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Your one-stop
resource for accurate information
on the wild and
wooly world of modern religious groups and teachers.
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If this is
your first visit to the Field Guide you will find it important to read
the material in the Introduction section
before continuing your explorations here.
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Who's Who Digest
of the Wild World of Religion
Thumbnail profiles of influential individuals, ministries and websites
in the Wild World of Religion
Go directly to an Alphabetic Index of Profiles
Go directly to the beginning of the main section of Profiles of Individuals
Go directly to the section on Ministries
Go directly to the listing of links to websites which have collections of information and documentation on a wide variety of individuals and groups.
About the Field Guide
This Field Guide is an ongoing project, and keeping up with all of the activity in the Wild World of Religion requires exhaustive research. It will therefore be some time before the complete collection of major profiles of even the most influential groups and teachers will be posted. In the meantime, in the interest of assisting those whose main interest is just "identifying" a variety of individuals and groups, the following collection of over 125 "thumbnail sketches" is offered.
Please Note: This is an "all inclusive" listing, past and present, positive and negative, of individual writers, speakers, teachers, religious personalities, ministries … and their websites … related to modern religious movements. Some are included because of their negative influence on a significant number of people. Others are included because of their positive contribution to sorting through the confusion in the Wild World of Religion. And still others are included just because their names show up frequently in information about modern religious movements, and folks wonder, "Who is that?" Some profiles are just a few sentences. Some are a paragraph or two. A few are even longer. The length is totally idiosyncratic based on how much the Webauthor felt might be interesting and/or helpful as overview information, and does not imply anything in particular about the relative "importance" of the subject of the thumbnail.
Corrections welcome: Careful effort has been made to represent as accurately as possible any biographical information and the actual teachings and policies and practices of the individuals and groups in this collection of information. But in an effort this massive, minor errors are inevitable. When practical, quotations from their own publications or recordings have been provided to substantiate their teachings, and documentation from public records, including news articles, has been provided to substantiate information regarding their activities. Any corrections of fact, with supporting documentation, are welcome and will be incorporated as promptly as possible.
However, no effort has been made to provide a comprehensive overview of all of the teachings or activities of any one person or group. That is beyond the scope of the purpose of this material. Every teacher and group has positive and negative attributes. Any reader who wishes to investigate these matters in more detail is referred to the bibliography section of this Field Guide website. The bibliography includes many books and weblinks to information--pro and con--about most of the entries in this database. It also includes weblinks to the official websites of the individuals and groups whenever available. It is not the purpose of this website to dogmatically impose opinions and evaluations on anyone--the purpose is to call attention to those areas believed to be of serious spiritual concern in the actions or words of these teachers, groups and movements. It is left to the reader to evaluate the evidence presented and come to their own conclusions.
Suggestions for more individuals, ministries and websites to include in this listing are welcomed.
Please Note:
Some thumbnails include reference to other individuals who have their own entry in these listings. Their names will be clickable, to take you to their listing.
If a longer profile is currently available in another section of the Field Guide for any of the individuals listed, their name next to their thumbnail will be clickable, to take you to that profile. Many more of those men and women listed here eventually will be the subjects of more extensive profiles elsewhere in the Guide.
Some groups, movements and ideas referenced in some of the thumbnails have their own profile in the Field Guide, and thus their names will also be clickable to take you to the relevant material.
Quick Reference Index of Individual Names
Click on an underlined name to go to the thumbnail profile below for that person.
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [V] [W]
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [V] [W]
Names that are underlined in the list at the left below can be clicked to go to more extensive profiles elsewhere in the Field Guide. Within the profiles, terms or names underlined can be clicked to go to entries elsewhere. To return to the same spot in the Who's Who Guide after going to look at such links, just use the BACK Arrow on your browser.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING LINKS:
Some profiles below contain links to other websites which may contain material of interest regarding the profiled individuals. Inclusion of these links should not be considered "endorsement" of all of the opinions, conclusions and doctrinal positions of the authors of those websites. They are included because they do contain credible documentation on the facts regarding the profiled individuals. Readers are encouraged to consider carefully the documentation and come to their own informed conclusions, based on their own understanding of Biblical doctrine and principles.
Photos: You can click on the
icon next to any profile for a link to a picture elsewhere on the Web of the individual,
Use the BACK Arrow on your web browser
to return to the same spot on this page after viewing the picture.Asa Alonzo Allen (1911-1970). Prominent, flamboyant and controversial Pentecostal "healing evangelist" of the 1940s—1960s. Allen made many outrageous, unsubstantiated claims of miracles.
From The Faith Healers by James Randi
On June 14, 1970, listeners in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines were hearing a recorded message from A. A. Allen on his radio program saying: "This is Brother Allen in person. Numbers of friends of mine have been inquiring about reports they have heard concerning me that are not true. People as well as some preachers from pulpits are announcing that I am dead. Do I sound like a dead man? My friends, I am not even sick! Only a moment ago I made a reservation to fly into our current campaign. I'll see you there and make the devil a liar." At that moment, at the Jack Tar Hotel in San Francisco, police were removing A. A. Allen's body from a room strewn with pills and empty liquor bottles. The man who had once said that "the beer bottle and gin bucket" should have been on his family coat of arms was dead at 59 from what was said to be a heart attack but was in reality liver failure brought about by acute alcoholism. (p.88)
Mark John Allen aka John Allen
Former member of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong. Allen believes himself to be the inheritor of the apostolic mantle of Herbert Armstrong, and thus God's primary mouthpiece on earth today, doing "the Work of Elijah." He had a number of dreams and visions he is convinced verify this calling, but doesn't seem to have gathered many supporters for his megalomania. He has attempted to gather supporters via the Internet for an attempt through the courts to take back the headquarters of the Worldwide Church of God from Armstrong's legal successors.
