Non-Christians: What's your impression of Pentecostalism?

[Kenny]

What is your overall impression of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement?

I think, overall, it has been a positive movement. It is the one supernatural event that has done more to break down the walls that use to separate churches than any other thing.

It also created a world-wide resurgence of faith.

How well do you feel you understand the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement?

Very well. IMO

Do you feel the overall impact of Pentecostal/Charismatic ministries such as those by Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar,Oral Roberts, and Pat Robertson has been a positive or negative thing for Christianity?

This is where is can get a little dicey. "Overall" the impact has been good. But there are personality traits and the human factor that has also given it some shades of gray.

Oral Roberts has had the biggest impact for good. His one shortcoming was the handling of money. Today, millions of Africans are Christians because of him. Thousands and thousands will give testament to the healing power of God because of his ministry.

The others would go the same route as would I.

Of course, anyone who has that type of impact will automatically acquire the death-gargle criticism of non-achievers. Others will magnify his humanity instead of exalting God for what God did through him. Like the Apostle Paul, those who were against what he was doing manufactured, belittled and criticized all that he was doing.

Creflo would be the one that had the greatest impact to the black community in lifting their potential and making successes where there would have been failures. Yet, there is the humanity that also is evident. As Christians, we understand the scripture that says, 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

In other words, the power of God is manifested through the inconsistencies of humanity. (me included)

The good news is that God is saying, "Your goodness and perfectness is not a requirement for me to love you and use you".

As Christians, we also understand that everyone is "under construction". The Creflo of today is much different than the one of 15 years ago. People repent, change and (hopefully) become better.

Certainly when we put off our humanity and receive our new bodies, then we will be like Him and be the finished product.

So, in all cases, there is the good that God does through His Holy Spirit and yet there is the humanity of man that can give it a bad hue. But in it, God is saying, "Notice that it is my power that is being manifested. You can know this because you can see the earthiness of humanity of the person and therefor you can know it isn't man that is doing it"

 

[metis]

That's for the gift of tongues and interpretation. On the day of Pentecost it was not the gift of tongues. It was just speaking in tongues when the Spirit fell on them. There's a difference.

Depends on the interpretation since many theologians believe that it's a reference to speaking in different tongues as which occurred at Pentecost.

 

[metis]

In other words, the power of God is manifested through the inconsistencies of humanity. (me included)

The good news is that God is saying, "Your goodness and perfectness is not a requirement for me to love you and use you".

As Christians, we also understand that everyone is "under construction". The Creflo of today is much different than the one of 15 years ago. People repent, change and (hopefully) become better.

Well said, imo, and I agree.

BTW, my construction project is 75 years in the making and still far from complete. Heck, even our roads here in Michigan don't take that long to fix-- but it's close.

 

[Kenny]

Well said, imo, and I agree.

BTW, my construction project is 75 years in the making and still far from complete. Heck, even our roads here in Michigan don't take that long to fix-- but it's close.

HAHAHA!



You remind me of a true story. A history teacher at a local Christian school who LOVED history and had the 3rd graders mesmerized as she shared history until one child asked, "And just how old ARE you?"

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hello! I'm doing an assignment at my Pentecostal Bible College, and need some input specifically from non-Christians.

Superstition, superstition and more superstition.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

It strikes me as too unbalanced -- too much emphasis on the emotional, not enough on the rational. It's like whatever feels correct to them is what they believe. The Bible feels correct, so it's the inerrant word of God. The do experience God, but where does it get them with their lack of reason and structure? It's like a river with no banks.

I also think that they are naive -- the open themselves up to charlatans and con artists who come in as faith healers and such, and are trusted merely because they say they have a personal relationship with Jesus.