Comments on Reading to Know: The Essential Guide to Healing, by Bill Johnson & ...

Outstanding review--thank you for suffering throug...

2012-01-11T16:08:39.010-08:00

Outstanding review--thank you for suffering through this book to speak Truth. I hope someone who has been sucked in by this theology has seen your post!

Well spoken. While I'm not familiar with this ...

2012-01-11T15:21:15.753-08:00

Well spoken. While I'm not familiar with this specific organization, I have some familiarity with the health, wealth, and prosperity story line.

A huge thing I've come to realize as I've been studying Systematic Theology is how flawed our concept of "good" is. So often, we describe it as the health, wealth, and prosperity storyline does: as physical and mental ease. But "good" is really defined, not by us but by God. Good is what God decides is good, not what we decide is good.

The health, wealth, and prosperity storyline presumes that God deems whatever we deem good to be, in fact, good. Which is, of course, totally not true.

Praise God that His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.

Well spoken. While I'm not familiar with this ...

2012-01-11T15:21:07.941-08:00

I COMPLETELY agree with you on this issue! Like th...

2012-01-11T11:33:42.383-08:00

I COMPLETELY agree with you on this issue! Like the others, when I saw the title, I became curious. :)

Thank you for a great lesson on "fear", too! It's yet another thing I struggle with.

Carrie, a well thought out and well written critiq...

2012-01-11T11:17:15.698-08:00

Carrie, a well thought out and well written critique. I wholeheartedly agree.

I would add that the natural corollary of this thinking is that when healing (or wealth!) does not occur, there is something wrong with the person, not with the theology. "You would have been healed IF..." And then, the hurt is compounded. Not only am I in pain, but now I have guilt because it is all my fault.

I also would like to draw a parallel between the "health and wealth" philosophy so popular among the more charismatic (for lack of a better term) on the Christian spectrum and the spiritual "health and wealth" doctrine as promoted by the ultra-conservative groups (Gothard) and others. Similarly, a lack of healing of relationships, etc. is the fault of the person, not the bad theology.

Thanks for losing sleep for us ;)

I was surprised to see this title in my Google Rea...

2012-01-11T10:14:13.179-08:00

I was surprised to see this title in my Google Reader. Especially knowing about the losses your family endured. But once I started reading it all made since.

Health and wealth doctrine makes me crazy! It makes my disease and lack of healing my fault because of my lack of faith or relationship with the Holy Spirit. And what about when bad things happen as a result of someone else?

The authority thing is a whole other issue. Huge red flags start waving when someone in decision-making roles starts saying I should trust his judgment and go along with what he thinks is right because God put him in authority over me. Where is THAT in the Bible?

Or what about "children honor your parents?" Honoring an adult parent is NOT enabling him/her to continue destructive habits or making those habits seem acceptable to our children.

{Deep breath.} I'm going to step off this soapbox before I really get going. I think it's safe to say you and I agree on this. :)

I very much agree with you. God is not our cosmic...

2012-01-11T10:05:11.594-08:00

I very much agree with you.
God is not our cosmic bellhop. We cannot even fathom understanding His plan. We can trust that everything will work together for the good of those who love Him!

So many conversations popped into my head during this post!

Your numbers 1-3: AMEN! This is health and wealth...

2012-01-11T09:22:58.740-08:00

Your numbers 1-3: AMEN!

This is health and wealth. I don't think you should apologize for calling it what it is.

This is sooo frustrating for me. It's pretty clear EVERYWHERE in scripture that the Christian life is hard. Not only that I'm pretty convinced God gives us pain to remind us that this world is not our home.

And what happens to believers who don't get everything they want from their cosmic Santa-God? YIKES!

I have to admit I laughed a lot when reading this. "Spirit-filled editor" hahahaha!

"Applying Johnson's teaching results in C...

2012-01-11T08:37:01.240-08:00

"Applying Johnson's teaching results in Christians who, rather than being open, honest and humble enough to receive the instructive Word of God, become greedy for perceived goodness and fixate on it, avoiding having to confront sins and shortcomings in their lives."

I found this to be a very powerful statement, Carrie. Having gone through a church that believes as this book does, it brought great confusion, disappointment and guilt when the things I wanted weren't occuring. Yes, we are to believe for healing, but we are also to know that God knows all and has a plan and we are to trust Him knowing He is God.

2012-01-11T08:31:41.554-08:00

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I've never heard of this book or these authors...

2012-01-11T08:16:15.991-08:00

I've never heard of this book or these authors, but I am familiar with this theology, and cannot fathom what these people do with vast portions of Scripture that doesn't match up with their beliefs. I agree with just about everything you've said here.

Just by the title I was surprised...then I read yo...

2012-01-11T07:24:38.044-08:00

Just by the title I was surprised...then I read your opening paragraph and it all made sense!

:)