charismatic leadership questions any of this book! Hagin, Copeland, Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, et al. are either silent or promoting it (as Copeland does). Why would a Christian publisher seek (as he says they did) to publish a book in which baby spirits fly around the head of God Almighty and whine about becoming a redeemed person. Do others spirits cry out "I wanna be eternally damned"? By their silence and in many cases endorsement of Jesse's book I am fast coming to the sobering conclusion that the WOF ministers are almost totally bereft of any concept of sound doctrine.

Author: Joshua Bradley

Publisher: Unknown

Length: 300 pages

Published: 1819

Availability: Out of print

Bradley On Revivals
Joshua Bradley, Feb. 1819

This is an old, out of print book dealing with religious revivals between 1815 and 1819 in over 80 different cities across America.

Little is known about the author, Joshua Bradley, apart from his writing down of the accounts of revivals he attended and collecting accounts from other regarding revivals in their cities and towns.

The book I have is a first-edition and is quite frail. I plan to scan a good portion of it and put in on our site. I think many charismatic's would do well to go and research religious revival in America prior to Finney.

Two facts were made manifestly clear in this book concerning revivals:

(1) revival is a sovereign work of God
(2) there are no accounts of any weird or outlandish manifestations which seem to mark the revivals of the last 50 years in this nation.

Every account in the book speaks of the Holy Spirit convicting sinners of their condition before God and the response of those convicted. I read accounts of people convicted of sin, crying out to God for mercy, of weeping before the Lord in contrition, of songs of praise coming forth from those redeemed.

There are no accounts of people falling down, making strange sounds, speaking in tongues, or of any type of demonic manifestation or excess.

There are no accounts of any new church, denomination, or organization being birthed due to the visitation of God in these accounts. I did read of people being added to all the local congregations. People got converted and joined Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Methodist churches. I also saw that no one person or group took any credit nor did any attempt to formalize what the Holy Spirit was doing. Saints prayed, sometimes together as one church, other times separately within their congregations for sinners to come to Christ. God answered their prayers and towns were changed by the glory of God and the simple gospel message presented.

Today we seem to expect some sort of manifestation. Whether it is barking like a dog, roaring like a lion, being glued to the floor, unrestrained physical manifestations, or speaking in other tongues. To many it is these things which symbolize true revival. Yet history proves that most genuine conversions to Christ are not accompanied by such things. There have been times when there were some manifestations. Yet early men, like Jonathan Edwards and Whitfield, did not approve of such excesses.

In light for what I have been reading from history I must seriously question what is transpiring in places like Toronto and Pensacola Florida. Why? Because these experiences do not fit Biblical examples nor do they fit historical ones either. I know many claim "God is doing a new thing." My response is a simple one - first and foremost if whatever is happening has no Biblical precedent then put it on the shelf. Secondly, if what is happening has no historical precedent, i.e. from the early church fathers to the present, put it on the shelf.

In closing, this book is a shear delight to read, and gives a good view of what took place during a genuine moving of the Spirit of Grace in saving sinners.

Author: Mary Baxter

Publisher: Whitaker House

Length: 216 pages

Published: 1993

Availability: Any Christian bookstore (unfortunately)

A Divine Revelation of Hell, a national best-seller has swept many charismaniacs into a frenzy. I ought to know, I personally have talked with several of them. Sister Baxter was chosen by Jesus to go and suffer the torments of hell for 40 days and then to write about what she saw so that sinners could be saved.

"The world must know about the reality of hell. Many sinners and even some of My people do not believe that hell is real. You have been chosen by Me to reveal these truths to them. Everything I will show you about hell and all the other things I will show you are true." (Pg. 21)

Her book is filled with many of these statements. Time and time again we are told she has been chosen and what she has written is true. The only problem is that what she has written contradicts the Bible at almost every point. The only problem is all of her divine revelations are extra-Biblical and anti-Biblical.

"I Am Jesus Christ, your Lord, and I wish to give you a revelation to prepare the saints for My return and to turn many to righteousness." (Pg. 13)

In 1976, a demonic spirit, posing as the Lord of glory, appeared to sister Baxter (he appeared in a brilliant light 2 Cor. 11:14) and said:

"I am going to take you by My Spirit into hell so that you may be able to make a record of the reality of it, to tell the whole earth that hell is real. . ." (Pg. 15)

The book is also filled with statements like these. Bottom line - the Biblical revelation is not enough. The Church and the world need to know from her, what hell is really like!

