What is a "charismatic" church?

I think a charismatic church is much of what you described, sign gifts, tongues, etc. Since the word charismatic comes from the greek word, and I'll probably butcher the spelling, charismata, meaning gift(?) And I'm sure someone will come along with something much better to say about it.
But simply contemporary music does not make a charismatic church.

 

Exactly! Donna has it right. Your family member has no idea what he or she is talking about. Sadly it's a word that's thrown around whenever someone doesn't like hand raising or a different style of music.

 

1. If your pastor slaps somebody upside the head and shouts "Heal!," then your church could be charismatic.

2. If people in your church sometimes speak in a language other than English, you could be charismatic.

3. If somebody interrupts the worship service, saying "I've just had a word from the Lord," or "The Holy Spirit just told me blah blah blah," your church could be charismatic.

If your worship leader prefers 7-11 songs, raised hands, clapping hands, dancing feet, but practices neither 1, 2 or 3, your church is probably not charismatic, but is reflecting its yuppie majority.

 

The focus of a charismatic service is feeling—the more ecstatic the experience the better.

That's the focus of CCM, as well, a worship "experience." A feelin'.

 

Just on the music part. When I was young and in high school, college, seminary, most Baptist churches didn't allow southern gospel quartets in to sing or use their music. Most of those people came from charismatic churches so much of the style and/or doctrine didn't agree with the local baptist church. Most of the baptist churches till the 80's are so looked at worship as face down on the floor, praying and crying, not jumping around and yelling. So much of this came from the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words for worship. If one agrees are not, that is where that attitude comes from.

 

We know Aaron. You are a robot. So any show of emotion is charasmatic. I really do feel sorry for you. Maybe one day God will grant to you the ability to know know, happiness, and the ability to actually smile during a worship service. You might even shout "amen!" It won't be about feeling but about being. You won't be able to help yourself. And, when you do I hope some pharisee kill joy won't call you a charasmatic.

 

Those churches where people shout, speak in tongues, slap people and say, "Heal!", etc, are the charismatics. However, these types also raise their hands a lot and use nontraditional Christian music. Thus the moniker "Charismatic" is often given to those churches where you have CCM and hand raising because these practices tend to imitate the real charismatics.

 

Hi, jack.

 

I don't have a problem with the term "charismatic". To me, it only means that the church believes in the continuation of all the gifts. In that sense, I would consider myself a charismatic. Also, I have no problem with a very lively worship service as long as it is orderly and not chaotic. When we get together on Sunday mornings, there should be terrific joy, and I believe an emotional response is appropriate when we think of what Christ has done for us. Now, the word "charismatic" does carry with it all other sorts of baggage that I would not associate myself with.

 

worshipping God is emotional, when you worship Him because of who He is, what He's done, His glory, how can it not be emotional, unless one numbs their emotions, and feels nothing for anyone.

 

When the truth of God is properly proclaimed, and the Holy Spirit moves, of course emotions may be quite strong. Of course, it IS possible to have a strong encounter with God without ANYTHING showing to others.

I think what many who use the term "charismatic style service" are referring to is not the music style so much, but the way the order of service, the music, and the prayers are used.

I am a former church keyboard player (not that great, by the way.) And there ARE churches where the music minister flat out tells you "we will do this song, then that, then this and do them this tempo and way because at this certain point we want people weeping." Ditto for we want them "on their feet ready to take on Satan before the vote on the new building." When a worship leader tells you "this week let's just let Jesus romance them and we will get lots of decisions" he needs to be fired.

In short, it is manipulative.

I've been in churches where the music was all contemporary, but the block format was not used to "build a mood", and would not call that "charismatic style" in spite of raised hands, weeping people, a few shouts of "praise God", etc.

And I have been in services that used the old hymns to "build a mood" or get a certain emotional response that I certainly consider "charismatic style."

When emotion is the result of proclaiming the truth coupled with the action of the Holy Spirit, it is certainly appropriate in church.

But we MUST use our discerners! When someone is deliberately setting out to get a certain emotional response from the worshippers, that person is usurping the role of the Holy Spirit, and I believe it is just plain wrong.

Unfortunately, today, it is also very common. I don't blame the leaders entirely, however. They have to have followers who leave for church EXPECTING AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE rather than expecting to hear the gospel, or to hear the truth proclaimed, or even to allow God to move in their lives in the way GOD chooses that day. That might be an emotional experience, a learning time, a time for serving rather than receiving, etc.

But when we figure it MUST be an emotional experience, again, we short circuit the work of the Holy Spirit.

 

I've told this story before, so I hope those who remember it don't roll their eyes and say, "here he goes again."

I went to a charismatic service with a friend. Things were quiet, a light buzz as people greeted each other and conversed. Suddenly the drums started, the worship leader began clapping his hands, the signal for everybody to join in clapping. Then the music kicked in, the drumbeat intensified and so did his clapping. Apparently not intensely enough on the part of the congregation, for the worship leader shouted, "C'mon, c'mon, we've got to get in the spirit."

I think that's what you're taking about, nodak.

 

This si true, and I'm not one to show a lot of emotions in public, but would never talk down about those who do, as some here would.
Charismatic is more then music style. The local charicmatic churches wouldn't dream of using compemporary music, or praise songs, all their songs come froma hyminal or are current popular songs on the country/bluegrass charismatic station. But never contemporary.

here you'll find soemthing almost exactly only with hymn books as the music source, not contemporaty.
means to me charismatic worship is far more then music, music style in no way defines a chrismatic worship service.

 

CCM has been a hotly contested topic even in Baptist circles.
Hand-waving has often been associated typically with Charismatic circles. Sometimes we have visitors in our church and when they start waving their hands during the song service one can almost guarantee that they have had a Charismatic background.

Someone that has grown up as a Baptist in conservative circles could easily associate these things with the Charismatic movement.

No you are not wrong on that. That is what the Charismatic movement is all about, especially the emphasis on "speaking in tongues" and "healing the sick."

 

The charasmatic movement has a hyper view on what you can get from God. Blessings this and blessing that. It turns worship into a focus on what man can get rather than worship of God.

 

That sounds like more of an accurate definition on the prosperity gospel movement. Many PG churches are charismatic, but not exclusively.

 

A charismatic church is one that believes in the continuation and practice of the sign gifts -- i.e., speaking in tongues, prophesying (as in receiving visions or revelation from God about the future), and the gift of healing (which differs from believeing that God heals).

The singing style, waving of hands, etc. may be common in charismatic churches, but that is not what makes them charismatic. It has to do with theology and practice.

 

That really sums it up, good post.

 

thank you, what I was attempting to say