FALWELL OPEN TO CHARISMATICS

FALWELL OPEN TO CHARISMATICS

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October 4, 1997 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - Stephen Strang, editor of the influential charismatic publication Charisma magazine, wrote an article for the October 1997 issue entitled "Revival in Lynchburg," subtitled "Jerry Falwell Now Open to Charismatics." Strang described a visit with Falwell at Liberty University:

"When I arrived I had dinner with my friend, Warren Marcus, a messianic Jewish believer who produces Falwell’s television program, the Old Time Gospel Hour. I knew that Warren had worked for Pat Robertson at CBN for many years. More recently, he had produced an independent documentary on the Toronto Blessing. Why was he with Falwell, I wondered.

"My curiosity heightened when Warren told me that only a few days before, FALWELL HAD PREACHED AT ROCK CHURCH, THE CHARISMATIC CONGREGATION PASTORED BY JOHN AND ANNE GIMENEZ in Virginia Beach. Hmmm.

"I ALSO LEARNED THAT INTEGRITY MUSIC--A COMPANY THAT ROSE OUT OF THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT--WAS PLANNING TO RECORD A LIVE PRAISE AND WORSHIP ALBUM AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY featuring two of its top worship leaders, Don Moen and Ron Kenoly. It seemed incongruous: Integrity Music--and the Old Time Gospel Hour?

"When I met Falwell, I asked him about his cooperation with Integrity. HE ADMITTED THAT YEARS AGO HE WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THIS TYPE OF MUSIC IN HIS SCHOOL. Now Liberty is not only co-sponsoring Integrity’s live recording, it IS WORKING WITH INTEGRITY TO ESTABLISH AN INSTITUTE THAT WILL TRAIN A NEW GENERATION OF WORSHIP LEADERS IN LYNCHBURG.

"Here are some other things I learned during my visit:

"** Falwell has become less isolated over the years. He started to break out of his shell, he told me, when he began working with the Moral Majority. Back then, Roman Catholics were the only other Christians fighting abortion. "I learned good people can work together for a common cause without compromising theological integrity," he said.

"** Falwell is more open to Pentecostals and charismatics than I had known. In fact, for many years Thomas Zimmerman, the late general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, and C.M. Ward, the late speaker of Revivaltime, were welcome guests at Liberty University. ‘We try to be friends of all who are friends of Christ,’ Falwell told me" (Stephen Strang, "Revival in Lynchburg?" Charisma, October 1997, p. 122).

Falwell claims to be a fundamental Baptist but he is following the New Evangelical philosophy, dialoguing and fellowshipping with error instead of separating from it. God commands us to mark and avoid those who teach contrary to the doctrine we have received in the Scriptures (Romans 16:17). The Bible warns that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Dr. Falwell thinks he can ignore those exhortations without spiritual injury. It is impossible. He has steadily deteriorated in spiritual discernment. By his own admission, he did not support Christian rock and charismatic "praise" music a few years ago. Now he promotes it without reservation. Years ago he preached boldly against charismatic error. Now he fellowships closely with those who promote this error. Years ago he preached against Billy Graham style inclusive evangelism. Now he has Graham speak at his school and praises him as the greatest evangelist and Christian of this generation, and he completely ignores Graham’s fearful sin of sending hundreds of thousands of his "converts" back to Roman Catholic and modernistic churches to be devoured by wolves.

Beware, fellow Baptist friends. The sign of God’s blessing is not financial prosperity or numerical blessing. If that were the case, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Roman Catholic Church and AT&T and Microsoft would be the most blessed. Consider the history of God’s people. In times of deep apostasy God’s men were most often poor, small, despised, rejected, hated, persecuted, fiercely unpopular both with the worldly and the religious crowd.

The only sure evidence of God’s anointing is faithfulness to the Holy Scriptures. Jerry Falwell fails in that. If you follow in his footsteps, you will be on the popular road of least resistance in this world, but you will fail in the Word of God, and you will be regretful in eternity.