"The things you are about to see are a warning," He said. "The book you write will save many souls from hell. What you are seeing is real. Fear, not, for I will be with you." (Pg. 19)

Her book, not the saving work of the cross, will save many souls from hell. We are reminded many times that what she is writing is real (her favorite word) and her revelation is able to save your lost soul. What does the Bible say?

The Rich man asked that Lazarus be sent back to tell his lost family about the reality of hell. The response? If they will not listen to the testimony of Scripture, they will not believe one who has risen from the dead. Somehow her testimony will carry more weigh than one who has risen from the dead (Jesus).

The book is filled with unsubstantiated garbage. Hell is shaped like a human body (pg.34). She alone has this insight, which is beyond anything the Bible says about hell. She has many people in hell who were once saved but lose their salvation and ended up in hell. A compete denial of the Master's Words in John:

On page 99 we read that Satan is worshiped in hell. First from all we know in the Bible Satan has never been to hell, and does not plan to go if he can help it. Satan also has a bride/wife in hell too (pg. 179).

What saddens me the most is the fact that a Christian publisher, Whitaker House, would dare to print such lies and deception. They will be held accountable by the Lord Jesus for the people they have allowed to be deceived by Mary Baxter's demonic lies.

This book is a great tool to bone-up on ones apologetic skills. Every page is filled with error and deceit. Mary K. Baxter is a fraud and should be (1) pitied for printing such trash, and (2) ashamed for contradicting the plain teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Divine Revelation of Hell is a demonic blasphemy which has caused more spiritual instability in the lives of many saints who simply are unable to ferret out the truth from fiction. May Mary Baxter find mercy at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Author: Mike Bickle

Publisher: Creation House

Length: 240 pages

Availability: Any Christian bookstore

This book is a good book to read if one wants to gain insight into what the "prophetic movement" believes. Mike Bickle is a prominent leader in this aspect of charismania and his book gives the reader some insights into what the movement believes.

Chapter 2 tells of the coming great visitation and how God spoke audibly to 2 of the Kansas City prophets: "In ten years I will begin to release the wine of My Spirit." (Pg. 26) So today when people are getting drunk in the spirit in Toronto and Pensacola this is validation of this audible voice.

The only problem is - the Bible says nothing about people being drunk in the spirit, and manifesting the exact same mannerisms as an individual who is intoxicated by alcohol. Peter had to correct the crowd at Pentecost and tell them "these men are not drunk as you suppose..." (Acts 2:15). The others through they were drunk due to their loud proclamations of the goodness of God. There is no indication that they staggered around, fell on the ground, etc. More importantly, there is not another instance of this behavior set forth in Scripture. In other words, what occurred in Acts 2:15 is not doctrinal nor is it normative for believers.

Bickle makes the classic Pentecostal mistake in teaching that 120 people got filled that day, when I (and other far more capable theologians) have proven that only the 12 were initially baptized. As an aside keep this thought in mind: Pentecostal's need to have the 120 receiving the same thing as the apostles. Why? Because if it was only the apostles (as the Bible indicates) then the distribution of that gift would have to be by their hands (again, as the Bible indicates) and thus tongues would not be for everyone.

Bickle also affirms another classic charismatic misinterpretation (pg. 28) of the text in Acts 2:15-16

Acts 2:16-18
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: " 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

In verse 15 Peter quite clearly says "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel." In other words, Joel's prophecy has been fulfilled this day! Bickle and others have had this prophesy being fulfilled continually. Irving said it was fulfilled in 1827, Seymour said it was fulfilled in 1906, The Latter Rain folks said it was fulfilled in 1948, the charismatics said it was fulfilled in 1967. . .the prophetic movement says it is being fulfilled today.

However, the apostle Peter said it was fulfilled in his day period. There is no indication of a perpetual or seasonal re-fulfilling of that prophecy. What other prophecy do we have in the entire Bible which is repeatedly fulfilled? I mean, what direct prophetic word has ever been fulfilled more than once? NONE! Yet Mike wants the reader to believe that this prophecy is being perpetually fulfilled today.

On page 30 Bickle cites the prophet Paul Cain's belief that 3 things will characterize this great visitation (1) unparalleled power, (2) purity, and (3) unity. Naturally, prophet Cain does not give any Biblical references for this belief.

On page 31 Bickle says "In my understanding, it includes angelic visitations, dreams, visions, and signs and wonders in the sky, as well as an increase in prophetic revelation, even the kind given through the subtle impressions of the Holy Spirit." Again, he gives no Scripture for this belief, it is simply his understanding.

