In a spiritual world of quick fixes and vague emotion, is it crazy to believe there is still a place for insights based on simple, basic, theological understanding. I believe it is worth exploring.
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Monday, September 28, 2015
A Touch of Humor - Difference of Opinion
Can one person's crazy be another person's enthusiastic? What are the limits, if any?
I have been around Pentecostalism and Charismania for 40 years now. In hindsight I think that those movements both suffered/suffer from generalizing on crazy. For example, for me to experience the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues does not mean, in no way, that this gift is meant for everyone. Yet folks are adamantly crazy when they say that it is.
I have walked back and forth in the middle ground between the two groups for about the same period of time and have seen extremes on both sides. Including people who seem to feel any enthusiasm is crazy. But I agree it is a mistake to say everyone must have every gift.
On the flipside, I do remember worship services with "crazy" people who danced in church and gave prophetic words.THere was a sense that God was present. Ruined me for other forms of sane unenthusiastic worship.
I have found I can meet God in many different types of worship settings. Whether there are lots of people dancing and shouting hallelujah. Or even ones where people sang old hymns with their arms at their side and feet flat on the floor or read a liturgy. I remember meeting God praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (a place which from my protestant sensibilities seemed kind of kitschy). I seem to be unusual to be able to do this. But I wonder if what is involved is often more a difference in personality and experience than a difference in principle.
I have had such personal experiences too. These seem to be irrelevant of where I am or who I am with. Yet (for me anyways) there is a difference in corporate worship - when the worship emanates from those in the proverbial instead of those leading the singing. Not sure that I can really describe it, but there is a feeling of oneness and community of spirit that does something that my personal and individual time with God cannot.
I agree there is something special about corporate worship and most of the experiences I mentioned involved that. The one exception, the one in Jerusalem, I still did not feel I was quite alone, but united with Christians down through the ages. I agree it is possible to experience the presence of God in any circumstances. But I did feel in the cases mentioned there was a corporate feeling that went beyond that.
I have been around Pentecostalism and Charismania for 40 years now. In hindsight I think that those movements both suffered/suffer from generalizing on crazy. For example, for me to experience the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues does not mean, in no way, that this gift is meant for everyone. Yet folks are adamantly crazy when they say that it is.
ReplyDeleteI have walked back and forth in the middle ground between the two groups for about the same period of time and have seen extremes on both sides. Including people who seem to feel any enthusiasm is crazy. But I agree it is a mistake to say everyone must have every gift.
DeleteOn the flipside, I do remember worship services with "crazy" people who danced in church and gave prophetic words.THere was a sense that God was present. Ruined me for other forms of sane unenthusiastic worship.
ReplyDeleteI have found I can meet God in many different types of worship settings. Whether there are lots of people dancing and shouting hallelujah. Or even ones where people sang old hymns with their arms at their side and feet flat on the floor or read a liturgy. I remember meeting God praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (a place which from my protestant sensibilities seemed kind of kitschy). I seem to be unusual to be able to do this. But I wonder if what is involved is often more a difference in personality and experience than a difference in principle.
DeleteI have had such personal experiences too. These seem to be irrelevant of where I am or who I am with. Yet (for me anyways) there is a difference in corporate worship - when the worship emanates from those in the proverbial instead of those leading the singing. Not sure that I can really describe it, but there is a feeling of oneness and community of spirit that does something that my personal and individual time with God cannot.
DeleteMake that "proverbial pews".
DeleteI agree there is something special about corporate worship and most of the experiences I mentioned involved that. The one exception, the one in Jerusalem, I still did not feel I was quite alone, but united with Christians down through the ages. I agree it is possible to experience the presence of God in any circumstances. But I did feel in the cases mentioned there was a corporate feeling that went beyond that.
Delete