An advert in the Belfast Telegraph has announced that Dr Jack Deere will be speaking at seminars in Fisherwick Presbyterian Church from 12-14 November. [The wife of the Fisherwick minister, Mrs McKelvey spoke favourably a few years ago on local radio of her first hand experience of the so-called ‘blessing’ during her visit to the Toronto Vineyard fellowship].

In a little booklet called ‘John Wimber – Friend or Foe?’ [Published by St Matthias Press, London] we learn some interesting insights into Mr Deere’s pedigree. In chapter 3 called ‘The Signs and Wonders Gospel’ we read details of an interview between Mr Deere and a Christian called Graham Banister who paid $150 [Australian] to attend the March 1990 Sydney Spiritual Warfare Conference. Set out below are some extracts from this chapter:-

‘Let me explain briefly the background to this interview. The Thursday workshop provided a time for questions and during this time I questioned some of Dr Deere’s teachings. In the ensuing dialogue he asked me what I thought the gospel was. I replied that it was about Jesus Christ who died for our sins and was buried and raised on the third day and that it is this gospel by which we are saved [1 Cor.15]. His reply was that this was not the gospel. Somewhat confused I decided to take up the matter at a future time, hence the following revealing interview…

I said to Dr Jack Deere “I wonder if you might tell me why you felt my explanation of the gospel was defective yesterday” To which he replied “I’m not really very prepared to talk about that”. I must admit that I was a little surprised at this initial response…Given his lack of preparation, I then asked “Well, just off the top of your head what do you think the gospel is?” Jack Deere replied “I’m not prepared to make a formal statement about that” …My next question was “Could you perhaps tell me informally what you believe to be the gospel?”

Jack Deere answered “I’m not sure.”…I said “I find that quite surprising – that you are not sure what the gospel is.” Jack Deere then commented “I used to be just like you…thinking that the gospel was justification by faith.” I responded “Are you saying that the gospel is more than justification by faith?”

“Yes” he said.

“What would you add to it?” I asked

“Deliverance” he said.

Then I asked “What do you mean by Deliverance?”

He explained “Things like demons and healing and”…I said “So, let me get this straight. You would add as an essential part of the gospel things like the exorcising of demons and healing?” He nodded. I continued “Sort of like what John Wimber was saying last night at the evangelistic rally that it’s the ‘complete package’ – the word and works of Jesus.”

“Yes” he said.

“But you’re not sure exactly what should be included?” I asked.

“No” he said, “not yet”…

“Don’t you think you can reduce the gospel to some sort of summary statement like Paul does in say 1 Corinthians 1 or 2 or 1 Corinthians 15 or 1 Thessalonians 4 or Romans 5?” There was no response except a shrug of the shoulders. I continued “Do you think the apostle Paul had anything particular in mind when he wrote to Timothy and asked him to guard the gospel that had been entrusted to him?”

Continuing to be amazed I said “Are you saying that you couldn’t go back into that pavilion and tell those people the gospel?” He replied “No – not yet” I responded, “When do you think you could do it?” And he said “Maybe five years, maybe ten”.

Before joining the Wimber Vineyard Movement Mr Deere was for 12 years a faculty member of Dallas Theological Seminary. In the upcoming Belfast Seminars Mr Deere will speak on

[1] Hearing the voice of God

[2] Discovering a passion for Jesus

[3] Doing the works of Christ.

This last topic is interesting in the light of Mr Banisters report of something Mr Deere taught in Sydney – ‘Dr Deere taught that although he didn’t believe in apostolic ministry today he did believe that God had released gifts…[and] went on to say “We’re convinced apostolic power is coming…anyone here could heal like the apostle Paul if we could live like him.’

Should you wish to attend these seminars in Belfast with Dr Deere and discover what he is teaching now you can enrol for a fee of £25.00.

For a helpful response to Mr Deere’s teachings we would recommend the book “Satisfied by the Promise of the Spirit” by Thomas R Edgar Th.M & Th.D published by Kregel Resources [ISBN 0-8254-2510-7]