The last few weeks have been rather busy for Pentecostal/Charismatic types like Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Gov. Sarah Palin, and Bishop Thomas Weeks. Ensign alone has seen the headlines monopolized by his paid-off adulterous relationship, and the outing of his political and religious ties to The Family and his dabbling in the do-it-yourself exorcism movement. The senator’s political career, despite his vow to run for reelection, seems suspect.
Then, when you consider the excitement sparked both by Sarah Palin’s exit from the governorship of Alaska (to pursue a higher calling) and the news that Bishop Thomas Weeks has found a new wife after beating and divorcing Juanita Bynum, one might surmise that Pentecostals and Charismatics are primed to take over Howard Sterns’ title as “King(s) of All Media.”
Given the avalanche of media attention on these Pentecostal and Charismatic “newsmakers,” one might expect to find more helpful information on the movement(s) to which all three belong. After all, understanding their affiliations and beliefs can help to make sense of the motivations of such disparate figures; to say nothing of the prosperity purveyors like Creflo Dollar, Paula White, and Joel Osteen who share their tradition to some extent. When God is like “on-demand cable”—standing by to provide instant forgiveness and prosperity—it is very hard to convince the most fervent believers to adhere to basic rules of propriety, let alone values.
From a Senate investigation of prosperity ministers to Sarah Palin’s New Apostolic Reformation movement connections, Pentecostalism and its progeny (Charismatic, Third Wave, Full Gospel and non-denominational churches) have multiplied rapidly, making it is difficult to discern what the original movement is and where the offshoots are. Consider, for example, the fact that most people are unaware that Joel Osteen’s Father, John Osteen, was originally a Southern Baptist who turned Charismatic then Word of Faith (the old name for prosperity gospel). There is a reason why Joel Osteen can teach “Your best Life now”—he’s a word of Faith/prosperity guy who’s toned down the rhetoric for broader consumption.
Health and Wealth
Genealogy is important. So, in order to help you distinguish one movement from another, let me give you a brief primer on Pentecostalism and its two mutations: Prosperity Gospel and the New Apostolic movement.
The Pentecostal movement has been defined by historical, theological, and sociological means, but to understand its “mutations,” focusing on the movement’s practices is key. The Pentecostal emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which can also function as a religious practice, are outlined in various New Testament texts (including I Corinthians 12-8-10, I Corinthians 12:28, and Romans 12:3-8). These gifts, or practices, include healings, exorcism, speaking and interpretation of tongues, words of wisdom, and prophetic utterances. Speaking in tongues or glossolialia, once touted as the primary practice of Pentecostals is now, despite the occasional outburst of televangelists, something very few Pentecostals engage in according to a 2006 Pew survey. Instead, practices of healing, faith, and exorcism have gained primacy among the “spiritual gifts.” As a result, the long-term health and strength of Prosperity Gospel and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) rests on the elevation and promotion of these practices above all others. The deviations, then, are just as important in understanding how Pentecostalism is being reshaped and redefined.
The Prosperity Gospel has had several names throughout its history, including the “Health and Wealth Gospel” and, as noted above, “Word of Faith,” whose antecedents arise out of the healing movements of the 19th century. Early Pentecostals laid hands on and prayed fervently for healing “in the name of Jesus”; teachings that were appropriated by many churches and evangelists. For some, however, the teachings of E. W. Kenyon on the Word of Faith (with an emphasis on “faith”) became more primary in ministries and churches. Emphasis on the power of faith asserted that Christ’s atonement for sins on the cross included healing, and that if faith were applied appropriately, whatever a believer prayed for that was in God’s will would occur.
In the late 1940s, Kenneth Hagin (sometimes known as the father of the Word of Faith Movement or just ”Daddy Hagin”) focused on principles of ”faith” and the right of believers to be healed. Using his own story of healing, Hagin, alongside evangelists like Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, and others, began to promote healing teachings, adding financial blessings and a how-to on the proper application of “The Word of Faith.” [See Jonathan Walton’s Watch This!: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism and RD’s “Selling the Good News.”]
For these Word of Faith proponents, the emphasis was placed on an almost fanatical belief in speaking and living the Word of Faith in line with scripture. These teachings in turn became foundational for many in the movement, including Hagin protégées Kenneth Copeland, Frederick K. C. Price, and John Osteen. Many mainline Pentecostals embraced these teachings at Copeland and Hagin meetings, which also attracted Charismatics from mainline denominations. Now known as the Prosperity Gospel, these movements garnered more participants and visibility in the 1990s; not only due to the advent of larger non-denominational churches linked to the various ministries, but also to the explosion of full gospel churches led by leaders like Paul Morton (who linked to other leaders with Pentecostal backgrounds like T. D. Jakes).
