The Breakfast, the Healing & the Stuck Head

The purpose of this article is to express my concern and seek answers to certain questions provoked by reading 'In Pursuit of Glory' by Dr. R.T. Kendall.

This book is Dr. Kendall's personal review of his 25 years as the Minister of Westminster Chapel. He describes the various stages through which he was drawn into the forefront of what we generally call the charismatic movement in England. My particular interest at this time is in chapter 6 in which Dr. Kendall describes how he was influenced by what is commonly called the Toronto Blessing and his association with Rodney Howard-Browne. Dr. Kendall speaks of himself as 'Rodney's number one apologist'.

Howard-Browne is representative of a group of charismatic preachers who are renowned for the impact they make on large gatherings. In these meetings it is claimed that people are slain by the Spirit of God and, as a consequence, they fall down and many are convulsed in uncontrollable laughter. Claims are also made for dramatic and miraculous healings. What interests me in Dr. Kendall's book is his description of Howard-Browne's affect on certain individuals, including himself. To my mind the larger meetings are only a multiplication of his affect on individuals.

Before looking at the particular instances described in Dr. Kendall's book I would draw the attention of readers to a recently published book of sermons entitled Not Against Flesh and Blood by Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In the fourth sermon Dr. Lloyd-Jones refers to Henry Drummond who often travelled with D.L. Moody.

'In the biography of Drummond by George Adam Smith, we read that Drummond could mesmerise people. Before his conversion, when he was a student, he made use of this power to entertain people. He could not only influence a man in his presence, but someone who might be 50 miles away. After his conversion, this became a terrible problem to Drummond, because he realised that often, when speaking in meetings, he was mesmerising people, and they were not responding to the gospel at all, but only to him. He had to struggle in order to deal with this and get rid of it.'

Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that mesmerism is similar to hypnotism but those affected do not lose consciousness as they often do when hypnotised. After reading this I am compelled even more to raise certain questions about Rodney Howard-Browne and Dr. Kendall's interpretation of certain events.

There is no doubt that remarkable things happen to people under the influence of Howard-Browne. I do not question the truth of the events that Dr. Kendall describes in chapter 6. I emphasise that my problem is with his interpretation of what happened. We must use our minds and test all things by the hallmark of Scripture and I find that little of Dr. Kendall's interpretation passes this test. Then my problem is compounded because I know so little about mesmerism and hypnotism. Through this article I want to raise questions and ask readers if they can direct me, and other concerned pastors, to sources with authority who will either confirm our fears or lead us in a better direction of understanding.

Breakfast with Rodney

Early in chapter 6 Dr. Kendall relates how he was first opposed to the Toronto Blessing which had come to Holy Trinity Brompton. Later he writes: 'But I realised that God was doing something elsewhere and he had bypassed Westminster Chapel - and by this time I was beginning to be very, very scared that we could miss it entirely'.

Would this emphasis on his fear of being bypassed make him more vulnerable? Keep this question in mind when he later learned that this phenomena had come through the ministry of Rodney Howard-Browne. A notorious video of Howard-Browne's ministry had caused great concern to many, but of this Dr. Kendall writes: 'But for some reason I was not offended by it. As a matter of fact, I was even touched and edified by it and felt there was something in this that was very powerful and indeed of God. Because God loves to offend our sophistication.'

When Howard-Browne was visiting London, Dr. Kendall was invited to meet him over breakfast. This is how that meeting is recorded: 'I ordered a full breakfast. Rodney sat across from me eating cornflakes. I noticed he kept staring at me while eating. Every time I looked up from my bacon and eggs he was looking at me. But as the conversation continued I was beginning to have what may have been an "epiphany" experience. The more he talked, the more I felt he was not just a man of God but one with an extraordinary anointing.'

Now I have no doubt that Dr. Kendall experienced something extraordinary at that breakfast meeting. But I find it very disturbing that he describes it as an 'epiphany' experience - a special manifestation of God! That, to my mind, is an extraordinary claim!

The phrase which disturbs me is: 'I noticed he kept staring at me .... Every time I looked up .... he was looking at me'. Are there any readers who are able to answer these questions? Is the fixed stare a technique used by those with powers to mesmerise and hypnotise? Dr. Kendall was already persuaded that Howard-Browne was genuine and was therefore in a receptive condition. Was he being mesmerised?

Healing Mrs. Kendall

Dr. Kendall then describes the harrowing problems of his wife, Louise, who had suffered a long time with depression and a persistent cough. Those of us who know anything of these conditions will have nothing but sympathy for all that she suffered. Mrs. Kendall received the laying-on of hands with prayer by Howard-Browne and his wife. Louise Kendall received instant relief from her coughing but not from her depression. She was later invited to have a holiday with the Howard-Brownes in USA. Mrs. Kendall spoke of the meetings she attended as 'the nearest you get to Heaven without dying'. During this period she was relieved of her depression. Dr. Kendall writes: 'Louise returned to London three weeks later and gave her testimony at the Chapel on the Sunday evening. I would have to say that Louise's testimony to being healed - and now set free of depression - did more than any other thing to prepare Westminster Chapel for the Toronto Blessing .... All knew of her cough, some knew of her depression. But her obvious transformation softened some of the more traditional people in the Chapel.'

I do not question the fact that Mrs. Kendall was freed from her cough and her depression. However, I find it hard to accept so easily the explanation given by Dr. Kendall that she had been touched by God.

I am given to understand that coughs and depressions are often linked as symptoms. Am I right in saying that the sufferers have often found relief from both through hypnotic and other psychological therapies? I know from personal experience of depression, that emotional events can be triggers to start and stop certain depressive symptoms. Am I right in saying that exciting charismatic meetings can give adrenaline rushes which can have seeming beneficial results? My previous questions have already shown that I am wondering if Rodney Howard-Browne is using mesmerism and hypnotism.

Head on the table

While in Key Largo Dr. & Mrs. Kendall met up with the Howard-Brownes in the home of his friend, Randy Wall. Dr. Kendall describes the 'high water marks of his visit to us in Key Largo', and this is what happened.

'.... As Rodney spoke I could see a look of hunger on Randy's face. I suggested that Rodney pray for Randy. He walked over to Randy, laid his hands on Randy's head. Randy bowed his head and then his head lowered while his forehead touched the table. As Rodney continued to pray Randy said: "My head is stuck. My head is stuck. It won't move. It is glued to this table. My head is stuck." He began laughing. And laughing. All the children rushed from their rooms where they were playing to see whatever was going on. Then Randy's head became unstuck, he threw his head back and laughed like a man set free from a long midnight of depression. I never saw anything like it. Rodney and his family went back to their hotel room, and Randy continued laughing non-stop for over an hour. Nancy and I literally had to help him to bed - he was too drunk (in the Spirit) to walk.'

Again, I do not doubt that this actually happened. However, I find it very hard to accept this as the work of the Holy Spirit. My problem focuses on the 'stuck head'. To my mind this is closer to what goes on when a performing hypnotist is making fools out of people on the stage. Is there any reader who can confirm that people who can mesmerise and hypnotise can have this affect on people? Then, testing everything by the Scriptures, is there any parallel there?

If Rodney Howard-Browne is using powers of mesmerism and hypnotism other questions need to be asked. Is he using them without realising that he has them? Is he gullible enough to think that he is doing all these remarkable things under the power of God? Is he aware of his powers and using them for his own ends?

Selwyn Morgan,
Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Barry

The Breakfast, the Healing & the Stuck Head

Questions about Rodney Howard-Browne

Breakfast with Rodney

Healing Mrs. Kendall

Head on the table

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