John G. Lake a Bodyguard of Lies.
- Chuck
- Sep 1
- 32 min read
Back when I was in the Word of Faith movement, Kenneth Hagin often mentioned people he considered worth following and studying. John G. Lake was one of them. At the time, I read everything I could about Lake—most of it published by Gordon Lindsay. Back then, I thought Lake was a great man of God.
But as time went by, I removed the “Word of Faith” tinted glasses. Soon enough, as my vision cleared, I began to see that the so-called respected men and women of “faith” were charlatans and tricksters.
I left the Word of Faith movement over 40 years ago, and it is disheartening to see that not only is Hagin still held in high esteem, but John G. Lake is also highly revered by many charismatics today. It is alarming that so many Pentecostal and charismatic Christians put Lake on a pedestal and regard him as a great man of God! They seem to think he had a special anointing to heal the sick when, truth be told, he was a liar and a fraud.
Unfortunately, some of Lake’s current admirers have embraced the thoroughly unbiblical practice of grave soaking (or mantle grabbing)—where they physically lay across a grave to “soak up” the power or mantle supposedly left behind. They believe that, by following these practices, they can somehow garner a spiritual anointing or mantle from the past.
The implication is that the “anointing” or “mantle” exists independently in that grave, apart from both God and the prophet whose grave they are visiting. They think the anointing of the past is trapped there, and that they can transfer it to themselves. This is nothing less than a bizarre mixture of Christianity and mysticism. Lake, in this sense, is a wolf from the past who continues to shear the sheep!
If anyone truly had a special anointing or mantle from God, it would not be John G. Lake! My purpose in this investigation is to demolish and debunk the outlandish claims of Lake and his supporters. For example, Lake claimed to have had 100,000 verified healings in Spokane, Washington, between 1915 and 1920. Some even claim that he emptied out hospitals, forcing them to close, because he was such an effective “healer.” But is there any truth to those claims—and the many others perpetuated by Lake and his followers? We will examine the authenticity of such stories.
Lake turned lying into an art form. This investigation is not about quibbling over minor details; rather, it’s about exposing the fact that Lake fashioned an entire “ministry” and life on a cavalcade of lies that can be demonstrably proven false.
Scripture is teeming with verses warning about lying:
Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”
My recurring theme throughout this entire work is loud and clear: with God all things are possible, but with Lake NOTHING is credible!
If John G. Lake had to lie about his past and his ministry, then he was a rotten tree from the very start. And as Scripture says—no bad tree can produce good fruit!
Chapter 1: The Parrots
The Charlatan's Playground
In Pentecostal and charismatic circles, there is a strong tendency to believe anyone who claims to have had a supernatural experience from God. Some declare they have received a “word from the Lord”—whether personal or a supposed revelation for the church. Others claim to have seen visions. Still others claim to perform “divine” healings.
There are countless testimonies of miraculous healings. Yet when it comes to third-party verified healings, they are exceedingly rare. While I do believe God heals according to His sovereign will—and there may be genuine cases of divine healing—those cases are few and far between. Oftentimes, reports of healings are exaggerated or outright fabricated by so-called “healing evangelists” whose true goal is to fleece the flock. Tragically, many trusting Christians rarely stop to ask for proof.
All too often, a healing evangelist travels from city to city, proclaiming miracles and divine healings. But they never stay long enough to follow up on the chaos left behind—because so many people “lose” their healing shortly after the evangelist moves on. Many of these conditions fall into the psychosomatic realm, producing temporary improvements through the power of suggestion.
More often than not, when someone claims a miracle, there is no medical proof. These testimonies frequently stem from the placebo effect: a person feels better for a short time, but nothing has really changed. Meanwhile, the evangelist collects a large offering, recruits a base of loyal monthly givers, and heads off to the next town—leaving broken hopes in his wake.
Easily deceived Christians often fail to search for proof because they want to believe. Too often, such people grow angry at those of us who dare to ask for evidence. Because I search for proof, I have frequently been accused of “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”
Let me state categorically: I believe in all the miracles recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. However, Scripture constantly warns us to be on guard against false teachers and false prophets. We are not obligated to believe every story we hear. Instead, we are called to be good Bereans, to test all things and “see if these things are so.” Sadly, in charismatic circles, stories and so-called miracles are far too often accepted at face value without question—and the charlatans know how to take advantage of this blind trust.
False teachers and false prophets wear the mask of being one of the sheep. They use clever disguises to fool the flock, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. I know this from experience. I was once one of those who accepted such claims without question. But when truth began to penetrate the bodyguard of lies, my eyes slowly opened.
After leaving the movement and looking at these stories with a critical eye, I discovered that nearly all of the glorious testimonies I had once heard—visions, healings, revelations—proved to be false. Either they were unscriptural from the start, or they were outright fraud dressed up and proclaimed as “miracles.” Meanwhile, the gullible sheep bleat out “Hallelujah!” and “Thank you, Lord!”—all in response to nothing more than a hoax.
Why do I call them parrots? Because their admiration for Lake is a mile wide, but their knowledge is an inch deep. All they do is repeat his lies without asking a single hard question. They never dig beneath the surface to see if these things are true. My purpose in this investigation, however, is to dig beneath the surface.
