Welcome to Summit Theological Seminary
"Teaching God's Word to God's World"
2766 Airport Road, Peru, Indiana 46970, (765) 472-4111
The Pentecostals Were Right All Along!
George
L. Faull
Today
when one looks at a so-called church service in the Independent Christian
Church or Instrumental Churches of Christ, one must admit that these churches
have decided that the Pentecostals were right all along. Those old “Holy Roller” churches that used
to be hidden on back streets on the other side of the tracks have evolved to be
the finest biggest buildings on the growing side of the edge of town.
Today they are called by myriad of names other than
Pentecostals. Pentecostals have evolved
into Charismatics.
The heirs of the Restoration Movement have copied
the old Pentecostal style of public worship.
Their sound, actions, music and speech are indistinguishable from the
charismatic. By their assemblies you
can see they have decided the Pentecostals were right all along. Let me list some ways that the Pentecostals
were right all along:
1.
THEY PRAY TO JESUS INSTEAD
OF THE FATHER THROUGH JESUS’ NAME.
Their prayers are sprinkled
and often begin with, “Dear Jesus, do this or that” instead of giving thanks to
the Father. Through Him it is “Thank
you Jesus.” Never mind Jesus told us in
the model prayer to say, “Our Father, which art in Heaven,” we hear, “Dear
Jesus.”
Never mind that Jesus told
us, “In that day you shall ask
in my name” and again, “in
that day you shall ask me nothing.
Verily, verily, I say unto you whatsoever you shall ask my Father in my
name, He will give it you.” This
praying to Jesus has been copied subconsciously from listening to the prayers
and music of the Pentecostals and Charismatics.
2.
THEY PRAY TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
One occasionally hears, “Oh
Holy Spirit, help me or forgive me” rather than praying through the One
Mediator, Himself man, Jesus Christ.
3.
CLAPPING HANDS HAS BEEN
COPIED IN MANY CHURCHES.
Give the Lord a clap
offering. This is strange to our ears
and is copied from Charismatic worship leaders.
4.
GIVE THE LORD A SHOUT OF
PRAISE.
This boisterous crowd
manipulation was not heard in our Churches until someone imitated the
Charismatic Church.
5.
DANCE BEFORE THE LORD.
Now our Churches are
featuring women in interpretive dancing in long, flowing robes prancing across
the stage, waving their arms and gracefully symbolizing some emotion they are
expressing.
6.
THE RAISING OF HANDS IS
IMITATED.
In the Pentecostal churches
they lifted hands to symbolize they were ready to receive God’s revelation but
in the Restoration Churches it is supposed to just glorify the Lord. It is quoted, “that men pray everywhere
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” They ignore that he is addressing only men, not women (aner not antropos) and that it is to be done everywhere not just in the
assembly. They ignore the expression
"“lifting up holy hands” is a euphemism for sincere and Holiness when we
pray.
The Jews often prayed
lifting up their hands and there is nothing inherently wrong with it, but it
must be admitted it is a learned trait from the Pentecostals, not an imitation
of the Jews’ religion.
7.
THE PRAISE TEAMS ONE SEES
TODAY IS COPIED FROM THE CHARISMATIC AND VINEYARD CHURCHES.
Again, this is not wrong in
itself, anymore than clapping and raising hands and shouting, but one needs to
realize the influence the Pentecostals and Charismatic’s have had on us.
8.
THE MUSIC BANDS AND SOUNDS
OF LOUD MUSIC HAVE ALSO COME VIA THE PENTECOSTALS AND CHARISMATIC CHURCHES.
I speak not of instruments
of music in worship, for they predate the Pentecostals and Charismatic
churches. I speak of the boisterous,
loud, rock and roll singing and swaying, with hip revolving type music. I speak of its praise teams; men and women
making movement during praise that makes you feel like you were in a disco. One cannot deny that we have copied those
churches that brought their music form from the world into the Churches. This was not the Restoration Church copying
the world. It was the Restoration
Churches copying the Vineyard and Pentecostal music styles.
9.
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES.
Women leaders and speakers
were only seen among us by occasional brazen women the Elders of the Churches
could not control.
Now they are featured song
leaders, speakers, and headed for the pulpit.
They are asked to preach at our conventions. The Pentecostals and Charismatics have led the Church into female
dominated churches contrary to the Scriptures.
They have feminized the Church.
10.
“TESTIFYING” IS ANOTHER
DIRECT INFLUENCE THAT HAS COME INTO OUR CHURCHES.
Both men and women are
allowed to get up and testify of something God has done in their life that may
or may not be true. God is often given
credit for a false gift, a lousy healing or even something that has not taken
place. “The Lord told me” or “The Lord
said to me” is often heard when the Lord has not spoken or the testimony flatly
contradicts the Word.
Lies, false doctrine and
claims are made and go unchecked by the leaders because they do not want to
correct the person publicly and so the lie remains for the Church and visitor
to take home with them.
11.
THE IDEA THAT SPIRITUAL
GIFTS REMAIN.
One of the most dangerous
concepts the Charismatics have brought to us is the Spiritual gifts or
continued revelation continues to exist today in the church. Tongues, their interpretation, prophecy,
word of knowledge, word of wisdom, though not often heard in our services are
allowed to be claimed by our members therefore subjecting the Church to those
who still claim revelation from God. We
are left at the mercy of those claiming dreams and visions from God and “The
Lord said to me” teachings.
12.
FOLLOWING THE EMOTIONS IS
PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THE CHARISMATIC AND PENTECOSTALS HAVE BEQUEATHED
US.
The Word of God does not
count. Emotions reign supreme. “God has spoken to my heart” or “The Lord
has led me to do this or that!” can start an anti-scriptural practice and stop
a scriptural one.
Emotions, subjectivism, and
“You can not deny my experience” rules the day. Truth against a feeling seldom has a chance when one buys into
the “God is still revealing mentality.”
Now some of these things are not wrong in them
selves. However, to deny the Lord’s
Church has been infested with Pentecostal and Charismatic faith, practice, and
vocabulary ought to alarm anyone with common sense. Will our Churches reject truth out of admiration for the growth,
excitement, and success of the Charismatic churches?
Denominationalism has also been swayed by them. The alleged gifts and excitement has created
Promise Keepers and other such gatherings that cement believers into one unholy
union of denominations that believe nothing and fall for everything. These movements have shut our mouths against
false preaching and practices that cause division. These innovators are invited to speak at our Colleges and
Conventions.
That the gifts, excitement and praise of the
Charismatic in all sects is the glue that holds the Evangelicals world together
cannot be successfully denied. “I’m
okay, you’re okay” is advocated because they all have the same gifts, music,
styles of worship, idol leaders and musicians.
This makes us one. I cannot deny
you because you can do what I can do.
Brethren, this is not the unity of the Spirit of
God. This is more like the unity of
Babel where men use slime for mortar.
I admonish you to take heed to your collective
worship. Holy Scripture exhorts us to
let everything be done to edifying, to exhorting, to comforting the
Church. We are to impart knowledge and
our understanding is to be fruitful. We
are told to pray and sing with the Spirit and understanding. Our Amens are to be given only to what we
understand. People are to leave
repentant knowing God was there. Every
single thing is to be done for edifying man and glorifying God and is to be
done decently in order. (Read I Corinthians 14)
Take heed that the blind do not lead the blind, lest we all fall into the ditch.