Jack Deere
Jack Deere is an American charismatic pastor and theologian.
He was an associate professor of Old Testament at Dallas Seminary.
In the late 1980s, he abandoned his earlier theological position, announcing that he had experienced the charismatic gifts for himself through the ministry of John Wimber.
From 1988 to 1992 he pastored a Vineyard church, and pastored a Presbyterian church in Montana from 1994 to 1996. He remained in Montana for several years while traveling and speaking, and then moved back to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where he was pastor of Wellspring Church in North Richland Hills that is now pastored by Michael Rowntree.
Surprised by the Voice of God
Using biblical and contemporary examples Deere argues that it has always been normal for God to speak to His children both from the Scripture and in their daily experience.
Surprised by the Power of the Spirit
Deere's 1993 book Surprised by the Power of the Spirit details his journey into charismatic Christianity, and argues against the cessationist position that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased. He deals with the arguments of B.B. Warfield and John MacArthur, among others. A companion book, Surprised by the Voice of God, argues for contemporary prophecy and supernatural revelation. He speaks about his experience of the Kansas City Prophets and the ministry of Paul Cain who some, including John Wimber consider to be a Prophet.
The Beginner's Guide to the Gift of Prophecy
C. Peter Wagner said this book “is the new operator’s manual for those who want to be participants, not just spectators, in today’s prophetic movement. This book will help you put it all together, get it up and running, and troubleshoot whatever problems arise.”
Biography
Deere was raised in Ft. Worth, Texas. He attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where he majored in Philosophy and started working with the ministry of Young Life leading high school students to the Lord. After graduation in 1971, he attended Dallas Theological Seminary concentrating in Greek and Hebrew study of the Bible. He received both a Master and Doctor of Theology degrees from Dallas Seminary. In 1976, he was invited to join the faculty of Dallas Seminary teaching Hebrew and books of the Bible in Hebrew. During his tenure at Dallas Seminary, he started and pastored two churches.
In 1986 Deere reversed his position on the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as healing and prophecy. He left the seminary faculty at the end of 1987 and joined the staff of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church in Anaheim, California.
Deere left the Anaheim Vineyard in 1992 to begin his own conference and writing ministry. He is currently the teaching pastor of Wellspring Church in North Richland Hills, Texas, a church he started in the spring of 2004.
Jack and his wife Leesa live in Colleyville, Texas. They have two grown children, Stephen and Alese.
References
- Deere, Jack, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, (Zondervan, 1993)
- Deere, Jack, Surprised by the Voice of God, (Zondervan, 1996)
- Deere, Jack, The Beginner's Guide to the Gift of Prophecy, (Regal, 2008)