Much can be gleaned from the descriptions of books written by sycophantic charismatic authors who idolize Lake. These book blurbs themselves perpetuate the myths surrounding him and set the tone for their content. Here are some examples:
From The John G. Lake Sermons on Dominion Over Demons, Disease and Death by Gordon Lindsay, the Amazon description reads:
“The sermons in this volume were preached by Dr. John G. Lake during the height of his ministry. Many believe he had the greatest healing ministry of his time, first as a missionary to South Africa, and later in Spokane, Washington, where 100,000 healings were recorded in five years. Compiled and edited by Gordon Lindsay.”
Notice that Lindsay immediately references two of the claims I will be examining in this study: Lake’s missionary journey to South Africa and the 100,000 supposed healings in Spokane. Lindsay presents them as established fact.
Next, consider Kenneth Copeland’s book John G. Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith.
Here is the Amazon description. I have not altered Copeland’s words, though I have left out some superfluous details at the end. If you think I am being unfair, I invite you to compare my excerpt with the listing on Amazon’s site:
“One such minister, known for his great boldness, was John G. Lake. He brought an air of intrigue, faith, and encouragement to hundreds of thousands of believers in the United States and abroad. John G. Lake fought hard to survive a sorrowful childhood and make a material success of his life. Then, at the age of 37, he gave up all he had—some report he gave up millions—to seek God’s divine purpose in his life. Within a year, Lake and his family ventured to Africa, bringing a storm of God’s supernatural healing power. After five years, he left the African ministry he began, leaving a heritage of more than 1,000 preachers, 100,000 converts, and countless miracles. He then returned to the state of Washington with a stronger faith in Christ and a mightier anointing of God’s healing power. Shortly thereafter, Lake’s Divine Healing Institute made Spokane, Washington—as documented by the United States Government—‘the healthiest city in the world.’”
There is more to the description, but I cut it off here. It is also worth noting that Copeland’s book is widely believed to have been ghostwritten by Roberts Liardon.
Another title is John G. Lake: A Man Without Compromise by Wilford Reidt, who married Lake’s daughter Gertrude. First published by Harrison House in 1989, the Amazon description reads:
“John G. Lake’s miraculous ministry flowed in the energizing power of the Holy Spirit and brought demonstrations and miracles of God’s presence. According to the author, Lake possessed a strong, rugged character with a loving and winning personality.”
The back cover of the paperback edition adds the following (excerpted from the second-to-last paragraph):
“A clear picture of the man who started more than 100 churches in South Africa and witnessed 100,000 confirmed and documented healings in the great ‘Healing Rooms’ in Spokane, Washington, is presented to readers as never before. He was a man of great compassion but stood for the truth regardless of the consequences. Lake set his sights high and refused the tradition of men.”
After Reidt’s death in 1987, Curry Blake was appointed to head the International Apostolic Council. At the time of this writing, he still holds that position.
Once again, the legendary “100,000 healings” are presented as established fact. Reidt even portrays Lake as a man who stood for truth. Yet this is simply another repetition of the myths that surround him.
Finally, consider Roberts Liardon’s John G. Lake: The Complete Collection of His Life Teachings. Here is the Amazon description in full:
“The extraordinary life of John G. Lake is best experienced through his own stirring words. The power of his healing ministry and his effect on the world through his teachings is finally at your fingertips. For the first time, the entirety of his life’s work has been collected and bound into an amazingly comprehensive treasury. John G. Lake was one of the most powerful healing evangelists of this, or any other, century. His life’s work spanned two continents and included countless conversions, healings, and deliverances, as well as the establishment of hundreds of churches and ministries. His Spokane Healing Home is unique in the archives of medicine—and miracles. He was once arrested for practicing medicine without a license because of the thousands of unexplained medical healings that took place under his care.”
Find out for yourself why Lake’s eulogizers said: “We thought the victory was over there, but Dr. Lake revealed to us that victory was here.” This collection of John G. Lake’s works, according to Roberts Liardon, is meant to inspire both today’s readers and generations to come.
Liardon also wrote about Lake in his popular book God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Fail (Volume 1). Although Lake is not mentioned in the Amazon description, chapter six of the book is dedicated to him, and I will quote from that chapter later in this presentation.
Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Fail (Volume 1), Kindle edition. Originally published 1996, Albury Press/Whitaker House 2012.
Then there is the story of Cal Pierce, who, on July 22, 1999, re-opened the “healing rooms” of John G. Lake in Spokane, Washington. We will tell Mr. Pierce’s full story in a separate piece, but for now, here is an excerpt from his own website, Healing Rooms Ministries:
“Having studied the revivals, Cal had read about John G. Lake’s ministry in Spokane. Cal visited John G. Lake’s grave site once each month for over one year to pray. On February 28, 1999, I started a 40-day fast. I went to Lake’s grave site to pray when I heard God say, ‘There is a time to pray, and a time to move.’ There was no doubt that God wanted us to re-dig the generational wells of healing in Spokane. Cal called in intercessors and began training up healing teams. On July 22, 1999, the Spokane Healing Rooms of John G. Lake were re-opened in the same location they were 80 years ago.”
Notice that Pierce lingered around Lake’s grave for over a year. Why? Because this is yet another example of the very grave soaking or mantle grabbing, I mentioned earlier! And, to make the story more dramatic, Pierce claims he undertook a 40-day fast—just like Jesus and Moses. But true anointings come from heaven, not from someone’s grave.
In 2018, Pierce appeared on Sid Roth’s program in a YouTube video entitled “Angel Waits 80 Years to Finish His Assignment.” In that interview, Pierce made several remarkable claims. We will examine his remarks, as well as the history of the Spokane “Rookery Building,” in a separate piece—where I will demonstrate that his story, along with many of Lake’s myths, collapses under scrutiny.
