Too skeptical?

If you read 2 John, 3 John and Jude you will notice the reoccuring theme of "standing in truth" and "rejecting error and the one who brings them in". While I am preparing my sharing to the CMs on Sunday, I am reminded about the condition of our own church. I dare not say that we are in any grave danger at the moment. If you ask me about 5 to 8 years ago, I would say we were in danger.

First there was this facination for the fad of that time, the Toronto/ Pensecola phenomenon (or some called it hypestry or deception depending on how you see it). This started around 1995 when Rodney Howard Browne (who called himself the Holy Spirit Bartender) came for some meetings and many pentacostal/ charismatic churches were raving about it. That was the year I didn't go to church, but I did attend the meetings after Browne left. Calvary Charismatic Church (now Victory Family Centre) carried on with the meeting for about a month or so. I went to two of them. It was my first experience watching people shaking, laughing, mass-"slaining" in the spirit. It was also the first time I've been pushed to the ground. And it took 3 altar-worker to laugh around me saying "BE FILLED! BE FILLED!" Then one of them pushed my belly and down I went. Needless to say, I didn't stay down for long. I got up after they walked to the next person.

I don't know how much Grace Assembly was into this, but there was a time when the altars will be filled with people who wants a touch from the Lord. I was definitely one of them, but something was amiss. In my quest for more of God, I felt even further from Him. Seeking Him at the altar waiting for an encounter was so draining! Even before Tim Hughes penned the song, I was already asking "There must be more than this"! As the years went by, I grew in the Word of God and the Word has been my primary source of direction. Trusting God in His word is ultimate. Extra-biblical experiences are penultimate.

I have heard so many testimonies of people going to camps, retreat and revival meetings who sought after an expereince. When I shared that they should not be seeking an expererience, I was deemed as putting God in a box. Some said that if I am don't need it it doesn't mean others don't. What I am most disturbed by is this comment "Jenn, to each his own. Some people need more encounter than the word".

That broke me man. I was grieved in my spirit knowing that the Word of God has taken second place. I dun care what their explanation is. Most of them say "How can they grow in the Word until the spirit touch them?" Well, I believe some are genuinely changed by the Spirit at the altar and can grow failthfully thru the word. But since when did the seeking-experienced overtaken preaching of the Word? Is there preaching that pierces the heart today in our church? Have we been too comfortable? I hope not.

Over the years I have taken a strong stand on certain issues. Sometimes I think I am too vocal and it's only a matter of time before I get thrown out. Thank God I am being preserved in the ministry. One thing that I do is keep quiet. Just teach the essential and equipt the saints for good works.

There will be a church-wide event called "50 Days of Pentacost" this year. I am looking forward to it but with little enthusiasm because it might be 50 days of misery for me. But it'll be a good time to listen to the preaching and teaching that the church will concentrate on during those few weeks.