While a student at Central Bible College, I was honored to play basketball for four-years for the Spartans, and I have some great memories that seem to grow grander with time. Our small college had a BIG rivalry that would compare to the Duke-UNC bedlam. Two Miles from CBC was BBC (Baptist Bible College) and the yearly match up was dubbed by the local news media as “The Holy War”.
The two colleges have put an incredible number of missionaries on the world’s soil along with countless pastors & churches, and for one game a year you would think it was the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. One season I heard our pentecostal fans chanting, “We have the Spirit; We have him more; We have the Spirit, ACTS 2:4″. The non-pentecostal BBC put their fingers between their lips and babbled back, “Dubba, Dubba, Dubba”.
Looking back, I am laughing at both of our foolishness. The Pentecostals do not have more of the spirit than non-pentecostals. By stating we have more of the Spirit, we are propagating the same division that was found in Corinth.
“I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. ”
(I Corinthians 1:4-9, emphasis mine)
Christ is enough to keep you strong until the end. You do not lack any spiritual gifts. All the spiritual gifts are available to the follower of Christ.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a bridge to your spiritual gifts. All the gifts (including tongues and interpretation) are given to the believer at the time of his/her conversion and are developed over time. If you are a believer, you have spiritual gifts, and it is the role of the body of Christ to help you discover those gifts. (See I Cor 12-14)
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowerment to live missional lives in extraordinary ways (Acts 1:4-8). While the initial physical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts was speaking in tongues, the ongoing evidence in the book of Acts was evangelism.
I want to let you know that my Pentecostal Doctrine is still forming because I think it should be. I welcome your questions and your thoughts. I believe that God has equipped me with a unique voice to speak into the lives of “Emerging Pentecostals”. This is a new breed of Christ followers that does not see the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as being a mark of God’s approval, but a mandate to martyrdom. (A Complete losing of self)
P.S. For all you pointy-headed theologians like me, here is a pdf that I really enjoyed reading entitled, “Historical Perspective of the Baptism in the Holy-Spirit.” by Shane Clifton of Southern Cross College in Ausralia.
Historical Perspective on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
My good friend Blaine and Kelly Hamilton emailed this to me. I love to read papers like this. So, if you find something good send it my way. Thanks Blaine and Kelly. (Blaine and Kelly are both true pentecostal theologians and have a great voice into the emerging pentecostal doctrine).
So here is my new chant: “I need the Spirit, I need
Hey Mark. Blaine and I have been meaning to ask you, what makes TrueLife Church distinctively Pentecostal and not a Charismatic church? Or, do you place no distinction between the two?
Kelly,
I do place a difference between the two, but I think this may be just playing semantics with some people.
Pentecostal – The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is available today to the follower of Christ, and is the empowerment to missional work. (Acts 1:4-8). The normative initial physical evidence of this empowerment in the book of Acts was “speaking in toungues.” The ongoing evidence is a life dependent on the Holy Spirit for the purpose of evangelism.
(Based on the Narrative Theology of Luke in the books of Luke/Acts)
Charismatic – All the spiritual gifts (including the “Charisma” gifts of Prophecy, Tongues and Interpretation, Knowledge, etc) are available for the believer today and should be used for the edification of the body of Christ.
(Based on the letters of Paul known as Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians)
Using these definitions I am both Pentecostal and Charismatic. While I know of people who are Charismatic and not Pentecostal, I have not met someone who is Pentecostal and not Charismatic.
Great to hear from you Kelly! Darcy and I continue to pray for you guys.
Mark,
I have commented on several blogs lately, looking for “emergent oriented” and missional minded AGers. I am from Eastern Kentucky, where Pentecostalism seems to be very distinctly different than the kind you are discussing above. I, myself, am from a Methodist background, but I am right in line with your description of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Your response to Kelly also went right in line with my own heart on the issue.
So, here’s my question…do you know if many AG pastors follow in directions similar to yours? Would you suppose I could expect AG congregations in Kentucky (or even one) that would be open to the emergent conversation?
Michael,
I know of several fellow ministers who hold a similar view, and I know many who hold a different view. I know that I see in this mirror of theology poorly (I Cor 13:12), but I want the emerging pentecostal conversation to continue.
I do not personally know any Pastor’s in Eastern Kentucky off the top of my head. Maybe some fellow bloggers can come along and help us.
Blessings,
Mark