Sickness and Rod Parsley

I've been down with some virus for a few days, it's not been pleasant at all. The most upleasant part, however, has been the waste of time. The sickness has kept me from a great deal of study and I haven't felt much like reading so I have been forced to lay about and flip through channels or simply sleep. As I restlessly changed channel after channel on the television though my notion that there is nothing of value on television anymore was re-affirmed.

One broadcast, however, still remains in my mind. As I was passing station after station I came across the "preaching" of Pastor Rod Parsley, who is a charismatic pastor from World Harvest Church in Colombus, OH. I thought I'd stop and listen for a few moments. His antics on stage are not only bizzarre and ridiculous but I was even more shocked by the words that I heard coming from his mouth. Here is a man who profess to believe the Bible yet on several occassions I heard him make completely un-biblical statements, the most terrifying one being to the effect of the following: Many of you say you are tyring to get away from Satan, but did you know that Satan is trying to get away from you!

This all spoken while a goofy old organ drummed up some spooky sound in the background. It is this sort of nonsense and un-biblical proclomation that repeatedly point to the dangers of the charismatic movement. I do believe that there are wonderful friends and Christians within this movement, but there are many flaws with its poor theology and open view of revelation that promote pure emotionalism and complete error far too often. This is not to suggest that there is such a thing as the perfect church! Certainly I haven't found it! But there is such a thing as striving to be a Biblical church and abandoning such a pursuit, which is far to often the case of our Charismatic friends. I dare say that sickness in my body this week has reminded me again of sickness within the body of Christ.

Let us continue to pursue godliness in our churches, starting with ourselves, and let us pray for God's Holy Spirit to revive His children to holiness yet again.