In their book, Defining Deception, Costi Hinn and Anthony Wood provide a behind-the-scenes look at the mystical-miracle movement. The mystical-miracle movement is a heretical movement that is filled with deviant doctrine, fueled by counterfeit miracles, and funded by false prosperity teaching. There are many men and women in this movement who pose as modern-day prophets, apostles, and miracle-workers.
At the center of all of this deviant activity is Bethel Ministries and their leader, Bill Johnson. In the book Defining Deception, Hinn and Wood do a thorough case study of Bill Johnson’s ministry, writings, sermons, and associations to reveal the danger of his doctrine. The authors accurately pinpoint Johnson as a central figure in the Third Wave or New Apostolic Reformation.
By God’s grace, Hinn and Wood approach this topic with love and pastoral care. Costi Hinn was once heavily involved in the global ministry of false teacher Benny Hinn. He now serves on staff with co-author Anthony Wood who is the pastor of Mission Bible Church in Orange County, California. Together, they have carefully and biblically exposed this particular strain of false teaching without coming across as angry or vindictive.
Defining Deception is not a hit job on Pentecostalism or the Charismatic movement. It is also not an argument that all signs have ceased (a theological position known as cessationism). Instead, they are hoping that charismatics and non-charismatics will unite against those who have “turned Jesus into a commodity”.
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