On Having a Personal Pentecost

In the early 1970s into the mid-1990s, Charismatic Renewal was a movement that changed my life and had a powerful influence on the Episcopal Church. The teaching about and invitation to experiencing a personal Pentecost was the core thread that drove this renewal not only for the Episcopal Church, but for other mainline churches, and the Roman Catholic Church. It also helped reinvigorate many Pentecostal Denominations, many of whose members felt like second class people in their own churches because they had not spoken in tongues. This was a result of the common belief among Pentecostals that speaking in tongues even only once was the sign of the Spirit’s anointing. So, no teaching was done on how to open to the anointing and how to receive it. There was also more emphasis on speaking in tongues than the anointing itself or the other gifts of the Spirit. Charismatic teachers in the mainline like Dennis Bennett and Terry Fullam changed all this. Ironically, many Pentecostals had to come to mainline renewal folks because we were willing to offer and encourage them in receiving the release of the Spirit. This was also a wonderful time of ecumenical engagements and events that excitedly shared this life in the Spirit. Often thousands of believers gathered for these Holy Spirit Conferences. I had the honor of teaching at some of these. Over the years, I have been asked whatever happened to the movement. I think the answer lies is the core teaching of the movement that for several reasons has gotten lost. After my encounter with the renewal of the holy Spirit, I was invited by Terry Fullam to attend several of his teaching events. I listened and learned. His key teaching was “Having a Personal Pentecost.” I saw literally hundreds of believers come forward at the end of his teaching when invited for prayers for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This was often accompanied by physical and emotional healing. There were also manifestations of other spiritual gifts like those mentioned by Paul in First Corinthians. After the teaching, I would join the prayer team as we prayer for those who came forward. This would include an invitation to open themselves to the Holy Spirit. Then we would invite the Holy Spirit to come upon the person. This was accompanied by laying on of hands and followed by various anointings. This was often accompanied by folks speaking in tongues. For many this was a powerful experience with much joy. For others it was a quieter experience with less emotional aspects, but something happened to almost everyone who came forward for prayer. Like the day of Pentecost, believers touched by the Spirit were often eager to share their experience with others. This was the core dynamic of the movement. What was the basis of this teaching? Of course, it involved the second chapter of Acts with the story of the early disciples experiencing what Jesus had promised them after his resurrect. “But stay in Jerusalem until you have received power from on high, the promise of the Father. (The theme of the promise of the father is a great bible study found in both the Old and New Testament.) Terry would then share how the Spirit opened the Church to non-Jewish believers such as those in Samaria who had through Philip’s ministry “only received baptism with water for the spirit had not yet fallen on any of them.” So, the Apostles sent Peter and John to pray for these new believers, and they too received the Spirit as the first disciples at Pentecost. Importantly, Terry would share Peter arriving at Cornelius’ household (by divine invitation) and as he shared about Jesus’ resurrection, they too received the Holy Spirit. The followers of the way who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gentiles had received the Holy Spirit just as they had. So, Peter seeing this proceeded to baptize these new believers because the Spirit’s anointing had also fallen on the gentiles as it did to the followers at Pentecost. Peter would have to explain this later to the followers in Jerusalem. In the New Testament, adult converts would receive baptism with water for repentance (as with John the Baptist) and were expected to receive the Holy Spirit’s power for witness and ministry. There were other passages too from Paul’s letters on the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirt. But the core teaching was that Pentecost was normative for all Christians. In those days, this was commonly called “the Baptism in the Holy Spirit” but Terry and my other mentors preferred the term either of “the Anointing of the Spirit” or Dennis Bennett’s preferred “Release of the Holy Spirit.” This was to underscore the Apostolic teaching that people became Christians through the Spirit’s work in conversion to Jesus and baptism as the sign or sacrament of this new life. As Terry would say, “all Christians receive the Holy Spirit in their baptism, but it is clear that while they had received the Holy Spirit, they had yet to receive the Holy Spirit’s power.” I find this a constant truth. All Christians have the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t have all Christians. Pastorally and evangelically, the word “release” is a good one to describe this anointing. To my surprise, I was called to be Rector of St. Luke’s in Seattle and became the second successor to Dennis Bennett. I inherited a weekly evangelistic service held every Wednesday night. It was advertised by word of mouth and on the local Christian radio station. Every week we had worship, scriptural teaching, a lay witness, and an invitation to come forward and receive prayer from members of our team. We never had less than five come forward and often more than 20. We sometimes had special guest speakers, and these would bring a much larger attendance. On two occasions, Brennan Manning spoke, and the church was packed with visitors many Catholics. What I want to hold up is how many nominal mainline Christians came forward seeking something more to their life in Christ. We also prayed for literally hundreds of Pentecostals who had not spoken in tongues and felt like failures. In seven years, I only had one such person who did not end the prayers by speaking in tongues. All they needed was an example of this and encouragement to try. The one person who did not speak in tongues told me afterward that she wanted the anointing but refused to speak in tongues because her pastor had told her that this didn’t happen today and that when it seemed to, it was a work of the Satan. She told me that no matter what she experienced, she refused to open her mouth and speak. Who could blame her? I should also mention that after some people spoke in tongues, they would comment something like “so that’s it?” Speaking in tongues was not always a dramatic emotional experience. Many who responded this way would follow up by saying that they expected to go into some sort of trance and lose control. We would assure them that the Holy Spirit works with and through them and never takes control over them. It is a fact that demonic possession works the other way. Many times, we saw those who had been afflicted by evil receive what can only be called deliverance. Well, it is not only in the Bible but is also a common experience for missionaries in pagan and spiritualists cultures. And Seattle was the most non-Christian place in America with all kinds of cults. How was deliverance possible? “On the Cross, Jesus had defeated the principalities and powers of darkness.” Christus Victor is the atonement theology of Holy Spirit people. Over the years, I have met hundreds of Episcopalians, or former members, who had been touched during that time. What happened to this movement? Many explain that like any movement, it just ran its course. Others believe that the Holy Spirit stopped giving this anointing and that discipleship, spiritual growth, and service are more important. I would simply point out what Dennis told me on several occasions. He said that “if the Spirit filled folks ever stopped teaching the release of the Spirit manifest with the gift of tongues and other spiritual manifestations, the movement would diminish. What are we sharing across the Episcopal Church this Pentecost? We are holding up Pride month and our need to be inclusive of all people. Some are celebrating “the birthday of the church” wearing red or holding ballons. Are we sharing the simple belief that we Pentecost is normative to the faith? Mostly what I hear from clergy is that all received the Holy Spirit in baptism, but nothing further or deeper is ever taught or offered. Lastly, let me mention that the movement hasn’t ended. It continues throughout world-wide Anglicanism especially in fast growing places such as Africa and Asia. As for us Episcopalians and ACNA members, it seems that we are just too busy with other things. How about you? Have you experienced a personal Pentecost? If you have, are you encouraging others to open themselves to the reality of the Spirit’s anointing?