For many years I have followed the ministry of Perry Stone, who at one time was an up-and-coming televangelist who in recent years has made a mark on the national scene. I have a lot of vested interest in Perry and his ministry, and I wanted to basically just take some time to elaborate on that today.
Perry Stone is an evangelist who is affilliated with the Church of God (Cleveland, TN), one of the largest Holiness/Pentecostal denominations in the US and also perhaps the oldest (some would dispute that, arguing for the Pentecostal Holiness Church being the oldest of this tradition, but that is for another discussion). His own ministry, Voice of Evangelism, is also based out of the same city as the headquarters of his denomination. A part of his ministry is a weekly television broadcast, Manna-Fest, and he also has a plethora of published works from his headquarters office. In recent years, Perry has been making somewhat of an impact on the Christian community, as he has become more widely known in just the past ten years or so. Now approaching 60 and already a grandfather now, Perry continues to have a prominent profile, and as a result he naturally generates an abundance of both positive and negative feedback. I am not here to either endorse or castigate Perry or his ministry, as personally I have no qualms with him, but like any human being he does have his strengths and weaknesses, and that is also important to remember. My main emphasis here is to reflect on my own experiences over the years in regard to Perry and his ministry.
Perry and I share a lot in common. For one thing, we were both born in the same home town (Parsons, WV), and even in the same hospital - the doctor who assisted in his delivery, as a matter of fact, employed my late great-grandmother at the hospital for a number of years. It is also highly likely that we are possibly related through Perry's maternal grandfather, whose last name was Rexrode - back in my own great-grandmother's family, we are distantly related to the Rexrode family, and although at this time I would have to research it more, it is highly likely he and I may be distant cousins. This is a huge reason why I take a personal interest in Perry, as I also know where he comes from.
Perry's other maternal grandfather, the late Rev. John Bava (1913-1997), was an Italian immigrant who later had a dramatic conversion experience and became a local Pentecostal minister who was well-known in the region on radio. I remember some things about him from when I was a kid, as Rev. Bava was noted for a droll sense of humor and also was well-respected by many people of different denominations in the area. However, Bava's real claim to fame was in a local record company, Cozy Records, he founded with his wife Lucy (Perry's grandmother) around the year 1940. Although Bava and his wife were devout Pentecostal ministers, Cozy Records featured a variety of local talent, including Western swing groups, bluegrass bands, polka orchestras, and even some early rock and roll records. The releases on that label are now highly valued by collectors, and a three-CD set was released recently of the label's content that is readily available. Bava and his wife, as well as other local gospel groups, also recorded prolifically on the label as well. Another rumor in our family I have to substantiate is that two of my own aunts actually sang on the radio with the Bavas back in the mid-1950's. It would not be a surprise if this were the case, but it just needs to be verified first.
(information on Rev. Bava comes from Paul Vidal, "The Cozy Records Story," published originally in June 2002 at http://www.bigvjamboree.com/CozyRecordLabel.htm - accessed 1/31/2019. Also, from https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/john-f-bava/29905149, also accessed 1/31/2019).
Colorful picture of John and Lucy Bava from a Cozy Records research site
John and Lucy Bava were the parents of Perry's mother, Juanita Stone, who is someone I talk to on occasion on social media and she is a dear lady. Perry's dad, Fred Stone Sr. (1933-2011), was from the southern end of the state, from a small town called Bradshaw in McDowell County, which today is still one of the most economically-depressed areas of West Virginia. Fred was also a Church of God minister, having started his ministry in the 1950's and in addition to pastoring several churches in Virginia, West Virginia, and elsewhere, he also preached revivals back in the day. Perry actually released a set of CD's of his dad relating stories of his ministry, and it is some inspiring stuff honestly - Fred was a man of integrity, and he also had to overcome a number of challenges, which is why I personally believe that many of the manifestations he witnessed over the years to be genuine, including cataracts falling off a man whom he'd prayed for at a meeting. Fred was someone honestly I would have loved to have met and talked to, as he communicated a sincere humility and also an honest devotion to his faith, and that is admirable in itself. He was also a major inspiration for Perry himself going into ministry, and I think also acted as a restraining force on Perry to prevent his son from being enamoured with the bright lights and celebrity status a lot of TV preachers seem to fall into. It is my hope that after Fred's passing a few years ago, Perry will continue to use what he gained from his dad in his ministry, for if he does he will have a great impact on the lives of people in a good way.
The late Rev. Fred Stone Sr., Perry's father
Truth be told, Perry had some good mentors in his life, and I believe that is one reason why I have always had a great level of respect for him, even when I disagree with him on something. That being said, I want to from this point focus first on some positives of Perry's ministry, and then I want to address a few areas I feel he needs some work in.
