16
Wagner never doubts Wimber and other charismatic leaders, but Paul was obviously duped by
demons, although the Scriptures fail to support Wagners conjecture. Wagner does have hope for
Paul because at Ephesus he returned to power evangelism.
64
Wagners focus on demonology has
seemingly supplanted the church growth principle of receptivity.
Wagner demonstrates a proclivity for the extreme. His unabashed acceptance of power
encounters such as the "healing of the Bermuda Triangle" show his departure from a balanced
Christian theology. Wagner affirms Kenneth McAlls theological understanding of the demonic:
As an Anglican he is very much in tune with the power of God channeled though the
sacrament of the Eucharist. In 1972 McAll and his wife were sailing through the Bermuda
Triangle, knowing that many ships and airplanes had disappeared in that area without a
trace, and thinking that such a thing could not happen to them. It did . . . . fortunately they
were rescued. McAll discovered through research that in the Bermuda Triangle the slave
traders of a bygone day, in order to collect insurance, had thrown overboard some two
million slaves. Sensing the leading of God to do something about this, McAll recruited
several bishops, priests and others throughout England to celebrate a Jubilee Eucharist. The
stated purpose was to seek the specific release of all those who had met their untimely
deaths in the Bermuda Triangle. As a result the curse was lifted. McAll reports, ,,From the
time of the Jubilee Eucharist until now- five years no known inexplicable accidents have
occurred in the Bermuda Triangle.
65
Contrary to any standard evangelical affirmation of the authority of the Scriptures,
Wagners hermeneutical matrix of personal experience and Third Wave theology eviscerates
scriptural authority. Shipwrecked on his voyage to Rome Paul suffered a snakebite while
ministering to his fellow passengers. Gods word does not mention demons as responsible for
the storm, shipwreck, or snake. Either Gods word is lacking in crucial areas or demons are not
as instrumental as Wagner would have Christians believe (Acts 27-28). If power evangelism and
prayer warfare is so important, why does God's inspired word only state that Euodia and
Syntyche "labored with me [Paul] in the Gospel? (Philippians 4:2, 3)" There are two alternatives:
64
Ibid., 207.
65
Wagner, Dark Angels, 83.