Hi all – here’s a roundup of the posts I did for the series I dubbed ‘Spirit Week,’ where I sketched a bit around my Pentecostal and charismatic past, the movements on the whole, and where I think they’re going – or could go. I focused on two quite different ministers who might represent two different (though complimentary) visions of the future of Spirit-filled expressions of Christian faith: Leif Hetland, who recently released the lyrical, love-drenched Seeing Through Heaven’s Eyes and John Crowder, whose classic 2008 interviews are re-showcased here in anticipation of having him back on to discuss the new turn in his ministry, outlined in the new release Mystical Union.
Without further ado, here are the posts! Let me know if you’d like to see more ‘Spirit Week’ series – and what you’d like me to focus on.
Spirit Week: East Orthodox Spirituality, Charismatics, & the New Monasticism
Spirit Week: ‘Seeing Through Heaven’s Eyes’ – Charismatic Christianity 2.0?
Spirit Week: Is Progressive Pentecostalism Possible? (A Homebrewed Christianity Discussion!)
Spirit Week: Charismatic Chaos or (Holy) Spirited Deconstruction?
Spirit Week: Does ‘the Prophetic’ Have a Future?
Spirit Week Guest Blog: John Crowder Speaks!
Spirit Week: Crowder & Morrell Dialogue – What About the Fam? (Or, ‘Sex-Crazed Charismatics?’)
Spirit Week: Crowder & Morrell – Kids & Cocaine Jesus?
Spirit Week with Crowder & Morrell: Charismissional – What About The Poor?
Spirit Week – Crowder & Morrell Final: Sweet Mystical Communion
For a charismatic accustomed to “saturation in the Spirit” and “falling under the power”, Eastern Orthodoxy can be an exciting next step. I visited a convergent church in Denver where chanting was mixed with electric keyboards and incense with smoke machines. It was a surreal experience that I will never forget. Then I immersed myself in the literature and tried to understand the doctrinal differences … and that was when I became bogged down. One can get intimidated by the centuries of scholastic writings from Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Pentecostal theologians. When I was exhausted from this, I found Celtic spirituality, and the earthy simplicity of it was refreshing beyond belief. But being aware of so many different streams of expression can be inhibiting, and I felt undone; unable to make a contribution that could be considered at all valuable. I note your posts on the house church movement and recall with nostalgia the days when we prophesied and laid hands on people with only our faith and passion to guide us. I am very interested in your point of view and wonder if the new monasticism will take off. I think burned-out Christian leaders would benefit from it, but I also think it is a way of navigating in a world where we are drowning in information and running to keep up with the ever-advancing edge of progress. Thanks for your very interesting and informative articles.
Hi Leanne! Thank you for your thoughts here! I agree, knowing what to best glean from the plethora of knowledge out there is called wisdom. We need a lot more of it, and it sounds like you’re on a genuine wisdom path! (‘Wisdom Christianity’ of course what I’m blogging through in posts like this one.)
Tell me, if you don’t mind – what was the name of the ‘convergent church’ in Denver?
Hi Mike. No, I don’t mind, but I haven’t been in touch with them for years. The church was called Imago Dei Global Communities back in 2002, and was subsequently renamed St Isaac’s Christian Church. They introduced me to many new concepts such as sacramental worship and remembrance of the saints, which weren’t part of my charismatic experience, but funnily enough, constructed a bridge back to my Anglican roots and a deeper commitment to being Christ in the world.