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Why are so few Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian leaders asking questions? Nothing in the Bible supports suppression of the truth as a means of maintaining unity, preserving image or growing the church.
I was recently asked for my take on the controversy surrounding Francis Chan speaking at what some call “questionable events.” Why is emotional worship, nights of prayer, and pressing into God viewed as fanatical when these things are actually biblical?
Of all the theological squabbles that have plagued evangelical Christianity over the years, especially in the West, a particularly profound division centers on the power of the Holy Spirit and the manner in which He is at work today.
There are countless other examples as well. The New Testament first introduced this outpouring on the lives of believers (sometimes at conversion). Take the time this week to read the books of Acts.
On October 24th, I began to write a new book entitled Authentic Fire: A Response to John MacArthur's Strange Fire. By God's grace, three weeks (and more than 400 pages) later, with contributions from Craig Keener and Sam Storms and others, the book was completed and is now available as an e-book.
Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, which claims over 66 million Pentecostals worldwide, acknowledged in a letter addressing Pastor John MacArthur's Strange Fire conference that "there have been isolated aberrations of behavior and doctrine over the past century among those who self-identify as Pentecostal or charismatic." Wood insisted, however, that "the movement as a whole has proved a vital force in world evangelization."
John MacArthur and his Strange Fire conference bring to mind the bombing runs by World War 2 flyers on bridges their enemies might have used strategically. MacArthur seems equally passionate about no bridges between cessationists and continuationists, traditionalists and charismatics.
