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.
Or that he didn't have a caucus thread to hide behind to avoid the debate.
LOL. In your dreams bro. You would like to think Christianity is collapsing. It ain’t. You should see Christianity where I live. Trust me bro, it’s alive and well here in the big city. 👍🇵🇭
Religion and churchianity if collapsing.
Christianity, Biblical faith in Jesus, is doing just fine.
There's some about taking the Lord's name in vain...
Well...
Revelation 1:17
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.
Judge NOT???Sigh...Jesus has commanded us to judge!
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?... And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?... Do you not know that we shall judge angels?... How much more, things that pertain to this life?.. If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge ? (1 Corinthians 6:1-5).
Many commands of God require the exercise of righteous judgment.
"But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us" (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
"And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother" (2 Thessalonians 3:14,15).
"Teach and exhort these things. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (2 Timothy 6:2b-5).
"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple" (Romans 16:17,18).
All these commands require the careful exercise of righteousness judgment. Do not be deceived by smooth words and flattering speech. Beware of wolves who come to you with a sheep's skin.
We must be careful not to make unqualified judgments. But we must judge appropriately when commanded to do so.
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." (John 7:24).
Lots of folks in Scripture, when they were confronted with the glory of God, fell ON THEIR FACE before God in fear and awe.
They didn’t fall on their backs and shake like having a seizure. They didn’t report feeling like they were pinned to the floor.
On the contrary, GOD lifted them up and told them to stand and not be afraid. I’ve never had someone who claims to have been slain in the spirit to be afraid.
You’ll have to do better than that verse, but get a point for trying.
There are certainly more ways of taking the Lord’s name in vain than using it as a swear word.
It’s alive and well in my family and in the seminary my son attends. Next week 14 of us will travel to the seminary to take part in the service where he will receive his call to serve his first congregation.
Like!!!
I've written extensively on it myself on my blog, and after trying to figure out how to sum it up for everyone, I just decided to post links to 5 of my past blogs that take a hard look at where and why the Pentecostal movement is going wrong.
So here are my thoughts in response:
Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing
Children of the Blasphemers, Part 3 (Strange Fire)
Of course you know I am an ex catholic. After I got saved, I started attending different churches, since I knew nothing about denominations. I saw a few people get “slain in the Spirit.” At first I was shocked to see it. Then I noticed others, moving in behind a few other people. Suddenly, they would just fall out, and those behind them, would catch them.
I always wondered how they knew who would fall out, and what would happen if someone fell out, and someone forgot to get behind them to catch them? Serious injury, I suspect. I didn’t go back.
Glad to hear that. Anyone who thinks Christianity is collapsing, is going to be in for a rude awakening, whether they like it or not. I am reminded of Heb 2:3. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”
There won’t be any escape, even if one doesn’t believe that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. It DOES matter, very much, what a person believes. 😁👍
I think what is collapsing is false country club Christianity and the heretical prosperity gospel group. And good riddance. The wheat is being separated from the chaff...
Pithy, to the point, and indisputably correct.
Well done, y'all!
Psa 4:6-8 AV:
"There be many that say, Who will shew us any good?
LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn
and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only
makest me dwell in safety."
Good night, my FRiends. Sleep well tonight. The angels of Heaven watch over you and yours.
"first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
Amen and Amen
TY & GBU & yours
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