01 Jun 2007

June 2007-The Holy Spirit and Revival

The Methodist Church In Malaysia - Approved By GCEC, 11-12 Aug 2006

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background and Purpose

The General Conference Executive Committee (GCEC) was presented with the issue that the on-going influence of Pentecostal and charismatic churches, and their practices have caused some problems for a number of Methodist churches, as well as some of our Annual Conferences. At the same time, it is recognized the renewed emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in the church has brought blessings to many. It was decided that a set of guidelines need to be drawn up for the whole Methodist Church so that our understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit does not become a divisive issue, but instead enhance our on-going ministry and mission.
This document is based on an earlier one, ‘The Methodist Church and the Charismatic Movement,’ which was officially approved by TRAC at its 9th Session in Nov 1984 as a set of guidelines for TRAC churches. Much of the extraneous material has been removed and some additional material added. In drawing up the original report in 1984, much use was made of resource material already available, especially from the British Methodist Church and United Methodist Church (UMC). In fact almost the whole of Section III on ‘Guidelines’ in the present document is taken from the TRAC report, and that particular section of the TRAC report was taken with very minor changes from the UMC report.
B. Defining Terms Used

Terminology associated with the charismatic movement is confusing because of varying usage.
PENTECOSTALISM: The term refers to the movement which began late in the 19th century in Europe, and then later in the early 20th century in USA, resulting in the formation of a number of Pentecostal denominations in the early years of the twentieth century. These include the Assemblies of God, Church of God, and the Four Square Church. Classic Pentecostals in general assert that all must undergo the ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit,’ of which speaking in tongues is the distinguishing mark. This experience is often subsequent to a Christian’s conversion, the purpose of which is the empowering for ministry. In their view, Christians who have not undergone this experience are often considered to be at a lower spiritual plane than those who have been ‘baptized in the Spirit.’ Pentecostals also emphasize strongly the full recovery of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT: This is the movement that began about 1960 in mainline Christian churches in the west, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, under the influence of the Pentecostal movement. Many, though not all, followed classical Pentecostals in emphasizing the central importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with speaking in tongues as evidence. But all Charismatics would emphasize the need to recover the Holy Spirit’s empowering and gifts for ministry today. Many emphasize the gifts of prophecy, healing, tongues, and interpretation of tongues because these gifts are perceived to have been neglected by the Church.

CHARISMATIC: In popular usage the term charismatic is often associated with those in the Charismatic movement or Pentecostal churches as defined above. But in a biblical sense there is no such person as a ‘noncharismatic Christian’, since the Greek term charismata refers to the gracious gifts of God bestowed upon all Christians to equip them for ministry: ‘to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good’ (1 Cor 12:7).

INDIGENOUS CHRISTIANITY:
Pentecostals and Charismatics emerged out of Christianity in the west, where for long periods Christianity neglected the importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. However, often when non-westerners were converted, many of them read about the work of the Holy Spirit in the Bible and begin to practice them naturally. Examples of this include Sadhu Sundar Singh in India and John Sung in China. They were not Pentecostals or Charismatics in the western sense, but they freely exercised the Holy Spirit’s gifts. They are examples of Indigenous Christianity, i.e. forms of Christianity that emerged and grew under indigenous or local leadership in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

II. FAITH

A. Historical Perspective: The Work of the Holy Spirit in Various Periods

1.   The Holy Spirit in the New Testament Period

The work of the Holy Spirit is clearly taught in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus was conceived by the Spirit (Luke 1:35), filled with the Spirit at his Baptism (Luke 3:22), and empowered to face Satan at his Temptation (Luke 4:1f). He claims to be the Spirit-filled Messiah foretold in the Old Testament who will come to bring God’s salvation (Luke 4:18ff; 7:21f). His deliverance ministry of people in bondage to Satan was carried out in the Spirit’s power (Mat 12:28). And he will baptize with the Spirit and fire (Luke 3:15-19; John 7:37-39; 16:7; Acts 1:5 & 8). Peter at Pentecost speaks of Jesus’ ‘mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him’ (Acts 2:22).

