The Charismatic Movement of Today, Was Started Yesterday

AN EXCERPT FROM  THE BOOK,  “THE NEW IDOLATRY

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     Unfortunately, the Pentecostals and Charismatics who claim that they are word people rarely ever study history.  A part of rightly dividing the word of God is to interpret its meaning in accordant with the most relevant historical perspective.  Nevertheless, those who submit to charismatic witchcraft preachers are taught to randomly select scriptures out of context.  To discern the signs of the times, we need to understand what went on yesterday, particularly about a century ago.

 It was a century ago that the seeds of charismatic witchcraft as manifested today were originally planted in the early 20^th century.  No different in the early 1900’s, the movement emphasized supernatural manifestations, spectacular crowds in the midst of deception, delusion and confusion.  The speaking in tongues came to the forefront through the ministries of two men, considered the fathers of Caucasian and African-American Pentecostalism: Charles Parham of Topeka, Kansas, and Parham’s black student, William Seymore.  Seymore is credited as the leader of the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles while Parham is the first to teach that tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost, a dangerous false doctrine that has filtered through the Charismatic/Pentecostal religion for more than a century.[1]

    A contemporary of both Parham and Seymore, Jessie Penn Lewis, a prominent leader of the Welsh revival, warned about this false doctrine in her book, “Soul and Spirit”, —a warning that was clearly ignored both yesterday and today:”

“Again, in connection with the seeking of ‘manifestations’ as an evidence of a believer having received the ‘baptism of the Spirit,’ methods have been used to bring these about, that synchronize with methods of mesmerism, and thus counterfeits have broken into the true Church of Christ.  In other cases, believers have had a true influx of the Holy Spirit into their human spirit, and then through ignorance, they have developed the psychic power latent in the human frame, and brought about mixture in their own life and service for God, eg. If a chorus is sung over and over again, they can bring a meeting into a psychic condition, when those present become incapable of intelligent thinking, or any decisive action of will.  Thus, on a flood tide of psychic force in the world today, the demons are carrying out their plans and purposes.[2]”

     Other charismatic leaders passed the baton from one decade to another, introducing an ever-increasing plethora of esoteric teachings in what is labeled as “moves of God”.  By the 1970’s, authoritarianism was widespread through the predominant influence of what is referred to as the Shepherding/Discipleship Movement.

     The domination and control of the sheep for the hidden motive of self-aggrandizement of various church leaders paved the way to the suppression of God’s people through the teaching called “spiritual covering” and the rise of what is called the Apostolic Movement. Connected to the “fivefold ministry” teaching which dictates the ultimate power of the apostles, over the other ministry gifts and the church at large,   the apostolic perspective  presumes that apostles and bishops have the power to provide what is referred to as “spiritual covering” to all ministers and all church members.

     Implicit to spiritual covering is the false teaching that God’s people cannot trust their own spiritual discernment or judgment for even the most mundane issues of life, defying the scripture where the Apostle John wrote that we all have an unction from the Holy Ghost, and as such, we need no man to teach us. ( I John 2:27)    )    Consequently, domination, manipulation and control are intrinsically built into charismatic oversight–an open door for the sheep to be spiritually abused in their dependent reliance upon obtaining permission from appointed elders about practically every aspect of their lives.

I created a name for those who have come under the spell of the Charismatic Movement.  I call it “charismania.”  Eventually, you will need someone to cast out  religious demons from you.  Perhaps you are fine right now.  Nevertheless, when your day of torment comes, it will hit you like a ton of bricks.  So jot down this number.  I won’t change it, in anticipation of your call. 518-477-5759