John Wimber (1934–1997) was an American pastor, evangelist, and musician who founded the Vineyard Movement, a charismatic network of churches that became widely known for its emphasis on contemporary worship, signs and wonders, healing, and spiritual gifts. Wimber, based in California, played a significant role in shaping modern charismatic Christianity and was closely associated with the Kansas City Prophets and the Latter Rain Movement. He taught extensively on the role of spiritual gifts in the life of the church, encouraging practices such as prophecy, healing, and "power evangelism"—a form of evangelism that emphasizes miraculous signs as evidence of the Gospel’s power.
Why John Wimber Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Emphasizing Signs and Wonders Over Sound Doctrine
One of the most concerning aspects of John Wimber’s teachings is his emphasis on signs, wonders, and miraculous manifestations as essential aspects of the Christian life. Wimber taught that believers should expect and seek after supernatural experiences, such as healings, prophecies, and miraculous signs, as regular occurrences in their walk with God. He often referred to this approach as "power evangelism," suggesting that signs and wonders were necessary to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel and to draw people to Christ.
However, the Bible emphasizes that faith comes from hearing the Word of God, not from seeking after signs and wonders. Paul wrote, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). Jesus Himself warned against those who seek signs as a basis for belief, saying, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign" (Matthew 12:39). While God can and does perform miracles, Wimber’s overemphasis on signs and wonders led to a form of Christianity that prioritized supernatural experiences over the foundational truths of Scripture. This focus can easily lead people into spiritual deception and a dependence on experiences rather than on the unchanging Word of God.
2. Associating with the Kansas City Prophets and Latter Rain Movement
John Wimber was closely connected with the Kansas City Prophets, a group of charismatic leaders who claimed to have received direct revelations, visions, and prophecies from God. These prophets were associated with the Latter Rain Movement, which promotes the belief that God is restoring modern-day apostles and prophets who have the authority to lead the church and reveal new truths. Wimber endorsed and collaborated with the Kansas City Prophets, giving them a platform within the Vineyard Movement and validating their teachings.
The Bible teaches that the foundation of the church was laid by the original apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The role of the apostles was unique, and their teachings, recorded in Scripture, are complete and sufficient for guiding the church (2 Timothy 3:16-17). By promoting and endorsing modern-day prophets who claimed to receive new revelations, Wimber undermined the sufficiency of Scripture and opened the door to extra-biblical teachings that often led to confusion, error, and spiritual abuse.
3. Promoting Practices That Are Unbiblical and Potentially Dangerous
Wimber introduced and promoted several practices within the Vineyard Movement that have no clear biblical basis, such as "holy laughter," falling to the ground ("slain in the Spirit"), shaking, and other manifestations that were claimed to be the work of the Holy Spirit. These experiences were often encouraged and seen as evidence of the Spirit’s presence and power, despite having no direct support from Scripture.
The Bible teaches that God is "not a God of confusion but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33) and that the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). There is no biblical precedent for the chaotic and uncontrollable behaviors that Wimber encouraged, and such practices can easily open people up to spiritual deception or a counterfeit experience that is not from God. By promoting unbiblical practices, Wimber led many into a form of spirituality that prioritized emotional and physical experiences over the sound teaching of Scripture.
4. Twisting Scripture to Support His Teachings on Healing and Miracles
John Wimber frequently taught that it is always God’s will to heal and that believers should expect healing as a normal part of the Christian life. He often used Scripture selectively to support this view, focusing on passages where Jesus healed the sick or where the apostles performed miracles, while ignoring or downplaying passages that show God does not always heal in this life. Wimber’s teachings on healing led many to believe that a lack of healing was due to a lack of faith, sin, or failure to understand God’s promises.
The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all things, including sickness and suffering, and that He sometimes allows believers to endure trials for His purposes. The apostle Paul, despite his great faith, experienced a "thorn in the flesh" that God chose not to remove (2 Corinthians 12:7-9), and he advised Timothy to take a little wine for his frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). By twisting Scripture to promote his teachings on healing, Wimber created unrealistic expectations and led many to feel condemned or abandoned by God when healing did not occur.
5. Elevating Experience and Subjective Revelation Over the Authority of Scripture
John Wimber’s teachings often emphasized the importance of personal experiences, supernatural encounters, and modern-day revelations, sometimes placing them on par with or even above the authority of Scripture. He encouraged believers to pursue spiritual experiences, prophetic words, and supernatural guidance as a central aspect of their faith, rather than grounding their faith in the objective truth of God’s Word.
The Bible teaches that Scripture is the ultimate authority and is fully sufficient for all matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Christians are warned not to go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6) and to test all things against the truth of God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 5:21). By elevating personal experiences and subjective revelations, Wimber led people away from the sufficiency and authority of Scripture, opening the door to deception and error.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible consistently warns against false teachers who promote teachings that deviate from the truth of God’s Word, encourage unbiblical practices, and lead others into spiritual error. Paul wrote, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:13). John Wimber’s emphasis on signs and wonders, his association with the Kansas City Prophets and Latter Rain Movement, and his promotion of unbiblical practices align with teachings that deviate from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus warned that false prophets would come, performing signs and wonders to deceive, "so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:24). True teachers of God’s Word will always point people to Christ, call them to repentance, and uphold the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. In contrast, Wimber’s teachings often directed people toward supernatural experiences, subjective revelations, and unbiblical practices.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, John Wimber should be regarded as a false teacher, and his teachings should be avoided. Christians are called to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word, which is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12).
The true Gospel is about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the transforming power of God’s grace. It calls believers to live lives of holiness, obedience, and submission to the Lordship of Christ, not to pursue unbiblical practices, supernatural experiences, or subjective revelations. Therefore, believers should reject John Wimber’s teachings and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which offers the way to eternal life and true spiritual growth in Christ.