Hope

Something incredible is happening in Abilene, Texas, or so it is claimed.  In the past week (as of July 8, 2009), New Hope Church, along with evangelists Eric & Jennifer Gonyon, have witnessed 409 “harvesters” hitting the streets of the Frontier City and garnering 14,421 “decisions” for Jesus Christ.  The Gonyons, part of Rodney Howard-Browne’s Revival Ministries International.  As a minister, especially one who earned an accredited M. Div. with an emphasis in evangelism and missions, not to mention an accredited Ph.D. in Theology with an evangelism major, I was curious about the claim, thinking about the kind of impact such a move of the Spirit of God would have upon a small city with a population of approximately 116,000.  For instance, if ten percent of the population turns to the Lord Jesus, you certainly could expect church attendance to skyrocket.  Not only will new believers fill congregations, but they will bring family and members and friends with them to investigate the difference the gospel has brought about in their lives.  That was on my mind as I made my way to New Hope this past Wednesday night to check out the claims for myself.

I was curious as to how the masses would all fit into the auditorium at New Hope, and found myself disappointed when the service got underway with no more than 200 in attendance for the “Great Awakening Tour.”  A fair amount of the service was spent by Mrs. Gonyon plugging Rodney Howard-Browne merchandise, namely books, CDs and iPods.  The iPod (with Howard-Browne leactures) was on sale for only $1000. I listened to the testimonies of four very precious, sincere individuals who spoke about their experiences of using “The Script” that day.  One young lady recorded three decisions in Wal-Mart from backslidden teenage girls while another young lady recorded a decision from a gentleman plagued with Alzheimer’s in a nursing home.  A young man encountered a deaf woman at the bus stop, healing her hearing and restoring her faith.  Another young man encountered twenty Hindus, with twelve of them deciding to follow Jesus.  You might imagine my surprise when there was no baptismal service.  I found it quite inexplicable that these testimonies were shared but that none of those making decisions were in attendance or being baptized.

I expected the message, delivered by Mr. Gonyon, to relate to the topic of evangelism.  Instead, while attempting to preach from Luke 5:1-11, he demonstrated a complete lack of applying biblical hermeneutics.  His message, which missed the heart of the text (e.g., Jesus Christ is holy God), was nothing more than the peddling of prosperity pablum.  He emphasized the point over and over that when Jesus tells you to cast out your nets (plural), don’t simply cast out your net (singular).  Had Mr. Gonyon studied divinity, his first year of Greek would have prevented such an egregious handling of the text.  Constructing an entire sermon on a single transcript variation results in a pitiful message, to say the least.  Any serious minister of Christ, even without the benefit of theological training, would at least make sure to proclaim the gospel within his sermon.  There was no mention, however, of the work of Christ Jesus at the cross.  The gospel was not proclaimed.  No true hope was given for the forgiveness of sins and living daily by the applied work of Christ.  Instead, the stench of health and wealth filled the auditorium.

Leaving the auditorium, I departed with a deep sense of sadness (rather than the joy which had been promised).  I was sad because those professing faith were not professing their faith and being attached to the local church through the sacred ordinance of baptism; sad because there was absolutely no sense of the holy presence of God in that place; sad that the Gospel was not being proclaimed.  If the Gospel – which is the power of God unto salvation – is not preached, then how will people believe (Romans 10:14-15)?  It is possible to have numerical success and absolute spiritual failure.  I hope those young people who shared their testimonies will gain a strong grasp on the Gospel – which provides our only basis for true hope – and press forward in boldness for the sake of Christ Jesus.  I hope the same may be said of you and me, so that many will actually be converted and added to the Church through baptism.  Apart from the proclamation of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, I have absolutely no hope that this will happen.  But, because I trust in the sovereignty of God and in the reality of His promises, I have great hope that many will yet enter the Kingdom.