The work of the Holy Spirit is clearly taught in the New Testament. The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2 ushered in the beginning of the church. It empowered the disciples to be witnesses of Jesus (Acts 1:8). The gifts of the Spirit are clearly taught (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11, 27-31; Eph 4:11; 1 Pet 4:10f). Paul describes his amazing missionary outreach to the Gentile world as ‘by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God’ (Rom 15:18f).

 
2.   The Holy Spirit in John Wesley’s Life and Ministry
John Wesley and his followers were bearers of scriptural Christianity and inheritors of the promises on the Holy Spirit in Acts and the rest of the New Testament. His own ministry and that of his followers testify to the dynamic work of the Spirit in early Methodism.

To begin with, his Aldersgate experience of the assurance of his salvation on 24th May 1738 was certainly a work of the Spirit. He relates how as he heard of ‘the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed …and an assurance was given that he had taken away my sins.’ Some months later, he was at prayer with seventy others, including his brother Charles and also George Whitefield, on the night of 1 Jan 1739. In the early hours of the next morning, the Holy Spirit was poured on them in a most powerful manner. He writes: ‘About three in the morning …the power of God came mightily upon us insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, “We praise Thee, O God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.”’
 
Careful study of Wesley’s writings shows that spiritual gifts, including healing and deliverance of the demonized, were clearly manifested in his ministry and that of his coworkers. There were also repeated cases of people falling to the ground under the power of the Holy Spirit due to a variety of reasons, including deliverance from demonization, deep conviction of sin and subsequent release, or simply being overcome by the Spirit. (Davies, Methodism, pp.60f; Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists, pp.100f, 319.) One study has shown that, ‘a careful study of Wesley’s Works and particularly of the lives of the early Methodist preachers reveals evidence that all the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10 were exercised, with the one exception of the interpretation of tongues’ (Davies & Peart, The Charismatic Movement and Methodism, p.2).

Finally, Wesley himself has noted that the spiritual gifts were not generally exercised after the first two or three centuries after Christ. But the reason for this was not that these gifts were not available. Rather, as he noted, ‘The real cause was “the love of many,” almost all Christians, was “waxed cold”’ (cited in Snyder 1982, p.183).
3.   The Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements in the West
Historically the roots of classical Pentecostalism in America are found in the 19th century Holiness Movement, which in turn emerged out of Methodism. One writer, F. D. Bruner, rightly says that ‘Pentecostalism is Primitive Methodism’s extended incarnation.’ Thus when Methodists evaluate the contemporary charismatic renewal, they are often touching their own deepest roots. In Europe, the roots were somewhat more varied, including Keswick holiness teaching and the Welsh Revival in Britain, and Pietistic teachings in Europe. The Charismatic renewal in the west resulted from Pentecostal influence on the historic churches. Most of the major denominations were affected, including the Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic churches.

In the Malaysian context, many of the churches that are in these traditions are either from the classical Pentecostal traditions (mainly the Assemblies of God) or independent churches, which sprang up under the influence of Pentecostal and charismatic teachings, much of which have come from the west. But as it will be seen in the next section, there have also been significant indigenous input from Asian Christianity.

 

4.   The Work of the Holy Spirit and Indigenous Christianity in Asia
The evidence shows clearly that the activity of the Holy Spirit is not merely restricted to western Christianity. Indeed, when the gospel reached different parts of the non-western world, especially Africa and Asia, many Christians learnt of the Holy Spirit’s work in the Bible. In simple faith they believed, and many began exercising the gifts of the Spirit and saw ‘signs and wonders’ in their ministries, just as it was in the New Testament. Although the ministries of such individuals and churches are similar to those of Pentecostals and Charismatics in many ways, they do not owe their origins to these western movements. Rather, they sprang up entirely on their own under the direct leading of the Spirit.