All these sources—whether Copeland, Reidt, Liardon, or Pierce—share the same fundamental flaw. No reputable biographer should blindly accept one-sided accounts of their subject. Yet these authors take Lake’s words at face value, heavily relying on his own recollections.
To be clear, autobiographical writings—whether diaries, memoirs, or sermons—are indeed valuable primary sources. But human nature being what it is, such writings are often self-serving. A good historian must separate the wheat from the chaff and present a balanced picture. Sometimes more can be learned from what a person doesn’t say than from what he does. Silence, at times, can be deafening—and a discerning historian knows how to point that out.
To be clear, I am not criticizing the listed authors and books for using Lake’s diary, sermons, or other autobiographical material. You couldn’t, wouldn’t, and shouldn’t attempt to write a biography without consulting every available communication of the subject. Even if those sources are self-serving or paint a distorted picture, they are still valuable pieces of the historical puzzle.
Where I do take issue is here: these authors seem to accept everything John G. Lake said about himself—without the slightest attempt to verify his claims. Not even the most basic questions are asked! Lake is presented as a paragon of virtue, beyond examination or doubt.
There is a glaring absence of third-party voices. No accounts from Lake’s contemporaries, no research from historians since his time—nothing is brought in to confirm or challenge the stories Lake told about himself. Everything is taken at face value.
And that, in a nutshell, is the point of this whole investigation: Do John G. Lake’s claims—and those of his fawning, sycophantic supporters—stand up to scrutiny?
Chapter 2: Beginnings
Lake the Prevaricator
If there is one thing I can say about John G. Lake, it is this: he was consistent. Consistent in what? In being a habitual liar.
When I say that Lake was a liar, I am not talking about small slips of the tongue, quibbling over dates, or a careless misstatement here or there. No—Lake engaged in deliberate, calculated deception. His shameless hubris knew no bounds. What is truly astonishing is that so many Pentecostal and charismatic Christians, even to this day, are still willing to accept his words without even the most basic effort to verify them.
I make no claim to being a scholar or professional historian. I am simply a concerned layman who, with a little modest research, has discovered that many of Lake’s stories and claims can be easily proven false.
This investigation is not intended to be a comprehensive biography of John G. Lake. Nor is it a thorough examination of all his “teachings.” I will not attempt to untangle every controversy tied to his name. Others—such as Daniel Long, Steven Kozar, Dawn Hill, and Justin Peters—have already produced excellent resources addressing many of those issues. My purpose here is more focused: to knock down some of the most popular myths surrounding Lake that are still believed as fact by many today.
And as I dug into his life, I was astonished at the sheer magnitude of his deception. The man was not merely careless with truth—he was a brazen liar, a master manipulator, and a spinner of myths that fooled thousands in his day and still deceive countless people now.
The Early Years
John Graham Lake was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1870, and he died in Spokane, Washington, in 1935. In 1886, his family moved to the United States and settled in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. That same year, Lake claimed to have been “born again” during a Salvation Army meeting.
Initial Claims
According to Wilford Reidt in John G. Lake: A Man Without Compromise (p. 14), Lake studied for the ministry in the Methodist church. Reidt goes on to state that in 1891 Lake was appointed pastor of a church in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, but chose instead to go into business.
Kenneth Copeland offers a similar version of events in John G. Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith. In the introductory chapter (p. XV), Copeland writes:
“In his early years Lake was a Methodist. By October of 1891, Lake claims to have been appointed a pastor in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. But he claimed that he decided to go into business instead and founded a weekly newspaper in Harvey, Illinois called The Harvey Citizen.”
Thus, according to these writers—and others—Lake was, at least for a time, a Methodist minister.
But there are several problems with Reidt’s and Copeland’s narrative.
Problems With the Narrative
First, a search of the Methodist records shows no evidence whatsoever that Lake ever received a pastorship. There is no record of him holding such a position in Wisconsin, Michigan, or Illinois. This finding is well-documented by historian Barry Morton in two excellent articles published on Steven Kozar’s website The Messed Up Church:
John G. Lake’s Formative Years, 1870–1908: The Making of a Con Man
Yes, John G. Lake Was a Con Man: A Response to Marius Nel
Morton, a historian at the University of South Africa, will be a key reference throughout this whole investigation.
Second, where exactly did Lake study for the ministry? The closest Methodist seminary at that time would have been Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago, established in 1853. Yet, according to his biographers, he was not living in Chicago during the only possible time frames when he could have attended.
But in both periods, Lake was a resident of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Today, that’s a 476-mile trip to Chicago by car—roughly the equivalent of driving across the entire state of Kansas (from Kansas City, KS to Burlington, CO, about 480 miles). With modern highways you could make that in 6–7 hours nonstop. But in the horse-and-buggy era of the 1890s, such a commute was impossible.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary itself has no record of John G. Lake ever registering as a student.
Third, the only verified educational record I could find for Lake was his attendance at the Canadian equivalent of an American high school. In total, he had less than ten years of formal education. There is no known record of any college or university attendance, meaning he would not have met the basic academic requirements to enroll in a seminary or obtain a degree—even then, a bachelor’s-equivalent credential would have been required.
