My Response To the Open Letter by Jim Richards

Below is my response to James B. Richards' Open letter.

James

Thank you for your response. At this point in my life I have very little time to continue discussing these matters. You are correct that there is much kingdom work to do!

I too have experience that causes me to respond as I have in seeking to equip and empower the believer to accomplish great kingdom assignments as God empowers them. I have taught on the college level at a Spirit filled Charismatic college, NT Greek, Hermeneutics, Spiritual Warfare, Prayer evangelism-City taking, deliverance, Angels and Demons, the Gospels, The person and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts and personality profiles, Deliverance and Inner healing, Minor prophets, Apologetics...yada yada yada.

I have a passion for revival and the outpouring of the Spirit in our day. I have had students from 27 nations and 18 native American people groups. many have fulfilled their callings in the five fold ministry and have accomplished more in 5 to 7 years then I could have imagined. My blogs are read all over the world. I have spent years crying out against dead religion and the curse of people saying they are Spirit filled and yet watching as those very same leaders continually flee the move of God in the name of not offending some.

All that to say I am not a novice at the things of God, the work of the Spirit both currently and in Church history. God mightily delivered me and has given me the honor of being a part of His wonderful work in the earth. Having said all that I am nothing in and of myself. The prophetic and teaching motivational gifting within me causes me to respond in ways and with a level of passion that is intense and I will not quench His working.

It is oblivious to me that you are a very intelligent and gifted person, I can not argue you into altering your teaching nor should I as you and I both must answer to God alone.

I would however recommend that you research the concepts you teach from the point of view of the new age teachers I have mentioned and the resources quoted on my equippers tool box blog http://equippersnetwork.blogspot.com review of your material on this subject.

I believe this will protect you and enlighten you as to how these concepts are used by those who do not hold Jesus to be the Messiah use and teach these concepts. The end result is that you would be able to avoid communicating in a way that would hinder your stated goals to me and others.

One of the great risk you take when you teach these ideas to those who know nothing about the new age or Gnostic teaching is that they become open to the ideas and may fall prey to New Age teaching that uses the same terminology. Not everyone is as well educated and intelligent as you are or able to discern between what you say your intent is and your content is and a new age writer/teacher who's intent is different and points away from Christ not toward him. Just a few suggestions...

I would also like to conclude this discussion. I still strongly believe what I have said about these teachings based on personal experience and study, I would prefer to agree to disagree and leave the matter at that for now as I do not see us coming to any type of theological agreement concerning your Anatomy of A Miracle teachings.

Wayne