Within Asia, the most famous examples would include people like Sadhu Sundar Singh and Bahkt Singh in India, and Pastor Hsi (Sheng Mo) and John Sung (Shang-Jie) of China. These people operated freely in the realm of spiritual gifts such as visions and dreams, healings and exorcisms, prophecies and so forth. Further, whenever there have been deep-seated revivals in Asia, often there have been similar reports of the powerful work of the Spirit. These include the Mukti Mission revival in 1905 under the leadership of the most famous Indian woman Christian, Pandita Ramabai, the Indonesian revivals in the 1960s, and on-going house-church revivals in China today.

 5.  Summary
The above shows that the work of the Holy Spirit in revival and the exercise of spiritual gifts are not things newly introduced by Pentecostals and Charismatics from the west. Rather, this is clearly taught in the New Testament and deeply rooted in our own Methodist tradition. Moreover, we see the same outpouring of the Spirit’s power in some of the best and most dynamic examples of Asian Christianity. But it should also be noted that there have been aberrant movements which have caused unnecessary problems in the church.

 

B.   Theological Perspectives

1.   Introduction
We will now outline the basic theological position about the issues at hand. In deciding on the position we adopt we must always allow Scripture and not our personal experience to guide us. There are three areas where clarification is needed. First, what does the phrase ‘baptism in/by/with the Spirit’ mean and how is ‘tongues’ related to it? Second, how should the experience of the work of the Holy Spirit affect church life, structures and relationships? Third, what should be our view of spiritual gifts? We shall look at each of this in turn.

2.   Understanding ‘Baptism in/by/with the Spirit’

a.   All the blessings of the Gospel has been given in Christ
Every spiritual blessing has been given to us by God in and through our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3), so that every Christian is complete, in principle, having received fullness of life in him (Col 2:9, 10). This includes the gift of the Holy Spirit to all believers. The ministry of the Spirit is always to bear witness to and exalt Christ (Acts 1:8; John 16:8-15). Thus we must reject any idea that in the Spirit we receive something more wonderful than our Saviour, Jesus Christ, or something apart from him and the fullness of his saving grace.

There is therefore the need (i) to avoid trying to stereotype either the work of the Holy Spirit or the experience of individual Christians into a one, two or three-stage experience; and (ii) to avoid presenting the work of the Spirit in separation from the work of the Son, since the Son gives the Spirit and the Spirit both witnesses to the Son and forms him in us. 

b.   How do we understand the ‘Baptism in/by/with the Spirit’
Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9). It is impossible for anyone to confess sin, acknowledge Christ as Lord, experience new birth, enjoy the Saviour’s fellowship, be assured of being a child of God, grow in holiness, or exercise any faithful ministry without the Spirit. The Christian life is life in the Spirit. We all thank God for this gift. 

In recent years there has been a fresh enrichment in many Christians’ Spirit-given experience of Christ, and in many cases they have called it ‘baptism in/by/with the Holy Spirit’. Some of these people have seen their experience as similar to that of the disciples on the day of Pentecost, and other comparable events in Acts. Many people have used the phrase ‘baptism in/by/with the Spirit’ in the Pentecostal sense of a post-conversion experience. Despite the observable parallels, however, there are problems attaching to the use of this term to describe an experience separated, often by a long period of time, from the person’s initial conversion to Christ.

In the New Testament, this phrase occurs in the following places:
1 Cor 12:13; ‘For we were all baptized in/by/with one Spirit into one body …’
Luke 3:16; ‘He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’

If we begin with 1 Cor 12:13, clearly the phrase ‘baptism in/by/with the Spirit’ refers to the experience of conversion and new birth, when a person is initiated into the body of Christ, i.e. the church. It has to be a once and for all event and applies to all Christians. In that sense, every person who has been saved by
Christ, also has been baptized by the Spirit. It simply cannot be something that happens some time after conversion!

