October 31, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - On October 9, 1997, the television program 20/20 ran a special on the "revival" occurring in the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida. It was entitled "Countdown to Salvation: Thousands Flock to Controversial Florida Revival." The evangelist who has led the Brownsville movement since 1995 is Steve Hill, and we were amazed to read his testimony of salvation as given in the 20/20 report. The following is an excerpt from the transcript to the program (which can be viewed on the web at http://www.abcnews.com/onair/2020/html_files/transcripts/nmg1009b.html) --

STEVE HILL: "I was arrested for--for drug sales, car theft about 13 times. And breaking and entering and--and you know, I had to have money to get drugs."

LYNN SHERR (20/20 reporter): "The change came at 21, he says, when his mother invited a Lutheran minister home to pray for him."

STEVE HILL: "I didn't believe in God, but he said, 'Say the name Jesus.' So out of desperation I looked up at the ceiling of the room, and I said, 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.' I just began to say that name. And a power came through my body, and in a matter of seconds, it was like I was brand new. I'm not using the needle anymore. I'm not drinking whiskey anymore. I'm not depending on a six pack of beer anymore. I'm not smoking pot anymore. I don't need pornography anymore. He's changed my life."

Friends, we would make no attempt to judge Steve Hill’s heart and relationship with the Lord, but the testimony he gave to the 20/20 reporter is not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. To call out the name of Jesus in desperation is not salvation. The one true Gospel is faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Steve Hill's testimony sounds more like the spiritual deception of which Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. ... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:3-4,13-15).

Beware of end-times spiritual delusion. The devil's greatest trick is to imitate salvation. He can provide a powerful religious experience, but it is false.

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20).

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ... And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. ... For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:4,5,11,24).