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Thursday December 17, 2009 ~ 18 Comments
I am not a Pentecostal, but I appreciate Pentecostals. I have had the privilege of consulting with or speaking at several different groups and denominations in the Pentecostal and charismatic movement(s). Clearly, there are many wonderful charismatic and Pentecostal Christians doing some amazing things for the Lord. But, the movement has struggled lately with some... well... odd issues over the last few years. I have written before on the Todd Bentley saga and have expressed appreciation for the prophetic (in the discerning sense) words of Lee Grady.
The journalist wants a 'Holy Ghost housecleaning' of the charismatic movement. It is important to tread carefully when speaking of someone else's movement-- something I wish we all might try to do. So, I want to be careful in my words. But, I think it is helpful to listen to the words of the movement's leaders. And, the charismatic and Pentecostal leaders that I know share the concerns mentioned in the Christianity Today article: Grady is the editor of Charisma, the magazine that serves as a gathering tent for Pentecostal and charismatic Christians. Its columns and advertisements feature some of the most prominent names in the movement-- and some of the most frequent targets of Grady's criticism. My friend George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, explains: "Lee gives a corrective word to some of the excesses that none of us want to be identified with," says George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. "We've always valued the prophetic word, and part of a prophetic word is correction."
"Many unbelievers now associate ministers with wife-swapping, wife-beating, no-fault divorce, gay affairs, and $10,000-a-night hotel rooms," he wrote in a 2008 column. "We need a Holy Ghost housecleaning."
Last week, I was discussing Lee and his views at lunch with my friend R.T. Kendall. Turns out, R.T. has written the foreword to the book and he sent it to me. In it, R.T. says, And yet a book like this is long overdue. I just pray it will do some good. What good? Two things. First, that there will be an open, unfeigned repentance coming from the hearts of those leaders who have been right in the middle of all the sham Lee exposes. This book - just maybe - could do it. It might well be used of the Holy Spirit to awaken key Charismatic leaders who up to now have dug their heels in rather than admit to their being imprudent about certain preachers and certain alleged moves of the Holy Spirit... Strong words from Grady, Wood, and Kendall... and worth listening to. Let me encourage all of you to pray that this fast-growing movement might heed the Spirit's leading in these important areas. Posted on December 17, 2009 at 12:21 PM ~ 18 Comments Tagged with: charismatic, pentecostal, reformation Subscribe via RSS or Follow us on Twitter
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Very interesting -- here's hoping and praying that the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement will see the will heed these prophetic voices from within and repent unto deeper and truer life in the Spirit, and also that Evangelicalism will recognize that these movements are God's merciful corrective for our belittling of the Holy Spirit.
Could this be the start of more unity between Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism as each side humbly recognizes it's shortcomings and accepts the gentle rebuke of the other?
One can hope!
Just like Dr. R.T. Kendall said this is long overdue. I consider myself Pentecostal and these are the exact things so many of us young Pentecostals are talking about.
We've seen way too many people come through on TBN and every other network speaking about us sending them money so we can receive something while, just as we know, God has our blessings and He is the only one that can give those blessings.
I'm really glad to see some movement within the movement. There has been a lingering need for this and I can't wait to see the many benefits.
As a fourth-generation A/G Pentecostal, I'm also thankful for these words of warning and correction. I don't see the excesses in the church I grew up in, thank God, but I do encounter believers who are so desirous of a "spectacular move of God" that I fear they throw discernment out the window and grab on to anything that feels supernatural.
As a long time Pentecostal I could not agree more. To believe healings, raisings for the dead and gold falling from the ceiling is foolishness unless it has been verified by outside sources.
How much of our Pentecostal tradition is flawed with unverified miss-truths and myths?
Hi Ed-
Just a note on Lee's book - we've changed the title of it; it's now The Holy Spirit Is Not For Sale (will be updated online everywhere once we have the cover finalized) - any chance you could update it in your blog post?