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Argentinian revival leader whose massive Charismatic healing/evangelistic campaigns in South America are said to have reached many millions since his first such meeting in 1982. Annacondia specializes in bombastic verbal attacks on Satan and demons as part of what is termed "spiritual warfare." And he claims huge numbers of people attending his campaigns are healed and delivered from demons.
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Radio and television evangelist, son of Herbert W Armstrong. Garner Ted Armstrong was former chief spokesman on the media outreaches of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). He founded the Church of God, International (CGI) after being expelled from the WCG in 1978 during a leadership power struggle in that organization. He later founded the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG) and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association after being expelled from the CGI in 1998 as a result of a highly-publicized sex scandal. Armstrong is the self-proclaimed "Ezekiel Watchman" … main prophetic spokesman for God on earth today. Died in fall 2003.
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Deceased founder of the Worldwide Church of God (originally the Radio Church of God), the Plain Truth magazine and the World Tomorrow radio and TV programs. During his lifetime, Armstrong was the self-proclaimed "Apostle" of the "only true church on earth today." Herbert Armsrong was father of television and radio evangelist Garner Ted Armstrong.
(Click on Herbert Armstrong's name above to go to a more extensive profile.)
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Pastor of the Charismatic Toronto Airport Vineyard Church, now called the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF), in 1993 when the so-called "Toronto Blessing" revival broke out in that congregation. The Association of Vineyard Churches expelled the congregation in 1996, and Arnott now pastors the TACF as an independent fellowship.
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Word Faith teacher and author, frequent guest on TBN. Avanzini specializes in grandiose promises of financial prosperity. He is well-known for promoting the "hundred-fold blessing" gimmick for fund-raising.
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One of the founders of the controversial so-called "Shepherding Movement" branch of the Charismatic renewal of the 1970s, along with Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson, Derek Prince, and Ern Baxter. Their Christian Growth Ministries, headquarted in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, published a monthly magazine called New Wine, with Basham as editor.
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Ern Baxter
(photo with William Branham on left, Ern Baxter on right)
One of the founders of the controversial so-called "Shepherding Movement" of the Charismatic renewal of the 1970s, along with Bob Mumford, Charles Simpson, Derek Prince, and Don Basham.
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Pastor of the former Kansas City Fellowship—now Metro Vineyard of Kansas City—home of the "Kansas City Prophets" group. Bickle has been considered by many to hold the office of "modern prophet" and thus regularly receive direct revelations from God, along with Paul Cain, John Paul Jackson and Bob Jones (not the same Bob Jones that founded conservative Bob Jones University.)
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German healing evangelist who specializes in huge outdoor mass campaigns in Africa, sometimes preaching to audiences of one million or more. Bonnke is founder of the Christ for All Nations ministry. He mMakes spectacular but usually unsubstantiated claims for astounding healings at his meetings.
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(1909-1965) One of the most influential "healing evangelists" in history. Branham's healing crusade career from 1946 until his death in 1965 was marked by grandiose claims by his supporters and considerable skepticism from his detractors. A number of prominent modern Pentecostal and Charismatic leaders still praise his ministry, and a number of doctrinal perspectives and methods in such circles can be traced to his influence.
(Click on Branham's name above for a longer profile elsewhere in the Field Guide.)
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Founder of Stone Kingdom Ministries. Bruggeman is a prominent "Christian Identity" ("White Christians are the True Israelites") movement writer and speaker. Although there is no current active website for Bruggeman or his ministry, Bruggeman's name shows up on a number of websites announcing his appearance as a guest speaker at a number of events along with a variety of speakers from White Supremacy circles. And his books are popular in the "for sale" section of many websites connected with the KKK, various "Patriot" and militia groups, the Nazi Party, and so on.
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One of the "Kansas City Prophets" group. Cain has been considered by many to hold the office of "modern prophet" and thus regularly receive direct revelations from God, along with Mike Bickle, John Paul Jackson and Bob Jones (not the same Bob Jones that founded conservative Bob Jones University.)
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Long-time religious radio broadcaster, founder of the Family Radio network (now officially called Family Stations, Inc.).
Official bio from a Family Radio-affiliated website:
http://www.timehasanend.org/bio/haroldcamping_bio.html
Harold Egbert Camping received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1942. He and his family were lifelong members the Christian Reformed Church until the year 1988. He served there as an Elder and Bible teacher for many years. Harold Camping earned his living from his own construction business, which he began shortly after the end of World War II.
In 1958 he, together with two others, formed the non-profit ministry of Family Stations, Inc. (Family Radio - a Christian educational network) in which he has served as President. Eventually Harold Camping sold his business and became a full-time volunteer employer of Family Radio serving as President and as General Manager.Camping is most famous in religious circles for two things: (1) A failed dogmatic teaching, promoted through his radio ministry and through his book 1994?, that Christ would return in 1994. (2) His current teaching, promoted bombastically by him since about 2002, that every single local church congregation on Earth has been abandoned by God, and that thus all true believers need to remove themselves from any church affiliation at all, as well as abandon any thought of taking part in baptisms or communion activities. At one point he recommended that they form “home fellowship groups” with likeminded believers, with no leadership of any kind (such as pastors, deacons, or elders) recognized. (While, of course, he strongly suggested that they continue to look to his teachings and broadcasts on Family Radio as authoritative.) But he now evidently recommends even against that. Individuals are to just worship privately at home—while, of course, still continuing to look to his teachings and broadcasts as their source of spiritual understanding. He has readjusted his speculation on the timing of the return of Christ (and has toned down the absolute dogmatism just a tiny bit) a number of times. He currently says:
“Surely, we must take into very serious consideration the likelihood that A.D. 2011 may be the year that ends this world's existence.”
http://www.timehasanend.org/public/en_time_has_an_end_cont.html
The Family Radio network was extremely popular for years with religious leaders and laymen from a wide variety of conservative Christian denominations, particularly those which considered their roots as being in the “Reform movement.” Thus he had a wide audience for his increasingly radical pronouncements for a time, until many leaders and teachers from throughout these circles became alarmed and began warning against those pronouncements. It is unclear how many people are committed supporters of his teachings, but it would likely not be an over-estimation to suggest the number may be at least in the tens of thousands.
