Jesus
My journey (warning: much Christianese language will be used)
I didn't grow up in the church. As a matter of fact, I grew up so far from the church that the church was about as foreign to me as Hinduism. I didn't even know enough about the church to call them a bunch of hypocrites. The thought of christians never entered my mind. I knew some Catholics, but I didn't really think of them as christians. I didn't really think much about christianity at all.
Then things changed. Jesus came calling and I was 'born again' just before my 30th birthday. It was August 2000. I will never forget that time as a new believer. When I received the Holy Spirit--I was undeniably changed. I was a walking love machine--full of emotion. I suddenly loved everything and everybody. It was radical, as they say.
But here's the catch--shouldn't the Holy Spirit dwelling in you always be radical? Can the Spirit of the Living God dwell within you and it not be radical? Is that even possible?
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you." ← That's total radicalness right there! That separates Christianity from all religions in the world.
God has given me quite a unique experience throughout my years as a believer. I have been involved with christians from just about every theological persuasion. Of all the "issues" within Christianity, the two extremes that concern me the most are the far left charismatics and the far right Baptist/Reformed cessationists.
On the far left you get crazy emotional false expressions of the spirit. Just plain old fruitcakes.
On the far right you get stiff as a board, unemotional curmudgeon, fundies(short for fundamentalists). In some crowds they are referred to as the frozen chosen.
These two parts of the body exist as if they are operating in separate worlds. Neither interact with the other. Again, I've been a part of both. They really do alienate each other. They write books for their own tribes and they each have their own favorite popular teachers that are widely known throughout their groups. The two do not mingle.
Perhaps we might get them to sign up on ChristianMingle.com and see what God might do?
My confession
In the last handful of years I have spent much of my time with the frozen chosen. My bent, if not careful, is to become one of the frozen chosen. I was well on my way to becoming the frozen chosen--but God.
God had other plans for me. He reminded me that I have the Holy Spirit dwelling within me.
Through some trials, the Holy Spirit came alive to me just like He did back in 2000 when I first came to know Him.
It was like being born again, again!
What an amazing experience.
Yes, my good frozen fundie friends, I just said "experience". I had a completely subjective experience with God and I wouldn't trade it for ten years as a frozen fundie.
The Holy Spirit is alive and well!
He has revived in me passions that I had suppressed and let die. I was freezing up and the Holy Spirit thawed me.
I'm on fire! Just kidding, as true as it is, it is such a cheesy charismatic cliche.
The biggest areas that I would say have changed recently are my desires to see others come to Christ and my prayer life. That's good right?
I have more hope while praying than I think I ever have--even in the early days. I am praying far more for others than at any other time.
Because of this I have been thinking a lot about my time with the charismatics; I will never forget my time with charismatics. The charismatics know how to pray. I want to be around charismatics because of this.
My dream
My greatest dream is to see charismatics and cessationists come together. Each is a part of the body of Christ and each could teach the other so much.
The problem is--we hold up in our little castles and launch rocks from our great trebuchets into each other's castles.
Just because there are excesses and abuses doesn't mean you should jettison an entire group or idea.
Years ago I read a book and within the book it said, "We don't want the dusty old truths from an old book, we want a fresh move of God".
That is nonsense! Far left charismatic nonsense! Jettison this.
But at the same time, we need a fresh wind and a fresh fire. We need to worship God in spirit AND truth.
"the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
A good friend of mine is one of the pastors at a local church gathering they call, "Experience Church". You guessed it--charismatics.
We know we live in a time where people literally worship their feelings, but if you have been born again by the Holy Spirit and you don't have an emotional experience--I'd be concerned whether or not you have actually been born again.
"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you"←Total radicalness!
The Holy Spirit literally dwells within you! God created and gave us emotions. We see lots of tears shed throughout the bible when the Holy Spirit is involved. Tears of repentance and tears of joy.
Charismatics cry a lot. I want to be around charismatics because of this--I need to be around charismatics because of this.
Conclusion
My good frozen friends. Might you consider what you can learn from your crazy brothers and sisters?
My good crazy Penty friends. Might you consider what you can learn from your frozen knowledgeable brothers and sisters?
To all others who don't identify with either extreme camp. Might you consider how you might learn from both groups? It matters.
We are the church.
Song:
Spirit of the Living God
Video:
My House Shall be Called a House of Prayer
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I feel like I have been frozen out of Church sometimes.
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