When I first started this blog in the summer of 2004 I wrote mainly about...or I should probably say--against the Charismatic Third Wave revival movement. I made it clear that I was a Pentecostal in belief so I wasn't against it for that reason, but for the occultism and arrogance and some deception that I saw. Thankfully, since the summer of 2004 the Third Wave has lost a lot of followers and much influence. But sadly, there are still pockets of influence. One of those is The Call and involves young people, which is the demographic group the Third Wave is eagerly after.
If you think I am being too judgmental or harsh, consider this. I have received I can't tell you how many emails from the Elijah list as well as seeing ads in some Christian magazines exhorting, pressuring, almost demanding that as many as possible get to the Call on the magic date of 7/7/07. I have to explain to those of you that don't get the "date" thing, Third Wave Charismatics are really into numerology. Now every day I am inundated with emails pleading to come to Nashville on that date.
Contrast this with a REAL revival, the one in Wales in the first decade of the 20th century. Hard-core, cussing, hard-drinking miners who had just left the bars and houses of prostitution would pass by the church where Evan Roberts was preaching. No one was out screaming at them or manipulating them. No one was pressuring or exhorting them to come to the services, held nightly until the wee hours. As they walked by the church, the miners and others felt convicted and came in, often weeping.
The Third Wave is saying revival is about to happen here in the USA. I am confused. Didn't these same people tell us revival happened around 12 years ago in Toronto and Pensacola? London and Pasadena?
You can't have it both ways. Either it did happen or it didn't. Because this is embarrassing, they are now "reformatting" their description of what the revival was at that time. They are saying it was a renewal. Oh, ok. Thanks for setting us straight. This is just one of a myriad of examples of the dishonesty we hear constantly from this group of people--the Apostles and the Prophets.
I think I'll stick with the Welsh revival.
Steve Went Looking for Grace
2 days ago
3 comments:
great post.
Diane,
Yeah, I don't understand this fascination with numerology in some Christian circles. I remember when 88 Reasons the Rapture Will Happen in '88 was a bestseller in Christian bookstores across the country. People euthanized their pets rather be raptured and have their little Fluffy fall into the hands of the pet-sacrificing hordes left behind.
How stupid. You see this enough times and you just have to wonder. How many times has Jack Van Impe or Hal Lindsey changed their minds on dates?
I think the problem extends far beyond Third Wavers into just about every church that sprang from Azusa Street. I'm like you in that I consider myself a Welsh Revival charismatic. I don't want to have anything to do with the other nuttiness. You could have a chimp throw darts at a bunch of random "prophetic words" taped on a wall and the primate would have a better track record than some of the self-naming prophets today.
I also agree with you on the constant "Boy Who Cried 'Revival'" nonsense. The Bible says a great apostasy is coming . Jesus asked whether He'd find faith on Earth when He returned. If the days weren't cut short would anyone be saved? None of this points to a massive revival.
Oddly enough, people keep predicting revival in the US (where it's not happening), but where they're not predicting revival it burns brightly (such as in Third World countries). Again, the prophetic movement here needs a tune-up.
Yeah, I don't understand this fascination with numerology in some Christian circles. I remember when 88 Reasons the Rapture Will Happen in '88 was a bestseller in Christian bookstores across the country. People euthanized their pets rather be raptured and have their little Fluffy fall into the hands of the pet-sacrificing hordes left behind.
Ah, yes. Edgar Wiesenhaunt. Did you ever catch the sequel he put out the year after, 89 Reasons Why The Rapture WILL Happen in 1989!? For some reason, it didn't sell as well...
How stupid. You see this enough times and you just have to wonder.
Especially when you run into End Time Prophecy books from 50-100 years ago, all shouting that "THIS IS IT!"
How many times has Jack Van Impe or Hal Lindsey changed their minds on dates?
Never mind on dates, you want to really see an oceania-has-never-been-at-war-with-eurasia reversal, compare Hal Lindsay's pre-Second Russian Revolution "Gog & Magog" revelation with his post-SRR revisions. After the SRR, he claimed he never claimed Gog & Magog were the USSR (or Meshech & Tubal were East Germany/Warsaw Pact, or...)
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