Q:
I've been seeing quite a few posts on this subject in one of the
forums on crosswalk.com. It is said to be from John Arnott ("Airport
John")... I know it's just one more false teaching, pulling in a lot
of gnostic/mystic sources but I can't find much of anything about
it. Have you heard of it at all?
A:
First, let's consider a warning from the article "The
Toronto Blessing and the Laughing Revival" by Pastor Gary E. Gilley:
"Another experience from John
Arnott: 'When Randy Clark preached at the Airport Vineyard, the
pastor claimed that 'almost 80 percent of the people were on the
floor. … It was like an explosion. We saw people literally being
knocked off their feet by the Spirit of God. … Others shook and
jerked. Some danced, some laughed. Some lay on the floor as if dead
for hours. People cried and shouted'" (The Father's
Blessing, by John Arnott, pp. 71-72).
"In a message titled 'Receiving
the Spirit's Power,' revival leader Carol Arnott (John Arnott's
wife) claims she had a conversation with the Holy Spirit. During the
dialogue, the spirit that spoke with her communicated sorrow over
being separated from Jesus: ''You know, the Father, and Jesus and I
have been together for all of eternity. But when Jesus went back to
heaven to be with God the Father, I came to earth.' And He said, 'I
am so lonely for Jesus.' He said, 'So that when people really,
really love Jesus, and really honor Him, and really worship Him,' He
said, 'I love to be around those kinds of people.' … He misses
Jesus, and He misses the Father' (Counterfeit Revival, p.
111)."
John Arnott
writes: It is no coincidence that we have seen people prophetically
acting like lions, oxen, eagles and even warriors. In Steve Witt's
church in St. Johns, New Brunswick, I saw all four of those
manifestations happening at the same time -- the ox, the eagle, the
lion and the man (warrior). The lion and eagle manifestations
accompanied prophesying. The man who was acting out the part of the
warrior had both hands gripped together around the hilt of a sword,
and he was swinging it. These warrior actions give the observer a
real feel of battlefield action. The people who were doing this were
mostly credible pastors or leaders. I was astonished but sensed the
awesome presence of God.
"One
lady who played the keyboard and weighed about 115 pounds was on all
fours, snorting and pawing the ground like an angry ox or bull. It
was obvious that she was surprised and a bit frightened by what was
happening, but at the same time she seemed determined to follow the
Spirit's leading (p. 178).
The next
excerpts from two different sources –
show the
teachings of John Arnott. They illustrate a typical postmodern way
of looking at truth and interpreting (or stretching) the Scriptures.
And yes, incorporates three key tenets of
Gnosticism:
1. Faith and
knowledge based primarily on personal or mystical
experience rather than the Word
2. Emphasis on
self-knowledge and emotional well-being or healing, rather Biblical
knowledge of God and His freedom through the cross and cleansing
through His blood
(already accomplished).
3. Illogical and
feeling-based interpretations of His Word
"Soaking in His presence" by John Arnott,
"the senior pastor of Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. He
and his wife Carol are the hosts of the daily 'Catch The Fire' television
program."
"But What Is
'Soaking'? ...Although
'soaking' includes waiting on the Lord, in this present move of the Spirit it means much more than that. To
'soak' in God’s presence is to rest in His love rather than to 'strive' in prayer. As the person receiving a touch from God begins to
connect with the reality of the Holy Spirit’s presence, he often responds by
falling or simply lying on the floor. As he rests expectantly in God’s presence, often the Holy Spirit hovers over the person to reveal more of God’s love and to renew and repair areas of a person’s life.
As the believer soaks in God’s presence, the Lord takes control and begins to draw his attention to God’s word either in the scriptures or
through internal audible impressions or pictures he sees in his mind’s eye....
"'Why Do I Need To
Soak?' ...While we base our theology on God’s Word, our experiences with God make it all come alive.....
They may stand there or often rest in the Spirit as they fall in God’s presence. Because of the many people who experience this phenomenon in our meetings, we assign every prayer team member a
'catcher' to assist the person receiving prayer by standing behind them as the prayer team member prays for him.
This allows the person receiving prayer to relax and be less anxious about what might happen if he falls....
"So How Do I Soak?
Although you don’t have to lie down, you may sit in a chair or lie on your bed, the main thing is to be in a safe place
so you can be vulnerable.
... As you reflect on the cross and all that Jesus has lovingly purchased for you, begin confessing your sins to Him and longing to be close to Him.... People experience Him in many ways: a weight upon your body, an electric tingling upon your hands or face, or a
warm sensation of love going through your heart which connects you to Him.
...This is how you grow to love anyone, by a series of several encounters that bond you together....
"Can I Trust That It Is The Holy Spirit Working?
Yes you can. Remember, everything we receive from God we receive by faith. Faith must be positive and focused on God...."
"Let's get back to supernatural church"
by John Arnott
"...we hear the term,
'church without walls' but what does this mean? While it can mean sending teams from a local church outside the church’s walls to minister in homes and in the marketplace, I believe it is much more than that. If we are going to reach this world for Jesus, we need a completely new model of doing church
...
"I believe the vision God gave us here in Toronto for Soaking Prayer Centers all over the world is a great response to the Great Commission. In just over one year, we have had over 4,000 people order
our 'Soaking Kit' and begin a small group of 'called out ones' in their homes....
"Why the interest? Because it is a quick, simple way to get involved into he supernatural ministry of Jesus and start helping people receive healing, deliverance and freedom, to come into the joy of the Lord and be filled with the Spirit. The Soaking Kit includes all the basic
information you need to start your own 'soaking center' in your home or
business."
See also
Emerging 'Christianity' - Part 2: From
Gnostic Roots to Occult Revival
and
Warnings - How
mysticism & the occult are changing the Church
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