ARE SOME FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCHES ADOPTING CHARISMATIC PRACTICES?

Christianity Today, a New-Evangelical publication, recently had an article on its website [9-19-2006] that related how many churches today, including some Baptist churches, are gradually adopting distinctive Pentecostal traits into their church ministries. Entitled "'Holy Spirit Religion' is quietly infiltrating the church," the article noted that "many non-Pentecostal (and non Charismatic) congregations have become "Pentecostalized" in several ways.

According to the article author, "Contemporary worship style is an oft-noted influence of Pentecostalism," "with congregations of all stripes now singing choruses and praise music" and raising their [both] hands in so-called "adoration."

In another article entitled "Pentecostal Movement Celebrates," the report stated that "as the [Charismatic] movement has grown, it has influenced other churches and made inroads into secular culture." The writer also states that "music written by Pentecostals—such as Jack Hayford's 'Majesty'—and expressive worship, such as the lifting of [both] hands heavenward has spread to churches without Charismatic or Pentecostal leanings."

In a third article published in a Southern Baptist paper (The Baptist Banner, Oct. 2006) John A Brookwell Sr. claims that some SBC churches have a "’Contemporary’ church where services border on Pentecostal Worship." The above trend should cause concern in Fundamental Baptist circles. Why? In one Fundamental Baptist Church he visited, the F.D. editor found copies of a distinctively Charismatic Praise chorus book in all the pews! It was plainly clear that in this KJV church, the congregation was regularly singing charismatic music.

Fundamental Baptists believe in warm hearted praise, particularly in congregational singing and testimonies. In some Fundamental Baptist circles, the services are frequently peppered by hearty "amens," "hallelujah's," and emotional expressions of joy that even includes the occasional lifting of a hand heavenward. Camp meetings, without the unscriptural tongues heresies, were a fixture in many Bible-believing churches long before the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement invaded the American religious scene.

There should be a noted difference, however, between the fervent emotions exhibited in old-line Fundamentalist camp meetings and the modern Charismatic worship practices. Distinctive Charismatic practices such as the adoption of praise and worship choruses [the "Seven-Eleven" choruses: seven words repeated 11 times!], the mesmerized bodily swinging and swaying of entire congregations together, the use of male-female worship teams to lead the service, the use of drums with their bongo beat, distorted musical sounds that nearly burst the walls, and heavy bass rhythms that dominate the music are features that belong solely in Charismatic and New-Evangelical churches, not in Fundamental Baptist circles.

The writer is discovering that some of these traits—at least in modified form—are penetrating some churches within professing Fundamental Baptist circles. Unfortunately, in many Fundamental Baptist churches, clapping is also gradually replacing amening, an unwholesome worldly trend. From a spiritual perspective clapping is generally associated with entertainment, while amens are associated with edification! The N. T. nowhere speaks about entertainment and the church, but it does emphasize edification and the church ( I Cor. 14:12, II Cor. 13:10, Eph. 4:12).

If these traits, and other non-Fundamental practices, continue to infiltrate Fundamental Baptist churches, in just a few years, the practical differences between worship in Fundamental Baptist services and Charismatic services will not only be diminished, they will virtually disappear! The diminishment and disappearance in worship practices between these two movements will result in the diminishment and disappearance of doctrinal differences.

For historic Biblical Fundamentalists, church worship practices must be based on precepts—precepts of the Word—not current worldly trends in music and religious movements. For discerning obedient believers, all religious practices must be based upon a Scriptural philosophy and firmly rooted in Scriptural principles-Is. 8:20. Fundamentalist pastors need to keep abreast of the dangerous unscriptural trends with which Satan desires to penetrate sound churches-II Cor. 2:11 & Eph. 6:11,13.

Local church shepherds, who have been given the responsibility of guiding, governing and guarding the sheep God has given them - Acts 20:28-31, need to both arduously expose and ardently resist the subtle unbiblical practices that are developing in religious circles today-Acts 20:20 & 27. They should also positively exposit the Word, seeking to edify and strengthen saints in the inerrant Scriptures-I Peter 5:2, II Tim. 3:16-17, so that the saints can experience spiritual maturation in Christ-Col. 2:27-28.