David Terrell and the Rise of Post-Branham Revivalism
David Terrell emerged from mid-century Pentecostal revival culture to become a nationally known tent evangelist whose ministry was marked by large crowds, amplified spectacle, and repeated conflict with civil authorities. Newspaper records and court proceedings trace how his revival campaigns evolved into a movement shaped by apocalyptic expectation, legal defiance, and increasing personal authority over devoted followers.
Oral Roberts
Granville Oral Roberts (1918-2009) was a Pentecostal "faith healer" and evangelist ordained in both the Pentecostal Holiness and United Methodist churches. Roberts was raised in Ada, OK,[1] just north of Paris, TX. Southern Oklahoma is where both Roy E. Davis and Branham's mother[2] called "home." Roy Davis pastored a church in Idabel when he was promoting the Ku Klux Klan.[3][4][5] Roberts was inspired by Branham to become a faith healer.[6]
When Discernment Never Fails—Until It Does
William Branham repeatedly claimed that his discernment was perfect, unfailing, and divinely guaranteed, yet his own sermons preserve moments of uncertainty, misidentification, and correction. By comparing these claims with documented prayer-line failures and the biblical standard for discernment, the historical record reveals a doctrine insulated from testing rather than confirmed by it.
Prayer Cards
Like Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, and other "faith healers" of the era, William Branham used "prayer cards" for his stage act. People seeking healing submitted their names, addresses, afflictions, and other information to ushers in the healing revivals, and when the number written on their card was called and they approached the "healer", the people were amazed that the "healer" mysteriously knew their name, address, affliction, and other information. For a brief period of time and before audiences began to connect their "prayer card" to what these "healers" called a "gift of discernment", many of these people did not question why they were required to write this information down before approaching the platform.
Faith Healing, Authority, and Control in William Branham’s Revival Campaigns
William Branham emerged as a prominent figure in the post–World War II healing revival, drawing together Pentecostal groups that eventually coalesced into the Latter Rain movement. His evolving commission stories, healing practices, and disputed claims—along with warnings from close associates—reveal a ministry marked by shifting narratives and growing controversy.
No records found.