What is it Charismatics believe?

Outward "gifts of the Spirit" are a hallmark of their belief - elevated above many things. It is, they believe, "evidence" of the Holy Spirit's indwelling - and without this evidence, you're probably not saved, according to them. The prevalent use (abuse - in my opinion) of tongues and being "slain-in-the-Spirit," as well as many other kinds of babbling are commonplace at their services. Funny thing is they can turn it on at the right time in the service and turn it right back off when it's time to quiet down. If you bring up the idea that there was no interpretation, they simply reply that they were talking in the language of the "heavenlies."

 

I heard one famous TBN evangelist say "shaka zulu" while "speaking in tongues. I worked with singers for a good share of my life, so I have a pretty good ear for inflections. The same "language" and limited sound choices are repeated over and over by the tongue talkers. Did God give us this extended language to speak in the natural, and then gave a very limited "language" for what many Charismatics and Pentecostals refer to as the "tongues of angels"?

 

Just to mention. Not all charismatics are involved in un-sound practice. I used to attend a charismatic church and they taught that the main evidence of the spirit is love, and being an effective witness. They also never permitted a person to start talking in *tongues* during a service, as they said that it doesn't make sense that the Holy spirit would interupt himself. The church's main pastor is Chuck Smith who has been linked with John Macarthur and C swindoll many times. They have documented that they appreciate the soundness from his ministry. I think we need to be carefull not to tar all charismatics with the same brush, and altho I don't go along with certain teachings, such as their view on spiritual gifts, I do appreciate them for their sound instruction in 99% of the teaching that I do agree with.

Thanks.

 

Many Baptists believe that raising one's hands during worship, closing your eyes and focusing on the Lord, and becoming emotional (crying out to GOd) is a sign of charismaticism (is that a word). It's not. I guess they think you have to stare blankly ahead at the music pastor and mouth the words for it not to be. Anyhoo, it's not. One would have to carefully define Charismatic before we can define what "they" believe.

 

In the dictionary the word charismatic means (possessing an extraordinary ability to attract; "a charismatic leader"; "a magnetic personality" )
Or the websters dictionary defines it ( \Char`is*mat"ic\, a.
Of or pertaining to a charism.)
People have automatically grouped all third wavers together and pigeon holed them into pretty much the same belief system. "A charismatic is someone who is too into emotionalism and unscriptual practice, someone who falls over or laughs or "Barks" uncontrolabley." This isn't a joke, I even heard of a case where a certain church were Passing wind in the spirit. Where does it all stop? I think there is a big difference between charisma and charismania. We need to realise that not all people who lift their hands, or pray in "tongues" (whether its the true gift or not) , should be seen as together under the same contingent.
Thanks

 

They believe the Bible is the Word of God. In their practice they look to the scriptures, such as the book of Acts and see the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit. They see Paul's writings in 1 Cor. 12,13,14 as normative for the church today.
They do not agree with the cessationism, which says that the Holy Spirit stopped using the supernatural gifts at the end of the first century. They do not accept man's interpretation of the Bible that limits the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to the first century.

In their practice, they have valid and mature believers, just like other denominations. They also have the young and immature who act immature, just like other denominations.

If you take an unbiased view of where Christianity is growing in the world, it is growing incredibly in South America, Africa, and Asia. While the cessationist denominations in the USA debate about whether the gifts are for today, the church in the much of the rest of the world looks very much like the charismatics that the cessationist denominations so like to deride.

Charismatic is becoming a word like any other derogatory term used to demean a group that somebody doesn't like. It means whatever you want it to mean.

 

One further point:
Charismatics by and large accept the Bible as the Word of God, and accept the same doctrines as most Baptists.

They also believe that the Holy Spirit works in the same way today as in the first century.

This is what causes the division.

 

I can do one better. When I was in grade school, I remember going with my family to sing at a church, and this lady got up and started saying, "Mecca lecca high, mecca hiney ho".

This should make sense to those of you who remember Jambie from Pee Wee's Playhouse.

 

Yea, and I'm sure there are people in the south who remember going to a Baptist church and seeing snakes handled as part of the worship service.

Let's not make a claim that all charismatics are as the clowns on TBN portray them to be.

 

I'm interested in knowing what Baptist sect does this.

As for labeling all Charismatics, no one has. I've some good friends that go to charismatic churches. Some hold to the scriptures well. It comes down to a matter of taste, for the most part.

But when it's foolishness that abounds, it's foolishness, regardless, and this wasn't on TBN.

 

You could read Charismatic Chaos by John MacArthur, he talks about the many different types of doctrine and many of the various factions of pentecostal and charismatic churches, but still probably doesn't get all the varieties strait.

They are about as diverse if not more than Baptists. Some would be very close doctrinally to the Baptist Distincitves, with different interpretation of a few points.

Historically it would be primarily the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit that would cause a division, and not much else. Many believe in a separation of the events of Salvation and Spirit Baptism, that would be the primary difference from a Soteriological standpoint. Sometimes also called a second work of Grace, etc. You aren't really saved until the evidence of Spirit Filling is seen, Tongues or some other outward manifestation.

 

Thats kind of funny, we have a deacon I email with a lot and he swears anyone doing any of that is pentacostal. He grew up in a small country church, and his sife in a pentacostal church, so they see everything not just sitting there as being charismatic.

 

So, they don't stand on the promises of God - they just sit on them?

 

yer killin' me, tc =)

 

John MacArthur explains how there were the Pentecostals that came at the beginning of the 20th Century, and then the Charismatics in the 1960's, and finally in the 80's came the Third Wave. Here is a description of their similarities and their differences:

Charismatic Chaos

Hope that helps.
DHK

 

I can do one better. When I was in grade school, I remember going with my family to sing at a church, and this lady got up and started saying, "Mecca lecca high, mecca hiney ho".

This should make sense to those of you who remember Jambie from Pee Wee's Playhouse. </font>[/QUOTE]Oh yes, I remember. Sorry, but I was laughing pretty hard when reading about Jambie.

 

If it helps, the modern Baptist Churches that are into the Charasmatic movement, the Pentecostal Freewill Baptists and the Full Gospel Baptists are often labelled as "Bapticostal".