Sid Roth is a television host, author, and speaker who is best known for his program "It's Supernatural!" Through his show, Roth focuses on supernatural experiences, miracles, healings, visions, and encounters with angels, often promoting a mystical, sensationalized form of Christianity. He has strong connections with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement, which emphasizes modern-day apostles, prophets, and supernatural manifestations as central to the Christian life. Roth was born in the United States and has Jewish heritage, which he frequently references in his ministry as part of his efforts to connect with Jewish and Gentile audiences.
Why Sid Roth Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Promoting Mysticism and Extra-Biblical Revelations Over Scriptural Authority
Sid Roth's ministry emphasizes mystical experiences, supernatural encounters, and extra-biblical revelations as a primary means of connecting with God and understanding His will. Through his television program, Roth often promotes testimonies of individuals who claim to have had extraordinary spiritual experiences, such as trips to heaven, angelic visitations, and direct communication with God outside of Scripture. This emphasis on mystical experiences elevates personal revelations over the clear and authoritative teachings of the Bible.
The Bible teaches that God’s Word is complete, sufficient, and authoritative for guiding us in all matters of faith and practice. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Furthermore, Scripture warns against adding to or taking away from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19). By promoting extra-biblical revelations and encouraging believers to seek supernatural experiences, Roth leads people away from the sufficiency of God’s Word and into a dangerous reliance on subjective experiences that can be easily manipulated or misunderstood.
2. Affiliating with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Movement
Sid Roth has strong ties to the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that teaches the need for modern-day apostles and prophets who have authoritative roles in the church. NAR proponents often claim to receive direct revelations from God, exercise miraculous powers, and have the authority to decree things into existence. This belief in modern-day apostleship undermines the biblical teaching that the foundation of the church was laid by the original apostles and prophets, and that their unique role was completed with the writing of the New Testament.
The Bible teaches that the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20). The role of the apostles was unique to the early church, and their authority was confirmed through the writing of Scripture. Any claim to modern-day apostleship or prophetic authority is not only unbiblical but also leads to false teachings and practices that contradict the completed revelation of God’s Word.
3. Focusing on Signs, Wonders, and Prosperity Rather Than the Gospel of Christ
Sid Roth’s ministry emphasizes miraculous healings, supernatural wealth transfer, and sensational experiences as evidence of God’s power and favor. He often promotes the idea that Christians should expect miraculous healings, financial prosperity, and supernatural experiences as part of their faith. This teaching is closely associated with the Prosperity Gospel, which falsely claims that God promises health, wealth, and success to all believers who have enough faith.
However, the Bible teaches that the primary purpose of the Gospel is to address humanity’s deepest need—salvation from sin through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul emphasized that he "decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2), and he reminded the Romans that "the gospel… is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). While God is certainly capable of performing miracles, the New Testament never teaches that miraculous experiences, financial prosperity, or supernatural signs are guaranteed or central to the Christian life. By promoting a faith centered on signs and wonders, Roth distracts from the true power and purpose of the Gospel.
4. Encouraging a Dangerous Obsession with Supernatural Experiences
Sid Roth’s emphasis on supernatural encounters, visions, and miracles creates an unhealthy fascination with the sensational aspects of spirituality. This obsession can lead people to pursue spiritual experiences for their own sake rather than seeking a deeper relationship with God through His Word and Spirit. It can also lead to deception, as people become more vulnerable to false teachings, exaggerated claims, and counterfeit miracles.
The Bible warns that "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:24). We are instructed to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God" (1 John 4:1) and to be discerning about the claims we hear. When supernatural experiences are elevated above the authority of God’s Word, the door is opened to spiritual deception and false teachings that lead people away from the truth.
5. Twisting Scripture to Support His Claims
Sid Roth often takes Scripture out of context to support his emphasis on supernatural experiences, prosperity, and miraculous healings. By selectively quoting passages or misapplying biblical principles, he presents a version of Christianity that is inconsistent with the clear teachings of the Bible. This practice leads to a distorted understanding of Scripture and encourages others to approach the Bible with a mindset of using it to validate their own experiences or desires, rather than submitting to its authority.
The Bible calls us to "rightly handle the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) and warns against those who twist the Scriptures to suit their own purposes (2 Peter 3:16). By mishandling God’s Word to promote his teachings, Roth demonstrates a disregard for the truth and integrity of Scripture, leading his followers into error.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible repeatedly warns against false teachers who lead others astray by promoting teachings that deviate from the truth of God’s Word. The apostle Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 that "such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ," and he reminded the church that even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Sid Roth’s emphasis on mystical experiences, extra-biblical revelations, prosperity teaching, and his association with the NAR aligns with the kind of deception that Scripture warns against.
Jesus cautioned His followers about false prophets who "come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15). True teachers of God’s Word will always point people to Christ, the sufficiency of Scripture, and the call to repentance and faith. In contrast, Roth’s teachings distract from the true Gospel, elevate personal experiences above God’s Word, and lead people into a dangerous reliance on supernatural encounters rather than on the finished work of Christ.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Sid Roth should be regarded as a false teacher, and his teachings should be avoided. Believers 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 "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
The true Gospel is about repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Therefore, Christians should reject Roth’s emphasis on mysticism, extra-biblical revelations, and prosperity teachings and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which alone offers the way to eternal life, salvation, and true spiritual growth.