Alpha Course director Nicky Gumbel
Nicky Gumbel to Alpha Course Attendees: "Go Back to Your Catholic Parish"
http://www.donotbesurprised.com/2013/01/nicky-gumbel-to-alpha-course-attendees.html
Christian Research Network has expressed
in the past its concern over the ecumenical nature of The Alpha Course, the
program that purports to offer a non-confrontational introduction to the
Christian faith. Having attracted nearly 19 million guests since 1993, over the
years The Alpha Course has greatly grown in popularity among Roman Catholics.
Alpha for Catholics began in 1996 and, says Alpha director Nicky Gumbel in a
recent article
appearing at The Spectator, "we hardly had to change anything
when we developed Alpha for Catholics."
The origins of Alpha for Catholics are readily accessible at Alpha's own website. Its history is summarized this way:
Alpha first ran in a Catholic
context after Cardinal Basil Hume invited Alpha pioneers Nicky Gumbel and Sandy
Millar to a lead an Alpha conference in 1996 at Westminster Cathedral. In the
years following this conference, Alpha was launched in Catholic parishes across
the world. Alpha is now running in the Catholic Church in over 65 countries. (Source)
Nicky Gumbel, who also is the vicar of Holy
Trinity Brompton
Church in London, often affirms the popularity of Alpha
among Roman Catholics, as well as the identical nature of the program across
denominations. In a 2012 interview with the Catalyst ministry at Willow Creek
Church, Gumbel stated,
Alpha runs in every arm of the
Church. It’s growing the fastest in the Catholic church. There are a billion
Catholics in the world—many in Latin America, and in France where 99% are Catholic. But
the course runs exactly the same no matter the denomination. In Alpha, we stick
to the foundational pieces of the Christian faith we all agree upon: Jesus, the
cross, the resurrection, the Bible, prayer. What unites us is infinitely
greater than what divides us. We focus on what unites us. We present a united
front to the world. In every different part of the body of Christ—Presbyterian,
Baptist, Lutheran, non-denominational, Catholic, Pentecostals, Bulgarian
Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox—Alpha crosses all divides. No matter the church,
Alpha sticks to the same key ingredients: food, a presentation of the gospel,
and talking. The gospel is unchanging. It’s the power of God. The key part of
Alpha’s success is the work of the Holy Spirit. We’re still not sure why Alpha
works. But it does. (Source)
In the article, "The
Ecumenical Compromise of The Alpha Course," it was noted that,
"CRN has been informed by a leader within Alpha for Catholics that, 'It is
not necessary to change the Alpha course for Catholics.'" Indeed, this reality
has been affirmed time again, most recently by Gumbel himself in the
aforementioned article found in The Spectator.
Yet, as has been demonstrated at length here at CRN, the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church stand in direct opposition to those of orthodox Christianity. It seems remarkable that The Alpha Course has not had to change its program for Catholics when the Roman Catholic Church in fact anathematized the biblical doctrine of justification at the Council of Trent, which was held from 1545–1563. As one example, Canon 9 as decreed by the Council of Trent reads:
If anyone says that the sinner
is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate
in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way
necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let
him be anathema. (Source)
Contrarily, Scripture teaches that man’s deeds are as filthy
rags before the Lord (Isa. 64:6), and
that men are saved not by works of their own hands, but by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8–9). This is just one
of numerous contradictions that exist between biblical, orthodox Christianity
and the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, yet it is a fatal one. Its
reality means that Rome
stands in opposition to God’s Word, and thus to God Himself.
If, then, The Alpha Course truly teaches the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, that men are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, how is it that it is found to be acceptable by a group that has condemned this same gospel? Further, how is it that a Christian leader, as Gumbel proclaims to be, would send individuals back into the Roman Catholic Church, a group that denies justification by faith alone and thus is by definition apostate? In his interview with Nicky Gumbel, reporter Damian Thompson of The Spectator relates this portion of their conversation:
But doesn’t Holy Trinity
sometimes use the Alpha Course to poach Catholics? ‘No! When they do Alpha I
[Gumbel] say to them: do not come to HTB but go back to your Catholic parish.
