Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry
...The adoption of Reconstructionist ideas into Pentecostal Dominionism began in the early 1970's. ... is far more irrational and much more insistent on God's direct and immediate voice to individuals. ... but the Pentecostal appear of immediately satisfy divine experiences appealed to the religious consumer... spread the ideology to the masses thru the use of religious television and the emotional music, singing and dance of their worship services.
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Well composed and thought out. I agree with many of his points.
I think the variant of Christianity that kerry refers to is better identified as 'Charismatic' as distinct from Pentecostal.
When I first became a Christian I asked a friend for guidance. She suggested I attend a large church in the Dallas area. I was quite new to the Faith and had no idea what it meant to be a Christian. So I am in this church and the preacher told everyone to pull out their wallets, hold them up towards the sky and ask God to fill them with money.
I believe God wishes well for us mere mortals but even then I did not believe that God wanted me praying over my wallet. This prosperity theology is one of the many variants of popular Christianity that are profoundly foreign to me and those with whom I have been blessed to know on my journey in these past few years.
But the process of moving from my initial introduction in that Church to where I am today has been demanding. Phillipians 2:12b-13 describes the process when it says, "
...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."
In a similar manner much of what is done in charismatic churches is basically incomprehensible to me. The methods seem to be highly emotion-based and the goal often seems to be induce frenzy. I am not certain who/what they are worshiping and this passage comes to mind ...
Matthew 7:21-23a, "
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
I have been called to know God. Here the verb to know means, direct, experiential knowledge. How is that done one asks. Psalm 46:10a directly addresses that question,
"Be still, and know that I am God
The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the god of the Bible is known, directly experienced, in stillness.
May the Grace of our Lord, Jesus the Messiah, be with you all.
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