The Other Side of the Pragmatism

Please note the articles are from different sources and
referenced as numbered.

[1] Wimber suggests that we must demonstrate supernatural power in order to win souls, especially among "primitive peoples":

"Primitive peoples often need to see the superior power of the gospel demonstrated for them to believe" (Power Evangelism, p. 54).

First, there is no such thing as "primitive peoples." Mankind is unchanged since his creation. What has changed is his knowledge of science, which has produced some advanced civilizations. Second, Wimber fails to see that reliance upon signs and wonders for belief is just as pragmatic as intellectual investigation of the Gospel. (cf. John 20:29)

True, lasting faith comes to those who do not need signs and wonders to validate God's truth. The flesh looks for a sign; the Holy Spirit impresses the truth upon our minds.

Method Ministry

The problem with Wimber's ministry was not only that he insisted that the [sign] gifts of the Spirit are still operable today, it was also the assumption that the gifts of the Spirit can be manifested through a particular methodology -- also, that every supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit should be manifested in every believer on a regular basis. This, most often, leads to the abuses and excesses of human flesh masquerading as the work of the Holy Spirit.

Compounding the problem is the penchant on the part of those obsessed with signs and wonders to cite Scripture erroneously in order to validate their attempts at getting God to work in their behalf. An example was Wimber's citing of Jesus' miracles to validate power evangelism. In fact, he believed that Jesus taught His disciples how to perform signs and wonders.

There were many ways in which Wimber's attempts at signs and wonders differed from the simple, direct, and unfailing ministry of the Holy Spirit. With the Wimber/Vineyard method, in order to effect a healing one must "interview" the subject, often taking him or her back into the past to relive circumstances (inner healing) that may have lead to their problem. Casting out demons is likewise a process that may take days or even years. The byword for all Wimber/Vineyard ministry is method.

In spite of Wimber's statements that seem to warn against the use of methodology, it is methodology that typifies the Vineyard form of ministry. Their methods include inner healing techniques, visualization, meditation, and psychological integration. Wimber's book Power Evangelism has even been updated to include a study guide on how to perform signs and wonders, replete with methodologies.

Experimentation

Two words characterize Wimber's methodology: experience and experimentation. In the former case, most of Wimber's teachings were anecdotal, drawing from unverifiable but seemingly credible testimonies of signs and wonders, rather than from Scripture. Often, Scripture was used as a proof text to validate the anecdotal. In the latter case, Wimber encouraged his disciples to experiment through trial and error. And his idea of prayer went beyond petition to commanding healing.

Having begun in the flesh, it is no wonder that the Vineyard ministry continues in the flesh. Yet even the flesh will be gratified eventually, if not by God, certainly by Satan, or even by psychosomatic reactions to suggestion.

The Same As Jesus?

Wimber acknowledged that his healing techniques didn't always work. His approach to "prophetic words" was similar:

"Many if not most personal prophetic words given
today are conditional, and as such are invitational,
not certainties" (John Wimber & Kevin Springer,
Power Points: Your Action Plan to ..., p. 56).

This is a convenient way to explain why many personal prophecies do not come to pass. But what about John 14:12? -- Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. Wimber often cites this verse to validate his attempts at signs and wonders. Up to his death date, after over 15 years of trying, he still hadn't done as well as Jesus, let alone greater.

Psychic Healing

The methods of inner healing, including meditation, visualization, and other psychic and psychological manipulations gleaned from the writings of Agnes Sanford and her disciples, are the same as those of psychic healers. So is the evidence of healing power described by Wimber.

Because Wimber rejected the "Western worldview" and accepted certain forms of Eastern mystical practices, he confused the deceptions of Satan and the flesh with the power of the Holy Spirit. Although he cited psychic healing as a false system, by using the intuitive approach to healing Wimber nonetheless dabbled in the occult realm of psychic healing. His methodology included exercises similar to those of psychic healers, such as aura healing.

Psychic healing is predicted upon the belief that the mind is capable of both causing and healing disease. This was also affirmed by Wimber as far as the cause of disease is concerned (Wimber & Springer, Power Healing, pp. 44-45). Unlike psychic healers, however, Wimber would also say that illness can be caused by Satan or demonic attack. This, too, is partially true.

Seldom if ever taken into account by practitioners of so-called "divine healing" is the fact that God Himself causes illness, and brings calamity upon the world (cf. Isa. 45:7; Ex 4:11). Unless one includes God's will in the equation, one will be found fighting against God in the name of Holy Spirit ministry. Not recognizing God's design, those who attempt trial-and-error healing methodologies are utilizing occult techniques. This is why the Vineyard healing teams are encouraged to use the mind-science inner healing techniques of Agnes Sanford, which include visualization, meditation, and other psychic healing methods.

Wimber would deny that he believed in a cosmic consciousness. But because he had been influenced by deceivers masquerading as ministers of the gift of healing, he had adopted their psychic healing methods. How can an self-proclaimed apostle of Christ learn spiritual truth from those who deny Christ?

The Vineyard's inner healing methods are especially rooted in psychic healing practices which, in turn, are based on the belief in karma. Karma is said to be "the unconscious memory or knowledge of, and attachment to, unfinished relationships, unfulfilled desires, and other incomplete cycles." Karma does not relate only to alleged past lives; it also relates to memories of childhood and even of the womb.

Wimber would have denied such concepts as psychic surgery, and most of what is taught by psychic healers philosophically. But in practice, he adopted virtually every form of psychic healing without being able to relate any of it to Scripture. This should be cause for concern to all believers who would have any contact with the Vineyard.

Discrepancies

Wimber seemed oblivious to the many contradictions in his writings. His suggestion that methodologies are improper, countered by the fact that his entire ministry was methodologically empowered, is only one such discrepancy.

Wimber insisted that Scripture must be the basis for all belief and practice. In reality, the experiences themselves were to him validation enough that they were from God, unless they came in the name of an overtly occult philosophy (i.e., mind science, T.M. est, psychic healing, or some other movement). As long as they came in the name of Jesus, or were perpetuated by one who called himself a Christian, they were accepted by Wimber, even if they originated in New Age occultism or, at best, Roman Catholic mysticism.

Influences

In order to properly understand Wimber's metamorphosis from that of a hard-line dispensationalist to an ecumenical, charismatic "apostle" and healing practitioner, one must understand the influences upon his beliefs.

Morton Kelsey's name popped up frequently in Wimber's teachings, and Wimber had even dedicated a seminar series to him. One wonders how one who claimed to be an apostle of Jesus could give credibility to someone who equated the ministry of Jesus with that of a shaman -- a witch doctor.

Wimber evidently hoped to justify his learning from Kelsey by saying that he didn't agree with some of his teachings. But there is no justification for "learning from" someone who equated Jesus with a witch doctor, or His divine ability to know with "extra-sensory perception." Kelsey's errors extended far beyond this blasphemous teaching. Anyone with a modicum of Holy Spirit discernment wouldn't touch Kelsey's writings with a ten-foot pole, let alone dedicate a teaching to him.

There were many other influences whom Wimber cited in his teachings:

Space does not allow for more except to say that Wimber often sprinkled warnings about the New Age, the occult, and erroneous charismatic suppositions as if his power evangelism methodologies were removed from them. This, coupled with his listing in his bibliography the words of men like Kurt Koch and Doug Groothuis, acted as a smoke-screen.

Refs:

[1] http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/wimber/john.htm