Toned Bodies and Spiritual Warfare
The new generation of prosperity preachers—Creflo Dollar, Paula White, Joel Osteen, and a host of other ‘luminaries’—took the humble Health and Wealth Gospel to another level. Rather than focus on audience healings and testimonies, the leaders themselves became advertisements for the movement: highlighting their expensive cars, airplanes, homes, and perfectly-toned bodies as a way to show their parishioners and followers across the world that prosperity was the way. Any association with established denominational oversight or organizational affiliation was severed in order to keep accountability out of the hands of outsiders, and within the ministry only. Even with the scrutiny of Senator Grassley (targeting the Grassley six for their financial records), these leaders have still managed—in the depths of a worldwide recession—to hold on to followers in their home and satellite churches around the country and across the world.
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), on the other hand, has been able to operate largely out of the general public’s purview, save for the work of writers at Talk to Action chronicling the changes and escalations in this movement, whose roots are firmly within the boundaries of the historic Pentecostal movement. Two foundational NAR beliefs (spiritual warfare and dominion over social ills) were influenced in part by a pair of English authors, Smith Wigglesworth and Jessie Penn Lewis, who were read avidly by some early Pentecostals and continue to be popular today. Their books focused on demonic possession, deliverance, and powerful spiritual encounters.
In the 1940s these very beliefs would be given further impetus by the “Latter Rain Movement” which arose out of revivals in Canada. Focusing on extraordinary outpourings of the Holy Spirit, including spectacular spiritual manifestations, believers and leaders in the movement like William Branham believed these manifestations would usher in the second coming of Christ. The movement caused splits within several Pentecostal denominations, most notably the Assemblies of God. Unlike the Word of Faith movement, the Latter Rain movement and its subsequent iterations relied on “extra” revelation outside of the Bible, given to a special group of leaders whom God had appointed.
The focus on “apostolic” leadership would reappear in the Shepherding movement of the 1970s, which quickly died after several scandals in leadership. Not long after, in the early 1980s, the star of C. Peter Wagner began to ascend. Wagner honed his ideas about spiritual mapping, spiritual warfare, and “power encounter” while teaching alongside other “power encounter” teachers at Fuller Seminary like John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard denomination, and Charles Kraft, missiologist. He was good friends with the now-deceased Wimber.
Wagner’s empire began to grow after he left the seminary in the early ’90s to establish a ministry in Colorado Springs. The NAR, according to Wagner, began in 2001, prompting him to call the 21st century the beginning of the “Second Apostolic Age.” Those in the NAR believe that in order to bring about the coming of Christ, Apostles must be recognized, and the church is a government that should be run by Christians in order to cleanse the world for Christ’s coming. Power encounters such as exorcisms must be done to cleanse not only people, but cities and communities; and those who participate in this will also lead in the new Reformation. Sarah Palin’s video of hands being laid upon her looks like a like a normal Pentecostal practice at a church service, but the minister/apostle, Bishop Muthee, was part of the New Apostolic Movement.
It is clear that both the basic theological tenets of what Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement denominations promote and what scholars research are not the beliefs of many of its prominent leaders and adherents. True, many denominations and faith traditions change over time, but what’s striking about Pentecostalism is the movement’s ability to morph from its antecedents into a plethora of new movements, all with basic Pentecostal teachings at their core. The sheer present-day diversity of the movement begs the question, what really is “Pentecostal” and what is not?
Are these manifestations of prosperity gospel and New Apostolic Reformation heresy, bad taste, or simply capitalist adventures for those in leadership? For a movement that started out with a millenarian orientation, it has certainly become enamored with the world, and with retaining earthly power in every way. Whatever these new mutations of Prosperity Gospel and Apostolic leadership are, it is time to pay even closer attention to them, and to their relationships to the realms of social and political power they currently possess.
Tags: charismatic movement, creflo dollar, joel osteen, john ensign, new apostolic movement, paula white, pentecostal, pentecostalism, prosperity, prosperity gospel, prosperity preachers, sarah palin, talk to action, word of faith, word of faith movement
Your polemic leaves me with pure envy. What a fine and perfect piece of work you give us. I am in your debt.
I think an era can only be defined by analzying how we got here in the first place. You piece reminds me of Marsden's Fundamentalism and American Culture where they take a look at this phenomenon and see it as it is and how it affected (and affects) our current culture. Excellent article. Now if we could only show this to non choir folks...
The reference to Marsden is on target.
