1 of 7

Recent decades have witnessed a remarkable movement throughout the Christian church. Springing up spontaneously across the full spectrum -from Protestant to Roman Catholic to Greek Orthodox - the charismatic renewal now involves millions of people on every continent.

Because it is so widespread, with different forms of teaching and practice, this renewal can be confusing. Like the reports of the three blind men on Aesop's elephant - one of whom touched the hide, another the tail, the third a tusk - it all depends on the point of contact.

The charismatic renewal is not strictly a movement like many others described in this book. It cannot be traced to one outstanding leader, or even a small group, with a well-defined set of doctrinal and organizational convictions. This renewal has sprung up from the grassroots in a wide variety of forms.

The charismatic renewal takes its name from the Greek word charisma, a gift. In the New Testament this gift involves all that God gives us in his grace through Jesus. But most often this word is used for a specific way the Holy Spirit shows himself within the Christian community.

The apostle Paul uses the picture of the body when he writes about spiritual gifts. Christians are members of the body; Jesus is the head. Just as parts of the human body have different functions, so Christians experience a variety of spiritual gifts. These are given by the Holy Spirit to strengthen the body of Christ in its worship, witness and service.

At the heart of the charismatic renewal stands the conviction that the full range of spiritual gifts in the New Testament is meant for the church today. This belief challenges centuries of traditional teaching that certain 'supernatural' gifts (such as prophecy, healing and speaking in tongues) were only for the first generation of Christianity.

Historically, these gifts did wane in the third and fourth centuries. In order to explain their decline, it was taught that these so-called 'supernatural' or 'extraordinary' gifts were needed only during the first century until the church was established and the New Testament was completed. The charismatic renewal replies that not only did these gifts continue into the following centuries, but nowhere does the New Testament teach that they would be withdrawn.

Paul makes no distinction between 'natural' and 'supernatural' gifts. Prophecy and service, healing and helping, tongues and administration stand side-by-side in his lists without these labels. All are manifestations of the Holy Spirit needed by the church in every generation to inspire its worship and give power to its mission.

The charismatic renewal has solid evidence that its teaching on this subject is true: all of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament are in use today. They become evident in weekly prayer and praise services. These may involve 500 people in a church or twenty in a home.

The main purpose is to worship God. Those present believe the Lord is living and personal, and as they praise him they expect the Holy Spirit to provide the gifts needed for the occasion. The members focus on Jesus Christ, the head of the Body, as they enjoy his presence and the power of the Spirit to strengthen them for their worship and witness.

Often the music of a guitar begins a hymn of worship. It might be this one, based on Isaiah's vision in the temple:

We see the Lord.
He is high and lifted up,
And his train fills the temple.
The angels cry holy,
The angels cry holy is the Lord.

next page... |  1 of 7

share this page

RSS Feed   RSS Help