Before I dive into the meat of this topic, I encourage you to read my previous articles I’ve written about Dan Bohi. I feel it’s important that you have a solid understanding of Bohi’s theology when diving into this article. It will assist you in connecting some of the dots between his positions. Regardless, you don’t need a prerequisite understanding of Bohi’s theology for this article to strike a chord, but it would help.

This article will also serve as a resource for those confused by Dan Bohi’s theology on the topic of the anointing. This article is comprehensive, yet not exhaustive. I know that’s hard to believe given the length of the article. I’m convinced that a book could be written responding to this one sermon alone. I aim to empower and liberate those impacted by the teachings of Dan Bohi, his ministry, and his allies within the Nazarene denomination and elsewhere. There are a growing number of people who feel unrepresented within the Nazarene denomination because their concerns with Bohi fall on deaf ears. This article is written to validate their concerns and hopefully give them the resource they need to help spread awareness of Bohi’s theology.

Additionally, this article is designed to aid Christians who have either 1) become confused and/or concerned after hearing a message from Dan Bohi on this topic or 2) realized that there is something scripturally wrong with Bohi’s teaching but can’t pinpoint it. My goal is to help with both.

This article will begin by summarizing scripturally what the anointing means. This will merely be a description of how the word is used in various contexts while highlighting its theological significance.

Secondly, I’ll recap Bohi’s sermon and highlight relevant areas that shine a light on his definition of the anointing. There are several topics he touches on, and he often jumps from topic to topic, so I’ll do my best to organize his thoughts.

Lastly, I’ll finish with “The Critique” and move into topics of Bohi’s sermon that I felt deserved their own treatment.

Let’s get started…

Scriptural Definition of Anointing

In the Old Testament, we see the Hebrew word mashach, which means “to anoint or smear with oil.” This word was used in the Old Testament to describe the consicratation of new leaders (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Samuel 16:13), priestly anointings (Exodus 29:7), symbolized the presence and power of the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13), and was used to set the messianic expectation (Psalm 2:2.)

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals himself as the Messiah. The word messiah is derived from the Hebrew word “mashiaḥ“, which means “anointed.” The Greek word for Christ is “Christos“, which also means “the anointed one.” Jesus Christ is the basis for our salvation and is aptly described as “the anointed one,” as he was set apart for the specific reason of being a perfect sacrifice for all of humanity’s sins. As we see in the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 61:1, which is explicitly repeated by Jesus in Luke 4:18:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,”

This prophecy outlines that Jesus is anointed for the purpose of salvation. Jesus confirmed that this prophecy was fulfilled in Luke 4:21. Jesus’ anointing is not the same as our own as Christians. Christians share an anointing through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). However, this is not the same anointing that Jesus Christ possessed. We do not possess the same power and authority as Christ, even though we have an anointing as Christians.

We read in 1 John 2:20, “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” This was written by John the Apostle to a church that faced internal divisions, false teachings, and questions about the nature of Jesus Christ and salvation. John the Apostle was describing that through our anointing in Christ, we are given the knowledge to use for understanding, clarity, and discernment. Through this anointing, we live out our faith and engage in ministry.

Healing is mentioned in the New Testament in James 5, where it says in verses 14–15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” On its face, it may appear that this verse was promising miraculous physical healing. However, a full reading of James 5 does not convincingly demonstrate that verses 14–15 deal exclusively with physical illnesses. Almost every other verse in James 5 deals with spiritual illnesses and encourages patience in our suffering, “for the Lord is at hand.” (verse 8) While verses 14–15 aren’t excluding physical illnesses, they aren’t excluding spiritual illnesses either.

According to the scriptures, the anointing doesn’t imply that Christians universally and uniformly receive miraculous gifts. The Holy Spirit distributes to individual Christians a diversity of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), which don’t necessarily require any miraculous element. Historically, the purpose of miracles has been to authenticate Christ’s power, word, and authority. We needn’t expect daily miracles in today’s modern society, especially in western nations where an abundance of evidence is readily available supporting God’s power, word, and authority.

Now that we’ve discussed Biblical anointing, I’ll summarize Dan Bohi’s description of the anointing.

Bohi’s Definition of Anointing

Dan Bohi prioritizes “the anointing” highest on the scale of biblical priorities. At the beginning of his sermon (timestamp: 41:00), Bohi states, “I think what we need the most is the anointing.” He admits that all who have salvation in Christ are anointed. However, he clarifies that he is not referring to the anointing explicitly mentioned in scripture. He says, “I’m talking about the anointing when the Holy Spirit comes on you for others… we need the power of God to rest on us to demonstrate God’s reality.” Bohi further clarifies his point, stating, “the reality is Christ is IN us, but we need the anointing ON us to release the glory that’s WITHIN us to touch those AROUND us.”

