Old and New Wineskins
By DN Hoets
Decades ago, there emerged two prominent figures in the church. One was Oral Roberts. The other was Kathryn Kuhlman. Their ministries were different. Oil and water. The Charismatic movement today has much of its beginnings from the ministry of Oral Roberts, especially the Word-Faith Prosperity camp. Essentially, Oral Roberts and Kathryn Kuhlman are types. Oral Roberts is a type of the Charismatic Movement (including the Word-Faith camp). Kathryn Kuhlman is a type of the final move of God. The old wineskins and the new!
Much of the teaching of Oral Roberts was a mixture of works and faith. Much effort and believing - assisted by the grace of God. Essentially, this is the external way (see Article 'Abiding in Him').
Even the doctrine of seed faith introduced by Oral Roberts has this mixture in it. Do you see and understand the mixture in this doctrine?
The other path is that of Kathryn Kuhlman. The inward path. Grace alone. Not some of me and some of God. But none of me and all of God. She is a type of the coming move of God.
Our wineskins - and this includes everything that we have been taught in Charismatic seminaries - need to change if we are to have the same anointing as she had. This is the anointing of the end-time move of God.
The purpose and the main purpose of why God has raised up this ministry, Revival Central, is to show the church the way forward. The way forward toward new wineskins; needed for the new wine that is to come.
Notes:
1. Some criticize Kathryn Kuhlman for always inviting Catholics to her meetings. They wonder why she invited them! Let me suggest an answer. Much of the foundations of the true faith - the inward faith - comes from the Catholic side. Jeanne Guyon, Michael Molinos and John of the Cross all came from the Catholic church. Some were persecuted by the Catholic church. Yes. But they still came from the Catholic wing. I suspect that Kathryn Kuhlman knew this and had a deep love for the Catholics because of this. I, too, although raised up as a Charismatic, have this same bond with my Catholic brethren; because of the unusual work that the Lord has done in my life.
2. Benny Hinn, following in the footsteps of Kathryn Kuhlman, has tried to mix both together - water and oil. Although (according to the light given to me) he has moved in the right direction during the recent years (from Oral Roberts towards Kathryn Kuhlman); many associations exist with the old wine skins even today. The old wineskin teaching tends to rub off on to one if one has associations with the old way. Kathryn Kuhlman, on the other hand, did not allow a mixture to come into her ministry.