Last Saturday, I was the Emcee at the North Central Texas House mystical teachings of jesus Conference in Dallas, Texas. A very interesting thing happened that, frankly, whether one is involved in a House Church or a traditional congregation, sooner or later, might need to be addressed.
Apparently, a few attendees were bothered by what one man referred to as the “charismatic flavor” of the conference when, after his message, the keynote speaker spoke in tongues and invited people to come forward who might need prayer. The comment I received by email was: “I was especially upset at the charismatic flavor at the very end of the conference. I simply do not see the kind of prophecy and speaking in tongues that was manifested by several people at the end [in the New Testament House Churches]. I felt like I was on the set of TBN [he was referring to the Trinity Broadcasting Network]. I would not say God didn’t use it… I’m just saying I don’t see this kind of practice in the N.T.”
Another attendee wrote and said: “If this is to be a “charismatic movement” conference, it should be advertised as such…”
For starters, the Pentecostal “movement” is the fastest growing brand of Christianity going these days, crossing all denominational lines and coming to a church near you. So-called “charismatic services” have even made their way even into Catholic churches.
A Nazarene preacher told me that he was struggling with teaching on the spiritual gifts because, even though his denomination taught AGAINST speaking in tongues, he wasn’t so convinced.
When I was the Assistant Pastor at a Baptist college church, more and more of the students began moving in the gifts of the Spirit as He manifested Himself through them. One young man informed me that his mom said he wasn’t a very good Baptist anymore. Another fellow asked what was happening to all his friends as they were speaking in tongues, receiving visions and dreams and words of knowledge and prophesying, etc. He was especially impressed with the attitude of boldness that some of his classmates were expressing. His comment to me was, “I don’t understand it. I’ve been in church all my life and I haven’t changed!”
I attended a Baptist service in Fort Worth where the Pastor spoke in tongues and a Korean and an Italian woman EACH heard him say something different in their own language that edified the congregation. This was THAT spoken of by the prophet Joel (Acts 2;16-18):