An extensive overview of Camping’s ministry, with links to many articles regarding his strange teachings, is at:
http://familyradioiswrong.com/
A 1994 review of the book 1994? and evaluation of its impact on the Family Radio ministry, from the Christian Research Journal is available at:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0152a.html
Excerpt:
California-based Family Radio, Inc., a worldwide conglomerate of 38 radio stations broadcasting a mostly conservative Christian viewpoint, is in danger of self-destructing, according to high-level sources within the ministry.
The problem centers on Harold Camping -- Family Radio's president and the moderator of its popular Open Forum call-in radio program -- and on his explosively controversial 562-page book, 1994? In it Camping proclaims that Jesus Christ will return in September of 1994. "No book ever written is as audacious or bold as one that claims to predict the timing of the end of the world," he writes, "and that is precisely what this book presumes to do."
Camping is causing problems for the organization that go far beyond general discomfort with the book. Key ministry officials, who requested anonymity, told the JOURNAL that he has used the network to promote 1994? without the authorization of Family Radio's board of directors. "We've had battles with him before, during and after this book came out," offers a ministry insider, "and Harold just won't listen. He considers himself a modern-day Jonah and feels he has to get his message of Christ's return in 1994 out to everyone, especially those who are reached by Family Radio."
Insiders claim that the contention among Camping, his nationwide staff of over 400, and his board is undermining the entire ministry. "Everyone is in turmoil about his 1994 stand," says the high-ranking staff member. "Instead of working for the cause of Christ worldwide, we're merely taking sides in a battle that will divide us -- and ultimately defeat us. Harold's position on end-time events is his own business, but he's brought all of us into this by using Family Radio as his own personal forum to promote his book. He uses Open Forum to talk about 1994? and has even gone so far as to counsel people who call in not to make any long-term plans because Jesus is coming back next year.
"We told him not to do that anymore," he sighs, "but he's a loose cannon."
See the link above for the full article.
For what may be the most complete overview and evaluation of Camping’s ministry and teachings available, see Dangerous Airwaves, a book by Dr. James R. White:
Long-time, prolific Word Faith ("positive confession," "health, wealth and prosperity") writer and speaker. Capps' books and pamphlets and taped messages on the fundamentals of the Word Faith doctrines are extensively imitated—almost to the point of plagiarism—by many younger Word Faith writers, teachers and preachers.
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Pentecostal evangelist active since the 1950s. Cerullo is part of the Healing Ministries movement and the Word Faith movement.
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Part of the Modern Apostles and Prophets movement, viewed by many as one of the modern Apostles. Chavda is active in the Toronto Blessing movement and other manifestations of the so-called Third Wave of the Charismatic renewal. Originally from India, he is now an American citizen.
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Pastor of "the world's largest church" that is a single congregation, not a denomination. Korean Yonggi Cho (who changed his name to David in recent years for some obscure reason) heads the Charismatic Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul that claims to have over 1 million people in regular attendance. Cho teaches an extreme occultic form of Word Faith doctrines, including the concept that if someone has an adequate "positive confession," their words literally enter into the "Heavenly Holy of Holies" and can emerge manifested as tangible objects that the believer is "naming and claiming."
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Popular prophecy pundit of the End Times Prophecy movement. Church spreads his theories via his Prophecy in the News TV show and numerous books. He is most famous for his 1986 book Hidden Prophecies in the Psalms, which alleges that the Psalms contain a hidden prophetic guide to the Twentieth Century. In other words, something in Psalm 1 applied to the events of 1901, Psalm 86 applied to 1986 and so on. Using utterly speculative and fanciful interpretations of vague passages, he strongly hinted in the first edition of his book that 1988 would be the year of the pre-tribulation rapture, followed by the Tribulation for 1989-1994, and the return of Christ in 1995. When none of this panned out, it didn't stop him, he just re-interpreted the vague passages to imply what did happen in those years. And he still continues to this day using his Nostradamian-style gimmick to sell books, gather and keep a TV audience, and garner invitations to speak at prophecy seminars and conventions. There's no accounting for the gullibility of folks who are desperate for someone to tell them "secret things."
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Senior Pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship of St. Louis, Missouri. Clark started a "holy laughter" revival at his home church after attending a 1993 meeting featuring Rodney Howard-Browne at Kenneth Hagin's Rhema Bible Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was invited by John Arnott, pastor of the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church to conduct a four day conference at the Toronto church starting January 20,1994. Clark's appearance triggered the beginning of what came to be known as the "Toronto Blessing" revival. As a result, Clark and his Global Awakening team are regularly invited to conduct or participate in revivals and revival training sessions all over the world to promote the same kind of activity as that in Toronto.
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(1918-1957) One of the most well-known "healing evangelists" of the 1950s. Coe was part of the Healing Ministries movement. He was described in The Century of the Holy Spirit by Vinson Synan as "bold and flamboyant" and as having "pushed claims of divine healing to the uttermost boundaries."
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(d. 2001) Founder of the Church of God, the Eternal (COGTE), a split-off group from the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong. Cole's family had been supporters of Armstrong since the 1930s, and he was one of the first students at Armstrong's Ambassador College in 1947. At one time an influential player in the leadership of the WCG, Cole left the group in 1975 and started the COGTE over what he believed to be "watering down true doctrine" by Armstrong. The doctrines in question were particularly the issue of divorce and remarriage, and the setting of the proper date for the church to observe the Holy Day of Pentecost.