It’s part of the Church and I love the whole Church.’ (Source)
It seems irrefutable, then, that Nicky Gumbel would affirm
that an apostate denomination, the Roman Catholic Church, is part of the true
Body of Christ. Yet, how can such a group be a part of the true Church when it
denies the basic tenets of salvation that offer one entrance into that true
Church?
Christians cannot knowingly and willingly walk alongside those who are enemies of the Gospel in supposed gospel efforts. Gumbel's affirmation of the Roman Catholic Church as part of the true Body of Christ reveals that he either is ignorant of the true gospel, ignorant of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, or is aware of both and yet chooses to ignore and deny the truth in favor of peace and unity. Yet, in the end, Christ cannot have fellowship with Belial (2 Cor. 6:14–15).
There is another anathema worthy of consideration. It is found in God's Word and was written by the Apostle Paul as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit:
But even if we or an angel from
heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you,
let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is
preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be
accursed. (Gal. 1:8–9)
The Ecumenical Compromise of the Alpha Course
http://christianresearchnetwork.org/2012/09/26/the-ecumenical-compromise-of-the-alpha-course/
By ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ Ecumenism ∙ Bookmark permalink
What is the meaning of life? This is the question that many seek to answer and that the internationally known Alpha Course allows people to explore. Having attracted 18.5 million guests since 1993, the Alpha Course is advertised as a non-confrontational means of sharing the truths of the Christian faith. The website of Alpha USA states:
Alpha gives everyone the opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, friendly setting.
Alpha is for anyone and people attend from all backgrounds, religions, and viewpoints. They come to investigate questions about the existence of God, the purpose of life, the afterlife, the claims of Jesus and more. Some people want to get beyond religion and find a relationship with God that really changes life. Others come for the close, long-lasting friendships that are built during the Alpha course.
Source
The Alpha Course and its origins have not been without critique in the past. In fact, with a little research, it should not take long for the discerning Christian to find several issues of concern with the course and its current director, Nicky Gumbel, who also is the vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London. This article, however, will focus on only one of these issues, that of the ecumenical nature of the Alpha Course.
In an interview appearing earlier this year on the website of Willow Creek Community Church, Gumbel states,
Alpha runs in every arm of the Church. It’s growing the fastest in the Catholic church. There are a billion Catholics in the world—many in Latin America, and in France where 99% are Catholic. But the course runs exactly the same no matter the denomination. In Alpha, we stick to the foundational pieces of the Christian faith we all agree upon: Jesus, the cross, the resurrection, the Bible, prayer. What unites us is infinitely greater than what divides us. We focus on what unites us. We present a united front to the world. In every different part of the body of Christ—Presbyterian, Baptist, Lutheran, non-denominational, Catholic, Pentecostals, Bulgarian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox—Alpha crosses all divides. No matter the church, Alpha sticks to the same key ingredients: food, a presentation of the gospel, and talking. The gospel is unchanging. It’s the power of God. The key part of Alpha’s success is the work of the Holy Spirit. We’re still not sure why Alpha works. But it does. Source
Gumbel declares that the Alpha Course “runs exactly the same no matter the denomination,” including, apparently, the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, it was in 1996 that Alpha first was presented to the Roman Catholic denomination.
Alpha first ran in a Catholic context after Cardinal Basil Hume invited Alpha pioneers Nicky Gumbel and Sandy Millar to a lead an Alpha conference in 1996 at Westminster Cathedral. In the years following this conference, Alpha was launched in Catholic parishes across the world. Alpha is now running in the Catholic Church in over 65 countries. Source
The website of Alpha for Catholics describes it thusly:
Alpha for Catholics is a practical introduction to creedal Christianity over a 10 week course. Unique in its adult learning approach, Alpha meets participants where they are, starting with their questions.
Designed for those on the fringes of their faith and those outside the Church, Alpha creates a non-threatening environment of hospitality allowing people to explore the claims of Christ against the backdrop of our culture. Alpha provides an opportunity to encounter the love of God in a personal relationship through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Alpha focuses on the kerygma and the basic tenants of Christianity.
