At my core, and in my deepest hopes, I am a Charismatic Christian. I long to walk alongside fellow followers of Jesus who wholeheartedly celebrate that God is still present and active in our lives today, still healing and saving. My desire is for a faith that touches both my mind and my heart. One of the gifts of the Word of Faith movement is its encouragement to trust God boldly, to believe that God cares about every aspect of our lives—health, relationships, and even our daily needs. I have witnessed genuine joy and a beautiful simplicity of belief in many of these communities, and it would take an unhealthy dosage of skepticism to maintain that none of the claimed results in these circles is genuine. I cannot dismiss the real and meaningful experiences that so many have shared. With care and respect, however, I feel compelled to thoughtfully examine some of the movement’s core theological beliefs, as I believe they deserve a closer examination and an honest conversation.

Let me briefly mention that the theological patterns examined in this piece extend beyond classic Word of Faith teaching and apply equally to modern Hyper‑Grace movements. Indeed, Word of Faith theology is the giant on which Hyper-Grace theology stands. In many cases, the latter merely takes the former’s ideas to a logical conclusion. Hence, in examining the Word of Faith movement, we also will be addressing flashpoints in Hyper‑Grace theology.