Editing Word of Life (Sweden) (section)

== Criticism ==
When it was founded, the movement met with criticism from mass media and other churches, due to what was perceived as an inhumane perspective against people who suffer from [[physical disability|physical disabilities]] and financial poverty, coupled with its authoritarian leadership. Since then, the movement has consolidated, and its views have emerged as somewhat more acceptable to Swedish free churches. {{Citation needed|date=March 2014}}

Some of its critics consider it a [[cult]] because of its connection with, and usage of theology from within, the [[Word of Faith]] movement, though its teachings now are broadened with other, more classical theology. {{Citation needed|date=March 2014}}

In November 2015, the church was criticized in a television episode of [[Uppdrag granskning]], notably by the demand of [[Ulf Ekman]] to be paid in cash during his interventions in churches, his culture of silence refusing any criticism and its insistence on multiple offerings, in addition to the tithe. <ref> Världen idag, [https://www.varldenidag.se/nyheter/joakim-lundqvist-om-uppdrag-granskning/251030/ Word of Life's history], varldenidag.se, Sweden, November 25, 2015</ref> Pastor Joakim Lundqvist confirmed that the weak culture of dialogue and the insistence on multiple offerings had indeed been problems, but that the church had implemented new policies over the years and that these problems were therefore no longer relevant.{{cn|date=March 2025}}