Strangely enough, for the next 25 years, until his death, Cole preached that Armstrong was divinely chosen by God to restore truth to the Church that had been lost since the first century. And he taught that all the doctrines Armstrong had taught in his early years were absolutely binding on members of the COGTE, because they had been divinely inspired by God to Armstrong. Yet he did not believe that Armstrong had any authority to change his mind on any doctrine, and thus no one had the right to accept any later changes to earlier church doctrine.[ Return to alphabetic index ]
Former long-time minister of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong. Abandoned his faith in Jesus as Savior in the 1990s and wrote a book titled Mystery Babylon and the Lost Ten Tribes in about 1996 with the specific aim of undermining the validity of the New Testament writings. Withdrew distribution of the book in 2000 because he had become rabidly anti-semitic, and decided to throw all his effort into combating what he perceived as the threat of the Jews to civilization; felt that even though the Christian religion was in error, it was preferable to Judaism. Has since changed his mind and returned to anti-Christian efforts.
(Click on Conder's name above for more details.)
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Pentecostal/Charismatic televangelist and author. Most currently influential protégé of the teachings of Word Faith Movement pioneer Kenneth Hagin. Studied at Oral Roberts' Oral Roberts University (ORU). Spreads his name it and claim it doctrines via his Believer's Voice of Victory program, sharing the speaking on the program with wife Gloria Copeland.
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Former member of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong. Left the WCG in 1979, founded his own small denomination called the Biblical Church of God. Left that group over leadership disputes in 1982 and founded the Christian Biblical Church of God. While not claiming, as many former WCG members who started their own groups have, to be God's Only Spokesman on Earth, Coulter does never the less declare his own teachings on certain matters to be absolutely binding on believers. And anyone teaching anything even slightly different on some such matters is labeled by Coulter as a "minister of Satan." This particularly applies to the details of how and when the church's observance of the Passover should be conducted.
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Australian member for a short time of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong. Left and founded, along with a small group of like-minded people, a ministry called the Christian Churches of God with headquarters in Australia. The ministry of the organization is primarily conducted through a large Internet site that features a very large collection of Cox's writings, along with some writings of other CCG authors. The CCG does not release to the public any figures regarding the number of individuals considered "members." So, although the traffic on the website does indicate a wide interest in the CCG writings, it is not clear if there are hundreds or thousands who are directly affiliated with the organization around the world. Cox has promoted the CCG as the only Sabbatarian group that holds to the "true" first century teachings—in particular a "monotheistic" view of God which insists that Jesus, although now Savior and Messiah, is not in any sense divine, but rather an inferior, created being, a brother to Satan. The CCG enforces an exclusivist policy limiting fellowship, including participation in the annual bread and wine service connected with the observance of Passover, to those who affirm agreement with the unique doctrinal perspectives of the CCG in key matters, as represented in the writings of Cox and other CCG writers. This is a policy typical of a number of WCG split-off groups, which do not accept other Sabbatarians with similar beliefs and background into full fellowship without full agreement with their own unique doctrinal distinctives.
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Husband and wife founders of the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), which is the primary media outlet for most of the preachers, teachers and evangelists of the Word Faith Movement.
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Former member of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong, writer at one time for Armstrong's ministry. Was disfellowshipped in the 1980s, and began Triumph Prophetic Ministries (now referred to on the Triumph website as Triumph Prophetic Ministries Church of God) in 1987. Produces Prophecy Flash newsletter/magazine. Has a small following of regular supporters, primarily drawn from ex-members of the WCG or its offshoots, who look to him as their religious leader/guru. Sample from a 2000 Prophecy Flash letter to the editor:
"Thank you for the PF and the TAPES!! I am so greedy, it took me only 3 days to listen to your 12 Tapes! As you may have noticed -- I get very nervous when your material is DELAYED, and if by a very BAD CHANCE --- I don't get it AT ALL -- I go mad!! It's the price you have to pay for being so VITALLY INDISPENSABLE in our life, Dear Bill!! So, please make a careful note in your computer of my new order if you please . . . .
"Your impatient sister in Yeshua! God Bless you!
"P.S. . . . I stick closely to your narrow path!
-- France
Guru Bill spreads his teachings primarily through the magazine, articles and sermon/teaching tapes, as well as the Triumph website. Accepts a certain amount of Hebrew Roots/ Jewish custom emphasis, including wearing a Jewish-style prayer shawl. Frequently uses a bombastic, aggressive, dogmatic, condescending style even when dealing with supporters. Specializes particularly in prophetic end times speculations and in promoting his own idiosyncratic take on obscure Bible points. In February 1999 he speculated in Prophecy Flash that Bill Clinton was the Beast of Revelation. In April 2001 he speculated that Ariel Sharon was the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies of a latter-day "Zerubbabel," who would oversee the rebuilding of the Temple. He is also currently speculating that the seven year Tribulation started in 2001, and will end in 2007 with the Return of Christ.
One of his idiosyncratic interpretations of non-prophetic Bible topics includes his teaching that Jesus was not crucified in the same 24 hour period of his arrest by the Romans. Rather, Bill is sure that Jesus was subject to beating by the guards for almost a day, and wasn't crucified until the following day. He feels this explanation resolves some of the problems of harmonization of the events of the crucifixion week presented by the various Gospel accounts, even though it is impossible to "read into" the straightforward sequence of events in the Gospel accounts this speculative extra day.