Probably the most troubling aspect of his book, and his belief system, is his doctrine of less than 100% accuracy in prophecy. In other words, one can stand up in a service (even as a recognized prophet) and give a prophesy in the name of the Lord and if it is less than 100% accurate that's okey. In his chapter Stoning False Prophets, he attempts to make a big distinction between O.T. prophets and N.T. prophets. That is fine as far as it goes, but he does not require accuracy of N.T. prophets than was required of the Old. What I find interesting is that Bill Hamon, another recognized prophet says the prophet today has the same authority as the O.T. prophet . . .but is not subject to the same strictures as the O.T. prophet. I am not advocating "stoning" of false prophets. But if someone stands up and speaks in the name of the Lord and they speak lies and error then they need to be openly REBUKED, sat down, and not allowed to speak publically. On a tape entitled "Divine Appointment" 3/29/89 Mike Bickle says the following:

"There is a dimension that is coming, and now is, that we have no frame of reference for and most of us think that we do."
"... and they (apostles, prophets) do things that you have no frame of reference for understanding because, believe me, what's going to be coming down in the next twenty years you and I have no frame of reference for understanding. It is going to be so unusual you are not going to be able to look at the word for every manifestation and find one there because the Spirit of the Lord has so many manifestations that you and I know nothing about." (Divine Appointment [Introduction], Mike Bickle, 3/29/89, cassette tape)

This SCARES ME! There is a growing sentiment within the prophetic movement that now the Bible is not sufficient as a guide for all faith and practice. In other words, if the Bible does not speak about certain manifestations or experiences that is okey, that does not mean your experiences and manifestations are not of God.

Why does this sentiment scare me? Because there are no controls! When you remove the Word of God from Its proper place as supreme guide and authority on all matters of faith and practice then you have opened the door to any and all subjective experience. This is exactly where the prophetic movement is headed. This is exactly the frame of reference Mike Bickles book is written in.

It does not matter that he does not have Scripture to support his beliefs, God is doing a new thing today, and he knows it is of "God" because of the fruit in the peoples lives, i.e. observable subjective changes. The problem is, I can take you to any ashram or shrine and show you peoples lives who have been changed "for the better" by their commitment to false gods. The only sure guide we have as Christians is this - does it conform to the Scriptures?

Call me narrow-minded, call me bound to legalism, call me whatever you want. But I will gladly stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and give account for taking a stand for His Word. All that I, and this site, seeks to do is to be faithful to His Word. I wish I could say as much as the leaders of the so-called prophetic movement.

Charlie J. Ray, Chaplain
North Florida Reception Center
Florida Department of Corrections
Lake Butler, Florida

A Critical Review of Quenching the Spirit:
Discover the REAL Spirit Behind the Charismatic Controversy

William DeArteaga has presented an accurate account of the theological milieu within a broad and diverse movement, one of few attempts at a popular apologetic for current doctrinal perspectives in the charismatic renewal. Unfortunately, he has also has unwittingly agreed to the charges of cultic origins of many charismatic teachings. To his credit, despite a minimal theological education, DeArteaga has provided an extensive bibliography and has endnotes to each chapter. However, his lack of formal theological preparation becomes obvious at several points, especially regarding his appraisal of the Pharisaical sect in Jesus’ time and his assumption that gnosticism was a full blown religious phenomenon prior to the second or third centuries. Many scholars hold that the gnosticism mentioned in the New Testament was of an incipient variety, though some liberal scholars believe that the New Testament is itself a product of gnosticism.

According to DeArteaga, modern heresy hunters are guilty of Pharicaism similar to the hypocritical sect of Jesus’ time. However, he seems to have confused the legalistic concerns of the protectors of the Torah tradition with modern concerns of theological orthodoxy. At best DeArteaga’s analogy is an ad hominem dismissal of those who would submit popular charismatic theology to critical theological analysis. Unfortunately for DeArteaga, scholars will not be intimidated by labels designed to discredit their examination of the renewal movement, diverse as it is. Moreover, the Pharisees were upset because Jesus broke the letter of the law while pointing out that they were breaking its spirit by taking advantage of loopholes. Perhaps the greatest weakness of DeArteaga’s scholarship is his tendency to present only one side of the issues at hand. He provides little support for his spin on the Pharisees, settling instead to give a tendentious perspective which provides an ad hominem attack against anyone who dares to question the theology preached and taught in charismatic circles.

