I occasionally dip in and out of the 'God' channels on Sky and have to say that I have come across some stuff I have thoroughly enjoyed and in fact this was where I first came across Southern Gospel music and the Gaither Homecoming crowd.
This last week or so I have been flicking channels at odd times and keep coming across meetings led by Todd Bentley in America and I am not really sure what to think of these programmes.
I have been on one hand impressed by the fact that when he prays for people he doesn't 'push' them over - it really does seem as if they fall under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. On the other hand I worry about the 'words of knowledge' he claims to receive - I don't dispute that God can and does speak to people or that God can not or would not give a word of knowledge, I just have a reservation given the size of the crowds at these events that it would be almost possible to find someone with any medical condition you would wish to name in such a crowd. I flicked on last night and he was saying he had a word of knowledge that someone had severe arthritis in their left knee and not very long after there were five people on stage with arthritis in their left knees. He then asked them if they had been healed and then prayed for them again and for the most part without him actually touching them they collapsed under the anointing. There are some of the services I take where you would be on fairly safe ground asking if anyone had arthritis in their left knee and my attendances are minuscule in comparison to the crowds at these events.
The other thing that amazes me is that people are travelling from across the world to Florida to be part of the anointing - there was a pastor there from England the other day when I switched on and he said that he had been watching on the TV at home in England and just felt he wanted to be part of this move of God.
I have over the years in pentecostal churches I have attended seen God move in peoples lives in a very tangible way and it would seem that this is happening in the Todd Bentley meeting so perhaps it is just me being a little sceptical due to my stiff British Upper Lip or of course it could be that I have some concern about the building up of peoples hopes in respect of being healed.
Not sure if many of my readers will have seen these programmes but it would be interested if you have to hear what you think. Sky channel 760 is showing these quite a lot if you want to have a look.
3 comments:
I think the difficulty modern Methodism has is with our history. We don't appreciate that both Wesleyan Methodism and Primitive Methodism were essentially "pentecostal". The Amercian Methodists pioneered the "Camp meetings" and they would be little different in theology to a Keswick Week, but possibly a little wilder!
PS: we haven't got Sky (I have a thing about the proprieter) so have never seen this particular channel.
Since posting this I have been listening to UCB inspirational radio station and they have been speaking to a British Pastor form grace International Church in Manchester. She has been to these meetings in America and says that it is being said that this is the last great revival that will usher in the return of Jesus. It's an interesting concept and one has to say that the meetings have had to move venue on a number of occasions due to the numbers of people flocking to the meetings. Apparently people are waiting from 8 a.m. each day to get into a 7 p.m. meeting
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