I seem to always feel that I come to decisions in a vacuum, that no one else is going through my life problems or crises. Of course, this is not true, but on the inside looking out it often feels that way. A very alone feeling, and much of this sense of abandonment has fostered the questions I ask on this blog.
For many years I questioned the validity of some things that occur within the Pentecostal~Charismatic movement. As most of you know, I grew up firmly entrenched in the Assemblies of God. In fact, when my first daughter was dedicated to the Lord, we made reference to the fact that she was the fifth-generation of my family (and of my wife's family) to be Pentecostal. The irony in this statement now that we are now members of the United Methodist Church, that I intend to begin the process towards ordination as a deacon in the United Methodist Church, and that we had each of our three daughters baptized into the United Methodist Church does not need to be mentioned.
I am a firm believer in the modern-day manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and have seen them legitimately purveyed by many wonderful people. The problem I always had was the amount of significance that was placed on the gifts of the Spirit, particularly the gift of speaking in other tongues(a gift that I would place way down on the list of gifts that I would want to use). I used to teach a course on church music history and we would discuss issues like the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our churches, or more particularly the lack thereof. I would ask questions like "What do we do when we are at a point in our history when the Holy Spirit does not move like He used to?" "Have we gotten to a point where the founders of the Pentecostal (and charismatic) movement never thought we would be?" Of course, my answer was that we were in a place that was beyond the scope of where the early pioneers of the Pentecostal outpouring thought we would be in the 21st century. In fact, I don't think any of them thought there would be a 21st century because of Christ's imminent return.
For these and other more significant theological reasons, I decided several years ago that I would likely leave the Assemblies of God one day. It took some time and the perfect timing, but that day did eventually come. But it was one of the hardest decisions I ever made, because I felt like the Assemblies of God were the only ones who were even close to having it right theologically for so long--and you don't abandon your mother. I also knew that all of the support system I had developed for 30 years would disappear over night for all intents and purposes. You know, when you leave the Pentecostal church to go to a non-Pentecostal, mainline denomination it is nigh unto growing horns and hooves. Many of my old friends are still in occasional contact, but I get the feeling that they are grieved because God moved me in a different direction than they would have wanted. They are glad I am happy, but I have somehow missed the boat or worse, abandoned ship when they needed me the most.
And then there were the questions like: "Do you really want to raise your children in a Methodist church?" My response to one of these kind souls was something to the effect of "How Pentecostal are Assemblies of God churches these days?" "Well, I guess you're right about that, but at least there is the possibility for the Spirit to move." Indeed.
I have now been made aware of a large number of people who refer to themselves as Post-Charismatics. I wish I had known about these folks earlier. It may have made my transition, well not any less painful, but at least a little more comforting. Rob McAlpine will soon publish a book about his struggle in leaving the Vineyard fellowship and the overarching reasons why people leave charismatic fellowships. In a short article for Next Wave E-zine from March 2006 (where was I?) McAlpine says:
In some ways they are very akin to the postmodern people I meet who are open to God but indifferent or hostile to church. These self-described post-charismatics are open to the working of the Holy Spirit, but due to excesses and abuses that they have seen or experienced, they are skeptical and even wary of ministries that are charismatic. Further, there are some who have come to a place where they overtly reject – or passively neglect – the more obvious supernatural workings of the Spirit.
It would probably be more accurate to call these people “post-HYPE”. They are tired of hearing great stories about the good old days, jaded from hearing too many prophecies about the great move of God that seems to always be just around the corner, fed up with exaggerated or even fabricated stories of healings and miracles, and disillusioned with a view of spiritual formation that is lived through a weekly crisis moment at the front of the church.
Broadly speaking, there are four major areas that come up repeatedly as reasons for post-charismatics pulling away from their Pentecostal, Charismatic, or Third Wave roots. The four areas are:
1. Abuses and elitism in prophetic ministry, coupled with a “carrot and stick” approach to holiness that many find legalistic, manipulative, and repressive
2. The excesses of Word Faith teachings (health and wealth, prosperity doctrine) which clash with the emerging generations’ concern for a biblical approach to justice and ministry with the poor
3. Authoritarianism and hierarchical leadership structures that exist more to control people than to equip the saints for works of service
4. An approach to spiritual formation (discipleship) that depends on crisis events – whether at “the altar” in a church service, or in a large conference setting – but either neglects or deliberately belittles other means of spiritual maturation (ie. spiritual disciplines).