First, let me say that I believe Perry to have a legitimate call upon his life, and he also takes it seriously too. This calling has led to him having some rather enlightening and rather revolutionary teachings that I feel are needed and that many have forgotten about. Perry's teaching on the meanings of dreams and visions, for instance, are actually quite insightful, and I have learned much from those myself. It was Perry's teaching that also encouraged me years ago to start writing down dreams I have and also understanding the underlying spiritual significance in them. Perry was also one of the first people to expound on the whole Genesis 6 thing with the giants, and although I differ with him in a couple of areas, he did challenge me to explore the issue, and come to find out, many early Church Fathers, as well as later writers of the Church (notably Fr. Ludovico Sinistrari), verified much of what Perry said. Also, the way he presents his teachings really piques one's interest in the subject, as Perry is a master communicator and he knows how to present his point in a way that grabs one's attention. He has also made liberal use of illustrations and props in his sermons, both on TV and live, and this also makes the teaching just sort of pop out at you as you hear it. These are some valuable strengths that Perry has which can be drawn upon even by people like myself who are Catholic catechists, and indeed I have used some of his techniques with success in teaching both adults and kids. Naturally too, Perry is also quick to give credit to those who mentored him - his dad, his grandfather Bava, and other influential ministers - and it has given him a degree of teachability which also compels him to learn as well as teach others. These strengths of character and witness are things I feel are the key to the success of his ministry too.
That being said, I want to also honestly say that Perry is not perfect, and he has a few areas he could use some work on too. This in no way devalues his ministry, and it in no way is a reflection upon him as a person nor does it judge his heart or spirit. Rather, it is just some constructive criticism for him to take to heart because like the rest of us Perry is also a human being, and as such he has a concupiscent nature too. What that means is that we cannot elevate him or anyone else onto a pedestal, for it will only lead to disappointment later when fallible humanity fails us (which it inevitably does). Perry is not a "false teacher" or some charlatan, nor can he be accused of endorsing the "Word/Faith" heresy - on the contrary, he has rightly condemned that in many of his messages over the years. Just because a preacher is on TV doesn't make him (or her) a "blab it and grab it" mouthpiece (although there are too many of those to be sure). That is why it is important to evaluate Perry fairly and in Christian charity, and not as the result of a proverbial axe to grind.
One major weakness I have noted with much of Perry's teaching is that often he has excellent material, but he fails to document his sources for the material he presents, and thus at times errors can happen. Perry is an intelligent guy, and no doubt he does "study to show himself approved," but he just needs to do so a little more judiciously. Sloppy research on the part of a minister, academic, or anyone else is like leaving a back door open to attack by a vandal, and when Perry does this, there are people with their bows ready to shoot him for it, trust me. He often tries to compensate for this by saying something to the degree that the sources are too many to mention for time's sake, etc., but still that is no excuse - he would be wise to invest the time to provide documentation for his position, as it would also challenge his listeners to check things out and study for themselves too. God gave us brains for a reason, and we need to be good stewards and make generous use of them. And, that includes proper research. If Perry were to address this, I believe it would also help others who don't take him as seriously by labeling him a "TV preacher" and dismissing him as someone not worthy of serious consideration, and he could be used greatly of God to reach many others. Perry deserves better, and his potential that God gifted him with is boundless - it is up to him now to realize that too.
Another area that Perry needs some work in is his usage of overly-spiritualized Charismatic jargon. One phrase in particular makes me cringe, and that is when he is describing something tangible and uses the term "in the natural" to do so. For one thing, it sounds dumb (forgive me Perry for saying it, but have to be honest!) but it also could lead to a heresy. In the early Church, a sect called the Gnostics threatened the survival of the Church due to their rejection of all matter as somehow "evil" and only "the spiritual" being good. Although I know Perry and other Pentecostal people who use this "in the natural" phrase are not intentionally embracing Gnosticism, it is still disturbing that they would use terminology that presupposes those convictions. Perry would do well to read some of Aquinas and Bonaventure on the subject, especially with the idea of God being the author of two "books," Nature and Revelation. God created "the natural," and in Genesis we read many times that when he did he pronounced it as "good." Nature reveals the glory of God, and we don't always need some esoteric prophetic utterance to see it either - look at something as basic as a snail shell, and you see it every day. It would be good to see Perry get a true revelation of this, as it is needed today.
A third thing I would caution Perry on is his deriding of "tradition" as if it were something bad, and that at times leads to a mild anti-Catholic attitude on his part that I don't believe he intends but it still communicates because of his own culturally-embedded "traditions of men." Often, those who deride "tradition" as a cussword are themselves enslaved to the tradition of anti-traditionalism - this is what the warnings against "traditions of men" apply to. Many long-practiced traditions are good things, and there is nothing inherently evil about them. Some may justify good traditions for bad behavior, but it in no way nullifies the tradition itself. Perry needs to understand that in his ministry and maybe rethink how he communicates that, as many devout Catholics are part of his audience and enjoy his teachings and this could ruin his witness with them. Catholics who are inspired by the good fruit of Perry's ministry should become better Catholics, and not potential converts to Pentecostalism or be driven away from ecumenical dialogue because of a deeply-embedded anti-Catholicism that manifests itself in certain teachings. Hopefully, should Perry read this, he will take that to heart.
