The Faith Movement - What It Is & Why It Matters

The Faith Movement. What is it?
Perhaps you’ve heard the term before. Even if you haven’t, chances are, you’ve encountered its teachings without realizing it. The Faith Movement has deeply infiltrated modern Christianity, reshaping not only doctrine but also the broad culture of Christianity in America and around the world. But what exactly is the Faith Movement, and why should it matter to you?

The Framework of Faith Culture

At its heart, the Faith Movement emphasizes the power of belief and spoken words to shape reality. Rooted in Word of Faith doctrines, its teachings primarily emphasize healing but will often include themes of success in other forms. It’s believed that specific, requested blessings are guaranteed to Christians who exercise enough faith. While the triumphant promise of victory over ailments and difficulties is alluring, their message distorts Scripture and shifts the focus from God’s sovereignty to human effort and will power.

Here’s what shapes the Faith Movement and the culture it creates:

Authority and Dominion – The Faith Movement asserts that Christians, as children of God, possess authority and the ability to act on God’s behalf. The core idea is that believers are granted divine authority, particularly over spiritual forces like demons, as part of their new identity in Christ. This concept often stems from a misapplication of Genesis 1:26-28, where God grants Adam dominion over creation, and an overreach of Luke 9:1, where Christ grants His disciples authority over demons and diseases. Together, these passages are interpreted to suggest that believers are meant to project God’s will on earth in a way that blurs the line between Creator and creation.
Spiritual Laws – The Faith Movement teaches that the universe operates according to fixed “spiritual laws” that believers can activate through their faith, words, and actions. These principles often suggest a mechanistic relationship between human behavior and divine outcomes: if you do X, God will guarantee Y. This reduces God to a formulaic dispenser of blessings, removing His sovereign will from the equation. In fact, some adherents will acknowledge that they believe God has imputed His sovereignty to man, through atonement. If an outcome does not occur as expected, believers should examine the laws and attempt to pinpoint the law that wasn’t properly applied. Adherents rely on passages like Mark 11:23-24 and Luke 6:38 to claim that faith, declarations, or giving obligates God to act. While these verses emphasize trusting God and practicing generosity, they are never presented as formulaic guarantees. Scripture consistently affirms that God acts according to His sovereign will (Isaiah 46:9-10) and not through man-made “laws.” True faith submits to God’s purposes, trusting Him even when outcomes do not align with personal desires (James 4:13-15).The “spiritual laws” teaching distorts the nature of God by presenting Him as bound by human actions rather than sovereign over His creation. It burdens believers with the false idea that their faith must be flawless and their actions perfect to “activate” blessings. This can lead to disillusionment when life does not conform to the promised outcomes.True biblical faith recognizes that God’s ways and plans are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Scripture calls us to trust Him fully, knowing that He works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)—not according to formulas, but according to His perfect wisdom and grace.
Blessing and Cursing – An extension of “Spiritual Laws”, “Blessing and Cursing” is a modern rebranding of positive and negative confession, this teaching is centered on the belief that words hold creative power. It asserts that a believer can manifest healing, success, or other positive outcomes by disciplining their speech to align with their faith. Conversely, it warns that negative circumstances can arise from careless words or failure to constrain negative thoughts and speech.

This teaching also extends to actions. Like speech, actions must align with faith. An individual must deny the physical evidence before them, and behave as though they have obtained the desired outcome. A woman with no money may be encouraged to give as though she has plenty. A man with a broken leg may say his leg is healed, refuse to use crutches, and refuse to take medication for relief of pain in order to stand perfectly in faith. On the ground, you may hear a variety of expressions such as “Speak life!” or “Don’t speak defeat!” “Align your actions with your faith!” Expressions like these reinforce the idea that words (and thoughts) shape reality, emphasizing the need for faith-filled speech and action to achieve desired outcomes and avoid harmful ones. However, this teaching misinterprets biblical passages such as Proverbs 18:21, which highlights the power of words to influence relationships and actions, not to create physical realities. The Bible consistently teaches that God alone has the power to speak things into existence (Genesis 1:3, Isaiah 45:12). By attributing similar creative power to human speech, this teaching elevates man’s role and diminishes trust in God’s sovereignty, replacing dependence on Him with a reliance on self-declared outcomes.

4. Negative Circumstances are Demonic in Origin – A misinterpretation of Genesis 1, where God declares His creation to be good, is used to assert that all negative circumstances—such as sickness, calamity, financial struggle, and hardship of any kind—are exclusively demonic in origin. Combined with the teachings of authority and dominion, this belief fosters rigid convictions about the believer’s role in overcoming these challenges. Adherents are often taught that it is their responsibility to exercise faith, speak victory, and take authority over these circumstances as a demonstration of spiritual maturity and alignment with God’s will.