Also, send me an email at jhart@bakerpublishinggroup.com and I'll send you a galley of it if you're interested. Sorry about using the comments for this, but I can't find any contact info or form.
Thanks Ed for blogging about this. I talked to Lee during the the whole Todd Bentley fiasco, and appreciated his courageous leadership. As a lifelong Pentecostal I have been personally disgusted that a wonderful movement has been hijacked by an unscrupulous group of charletons selling spiritual snake oil to sincerely desperate people. Hopefully the book will spark a needed discussion and course correction.
Greg Surratt
Seacoast Church
Thanks Ed for posting this article. We do need a house cleaning. I am a pentecostal and many of my friends and family have been speaking this for years. The problem for me has been. We seem to wait till the train wreck happens before we call people out for excess or unbiblical behavior. True pentecostal believe that this gift has been given for the advance of the gospel of Christ not to make us popular or rich. What we need is some true prophets to call people out. But too many are scared they will lose something in the process. My only critique would be to please define the line between pentecostal and charismatics there is a fine line but it should be defined. God Bless again and thank you for this post.
Thank you for the information, o believe healings, raisings for the dead and gold falling from the ceiling is foolishness unless it has been verified by outside sources. I found this very useful.
http://www.youthforjesus.com
Freedy
A born and bred Pentecostal/Charismatic, I appreciate this deeply. Many of us have been calling for this for a long time, and it's good to hear a major voice w/in the movement issuing the challenge. The rise of Pentecostalism worldwide is one of the compelling reasons why a purification of the movement is needed. Good stuff.
As a "Bapti-costal", friend of both you and Lee, great book, GREAT need....but it is not just confined to the Pentecostal camps!
As a board initiative of Oral Roberts University conversations with 3 tracks; leaders, scholars and next gen. have been held around the world this past year with Pentecostals and Charismatics. As Chair of the Next Gen. track I can echo that what Lee, Dr. Wood and Dr. Kendall express is the heart cry of emerging PentaChar youth. They love their heritage but they don't want to be labeled by the language and praxis of the past century, but are hungry for a new Spirit Empowerment that is defined by humility, integrity and authenticity. Check out http://www.empowered21.com/
I am excited about the enemies lies being exposed and hopefully it will lead to more repentance. there are lots of areas where the Holy Spirit has been shut down and prophetic voices ran off in an effort to protect the business of church. i pray for true repentance in the hearts of shepherds misguided by their own agendas.
So many of the Christian camps could stand to face this type of scrutiny. Other housekeepings are in order. While I may disagree with charismatics on some of their particular beliefs, I admire those who passionately desire to follow Jesus. They like other branches of the tree have those who are affected by an arrogance that makes things ugly. Lord, cleanse all of your people.
I still don't understand why we would want the house cleaned when it was built upon a poor foundation.
Its time to tear the house down and check the foundation for cracks and breaks. Re-build !
Mike Tacoma, not to be overly critical, but the foundation is Jesus. No cracks or breaks there. It is the cleansing of the building that needs to occur.
To understand how things in the P/C movement got so out of hand, I also encourage people to read "Full Gospel, Fractured Mind" by Rick Nanez. Thanks & kudos Ed for posting about this topic on your blog!
Thank you very much. I'm now looking forward to his new book too.
It may also be of interest to you and your readers that an Australian author, Brian Rosner, in his book "Beyond Greed" has provided a very encouraging challenge to Evangelicals broadly, including Pentecostals, in his corrective to the issues you highlight: Beyond Greed: How to get really rich
Interestingly, I was referred to your post by a friend who knows that my own site, Talking Pentecostalism, hopes to help with the "House Cleaning" that I agree is needed.
Another GREAT read is Post-Charismatic by Robby Mac. He is a YWAM director in South America.
Great understanding of how the movement came to be and the players who were on the 'fringe' of much of the gnostic and mystic doctrine that we see today.