KNOW YOUR CHURCH HISTORY (23) The Contemporary Church (1914-present) – The Charismatic Movement A. Introduction 1. The Contemporary Church is the period of church history from the start of the Great War in 1914 through to the present day. A period of church decline (in the West) and suffering, yet a time of great growth with the church going global. It is also a period marked by the emergence and growth of four movements: i) The Ecumenical Movement; ii) The Charismatic Movement; iii) The Evangelical Movement; and iv) the New Calvinist Movement. The focus of the Ecumenical Movement is unity, as Christians of different denominations and traditions seek to overcome those divisions that have separated them historically. The unity which the Ecumenical Movement has pursued is a unity at all costs rather than one based on a shared truth with a clear doctrinal statement of core evangelical beliefs to define and delimit membership. The result of this is that the Ecumenical Movement has undermined the message of good news for sinners, failed to build believers up in the truth, and has robbed God of His glory by misrepresenting Him and His Word. 2. Another movement which has emerged and grown is the Charismatic Movement which had a renewed focus on the work of the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Trinity. This is a significant movement. In loose terms, 1 in 4 Christians (approx. 500 million) worldwide are ‘Charismatic’. A large number of evangelicals would call themselves ‘Pentecostal’ or ‘Charismatic’. It is the fastest growing sector of Christendom. This is a split movement. C. Peter Wagner has classified the movement according to “three waves of the Spirit”, into Pentecostalism, Charismaticism, and Neo-Charismaticism. Pentecostals believe in the second blessing or baptism of the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion which is marked by speaking in tongues. Charismatics have embraced Pentecostal teaching, practice, and worship but remained within their denomination or Christian tradition (e.g. Charismatic Anglicans, Charismatic Baptists, Charismatic Roman Catholics). Neo-Charismaticis practice the gifts of the Spirit, but do not necessarily believe in a baptism of the Holy Spirit following conversion nor speaking in tongues as evidence of this. Where have these three groups come from? 3. A brief overview of the ‘Three Waves of the Spirit’. First Wave: Pentecostalism. Pentecostalism came out of the Azusa Street Revival in 1906 led by William J. Seymour. He was convinced of the need for a baptism of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues. The leaders of the Pentecostal movement were convinced that speaking in tongues along with the return of other apostolic-era gifts (healing, prophecy) was proof that the return of Jesus was imminent. In the early days of Pentecostalism, it was thought that the tongues spoken were foreign languages given for missionary work. But this turned out not to be the case, so in time, a theology was developed which changed the languages spoken from being human to angelic or prayer. By 1909, the Azuza Street revival was in decline, but Pentecostalism survived and would continue to thrive. At the time most denominations did not welcome Pentecostal theology into their churches so new Pentecostal denominations were formed. Though Pentecostals do emphasise the second blessing or baptism of the Holy Spirit, they are also known for powerfully preaching salvation, Jesus Christ, the cross and His blood, and calling people to faith. Sadly, some have rejected the doctrine of the Trinity, opting for Oneness theology which believes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different ways the one God manifests Himself. Second Wave: Charismaticism. In the 1960s and 70s, Pentecostal theology, practice and worship spilled over into the traditional denominations including the Roman Catholic Church. This ‘second wave of the Spirit’ began with an Episcopalian minister, Dennis Bennet, announcing to his congregation in Van Nuys, California, that he had been filled with the Holy Spirit and spoken in tongues. Pentecostal beliefs would be adopted by many churches within denominations. In the UK, notable Anglican churches such as St Michael-le-Belfrey in York under the leadership of David Watson, and St Andrew’s Chorleywood became Charismatic churches. As well as denominational churches becoming Charismatic, out of independent evangelicalism came the ‘New Church Movement’ which included Charismatic groupings such as New Frontiers International led by Terry Virgo, New Covenant Ministries International, Ichthus Fellowship led by Roger and Faith Forster which was supported by the song writing of Graham Kendrick, and Pioneer led by Gerald Coates. Third Wave: Neo-Charismaticism. In the 1980s a ‘third wave of the Spirit’ took place with the Vineyard Movement led by John Wimber, which had a renewed (neo-) emphasis on signs and wonders using terminology like ‘power healing’ and ‘power evangelism’. John Wimber, along