Last Sunday night, I was sitting in the evening service at Bellevue Baptist Church, where Pastor Steve Gaines preached a sermon on miracles. Now let me be clear, I believe the Bible teaches Miracles, I believe that Jesus performed miracles, and I believe that miracles still happen today. I would venture to say that miracles happen every day, but most people are unable to recognize one. It's possible that Jesus or his angels stopped you from being in a fatal car accident, or caused a violent person to be blind to you, or some other such thing, and you were completely unaware. Often, we pray for something, and God answers that prayer in a positive way, either by healing someone of cancer (like Pastor Steve's mom) or simply keeping you safe on a long journey as you asked.
One consistent hallmark of the miracles of Jesus was a command to "go and tell no one". (See Matt 5:20) Even in Pastor Steve's sermon he mentioned that Paul had asked those who witnessed the miracle he performed to tell no one.
This all being true, my belief is that Jesus is not a magician who performs tricks to woo followers. I also believe that the devil has the ability to "counterfeit" anything that is of God, including miracles. For this reason, I am very skeptical of the "Benny Hinn" show. I could go into what I believe is going on there, but it really doesn't matter. I would venture a guess and say that most people at Bellevue would agree with me that Benny Hinn's "healing" should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Now my point. For those of you who were not there, at the end of the service, Pastor Steve had anyone who "Needed a miracle" to stand. This was clarified as a "health, financial, spiritual" or other miracle. He then asked members of the congregation around them to stand and "place their hands on them" as he prayed.
On it's face, there is no problem. Nothing has taken place that is not Biblically supported. Lifting needs to God, laying hands on one another (for spiritual purposes only of course), both are found in Scripture. However, in light of all that's gone on at BBC, and the other pieces of the puzzle (the music, etc) it's hard not to have your spiritual antenna go up when it looks like another step down the "charismatic" road has taken place, this one in the direction of faith healing.
To continue to put this in context, about a month ago, Pastor Steve had people who "had needs" come to the front before a morning service, and he and the ministerial staff walked among them, touching them and praying for them.
I have a question for those out there. I would rather not have to read any "Anti-Pastor" rhetoric (although I really like "antipasto"!). There is enough of that on other blogs. I'm interested in thoughtful, Biblically wise thoughts on the subject.
Do you think this is paranoid and overcautious? Do you think that this is a road to a Benny Hinn style "Faith healing"?
EDITED TO ADD:
Something someone said made me think of another question.
When is something a miracle, and when is it simply an answer to prayer?
10 comments:
One consistent hallmark of the miracles of Jesus was a command to "go and tell no one". (See Matt 5:20)
Nate,
You might want to be a little careful about prooftexting, there. I'd hate to see an anonymous letter get sent all over the country about your lack of balance.
Jesus performed many miracles in front of crowds, and did not command secrecy. You shouldn't ignore those just because they don't support your argument.
This all being true, my belief is that Jesus is not a magician who performs tricks to woo followers.
Hmmm... Not sure what you mean here. Jesus did use the miracles he performed as evidence of his authority, to unbelievers no less. "The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." (John 10:24-26)
What kind of miracles did SG ask for Sunday night? Conventional? Interventional? Contraventional?
If all he asked was for people to stand as a way of confessing that their problems were beyond their ability to solve and then ask God to intervene, then obviously there's nothing wrong with that.
I wasn't there, and the PM services aren't online, so you'll have to explain a little bit more.
It was a beautiful service.
I had the joy of laying hands on a man and his wife who have a sick daughter. We talked after the service and I have promised them that I will pray for their daughter every day for at least the remainder of this month.
It is a joy for me to be given the opportunity to in some small way bear the burden of a brother and sister in Christ.
James 5: 13-16
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Sometimes I wonder if by failing to do what we did last Sunday night when we prayed in faith for healing that we are in fact saying that we do not believe God's word when He said that He would make the sick person well and raise him up.
I indeed believe in Miracles.
bellevue member said...
I indeed believe in Miracles.
That's a very bold statement, bmember. May God bless your belief.
I just wish that everyone who created a blog had enough backbone to make such a proclamation of faith.
john mark,
It's very clear to me, particularly from your comments on the other blogs, that you are only interested in picking a fight. You are welcome back when you can drop your sword of personal attacks.
bellevue member
Trust me, I believe in miracles as well. I believe in answered prayer. John Mark attacked me on another blog, proclaiming my "presumptuous pride" and claiming that I think i have the "right" to the very air I breath. I think it's a legitimate question. Do we call every answered prayer a miracle? Is the fact that my family continues to live in safety in answer to my prayer the same as a miracle where someone is cured of cancer, in a way that cannot be explained by medicine?