Concerning the usage of the word ‘baptism’ in Luke 3:16, some scholars have pointed out that it is used in the sense of an overwhelming experience (cf. Mark 10:38; and Isa 21:4 in Greek uses the same verb metaphorically of destruction). This would mean that Luke 3:16 refers to an experience wherein the Holy Spirit overwhelms us, including both emotionally and physically. If this is the case, then it would be similar to what the rest of the New Testament refers to as ‘being filled with the Spirit’ (Acts 2:4; 4:31; 9:17f; Eph 5:18).

It is difficult for all Christians to agree on using the phrase ‘baptism in/by/with the Spirit’ in one standard way only, as it has been understood in different ways by different traditions. However, to avoid misunderstand among our own Methodist members, it is perhaps best to restrict the phrase to refer to the initial experience of the Spirit’s coming into our lives at the moment of conversion and new birth. That is when we were ‘baptized’ or immersed into the body of Christ, or incorporated into the church as a new Christian. At the same time, God desires to bless us ever more richly, both by strengthening us spiritually and morally so that we may become more and more like Christ, and also by empowering us for greater effectiveness in ministry. In the language of the New Testament, we can speak of this as ‘being filled with the Spirit.’ The advantage of this is that, as we are reminded in the New Testament, all of us need to be filled again and again. There are no exceptions!

c.   How do we know that we have received the gift of the Spirit or been filled with the Spirit?
Although speaking in tongues is an initial phenomenon recorded on a number of occasions in connection with receiving the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, the New Testament does not allow us to make it the only sure evidence that the Spirit has been given. Hence we must avoid at all cost saying to others that unless we can speak in tongues we have not been ‘baptized by the Spirit’ or ‘filled with the Spirit.’ Indeed a careful study of 1 Cor 12:28-30 shows that the Greek grammar in the question ‘Do all speak in tongues?’ requires a firm ‘No.’ (At the same time it must be recognized that tongues is one of the spiritual gifts and its proper usage must not be discouraged.)

Nevertheless, it appears that the reception of the Spirit by Christians in the New Testament was something that was consciously experienced by the recipient, and often immediately perceived by onlookers (cf. Acts 8:18f; 19:2; Gal 3:2). When we ask what evidence of this reception we might expect, in the light of the New Testament records, the immediate answer must be a new awareness of the love, forgiveness and presence of God as our Father through Jesus Christ who is confessed as Lord, and the joyful spontaneous praise of God (whether in one’s own tongue or another), issuing subsequently in a life of righteousness and obedience, and of loving service to God and man, a life which manifests gifts of the Spirit as well as spiritual understanding.

3.   Church Life, Structures and Relationships

a.   The Body of Christ
The New Testament teaches that the whole church is a charismatic community in which all are endowed with spiritual gifts (charismata) and are responsible for exercising them for the common good (1 Cor 12:7). The rediscovery of spiritual gifts and the doctrine of the body of Christ have helped in recent
years to provide a healthy corrective to an earlier excessive individualism, wherein ministry in the church was centered primarily around the pastor. We welcome this and encourage every member to play a full part, through the exercise of his or her gifts in the life, worship, witness and service of the church.

b.   Structures
If the church is to benefit from these rediscovery of New Testament practices, traditional ways of worship, ministry and congregational life must be modified and adapted. The doctrine and reality of the body of Christ cannot adequately be expressed through a pattern of ministry dependent chiefly, if not entirely, on one man. Neither can a rigid traditional ‘set’ pattern of worship, which is sometimes found in our churches, fully express the freedom of the Spirit.

