Defining Deception: Freeing the Church from the Mystical-Miracle Movement

As a former Charismatic, the Word Faith movement was very much part and parcel of the church I attended, and is full of deceptive errors. Therefore this book is much needed, the end of my time as a Charismatic was going to hear Benny Hinn and watch him at work. I was gobsmacked at his Scripture twisting and was left feeling very much alone. Costi Hinn (Benny's Nephew) and Anthony Wood both were part of the Word Faith movement, this book plots the history and shows how via Bethany House- it has gone mainstream. Both show compassion to those who are in this movement and are seeking to reach out with both truth and love. I like that in the appendix there are a few testimonies of others who came out of this deceptive movement. People with whom I have a common story, family. I've given it 4 stars as it could have done with a bit more proof reading, I'd also like to see in an expanded version an interaction with Joyce Meyer who in the UK at least is even more mainstream than Bethany House. May God Bless this book and use it to draw people away from the Word of Faith and/NAR movement to Himself.

Like many people I hadn't heard much of Costi Hinn, but most people have heard of Benny Hinn. I was fascinated to know why he was writing this book and what changed his views. I found Costi to be eloquent and genuine with his story and thanks to him I didn’t realise I was actually under the NAR umbrella! His testimony has encouraged me to get more information and it lead me to Justin Peters, who has also helped me with a better understanding of the Bible. I encourage people to read this book and make your own choices. Thank you Costi for making what was a difficult decision to step up and leave the life you had with Benny, however I know that you will be blessed, have been blessed by your desire for truth.

To mix metaphors this book is a bit of a curates egg and throws the baby out with the bath water. From its discernment of the heinous heresies and posturing of Johnson and Hinn with which I can wholeheartedly agree it then goes on to a totally cessationist dogma. As someone nurtured from an early age as a cessationist I can affirm that I was healed of a chronic crippling skeletal disease at a time when it was ordained that I believed in the healing power of the blood of Jesus. Since then I have followed the instructions in James 5 and received healing as promised.The authors also ignored Acts 19: 1-4 when discussing the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the appendices. The gifts of the Spirit have not ceased but there is biblical guidance on the efficacy of these gifts. Rather than try to be discerning about the nature and use of the gifts the authors have condemned them outright.

A good book. Looking at a different perspective of the word of faith movement. Very focused on what Hinn and Wood believe and the biblical teaching there give.I disagree with some of the points but think it is a very brave of them to write and teach what there believe.

Whatever your perceptions are of the holy spirits work in the believer today, not many other books will give you such a balanced, informative, biblical, truthful and loving message that is greatly needed in the church today where discernment is sadly so often overlooked in replace of tolerance. Thank you for your passion to preach Christ as Lord and fear God more than man out of love for the gospel.

Careful, biblical handling of what is a sensitive topic for some. The authors use Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, Redding, California as an example to illustrate how deception works. Next to the authors' faithfulness to the biblical text, the best bit for me was reading testimonies of people who have been set free from the false teaching of Word of Faith / Prosperity preachers (see Appendix 1).

It is easy to read and follow the idea.

Very good, truthful, concise and academic book on deception in the Church concentrating more on the lunacy of the NAR/Behel/Hillsong brands. Please consider reading if your Church has any links to Bethel in any form.