5. Guaranteed Healing – In the Faith Movement, it is taught that physical healing is always God’s will and can be achieved through sufficient faith. Leaders combine isolated accounts in the Gospels where Jesus “healed them all”, (Matthew 15:30 & Luke 6:19) with an overextension of Isaiah 53:5 to claim that physical healing of all ailments are guaranteed through atonement. According to this belief, there is never a situation where sickness aligns with God’s plan, and a Christian walking in true faith will inevitably be healed. A commonly heard phrase is, “A sick Christian is an abnormal Christian.”

Though teachings on “speaking blessing” discourage adherents from openly acknowledging it, the underlying implication is clear: those who remain unhealed do so because they, or someone close to them, lack the necessary faith. This perspective places an unbiblical burden on believers, subtly shifting the responsibility for healing from God’s sovereign will to human performance.

6. Blind Faith – The Faith Movement teaches the necessity of suppressing logic and reason as part of embracing faith. Misapplying Romans 8:7, it’s taught that the “carnal mind” which is at enmity with God,” refers to logic and reason. This mindset leads to a dangerous rejection of critical thinking and creates an environment where extreme actions are rationalized. Upon the basis that it’s “always God’s will to heal” the mind, the conscience, and anything else that creates an objection is classified as the devil fighting the person’s faith. Stories like Smith Wigglesworth throwing a baby against a wall for healing¹ or Todd Bentley physically assaulting individuals in the name of healing², illustrate the harmful consequences of this teaching. Desperate individuals must submit to anything labeled “faith” regardless of how risky, harmful, or unwise it may be. Emphasis on anti-rationalism fosters a culture where it is impossible to examine the validity of actions, teachings, or substance. To do so is equated with a lack of faith. Individuals in these settings experience a crippling of their critical thinking, leaving them excessively vulnerable to manipulation, abuse and error.

Understanding the Origins

The Faith Movement has its roots in the early 20th century with E.W. Kenyon, who blended Christian language with New Thought metaphysical ideas, such as the power of the mind and spoken words to create reality. Kenneth Hagin, often considered the father of the prosperity gospel, adapted and popularized Kenyon’s teachings, giving them a distinctly Christian veneer.

Hagin’s work inspired a generation of preachers who carried the teachings into the mainstream through books, television, and megachurch platforms. By promising believers a life free from sickness, poverty, and defeat, the prosperity gospel gained widespread appeal. Historic influencers include Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, and Oral Roberts.

The Faith Movement itself tends to emphasize more of the healing aspects, drawing influence from early faith healers such as Smith Wigglesworth, A.A. Allen, and John G. Lake. While some groups have mildly distanced themselves from the “prosperity” emphasis due to backlash and criticism, and hyper-focused on healing, the core Word of Faith teachings have never faded. Instead, they have been repackaged and rebranded, often to be more palatable to newer generations. Today, many adherents may not recognize themselves as aligning with Word of Faith, yet they continue to embrace the same foundational ideas under labels like “Faith Movement/people,” “Apostolic/Prophetic,” or “Kingdom Christians.”

The Faith Movement remains strong today, with prominent voices such as Bill Johnson and Bethel Church in Redding, California. Others leading its expansion across modern platforms are Mike Brown; T.D. Jakes; Todd White; Andrew Wommack; Jesse Duplantis; Creflo Dollar; Isaiah Saldivar; and Curry Blake. You will find its influence embedded throughout Christian culture, in books, children’s books, music, sermons, ministries and Christian television series and movies.

Why Does This Matter?

The teachings of the Faith Movement may seem victorious, triumphant, and exciting, but their consequences are spiritually devastating. They often lead to confusion, distorting the true nature of faith, the character of God, and the finished work of Jesus Christ. These teachings foster a culture of cognitive dissonance where followers are excessively vulnerable to manipulation, exploitation, and spiritual abuse.

Here’s why understanding and addressing the movement is crucial:

Distortion of the Gospel: The Faith Movement shifts the focus from the biblical Gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone to a message centered on human effort, positive thinking, and the pursuit of temporal benefits. By presenting Christianity as a means to alleviate earthly struggles, it distorts the true Biblical message of reconciliation with God through Christ.

Distortion of the Character and Nature of God: The Faith Movement often portrays God as a means to an end—someone who exists to provide material blessings, healing, and solutions to earthly problems. God is perceived as a tool for self-gratification; a stark contrast to the Biblical portrayal of God as sovereign, holy, and deserving of worship. The emphasis on human effort reduces healthy reliance upon God’s sovereignty. When desired outcomes fail, believers are left confused by distorted notions of God’s favor. This misunderstanding leads to an unhealthy view of validation, where perceived healing signifies God’s approval, and lack of healing suggests spiritual inadequacy.