There is enough flexibility in our Methodist heritage at these points to allow for a genuinely corporate and Spirit-led church life. We therefore urge all members to respect those traditions that are good and praiseworthy within Methodism on the one hand, and to be open to the Spirit’s leading on the other, as we seek to move forward in renewal.

c.   The mutual roles of pastors and lay people
We believe a pastor must see himself as a trainer of others to be effective members of the body of Christ. When members of a church are renewed and revived by the Spirit, they begin to exercise their gifts, and to discover and develop their ministries. Lay leadership, therefore, begins to grow and mature. When that happens, the pastor’s role in oversight, teaching and leadership becomes more, not less, vital.

d.   Maintaining unity and peace in churches
Often within a church there are those who are more traditional, and those who have experienced the Spirit in a fresh way. There is place for mutual respect and acceptance, even when we disagree. We strongly urge that pastors and congregations pay careful attention to the guidelines in Section III so that the unity of the Spirit can always be maintained.

4.   Spiritual Gifts

a.   Their nature, range and variety
A spiritual gift is a God-given capacity to serve others in a manner that edifies them and helps them to know and love Christ more. Spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4. These list the most important and most commonly used gifts, but they are not exhaustive. Further, neither the context nor terminology of 1 Corinthians 12 nor a comparison of the various lists of gifts will allow us to elevate one gift or set of gifts above another. And whilst not all gifts and ministries have been equally in evidence throughout the Church’s history, there is no reason why such gifts should not be given and exercised today. We should be open to receive any spiritual gifts that are consonant with the New Testament.

b.   Gifts for every member
The New Testament teaches that every Christian has already received some gift or gifts, that all should recognize their gifts, and to exercise them. It also encourages all to desire further spiritual gifts of one sort or another, needed for ministry. The healthy functioning of a congregation as the body of Christ is dependent upon each one contributing in this way. We should therefore not be afraid to ask God for the needed gifts for the work He calls us to (Mat 7:11).

c.   Their use, regulation and oversight
We believe it is vital that those who claim to have gifts should have those gifts tested by the leadership in the body of Christ in that place, and not be given carte blanche to exercise them as if above being questioned or corrected. Christians with recognised gifts should not be stifled, but rather encouraged in their ministry by the leadership (1 Thes 5:19-21). The exercise of gifts must be overseen by the eldership of the churches and by those more experienced in that field. Such gifts should normally be kept within the life of the whole church, and not restricted to some exclusive or special group.

5.   Conclusion: The goal of renewal
The goal of renewal is not merely renewed individuals but a renewed and revived church, alive with the life of Christ, subject to the word of God, filled with the Spirit, fulfilling Christ’s ministry and mission, constrained by His love to preach the Gospel, and enthralled in worship by the glory of Christ. Such a church alone can adequately portray Jesus Christ to the world. In preaching, writing and counseling, the Christ-centeredness of the Christian life and the work of the Holy Spirit must constantly be emphasized, so that we may all together grow up fully into him, our glorious Head.

III.  GUIDELINES FOR PASTORAL PRACTICE 
The following are a set of proposed ‘Guidelines’ for all in the Methodist Church. (Note: In this section,  the word charismatic will include both those who are charismatics in the western sense, and also those whose experience of the work of the Holy Spirit have come through indigenous Asian Christian sources.)

A.  Guidelines – The Local Church
In facing the issues raised by charismatic experiences, we plead for a spirit of openness and love. We commend to the church the affirmations of 1 Cor. 13, as well as the classical ecumenical watchword: ‘In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and, in all things, charity.’ Without an active, calm, objective and loving understanding of the religious experience of others, however different from one’s own, reconciliation is impossible.

The criteria by which we judge the validity of another’s religious experience must include a compatibility with the mind and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in the New Testament. If the consequence and quality of a reported encounter with the Holy Spirit give manifestations of division, self-righteousness, hostility, and exaggerated claims of knowledge and power, the experience is subject to serious question. However, when the experience clearly results in new dimensions of faith, joy, and blessings to others, we must conclude that this is what the Lord has done and offer him our praise.

