Are We Baptists Somehow "Afraid" of The Holy Spirit?

[JesusFan]

Great that we are "people of the Book"

But are we willing to allow the "author" of that Book chance to do as he would so will among us?

NOT asking for pew jumping, tongue singing, dancing around the pews etc

ALL of that NOT from Him

Just asking though are we willing to at times "step outside the closed" box we put ourselves in?

GLAd that we have rebuked rightly the false teaching and practices of those in pentacostal circles , but have over reacted to it sometimes, closed off His work among us?

 

[Tom Butler]

I think you raise a valid point. A lot of folks are afraid to express some emotion in worship lest they're be accused of being "Holy Rollers."

I admit to having that reaction at times.

And I think the inhibition could come early in life, where we see such inhibitions in our churches as the norm. By the time we reach adulthood, any display, such as lifting hands in praise, or even shouting, makes us uncomfortable.

 

[mandym]

I believe it can also from seeing so many extremes presented as the norm.

 

[Iconoclast]

Great that we are "people of the Book"
That is how muslims refer to christians

But are we willing to allow the "author" of that Book chance to do as he would so will among us?

God already does that. He does not need our permission


35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?


NOT asking for pew jumping, tongue singing, dancing around the pews etc

ALL of that NOT from Him

good....all of that is nonsense

Just asking though are we willing to at times "step outside the closed" box we put ourselves in?

what closed box? Do you mean the scripture>?

GLAd that we have rebuked rightly the false teaching and practices of those in pentacostal circles , but have over reacted to it sometimes, closed off His work among us?

In what way??? give two or three examples???

 

[Tater77]

Good point OP. The Pentecostals and Charismatics have ruined teaching and preaching of the Holy Spirit these days for Baptists.

Few go beyond the indwelling of the Spirit upon Salvation, thats about it.

 

[Luke2427]

Great that we are "people of the Book"

But are we willing to allow the "author" of that Book chance to do as he would so will among us?

NOT asking for pew jumping, tongue singing, dancing around the pews etc

ALL of that NOT from Him

Just asking though are we willing to at times "step outside the closed" box we put ourselves in?

GLAd that we have rebuked rightly the false teaching and practices of those in pentacostal circles , but have over reacted to it sometimes, closed off His work among us?

Yes. I think we have ignored the third person of the Godhead much to our detriment.

I think this manifests itself best with "seeker-sensitive" churches.

Marketing replaces the Spirit empowered delivery of the Gospel for growth.

I think we see it in the pressure to make our churches as little churchy as possible so that they will appeal to more people.

We have to do these kinds of things because we have no Acts 1:8 POWER.

If we had the POWER of the Holy Spirit we could preach for an hour, sing to organ music, build "churchy" churches rather than this new warehouse style "worship center" business, put robes on our choirs, sing old hymns, and still build large churches and take our culture for Christ.

I'm not saying that that is the only way to do church- I am saying the categorical abandonment of that for everything that appeals to nearly everyone who knows not God is, imo, a direct effort at replacing the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses.

 

[DiamondLady]

If we had the POWER of the Holy Spirit we could preach for an hour, sing to organ music, build "churchy" churches rather than this new warehouse style "worship center" business, put robes on our choirs, sing old hymns, and still build large churches and take our culture for Christ.

That's why I'm so glad our wonderful little church is the way it is. We are the old-fashioned preach for an hour, sing to old hymns (we have an organ but no one plays it...yet), Bible reading, toe-stomping on preaching kind of church. The first time we visited our church my DH was not saved and we went for a Gospel Sing on a Sunday Evening. They were "crazy, wild people" according to my husband because they were enjoying the music...clapping, raising hands, amening...and my husband said, "I'm never going there again! We've been there going on 8 years now and he's now one of those crazy wild people, saved by the blood of Christ who enjoys being in the Lord's House. Church shouldn't be a three-ring circus but Christians ought to be able to enjoy being there and the Holy Spirit ought to be able to move among the people and people feel the freedom to respond in whatever way they're moved.