"...and Joel Osteen who share their tradition to some extent. When God is like “on-demand cable”—standing by to provide instant forgiveness and prosperity—it is very hard to convince the most fervent believers to adhere to basic rules of propriety, let alone values"
Wow! -- Osteen's basic premise is that God longs to bless us. We need only "enter into His gates with thanksgiving and praise" -- with eternal and expectant gratitude. Just how "cocky" could a supplicant *possibly* be when conforming to that formula? Why wouldn't the most retarded among-us quickly learn to *live* in the holiest state we could possibly muster -- once we've tasted the good things God longs for us (like the immense joy of service, nurturing and yes even daily sustenance) Why do you hold humanity "so-small" and so ignorant as to not quickly and happily see "whats good for them"? I'm really so sorry that God's method of traing us to serve Him fails to meet your criteria.
(addendum)...the point of the article is not lost on me. Joel Osteen hosted Marcus and Joni Lamb "live" for DayStar TV last Wed. -- I could hardly watch it! Joel is simply beyond comparison to anything else out-there. In fact, there is no other televangelist like Joel Osteen. He is the only one mentioned in the article that I can assure you of. He is real. The "method" he teaches is solid. He allows God to draw us "in". It may be a bit "Pavlovian" to simply teach us the "ropes" of "manifesting" (praise, thanksgiving, expecting, obedience) -- but it's 100% scriptural -- and the sheer power of it "shocked" me into a closer walk with God. I had no idea it could be so personal and immediate. Joel deliberately builds Hope and then tells you how to have your Hopes answered. It is not about money -- but man -- I really want to help spread this message. Joel never asks -- but I send what I can -- gleefully! Please extract Osteen from your article! :)
Sorry to say Ron P in Tx, but you took it all, hook, line and sinker. You sound like the perfect follower of a cult personality.
Closer walk with God and you are praising Osteen. Get it?
Great job Professor Butler! When are you going to send me a book?
I'm so busted!!!!! on its way!
Huh? I'm only thanking Osteen for his remedial "Faith 101 for Dummies" (like me). Don't all Christians know the scripture "Enter into his gates with praise and thanksgiving"? Joel only opened my eyes as to what that really means. Quantum physics (M-theory) and Cosmology (dark matter, dark energy) had prepared me to accept how hopelessly clueless we are about physical reality. A personal working God -- altering a tenuous reality -- is really easy to believe now. Osteen was just the final step on the path to an intimate relationship with God -- manfesting reality and-all! Get-it?
Speaking as someone who was an elder at a "Jesus Freak" house in the early 70s, and who was deeply into the Charismaniac movement for a number of years, my only criticism of this article centers upon its brevity. But then, there is so much to tell to provide an adequate background understanding.
Withal there are lots of online resources about the Shepherding business, FGBMFI, dominionist theology, the Toronto Blessing, the Kansas City Prophets...
My fondest memory of the "do it yourself exorcism" bit is one that I myself conducted, in a spur-of-the-moment fashion, in a sitting room of the Episcopal Cathedral in Kansas City, MO. As befits the Episcopalian model, it was quiet and dignified (none of the shouting, growling, barking, barfing or other unsuitable manifestations generally considered necessary to validate such an exercise) but it was apparently effective.
Clearly ronpintx didn't read the entire article, since he assumes that Osteen is the only evangelist mentioned by name. Personally, I grew up in Kenneth Copeland's church. My father started dragging us out to the tiny chapel at the yet-to-be completed world headquarters at Eagle Mountain back in the mid-80s. Even as a child I could see how the focus of the ministry was to seperate the congregation from as much of their money as possible. Everything was centered around supporting the ministry financially, and by doing so you were proving your faith. This was cleverly obfuscated by wrapping the message in ideas of healing and both personal and financial prosperity, which is a real ray of light for desperate, uneducated masses who feel empty. It provides the adherent a way to justify the pursuit of material wealth by advocating the idea that "God WANTS you to have a fat bank account and a Cadillac in the driveway."
Make no mistake, the "Prosperity Gospel" movement is little more than a highly sucessful capitalist endavour perpetrated by a few slick fast-talkers, and unfortunately the current economy is just going to prompt more desperate people to join its ranks.
"...he assumes that Osteen is the only evangelist mentioned by name..."
No, I do see the other names -- and I do agree that some of the names I do recognize do indeed fail to "bear witness" with what I feel to be "of God" (short version!).
I graduated from Christ For the Nations (before getting a science degree). That "college" hosted Kenneth Copeland and his mentor Kenneth Hagin in 1975 -- so I had an early look at the "prosperity gospel". They made it easy for me to "dump" fundamentalism entirely! Now over 30 years later I find Joel Osteen -- as a lone voice -- with a similar message to Hagin and Copeland -- but with a vastly different tone and emphasis.
