Mark Van Steenwyk has just written On Being Charismatic, in which he describes a bit of his charismatic past and some discomforts with it before outlining seven statements on the charismata. He doesn’t use the terminology, but the essence of what he’s saying would put him, as I would describe it, in the post-charismatic camp. I’ve written about this a fair bit, though the magnum opus is forthcoming from Robbymac.
The term “post-” anything seems to raise people’s hackles. Postmodern may to some be an overused term, and post-evangelical can make people think about heretics, but these are not the right associations to be used with these terms, nor with post-charismatic. The clearest example of the prefix in an unambiguous use would be “post-industrial.” Just as the “post-” prefix in this usage is not intended to imply anything negative about industrialization…. in fact in many ways, quite the opposite. And it is precisely this tone that should be inferred when considering the term “post-charismatic.”
This got me to thinking about the types of post-charismatics that are out there, and I think I can provisionally identify six variations on the theme. In the descriptions, I use “abuses and excesses” to describe the experience of the post-charismatics. Without discussing or defending the phrase, it is intended to simply be descriptive of the perspective common to the post-charismatics. Absent this common assessment on their part, most of them would by definition not be post-charismatic. The list, then:
- Post-Charismatic Cessationists are those who had a charismatic experience or who once actively practiced the charismata in their former church lives, but for one reason or another, or perhaps for many personal reasons, have come to believe that the charismata are no longer active and that some alternative explanation exists to make sense of their prior experience. These are the closest to losing their faith over the excesses and abuses they’ve seen, being prepared to write off all of it as mass hysteria or any number of other possible explanations. Some of these may have the lingering question, “If all of that was false, how much of the faith itself is false too?” Those retaining their faith may still walk away with a cessationist view simply because it’s more palatable to them to think that God was in no way the author of what they saw or experienced.
- Former Charismatics are those who want to put their charismatic days behind them, completely. These are people who have no wish to continue the exercise of the charismata at all. They don’t believe that the charismata have ceased, but based on their past experience, they may be viewed as too dangerous or simply not worth the risk of the damage they can cause when weighed against the potential benefit they provide. It would be better, they reason, not to attempt to exercise the gifts because they only lead to abuse and excess, and not enough people get healed to make the whole package worth pursuing, simply for the experience of speaking in tongues, the value of which they might question.
- Functional Cessationists are those who, like the Former Charismatics, don’t dismiss the charismata, but they’re open to them… kind of. They don’t really pursue the gifts, and are just wary enough that there’s no actual practice of the charismata taking place. This group is actually content with the way things are because it feels appropriate, non-controversial, and allows a focus on other important spiritual priorities with none of the mess. They don’t deny the gifts in their theology, but in practice, they certainly aren’t sought or encouraged, so although the function of the gifts haven’t been ruled out, they don’t actually function.
- Detoxing Post-Charismatics are those who have set the charismata aside, but only for a season. They have a desire to see the gifts practiced and functioning in their everyday life and church community, but based on their past charismatic experiences, they’re excercising an extreme caution. Unlike the Functional Cessationists, they aren’t content with this mode, and want to actively pursue the gifts. As it stands however, their past experience has left them asking a lot of questions and sorting out what’s been from God and what hasn’t. The detox period they’re in is one of sorting out a new understanding for the ongoing function of the charismata, which they fully intend to pursue as they figure things out a bit more. There may be various degrees of awareness of it, but they are feeling wounded from the excesses and abuses in their charismatic experiences and observations, and to some degree, for many, it may be best to excercise caution in their practice of the gifts until they are able to heal from their woundedness and begin to use the gifts again in a way that is untainted by their past experience.
- (Classic) Post-Charismatics are those who have rejected some of the forms of their charismatic backgrounds — the excesses. Having considered any excesses and abuses they have observed or experienced, they have also considered the positive impact of the charismata, and moved beyond it. They have a strong desire to pursue the practice of the gifts in their life and in the life of their community, and are seeking ways to integrate the regular practice of the gifts in ways that are void of the negative aspects and effects they’ve seen in the past. They have evaluated the good and the bad, and unlike the Former Charismatics, they have weighed the potential benefit and the potential pitfalls and found the benefits worth the “risks.” To some extent, they are still experimenting with how to integrate the gifts without being drawn into some of the excesses or errors which caused them to want to leave the charismatic movement, but fundamentally, they value and seek to practice the gifts. They’re attempting to get on with it, but haven’t completely finished asking and answering some of the questions they’ve posed for themselves.
- Realized Post-Charismatics are those who have found ways of integrating the charismata into their life and practice, and are getting on with “doin’ the stuff,” as John Wimber used to call it. They have rejected the excesses and abuses that have characterized some of the charismatic movement they’ve known, but have been able to put all of it enough into the past so as not to be too bothered about it any longer. These are much like the (Classic) Post-Charismatics, but they’ve stopped asking quite so many questions, having reached a place of peace with answers that they have come up with so far. They are Post-Charismatic in the sense of having left the charismatic movement, but having integrated the good from the charismatic movement into their ongoing life of faith and practice.
A kind of progression can be recognized with some or most of these categories. Some will settle in one of them and stay there for a long time, perhaps indefinitely or permenantly, but I believe that all post-charismatics can and should move toward the “realized” stage. From my perspective, there are not a lot of voices from this camp in the emerging church movement, but there are getting to be more people in the (Classic) Post-Charismatic camp, seeking to move forward. Taking steps together from there though, I do see a reason to hope for a reasonable contingent of believers in the emerging church conversation that are finding ways to integrate the gifts of the Spirit on a practical ongoing fashion.