Bill Dankenbring does not openly label himself as God's Only Mouthpiece on Earth—However … a loyal supporter writing to the Prophecy Flash in the mid-1990s noted that he had no one else in his local area who adhered closely to Dankenbring's teachings. He wondered if it would be OK to look for Christian fellowship with others who at least held similar beliefs, particularly Sabbath and Holy Day observance. Dankenbring's answer was NO. It would be best not to risk being tainted by those who didn't understand what the reader understood from studying under him. So for fellowship on Sabbath, he literally suggested such folks ought to "fellowship" with Dankenbring's tapes! This is surprisingly reminiscent of Herbert Armstrong. When asked a similar question in the 1960s, Armstrong forbade his followers from either gathering in informal fellowship and Bible Study without a minister, or attending any other kind of church. He rather recommended that those who could not fellowship with an official Radio Church of God congregation endorsed by Armstrong in their own area for Sabbath worship services should sit respectfully in front of their radio on the Sabbath and listen to the World Tomorrow Broadcast.
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(1800-1882) Key leader in the Brethren movement of the 1800s. Darby was a prolific writer whose views on a number of doctrinal issues and prophetic speculations had a wide impact outside the Brethren groups.
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Founder of an independent teaching ministry, Christian Educational Ministries, which sponsors Dart's national radio program Born to Win, and makes available a variety of teaching materials including inspirational and Bible Study tapes, printed Christian educational materials for children and teens, and booklets and articles on numerous topics. Dart was formerly affiliated with the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong, but severed that affiliation in 1978. He then worked for a number of years with Armstrong's son Garner Ted Armstrong in his Church of God, International (CGI) organization. He left the CGI in 1995 shortly after revelations of the sex scandal involving Armstrong that year. Dart has gotten away from the highly speculative prophetic style and many of the idiosyncratic doctrines of his former affiliations with the Armstrongs, and focuses primarily on teachings related to systematic Bible Study, spiritual growth of the individual, and Christian daily living . CEM webpage is at http://www.borntowin.net/
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Writer and conference speaker who extensively promotes the Modern Apostles and Prophets movement. Professor in the Department of Old Testament Exegesis and Semitic Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary from 1976-1988. Associate Pastor at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California, 1988-1992. Currently Senior Pastor at Trinity Fellowship Church, Amarillo, Texas. Executive Director of Covenant Ministries International (CMI). CMI is "an organization that connects apostolic church networks and provides resources and training for the apostolic churches." ("Apostolic churches" seems to be a term for those groups that recognize a circle of alleged modern apostles and prophets.) Also head of Evangelical Foundation Ministries, Inc. Conducts a conference ministry with Paul Cain, Mike Bickle and Rick Joyner. Two significant books he has authored: Surprised by the Power of the Spirit and Surprised by the Voice of God.
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Author of a 1930s book called History of the True Church, along with co-author Andrew Dugger. Both were affiliated with the Church of God, Seventh Day (COG7) at the time, and the book was an attempt to create an unbroken historical record of Sabbatarians backward in time to the first century. The Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong (called the Radio Church of God at the time) used the material in the book as the primary source for their own booklet with a similar goal, titled A True History of the True Church. More recent investigation into the material in the Dugger and Dodd book has shown much of the "historical research" to be very shoddy, and their conclusions to be poorly reasoned.
Dodd began his own ministry in 1937 with publication of a magazine called The Faith at Salem, W. Virginia. The original purpose of the magazine was to promote observance of the annual Biblical Holy Days among those affiliated with the Church of God, Seventh Day. In 1938 he organized the Faith Bible and Tract Society. Dodd eventually accepted the so-called Sacred Name doctrine, the requirement of believers to use the Hebrew names of deity rather than the English words God and Jesus. He left the Church of God movement and was instrumental in the development of a loose association of independent Sacred Name groups which usually adopted the name Assemblies of Yahweh. After his death, publication of the magazine was continued by various Sacred Name assemblies. It has been published since 1969 by a group in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, which has been meeting continuously as a Sacred Name group since 1939. The Faith Bible and Tract Society was continued by Dodd's family.
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(1847-1907) Early forerunner of the Healing Ministries movement. Born in Scotland, Dowie lived as a youth and young adult in Australia, and eventually moved to America. He began a ministry in Australia in1875 based on the "guaranteed healing in the atonement" theory. He moved to US in 1888 and set up healing meetings across the street from the Chicago World's Fair in 1890 to draw attention to his ministry.
Dowie insisted his followers totally reject medical treatment of any kind, considering drugs and doctors to be of the Devil. His own daughter died as a result of untreated severe burns—Dowie had even forbidden anyone to try to soothe the pain of the injuries with Vaseline. He founded the Christian Catholic Church in Chicago and produced a magazine called Leaves of Healing that had a wide influence. He created his own closed society in 1900 of over 6000 residents called City of Zion on the lakefront near Chicago, that he ruled with dictatorial authority. Although not a Pentecostal himself, many men and women who were later very influential in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements were at one time a part of Zion City, including several of the founders of the Assemblies of God denomination. Dowie claimed in 1901 to be "Elijah the Restorer," and in 1904 to be the "divinely commissioned first apostle of a renewed End Times Church." Many supporters did not accept this new revelation, and his ministry went downhill from that point, with the City of Zion leaders eventually voting him out of his leadership role there. Dowie was accused of sexual improprieties late in life, suffered a stroke, his City went bankrupt, and he spent his final months of life nearly totally despondent. The city did eventually recover, and is now just a regular small suburb of Chicago, with population of about 20,000.
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Author of a 1930s book called History of the True Church, along with co-author C. O. Dodd. Both were affiliated with the Church of God, Seventh Day (COG7) at the time, and the book was an attempt to create an unbroken historical record of Sabbatarians backward in time to the first century. The Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong (called the Radio Church of God at the time) used the material in the book as the primary source for their own booklet with a similar goal, titled A True History of the True Church. More recent investigation into the material in the Dugger and Dodd book has shown much of the "historical research" to be very shoddy, and their conclusions to be poorly reasoned.