Alpha also serves as a refresher course for practicing Catholics and a point of re-entry for lapsed Catholics.
Source
CRN has been informed by a leader within Alpha for Catholics that, “It is not necessary to change the Alpha course for Catholics.” Unfortunately, this is greater cause for concern because examination of some of the core doctrines of the RCC demonstrates that it actually teaches much that is contrary to biblical Christianity. How then can the two be compatible? In the quote above, Nicky Gumbel noted that, “In Alpha, we stick to the foundational pieces of the Christian faith we all agree upon: Jesus, the cross, the resurrection, the Bible, prayer. What unites us is infinitely greater than what divides us.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Gumbel has made a grievous and erroneous statement here, for what divides the Roman Catholic Church and orthodox Christianity is the very Gospel itself.
At the Council of Trent, which was held from 1545–1563, the Roman Catholic Church gathered to counter the effects of the Protestant Reformation. At this meeting, Rome ultimately anathematized, or condemned, the biblical doctrine of justification. (For further insight into this, the reader is encouraged to visit CRN’s Roman Catholicism research page.) As merely one example of the Roman Catholic Church’s condemnation of justification by faith alone, let us look at Canon 9 as decreed by the Council of Trent:
If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of his own will, let him be anathema. Source
Contrarily, Scripture teaches that man’s deeds are as filthy rags before the Lord (Isa. 64:6), and that men are saved not by works of their own hands, but by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8–9). This is just one of numerous contradictions that exist between biblical, orthodox Christianity and the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, yet it is a fatal one. Its reality means that Rome stands in opposition to God’s Word, and thus to God Himself.
Nicky Gumbel declares that Alpha is quite popular within the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, his claim that it unites the various denominations based upon the “foundational pieces of the Christian faith we all agree upon” crumbles under the fact that the Roman Catholic faith denies the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in Scripture.
If the true Gospel of Christ is being taught at each Alpha Course (the same Gospel that was anathematized at Trent), then it seems that the content ought to be an offense to the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, Alpha is receiving glowing praise and endorsement from Roman Catholic leaders. Alpha for Catholics even is featured on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in a document entitled, “A Review of the Best Evangelization Methods and Resources Available for Parish Outreach Efforts.”
Alpha USA now has taken this ecumenical compromise one step further, as it has now announced that, for the first time in its history, a Catholic bishop has been appointed to its Board of Directors. The press release reads:
Bishop Michael Byrnes, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit, is the first Catholic ever to be appointed to the board of Alpha. More than 18 million people in 169 countries have attended an Alpha course, which the U.S. Conference of Bishops recently recognized as “one of the best methods of evangelization and resources for parish outreach.”
Bishop Byrnes’ historic appointment to Alpha’s board comes on the eve the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will draw Catholic leaders from all over the world to Rome October 7-28 to discuss the theme of “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” The gathering coincides with the launch of The Year of Faith, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI.
His appointment also comes at a particularly significant moment for the Catholic Church, at the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the inauguration of The Year of Faith.
Source
It seems fair to note that Alpha USA is quite excited about this addition to their leadership. The press release goes on to note,
“The appointment of a Catholic bishop to the Alpha USA board is of major importance,” says the Rev. Steve Mitchell, a Catholic deacon and national director of Alpha for Catholics. “Bishop Byrnes’ appointment offers further proof of the ability of Catholics, Protestants and Evangelicals to work together to further the Good News of Jesus Christ.” Source
Here again we see the egregious error of ecumenical compromise. As has already been demonstrated, the Roman Catholic Church stands in opposition to the true, saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. As such, it cannot “work together” with Protestants and Evangelicals “to further the Good News of Jesus Christ.” Such partnering cannot occur because Rome long ago trampled on that Good News.