The fourth thing I am concerned about in regard to Perry's teaching is not Perry himself, but some of the company he keeps. Over the years unfortunately, Perry has associated himself with some questionable characters, and he might want to rethink those associations as they could come back to haunt him later. One of those individuals was on his program several years ago, a guy who calls himself "Dr. Miller." The "Doctor" was, honestly, an ignorant hick who couldn't string an articulate sentence together, yet Perry promoted him for God knows what reason. Not to use an overly-religious cliche here, but honestly this "Dr. Miller" creeped out my spirit, as something just wasn't right with the guy, and fortunately Perry hasn't had him back on since. I am also concerned with Perry's association with Randy and Paula White, both of whom are scandalous to the same degree as Jim and Tammy Bakker were in the 1980's. I understand that Perry has been good friends with them since they were all young ministers together, and his friendship is not the problem - it is perfectly fine to be friends with whomever you choose, but quite another thing to be publicly associated with such individuals when they are morally or doctrinally in error. Randy White, for instance, was caught more or less schnockered, was stopped for driving under the influence in Tampa, and he and Richard Roberts also seem to be good drinkin' buddies. Then, he and Paula's divorce is an issue, especially since Paula has gone practically secular now - she was problematic to begin with, as she did embrace a "blab it and grab it gospel" much like her predecessor Marilyn Hickey did, but then she hobnobs with those openly hostile to true Christianity (Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce Knowles, and her new rock star husband, to name a few) and she has rebranded herself a "life coach." Randy and Paula needed to step away from the pulpit years ago, as their fame and celebrity status corrupted them. If I were Perry and did count these people my true friends, I would be encouraging them to seek some counseling and also would advise them to step back from public ministry for a while until they get some issues straight. Maybe Perry has done this, and good for him if he did, but if he hasn't he may need to take this into consideration. Another guy Perry is associated with who raises some concerns is Bill Cloud. Cloud, a Church of God minister as well, is also in essence a Judaizer, and this could open doors to heresy as Cloud has the potential of being another Joseph Good, a Judaizing TBN star who later outrightly denied the divinity of Christ, a BIG heresy for one professing Christianity. By advocating the practice of Jewish ceremonial law, Cloud in essence was (at least several years ago) preaching a gospel of "salvation by works," and that too is dangerous. Perry knows better than that, and it would be a judicious move if he would distance himself a little from Bill Cloud on that issue too.
A final thing I want to talk about in regards to some weaknesses in Perry's ministry is his emphasis in recent years on daily Communion. As a Catholic, I am definitely on-board with the idea, but it is how we understand it that is different. Perry sees daily communion, especially in his book The Meal that Heals, as a way to get God's promises to be more real in one's life. He is on the right track, but is missing some crucial things. For one, the Eucharist is a sacrament, and as such, its main purpose is to dispense a supernatural grace that aids in our own elevation, perfection and healing. However, the Eucharist in itself is not sufficient unless one embraces the whole truth, and that boils down to this - the Eucharist, via a mystery of faith which cannot be explained, is the Body and Blood of Christ, shed for our sins. Our partaking of it is like a form of time-travel in that it takes us back to the very foot of the Cross itself, where that Body and Blood does its work of redemption upon us. At the center of the Eucharist then, we don't just have a desire to be "healthy, wealthy, and wise," but rather we have Jesus Himself, and the Eucharist is our entering into Him. Jesus is to be the focus of all of our faith and what we do, and that is the one area Perry misses. If Perry ever accepts the Eucharist as the Sacrament in which the Real Presence of Christ is entered into by us, a teaching like this could be radically transformed in such a way that it indeed would change lives. But, the way he presents it now falls short of that. Again, Perry needs to study more on this one.
I offer these evaluations not in any way to condemn Perry, and I am hoping no one takes it that way at all. Rather, I like many people see a great potential in Perry and his ministry, and if he would work on some weak areas he could become so much more of what God wants him to be, and thus reach even more people. Also, while I would probably be ecstatic if Perry would ever formally convert to the Catholic faith, at the same time, he needs to grow to a better understanding within his own faith tradition. If he does that, then God can still use him in a great way. Perry is family, and I love him because he is both biological blood but also a brother in Christ to me, and while I may have some concerns, at the same time Perry doesn't deserve to be unjustly attacked, and he can be assured I will always have his back and come to his defense if anyone spouts false witness against him. However, as with everyone else, if you like watching Perry's program or attending his meetings, always be ready to embrace the good of what he has to say and quickly discard that which is not good - that is a rule of thumb we should exercise with anyone. Fried chicken is delicious to eat in other words, but don't swallow the bones; just digest and savor the meat. On that, I will wrap up, and hope this will be edifying to those who read it.