Exploitation of Vulnerability: Many individuals are drawn into the Faith Movement during times of personal hardship. Unfortunately, those facing pain and difficulty are often vulnerable to exploitation. Instead of offering genuine comfort, guidance or tangible help, these individuals are preyed upon as opportunities to demonstrate faith and further inflate the status of other followers, the leader, group, or movement. Even when financial gain is not a factor, the vulnerability of others becomes a platform for personal gain, leading people to treat the hardships of others as stepping stones for demonstrating “power” or “victory.” Genuine needs are often ignored in favor of superficial solutions. The Bible calls us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and comfort those in affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), but in the Faith Movement, vulnerable individuals are merely exciting opportunities. As a result, they are left with a distorted understanding of faith that only deepens their struggles.

Loss of Biblical Discernment: The Faith Movement’s approach to Scripture often involves cherry-picking verses out of context to fit personal agendas or healing narratives, while neglecting the broader biblical themes of suffering, God’s sovereignty, and the full scope of the Gospel. This selective interpretation fosters a shallow understanding of God’s Word, where passages that don’t align with the movement’s message are ignored or reinterpreted to fit a desired outcome. As a result, adherents are left ill-equipped to recognize false teaching. This relationship with Scripture traps them in a distorted framework. While they may read their Bible voraciously, their methods of interpreting Scripture are spiritually dangerous, both to themselves and others, as they are led further from the true understanding of God’s Word.

Recognizing the Faith Movement and It’s Influence

The Faith Movement may not always announce itself by name. In fact, most of its proponents do not identify with labels like “Word of Faith” or “Faith Movement.” Many will claim that they do not belong to any group, but it’s influence can be recognized in the following ways:

Overemphasis on Physical Healing: The Faith Movement often places an absolute emphasis on physical healing, guaranteeing it as a right for believers. Common phrases like “God always heals” or “Faith unlocks your healing” are frequently heard. There’s often pressure for immediate healing, accompanied by an insistence that the individual’s faith is the determining factor. The focus is on instant, visible results, with little room for God’s sovereign will or timing in the healing process.
Emphasis on Spiritual Warfare and Demons: In the Faith Movement, there is often an exaggerated focus on spiritual warfare. Demons and the need for constant deliverance are highlighted, with teachings that emphasize spiritual battles as the primary cause of personal struggles, sickness, and defeat. Adherents may believe that all negative circumstances are a direct result of demonic opposition or insufficient faith.
A Diminished View of God’s Sovereignty: The movement often implicitly undermines God’s sovereignty, especially in times of suffering or unanswered prayers. By prioritizing human faith and authority, the Faith Movement creates an expectation that God should always act according to the believer’s desires.
Emphasis on Experience over Doctrine: The Faith Movement tends to elevate personal experiences and emotions as the benchmark for spiritual maturity. Believers are often encouraged to measure their spiritual well-being based on tangible, visible outcomes such as healing. This reliance on subjective experiences can lead individuals to abandon sound doctrine when their personal outcomes don’t align with the movement’s promises, focusing more on emotional highs than a deep, biblically grounded relationship with God.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Understanding the Faith Movement is not about judgment but discernment. As believers, we are called to measure every teaching against the unchanging truth of God’s Word. The Faith Movement often preys on desperation, offering a counterfeit hope that promises immediate physical healing and relief, but ultimately leads to disappointment and spiritual confusion when those promises are not fulfilled.

The true Gospel calls us to trust in Christ—not for physical healing or earthly comfort, but for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. It offers a hope that transcends our circumstances, providing comfort and strength even when healing doesn’t come as we expect. The promise of physical healing, while not dismissed entirely in Scripture, should never overshadow the greater truth that God’s ultimate purpose is our reconciliation to Him through Jesus Christ.

Because of the Biblical language and the misuse of Scripture, the teachings of the Faith Movement can slip in under the radar, often sounding righteous while subtly distorting the Gospel’s message. It is essential for Christians to evaluate the sources of their teaching—whether from books, podcasts, or conferences—carefully. Even well-meaning leaders can be influenced by the promises of immediate healing, unknowingly perpetuating a view that diminishes God’s sovereignty and the fullness of His plan.

Scripture teaches that God’s will in our lives is not limited to earthly health or success but encompasses His perfect plan, even in suffering. Passages such as 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and Romans 8:28 remind us that God’s power is often made perfect in our weakness, and that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him, regardless of our physical circumstances.

By exposing the errors of the Faith Movement and pointing others to the sufficiency of God’s Word, we can help protect the church and rescue those ensnared by its teachings. Let us take care to guard our hearts, minds, and communities against these false promises and reaffirm our trust in the true Gospel of grace, which sustains us even when earthly healing doesn’t come as expected.