FALWELL AND THE CHARISMATICS

FALWELL AND THE CHARISMATICS

[Distributed by Way of Life Literature's Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Copyright 1996. These articles cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites without express permission from the author. The articles cannot be sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic format for sale, but may be distributed for free by e-mail or by print. They must be left intact and nothing removed or changed, including these informational headers. This is a listing for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Our goal is not devotional. OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR. If you desire to receive this type of material on a regular basis, e-mail us, tell us who you are and where you are located, and request to be placed on the list. Also include your postal address and the name of the church of which you are a member. Please note that we take up a quarterly offering to fund this ministry, and you will be expected to participate. To unsubscribe or to submit a change of address, send your name and the request to fbns@wayoflife.org. This is not an automated list. Changes in the database often require two to four days. Some of these articles are from O Timothy magazine. David W. Cloud, Editor. O Timothy is a monthly magazine in its 16th year of publication. Subscription is $20/yr. The Way of Life web site is http://www.wayoflife.org. The End Times Apostasy Online Database is located at this web site.]

August 7, 1996 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -The following is excerpted from an eyewitness report of the Washington for Jesus Rally by Ralph Colas. The meeting was held in late April, in Washington D.C. The hosts of the conference were John and Ann Gimenez, co-pastors of the Rock Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia --

There have been three Washington For Jesus (WFJ) Rallies: In 1980, in 1988, and now in 1996. Each was organized after a prophecy was claimed to have been received by someone. Charismatic leaders allege that these prophecies are special, divine revelations from God.

Bishop John Gimenez said the Lord spoke directly to him on May 27, 1990, saying, 'This is now the day of new beginnings, the time of new horizons and you are going to lead a charge in My army. In the year 1996 you are going to lead something that is going to gather the nation's attention. Get ready, for it is a period of resurrection.'

At a November 1992 meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, Bishop Gimenez heard Rev. Mary Ann Brown prophesy, and he said he knew it was happening again--God was telling him to organize a Washington For Jesus Rally. Her prophecy, which became the rally's mission statement, reveals the trust that Charismatic church leaders place in the 'divine' gift of prophecy. Miss Brown's specific prophecy said that God's people should 'stand on the steps of the Capitol. ... You will not take the religious leaders, but you will take those who have been delivered by Me.'

With a warning that 'You are going to be rocked out of your seats,' Bishop Gimenez presented a musical group from the Rock Church of the Northwest (Seattle, Washington). These musicians were led by their woman pastor, and the audience was soon standing, clapping, cheering, and whistling with delight. ...

The next Charismatic speaker was the Rev. Steve Munsey, who related that Dr. Lester Sumrall had died the day before. Munsey said Sumrall had told him, 'The Lord promised me before I died I would see the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit.'

Munsey then announced that he was at that moment receiving a special revelation from the Lord. It supposedly went like this: 'I have brought all of you to this place, and I want to continue the power of Elijah upon you. This power is going to spread like wildfire. As I sent Elijah to Zarepath, I want the spirit of Elijah to come and sustain you after this meeting.'

A second divine revelation Munsey claimed to receive dealt with the offering that was to be taken. 'The Lord just told me to tell you to give a seed offering to pay for the scaffolding of this rally.' ...

Rev. Anna Gimenez (related to John and Ann Gimenez) then had the pastors stand. AT LEAST HALF WERE WOMEN. She introduced the special guests on the platform; nearly all were identified with Pentecostal/Charismatic churches and denominations.

Rev. KENNETH HAGIN, Jr., was the next speaker. He said, "Christians must set aside their little theological doctrines and unite to take a stand and declare we will take this nation for God.' He asked that everyone seize each other's hand and declare to each other, 'I will forget my denominational differences. I will stand hand-in-hand with my fellow Christians.'

Rev. GWEN SHAW then led in prayer. She paused in the middle of her prayer to ask everyone to speak in tongues. She then proceeded, along with the entire group, to pray in an indistinguishable 'language.'

The next ones brought to the microphone were the Revs. JOHN AND CAROL ARNOTT. They serve as pastors of the church in Toronto where the 'LAUGHING REVIVALS' [have been raging for more than two years]. There have been 27 months of continuous nightly meetings in that particular church. Arnott said one of the blessings is to see other churches 'come alive.' Nothing was said of those in the 'laughing revival churches' who bark like dogs, bray like donkeys or laugh when the subject of Hell is preached. John Gimenez added that he had travelled to Toronto and as he observed the so-called Toronto blessing he prayed, 'Me, too, Lord-me too.'

Dr. RICHARD ROBERTS, Oral Roberts University (ORU) president, came to center stage and immediately had the entire group join hands for prayer, 'asking for miracles, healings, and deliverance.'

Roberts informed everyone that the previous week he had received a 'special revelation from God.' He described it as 'a new weight placed on my shoulders with the power of God, like a fire, coming down my arms to my hands. It was hot like electricity. Then God said to me 'Develop your extra faith muscles.' Roberts said, 'I tried to reach out to heal someone, but for thirty minutes my hands would not move.' ...

Roberts announced that ORU would give Bishop Gimenez $5,000 for the expenses incurred at this WFJ Rally. ... Before the ushers received the offering, Roberts had everyone stand and wave their gifts in the air, repeating the words, 'In the name of Jesus I sow my seed for healing, miracles, and deliverance.'

Seated on the platform with John and Ann Gimenez were Richard Roberts, John and Carol Arnott, and Dr. JERRY FALWELL. ... After this introduction, Dr. Falwell immediately announced that if Oral Roberts University would be giving $5,000 for the expenses of this meeting, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY WOULD ALSO GIVE $5,000. He proceeded to praise the Gimenez family and their Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ...

This WFJ event concluded with a Signs and Wonders Miracle Service led by Rev. BENNY HINN. The 'faith healing' ceremony was held right on the Capitol steps. ... Hinn 'called out' the examples of healing he said God had done among the crowd of listeners. One by one they made their way up to the stage to announce their cures. When Mr. Hinn touched each one on the forehead, EACH FELL BACKWARD into the arms of a waiting attendant; this is referred to as being 'slain in the spirit.' ...

This reporter would make some observations about this Washington For Jesus Rally:

While Dr. Jerry Falwell claims to be a 'Fundamentalist Baptist,' his willingness to compromise is very evident for all to see. TO PARTICIPATE IN A RELIGIOUS SERVICE WITH THOSE WHO ACCEPT EXTRA-BIBLICAL REVELATIONS REVEALS DR. FALWELL'S DISOBEDIENCE TO THE TRUTH. God's Word teaches that no one is to add to or subtract anything from the written Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19).

Dr. Falwell sat on the platform at the Leadership Rally on April 29th while Richard Roberts was publicly claiming that God had physically touched him and given him a prophecy that needed to be delivered at this WFJ Rally.

Would any Bible-believing Fundamentalist participate with Charismatics who were speaking in tongues, honoring women clergy, hosting a signs and wonders healing crusade, and letting the Christian rock musicians provide the entertainment, basing all of it on a 'prophetic revelation' by some women in Baltimore in 1992? The obvious answer is 'NO.'

[This report is excerpted from the July 1996 issue of the ACCC Challenge. For a copy of the full report, contact the American Council of Christian Churches, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086-0019. (610) 566-8154. Please include a gift to cover expenses.]