Since at Christmas time there is usually a little more grace allotted to others via little baby Jesus, I feel free to write the following:
Growing up in a traditional conservative church I get the heebie-jeebies even thinking about saying this out loud: I think I agree with the Charismatic. I know….
Have I sold out to liberation theology? No
Am I going to be teaching the prosperity gospel? No
And no it's not entirely fair to associate those with charismatic churches
But what I am going to start saying is "Where is the Spirit?" In most conservative churches, bible studies, pie fellowships and Wal-marts I have always heard the charismatics criticized as being just an emotional bunch of goofballs and I apologize to all you charismatics out there who hadn't realized this yet. And you know what? There are some emotional goofballs out there. There are also some genuine followers of Christ who love the Lord. Just like it's not fair to pigeon-hole conservatives as emotionless statues…We are missing something here though. I remember growing up hearing sermons about getting drunk on the spirit, just don't act drunk! and Lessons like the Holy Spirit will guide your words, if you memorize enough scripture, etc. We see no miracles and if you speak in tongues we will ask you to be quiet. It's not that we don't believe in speaking in tongues, it's that interpreters became extinct with the fall of Rome. Right?? Here is where the charismatics get it right and we don't: They read scripture and believe that everything there is possible. We read the bible and the minute anything uncomfortable happens we assume the people then were much dumber and God needed a light show and sleight of hand to get their attention. When did God say, I'm sending my son to be brutalized and spit on by all of you sacks of dirt so that you no longer have to do what's uncomfortable. What we need to hear is what the charismatics say about us: We don't have the spirit because we exhibit no fruit. There are more but that one should hurt enough for now. If it doesn't bother you, may I recommend auditioning for the role of the Tin-man in your local theatre, you'd be perfect.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Go out there and ask this simple question to strangers, does this list reflect my church? You will quickly discover two things:
- Most people have never heard of or seen your church
- Churches, when known of, are defined by style. "Oh that's the church with the Rock band." Or "Don't they just sing hymns?" or "Yeah, they have a Gregorian chant service don't they?"
Never in my experience has anyone ever said to me "Yeah that's the place that really knows how to love people!" or "Man, the kindness and goodness of that fellowship is intoxicating!" And do you know why they don't say that? It's because our churches aren't doing that! We are selfish, backstabbing know-it-alls, and that's my short list. There is rarely joy seen in our worship (or sometimes allowed, that can get out of control….) and patience, especially with each other, well let's just say we're too busy for patience. I could go on but I won't because frankly, it's getting a little uncomfortable for me.
So…am I going to become a charismatic? Here is what I want to be; I want to be excited about church, I want to be excited about worship, I want to get lost in the moment, I want the church to change the world. I truly believe that if we truly believed God we could conquer culture, we could save lives, we could be bold enough to speak the gospel in the face of criticism and eloquent arguments. Some of you are probably at this very moment making the case for "Well Craig, it really seems like a lot of this is for you and you have a lot of "I wants" and it just seems like these are internal changes that you need to make." If that's the case then why do we have church at all? Why do we meet? If these are all changes that I can make on my own why not just attend the 1st church of Craig and be done with all of you? The answer is simple: we are meant to do this together. We are meant to deal with and struggle through issues so that together we can become stronger and more faithful. This attitude that lifts up the ego as paramount and tells us we have to go away and study and understand before we act is ridiculous. We need to do:
do Love
do Joy
do Peace
do Patience
do Kindness
do Good
do Faith
do Gentleness
do Self-Control
And do them in abundance!
4 comments:
I agree...when I "returned to church @47 yrs old after non-attendance since 14, it was to a charismatic church. What drove me out was it was very "clickish" and the leadership would pick and choose what scripture they would believe in, and if you pointed anything out (like suffering in the believer's life) they would rebuke Satan in you and say they didn't stand on that...and so as I sufferred and watched loved ones suffer I knew something wasn't right. I believed in the prodding of the Holy Spirit within me enough to know that, and that when one is suffering from terminal cancer(that yes, if God chooses He can heal) you don't surround that person screaming @ Satan, and then don't visit that person in the hospital as they die. What hypocracy! I was appalled when that person's friend contacted me. I ran from there. but I DO believe what you are saying. I think Joyce Meyers is one of the best teachers I have heard when it comes to the condition of individuals in the church. We are not to expect someone to do massive turnaround immediately because we don't know what their life was like before Jesus stepped in, and often He takes awhile changing some areas in their life, but they WILL start showing some change right away. What was disheartening to me as the Spirit filled me was the DRIVE to move! as in DO something for Him! what every leader said was read the word, go to class and you will find your ministry. Huh? Isn't that what leadership is for? Shouldn't I have been discipled? Actually 2 people did step up @ the next church I went to, but they are no longer there and their presence is greatly missed by me. I know I am not ready to disciple others, and some UMPH is missing now from my walk! Fortunately God is leading me to love others outside the church walls, and taking people out of my life that were insincere, and putting others in that are, along with those that are on the fence. And so I hunger for an united church that the New Testament speaks of, the love and wisdom and discipleship that Jesus taught. May He show up in us and show us the WAY. Love ya, Craig. Kelly Sweet
Thanks for the comment Kelly, I completely agree with you, especially the part about agreeing with me, lol! Charasmatic churches definately have their own problems to be sure and they need to be addressed as well.
On the other side, as much as I've bashed Jehovah's Witnesses (some I still feel for good reason), I had one come to my door the other day and I was really impressed with how he was trying to emphasize the true meaning and reason of Christmas. While I don't agree with all of their thoughts and beliefs, how can I fault him for trying to get that message out?
But, when you say, the "1st church of Craig", are you implying there will be a 2nd and possibly even a 3rd church of Craig? ...yikes
caleb
I guess that would depend on if I had a split, I suppose my left arm could revolt against the right b/c of his outrageous views on eschatology, He believes the Left Behind books are not true! The nerve!
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