In the 1920s, Lake began attaching the title “Dr.” to his name. He claimed that this was a result of popular acclaim since he “healed” so many people. In truth, however, he held no medical or academic degree of any kind. This practice has persisted into modern Pentecostal and charismatic circles, where many so-called “Drs.” are either strictly honorary or have purchased their credentials from a diploma mill.
Harvey, Illinois
Records show that Lake lived in Harvey, Illinois, intermittently from 1890 to 1896. Located in Cook County and covering roughly six square miles, Harvey today has a population of just over 20,000. The town was founded in 1891 by Turlington W. Harvey, a close associate of Dwight L. Moody of Moody Bible Institute fame in Chicago. Harvey was envisioned as a model Christian town, emphasizing temperance and a community free from alcohol. This was during the peak of the national prohibition movement, famously championed by Carrie A. Nation, who smashed saloons with her hatchet.
Did Lake start The Harvey Citizen newspaper?
Both Wilford Reidt (p. 14) and Kenneth Copeland (p. XIX) claim that Lake founded his first business, the weekly newspaper The Harvey Citizen. Gordon Lindsay also repeats this claim in his book John G. Lake: Apostle to Africa (Kindle edition, location 59).
But the historical record tells a different story. The Harvey Citizen was founded by A.R. Burkdoll and published by Frederick F. Keith. The famed temperance leader Lucy Gaston served as editor. In 1897, the paper merged with the Harvey Tribune to become the Harvey Tribune-Citizen. There is no mention of Lake as founder, editor, or publisher in any official records, including those of the Library of Congress.
Lake’s Strange Behavior
Another curious fact: the First United Methodist Church in Harvey was established in 1890, yet Lake never joined and seldom attended. This is odd for someone who was supposedly an ordained Methodist minister, especially one who had recently turned down a pastorship.
During his time in Harvey, Lake also married Jennie Stevens, marking a significant personal milestone amidst this period of questionable professional activity.
Chapter 3. We’re Marching to Zion!
Lake’s life during the period 1890–1907 is a murky, tangled mess—and much of that mess is the result of lies that he spun and that his sycophantic followers eagerly repeated.
According to the 1900 U.S. Census, Lake resided in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. By 1901, he had moved to Zion, Illinois, to join John Alexander Dowie’s “theocracy”, established just north of Chicago. These are verifiable facts about Lake’s whereabouts.
In Kenneth Copeland’s John G. Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, Copeland states on page XX:
“By 1901 he (Lake) moved ...to Zion City, Illinois ...so Lake could study divine healing up close, as well as teach it, until 1904.”
However, historical records indicate that Lake was in contact with Dowie as early as the mid-1890s, with his first mention appearing in Dowie’s publication Leaves of Healing in 1896.
During this period, Lake claimed that some of his family members were miraculously healed through Dowie’s prayers. These so-called miracles are controversial and, frankly, lack credibility. Many of them defy logic and leave significant questions unanswered.
A notable example involves Jennie Lake, John G. Lake’s wife. Barry Morton writes:
“…could a woman such as Jennie Lake, purportedly suffering from severe paralysis, rheumatism, curvature of the spine, tuberculosis, and erysipelas, give birth to six children, some of them during the exact years that she claimed these miracles occurred?”
Evidently, Jennie played along with Lake and Dowie, conveniently appearing “sick” and then “healed” to promote Dowie’s ministry. Despite these alleged illnesses, she still bore multiple children during that period, highlighting the implausibility of the miracle claims.
Dowie
John Alexander Dowie (1847–1907) was a Scottish-born faith healer who first gained prominence in Australia, then moved to California before eventually settling near Lake Michigan. While living in Chicago, he frequently clashed with city officials. Frustrated with the battles, Dowie purchased land north of the city to establish his Christian commune, Zion City, Illinois. There, he ruled with an iron fist.
Dowie is a prime example of how religious authority can be used to promote fraud and extract money from followers—and John G. Lake proved to be an eager and apt pupil.
Zion City rules: Residents had to sign a 1,000-year lease.
Banking control: Dowie ran an unregistered bank, giving him access to residents’ funds at will.
Strict prohibitions: No alcohol, doctors, or medicines were allowed—even for his own family.
Tragically, these extreme rules contributed to the horrific death of his daughter, Esther. Preparing for an event, Esther was curling her hair using a lamp fueled by alcohol. The lamp exploded, setting her hair on fire and severely burning her face. Despite the neighbors hearing her screams, no doctor was called, and despite Dowie’s prayers, she died. Her only “crime” was using a lamp with alcohol—her death highlighting the dangers of rigid faith without reason or medical care.
I read this story in the Chicago Journal and highly recommend the YouTube channel “Long for Truth 1”, where Daniel Long tells this tragic story in The Death of a Faith Healer's Daughter.
1904–1907: Lake the Tycoon?
The year 1903 was critical for John Alexander Dowie, as his empire began to crumble and he went bankrupt. By 1904, Lake began to feel the effects: Zion City was collapsing, and he, along with many other residents, had to seek employment outside of Zion. Dowie allowed this outside work—but required that all wages be deposited into Dowie’s bank.
For more context on Dowie, see John Collin’s excellent book, Militant Christian Extremism: A Critical Examination of John Alexander Dowie.
