9 Bad Charismaniac Habits We Need to Break

[JimB]

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break
by J. Lee Grady

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.​

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

2. The courtesy drop. We’ve all done it. Many people fall while receiving prayer because they figure it’s the spiritual thing to do. But there is nothing in Scripture that says you have to fall to receive healing or an anointing. You receive by faith. It’s perfectly fine to stay standing. And you may actually protect yourself from getting stepped on!

3. The song that never ends. I used to love the chorus “Let It Rain” until some churches drove this tune into the ground by playing it 159 times in a row. After the first 30 go-rounds, I want to scream, “Change the channel!” God doesn’t listen to us more intently if we are repetitive, as if we were doing a rain dance to make Him hear us. It’s OK to end the song and start a new one!

4. The amateur flag corp. Banners and flags became a hot worship trend in the 1980s, and pageantry can still be effective when practiced and performed for an audience. But where did we get the idea that waving flags, sticks or other sharp objects within two feet of people’s faces was a smart idea?

5. The wannabe telethon offering. I have been in meetings where the preacher gave a 25-minute offering sermon (before the main message) and then asked everyone in the audience to parade to the front for the next 15 minutes. Yes, giving money to God is worship. But when the offering takes longer than any other part of the service, I start to wonder if we are being taken for a ride.

6. The sermon with seven endings. Speaking of money, I wish I had a dollar for every time a preacher has said, “I’m starting to close.” I don’t mind a long sermon, and I’ve been guilty of going over my time limit. But you are flat-out lying if you tell an audience you’re finishing when you actually still have half an hour to go.

7. The praise-a-go-go dancers. I love to dance in church—and it’s normal in many of the ethnic congregations I visit. But I fear we unleashed a monster when we encouraged amateur dance teams to hop around on stage in unitards—in front of visitors! It’s not unspiritual to ask: “Will this look goofy?”

8. The ear-shattering amp. When the early church prayed, the buildings shook. Today we shake our buildings by turning up the volume of our sound systems. You know they are too loud when church members pop in earplugs during worship. “Charismatic” does not mean “loud,” and our spirituality is not measured in decibels.

9. The "jump-start" glossalalia. I will never apologize for the gift of tongues, and I believe it is a wonderful gift every Christian can have. But somone got the idea they could “prime the pump” by asking people to repeat certain phrases in order to uncork a prayer language. Asking someone to say, “I tie my bow tie, I tie my bow tie,” is not going to prompt a miracle. Quit manipulating the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul, in laying down guidelines for charismatic gifts, told the Corinthians, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). As we embrace the Spirit’s work, let’s allow Him to guide us into maturity so we don’t foolishly squander His power.

Ref.: 9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

 

[JavaQueen2]

I read that on my iPad earlier, and totally agree.

 

[tobethebest]

During my "charismaniac" days I was doing things that normal folks considered crazy. Pleading the blood of Jesus over my girlfriend's house not knowing that her mother was resting in a bedroom downstairs, throwing my glasses away and believing God in total faith that my eyes were healed. Later after wrecking a good friend's car I admitted I needed to wear glasses and went out and bought a pair.

Rebuking the devil was an everyday event, I couldn't communicate in any way to an outsider without first I speak scripture and witness to them. It was very uncomfortable for me to spend time with a woman without knowing what to say or how I could stop from being embarrassed for a lack of words. I dare not speak of my first charismaniac date. It still embarasses me and it's been thirty five years ago.

I was locked into taming my mouth to the point of condemnation if I even thought I was out of line with my words.

I was only in that lifestyle for eight years, but those eight years were also some of the richest times in my life; being an usher for Kathryn Kuhlman and feeling the wind of the Spirit of God up in my section of the balcony. It was like nothing I've ever experienced since. I truly wanted to be taken up, to be free of this body, to follow the Holy Ghost wherever He wanted to take me...

Today those times are long gone. The stupid stuff and the more meaningful times with the Lord are but a memory. I can't stand loud music, mosh pits, crazy televangelism, prosperity and healing doctrines, so much keeps me at a distance from actually knowing more than I probably should.

So much of it is fake and a terrible waste of time. I was always poor in my twenties and never really came into a decent enough living to support a family until in my forties. Now my responsibilities lie with my wife and our attempts to own our home soon and to start visiting other countries to see if living abroad is best for us. The mess that is going on in this country; amnesty for illegal aliens, entitlements, poor politics, mismanaged taxes and taxing. Costa Rica is said to be, like life in the fifties in America. We are saving up for a trip come this February. I hope they are right. It would be nice to retire soon.

