Book review: David Eells: Sovereign God for us and through us
My research on the Florida revival put me in touch with a guy named David Eells who opereates a ministry in Florida.
http://www.unleavenedbreadministries.org/?page=e-book
David very much took the stand that Florida is not of God and it is a demonic deception. Through his ministry I listened to a radio interview with David Eells and Mathew Stephen. Later there was another radio interview with Matthew Stephen, David Eells and Andrew Strom.
Ells offers his book free online, you can follow the link and read it online or order it for free.
Initially with Eells I was very sceptical, then I became hopeful, and later a little more sceptical.
Sovereign God in its early chapters focuses on the Sovereignty of God, Eells points out that scripture is full of God’s sovereignty yet to days preaching is not. I agreed with this whole heartedly and found his first few chapters very refreshing. Eells it seems is a pentecostal calvinist, a very rare breed indeed!
However, the book took an interesting turn. I was really surprised to find out that the second half of the book supported ‘Dominion Theology’, or ‘Kingdom Now Theology’ or also known as ‘Manifest Sons of God’ theology. This view is complex and has many branches however it basicly declares that God has given believers dominion over the curse of the fall. Healing is the divine right of every child of God. The believer can take dominion over nature, circumstances, machinery etc. The book is filed with examples of Healings, deliverances and stories of Eells taking authority over the weather etc.
Dominion Theology apparantly came through the Latter rain movement in the 30’s or 40’s. Apparantly the AoG rejected it is unbiblical and wrote a position paper against it, I have not as yet been able to attain a copy of this document.I found David Eell’s to be a man to be after God, however I think that dominon theology is quite dangerous. so here are a list of some of the things that would cause me to be cautious of his ministry.
- Dominion Theology
- Healing in the Atonement Theology (based on faulty exegesis)
- His emphasis on the Bible Code as a ’sign’ pointing to God’s sovereignty over scripture (he also uses it to back up prophecies)
- The fact that many people involved in his ministry have left churches and isolated themselves and surrounded themselves around David.
- His lack of willingness to accept medical attention as a valid means of healing (he will always look for the miracle)
- His emphasis on his own ‘revelations’ of scripture over and above the interpretations of sound biblical scholarship
June 5th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Excellent analysis. I read David Eells’ book back when it still cost money, and I came to the exact same conclusion as you. He shows a healthy love for God’s sovereignty, but he also has some misguided notions, which you spelled out rather well.
The book is an interesting read, but not recommended.
God bless!
–Art–
August 4th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Hi there,
I would urge you to prayerfully re-examine the scripture in this book alone.
I would also be interested in your reading Real Good news parts 1-7 or even part one to say healing is not in the atonement. I Peter 2:24 says By His stripes we WERE healed- past tense looking at the cross. The many miraculous healings people have received from the Lord, simply by standing on that promise, and others in the Word- show that God is true and His word is faithful.
Jesus said “all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me therefore GO” and He gave His disciples the same authority to heal the sick, cast our demons attesting to the Word.
The same signs still follow them who believe . They have many testimonies to the Lord’s faithfulness to His word. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Lord is Healer- Jehovah Rapha is one of the ways He revealed himself to man.
I strongly encourage you to determine WHO did Jesus heal during his ministry- and who did he NOT heal? Only those who did not believe His word were not healed- such as those in His own hometown.
“Lack of willingness to seek medical attention” is an over simplification. He does not put people under a law in anything at all. We are all to seek out OUR OWN salvation in fear and trembling. If your faith is in the doctor- PLEASE go- but some people do not have access to doctors for various reasons—so then you would have to wonder- do the Lord only cure the poor and the destitute_ or is there a scriptural basis for Him to heal ALL who come to him…IN FAITH….
There is a curse on mankind from departing from the Word- only in Christ are we set free from it. Times are coming when people will need to know How to abide in Christ and how to walk in faith in HIs promises for their very survival.
Why did the Israelites fall in the wilderness? The Bible says these things happened as an admonition for our day….
So please brother, he may teach some things you do not yet accept or have a basis to understand - please ask the Lord to show you his ways and what is His truth…Has the Lord really changed from the days of acts or have men perverted this message and made it a form of godliness with no power???
I have spent a lot of time in reformed circles and respect your holding to sola scriptura. However, sometimes you all are so hindered because you want to understand some things with your natural mind and not be led by the Holy Spirit as a child. Christ is crucified is foolish to the wise…The simplicity of the Gospel - that the Lord Jesus has provided everything for Us - is absolutely true.
A believer who truly believes that in his heart does have authority over spiritual forces (not in a carnal way) and can rebuke illness, disease and other works of darkness IN Jesus name. I have seen this in my family in many situations. It is true. It is the Word. Jesus is the Word.
When I first heard some of those teachings my heresy meter went off- because I really hated the “Word of Faith” prosperity movement…it took a while for me to repent and accept what the Word truly does teach because of some groups that pervert certain aspects of the Word. But the sum of thy words is truth. If we take away or add to His words we are under a curse revelations says.
Please keep an open heart to the Word and the full Gospel of Christ. Colossians has a lot of good things to say about this.
Also, if you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit yet, please ask the Lord for this gift.
I am so sorry that you were not able to receive certain things taught here but there are many who do and have seen great works of God in their lives and family- testifying to many that the Lord is our Saviour in all things- there is no other.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Hi again,
I was just thinking about this post and I realized that there is a misunderstanding of the foundational message of faith alone, through grace alone. What is faith and what is grace. I would invite you to listen to this teaching:
Perfection through Christ part one and the whole series if you are so led. http://www.unleavenedbreadministries.org/audio/studies/onehour/eells-02-14-07.mp3
This is a good foundation to SG and it will show you from the Word the theological foundation from which David Eells teaches. I think after listening to this you will revisit the book with new eyes too.
peace to you
October 17th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
I hope it is not too late to comment on David Eells’ book.I read his book then read it two more times and for the life of me I don’t see dominion theology or kingdom now being taught.He teaches the post trib rapture and a lot of christians dying during the tribulation (both prepared and unprepared)before the rapture.He doesn’t teach winning the world back to God and turning it over to the Lord at his return or sailing into the millennium. We overcome in that we(christians)resist even unto death.We leave then come back after the wrath of God is poured out.I had to laugh when you said he was a pentecostal calvinist,that was a new one for me.Aren’t calvanist once saved always saved.David Eells seems more like once saved always saved as long as you stay saved.I did read some where that he spent a short time in the pentecostal camp after leaving the baptist camp on his way up Mt.Zion. Thanks take care
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:34 am
Hi Les, thanks for popping by three streams and taking the time to leave a comment.
re your comments I think the issue seems to be our definition of terms?
1) When I say that Ells is a ‘pentecostal calvinist’ I do not mean he accepts every doctrine advanced by both camps (this would be impossible anyway given the divisons within both sects). What I mean is he is pentecostal in that he holds to traditonal pentecostal theology regarding the baptism in the Spirit and healing. He is ‘calvinist’ in that he holds a rare view regarding the soveriegnty of God.Although most calvinists would reject Ells as a heretic. Ells himself in his book explains how he was deeply influenced by John Calvin’s institutes.
2) He definetly advanced dominion theology (see my definition above).
3) Ell’s calvinist/dominion combination is clearly expressed through the title of the book and the layout of the chapters. ‘Soveriegn God for us and through us’The book begins by showing how God is completely Soveriegn (this is the bit that would best reflect calvinism). The book goes on to show how God’s ‘authority’ must be established ‘through us’ this is the ‘dominion theology’ section.
4) Calvinists do not believe in ‘once saved always saved’ they believe in the final perseverance of the elect, this is very different.