It is true that the Jews of Jesus’ day had given equal authority to an early Mishnah or commentary on the Torah. But to his discredit DeArteaga mistakenly attributes the Talmud to the Pharisees of Jesus day when it did not come into existence until 200 A.D. This alone is enough to cause serious scholars to question the research of the author. But regarding the charge of Pharisaism, modern scholars do not attribute inspiration and infallibility to critical commentaries as DeArteaga suggests. On the contrary, it is the charismatic movement which has attributed infallibility to its gurus who profess to have the latest revelation from God directly through the Holy Spirit. This is tantamount to adding to Scripture a new tradition which functions much like the Catholic doctrine of oral tradition handed down by apostolic succession. The Catholic idea is that the infallible Bible needs an infallible interpretation which the Church provides by means of the teaching magisterium and oral tradition. Apparently, the some extremists in the charismatic movement feel that the infallible Bible needs an infallible interpretation and confirmation by ecstatic experiences and manifestations and by reliance on its star preachers. While Pentecostals and charismatics are not cessationists, the majority do not hold that the gifts of the Holy Spirit add to the revelation contained in the canon of Scripture.

Though there is nothing heretical per se about "extreme manifestations," there are nevertheless major differences between DeArteaga’s portrayal of the occurrences of manifestations during the First Great Awakening of the eighteenth century under Wesley and Whitefield and modern revivals where similar manifestations are regularly reported. Even the manifestations and emotional outbursts of the revival services of Jonathan Edwards were of a different character than modern examples. One major difference is that people involved in the two Great Awakenings were under tremendous conviction for their sins and were in fear of hellfire, particularly the revival under Edwards’ leadership where sermons like "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" were a regular part of the menu.

Secondly, the leaders of the earlier revivals tended to ignore or tolerate the more animated responses to their preaching. Wesley, for example, was criticized for being an "enthusiast" because his preaching produced results and because some people fell down under conviction like that of the Roman soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane. Wesley himself, however, was never accepting of such behavior.

On a more positive note, the chapters on divine healing well written and accurate for the most part. The author traces its nineteenth century roots in the teaching of Phoebe Palmer, Charles Cullis, A. J. Gordon, Alexander Dowie, and others. DeArteaga also details the early twentieth century healing movement via Carrie Judd Montgomery and A. B. Simpson et. al. He also tells of the extreme views of anti-medical healing espoused by a few preachers and teachers of the divine healing or "Faith-Cure" movement. But too much credit is given to James Monroe Buckley, a Methodist editor of The Christian Advocate for refuting the divine healing movement. Buckley did point out the similarities between the healing cults like Christian Science and certain techniques in the divine healing movement. It seemed apparent that psychosomatic illnesses had a greater success rate than organic diseases, a point John MacArthur makes in his book, Charismatic Chaos. What should not be done, however, is to make a blanket statement that healing ceased with the apostles as Benjamin B. Warfield and subsequent Reformed theologians have done. Most Pentecostals and charismatics would agree with DeArteaga’s assessment of the attack made upon divine healing in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.

DeArteaga’s knowledge of science is limited but he attempts to show the reasonableness of modern day miracles by appealing to new discoveries in subatomic particle theories in physics. Unfortunately, he falls into the same trap as the New Age philosophers such as Fritjof Capra in his book, Tao of Physics (Bantam Books). Subatomic particle theory in no way entails the creation of matter on a larger scale or that miracles can be explained by the appearance of photons out of the void, an implication of DeArteaga’s position. It is perhaps here that the author’s experience in the metaphysical cults becomes most obvious. He himself acknowledges that involvement early in the book:

I was uniquely equipped to approach this challenge because of my own spiritual life. In my search for God from 1974 to about 1980, I surveyed much of the metaphysical literature available. The grace of God led me out of that environment and enabled me to see that though elements of truth existed there, they were surrounded by and imbedded in Gnostic heresies. I am thankful that what little I wrote during that period was not widely distributed. Some Christians may be surprised by my unusual route to biblical faith and Christian scholarship. Yet because of that path I was made aware of the indispensable need for discernment in spiritual experiences, a major theme of this book.

Unfortunately, DeArteaga’s lack of formal theological training has led him to confuse some aspects of his metaphysical experiences with Christian theology. He gives a strong defense of a Platonic and dualistic worldview when he makes a distinction between materialism and the real world, a view that Gnosticism carried to extremes. He even makes appeal to Fritjof Capra’s New Age philosophy as a justification for his theory of "Christian realism." What is extremely disturbing is that he lightly dismisses the obvious dependence of Christians upon metaphysical doctrines:

The argument for moderate Christian idealism is not merely utilitarian. Rather is has become increasingly clear from discoveries in modern science that the universe was created and continues to operate as some form of idealist system. That is, matter at its most fundamental level does not act according to realist-materialist assumptions. Unlike other ages, when the idealist-realist controversy was purely an argument of philosophical preference, in our age the weight of science is now heavily shifted toward idealism.