This compromise by Alpha is not a new one, as it was noted that Alpha for Catholics has been in existence for some time. Yet the subject warrants discussion and warning nevertheless. To join hands with the Roman Catholic Church in an endeavor such as this is to disregard the efforts—and the blood—of the Reformation. The larger evangelical community engaged in such a discussion in 1994 with the creation and signing of the document, Evangelicals and Catholics Together. In response to this document, Pastor John MacArthur wrote:
Should evangelicals wish to see the Protestant Reformation undone? Certainly not. The Reformation was not a tragedy but a glorious victory. The result of the Reformation was not a breach in the true body of Christ but the recovery of the gospel of grace from the near obscurity it had fallen into under Catholic abuses. Protestants who doubt that ought to study church history.
Now is the time when evangelicals must carefully reexamine how dearly they hold their doctrinal convictions. We ought to pause and ask ourselves if we really are willing to consider all who recite the Apostles’ Creed as true members of the body of Christ. Either the Protestant Reformation was all a big mistake, or we must be willing to stand with the Reformers. Are we ready to concede that the thousands of martyrs who gave their lives to oppose the tyranny and false doctrine of Rome all died for an unworthy cause?
These are not minor issues. Nor will they go away if evangelical leaders merely keep silent. Other treaties and more doctrinal compromise will follow “Evangelicals and Catholics Together.” Those who hold biblical convictions will find themselves forced either to make peace with enemies of the gospel or to take a clear and vigorous stand against Rome’s “different gospel” and against ecumenical homogeneity.
Source
Indeed, MacArthur’s declaration that additional doctrinal compromise would come has proven true time and again, and it appears to be true of the Alpha Course. While some may argue that “God can use anything to save”—and He certainly can—such a fact nevertheless does not mean that Christians knowingly and willingly walk alongside those who are enemies of the Gospel in supposed gospel efforts. Oil and water do not mix, and neither do Rome and the historic, orthodox Christian faith. Christ cannot have fellowship with Belial (2 Cor. 6:14–15).
The Influence of Christian Mystics Morton Kelsey and John Wimber on The Alpha Course
http://christianresearchnetwork.org/2012/11/29/the-influence-of-christian-mystics-morton-kelsey-and-john-wimber-on-the-alpha-course-2/
The Alpha Course can be found in 169 countries with nearly 19 million people having attended over the years. It is advertised as a non-threatening, non-confrontational approach to evangelism. Alpha swept across the UK with great fervor years ago and continues to gain popularity worldwide. It is not without its critics, however, as CRN has demonstrated in the articles, “The Alpha Course Receives Praise from Moody Radio’s Janet Parshall,” and “The Ecumenical Compromise of The Alpha Course.”
In a recent teleconference with leaders of The Alpha Course entitled, “Handling the Healing Night,” Jeff Kirby, who is a Teaching Pastor at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas and who has been involved with Alpha as a leader for 17 years, discussed the nuances of and offered advice for the Alpha Course Healing Night. This event typically occurs during Alpha’s Holy Spirit Weekend, and apparently at times brings with it questions and even anxiety from leaders and participants alike.
Below is a brief clip of the first five minutes of this teleconference. Though short, these few minutes provide insight into some of the teachings that are influencing the Alpha Course and its leader, Nicky Gumbel.
00:00
00:00
Who Is Morton Kelsey?
The “Kingdom Within”
‘The kingdom of God is within you,’ said Jesus. And it is the indwelling light, the secret place of the consciousness of the Most High that is the kingdom of Heaven in its present manifestation on this earth.3
Interestingly, Sanford is quoted favorably multiple times in Morton Kelsey’s book, Healing and Christianity, the very book that is commended by the Alpha Course in the above audio as the “all time classic” book on the topic of healing.
In fact, this idea of a “kingdom within” is found in Kelsey’s book. He writes:
The kingdom, as Jesus proclaimed it, may be viewed inwardly as well as eschatologically. It is true that Jesus and his followers undoubtedly looked for the immediate coming of the kingdom in history. However, the statements about it may also be seen as referring to the kingdom within, or the kingdom breaking through now in history.4
This “kingdom within” teaching stems largely from a misunderstanding of Luke 17:20, 21.
