• ​A tiered system: Wellspring teaches multiple spiritual levels, each with different standing before God, based on their Oneness formula and Sonship doctrine.

• Position tied to performance: A believer’s security, value, and place in the community depend on progressing through these stages, not on God’s grace in Christ.

• A hierarchy that creates spiritual classism: Instead of the biblical equality of all believers, Wellspring’s structure produces status divisions, pressure, and elitism.

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​​Wellspring Church claims that the Oneness Pentecostal teaching on being born again stands separate from salvation. It also claims that believers can attain higher spiritual status through the Latter Rain doctrine of “Sonship.” 

 

These teachings on a hierarchy of spiritual states determine a believer’s perceived standing before God, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and a believer's position within their church community. Bewilderingly, there are at least eight distinct spiritual states or levels of (in)security within Wellspring’s three-part 'gospel of the kingdom' and 'Sonship':

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1) Justified Believers who have faith in Christ but have not received remission of their sin and do not have the Holy Spirit within them. These believers are not considered to be born again or a part of God's Kingdom. (This describes what they refer to as 'nominal' Christianity - those who have true faith in Jesus Christ, but whom they believe are Christians 'in name only' or 'of little value'. This includes Christians throughout history, Christian authors they claim to respect like C.S. Lewis, and all current day Christian artists, authors, family and neighbors who do not share their Oneness Pentecostal view of being born again)

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2) Unjustified Believers, who lost their salvation by sinning beyond the unknown point that God "un-saves" them because of their unrepentant sin. They may be aware of this state or not.

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3) Justified Believers who have received remission of sin and a regenerated heart from water baptism, and so want to serve God, but they can’t serve God, because they still have a dead spirit as they are not yet baptized in the Holy Spirit and thus do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.

 

4) Justified Believers who have no regenerated heart and have not received remission of sin (have not received water baptism with their exact formula), but are able to serve God as they have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by tongues.

 

5) A fully born again believer who is a babe in Christ, one who has repented of sin, demonstrated faith towards God, has been water baptized "in Jesus name for the circumcision of heart and remission of sin", by a leader having authority to baptize, and has received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. (Oneness Pentecostal teaching on being born again).

 

6) A fully born again believer, who fails to mature from a babe in Christ into a 'Son of God'.

 

7) A fully born again believer who is working out his salvation in fear and trembling.

 

8) A fully born again believer, who has been truly “converted”, who is “an overcomer”. These are the elite Christians, the 'Sons of God' who have 'died to self' and are worthy of receiving authority in the new kingdom. This is the highest order to attain at Wellspring Church and in eternal life. (Latter Rain/William Branham teaching on the Manifest Sons of God).

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Initiates at Wellspring Church are introduced to this special understanding of the Bible, and over time directed to progress upwards to the highest position before God. This special knowledge places them positionally above so-called 'nominal' Christians who are supposedly not a part of God's Kingdom through their simple faith in Jesus Christ.

 

This tiered system resembles an organizational hierarchy or religious movement that emphasizes progressive attainment. It is comparable to a business executive striving for promotion, a Mormon pursuing the third heaven, or a Freemason ascending through ritual ranks of attainment.

 

This attitude of spiritual classism is mirrored in the life of the community itself, where a thinly veiled hierarchy encourages members to measure their spiritual worth by status, recognition or level. It functions less like a fellowship of believers and more like a system of hierarchy and achievement.

 

Some within the fellowship are viewed, or view themselves, as more important or higher status than others - reflecting the church’s own tiered understanding of spiritual status. This posture stands in contrast to the humility, servanthood, and grace-grounded equality that the "gospel of grace" gives to all believers, and that is meant to characterize healthy Christian leadership.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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