This is partly a series of comments I need to write to me. 

I’m a committed charismatic, a conviction charismatic, perhaps even a charismatic since the womb. 

I’ve spent quite a few years researching charismatics, pastoring charismatics, helping lead charismatics. 

But there is something brewing in me that needs to be said, for my own good and perhaps for others. 

There’s something about a section of the church that was going to change the world in the 1960s and 1970s, expected global revival in the 1980s, enjoyed hyper-expressivism in 1990s, built empires in the 2000s, assimilated into culture in the 2010s and has had to live with the disappointment of delayed desire for decades. 

There’s something about a section of the church where narcissism flourishes. 

The reality is I love this movement.

I get the desire to have a leader you can truly get behind, be inspired by, and attribute great spiritual breakthroughs to. I’ve known a few. 

I get the desire to move in miracles and wonder-working power. 

I get the desire to build, build, build. 

I get the personal intimacy with Jesus.

I get cathartic expressionism. 

I get the joy of hearing the voice of God. 

I get the fascination with sensing God put words in your mouth that inspire/help/change other people. 

I get the sheer humbling that occurs when you know that that was more than just you. 

Because there is something about a section of the church that enables people to experience God in a tangible way since the 1950s/60s, that released a pent up desire for discipling nations in the mission possible era of the 1980s, that enabled repressed emotions to be healed in the 1990s, that kept going when others were giving up on God/theology/church in the 2000s, that propagated church plants and the Alpha course experience, that revived flagging churches and souls. 

There’s something about never letting disappointment in God or leaders be the final word. 

I’ve spent quite a few years researching charismatics, pastoring charismatics, helping lead charismatics. 

But there are some truths I need to hear if I am not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. 

I am a committed charismatic, a conviction charismatic, a charismatic till the grave. 

And this is partly a series of comments I need to write to me. 

(I hope they may be of some use to you too). 

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