To understand Lake’s later claims of being a business tycoon, we must backtrack to 1896, before he moved to Zion. As mentioned earlier, Lake and his wife Jennie left Harvey, Illinois, and moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
According to Wilford Reidt (John G Lake: A Man Without Compromise, p. 14), Lake set up a real estate business and supposedly earned $2,500 on his first day. By the end of one year and nine months, Reidt claims Lake had $100,000 in the bank, $90,000 in real estate, and a $30,000 fully paid-up life insurance policy. Copeland (John G Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, p. XIX) reports similar numbers with minor differences.
However, the 1900 U.S. Census lists Lake living in Sault Ste. Marie as a carpenter. Why would someone who is supposedly worth hundreds of thousands be listed as a carpenter? Was Lake hiding his wealth—or more likely, embellishing his story later, assuming no one would check the facts?
Further complicating the narrative, Gordon Lindsay (John G Lake: Apostle to Africa) gives the same numbers as Reidt but places the events in 1904 in Chicago. Once again, this demonstrates the arduous task of untangling Lake’s web of lies—even his biographers appear confused.
Ultimately, Lake claimed to have given up this wealth in 1907 to preach, but the pieces of this puzzle never quite fit together.
Newspapers and Sault Ste. Marie
Both Reidt and Copeland claim that Lake started another newspaper, the Soo Times, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Gordon Lindsay also echoes this claim in John G Lake: Apostle to Africa (location 59). However, there is no record of Lake being the founder or editor. The Soo Times was actually founded and edited by Clyde W. Hecox (Library of Congress).
Bottom line: there is no evidence that Lake founded or ran either the Harvey Citizen or the Soo Times.
Can any of these claims be true? For convenience, we will follow the Reidt and Copeland accounts of Lake being in Sault Ste. Marie, since Lindsay’s claim of Chicago does not align with the majority of Lake’s stories.
So, what do we know about Lake’s life in Sault Ste. Marie during this period? The 1900 U.S. Census lists him as a carpenter, which seems rather odd for someone claiming to be a real estate and insurance tycoon.
Historian Barry Morton sheds light on the truth: Lake was buying houses, fixing them up, and reselling them—in other words, he was a house flipper, running a very small-scale, one-man operation. There is no evidence to support his grandiose claims of wealth in real estate or insurance. And during his time in Zion, he worked as a maintenance man and carpenter, hardly the business mogul he later portrayed himself to be.
Chicago, That Wonderful Town!
Gordon Lindsay claims (location 59) that Lake moved to Chicago in 1904, bought a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade, and handled Jim Hill’s Western Canadian land, supposedly befriending the famed railroad financier. However, Jim Hill was a no-nonsense Canadian railroad mogul who spent most of his time on the road overseeing his expanding railroad. Given Hill’s meticulous and exacting nature, it is highly doubtful that Lake ever met him.
Reidt makes a similar claim (pp. 14–15), adding that while on the Board of Trade, Lake supposedly met Ed Harriman and Thomas Ryan, two famous financiers. Reidt asserts that Ryan had Lake form a trust of three large insurance companies, appointing him as manager of the trust, earning $50,000 per year—a royal sum in 1904 (roughly $1.25 million in 2007 dollars).
Copeland echoes the narrative (p. XIX), claiming that between 1900 and 1907, Lake was hired by investors to form and manage one of the country’s largest life insurance companies, supervising agents and earning hundreds of dollars in commission in addition to his $50,000 salary.
It sounds impressive—but it is almost certainly false.
There is no evidence that Lake ever moved to Chicago; he is not listed in any city directories from 1905–1907.
He owned property in Zion and lived there until 1907, when he left for Indianapolis.
There are no records of Lake ever being a member—or even a prospective member—of the Chicago Board of Trade.
Considering Lake’s real background as an unknown carpenter and small-scale house flipper, with limited sales experience and virtually no managerial expertise, the idea that he would suddenly be tapped to run one of the nation’s largest life insurance companies is simply not credible. As political pundits might say, it does not pass the smell test.
Despite Lake’s later claims, there is actual evidence that reveals what he was truly doing during this period. Contrary to his stories of Chicago financial triumph, Lake never moved to Chicago; he remained in Zion, Illinois. By 1906, evidence shows that he was selling land along the new trolley line from Zion to Waukegan for a local businessman, E.V. Orvis.
Lake also worked in insurance, but far from running a giant national company. He was a local agent for the People’s Life Assurance Society, not a magnate-backed enterprise as he claimed. The company had been founded in 1906 by Elon G. Nelson and Fremont Hoy, not by the wealthy financiers Lake named.
A contemporary newspaper article from the Woodstock Sentinel (March 1, 1906) lists the officers of the newly formed company: Fremont Hoy as director and chairman of the finance committee, with endorsements from other prominent business figures, and Elon A. Nelson of Chicago as President. John G. Lake is nowhere on the list because he was simply working as a humble insurance agent in Waukegan.
Interestingly, Fremont Hoy would later be convicted of fraud in 1923, defrauding investors of $300,000 in a scheme to grow artificial pearls.
Lake’s role in Zion was modest: a local land salesman and insurance agent—not the business tycoon he would later portray himself as.
Here is a sample of one of his ads published November 12,1906 in the Waukegan News Sun:
Why would a multi-millionaire, top insurance executive, who is supposedly running a national enterprise, be featured in a local newspaper ad? The answer is obvious: Lake was only a small-time operator, and the ad clearly reflects his modest role. Notice that the ad lists Elona G. Nelson as company president—a misprint or simple mistake, since it should be Elon, not Elona. On a lighter note, it is amusing to see that you could get a good meal at Little Joe’s for just a quarter, and the photographer’s ad shows a nice touch of humor amidst the otherwise serious business notices.