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20—21, NASB)
Here Jesus was teaching his listeners that the kingdom was among them in His very person, the person of Christ. He most certainly was not suggesting that man embark on a journey inward in order to discover this kingdom, for no man receives even the Holy Spirit unless he first repents and turns to Christ for salvation.
Yet, the teachings of Kelsey seem to indicate that he believed the Spirit of God to indwell all men, thus meaning that such an inward journey would not be in vain. Note the following quote from Kelsey’s book, Through Defeat to Victory, emphasis added:
Real listening is a kind of prayer, for as we listen, we penetrate through the human ego and hear the Spirit of God, which dwells in the heart of everyone. Real listening is a religious experience. Often, when I have listened deeply to another, I have the same sense of awe as when I have entered into a holy place and communed with the heart of being itself.5
In such contemplations the danger of the erroneous, mystical teaching of the “kingdom within” becomes grossly evident.
Morton Kelsey and Carl Jung
One primary area where Jung was of great influence on Kelsey is that of dream interpretation. For Kelsey, dreams were a way in which the “Divine” would try to speak to men. Jung believed that the “Other” could be found in the unconscious, which connects the individual to a spiritual reality.7 In the book so highly recommended by Alpha, Kelsey states,
Thus Jung opened the door to the possibility of contact through the unconscious with an objective reality superior to human consciousness, which is able to order and vitalize human life when ego-consciousness is unable to do so. If the human psyche can thus act as a bridge between the physical body and the power of a transcendental reality, then religion and religious experience, particularly healing experiences, become a real and most significant possibility.8
Unfortunately, the idea of seeking meaning or understanding from one’s unconscious mind cannot be found in Scripture. Yet Christian mystics, and those who advocate their works, are striving nonetheless to mine these depths.
Morton Kelsey, Healing and the Gospel
[Jesus] made clear that men in their present condition do not deserve or need judgment and punishment, which only drive them further into despair and defeat. Only twice did he make any point of speaking to the sick about their sins…9
Jesus thought not simply of ‘saving souls,’ to use a familiar Christian cliché. His redemptive concern necessarily encompassed the whole of man, including his body.10
It is true, sickness is not always the direct result of one’s sin. Jesus said so Himself in John 9:2-3. This does not mean, however, that a man’s physical healing is of greater importance than his spiritual healing. Nor does it require a man to be physically healed in order to experience spiritual healing, i.e., salvation. In fact, the recordings of the Apostle John in the sixth chapter of his gospel make evident that the miracles of Jesus often did not produce true or lasting faith in the recipient. Rather, many people were following Christ solely for what they could gain from His miracles, but had little use for His message of salvation, ultimately rejecting it (John 6:66).
One may well remember the story of the ten lepers that were healed as told in Luke 17:11—19. Jesus healed ten men from the terrible affliction of leprosy, then ordered them to show themselves to the priests. As the ten walked away, only one turned around and approached Jesus in thanksgiving, offering glory to God.
Kelsey also states that, “The most important reason that Jesus healed was that he cared about people and suffered when they did.”11 Indeed, our Lord did experience compassion not only for the spiritually lost, but for the sick and ailing as well. This was not, however, His primary purpose in healing. Rather, Jesus healed men—made limbs to grow, eyes to see, dead men to breathe—so that men would know that He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Even the blind man in John 9 recognized that he was healed by the power of God (John 9:31-33). Only Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, could offer full, complete healing of a person.
Thus are revealed some of the potentially dangerous teachings of Morton Kelsey, whose work comes so highly recommended by The Alpha Course.
Who Is John Wimber?
The website, Healing and Revival, offers a thorough biography of John Wimber. There it is learned that Wimber experienced conversion in 1963 through his involvement in a Quaker Bible study. Also noted is Wimber’s close involvement with notable church growth expert C. Peter Wagner:
In 1974 Wimber was offered a job by Peter Wagner to be the Founding Director of the Department of Church Growth at the Fuller Institute of Evangelism and Church Growth. Wimber was traveling all over the world teaching on church growth.12
In 1977, Wimber and his wife, Carol, left their Quaker church to begin a church of their own. Prior to this time, it is claimed that Carol and a small group of people who were “seeking more of God” began to “experience the presence of the Holy Spirit,” and that “God also spoke to Carol about the importance of intimate worship.”13 It would not be long before John Wimber also allegedly was hearing from the Almighty.
