The Day Of Pentecost Series

I remember hearing Dennis Bennett and his wife in Vancouver back in 69 or 70 and he make a statement that really woke me up when he said, ‘We can argue about what the Bible teaches till the end of the world but let’s put our Bibles aside and I’ll tell you about my experience.’

The 3rd wave was the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement which started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1967 and by 1993 it had touched the lives of over 100 million Catholics in over 238 nations.

And then the 4th wave started in 1981 at Fuller Theological Seminary with John Wimber and by 1990 they figure there were 33 million who were involved in the signs and wonders movement although they played down labels such as “Pentecostal” and “Charismatic”.

And you have to remember that the gift of tongues doesn’t prove anything because this gift is something that’s practiced among unbelieving groups such as some Eskimo cults, in Japanese séances, by the shamans in Ethiopia and various spirits in Haitian Voodoo and African tribal religions.

Let me just share a little of my involvement with the charismatic movement. When I was saved the man who led me to the Lord had been a Salvation Army warrant officer which would be in our circles equivalent to a volunteer youth pastor. And he was very committed to three things; first, he studied and memorized the scripture constantly. Second, he also studied the Salvation Army handbook and this book covered most areas of a soldier’s life like how they should be disciplined in their practical life, exhibit holiness in all areas and be soul winners. And then third, he read a lot of material that was available on the charismatic movement and he encouraged everyone else to do the same.

So, to a certain degree the commune I was involved in was charismatic but also very Biblically evangelistic. And this led me to asking a lot of questions because I wanted God’s best but at the same time I didn’t see too much reality in the charismatic movement.

And back then my friends and I would go and hear all kinds of speakers and healers like Benny Hinn who was just starting out and he very impressive speaker but he also seemed insensitive to those who had real problems.

I remember one night an older man and woman came forward during the call for those who needed prayer and the man was crying and told Benny that his wife had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Benny laid hands on her head; said she was healed and walked away. And I thought; not only was she not healed but he didn’t seem to care. It was like there was nothing there for him and he left.

Another night we went down to Evangel Temple and they had a guest preacher there for a week of meetings and this man was extremely effeminate and dressed in a light purple suit. He began by asking the congregation to pray for his poodles because he had to leave them sick in his suite at the Royal York Hotel.

Anyway, he preached to a full house and my two friends and I were sitting in the balcony agreeing that this was the biggest phoney we had ever seen but when he gave the altar call for healing one of my friends who had been mocking him got up and went forward. And when he came back I asked him what had happened and he said, ‘I don’t care if he is a phony I got my healing anyway.’