According to Bohi’s theology, the anointing is an additional layer of power that grants us the authority to release power and demonstrate God’s reality. For example, Bohi recounts miracle stories in each of his services. In this sermon, Bohi recounts an instance where he made oil ‘drip’ from a pastor’s hands (timestamp: 45:00), instantly healed several people within a single service (timestamp: 43:00- 44:00), and how he has miraculously healed at least 82,000 people as of 2018 (timestamp: 1:20:08).

Furthermore, Dan Bohi believes that Jesus didn’t possess the anointing until he received the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-22). Bohi suggests that Jesus’ baptism signified more than just the start of his earthly ministry, implying that Jesus was not anointed before his baptism, as no miracles are recorded prior. However, as I will discuss later, this assertion has significant scriptural issues.

Bohi said Jesus didn’t have the anointing in his hometown and couldn’t do miracles. Bohi uses Mark 6 to support his claim. However, Mark 6:4-5 says, “And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.” I will later discuss whether Jesus can lose any aspect of his divine nature due being in his hometown.

Staying on the topic of Jesus, Bohi said that Jesus didn’t come only to extend salvation through death on the cross; “He (Jesus) did not come just so you could be forgiven… He was already forgiving people for hundreds and hundreds of years. All you have to do is kill a goat and let some priest put blood on an altar, and you were forgiven for all your sins for a year. He didn’t come just to forgive you. He came to give power to you. That’s why he said in Luke 24: You guys have to go to Jerusalem and wait till you’re clothed with power.” (emphasis mine) Again, I will respond to this comment below.

Furthermore, Bohi frequently employs rhetoric suggesting that believers become ‘intoxicated’ with the Holy Spirit, which is a concept commonly associated with ‘new wineskin theology’ (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38). While there are scriptures referring to a parable Jesus told about old wineskins and how they would burst if filled with new wine, Bohi uses this parable to set the foundation for the belief that those who are within new wineskins will receive the anointing. Bohi comments, “The anointing can’t come unless you get the new wine with it… when the anointing comes tonight, everybody won’t be able to recognize yourself because you’ll be intoxicated with something other than your flesh or problems or worries.” I will address Bohi’s new wineskin theology below.

Next, Bohi said that “God doesn’t want to reveal himself to you through your intellect; God wants to reveal himself to your spirit because if you can get revelation in your spirit, you can’t be talked out of it.” He tries to justify this belief by saying, “That’s why Paul said, I don’t want to come to you with a demonstration of man’s wisdom; I don’t want to persuade you with man’s wisdom; I want to come to you with a demonstration of the spirit’s power so that your faith doesn’t rest in man’s ability to articulate words but in the power of God that can change lives.”

This is a common thread within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) community. I’ll address in more detail below.

Lastly, Dani Bohi wants to transfer the anointing through the process that’s been titled “impartations” within the NAR community. Bohi says, “I want to do impartations. Listen, the anointing is transferable. If you want the anointing, you can have it, but you have to become a new wineskin, which means you have to let go of the fear of man.”

This summary of Dan Bohi’s sermon on how he defines “the anointing” is not exhaustive. In fact, there was plenty more that I could’ve added, but I feel my summary paints a clear picture of what Bohi’s theological perspective is on the anointing.

The Critique

As seen above, the anointing described in scripture and Dan Bohi’s preaching on the anointing aren’t compatible. Bohi himself admits that he’s not addressing the anointing broadly shared by Christians, which is specifically described in scripture. Bohi concedes, “I’m talking about the anointing when the Holy Spirit comes on you for others….we need the power of God to rest on us to demonstrate God’s reality…the reality is Christ is IN us, but we need the anointing ON us to release the glory that’s WITHIN us to touch those AROUND us.” This is not found anywhere in scripture.

Stylistically, Bohi’s preaching appears to be delivered off-the-cuff and feels uncharted and disorganized. Bohi’s theology hides in plain sight behind a sea of memorized scripture, almost always taken out of context to prop up his brand of theology. Bohi has memorized dozen’s of scriptures and strategically scattered them throughout his sermon to prop up his credibility on “the anointing.” I pulled up almost every scriptural citation Bohi presented in his sermon and read it within context, and a baffling majority of these scriptures were either 1) misrepresented or 2) taken out of context. Those who 1) deliver sermons regularly, 2) are involved in full-time ministry, and 3) have an average understanding of scripture wouldn’t misrepresent or take scripture out of context without realizing it. This suggests that Bohi may be aware that his teachings are misleading at best or false at worst.