Due to Calvary Chapel’s experience with the Holy Spirit in the Jesus Movement, John became connected with Calvary Chapel and established his church as Calvary Chapel of Yorba Linda in May 1977. God began to speak to Wimber about healing the sick, and he began a church series on the subject. In March 1978, after ten months of preaching and praying without anyone healed, Wimber saw his first healing. The church grew rapidly and began to experience a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Unexpectedly God began to train Wimber, and the church, in deliverance. This was a point of theological difference with Cavalry Chapel and they are (sic) asked to leave the denomination, but were recommended to associate with the Vineyard Church, another group in the area that was moving in similar directions. In 1982 Wimber’s church became a Vineyard.14
John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement
Throughout this time, John Wimber continued to teach at Fuller Theological Seminary. His course, “Signs and Wonders and Church Growth,” became “the most popular, and the most controversial, at the school.”16 The class was an interactive one and, in 1984, Wimber decided to take his lectures on the road.
Wimber began to train people all over the world about praying for the sick and “doing the works of ministry”. His focus was on every-member ministry within the body. Healing and miracles occurred in these meetings.17
Preaching in 1991, Dr. John MacArthur spoke about the Vineyard Movement and it’s moniker of “The Third Wave,” as coined by C. Peter Wagner:
The main figure in what is known as the Third Wave is a man by the name of John Wimber, who is pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim. He is the major figure in this movement that has come to be known as the Third Wave of the Holy Spirit. It is sometimes called the Signs and Wonders Movement. And this latest Charismatic tide seems to have swept across the globe in the last decade. It is literally everywhere in the English-speaking parts of the world. The term the Third Wave was coined by C. Peter Wagner who is a missions professor at Fuller Seminary and the author of several books on church growth. He is really the leading proponent of the Third Wave philosophy and methodology. According to Wagner, he said, “The first wave was the Pentecostal movement, the second wave was the Charismatic movement, and now the third wave is joining them.” By that he means, an inundating wave of the power of the Holy Spirit manifesting itself in visible ways….
At its core, [the Third Wave] is an obsession with sensational experiences, a preoccupation with the Charismata, that is tongues, healings, prophecies, words of knowledge, visions and ecstatic experiences, and that is, of course, where we find the indisputable link between the Third Wave and the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements. In all three movements, there is a major absorption with these supernatural, sensational kind of power encounters or power displays as they like to call them. They deemphasize what you and I would know as the traditional means of spiritual growth, prayer, Bible study, the teaching of the Word and the fellowship of other believers. They don’t intend to do that and they wouldn’t do that in statement or even in print, but because of the very surpassing emphasis on the sensational experiences, those matters tend to get pushed significantly, if not all together, into the background.18
Pastor Gary Gilley examined the Vineyard Movement and various aspects of its theology in a 1995 newsletter of Think On These Things. He writes:
The [Vineyard Movement] believes in “power evangelism” vs. “program evangelism.” Program evangelism is the presentation of the gospel message to a lost sinner. While not anti-program evangelism, the VM believes that it is an anemic way of bringing people to Christ, especially people in the Third World. What is needed is power evangelism, that is, signs and wonders. If, in conjunction with presenting the gospel message, we also heal a person, raise the dead, cast out a demon, or speak a word of knowledge, our message will be with authority and power. The results of power evangelism, we are told, are far superior to program evangelism. It is interesting, however, to examine the Scriptural record of the results of signs and wonders. It would appear that miracles seldom produced any true faith or lasting fruit. Even with Christ, we find people following Him in order to be healed or fed, yet rejecting his message (e.g. John 6).19
Indeed, this line of thinking is quite similar to the teachings of Morton Kelsey as examined earlier.
