What is the correct order of faith, doctrine, and experience?
The correct order is faith, then doctrine, then experience. Doctrine comes by faith, so faith must be foundational. When faith plus doctrine are put together, experience follows. Experience must never replace doctrine or faith, because God is not pleased when doctrine is forgotten and experience alone is emphasized.
Les explains that the correct order starts with faith, because doctrine comes by faith. A listener wondered whether experiences were taking the place of faith, and Les answered, "absolutely!" He emphasized that we have to begin with doctrine, and doctrine comes by faith. When you put faith plus doctrine together, then you will have experience. But too many people forget doctrine and talk about nothing but experience. That approach will not fly, and God is not pleased with it. We must start with faith, one of their major gifts—the God-given ability and power to believe what God says. That is the whole basis of studying and understanding the Word of God: we believe what He says. Les also cautions that we must not bring into operation things God told Israel to do in the Old Testament, such as bringing gifts, tithes, and offerings into the storehouse, or animal sacrifices and priestly practices.