The topics below stood out to me the most from his sermon. I’m responding to these individually because 1) they are the most theologically problematic and 2) they are likely to confuse and hinder Christians in their faith journey.

Let us begin…

Biblical Interpretation 101

Before jumping into the specific topics, it’s important to highlight a process that Christians use to develop a theological framework. This knowledge is vital for having discussions about scripture. After all, if you don’t have an established set of principles to guide your interpretation of scripture, then you’re likely to develop conclusions from the text that don’t match the intended meaning.

You may have noticed that Dan Bohi’s problem wasn’t with the amount of scripture he was using, but how he was using it. In theology, whether you realize it or not, you are engaging in the process of hermeneutics (i.e. the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the text of the Bible) and exegesis (i.e., the examination of a particular text of scripture in order to properly interpret it). In summary, hermeneutics provides the broader framework for interpretation, while exegesis is the practical application of these principles to specific biblical texts.

As we’ve seen and as we’ll continue to see, Dan Bohi does not have a healthy understanding of hermeneutics and exegesis. His application of these practices is virtually nonexistent. If Bohi focused more on understanding the true meaning of the text rather than simply citing it, he’d be able to communicate a message that aligns with the scriptures.

For those who want to learn to interpret the Bible responsibly, I’d encourage you to pick up How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart. It’s a book designed for everyday churchgoers, and I believe you will greatly benefit from its teachings.

New Wineskins and Intoxication Explained

Dan Bohi and many within the NAR and hyper-charasmatic communities misrepresent the parable about wineskins (Matthew 9:16-17; Mark 2:21-22; Luke 5:36-38.) I’d encourage you to read each of the three hyperlinked verses if you’re unfamiliar with this parable because Bohi uses the “intoxication” rhetoric that is based off this parable. Bohi believes that those with new wineskins are anointed. They will receive the benefits he describes in his definition of the anointing.

This parable describes the new covenant, in which those who obey and follow Jesus are considered new wine suited for new wineskins. By contrast, the old wineskins were represented by the old and dogmatically religious Jewish leaders that reject Jesus. The point is that new wine cannot be placed in old wineskins because they’re incompatible. These scriptures do not prescribe a miraculous anointing beyond the reality that those with new wineskins will inherit the kingdom of God and possess the Holy Spirit.

Bohi elaborates, “The anointing can’t come unless you get the new wine with it. When the anointing comes tonight, everyone won’t be able to recognize themselves because they’ll be intoxicated with something other than their flesh, problems, or worries.” He’s connecting the new wine with the anointing and somehow using “intoxication” as the description for this process. This represents a theological leap that’s unsupported by reliable interpretations.

There is no clear link between Bohi’s definition of anointing and the scriptures cited in this parable.

The Anointing of Jesus Explained

Dan Bohi doesn’t believe that Jesus possessed his anointing until he received the Holy Spirit (he cites Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 3:21-22). His argument is based on the assumption that Jesus didn’t have the capacity to perform miracles prior to this moment in his divine nature because he wasn’t anointed prior to his baptism. Bohi tries to reaffirm this conclusion by stating that Jesus couldn’t have been anointed because there were no recorded miracles in the Bible prior to his baptism.

Denying Jesus’ nature as ‘the anointed one’—the Messiah and Christ—implies a rejection of his divinity. To reject Jesus’ divinity up to the point of baptism is to adopt a form of pseudo-Arianism that enters into heresy. Jesus’ nature is unchanging and absolute. Jesus’ baptism didn’t alter the nature of his person in the trinity but merely signified the start of his earthly ministry. Dan Bohi’s position is universally rejected by orthodox Christian theologians. In fact, it’s a position that is largely held by false teachers that mainly occupy sects within the New Apostolic Reformation movement.

Bohi said Mark 6 claimed that Jesus lost his anointing in his hometown because he couldn’t perform miracles; however, verse 5 said, “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.” Bohi overlooks the verse where Jesus healed people in his hometown and misinterprets the text in a pseudo-Arian way by suggesting that Jesus lost his anointing and couldn’t perform divine acts. Jesus is one of the three persons of the trinitarian God and cannot change the qualities of his nature. The qualities of his nature that Bohi claims Jesus lost are divine, not human. Given they are divine attributes, they will remain unchanged.

As it is explained in Matthew 13:57-58, “And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” The explanation for not doing a “mighty work there” is explained by their lack of faith, not by Jesus’ lost anointment.