Dugger, an elder in the Church of God, Seventh Day. Although he agreed in principle with some of the same doctrinal positions of C.O. Dodd, including observance of the annual Holy Days and use of the Sacred Name, Dugger did not leave the COG7 in the 1930s as did Dodd. However, he later split with the organization over non-doctrinal issues, and because of his particular view of prophetic speculation. In the 1950s he established his own ministry with headquarters in Jerusalem, and began publication of The Mount Zion Reporter in 1953. After his death in 1975, some of the members of his family continued his ministry, which goes under various names, including Church of God (Jerusalem), Congregation of Elohim, and Family of Elohim.
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Word Faith television preacher and conference speaker. Founder of Jesse DuPlantis Ministries with a weekly television show of his own on TBN, and guest speaking spots on many TBN specials, especially the fund raising telethons. Best known for his almost non-stop huge grin and hyperactivity in delivery, using corny jokes to make his points. Topic of messages is almost unrelentedly the "prosperity gospel."
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Founders of the controversial Growing Kids God's Way ministry, which includes special programs for teaching parents of infants to teens the Ezzo's own idiosyncratic childrearing methods. Particularly of concern to their critics are their recommendations for feeding infants. They insist that even the tiniest breast-feeding infants should be put on a rigid schedule of four-hour feedings or the like. There are numerous reports giving evidence that this regimen has led to both breastfeeding failure on the part of some mothers, and serious nutritional deficiencies in some infants. Critics also claim that the Ezzos have refused to address legitimate concerns brought to their attention regarding various aspects of their training materials. Extensive details on the controversy can be seen at http://www.ezzo.info
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Former member of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong. Flurry was founder, after Armstrong's death, of a rival organization to the WCG called the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG). He claims to be the spiritual successor to Herbert Armstrong as head of the Only True Church of God on Earth. And he has gathered a fairly large following from former WCG members because the PCG adheres most closely of all the exWCG splits to the original doctrines of Herbert Armstrong. Flurry publishes the full-color Philadelphia Trumpet magazine, a clone of the Plain Truth magazine at its height of polished attractiveness. He has a TV program modeled after Armstrong's World Tomorrow program. The PCG for some time re-published Armstrong's major hard-bound book, Mystery of the Ages, until the WCG won a copyright infringement judgment against them. The PCG is the most secretive, and the most worrisome of the main splits from the WCG in the eyes of people who have family members within the PCG. Flurry runs the organization in a totally dictatorial way and has implied strongly to members that they may soon leave for "a place of safety" if the Great Tribulation appears about to begin in Flurry's estimation. A helpful overview of Flurry's ministry with links to other commentary and documentation is available at:
The most recent information about activities within the group can be seen at
http://www.exitsupportnetwork.com/mike_ep/letters/ltrspcg06.htm
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(l920-l984) Founder of the Faith Assembly in northern Indiana and its well-known meeting hall which he gave the name "Glory Barn." Freeman taught and enforced among his followers one of the most radical positions in the Healing Ministries movement: that healing was "guaranteed in the atonement," it is always God's will to heal, and that any acceptance of any human aid to healing would be evidence that one did not trust God. He embraced the radical healing position in the 1960s, but was, prior to that, a respected professor of Old Testament at Grace Theological Seminary, author of a widely-accepted text, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets published by the Moody Bible Institute
Freeman's radical healing position led to over 90 deaths, many of them children, in the local congregation which investigation indicated would not have occurred with proper medical attention, many from simple ailments.
John MacArthur wrote regarding Hobart's group in Charismatic Chaos (Chapter 9, available on the Internet):
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/chaos9.htm
After a 15 year old girl whose parents belong to Faith Assembly, died of a medically treatable malady, the parents were convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to ten years in prison. Freeman himself was charged with aiding and inducing reckless homicide in the case. Shortly afterward, on December 8, 1984, Freeman himself died, interestingly enough of pneumonia and heart failure complicated by a severely ulcerated leg.
Hobart Freeman's theology did not allow him to acknowledge that polio had left one of his legs disfigured and lame. He said, in spite of the obvious, "I have my healing." And that is all he would say when anyone pointed out the rather conspicuous inconsistency between his physical disabilities and his theology. Ultimately, his refusal to acknowledge his infirmities cost him his life. He had dutifully, according to his own theology, refused all medical treatment for the maladies that were killing him, and medical science could easily have prolonged his life, but in the end he was a victim of his own teaching.
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One of the primary leaders of the "Argentine Renewal/Revival." Friedzon was influenced in the early part of his public ministry by the work of fellow Argentinian Carlos Annacondia. He entered a new phase after exposure to Benny Hinn's Good Morning Holy Spirit book and subsequent meetings in 1992 with Hinn during a visit to America to attend Hinn crusades. Shortly thereafter Friedzon led his Argentine congregation in experiencing the kind of extravagant displays of alleged supernatural manifestations that later became identified by name as the Toronto Blessing. This catapulted him to a career in large urban mass evangelism crusades where these manifestations became the norm. It was at a Claudio Friedzon meeting in Argentina in late 1993 that Friedzon prayed over Toronto Airport Vineyard pastor John Arnott and his wife. Their reaction to the experience led directly to the initiation in January, 1994, of the "revival" in their own church back in Canada and thus the actual beginning of the Toronto Blessing Movement.
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One of the earliest and most influential leaders in the white racist Identity movement. Gayman founded the Church of Israel in 1972, with headquarters in Missouri. He added the observance of the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days of Leviticus to the church's doctrines in the 1990s. He is author of a number of books and articles on the Serpent's Seed/Satan's Seed doctrine which are disseminated widely in racist circles. Gayman teaches that the modern Jews are actually the descendants of a sexual liaison between Eve and "the serpent" in the Garden of Eden, in which Satan—not Adam—begat Cain. And he teaches that only genetically pure, white Caucasian people—descendants of Adam's son Seth—are made in God's image, and that thus only they can be in covenant with God, and inherit eternal spiritual salvation as His sons and daughters. All non-whites are descended from a pre-Adamic creation by God, and are referred to in the book of Genesis as "beasts of the field."
