Todd White is a well-known evangelist, preacher, and founder of Lifestyle Christianity, an organization based in Texas that focuses on evangelism, healing, and training believers to live out their faith boldly. White gained popularity through his energetic preaching style, his emphasis on miraculous healings, and his “street ministry” approach, where he often prays for people to be healed in public places. He has a significant following on social media and frequently speaks at conferences and events associated with the Word of Faith movement and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR).
Why Todd White Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Promoting the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith Theology
Todd White is heavily associated with the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith movement, which teaches that God’s will for every believer is to experience health, wealth, and success. White often emphasizes that faith is a means to unlock material blessings, physical healing, and personal prosperity. He teaches that through positive confession, believers can "speak things into existence" and receive the blessings they desire.
However, this message is not supported by Scripture. The Bible does not teach that God guarantees health, wealth, or material prosperity to His followers. Instead, Jesus warned that following Him would involve trials, suffering, and self-denial: "In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Paul wrote that "godliness with contentment is great gain" and warned that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils" (1 Timothy 6:6, 10). True faith in Christ leads to eternal riches in Him, not necessarily earthly wealth or comfort. By promoting a false gospel that equates faith with financial gain, White distracts people from the true riches found in Christ and leads them into a form of greed and materialism that is contrary to biblical teaching.
2. Focusing on Miracles, Signs, and Wonders Over the True Gospel
Todd White’s ministry places a heavy emphasis on performing miraculous healings, signs, and wonders, often making these experiences central to his evangelistic efforts. While he often claims that physical healing is guaranteed if one has enough faith, the Bible teaches that God’s will regarding healing is not always guaranteed and that suffering is often a part of the believer’s journey.
The apostle Paul, who performed many miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit, acknowledged that he suffered from a "thorn in the flesh" that God did not remove despite his prayers (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). This demonstrates that God’s purposes are not always to provide physical healing but to draw believers into deeper dependence on Him. While God is certainly capable of performing miracles today, Scripture never promises that miraculous healing will always occur or that it is a measure of one's faith or spiritual standing. By focusing more on signs and wonders than on the message of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, White leads people into an experience-driven faith that neglects the central truths of the Gospel.
3. Preaching an Incomplete Gospel That Minimizes the Reality of Sin and the Need for Repentance
Todd White's teachings often present an incomplete or watered-down version of the Gospel that emphasizes God’s love and acceptance but minimizes the seriousness of sin, the need for repentance, and the reality of judgment. He frequently preaches about the "goodness of God" and the "love of God" but often fails to address the biblical truth that all people are sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23). This results in a gospel message that offers comfort and encouragement without confronting people with their need for repentance and submission to Christ.
The true Gospel confronts people with their sin, calling them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation. Jesus Himself began His ministry with the call to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). The apostles consistently preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19). Any message that neglects to address the reality of sin and the need for repentance is not the full Gospel and lacks the power to lead people to true salvation.
4. Misusing and Twisting Scripture to Fit His Teachings
Todd White often takes Bible verses out of context to support his teachings, using Scripture as a tool to justify his emphasis on healing, prosperity, and positive confession. He frequently interprets passages to suggest that believers should never experience sickness, poverty, or difficulty, despite the fact that many faithful servants of God in the Bible endured suffering, illness, and hardship.
The Bible warns against mishandling God’s Word and calls teachers to "rightly handle the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Peter cautioned that there are those who "twist the Scriptures to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). By selectively quoting Scripture and misapplying it to support his teachings, White leads people into error and encourages them to adopt a superficial and incorrect understanding of God’s Word.
5. Claiming to Have Supernatural Powers and Experiences that Go Beyond Scripture
Todd White often speaks of miraculous encounters, supernatural experiences, and direct revelations from God. While God does perform miracles, Todd’s approach suggests that every believer should expect to walk in the same kind of supernatural power and authority as Christ or the apostles. He often implies that if believers are not experiencing these things, their faith is deficient or they are not fully living in God’s will.
The Bible teaches that spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:11), not based on human effort or desire. It also warns against seeking after signs and wonders as proof of God’s presence. Jesus rebuked those who demanded signs, saying, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign" (Matthew 12:39). By focusing so heavily on the supernatural and suggesting that every believer should operate in miraculous power, Todd White leads people away from the sufficiency of Christ and the ordinary means of grace, such as Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible consistently warns against false teachers who distort the truth and lead others astray. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). Todd White’s emphasis on prosperity, supernatural experiences, and a man-centered gospel aligns with teachings that deviate from the true message of Christ’s death, resurrection, and the call to repentance.
Jesus warned that many false prophets would arise, performing signs and wonders to lead people astray (Matthew 24:24). Paul also warned that in the last days, people would "not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions" (2 Timothy 4:3). Todd White’s teachings cater to those who desire health, wealth, and supernatural power, but they do not faithfully represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For these reasons, based on the authority of Scripture, Todd White 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 us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ, not to pursue material gain, miraculous power, or personal success. Therefore, believers should reject Todd White’s teachings and remain faithful to the unchanging truth of God’s Word, which offers eternal life, true spiritual transformation, and the promise of an inheritance that cannot fade (1 Peter 1:4).
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