Posted on 04/17/2018 8:56:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Have you been burned by a false prophecy? Did you lose your faith when a promised healing never came? Have you had it with flaky teaching in the name of "new revelation"? If so, you are not alone. There are more Charismatic casualties than many of us would care to admit.
But let me start here with an honest confession. My own experience in Pentecostal-Charismatic circles has been far more positive than negative. I have worked with the same leadership team for more than 20 years. I have had the privilege of serving with men and women of integrity all around the world – I'm talking about Pentecostal-Charismatic leaders around the globe.
I was saved in a Pentecostal church in 1971 and transformed by an outpouring of the Spirit in 1982. I was on the front lines of the Brownsville Revival from 1996-2000, and grads from our ministry school are bearing amazing fruit around the world. And while I have seen my share of scandals and false prophecies and leadership abuses and weirdness, it has been the exception far more than the rule.
Sadly, for many others, the opposite has proved true. For them, there is little or nothing good in the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement. They have been hurt or confused or abused, causing some to reject the move of the Spirit today and causing others to lose their faith entirely. My heart breaks over all these Charismatic casualties, and it is high time that we set our house in order.
I recently read a book critiquing the movement, and in my opinion, it was totally over the top in its criticisms.
Putting aside the scriptural errors I found in the book, it painted a terribly caricatured picture, one that was so exaggerated it was hardly recognizable to me. Yet as I read reviews to the book posted by readers, I saw that many of them were adding their hearty Amen. The picture it painted was all too familiar to them.
I'm aware, of course, that every church (or ministry or denomination or leader) has its critics. You can find horror stories everywhere, and if a church or ministry is big enough, you can find lots of negative reports from those who were allegedly burned by that church or ministry. But when you hear the same story over and over again from people from varied backgrounds, you know that something, somewhere is wrong.
When it comes to the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, there is no shortage of amazing stories of what the Lord is doing in virtually every nation on the planet. This is truly a stunning, Jesus-exalting, multi-generational work of the Holy Spirit. I see no way to deny that for a split second.
Even more importantly, based on Scripture, I find it indisputable that the gifts and power of the Spirit are to continue in operation until Jesus returns.
But that doesn't minimize the damage that has been done in the name of the Spirit, and there are all too many casualties because of unchecked abuses. Out of love for the Lord and love for His people, we need to step higher.
Although my new book, "Playing with Holy Fire", just came out a few days ago, I'm already seeing a pattern in the reviews being posted by readers.
One reader wrote, "Dr. Michael Brown's very timely and balanced work really addressed where I am right now: disillusioned and heartbroken over the abuses of the contemporary church (this goes beyond the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement, though it is centered there). Furthermore, he encouraged my heart, showing me that I am not alone, and providing a Biblical way forward."
Another commented on Facebook that reading the book was bringing them healing from the negative experiences they had in our circles. Still another wrote, "As a former cessationist who was a cessationist BECAUSE of the abuse I saw happening in exercising the Holy Spirit's gifts, it concerns me too. Both because these abuses keep a very large section of the church away from desiring and pursuing something God wants them to have, but also because it harms our testimonies among unbelievers. This book will definitely be going to the top of my reading list!"
Other pastors and leaders are saying, "At last! These abuses needed to be addressed."
So, while I rejoice in what the Spirit is doing around the world, I grieve over the many who have been hurt and disillusioned because of human error and human sin and human carelessness. Truly, we have been given much by the Lord. And that means that much will be required of us.
May we walk worthy of the Holy Spirit's high calling. And may the name of Jesus be exalted, not tarnished, by our lives and ministries as Pentecostal and Charismatic believers.
The stakes are way too high to play games.
Start reading about churches in Africa. It will change your mind on this.
Isn’t it sad that Paul didn’t have the Osteen prosperity gospel. Poor Paul had to continue to work as a tanner as he trudged his way around the Med, evangelizing. And he lacked Kenneth Copeland’s ecumenism spirit, so he didn’t know to weld his gospel message to the local religious beliefs. [/sarcasm]
Course the many have no clue they are in that famine.
I agree, what they want is to believe in the supernatural, without believing in the Gospel.
(Which is why Jesus taught that “it is a wicked generation that seeketh a sign.”)
Simply discarding the “new testament” would solve all these problems—especially at a time when chrstianity is collapsing.
Is the kundalini spirit related to this too?
And, God forbid that you question their "experience"! It's an insipid thing that the enemy of our souls worms into their expectations. It's like it never occurs to them that what they experienced wasn't from God. Instead, we are expected to just take them at their word that they are speaking the truth because "why would God allow deceit into their lives" when they are so dedicated to Him? Being a Christian is no guarantee that the devil will leave you alone. In fact, it should be a given that he WILL try at any chance to defeat us - especially when we are influencing others.
The early disciples of Christ were willing to endure personal sacrifice to win the lost to the Lord. Seems like today's "evangelists" care more about TV ratings, expensive cars, mega-mansions, personal jets and popularity. It's no wonder there is such a spiritual paucity. Who really takes up their cross to follow Jesus anymore?
I think so when I see the behavior manifesting in churches these days.
I think so when I see the behavior manifesting in churches these days.
There is no Scriptural precedent for being *slain in the spirit*.
That’s a great example of how people are elevating experience above Scripture and then trying to find Scripture to support their practice instead of comparing the practice to Scripture to find out if it’s from God.
I’ve heard enough of *Well God can do anything He wants*, *Scripture doesn’t say it couldn’t happen* or *Scripture doesn’t prohibit it*, or *God is doing a NEW thing, just like He promised. How do you know this is not the new thing?* and the list goes on.
No kidding.
Then you get accused of the unforgivable sin.
I'm not questioning that they experienced something.
I'm just questioning whether it's from God, regardless of how warm and fuzzy it feels.
Except, Jesus IS the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Faith in HIM will never "collapse" since He is the way, the truth and the life and NO ONE comes to the Father but through Him. The New Testament, the Divinely-inspired Scriptures teach us this and the GOSPEL is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
The early disciples were put in prison and beaten for their preaching and they came out rejoicing to be considered worthy to have suffered a beating for the cause of Christ.
Not a mentality the current church has, where God is supposed to be blessing EVERYONE with prosperity and comfy lives.
After all, we give our kids good things. Are we better than God? Why doesn’t HE want us to have good things too?
And they forget the REALLY good thing is the character of Christ being built up in us.
All the focus is on the GIFTS of the Spirit and not the FRUIT of the Spirit.
But Jesus said that by our fruit men will know who we are. And that is what God is working in us.
Aren’t we told to test the spirits to see if they are from God (I John 4:1)?
TRUTH!
Why don’t you just simplify things and say Christians should stop being Christians?
But Matt 7:1.
And don’t you know, that’s for someone else. Always.
If it’s the person you’re talking to, you’re judging them.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matt. 7:1-5)
And the spirit of antichrist spews some bile, to identify itself.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.