Counterfeit Revival: Looking For God in All the Wrong Places

/ RATING: 3.25 STARS out of 5.0 / I picked up this book because I was doing research on the topic of 'prophecy' and the 'prophetic office.' I wanted to get a wide perspective into how various Christians understand the gift of prophecy and whether it still exists in our post-modern time. / When I was finished with the book, I got more than I bargained for. I learned about 'Fabrications, Fantasies, and Frauds' and Hanegraaff's analysis of holy laughter, the beginnings of the Vineyard movement, and the Pensacola FL outpouring/revival. I learned how the great Johnathan Edwards (18th century preacher) is being misquoted and abused by those performing 'Lying Signs and Wonders' in our times. I learned about 'Endtime Restoration' theology and the connection with speaking in tongues, healings, charismatic unity, super prophets and apostles, and supposed 'hoaxes.' I learned about what it meant and what it means nowadays to be 'Slain in the Spirit' and also about the practice of exploitative psychology and 'Hypnotism' by modern-day televangelists and wealth & health gospel preachers. The words in '_' marks are the titles of 5 chapters that build the case against various bizarre and outlandish claims in the name of God, Christianity, and supposed works of the Holy Spirit. / While reading this book I felt that the evidence presented was very one-side and biased. Hank uses a barrage of short quotes taken from audio and videotapes, and some published works to build a case against modern day Charismatics, Restorationists, Revivalists, and any new hyper-Pentecostal group mushrooming on the international arena. Hank did little to present the opposite site, and used quite a few logical fallacies to create a negative association, generalization, and exaggeration to cast a negative shadow and even typecast some of these preachers and evangelists. While some of the behavior described is very outrageous and some of the evidence presented very incriminating, I am not convinced that all these revivals are counterfeit. / While some believers may be looking for God in all the wrong places, I have seen many lukewarm believers in all the right places (Rev. 3:16). This 287-page read plus 89 pages of notes, bibliography, and index was not the eye-opener that I expected it to be. I did get a good perspective into some modern practices of prophecy and of prophets. / In closing, I am reminded by a parable where Jesus taught his followers that "by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16,20) and saint Paul the Apostle clearly shows what are the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. While I hope that this book will not be used to bring further division to the Church, I have the feeling that some will use it to further judge their fellow brothers and sisters and not to build up one another in the Faith. How sad!