 

[WOFFED]

WOW! Such openness is refreshing. Revelations like these should've been posted at least 25 years ago . Are there even any churches today that still refer to their denominational doctrine as charismatic?

One thing that really comes across at CF is that there are possibly as many Christian denominational doctrines / theologies in America as there are man-made commandments (613) in Orthodox Judaism.

​

 

[Messy]

And nr 10 shaking all over the place when there's a non believing visitor.

 

[jiminpa]

...

 

[Frogster]

Thinly veiled hatred for God's spirit on a Spirit filled forum, how refreshing.

please...no hatred at all here in the OP, in all fairness, you seem to clash with jim alot, fine, forum life, but this is not warranted. Thank you very much, frog.

 

[jiminpa]

...forget it.

 

[Always in His Presence]

OK Jim - sit down, take a deep breath.



Did you take your heart meds this morning?




ready?











AMEN, we agree.





Someone, help Jim off the floor.

 

[Frogster]

OK Jim - sit down, take a deep breath.



Did you take your heart meds this morning?




ready?











AMEN, we agree.





Someone, help Jim off the floor.

fine and dandy, you agree with jim, and maybe you did not mean it, little joke whatever, but the med thing was not needed, in my humble opinion. We all know Jim's story, but to point out the med thing to somone, is not pleasant for those who need meds, just so you know, hope this helps you, thanks very much, be blessed, froggy.

 

[FreeInChrist88]

During my "charismaniac" days I was doing things that normal folks considered crazy. Pleading the blood of Jesus over my girlfriend's house not knowing that her mother was resting in a bedroom downstairs, throwing my glasses away and believing God in total faith that my eyes were healed. Later after wrecking a good friend's car I admitted I needed to wear glasses and went out and bought a pair.

Rebuking the devil was an everyday event, I couldn't communicate in any way to an outsider without first I speak scripture and witness to them. It was very uncomfortable for me to spend time with a woman without knowing what to say or how I could stop from being embarrassed for a lack of words. I dare not speak of my first charismaniac date. It still embarasses me and it's been thirty five years ago.

I was locked into taming my mouth to the point of condemnation if I even thought I was out of line with my words.

I was only in that lifestyle for eight years, but those eight years were also some of the richest times in my life; being an usher for Kathryn Kuhlman and feeling the wind of the Spirit of God up in my section of the balcony. It was like nothing I've ever experienced since. I truly wanted to be taken up, to be free of this body, to follow the Holy Ghost wherever He wanted to take me...

Today those times are long gone. The stupid stuff and the more meaningful times with the Lord are but a memory. I can't stand loud music, mosh pits, crazy televangelism, prosperity and healing doctrines, so much keeps me at a distance from actually knowing more than I probably should.

So much of it is fake and a terrible waste of time. I was always poor in my twenties and never really came into a decent enough living to support a family until in my forties. Now my responsibilities lie with my wife and our attempts to own our home soon and to start visiting other countries to see if living abroad is best for us. The mess that is going on in this country; amnesty for illegal aliens, entitlements, poor politics, mismanaged taxes and taxing. Costa Rica is said to be, like life in the fifties in America. We are saving up for a trip come this February. I hope they are right. It would be nice to retire soon.

This also describes me in many ways. I was involved in Charismatic churches for about 35 years. Now I go to a non-charismatic church that does not forbid tongues nor preach against them, yet discourages the public use of them during a church service. Surprising to me, I find this very refreshing.

I definitely still believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and the manifestation gifts. But after 35 years, I grew tired of the cheer leading from the platform during worship, "Everybody say after me...", "C'mon, put your hands up and shout", so on and so forth. It all felt so forced. It was like we had to pretend God was moving in a powerful way in our midst rather than just focus on Him and worship Him from our hearts.

I also grew tired and confused by some of the goofy spirituality I saw. Rebuking the devil at every turn is one example. People with their "Word from God" declaring that God said or did this or that is another. I imagined in my mind God saying and doing all kinds of things yet in reality I didn't have much of a relationship with or understanding of the Holy Spirit. Quite frankly, it all just confused me after a while.

