Once upon a time, long long ago, on a far away planet,
there lived a good God --- a Being who stands about
6’2” to 6’3”, weighs a couple of hundred
pounds, and has a handspan of 9 inches…and God named his
carbon copy “Adam,” and he gave him authority over the
entire creation. As a matter of fact, this creature had so much
power that his Creator could do nothing in the earth realm without
first obtaining his permission…then God, in a flash, became
the greatest failure of all time….


This fairytale is based on the teachings of many popular stars in
the faith movement, whose proponents appeal to massive radio and TV
audiences. Key figures teach, among other things, that Jesus wore
designer clothes, that health and prosperity are available to
anyone who claims them, and, therefore, that those who are sick
have nobody to blame but themselves. Twenty years ago, with the
publication of CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS, author Hank Hanegraaff
unmasked the fatal flaws of this movement, driven mainly by Kenneth
Hagin and his imitators, that he believed threatened to undermine
the Christian faith. The book became a runaway bestseller and
winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award. After monitoring the
growth of this movement and the introduction of new leaders over
the past two decades, Hanegraaff felt compelled to revisit the
topic in CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS: The 21st Century.


“Since the original CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS was released, a
new breed of prosperity preachers has taken Hagin’s preaching
and practices to unimaginable heights --- or rather, unimaginable
depths,” Hanegraaff states. “Men such as Joel Osteen
and women like Joyce Meyer have taken the crisis in Christianity
spawned by Hagin and popularized by disciples such as Kenneth
Copeland and Benny Hinn to levels that I could scarcely have
imagined when I was writing in the twentieth century.”


While CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS: The 21st Century contains many
similarities to its groundbreaking predecessor, the book presents
some remarkable differences as well. Hanegraaff has retained the
core of the original while adding a new introduction that documents
the eerie similarities between pop sensations such as Rhonda
Byrne’s THE SECRET and Joel Osteen’s YOUR BEST LIFE
NOW. CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS: The 21st Century has also been
augmented with a CAST OF CHARACTERS section which provides
comprehensive information as well as biblical evaluation of the
newest and most prolific stars in the faith galaxy --- virtual rock
stars who command the attention of presidential candidates and
media moguls. The new book also includes a revamped version of the
tongue-in-cheek fairytale from the original, communicated with
trademark Hanegraaff irony and updated to reflect some of the
eyebrow-raising statements of a new generation of faith
teachers.


In the end, the book is not so much about the faith teachers
themselves as it is about faith followers who inevitably become
distracted, disillusioned, and discouraged. “My heart aches
for the parent who put his dead baby on ice and, in the midst of
tears and desperation, drove fifty miles to a counterfeit revival
center because he trusted the testimonies of faith preachers who
were touting resurrections from the dead,” Hanegraaff
laments. “I equally grieve the millions who have left faith
churches in the midst of failed faith formulas. Some conclude that
God must not love them; others question the integrity of the whole
Christian enterprise.”

CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS: The 21st Century © Copyright 2011
by Hank Hanegraaff. Reprinted with permission by Thomas Nelson. All
rights reserved.

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