CHARISMATIC
MOVEMENT-GENERAL
Churches,
mission agencies, schools and other Christian organizations that have tried to
maintain unity by not confronting Charismatic influence and thus allowing it to
come in and never be dealt with ultimately will all have to sacrifice their
non-Charismatic position or split the organization. It does not bring unity, it brings the exact
opposite because inevitably, you have the haves, the Charismatics who feel
they've reached a higher level, and the have-nots and you have pitted two
theologies against each other. One gives
in or it splits.
Does Experience Determine Truth? Sermon.
The Holy
Spirit never intended to occupy the center stage in the life of the
church. Yes, He is the dynamic behind
every Christian life. That is His role;
that is His ministry (cf. Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:18). However, when He is thrust into the limelight
by man, such is not in accord with the will of God as revealed in Scripture. Our Lord Jesus Christ is to have the
preeminence in all things (cf. Col. 1:13-18).
The Spirit’s ministry focuses upon revealing the Lord Jesus Christ and
in exalting Jesus before all (cf. John 15:26; 16:13-15)… When
people talk more about the Spirit than the Lord Jesus Christ, such an
orientation points to error in the church.
Charismatic Challenge by John Napier, Providence House Publishers, 2003, p. 136. Used by permission. All rights reserved.