Hagin and Copeland seemed mostly angry at "the devil" for blocking God's blessings. Osteen emphasizes that God longs to bless us -- we need only exercise our heartfelt "praise and thanksgiving" along with a trusting expectancy -- based on God's promises -- to see our honest needs met (whatever they may be). Osteen is very different in every way from Hagin and Copeland -- even if they all use the same scriptures. Osteen clearly "seeks first the kingdom of God" while the others....well God only knows.
I too doubted Osteen for several years -- yet it was his message -- correlated with the aforementioned physical sciences ("re: Fish") -- that actually brought me back into "the fold" after a 30 years! Material goods had nothing to do with my attraction to Osteen. Only Osteen's clear gift of "exhortation" along with his honest tears and open compassion for any need and his contagious positive, faithfulness did it for me. Osteen is very different -- really -- I should know! You'll know it too if you listen :)
Its a shame that new agers,"the secret" folks, Positive thinkers and living well adherents can steal God's concepts and be successful with them yet when some believers actually start to read the Bible,and believe it literally, before being talked out of it,would be villified by "those who know better"I will live on in my healthy , wealthy ,blissful ignorance ,Praise The Lord!
For those who don't believe in "da munee"don't ask for a "love offering"
"Its a shame that new agers,"the secret" folks, Positive thinkers and living well adherents can steal God's concepts and be successful"
...Yeah -- God's a real push-over. Don't worry though -- I'll can loan you some of those "concepts" if you come-up short.
Sadly, God is not a Christian -- so we must've stole His concepts too! He's not a "Deadbeat Dad" either. No, God loves to pay his Child Support -- all he asks is that his Kids come over sometime -- give Him a hug -- and tell Him that they love Him. He's a real soft-touch after that (that's how I stole some of "concepts" )
Seriously, you speak a great mystery. Science now knows -- that they don't know -- what 96% of the universe is made of (dark matter, dark energy) We still don't understand Gravity or even the true source of Mass (Higgs Boson?). Our equations do hint at "multiverses" floating in 11 dimensions. God clearly knew we "didn't have a prayer" of survival in this entropic Universe -- without Him. Is God into "tough-love" or is He our "placenta" in the "womb" of this existence? -- in the 4% "material" 3-D Universe we do know of.
The survival tools He gave us (his "concepts") do appear to transcend various Religions and cultures (even "Prosperity" teachings). Is it really any surprise that God will nurture any of his kids that manage to "hug Him" and let Him know they need Him and Love Him???
What's going to happen to one of these H & W preachers when they loose a loved one from cancer or a car accident or a host of other misfortunes that happen to all of us at some time.
What would Joel Osteen say to a member of his flock, that has a fatal tumor. That he didn't have enough faith? That puts the blame on the victum (not enough faith) and God (punishing him for not having enough faith). That's not the God I find in Jesus. What a sad message. geeez
"What's going to happen to one of these H & W preachers when they loose a loved one from cancer or a car accident..."
Osteen speaks of his Father's ultimate death from heart disease as "dying in Faith". Osteen plans on doing the same thing. He plans on being "wrong" about his healing -- just one time! I love it! Where is the harm? Lightning does strike church buildings -- all the time -- do folks doubt God because of that?
Jesus on the main line,
tell 'im what you want
...
Call 'im up!
Call 'im up!
Tell 'im what you want.
Jesus on the main line now.
That's what we used to sing at the Assemblies of God church I grew up in. Mix in some Christian nationalism and End Times hysteria, and you have a pretty good picture of the confused mentality of a holiness pentecostal in the 80' - 90's. From the holiness point of view, worldy desires are to be shunned. On the other hand, God wants you to drive a Cadillac/buy a new house/get a better job. All you have to do is believe it and praise him for it in advance. You 'release' the blessing with the miracle of faith. Again, from the holiness/separatist point of view, the world is evil, and any moment now the Righteous will be raptured before God pours out his wrath on the wicked 'world'. Yet simultaneously, America is a Christian nation and it is our duty as Christians to reclaim it for Christ. I don't know how we were supposed to hold all these propositions in our heads at once. It was certainly beyond my abilities.
"I spake in tongues more than ye all..." yet I never fell into the "prosperity trap". For all my exposure, I don't even know anyone who actually prays for lavish blessings.
I do know that some females are natural "shoppers" and many of them know no upper bounds on what blessings they will accept. They might cotton-to such teachings.
I'm post-christian, post-affluent and post-coupled. I do thank God for my daily sustenance -- but I live a very humble existence -- and I've never been more at peace. My greatest joy these days is "playing secret-angel" -- with God's abundance. That's where the "prosperity gospel" has led me! (thank you brother Osteen!)
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