with a group he had deeply been affected by called the Kansas City Prophets, would have an influence on the British charismatics, receiving backing from Gerald Coastes, Roger Forster, Terry Virgo, and someone who had not been involved in the movement before, Sandy Millar, vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB). On 20 January 1994, at Toronto Airport Vineyard Church, dramatic physical phenomena were experienced at a family night there. This church had been seeking a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, and this appeared to happen with the visit of Randy Clark, a pastor from St Louis, who had been influenced by Rodney-Howard-Browne and others in the Word Faith Movement. The significance of what happened at the family night at this church, was that visitors would come to investigate from all over the world, including representative from the UK (famously Nicky Gumbel from HTB), who after they returned saw Toronto style manifestations in their churches. Two thousand churches in the UK would embrace it, spurred on by the Alpha Course out of HTB, an introduction to Christianity with a charismatic emphasis. Other renewal like Toronto have happened since, most famously the Brownsville Revival at Pensacola in 1995 and the Lakewood Revival in 2008 in Florida. As well as this renewed emphasis on signs and wonders that came with the ‘third wave of the Spirit’ there are two other aspect to note. First was the emergence of the Word Faith Movement (health and wealth prosperity preachers), and the New Apostolic Reformation (which advocates the restoration to the church of the offices of apostles and prophets). 4. The situation today. New Frontiers International and Sovereign Grace Ministries represent the best of the Charismatic movement, with their mix of Reformed theology and charismatic belief. But Reformed Charismatics or Evangelical Continuationists are not the mainstream. Many evangelical churches both inside and outside of the main denominations in the UK would be charismatic in either worship or practice. Lots of them will be involved in the Ecumenical Movement too. Holy Trinity Brompton still has considerable influence on the UK church scene through Alpha and in recent years, a growing network of churches all over the country. A number of FIEC churches would be charismatic in belief but not practice (‘open but cautious’). There are some that have fully embraced the use of tongues, prophecy and healing in church life. Our Doctrinal Statement allows for a range of views on this issue. Assemblies of God, whose origins are in the ‘first wave’ is the largest Pentecostal denomination comprising of about 70 of 279 million Pentecostals. Two of the most notable churches in this grouping were Bethel Church and Hillsong until they parted ways to become its own denomination. There are 160 million Charismatic Roman Catholics in the world. Worryingly, the majority of Charismatics worldwide will be found within the Word Faith Movement. B. Why is the Charismatic Movement attractive? 1. The preaching is clear. It connects well with both educated and uneducated people. It is often entertaining with a gifted communicator. 2. The worship is active. People are encouraged to participate in the services – raising and waving hands or flags; speaking in tongues; giving a prophecy; dancing in the aisles; being ‘slain in the Spirit’. 3. The presence of God is felt. There is observable evidence that the Holy Spirit is really present as people speak in tongues, prophecy, and are healed. 4. The services are culturally relevant. The music is contemporary. The promise of health and wealth appeals to people’s basic desires. 5. The churches believe they are being Biblical. They would say that they have returned the church to what it was like in the early church days where the miraculous gifts were normative. C. Why is the Charismatic Movement concerning? 1. Its theology. Does Scripture teach that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are just names for the different roles of God (modalism) as Oneness Pentecostalism teaches? Does Scripture teach a second blessing or baptism of the Spirit after conversion, which is evidenced by speaking in tongues? Does Scripture teach us that tongues, healings, prophecy and other signs and wonders seen during the time of the apostles is to be normative for the church in all generations? Does Scripture teach us to expect the church today to have apostles and prophets? Does Scripture teach that the conditional promises of the Old Testament (prosperity) are unconditional to the church? 2. Its practice. Does Scripture permit the use of new forms (such as visual art, dance, drama, mime) in corporate worship? Does their practice of tongues follow the instructions given in Scripture? 3. Its claims. Many prophecies given are trivial. Many healings are a sham. "Why do people who claim to have the gift of healing not go to hospitals where sick people are found?" Why don’t we hear of more people being raised from the dead? 4.