Then there is this bit of news found again found in the Waukegan News Sun August 21,1906. Lake to his credit was offered to run the Michigan office as noted in this blurb:
This clearly shows that Lake was not the head of any national insurance concern. The Peoples Assurance Society asked him to run their Michigan office, which he declined. Had he truly been the head of a national company, this would have been a step down. But since he was merely a local agent, the offer could have been seen as a possible promotion.
Chapter 4. The African Jaunt 1908–1913
The Parhamite Killings
In 1907, Lake fled Zion due to a “healing” controversy known as the Parhamite killings, in which anywhere from 3 to possibly 12 people may have died. These deaths occurred in the misguided belief that they were ridding individuals of demons.
Following Dowie’s downfall, two main factions vied for control of Zion: the Parhamites, followers of Charles Fox Parham, and the faction led by Wilbur G. Voliva. Lake and his associate Thomas Hezmalhalch sided with Parham. Both taught extensively about demon possession and exorcism, and many of their followers attempted similar practices—often with tragic results.
The most infamous case involved Letitia Greenhaulgh, who, according to Morton, “…had most of her bones and all of her limbs and neck broken before suffering an agonizing death.” Although Lake and Hezmalhalch were not present during the exorcism, they were blamed, as the perpetrators were acting under their teachings. This scandal likely influenced Lake and Hezmalhalch’s decision to leave for Indianapolis before being “suddenly” called by the Lord to South Africa.
For a more in-depth exploration, see Barry Morton’s article or Daniel Long’s YouTube video, The Parhamite Killings, on the LongforTruth1 channel.
Lake, Hezmalhalch, and their party departed Indianapolis in April 1908, stopping in England before arriving in South Africa in May 1908.
Lake in South Africa
Copeland quotes Cecil Rhodes on page 236 as saying about Lake:
“…his message has swept Africa. He has done more toward South Africa’s future peace than any man.”
At first glance, this sounds impressive—but there is a major problem. Lake arrived in South Africa in 1908, whereas Cecil Rhodes died on March 26, 1902 (Encyclopedia Britannica). Rhodes was long gone about six years before Lake even arrived.
Another notable event during Lake’s South African mission was the death of his wife, Jennie, on December 12, 1908. According to Lake, Jennie had previously been healed of numerous life-threatening conditions in the 1890s. Yet here, Lake was powerless to save her. It is particularly curious that a man who claimed to have healed over 100,000 people and even raised the dead could not discern a word of knowledge or intervene on behalf of his own wife. Lake was supposedly on a missionary trip in the jungle at the time, but this does not explain why his purported gifts of the Spirit failed him in such a critical moment.
Plague in South Africa
In 1910, a plague broke out in South Africa. Some contemporary accounts called it bubonic plague, but modern researchers suggest it may have been blackwater fever, a severe complication of malaria.
At location 160 of Liardon’s God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Fail (Kindle edition), it states:
“The plague was so contagious that the government was offering $1,000 to any nurse who would care for the sick. Lake and his assistants went to help, free of charge. Accompanied by an assistant, Lake would go into the houses, bring out the dead, and bury them. But no symptom of the plague ever touched him.”“…a doctor sent for Lake and asked him, ‘What have you been doing to protect yourself? You must have a secret.’”
Liardon continues with the story, claiming Lake instructed the doctor to take foam from the lungs of a plague victim, place it on Lake’s hand, and observe through a microscope. Allegedly, the germs died on contact.
This story has been repeated countless times on “Christian” TV and by preachers, often as a hallmark of Lake’s miraculous power. However, the claim is scientifically impossible:
Microscopes of Lake’s time could not view bacteria or viruses on a human hand. Samples must be placed on glass slides, often stained (which kills the bacteria), and observed through reflected light. A hand blocks the light, making observation impossible.
Viruses could not be seen until the advent of the electron microscope in the 1930s, which only became widely practical during World War II.
The magnification and sample preparation required to observe bacteria or viruses were completely absent in Lake’s time.
Even with basic scientific knowledge, these claims are absurd and impossible. Moreover, if Lake truly possessed such healing power, why was he burying the dead instead of healing them—or raising the dead as he claimed elsewhere?
Other issues exist regarding the type of disease present in South Africa at the time, but the essential point is this: Lake’s statements about himself are sheer and total nonsense.
These examples illustrate a larger trend in the Pentecostal/charismatic movement, where stories are often taken at face value without any fact-checking, sometimes ignoring elementary science or history. For further analysis, see:
Daniel Long’s YouTube video: Was John G. Lake’s Most Popular Miracle a Lie?
Dawn Hill’s channel, A Plague in the Hands of Storytellers—Hill has a medical and science background and provides a detailed examination of these claims.
More could be said about Lake’s time in South Africa, but by 1913, he had returned to America. In September 1913, Lake remarried, this time to Florence Switzer, who worked as a stenographer and secretary. Her role was significant: she reportedly sat on the front pew of every service, recording Lake’s sermons. These notes later made it possible to publish books containing his sermons, including those relied upon by Gordon Lindsay and Kenneth Copeland.
However, before marrying Florence, Lake was involved in another controversy. Daniel Long refers to this as John G. Lake’s “Clandestine Affair”, concerning a relationship with Carol Goodenough, a teenager.