An overview of the history of his organization and its white extremist affiliations can be seen at:
http://www.adl.org/learn/Ext_US/gayman.asp?xpicked=2&item=gayman
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Founder of the Institute for Basic Life Principles (IBLP), the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) and creator of the materials used for the Character First! CF! programs being used by various schools, businesses and communities throughout the US and other countries. Through the IBLP Gothard offers seminars on child rearing and family living, including a series called "Basic Youth Conflicts" regarding parenting teenagers. ATI is a comprehensive homeschool program for families, CF! uses character training and success motivation material from the ATI curriculum , after purging it of references to God and the Bible. This program is offered to cities, businesses, schools and other groups as being a totally secular program, and all references to its connection to the Gothard ministries have been obscured. Gothard's methods and teachings have come under close scrutiny and criticism in recent years. A growing number of individuals and families which formerly looked to Gothard as somewhat of a spiritual guru have become disillusioned and disenchanted with him and his ministries, and some are actively seeking to publicize their concerns.
The most extensive and well-documented material covering the areas of concern about Gothard's ministry is that available on the Midwest Christian Outreach (MCO) website:
And the definitive book on the topic is Bill Gothard--A Matter of Basic Principles, an excellent investigative report by MCO affiliates Don and Joy Veinot and Ron Henzel. A description and ordering information is at:
http://www.midwestoutreach.org/02-Information/01-AvailableResources/GothardBookEndorsements.html
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(Born 1940) Founder and pastor of the 15,000+ member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. President of Global Evangelism Television, which broadcasts his daily and weekly programs on television and radio throughout the United States and around the world. Author of a series of popular books on End Times prophecy.
His broadcast, John Hagee Ministries, is seen twice daily on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) and is carried in America on 110 full power TV stations and on the Inspirational Network (INSP), and from coast to coast in Canada on the Vision Network (VN). Hagee's specific emphasis on his program and in the many books he has written for the "popular Christian market" is his own idiosyncratic take on End Times Prophecy, making him a significant player in the End Times Prophecy movement.
Often referred to on TV and in complementary articles as "Dr. Hagee," this is evidently because he holds a 1989 "honorary" doctorate from Oral Roberts University (ORU) (1989). His theological training was from Southwestern Bible Institute near Dallas. Although he does not come across as particularly "Charismatic" in his preaching, Hagee is firmly within the Charismatic Word Faith camp, and associates and cooperates freely with such hyper-charismatic personalities as Benny Hinn and the other TBN regulars.
Excerpts from one highly critical website called "The Other Gospel of John Hagee":
http://www.pfo.org/jonhagee.htm
Most people who see and hear the Rev. John C. Hagee are impressed. He is rotund, strident, authoritative (and could well pass for Rush Limbaugh’s older and more serious brother). His delivery alone gives the impression of one who really knows what he is talking about. However, careful evaluation of the teachings of Hagee, pastor at the San Antonio-based Cornerstone Church, reveals false teaching and a defective view of a basic and essential issue regarding salvation and the Gospel. Hagee preaches another way of salvation for the Jew, which is in direct violation of Paul’s warnings in Galatians 1:6-9.
This theological concept, which has many forms, is primarily referred to as the "Two Covenant" or "Dual Covenant" theory.
Hagee’s web site tells us that his "vision is for world evangelism. The burning passion of his heart is to win the lost to Jesus Christ in America and around the world." That statement is not altogether true since he will not evangelize Jews and teaches salvation on another basis than the Gospel for the Jewish people.
Hagee has become extremely popular since the 1987 dedication of his Cornerstone Church (an event that featured an appearance and a blessing from W.A. Criswell, then pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas) and because of the daily programs from Global Evangelism Television of which he is president. His best-selling books have also made him a celebrity. He associates with the likes of Benny Hinn and appears with him from time to time at crusades and other Charismatic congresses.
…That there are moral and ethical concerns with Hagee and a serious question as to his being biblically qualified as a pastor and teacher are not the main issues of this article. However, one very important factor should be noted. The Liberty Flame reported in May 1994 that during the time when Hagee was serving the Charismatic congregation at Trinity Church (1976) in San Antonio, he divorced his wife, resigned and married a young woman in the congregation, Diana Castro. Custody of Hagee’s two children by his ex-wife, Martha, went to her.
In a letter to the church, Hagee admitted immorality, which later became part of the court records in the custody battle. Martha later also remarried and started another family. Not surprisingly, there is a hiatus from 1976 to 1987 left out of Hagee’s web site biography.
…The Christian Research Institute panned Hagee’s 1996 book, Beginning of the End, not only for its premise that Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination triggered prophetic events and set the prophetic clock ticking somehow but because he falsely predicted that Shimon Peres would succeed Rabin. The later elections brought Benyamin Netanyahu to power.
…While most of Hagee’s prophetic books become instant best-sellers, they do not always receive the best of reviews. As noted above, CRI faulted his Beginning of the End and the normally courteous CBA Marketplace Magazine gave a "thumbs down" to his book, Final Dawn Over Jerusalem, saying:
"In his long list of Jewish people who have blessed the world, Hagee makes no distinction between individuals who simply have a Jewish background and those who truly fear and seek God. He lists Goldie Hawn, Dustin Hoffman, and Barbara Streisand, among others, as Jews who have proven the Scripture ‘in thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ The contributions of these entertainers can hardly be seen as a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis. Hagee also goes as far as branding anti-Semitic those who don’t agree with his enthusiastic support of Israel."
Despite its criticisms, CBA Marketplace Magazine in June 1998 listed Final Dawn Over Jerusalem as the No. 1 clothbound nonfiction book.