I think at some point in my life I have complained about all of these issues. Now, I do not want anyone to think that now that I have joined the United Methodist church that I think the grass is greener on this side of the fence. All churches have their problems, but at least I am not having to pretend that things are going on when they are not. I do not have to stir up passions in order to get people excited enough so that they think the Holy Spirit is moving them. I still want people to get excited about Jesus, I just do not have the baggage that comes along with trying to create the presence of the Holy Spirit (no shaking, or getting fetal in an attempt to appear super-spiritual).
I love the charismatic side of my life and am most thankful for the opportunity I had to enjoy that type of church and ministry. It has opened my eyes to so much, to think bigger about what God can do in the lives of people. But I needed some balance and I think I have found that.
And it is good to know I am not alone in this post-charismatic world after all.
3 comments:
I liked the information you put in this post. For me, I feel that your journey has validated some of my own beliefs. Coming from a family that has Pentecostal roots, I have always felt a little guilty for not embracing that particular ethos. I think I would have made a pretty good post-pentecostal. Though I wouldn't presume to know what it is really like. Thanks.
I had intended to email you about this, but as you’ve written a post about it, I’ll just respond here.
It’s funny, I too would have never considered myself a “post-charismatic”, but as I read that article, I really related to many of the ideas expressed. Though I grew up in a Baptist church, I also grew up in (for all intents and purposes) and Assemblies of God school. The first two points on the list of why people struggle was always my struggle with the AG church, and continues to be my struggle to this day with churches who are of the charismatic persuasion (though it needs to be said that not all charismatic churches subscribe to the “name it and claim it” doctrine). My greatest struggles were and continue to be as follows:
The emphases on and misuse of tongues. First is the belief that everybody should have this gift though Paul seems to make it very clear that not everybody will. Paul also seems to make it clear that it is the least of all the gifts, that it should not be used in public without an interpreter around, and that it should never be used in front of lost people.
The manifestation of gifts that I often wasn’t convinced were real. Tongues is an easy one to point out as many of my friends simply repeated the same phrases over and over again. Phrases that I too could repeat and phrases that, no doubt, had I repeated, would have convinced those friends that I too had finally received the gift. There just doesn’t seem to be anything spirit led about that to me. Spiritual gifts shouldn’t be able to be taught by humans, should they? Having said that, I do have friends today who truly do seem to manifest this gift, but who also use it within the scriptural bounds given in 1 Corinthians. Another one was prophecy. In addition to all of the televangelist scandals surrounding tip offs through ear pieces, I simply saw one too many prophecies go wrong. One in particular was when I was standing in a worship service with a pregnant friend (a friend whom you also know). As we were standing there, a woman suddenly came up to us and prophesied that my friend would be having a boy. She had a girl.
I will say, however, that I felt just as strongly about my own church’s stance on gifts. In response against the AG church’s expression of spiritual gifts, I heard every manner of excuse, including the idea that those gifts were only needed before the New Testament was actually written down. Now that we have it in written form, those gifts are no longer needed and, therefore, no longer exist. Preposterous. And I knew it was preposterous at the time too. Thankfully I now have many friends who do not come from the charismatic persuasion, but who have some of the more controversial gifts, including prophecy. I have seen, through them, that the Holy Spirit still very much moves in this way.
As with everything, balance and accountability is needed. I am only now beginning to truly understand and embrace my own spiritual gifts. I intend to do everything possible to see that my own child grows up with a better understanding and embrace of the Holy Spirit and the gifts that the Spirit provides. Not sure what I’ll do if she gets tongues. : )
p.s. I'm coming home for Christmas. Any chance that you'll be making a trip to OK in December?
Tim, thanks for your comments. I really do enjoy hearing your insights into some of these things. It is funny, but before becoming reacquainted with you last year, many of these issues/concerns from my life in Oklahoma were lost to my memory. I think I really have to blame Amiee H. for that, but it has been good.
As for being home in Oklahoma at Christmas it is likely that I will get to the Sooner state for a brief shining moment. I usually meet a friend from Norman who now lives in California at the Interurban restaurant in Ardmore (it is half way between Norman and Denton, TX where my parents live). I would be glad to get together and congratulations to you and Jamie for 13 years of marriage!
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