Chapter 5. Sojourning in Spokane, 1915–1920
In September 1914, John G. Lake arrived in Spokane, Washington, and established his church and healing rooms. It took until early 1915 to train his staff so the “church” could be fully operational. Lake followed the model he learned from John Alexander Dowie, training what he called Divine Healing Technicians (DHTs) to work with people in the healing rooms.
Spokane appears to be the hub of many of Lake’s legendary claims. I will examine several of these claims to evaluate their credibility.
The Healthiest City in America—or the World?
Anyone with even a passing familiarity with John G. Lake has likely heard that, during his time in Spokane, the city was declared the healthiest city in the world. This claim is widely promoted, including by Roberts Liardon in God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Fail, where Liardon states (Kindle edition, p. 185):
“According to government statistics between the years of 1915 and 1920, Spokane, Washington, was the ‘healthiest city in the world’ because of the ministry of John G. Lake. The mayor held a public commemoration to honor his efforts.”
The first statement—that Spokane was the healthiest city in the world because of Lake’s ministry—is the major premise I will examine.
Was Spokane Really the Healthiest City?
Setting Lake aside for a moment, Spokane had already claimed to be the healthiest city in America in 1893, more than 20 years before Lake arrived. Many other cities and states made similar claims; it was largely a marketing boast rather than a verified fact. For example, both Salt Lake City and Chicago claimed similar titles in 1917. Accurate comparisons of health records from that era are extremely difficult, even with modern resources.
There is one source that declared Spokane the healthiest city for 1919 based on death rates per 1,000, but Lake’s ministry is not mentioned or credited in any way.
The Alleged Mayoral Commemoration
Liardon also claims that “the mayor held a public commemoration to honor [Lake’s] efforts.” However, the statement is vague and unsupported. During Lake’s tenure, Spokane had two mayors who alternated in office:
Charles Fassett: 1914–1916
Charles Fleming: 1916–1918
Charles Fassett (again): 1918–1920
No records have been found in any files from either mayor’s administration supporting a public ceremony honoring Lake. Some accounts even allege a federal official made the statement, but again, no records exist to substantiate that claim.
Chapter 6. The Population Bomb
Spokane’s Population Context
To assess the credibility of the 100,000-healings claim, we must consider Spokane’s population at the time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau:
1910 city population: 104,402
1920 city population: 104,437
That is an increase of only 35 people over a decade—meaning that, if Lake had cured 100,000 people, he would have effectively healed nearly the entire city (97.5%).
Including Spokane County, the population grew from 139,404 in 1910 to 141,289 in 1920, an increase of 1,885 people. Combining city and county populations, 100,000 claimed healings would represent roughly 71% of all residents. This is simply not plausible.
Breaking Down the Numbers
If Lake’s ministry spanned five years, then 100,000 healings would average:
20,000 per year
About 385 healings per week
Even without considering the logistics of treating that many people, no documentation exists to support such a rate.
The “What About Outsiders?” Argument
Some may argue that people from outside Spokane came seeking healing, which could account for part of the 100,000 figures. While it is possible that outsiders visited, there is no evidence of significant influx. The population data show virtually no growth in either the city or county during Lake’s ministry.
Furthermore, if tens of thousands of visitors arrived for healing, one would expect:
Reports in newspapers, both local and national
Rapid expansion of lodgings, such as hotels or boarding houses
Mentions in other denominational or civic records
Yet, there is no record anywhere indicating such a mass movement or revival.
Plausibility of Ecumenical Healing
Spokane, like any city, had a mix of religious denominations, other faiths, and skeptics. If Lake’s miracles truly affected 100,000 people, one would expect widespread recognition or ecumenical participation. Again, no evidence exists to suggest this occurred.
The Logical Conclusion
Given the population statistics, lack of documentation, and absence of contemporary reports, the claim of 100,000 healings in five years is highly implausible. Later, when discussing Cal Pierce’s story and the Rookery building, further evidence will reinforce the argument that the 100,000 figure is a myth rather than reality.
Testimonies Published in Newspapers?
On page 183 of the Kindle edition of Roberts Liardon’s book, he claims that Spokane newspapers published many of John G. Lake’s healing testimonies. However, there is a major problem with this statement: Liardon provides no citations, footnotes, or examples to support it. Where are the articles that supposedly lend credence to his claims?
I did, however, locate a few examples in the Spokesman-Review, including June 30, 1918 and September 29, 1918. These do contain testimonies of healing, but here is the key issue: these “published” accounts were part of paid advertisements directly submitted by Lake, not investigative journalism or independent reporting. Essentially, Lake was self-publishing his own claims in the newspaper, which is very different from a newspaper independently verifying his healings.
If Liardon had actual sources for his statement, he should have listed them in footnotes or included an appendix for further research. Without that, his claim is technically true but misleading—a classic case of sophistry.
The Better Business Bureau Story
Liardon also claims that the results of Lake’s healings were so incredible that the Better Business Bureau (BBB) launched an investigation. The story, as summarized, goes like this:
Lake provided a list of people for the BBB to question.
Eighteen individuals underwent preliminary questioning.
Lake allegedly gave investigators more names.
Lake requested a panel of doctors, lawyers, judges, and educators to meet on a Sunday.
The meeting was called off the Friday before.
Allegedly, investigators said they had heard enough and thanked Lake for his work in the city.
There are two major problems with this story:
The BBB did not exist in Spokane during Lake’s ministry. The organization was established in 1921, a year after Lake left Spokane.