Christian author and conspiracy debunker Gregory Camp also is critical of Hagee’s writings:
"The Texas-based minister has recently published a book dealing with the end times in which he predicts the end of Israeli independence as a result of giving up the Golan Heights and then signing a treaty with the Antichrist. Titled Beginning of the End, this Thomas Nelson publication will doubtless sell by the hundreds of thousands. It rehashes old pre-millennial prophecy themes and like an increasing number of such ministries, throws conspiracy theory into the mix. The book unfortunately is just one more of a series of tired conspiracy-tainted prophecy monographs so common these days; there is scarcely an original idea to be found between its covers. The reader is ‘treated’ to sensationalistic predictions about the Israeli State and the nearness of Christ’s return based on conspiracy and closet date-setting."
…Yet, of additional and more serious concern is that Hagee reported to the Houston Chronicle that he believes that Jews already have a covenant with God and a relationship to God and do not need to come to the cross. Hearing this is startling. Hagee told the newspaper:
"I believe that every Jewish person who lives in the light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption."
This certainly is a shocking statement in the light of Jesus’ words that "no man comes to the Father but through me" (John 14:6). John further writes, in his first Epistle: "He who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12).
The Apostle Paul, as well, would say the opposite of Hagee: "I do not set aside the grace of God: for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain" (Galatians 2:21). Paul is affirming that nothing that the Old Testament offered could avail apart from the death of Jesus.
The Houston Chronicle article further reported:
"John Hagee, fundamentalist pastor from San Antonio and friend of Israel, is truly a strange fish. ... The man has a mission. He’s out to attack anti-Semitism. He also believes that Jews can come to God without going through Jesus Christ."
The Houston newspaper then quoted Hagee’s own shocking words: "I’m not trying to convert the Jewish people to the Christian faith."
And further revealed:
"In fact, trying to convert Jews is a ‘waste of time,’ he said. ‘The Jewish person who has his roots in Judaism is not going to convert to Christianity. There is no form of Christian evangelism that has failed so miserably as evangelizing the Jewish people. They (already) have a faith structure.’ Everyone else, whether Buddhist or Baha’i, needs to believe in Jesus, he says. But not Jews. Jews already have a covenant with God that has never been replaced by Christianity, he says."
(See the website referenced above for much more commentary on Hagee and his teachings.)
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Most influential pioneer of the Word Faith Movement. Founder of Rhema Bible School, alma mater of a number of well-known televangelists. Author of many books, booklets, articles and magazines that provide the doctrinal basis for standard Word Faith teachings. Blatantly plagiarized some of his writings directly from material written by earlier mystic evangelist EW Kenyon. Examples of this word for word plagiarism can be seen at:
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Controversial successor to the late Walter Martin as the head of Martin's Christian Research Institute. Hosts the Bible Answer Man national radio program. Author of a number of books of research on modern religious movements. Member of Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel. Martin's widow and family have challenged Hanegraaff's claims to have been Martin's hand-picked successor, and disagree with some of his decisions involving the ministry. Although the documentation in his books is usually solid, his credentials as a legitimate researcher have been challenged by admission of incidents of plagiarism, and by charges of former CRI employees that he took credit for research done by others.
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Founder and dictatorial leader of the House of Yahweh in Abilene, Texas, an exclusivist religious group that adheres to an extreme form of pseudo-Biblical "legalism" based heavily on Hawkins' interpretations of the Old Testament (unrelated to any connection with orthodox Judaism). The belief system, including polygamy introduced in the group in 1993—and the teaching that "Satan" is female—is a totally idiosyncratic creation of the founder. Although claiming to believe in Jesus—Yeshua—as Messiah, His role in the religious system is almost negligible. It is taught that He had no pre-existence prior to His birth, and that His primary purpose in His ministry was to reinforce the need to keep the "613 Laws" of the Old Testament. Hawkins proclaims himself to be the only leader of the only true Work of the Almighty on earth now, and requires total obedience of all supporters to his every edict.
Hawkins' name was originally Buffalo Bill Hawkins. Hawkins' late brother Jacob first founded a House of Yahweh in Odessa, Texas, in 1975. Bill, who changed his name to Yisrayl in 1982, established his own independent congregation in 1980. For a time Bill billed himself and Jacob as the Two Witnesses of the Book of Revelation, but the fact that Jacob didn't believe this, and had nothing to do with his brother's ministry, made this revelation difficult to sustain, and it became even harder after Jacob died in 1991. Followers from all over the country have left their homes in the past decade and cast their lot in with Hawkins, moving to live in his trailer compound outside Abilene. Others travel there three times a year for conventions held to observe the Levitical Holy Days. By 1997, things were getting stranger in the group … one of the few that this Field Guide website has no qualms about labeling a severely spiritually abusive cult. Reportedly, over 300 of the members of the group legally changed their last names to "Hawkins," and Yisrayl was dogmatically prophesying that the Messiah was going to return in October, 2000 and that "80% of the world's population would be killed by mid-2001." The "Religioustolerance.org" website, which is extremely conservative in its approach to labeling groups as cults notes that it finds Hawkins' group to fit ten out of ten of their list of "ten indicators of a destructive cult." A collection of articles about the House of Yahweh is available at:
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Hard-core Word Faith teacher and conference speaker and prolific writer. Founder of Norvel Hayes Ministries and New Life Bible College. Author of such full-length books and small booklets as Confession Brings Possession, How to Cast Out Devils, Putting Your Angels to Work and Why You Should Speak in Tongues.
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Founder of the Church on the Way, First Foursquare Church of Van Nuys, CA. Head of Jack Hayford Ministries which produces and broadcasts Hayford's Living Way radio program and Spirit Formed TV program. His calm and almost conservative speaking style belies the fact that his doctrinal background is hard-core hyper-charismatic Word Faith. He is a regular on Jan and Paul Crouch's Trinity Broadcasting Network. And he supports, cooperates with and appears on speaking schedules regularly with more flamboyant ministers such as Benny Hinn.