Understanding the implication of modern science will place us in a position to appreciate the role of heresy in the nineteenth century cults. These cults, especially Christian Science and New Thought, were essentially idealist cults with an exaggerated notion of the power of mind over matter. In interaction with these cults, graced individuals such as E. W. Kenyon and Agnes Sanford were able to create a moderate Christian idealism which understood the biblical pattern of faith and the gifts of the Spirit yet avoided the exaggerations and Gnostic doctrines of the cults.

This reviewer takes strong exception to DeArteaga’s defense of Kenyon and Sanford’s syncretism, which he calls "moderate Christian idealism." D. R. McConnell and others have clearly shown that such reliance on heresy produces cultic doctrines within the Word-Faith movement and other sects within the charismatic movement. For one thing, DeArteaga unwittingly buys into a form of panentheism that makes the ideal world a place in which the divine resides. Christian theology, on the other hand, has agreed with Aquinas that God is totally transcendent over His creation and that the material world IS the real world. There is no platonic dualism whereby the real world is some spiritual realm beyond human senses or empirical observation. DeArteaga makes a categorical fallacy by assuming that subatomic particle theory equals a similar paradigm of reality on the macro-physical level of the observed universe, the same mystical worldview assumed by Capra in THE TAO OF PHYSICS.

That DeArteaga has not repented of his cultic leaning is revealed in his statement that "by Christian idealism we mean a viewpoint which understands that thoughts and words influence the natural world to some degree." This is the most alarming aspect of DeArteaga’s apologetic for the Word-Faith movement. He has gone far beyond arguing that the gifts of the Spirit and healing did not cease with the end of the apostolic era. Now he dumbfounds the reader by defending metaphysical doctrines! He considers D. R. McConnell‘s and Charles Farah’s critique of cultic doctrines but instead of refuting that the doctrines are cultic, DeArteaga affirms the cultic origins and makes and an ad hominem dismissal of concerns of McConnell and Farah by saying that it is understandable that they would criticize the Word-Faith movement:

While he made an excellent analysis of the Faith movement, Farah had not caught the importance of the philosophical shift that had occurred with Kenyon’s faith-idealism. Given his theological training in the best realist-materialist theology of Christendom, this is understandable.

DeArteaga, while acknowledging the legitimacy of the theological critique of some aspects of the charismatic renewal and the Word-Faith movement, in spite of everything dismisses critics as "Pharisees" and incredibly endorses the extremes of positive confession, prosperity, and divine health techniques such as denial of sickness as biblical! One suspects that this is because scholars have done an excellent job at exposing the debt that the charismatic movement owes to New Thought and Christian Science. If one is to take DeArteaga’s claims seriously, then Christianity as it is expressed in the Pentecostal/charismatic movement is in grave danger of leaving orthodoxy and moving in the direction of the metaphysical cults. This reviewer, for one, is extremely distressed at the audacity of proponents of the New Age doctrines currently being swallowed hook, line, and sinker within the Pentecostal/charismatic movement. We would do well to heed D. R. McConnell’s warning in the conclusion of his book:

Those who are in evangelical and classical Pentecostal churches should not suppose that because they are not direct participants in the independent charismatic movement, they will be left unscathed by its more extreme elements, such as the Faith movement. The ability of charismatic doctrines and practices to infiltrate denominational churches is too well documented from the past to be ignored in the future. The Faith teachers have a far broader sphere of influence than their own in the independent charismatic movement. Their metaphysical concepts have spread to numerous believers who do not count themselves part of the Faith movement, including many in Pentecostal and Evangelical churches. This contagion cannot be allowed to continue. The Faith theology must be identified and shunned for what it is: a different gospel.

While most who agree with these doctrinal deviations do so out of ignorance and a lack of formal theological preparation for ministry, ignorance does not justify toleration of heretical doctrines. The current fuss over the extremes of emotional and ecstatic manifestations in the Brownsville and Toronto revivals pales in comparison to metaphysical heresies infiltrating the church at an alarming rate today. Paul warned the primitive church that the devil masquerades as an angel of light and that ravenous wolves would contaminate the church with the intention of feeding upon the sheep (see 2 Cor. 11:14; Acts 20:29). Some sheep warn other sheep while wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing dismiss the approaching danger in hopes of participating in the kill (see 1 Cor. 4:14; Mt. 7:15; Jer. 23:1-4, 16-32). Believers should watch their doctrine closely so that they and those who hear them might be saved (see 1 Timothy 4:16). No compromise with cultic influences should ever be made by those concerned that the truth should set humans free from bondage to sin and to false doctrine. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (Mt. 8:36, KJV).

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