Lastly, Bohi said that Jesus “did not come just so you could be forgiven…He came to give power to you.” Bohi references Luke 24:49, “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” This is another out of context citation because it describes the conversation Jesus had with his disciples on the road to Emmaus. Bohi is trying to use this scripture in a prescriptive way as to make it appear that Jesus is speaking to modern Christians when Jesus was only speaking to a select group of Christians in a specific moment in time.

Spirit Versus Intellect

We recall Dan Bohi saying,

“God doesn’t want to reveal himself to you through your intellect; God wants to reveal himself to your spirit because if you can get revelation in your spirit, you can’t be talked out of it…That’s why Paul said, I don’t want to come to you with a demonstration of man’s wisdom; I don’t want to persuade you with man’s wisdom; I want to come to you with a demonstration of the spirit’s power so that your faith doesn’t rest in man’s ability to articulate words but in the power of God that can change lives.”

Bohi is likely trying to draw from 1 Corinthians 2:5 as support for his teaching; however, he is taking scripture out of context again to support his theological agenda. Bohi promotes a theology that is void of any intellectual rigor. Given his teachings, this discouragement shouldn’t be surprising, as intellectual inquiry into them often leads to their refutation.

Here are five of my favorite scriptures that support an intellectually rigorous faith:

1 Peter 3:15: “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

Acts 17:11: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^“

Colossians 2:6-8: “⁶ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Philippians 1:9-10: “⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,”

There are vastly more scriptures that highlight how our faith in Christ is complimented by our intellects. When a lawyer asked Jesus what the most important commandment was, Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) When Bohi says, “God doesn’t want to reveal himself to you through your intellect,” you can trust that this is false due to the volumes of verses saying the exact opposite.

Impartations

I have previously written about Dan Bohi’s theology concerning impartations. I’d strongly encourage you to read this article because it addresses what impartations are in greater detail.

Bohi believes that this anointing can be transferred from one Christian to another. He says, “I want to do impartations. Listen, the anointing is transferable. If you want the anointing, you can have it, but you have to become a new wineskin, which means you have to let go of the fear of man.”

In Dan Bohi and Rob McCorkle’s book titled, Holiness and Healing, they elaborate on their theological understanding of ‘impartations.’ They write, “It simply means to impart or to give. Paul talked about his desire to impart or to give a supernatural gift to the Christians in Rome. (Romans 1:11)”

To understand what this verse is actually communicating, let’s view it in context (Romans 1:8-15):

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰ always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—¹² that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[a] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵ So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Given the context of Bohi’s proof text, does it sound like he provided a sound Biblical interpretation of the scripture? No. The ESV Study Bible comments on verses 11 – 12, “mutually encouraged – Paul desires as an apostle to encourage the Christians in Rome, but it is also noteworthy that their faith serves to inspire and strengthen him as well.” (page 2158) This passage cannot be used to reinforce the practice of impartation as defined by Bohi.

There is no scriptural basis for believing that anyone can impart an anointing to another person.

Conclusion

It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t cover all the topics mentioned in his sermon. This lengthy article is actually abbreviated. My intention was to write an article based on Dan Bohi’s theological understanding of the anointing. As I began, I asked myself the following question, “Are Christians struggling with confusion arising from Dan Bohi’s ministry and his preaching on the anointing?” As someone who was personally involved with a church where the congregation struggled with Dan Bohi, I am confident that many people appreciate a scriptural response to Bohi’s claims about the anointing.

I respond to Dan Bohi’s positions in good faith. Despite what some may believe, I have no interest in causing unrest with him and his ministry. I celebrate any authentic conversion resulting from Bohi’s ministry! Praise Jesus! God can bring people to Him through any avenue. My criticism of Bohi’s theology is framed around scripture and reason. Like the Bereans described in Acts 17:10-15, we must receive “the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Examining teachings against scripture is modeled in the scriptures!

I pray that you see that Dan Bohi isn’t preaching a biblically faithful version of ‘the anointing.’ Bohi’s description of the anointing is scripturally unrecognizable, power-centered, supported by far-fetched miracle stories, out of context scriptures, and a gross misunderstanding of Jesus’ nature. Admittedly, this is a harsh reproach. Also, admittedly, I find my rebuke warranted, especially given Bohi’s vast influence on charismatic-leaning Nazarenes over the decades.

I encourage you to share this article with someone who has been confused by Dan Bohi’s theology. I pray they find reassurance in discovering that there are theologically valid reasons for their concerns, and God may use this article as a way to help resolve some of the confusion resulting from Bohi’s false teachings.