In 1989, Wimber became involved with Mike Bickle and the Kansas City Prophets. In the early 1990s, a movement known as the Toronto Blessing began to sweep through some churches. The primary church in this movement was a Vineyard church in Toronto, though according to Healing and Revival, “Wimber did not agree with everything being taught in Toronto and eventually asked them to leave the association.”20
In 1997, Todd Hunter, who reportedly “had been with Wimber since the beginning,” assumed leadership of the Vineyard.21 Wimber died in November of 1997.
John Wimber, Nicky Gumbel and The Alpha Course
Q: Nicky Gumbel says that John Wimber was the most influential person in his life?
A: Yes. Apparently, when Nicky was a young man he attended some of John’s meetings and not only had his theological world, but also his experiential world rocked. During a clinic time, the Holy Spirit came powerfully on Nicky and John turned and said the Holy Spirit was going to use him to talk to the lost.22
Holy Trinity Brompton Church (HTB), where Gumbel currently serves as vicar, credits John Wimber’s church growth strategies for building a desire for church planting into the fabric of HTB.23 This fact, along with Wimber’s incredible influence upon Nicky Gumbel, leaves it as no surprise to know that Wimber was welcomed to speak at HTB on occasion. In his “Bible in One Year,” devotional entries, Gumbel shares a bit more about Wimber’s influence upon his life and ministry, stating that, “Personally, I owe a huge debt to the ministry of John Wimber. We as a local church also owe him a huge debt.”24
Gumbel also briefly shares an account of the first time that Wimber visited HTB:
We often tell the story of when John Wimber first visited our church. We saw a remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit and several healings. One incident, which occurred on the second night, is indelibly printed in my memory. One of our closest friends was eight months pregnant at the time. The Holy Spirit came upon her with great power. She started to whirl around at great speed. As she did so, she exclaimed over and over again, ‘I feel so strong!’
A few weeks later she gave birth to a son who from his earliest days showed not only spiritual and emotional strength but also extraordinary physical strength. He became a superb athlete and rugby player.25
Accounts such as this further validate the reports that HTB was the center of the charismatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the UK. Similar to what was experienced in Toronto at the commencement of the Toronto Blessing, Nicky Gumbel and his HTB caused an outbreak of “holy laughter” in the city of London. Time Magazine reported on this phenomenon in 1994:
It’s Sunday evening in London’s fashionable Knightsbridge neighborhood. Though pathetically tiny flocks of Londoners attend many Anglican services, Holy Trinity Brompton has a standing-room-only turnout of 1500. After the usual Scripture readings, prayers and singing, the chairs are cleared away. Curate Nicky Gumbel prays that the Holy Spirit will come upon the congregation. Soon a woman begins laughing. Others gradually join her with hearty belly laughs. A young worshipper falls to the floor, hands twitching. Another falls, then another and another. Within half an hour there are bodies everywhere as supplicants sob, shake, roar like lions, and strangest of all laugh uncontrollably. This frenzied display has become known as the ‘laughing revival’ or ‘Toronto Blessing’. After first appearing at Holy Trinity only last May, laughing revivals have been reported in Anglican parishes from Manchester to York to Brighton. At London’s Holy Trinity, schoolteacher Denise Williams says she ‘came here a little skeptical’ but soon was caught up in the fervor. ‘There was a lovely feeling of warmth and peace.’ Lines outside Holy Trinity now start forming an hour and a half before services.26
It is evident that the teachings of John Wimber have had great influence not only upon Nicky Gumbel, but upon the life of HTB and also The Alpha Course. Wimber, in his traveling “Signs and Wonders” show, would identify those who needed to be healed allegedly by receiving “words of knowledge” from the Lord. The Alpha Course, as indicated by the audio clip which began this article, also believes that a healing ministry is of utmost importance. Writes Gumbel in his book, How to Run The Alpha Course:
At this point we outline the model of healing prayer which we follow (Alpha—Questions of Life, Chapter 13). We then explain that God sometimes gives words of knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8) which point out whom God wants us to pray for and which are also an aid to faith in this area. We have found that people receive these words in various ways. Some may get a mental picture of the part of the body which God wants to heal. Some will merely receive an impression, and others may sense that they hear or see words. We have found that one of the most common ways we receive words of knowledge is by what we call “a sympathy pain”: someone senses pain in their body, which they know is not really theirs.27
This description is nearly identical to what can be witnessed in videos of John Wimber’s 1985 Signs and Wonders Conference.