But what real messed me up was how much authority and control was wielded by Sr. Pastors. It was taught that the Sr. Pastor was God's anointed servant and to challenge or question anything he said or did was assaulting the man of God. This kind of relationship required one to essentially shut off their own reasoning and accept almost without question what the Pastor said. He could call for special offerings and you felt compelled to give, otherwise you would be disobeying God. The testimonies of how someone gave their last dollar bill and then received some financial blessing the next day were rampant. Or my favorite was,"God told me that if you give into this offering you will receive that financial breakthrough you have been asking for".

I got close to a Sr. Pastor for several years and so I saw some of what happens behind the scenes. I learned that charismatic churches are largely built around the personality of the Sr. Pastor. It's life and success would rise and fall on the performance of the Sr. Pastor. One of my favorites was how Pastors referred to other churches as Joe Blow's church or John Smith's church rather than by the Churches actual name.

In hind sight, I can't believe I was so trapped by religious fear that I never really questioned much of what was taught and preached.

 

[bradely]

God's laws a very simple. A lot of what you described has to do with pride. Pride is simply one of the deadly sins.

 

[New_Wineskin]

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

by J. Lee Grady​

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.​

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

2. The courtesy drop. We’ve all done it. Many people fall while receiving prayer because they figure it’s the spiritual thing to do. But there is nothing in Scripture that says you have to fall to receive healing or an anointing. You receive by faith. It’s perfectly fine to stay standing. And you may actually protect yourself from getting stepped on!

3. The song that never ends. I used to love the chorus “Let It Rain” until some churches drove this tune into the ground by playing it 159 times in a row. After the first 30 go-rounds, I want to scream, “Change the channel!” God doesn’t listen to us more intently if we are repetitive, as if we were doing a rain dance to make Him hear us. It’s OK to end the song and start a new one!

4. The amateur flag corp. Banners and flags became a hot worship trend in the 1980s, and pageantry can still be effective when practiced and performed for an audience. But where did we get the idea that waving flags, sticks or other sharp objects within two feet of people’s faces was a smart idea?

5. The wannabe telethon offering. I have been in meetings where the preacher gave a 25-minute offering sermon (before the main message) and then asked everyone in the audience to parade to the front for the next 15 minutes. Yes, giving money to God is worship. But when the offering takes longer than any other part of the service, I start to wonder if we are being taken for a ride.

6. The sermon with seven endings. Speaking of money, I wish I had a dollar for every time a preacher has said, “I’m starting to close.” I don’t mind a long sermon, and I’ve been guilty of going over my time limit. But you are flat-out lying if you tell an audience you’re finishing when you actually still have half an hour to go.

7. The praise-a-go-go dancers. I love to dance in church—and it’s normal in many of the ethnic congregations I visit. But I fear we unleashed a monster when we encouraged amateur dance teams to hop around on stage in unitards—in front of visitors! It’s not unspiritual to ask: “Will this look goofy?”

8. The ear-shattering amp. When the early church prayed, the buildings shook. Today we shake our buildings by turning up the volume of our sound systems. You know they are too loud when church members pop in earplugs during worship. “Charismatic” does not mean “loud,” and our spirituality is not measured in decibels.

9. The "jump-start" glossalalia. I will never apologize for the gift of tongues, and I believe it is a wonderful gift every Christian can have. But somone got the idea they could “prime the pump” by asking people to repeat certain phrases in order to uncork a prayer language. Asking someone to say, “I tie my bow tie, I tie my bow tie,” is not going to prompt a miracle. Quit manipulating the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul, in laying down guidelines for charismatic gifts, told the Corinthians, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). As we embrace the Spirit’s work, let’s allow Him to guide us into maturity so we don’t foolishly squander His power.

Ref.: 9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

A good start ...

 

[Faulty]

I see this is a very current article, but I know I've seen this list before quite a while ago. I wonder if it's a reprint.

 

[tobethebest]

Hello FreeInChrist88 - Thank you for expressing your thoughts concerning the "times of our life" in charismania. The obsession was more than any of us could bear, yet we didn't know how to free ourselves. The church was our home, today very few of us attend church at all. The 70's were a different time, today the noise is enough to strain my already tinnitus filled ears. I can't tolerate much of anything that is designed to "minister to the youth." It's all so overdone, time and time again, over and over again, some new thing presenting itself to the church.

I can honestly say I have a better life without it. My wife prays a lot and she is Catholic. She stands strong and it encourages me to better myself in some way. Returning to the past is a ridiculous dream, it simply doesn't exist anymore. We take our punches just like any other average family and we don't blame anything or anybody for things gone wrong. We just move on together looking for that time when we are free of our bodies and in the presence of God. Not much else we can do or are willing to do. It's all so played out.