I believe it is an acceptable topic for discussion, and I resent the implication that I'm somehow prideful by asking people to comment on their view on the subject.
I've heard a miracle definedAn event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God. Does drawing a breath everyday fit that definition? God created us to "breath". Breathing follows natural laws.
If you, John Mark, believe that there is no difference between a "supernatural occurrence" or miracle, and any answered prayer, that's your opinion, but you don't have to insult me in the process.
Back to my point. It's just that it's been generally accepted for so long that the public "miracles" "performed" by the Benny Hinn's, and Robert Shuller's of the world have been understood by those of us in evangelical circles to be suspect as either contrived, planted, or in some cases "psychosomaticly" induced.
Are we now prepared to rethink this? It seems to me that in light of everything else, that doesn't seem so far-fetched that we would see that in our church.
And this is my (very humble) opinion.
John Mark said...
bellevue member said...
I indeed believe in Miracles.
That's a very bold statement, bmember. May God bless your belief.
I just wish that everyone who created a blog had enough backbone to make such a proclamation of faith.
John Mark,
I interpret this as a dig at me, and if you will read my original post, I "have enough backbone to make such a proclamation of faith",
BUT, to repeat a famous quote "All that glitters is not gold". The Bible supports testing preachers and teachers against Scripture, and I make no apologies, and I do not appreciate your railing against me me on "the other blog".
Love the blog title, by the way...
You know, I understand that there's much to dislike about the Benny Hinn Show, but there's a lot to like, too.
While most of the women on his shows needed to wear more clothing, and some of his material was risque, Hinn was a literal inventor of one of the world's most famous "running gags," always performed in all its permutations to Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax. He had incredible, once-in-a-generation comedic timing, yet could also handle a dramatic role, as he did in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In short, he was a marvelously talented performer.
Oh, wait--I was thinking of Benny Hill. Sorry.
As for Benny Hinn? He has been demonstrated over the years to be a deceptive individual, taking his lead from Kathryn Kuhlman and selectively "healing" those with little to nothing in the way of serious medical problems. Never mind that even the doctrine of the Trinity is problematic for him, the words "miracle" and "Hinn" are mutually exclusive.
He needs prayer, though.
But to your question! I believe we can agree that a miracle is God's direct intervention in the space-time continuum, generally in such a way that He temporarily suspends the normal laws that He has established to govern space-time. Joshua 10 has a marvelous example of a miracle, where God extended a day by, we can presume, pausing Earth's rotation upon its axis. Doesn't exactly agree with the laws of physics, does it? But it was God's answer to Joshua's prayer.
Answers to prayer, however, can be much more subtle. Ah, but can a miracle be subtle? Good question...
--Mike
Read your blog for the first time today and thought it was great! Personally, I don't think you have to worry about BBC going down the road to being charismatic. I've always believed that if we get into the presence of the Holy Spirit that He will lead us into all the truth.
James gave some pretty specific instructions about praying for the sick and he also told us that we "have not because we ask not." For too many years Baptists have been afraid to ask for miracles. Maybe the time has come to begin asking.
Thanks for a good blog.
Interesting discussion...
I remember one time Dr. Rogers said that we've gotten so used to God's daily provision that we take a lot for granted. I agree with him, and I think that far too few people really experience the joy of living in the constant awareness of God's presence.
In Acts 17 Paul told the Athenians that God himself gives (not gave) breath to all men and that in Him we live and move and have our being (v28).
Whether or not this qualifies as miraculous depends on our definition the word, but personally I believe that He's actively involved in the world. Miracles are relatively infrequent in the Bible, and I don't believe that His work is limited to those occurrences.
As far as BBC going 'charismatic', I don't think this is an indication of that. The First Assembly of God on Walnut Grove held a 'healing' service Sunday night, and advertised it for weeks on their marquee sign. Steve Gaines drives by this sign every day on the way to work, and he very well might have gotten the idea to have a special prayer time from that (or maybe not).
Having known both Dr. Rogers and Dr. Gaines, I doubt seriously that BBC is any danger of becoming charismatic. We have been (and are being) taught too well in the Word for that to happen. It is good though to see our people praying for each other for a change.
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