David Wilkerson - Latter Rain

Hello all!I've been enjoying the rich messages of David Wilkerson these past few days! Very enjoyable.After perusing the internet, though, I've become rather concerned about what I've read regarding David Wilkerson and his associations with the so-called Latter Rain movement, which is apparently considered heretical (there's a little bit on this in the George Warnock forum). Does anyone know anything about this? I'm not familiar with "Latter Rain," but now I'm a bit confused and wary. Should I be? :-? DanielJ

There are quite a few theories running around about the "latter rain." However, it is hardly a new doctrine. If memory serves me correctly, Justin Martyr, one of the first Church apologists in the 2nd century, espoused a "latter rain" doctrine. However, his view of the "latter rain" was that it applied to the New Covenant period. Early Pentecostals also believed in "the latter rain." They looked at the outpourings in the 1890's-1920's as a fulfillment of God's "latter rain." Then came the charismatic/neo-charismatic movement, in which the "prophets" of that movement taught, and continue to teach that God is doing/getting ready to pour a latter-day revival of sorts which includes a "restoration" of the 5-fold ministry and other things. There have been all sorts of things that have come out of the charismatic/neo-charismatic movements concerning "The latter rain" that I would personally be cautious of, but it seems their concepts of the latter rain differ, and yes, there are some outright heretical ideas attached to some of these prophets (especially some so-called 'the manifestations of the sons of God' theory purposed by Paul Cain and Bill Hammond).I personally ascribe to some form of latter rain doctrine. I believe it to be Biblically based. The latter house will be greater (more glourious) than the former. God will send both the Spring and Autum rains for harvest. This is a pretty well established pattern in Scriptures that one cannot really get around.Personally, as well, I have had a dream about the matter, and you can read about it http://www.christiansteps.com/prophecy/rain.html Maybe the dream is talking about a latter rain, or maybe it's just about 2 local revivals that will happen in my area. Maybe both. Whatever the interpretation, I will leave that up to God to decide. More to possibly come later, but I have to get to work :)

I agree that some form of latter rain will come(you can't deny the scripture) but as with anthing else you see branch movements that get lost in the message and that becomes their total gospel. I personally feel that David Wilkerson is on the mark, but with any preacher we must discernby what is being said. I feel his association with George Warnock at the time of those conferences may have been a time of learning and testing. And it has been said in other posts, Mr. Warnock makes no claims to be connected with those branch movements. scott

Warnock has no affiliation to the aforementioned "branch movments"; rather, many have used Warnock's writings (and those of others such as Sparks) to espouse their particular doctrines. Some have been more heretical (universalism, etc.) than others, but we cannot assume that because one uses the writings of someone to teach falsehood that the author is false as well. If this were the case, we'd have to get rid of Paul pretty quickly.For what it's worth, I talked to David Wilkerson in July of '02; when I mentioned that I was also in contact with Warnock, he said, "That man is a true prophet of God."I think in this case, Peter's words apply:"Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul [insert Warnock, Wilkerson, or other oft-misunderstood teachers], according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:14-17).

AMEN!!!!