 

[jiminpa]

I'm sure that all of you and Mr. Grady could easily find churches that don't do any of that. There are plenty of churches that don't do anything at all. Just go to those. You'll be happier and those of us who are willing to risk letting God move can do so without you telling us how much like you we should be.

 

[Messy]

This threat is really funny.

.​

4. The amateur flag corp. Banners and flags became a hot worship trend in the 1980s, and pageantry can still be effective when practiced and performed for an audience. But where did we get the idea that waving flags, sticks or other sharp objects within two feet of people’s faces was a smart idea?

I was a part of it. Hahaha and I was so in the Spirit, I had my eyes closed. I slammed a passing man so hard on his back. Oops, sorry.

6. The sermon with seven endings. Speaking of money, I wish I had a dollar for every time a preacher has said, “I’m starting to close.” I don’t mind a long sermon, and I’ve been guilty of going over my time limit. But you are flat-out lying if you tell an audience you’re finishing when you actually still have half an hour to go.

Oh yes, Just one text and then I'm finished, was his favourite expression. And this ten times every service. People just began to laugh when he said it.

8. The ear-shattering amp. When the early church prayed, the buildings shook. Today we shake our buildings by turning up the volume of our sound systems. You know they are too loud when church members pop in earplugs during worship. “Charismatic” does not mean “loud,” and our spirituality is not measured in decibels.

People in our church with small children were complaining about the extremely loud music, hahaha, and the answer was: go sit in the hall. Our baby also couldn't handle it, but I had him on the front row with earplugs in his ears, no kidding. Hahahahaha.
But the good news: now the music isn't so loud anymore, some flags in the back with enough space and I haven't heard the 'just one text and then I'm finished' for a while.

 

[tobethebest]

This is a thread that needs attention. Too many of us found ourselves thrust in the middle of charismania. It was supposed to raise up men of God and to send them out into the world. Not any fellowship that I was a part of ever held to that. It was more prosperity and healing messages that kept so many bound because they did everything that was in their power to do to meet God's so called requirements and nothing happened.

I saw some of the poorest people in the audience giving to Benny Hinn's ministry, while watching those on the stage in their fancy clothes and jewelry. It was the audience who deserved the money, not his foundation. And it wasn't just passed around once, but several times in the same meeting. The jewelry on that stage could have blinded those up front. Ha.

Don't they realize who's pockets they were taking from? There is as much need here at home as there is in anything he may have set up overseas. Poverty is everywhere. Poor health and poor health care is everywhere. Lack of jobs for those who truly wish to work.

I give to the paralyzed veterans because I know about life in the military and the challenges they face. I do what I can, when I can. God Bless our Veterans.

 

[whatfor]

1 and 2 are on my mind a lot lately.

I have prayed for people and some fall, but I can not say , God did anything as a result.
I have been prayed over and gone down without being touched, but did not get healed.
I recently got got prayed for by a visiting pastor, acctually the person he was praying over, prayed and I was expected to fall, I did not so he got me to look up so I over balanced and fell back, again for what?

It has me questioning.
An evangelist pastor visiting a church near me tried to push me over twice, what bothered me was the just saved in the line up who were pushed over, what did they think of this new experience?

 

[tobethebest]

Knowing what we know now about the insane attempts of so many to make charismania more than what it really is, what are our options?

Well, one option for me has been to flee charismania while taking with me the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I do miss the presence of God and have for quite some time. It isn't present in the churches I have sought after over these many years. The messages have been so distant, nothing relating to the first principles of the oracles of God, just man-made messages brought on by a pastor's wish to say whatever comes to his mind. I heard once a message on the eight candles of Hanukkah at a church of God and at a Presbyterian church the message was on "should there be alien people or UFO's, what is our position?" (I'm not joking.)

So, I would say for me, finding a church that isn't all spirit and no word or all word and no spirit, has been a challenge over the years.

I thank God my wife is a strong Catholic who prays many times daily. She knows what it is to get alone with the Lord and talk to Him privately.

I admit I center much of my time on my job, caring for our wounded veterans. It is something I take pride in being a part of and care very much for, these men who have lost so much to protect our freedom. I'm proud to be a veteran.

I know God has his hand on our lives and we will see Him when we are absent in the flesh.