EYEWITNESS REPORT ON LAUGHING REVIVAL

EYEWITNESS REPORT ON LAUGHING REVIVAL

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November 13, 1996 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The following eyewitness report of the Laughing Revival, otherwise known as the Toronto Blessing, is from the Canadian Revivalist, September-October 1994 --

On October 20, 1994, we went to the Vineyard Fellowship to witness the so-called "Toronto Blessing," held in a warehouse type building near the airport. There were about 400 people in the main hall, plus an overflow room. A survey by the leader indicated representation mainly from the United Kingdom and the United States.

Other countries represented were Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Holland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Most areas of Canada were represented, but only a relatively few visitors from Toronto itself. The home congregation, when asked to stand, numbered less than twenty. This proved what we knew--that the "Toronto Blessing" has little impact here.

What we observed was sickening and diabolical. Many times we felt like walking out and had to force ourselves to stay.

REPETITIOUS ROCK MUSIC. For the first forty-five minutes a band with two soloists led the singing. The people were standing and singing with them to deafening rock type music. The songs were about worshiping the Lord, but the music and behaviour seemed to be opposed to the Lord's honour. During the singing the crowd was progressively aroused. In all, only about four different songs were used but each was repeated over and over--the chorus of the first song being sung thirty times.

There was much arm waving, shouting with horrifying screams and, when the music volume was lowered, the drone of what must have been "tongues" could be heard. By the end of the singing many of the crowd were exhibiting spasmodic, uncontrollable bodily "jerks," which continued for the rest of the evening. When the leaders were speaking and one of those spasms occurred they either made a loud shout, or their words came out as a shout.

BIRTH GROANS. Apparently this evening marked nine months since these happenings began and they felt they had now "come to birth." Between two of the songs, one of their own women went off in a screaming account of the movement coming to birth. Her screams and actions were so realistic that for a time we thought she was actually experiencing labour pains.

Four people were called forward to testify, but they had very little to say except that since receiving the "blessing" they had a love for everyone. One man declared he had received the gift of prophecy that afternoon. He also said when he saw people lying on the floor after receiving "the blessing," he wanted to lie on top of them to share it.

STRANGE PHENOMENON. One woman was so overcome by the spasms she appeared to be very drunk and could hardly walk. Her testimony time was taken up by her and the leader making jokes about her appearance of drunkenness. The crowd laughed hilariously so that it resembled a comedy show at a theatre. Following each "testimony" the leader prayed for them and they fell into a trance, one man later roaring like a lion.

LETTING GO. The leader then asked all who found it difficult to "let go" and receive the "blessing" to say a prayer after him. Throughout the prayer, he was alternating expressions about them "giving God permission to break down any barriers" and that God was sovereign. The question came to mind, if God is sovereign why do we have to give Him permission to work on us?

ECUMENICAL UNITY. The speaker's text was John 17:20-23. The only message he could get from it was that the Father wanted to be intimate with us so that we could display love to others. Walls had to come down, he said, for we are all one in Jesus. During his message he went into fits of unnatural, uncontrollable laughter which lasted about five minutes. All evening various people were taken with fits of maniacal laughter.

SLAIN. Two and a half hours after the meeting started, the chairs were cleared and those who wished to receive "the blessing" were lined up along pre-marked lines. Members of the mission team, each accompanied by a "catcher," went to people and prayed over them, with their hand on the person's head or chest. The people would fall to the floor, eased down by the "catcher."

It appeared that in the quiet way they were praying they were putting the people into an hypnotic trance. Some lay totally still as if asleep, and others experienced bodily convulsions. By the end, the whole floor was covered with people lying about. Some were women in dresses or skirts and men would arrange their clothes as they lay there.

BIG DADDY GOD. Another striking point was that very little was said of Christ. Nearly every reference was to the Father, many times referred to as "Big Daddy." Even the hymn, "Jesus loves me" was changed to, "The Father loves me, this I know." Virtually the only time the Lord and His death were mentioned was in the context of the Father's love. There was no mention of the blood of Christ, and the fact of being saved was noticeably absent.

The word "repent" was used several times but only in the context that they should repent for not taking down the barriers to allow God to come into them and give them "the blessing."

Two scriptures came to mind repeatedly. 1 Corinthians 14:40, "Let all things be done decently and in order." And 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they might all be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

The impression gained was that the devil was at work, and he would not be upset that they were singing and talking of the Lord, for there was nothing honouring to the Lord anyway, and that he (the devil) had them in his hands. It is sad to think that some genuine Christians have so little teaching in their churches that they get caught up in such things.

One respected brother, observing how far removed from biblical truth the whole exercise was, said that if what was seen in that Vineyard meeting was Christianity, then he was not a Christian and the Bible had nothing to say about Christianity. That is a valid observation (Eyewitness Report of the Toronto Blessing by Don Morley, Canadian Revivalist, September-October 1994).