I have been part of a church which practices all the Pentecostal stuff. And I do say practices.....
There are people who minister at the altar who are pushers. There are those who drop every time they go up. It makes it meaningless at that point.
I do take issue with some of it because it is either based on bad theology or is downright unscriptural as far as I’ve been able to determine from the Word.
My biggest issue is the judgment and resultant condemnation that comes with much of Pentecostalism. It is legalistic in it’s own right, just as legalistic as the Baptists who evaluate one’s spirituality or spiritual maturity based on whether they don’t drink, dance, smoke or chew and don’t go out with girls who do.
The typical Baptist determination of spirituality comes from what you don’t do (sins). The Pentecostal determination of spirituality comes from what you do do; raise hands in worship, speak in tongues, drop when prayed for (slain in the spirit), how *undignified* you are when you worship, etc.
There is no room for allowing God to work in my life as HE sees fit. If I don’t be a Christian the way they think I should based on nothing more than their theology, then I’m judged. I’ve had my fill of it.
The big danger I see is that people are being deceived into thinking something happened that didn’t based on *signs*, like speaking in tongues, getting slain in the spirit, even being *healed*, all stuff that can be faked, not necessarily IS faked, but can be.
I was filled with the Spirit recently. I didn’t speak in tongues, drop, or get healed, but it was definitely a touch from God and the most real experience I’ve been through. I don’t and didn’t need a *sign* to validate it and I don’t need people judging my encounter with God based on their criteria of how God is supposed to work in my life.
Very excellent points, imho.
I have observed, however,
that God, throughout Scripture and history . . . asked folks to do unusual things . . . dip 7 times in the muddy Jordan . . . etc.
He is intent on dealing with our pride.
And a lot of the Pentecostal stuff imho, is that sort of thing.
Of course, as you outline so well, given human nature, we can take something designed to deal with our pride and turn it into a red badge of . . .
. . . .
PRIDE!
Sigh.
I agree. Look at Paul his boasting was not in all the miracles God used him for. His boast came from all the persecution He endured. When Paul was weak God was strong! The persecuted suffering Christian life filled with Joy and Peace knowing that God works all things for good is the greatest testimony of true Faith.