The BBB only investigates business fraud. Since Lake charged nothing for his services, there would have been no reason for them to investigate.
Thus, this entire BBB story appears to be historically impossible.
Where is the Documentation?
Liardon claims 100,000 “documented” healings. If that were true, we would expect:
Medical verification by licensed physicians before and after the healings.
Records from both the healed individuals and the verifying doctors.
At least some surviving documentation, even if partial.
Even allowing for lost records over time, it seems reasonable that at least 10–50% of such documentation should still exist—but none has been found. Simply having a person’s testimony is not sufficient to claim a “documented” healing. Both doctor and patient verification would be required, and each case would need to be authenticated.
So far, no such verification exists, leaving Liardon’s claims unsupported and highly dubious.
When we talk about “documentation,” it would mean that 100,000 people were diagnosed by a doctor as being ill before visiting Lake’s Healing Rooms, and that each person’s condition was verified and recorded by a doctor after the healing. In other words, there would be concrete medical records confirming each case.
Yet, no such records exist. No doctors kept these records, and no hospitals have any documentation of these healings. Did Lake take them when he left Spokane? There is no evidence of that either.
The reality is that people love to repeat a compelling story without checking its truth, and over the past century, these tales of 100,000 healings have traveled around the world unverified. After more than 100 years, not a single documented case has been found. The actual number of documented healings that occurred under John G. Lake’s ministry is therefore zero.
Chapter 7: Hospitals Emptied?
Did John G. Lake empty the hospitals of Spokane?
During Lake’s stay from 1915–1920, his supporters claim 100,000 documented healings, and many of Lake’s apologists assert that he emptied the hospitals. A reasonable assumption—based on the population figures discussed earlier—might suggest that if so many were healed, the hospitals would have seen a dramatic decline in patients.
But there is no evidence to support this assertion—either locally or nationally. If anyone had directly observed the effects of Lake’s ministry, it would have been the hospitals.
There were three primary hospitals in Spokane during Lake’s tenure:
1. The Deaconess Hospital
Founded in 1896, opened in 1907 with 3½ stories and 50 beds.
By 1912, installed Spokane’s first X-ray machine.
Early 1920s: acquired the first oxygen tent and expanded to 150 beds by 1923.
If the hospital had emptied due to Lake’s supposed healings, why did it expand? Planning for the 1923 expansion would have occurred well before completion, yet no shutdown is mentioned in the hospital’s history. Specifically, no closure due to Lake is recorded.
2. Edgecliff Sanatorium
Specialized in tuberculosis; opened in 1915 with 58 adult beds and 35 for children.
Expanded to 140 beds by 1920—directly during Lake’s Spokane ministry.
The tuberculosis rate did not decline during Lake’s stay. If he were truly curing people at his claimed rate, why would the sanatorium need expansion? Even Lake’s own claim that his first wife had tuberculosis undermines his supposed power.
3. Providence Hospital
Established in 1886, had 240 rooms by 1910, accommodating 1,000 patients.
Introduced anesthesia training in 1917 and a laboratory medicine department in 1919.
Again, if Lake’s ministry were so effective, why were these advancements necessary during his tenure?
In conclusion, the evidence from all three hospitals directly contradicts the claim that Lake emptied them. In the early twentieth century, tuberculosis was the third leading cause of death in the U.S., and Spokane was no exception. The decline in tuberculosis over time was due to early detection via X-ray, better sanitation, and pasteurized milk, not miraculous healings.
Chapter 8: Lake vs. The Spanish Flu
Here is a significant and inconvenient truth for those who believe in the efficacy of Lake’s healing ministry in Spokane: The Spanish flu epidemic of 1918–1919. The peak of the epidemic occurred from October 1918 to February 1919, directly overlapping Lake’s ministry. My source for this information is The Influenza Encyclopedia, published by the University of Michigan.
The Spanish flu epidemic mirrors what we have seen with COVID-19: gatherings were restricted, and strict rules were enforced. For example, one bride had to limit her wedding to immediate family at her parents’ home. Two churches—Christian Science and Spiritualist—asked for permission to meet and were denied.
No records exist of Lake seeking permission to keep his healing rooms open—or perhaps he simply complied quietly. Either way, if he had been as effective as claimed, surely government officials would have sought his help to alleviate the epidemic. Yet, no such records exist. Where was the mayor supposedly honoring him? Where were city officials begging him to keep his doors open? Nothing.
Over 11,000 Spokane residents fell ill, roughly 11% of the population. Hospitals were full and overwhelmed—clearly not empty as some of Lake’s followers claim. If Lake had healed 100,000 people, this figure must be reduced by those affected by the flu, which drastically undermines the plausibility of such claims.
Here is a direct quote from the Influenza Encyclopedia:
“Some 562 people died of influenza or pneumonia during that period. The result was an excess death rate of 482 out of 100,000, higher than Seattle’s 414 per 100,000, but lower than average for all Western cities combined (529 per 100,000). In that regard, Spokane’s experience was like that of many American cities—not altogether good, but not terribly bad either. Spokane was around average.”
If Spokane was truly “the healthiest city in America,” why did it only achieve average death rates during the Spanish flu?
Both tuberculosis and the Spanish flu flourished despite Lake’s “divine healing.” The stubborn facts show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Lake’s claims were false. Anyone who chooses to follow Lake or believe the claims of his apologists does so at their own peril.
—Steve Johnson
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