1.   Guidelines for All

a.   Be open and accepting of those whose Christian experiences differ from your own.

b.   Continually undergird and envelop all discussions, conferences, meetings, and persons in prayer.

c.   Be open to new ways in which God by his Spirit may be speaking to the Church.

d.   Seek the gifts of the Spirit which enrich your life and you for ministry.

e.   Recognize that, even though spiritual gifts may be abused, this does not mean that they should be prohibited.

f.    Remember that the charismatic renewal has a valid contribution to make to the church.

g.   Remember the lessons of church history when God’s people rediscovered old truths; that the process is often disquieting; that it usually involves upheaval, change, and a degree of suffering and misunderstanding.

h.   Always be mindful of the spiritual needs of the whole congregation.

i.    In witnessing, teaching or preaching, the wholeness of all aspects of the gospel must be presented.

j.    Recognize the developments historically in the church’s understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts so as not to repeat out-dated controversies.

2.   For Pastors who have HAD Charismatic Experiences

a.   Combine with your charismatic experience a thorough knowledge of, and an adherence to Methodist policy and tradition. Remember your influence will, in large part, be earned by your loving and disciplined use of the gifts, by your conduct as a responsible pastor to all members of your congregation.

b.   Seek a deepening and continued friendship with your clergy colleagues both within and without the charismatic experience.

c.   Remember your ordination vows, particularly the vow to ‘maintain and set forward as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love among all Christian people, and especially among those that shall be committed to your charge.’ Also, to ‘reverently’ heed them to whom the charge over you is committed, following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions.

d.   Avoid temptation to force your personal views and experience on others. Seek to understand those whose spiritual experiences differ from your own.

e.   Seek to grow in your skills as a biblical exegete, a systematic theologian, and a preacher in all the fullness of the gospel.

f.    Pray for the gifts of the Spirit essential to your ministry; continually examine your life for the fruits of the Spirit.

g.   Find significant expressions of your personal experience through ministries of social witness.

3.   For Pastors who have NOT had Charismatic Experiences

a.  Continually examine your understanding of the doctrine and experience of the Holy Spirit, and to communicate this with clarity.

b.   Seek firsthand knowledge of what the charismatic renewal means to those who have experienced it. Keep your views open until this knowledge is obtained. Then observe and respond as a Christian, a Methodist minister, and as a sympathetic, conscientious pastor. Keep an openness to scriptural teaching regarding the charismatic gifts.

c.   When speaking in tongues occurs, seek to understand its significance and relevance to the speaker.

d.   Seek to know the meaning of the other ‘gifts of the Spirit’ in the charismatic experience – utterance of wisdom, knowledge, the gift of faith, healing, miracles, and prophesying.

e.   Methodist pastors should be intentional about the benefits to be derived by a mutual sharing of a variety of experiences which have biblical support.

4.   For Laity who have HAD Charismatic Experiences

a.   Remember to combine with your enthusiasm a thorough knowledge of and an adherence to the Methodist form of church government. The charismatic movement is closely related to the holiness movement, which is part of our tradition. Consult with your pastor/s and if he or she has not had your experience, help him or her to understand what it means to you.

b.   Pray that the Spirit will help you understand, and that he may help you to maintain empathy with all Methodists.

c.   Strive for a scholarly knowledge of scriptural content in combination with your scriptural experience. ‘Seek to unite knowledge and vital piety’ (Wesley). Strive to integrate your experiences with the theological traditions of our Church.

d.   Avoid undisciplined undiplomatic enthusiasm in your eagerness to share your experiences with others. Resist the temptation to pose as an authority on spiritual experiences. Failure in this area often causes your fellow Methodists to accuse you of spiritual pride.

e.   Remember that all prayer meetings and gatherings in the church are open to all members and not just to cater to you and others like you who had charismatic experiences.

f.    Remember that there are many types of Christian experiences which lead to spiritual growth; charismatic experience is one of these.

g.   Accept opportunities to become personally involved in the work and mission of your own congregation. The results of your charismatic experience must be seen in the outstanding quality of your church membership. Be an obvious enthusiastic supporter of your congregation, its pastor and lay leadership; of your district, your Annual Conference, The General Conference, and the mission of each. This is the most effective witness you can offer to the validity and vitality of your charismatic experience.