Conclusion
Alpha also does little to conceal the influence of mystics such as Morton Kelsey and John Wimber upon its ministry. After examining the teachings of these two men, who both come highly recommended by the leadership of Alpha, concerns ought to be raised in the minds and hearts of Christians. The recommendation of these two authors did not come with a disclaimer, but rather with a hearty, almost urgent endorsement. It has been demonstrated, however, that Morton Kelsey not only espoused an incorrect understanding of the relationship between Jesus’ healing ministry and gospel proclamation, but that he also was highly influenced by other mystics like Agnes Sanford and the psychologist Carl Jung. This article also has revealed some of the erroneous teachings of the leader of the Third Wave, John Wimber, and his profound effect upon Alpha leader Nicky Gumbel.
To be sure, this article has not examined every area of The Alpha Course that may be legitimately critiqued. Others have called into question its actual gospel presentation. As already mentioned, CRN also has scrutinized the ecumenical nature of The Alpha Course. In spite of its errors, can God still use Alpha to save a person? Of course, after all, our God is sovereign! “But the fact that some people are saved despite being exposed to false teaching does not make that false teaching acceptable.”28 When all of the information is taken into consideration, the Christian must test against Scripture what is being taught by Alpha, as well as what is contained within the resources it recommends. It is, after all, only the Word of God that will guide one into Truth, not the whims of men or the emotional rush of a so-called “outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”
Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17, NASB)
Footnotes
- Morton Kelsey, The Other Side of Silence, (Paulist Press: 1995), 75. Quoted in Bob DeWaay, “Contemporary Christian Divination,” Critical Issues Commentary, no. 83, 2004. ↩
- Bob DeWaay, “Contemporary Christian Divination,” Critical Issues Commentary, no. 83, 2004. ↩
- Agnes Sanford, The Healing Light, (Charisma Books: 1972), 3. Quoted in Bob DeWaay, “Contemporary Christian Divination,” Critical Issues Commentary, no. 83, 2004. ↩
- Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, (Harper & Row Publishers: 1973), 53. ↩
- http://www.inwardoutward.org/source/through-defeat-victory, accessed 29 November 2012. ↩
- Bob DeWaay, “Contemporary Christian Divination,” Critical Issues Commentary, no. 83, 2004. ↩
- Bob DeWaay, “Contemporary Christian Divination,” Critical Issues Commentary, no. 83, 2004. ↩
- Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, (Harper & Row Publishers: 1973), 289. ↩
- Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, (Harper & Row Publishers: 1973), 65. ↩
- Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, (Harper & Row Publishers: 1973), 362. ↩
- Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity, (Harper & Row Publishers: 1973), 88. ↩
- http://healingandrevival.com/BioJWimber.htm, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://healingandrevival.com/BioJWimber.htm, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://healingandrevival.com/BioJWimber.htm, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about/vineyard-history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about/vineyard-history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about/vineyard-history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- John MacArthur, “The Third Wave,” preached 25 August 1991. ↩
- Gary Gilley, “The Vineyard Movement—Part 2,” Think On These Things vol. 2, 1995. ↩
- http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about/vineyard-history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about/vineyard-history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.offthemap.com/idealab/articles/idl0405-1-toddpres.html, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.htb.org.uk/about-htb/history, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.htb.org.uk/bible-in-one-year/more-trials-and-temptation, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- http://www.htb.org.uk/bible-in-one-year/holy-spirit-part-1, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
- Richard Ostling, “Laughing for the Lord,” Time Magazine, 15 August 1994. ↩
- Nicky Gumbel, How to Run The Alpha Course, (Alpha International: 2004), 173. ↩
- http://blog.betterthansacrifice.org/2010/07/15/a-closer-look-at-the-alpha-course-and-whether-it-is-permissible-to-judge-what-other-christians-teach/, accessed 28 November 2012. ↩