Great categories. I’d like to think that I’m a 5.7. :)
Great stuff and I like your tag line!
This is a struggle I’m enjoying acutally. Being charismatic (very much so) for years, I feel like I’ve landed on firm ground in the post-charismatic realm. Although firm ground in the California sense, or the shag carpet sense.
What I’m discovering, as I ‘lead’ a group of people coming from all different backgrounds, into a post-charistmatic ethos, is that not only do we as individuals go through some sort of process (depending on your previous background and exposure) but that we also enter into it as a community. What that looks like is more complicated as we have previous cessationists who are interested but afraid of what they’ve seen in the abuses, all the way to the other end, word of faith, charismatics, who realize that maybe a more holistic approach to faith is a better way.
The common thread that keeps us moving toward ‘post-charismaticism’ is that we all are striving for something that is more than where we are at now.
Basically we’re like Frodo and Sam on the great journey that lies before them, except that Frodo can’t see, Sam can’t hear, and both limp! But by the grace of God we’re on a terrific journey!
Mark, we’re all fightin’ to make that 6.0! Thanks for the link back here, too.
David, good observations on entering as a community… and I love the Frodo / Sam image!
I think the approach to the cessationists et al (should I say “burned charismatics”?) is simply, “Yeah, we know. We’re sorry.” And then move on from there to show why 1 Cor. 13 is situated where is is, smack-dab in the middle of the charismata discussion. It’s got nothing to do with weddings and everything to do with not beating the sheep with the gifts. When will we learn? And when I say “show” I don’t just mean “explain!”
hehe
I pretty much said the same thing in a teaching I gave two weeks ago about 1cor13.
:-)
I think I’m a 6 or pretty close.
Thanks for the categories!
I’m in between 4 and 5. I am still evaluating past experiences and at the same hungering for truly Spirit-led encounters with the gifts. I refuse to participate in any kind of charismata that has even a hint of hype about it. For this reason I no longer attend my (formerly) favorite prayer conference here in the northwest; for this reason I got up and left in the middle of a meeting of a highly controversial and flamboyant prophetic minister; for this reason I also hesitate, perhaps too much, to speak up when the word of the Lord fills my bones.
But I love, love, love the Holy Spirit and how he shows up and speaks up and makes Jesus real to people, even to screwed-up souls like me. And that is Who I do not want to shut out of my life. So I’m in between 4 and 5 but for all of my life I will be travelling towards 6 and beyond.
good blogging. you and robby write on the same stuff. it’s his fault i’m posting on your blog. just fyi. but i think your blog looks nicer than his. he has too many graphics of worms lying around. kinda gross. your blog is much classier. i bet you would never post pics of buckets filled with night crawlers. is it like a fetish with him or something?
Brother Maynard, I sent a response to your excellent article on Post Charismatics. I could not tell if it had gone through and I have not seen it posted. If it didn’t, could you let me know at clark7897[at]bellsouth.net.
Hey Bro M that was quite the refinement of categories. I’m going to keep a copy of that and say that I got it from you.
This is a beautiful analysis.
That’s really interesting. I think I’m somewhere between 5 and 6. Maybe because when I left the charismatic stream, it wasn’t a personal experience of spiritual abuse (although widespread), but just scales falling off my eyes (or whatever you want to call it when God begins to allow you to see in greater measure) regarding all the self-promotion and empire-building. It’s tragic to watch people use God given gifts and anointing toward their own ends instead of as an expression of His love. The mixture became too repulsive after a while. But I never saw the gifts as a problem – it was pretty much all the other junk.
I also would like to see more of the operation of charismata in the emerging church. Especially since it looks so much to identify with Jesus as missional-incarnational. He did that in a very supernatural way.
We like to look at it as we’re growing up in love.
1 Cor 13 is sandwiched right in between 2 gifts chapters. 1 Cor 12 Bell, 1 Cor 13 Pomogranite, 1 Cor 14 Bell
It takes love to mature in the use of the gifts. Like Sarah shot back – that’s the part that’s missing from many Charismatic circles. Instead of moving toward love – the movement took on the characteristics of many other moves of God gone south – institutionalism, control, hierarchy, authoritarianism, elitism. Many of our leaders who never went to seminary – now behave as though they had. (They are the elite professional leaders – come to tell everyone else what it is God wants…..)
For sure, it leaves your head spinnin’ – however – hopefully we test all things, hold on to the good, reject all the evil and move on.
Thanks for the article – I would say that I am a 5.
Spent the last two years working on staff at a mainline church which never brought it up publicly…
thanks for this post and the link from your post comments today that pointed me here. The distinctions are helpful.
For me i would see myself in 5 moving towards 6. I guess my only quibble would be, that i don’t feel i have “left” the charismatic movement, or at least the broadness of it, as found in the UK. I certainly find i have less affinity with many sections of it, and i no longer am defined by my charismatic / evangelical roots. But i still find myself within, and as i emerge from a huge transition, comfortable being part of (and leading) a charismatic church! What a weird world!
To be fair, we are not your typical charismatic church! But i hope that we can help people through their own transitions of disillusionment with the charismaniac world, to 5 or 6 on your category, without having to leave church, which i think is generally a failure of Christian community to help and hold people through the questions and pain.