h.   It is not necessary to embrace all the usual physical and verbal expressions of Pentecostalism. These singular expressions may at times be a barrier to your witness.

i.    Remember Paul’s injunction that when the gift of tongues is used in a prophetic and didactic context, there must be interpretation to ensure proper order in worship (1 Cor 14:27, 40). If the gift is used in group prayer, be careful that it does not hinder worship or stumble others.

j.    Keep your charismatic experience in perspective. No doubt it has caused you to feel that you are a better Christian. Remember that this does not mean you are better than other Christians, but that you are, perhaps, a better Christian than you were before.

5.   For Laity who have NOT had Charismatic Experiences

a.   We believe that God is constantly seeking to renew his church, including the Methodist Church. Pray that God may make known to you your own place in the process of renewal. The advent of the charismatic movement into our denomination is only one aspect of renewal.

b.   Be aware of the tendency to separate ourselves from those who have experiences which differ from our own. Observe personally the charismatics in your congregation, and in the mission of your Church. Examine scriptural teachings about this. Pray about it and discuss your concerns with your pastor.

c.   Do not be disturbed if your experience is different from others. This does not mean that you are an inferior Christian. Your place and function in the work and mission of your congregation call for many gifts (1 Cor. 12-14). Each Christian is a unique member of the body of Christ.

B.   The Connectional System – The General and Annual Conferences

For Connectional Administrators/Leaders

1.   Refer prayerfully and thoughtfully to the other sections of these guidelines.

2.   Remember your pastoral/leadership responsibilities toward the clergy and laity within the connection.

3.   Leadership at every level should consider whether teaching or practice regarding the charismatic movement is for the edification of the church.

4.   If there is divisiveness in a particular situation, make careful evaluation remembering that there are other kinds of issues, other than charismatic experience, which may divide our fellowship. Sometimes tensions and conflicts may result in the edification and greater purity of the church and need, therefore, to be handled wisely and prayerfully by all concerned. 

5.   Administrators/Leaders when required to deal with expressions of the charismatic movement in the local church should seek firsthand evidence about the movement, its meaning for those involved in it, and its value for the mission of the particular congregation.

6.   Where an ordained or lay person seems to overemphasize or deemphasize any doctrines/practices, he or she should be counseled to preach or teach the wholeness of the gospel, to minister to the needs of all in the congregation, and to grow in understanding of our policy, traditions and mission of our church.

7.   When dealing with divisions/tensions in the congregations because of the charismatic movement the following have a responsibility to mediate and to guide in reconciliation: the district superintendent and district lay leader, the president and conference lay leader, the executive board, the board of ministry, and the Bishop.

8.   Pray constantly for sensitivity to the will of, and the leading of, the Holy Spirit.

Bibliography

Rupert E. Davies, Methodism (London: Epworth, 1976). 

William R. Davies and Ross Peart, The Charismatic Movement and Methodism (Westminster, UK: Methodist Home Mission, 1973). 

‘Guidelines: The United Methodist Church and the Charismatic Movement, ’The United Methodist Book of Resolutions, General Conference, 1996, pp.696ff. (Copyright 1976 by Discipleship Resources, Nashville, TN; and also at http://www.aldersgaterenewal.org/background/guidelines.html). 

Richard P. Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1995). 

Hwa Yung, ‘Pentecostalism and the Asian Church,’ in  Asian & Pentecostal: The Charismatic Face of Christianity in Asia, eds., Allan Anderson and Edmond Tang (Oxford: Regnum Books, 2005) pp.37-57. 

Howard A Snyder, ‘The Church as Holy and Charismatic,’ Evangelical Review of Theology (Oct 1982) pp.172-201. 

Also biographies of Asian Christians like Pastor Hsi, John Sung, Bahkt Singh, Sadhu Sundar Singh, Pandita Ramabai and others; as well as historical treatment of revival movements throughout Asia and elsewhere.