We're TOO negative on....what did Iconclast call it? Nonesense? IMHO

 

[Iconoclast]

That's why I'm so glad our wonderful little church is the way it is. We are the old-fashioned preach for an hour, sing to old hymns (we have an organ but no one plays it...yet), Bible reading, toe-stomping on preaching kind of church. The first time we visited our church my DH was not saved and we went for a Gospel Sing on a Sunday Evening. They were "crazy, wild people" according to my husband because they were enjoying the music...clapping, raising hands, amening...and my husband said, "I'm never going there again! We've been there going on 8 years now and he's now one of those crazy wild people, saved by the blood of Christ who enjoys being in the Lord's House. Church shouldn't be a three-ring circus but Christians ought to be able to enjoy being there and the Holy Spirit ought to be able to move among the people and people feel the freedom to respond in whatever way they're moved.

We're TOO negative on....what did Iconclast call it? Nonesense? IMHO

is this your church diamond lady?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=215C-tadRmk&feature=related
or this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go4w5S8l1mE&feature=related
or ,then we have some "toe stomping"here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTFznHa1Hds&feature=related

if it is.......you can have it!

 

[JesusFan]

In what way??? give two or three examples???

Some still believe that God can heal IF It be in His Will, so wewould have prayers made for the ill among us...

Some still see the Holy Spirit has able to move into a community, so would have prayer meetings asking God to release Him to do His work

Some still see that God can prompt, convict, lead in situations by the small still "voice/impression" from Hs

Just saying that he can do things "outisde" the Book as he so wills, and that there are things he could do, but we "have not because you ask not" that our lack of trusting Him to take control over the praise/worshop/teaching basically entire program of the local Church


He will do things in order and in accordance with the Bible, but just might have surprises for us along the way!

 

[JesusFan]

I think you raise a valid point. A lot of folks are afraid to express some emotion in worship lest they're be accused of being "Holy Rollers."

I admit to having that reaction at times.

And I think the inhibition could come early in life, where we see such inhibitions in our churches as the norm. By the time we reach adulthood, any display, such as lifting hands in praise, or even shouting, makes us uncomfortable.

I was raised after the Lord saved me in a "pentacostal" Church, thnkfully, pastor a godly man, Seminary trained, pretty baptist actually in praise/teaching etc

DID have tongues/prophecy BUT not the norm every service, infrequent practiced, and the pastor did rebuke when he felt was Non biblical, out or order, so kept it reined in pretty tightly!

NOT asking for us to go and start doing that, just that we can learn from them about having heart led praise/worship. and OK to have the Lord be able to speak to us thru tjhe Bible and thru the Holy Spirit by his prompting/urgings/conviction etc

just trying to keep a balnce between those who have "the Bible and Nothing more" and those who say "Got it all in Holy Ghost"

 

[Winman]

Our church has just started an in-depth study on the Holy Spirit in Sunday School, our pastor said this study may take us through the rest of the year. We had our second class today, and today we studied that the Holy Spirit is a literal person (although a spirit) with a real personality, not some magical force. We also studied that the Holy Spirit has part in almost all workings of God from creation to raising Jesus from the dead. Very interesting class so far, I am really enjoying it.

 

[Amy.G]

That's why I'm so glad our wonderful little church is the way it is. We are the old-fashioned preach for an hour, sing to old hymns (we have an organ but no one plays it...yet), Bible reading, toe-stomping on preaching kind of church. The first time we visited our church my DH was not saved and we went for a Gospel Sing on a Sunday Evening. They were "crazy, wild people" according to my husband because they were enjoying the music...clapping, raising hands, amening...and my husband said, "I'm never going there again! We've been there going on 8 years now and he's now one of those crazy wild people, saved by the blood of Christ who enjoys being in the Lord's House. Church shouldn't be a three-ring circus but Christians ought to be able to enjoy being there and the Holy Spirit ought to be able to move among the people and people feel the freedom to respond in whatever way they're moved.

Amen sister!

 

[Alive in Christ]

I think we Baptists are sometimes a bit *hesitant* in this regard...probably due to the excess in some charismatic circles.

We (my church) are blessed in that our pastor is fine with lifting hands and people saying "praise the Lord" when appropiate.