A diary of charismatic winds blowing at Metzler Mennonite Church

Thursday, February 14, 2019: The bulletin said the topic was the Holy Spirit. A teacher/pastor from a newish, non-denominational, hipster/charismatic church in Lancaster would be teaching us more about the Holy Spirit.

Instead, he came to deliver us from the demons/evil spirits that are oppressing us… in a most public, charismatic type “ministry” session way. (why is it always public? Why not encourage people to seek one-on-one counseling with a mature, Godly, pastoral type person if you think you’re being oppressed by demons? But no… that wouldn’t give the deliverer the “glory” he’s seeking, would it? )  I was still a little surprised because our bulletins were saying something else… but I had some inkling that this might happen, because some digging online revealed his blog featuring sermons and books, including one of the latest, Sermon: Deliverance From Evil Spirits

Apparently he’s really, really into deliverance of evil spirits. It seems to be his main thing, so it’s not really surprising that this is what he brought to us as well. And sure enough, he rhetorically/emotionally built up to a crescendo of ministry time; in which he went overtime of course, as all good charismatics must do. I’ve observed over the years: a key to showing Holy Spirit fervor is disregarding other’s schedules and expectations…

Here are some of the highlights or general plot of the evening and what I heard/observed in quick, note-taking like bullet point form. (This is not necessarily chronological – see video link to watch the whole thing)

1. Shares personal testimony and how he was delivered overnight. Pretty dramatic story although it had it’s oddities. Like being raised in a Christian home, but feeling no guilt about his first year/wild life in college, and it wasn’t until he was delivered by some charismatics that he first felt any conviction about his wild life… Or how right after he became a Christian, he got the impression that he was instantly delivered from demonic oppression. Whereas most other Christians around him, although starting after Christ, were still possessed or oppressed by demons and how he found out he was the one who could deliver them; kind of an arrogant position, specially for a baby Christian, no? This early impression seems to have so impacted him, that as I say above, it became His Main Thing…
2. Read passage from the gospels in which Jesus casts out a demon from a man at the synagogue for services. Used this to say lots of church people are tormented by demons or demonic oppression.. Says gospels are full of demon-deliverance stories, kind of implying that it’s the majority… (Actually there’s only about 7 instances recounted in the 3 Synoptic Gospels, none in John)
3. Recounts delivering demons from high school girls at local Mennonite church.
4. Describes how one will feel if they have a demon in them while listening to him teach/preach about deliverance and demonic oppression. Basically they’ll feel very bad… nauseated, racing heart, etc.
5. Talks about his first deliverance and how he has, over the years, delivered 1000’s of people from demons.
6. Says it’s not “demon possession” but some kind of quasi-possession/oppression – but then describes the deliverance and how something “came out of” the people he was ministering too! He described what sounded like a wretching/moaning/groaning that would occur as they were “released” from this thing…coming up out of their stomachs, out their mouths etc. That sounds like classic demon possession to me… which means, that yes, all these people (particularly all the already-Christians) he’s delivered were demon possessed! — So what is it?
7. Starts his ministry “deliverance” time, when the demons in or oppressing us, will start getting nervous and agitating us… and we’ll start feeling queasy and pulses increasing, sweaty etc… Leads us through deliverance prayers and statements… says it’s ok if demons manifest… “this is normal”…
8. Not much happens for a few minutes so he calls the worship leader up to plunk his guitar as he (the deliverer) leads us through another deliverance prayer… He was in full revivalist preacher/charismatic emotional manipulating mode here: I wrote this in my notes as I sat through this… “boy he really wants something dramatic to happen… trying to get something more ‘dramatic’ to happen…”
9. By now he’s 1/2hr over his allotted time and still not much is happening. I don’t think any “manifestations” took place, but he promises a longer ministry time tomorrow night as he wraps it up 🙂 Yeah, we’ll surely get to see some demons then! (I skipped the next evening service – didn’t have any motivation to sit through that again for an even longer session of charismatic emotional manipulation 101. So I have no idea what really happened. Video links below:

Full service links: (“ministry” times are blanked out… so Friday nights video might be pretty short)

Thur. Night: Jake Kael

Fri. Night Jake Kael

Final thoughts; I find it sad that there’s apparently enough younger types in church and leadership who find this kind of teaching/ministry attractive — or — that their discernment skills, Biblical knowledge and church history knowledge is at such a poor level, that a guy like this, with this kind of teaching/ministry, doesn’t seem to raise any red flags? My guess is we’ve had little real life experience with it, or have never heard/read any thorough study of this topic, or have never heard/read a civil critique of charismatic approaches, and so this is novel and exciting enough that it feels right?

But if this incident or this topic intrigues you, here’s a little start with discerning  what is going on with events and teachers like this.  Generational Curses Exposed and Refuted

Our winter Bible school was billed as a teaching about the Holy Spirit. We were given a certain branch of american Christianity’s take on the Holy Spirit… But we got it from teachers outside the Mennonite/Anabaptist tradition and instead from the fringes of orthodox Christianity altogether. Both of the teaches came from local, independent, charismatic/word-faith churches and together, these two boastful, Scripture-butchering, charismatic “teachers” presented a boxed-in, unBiblical, and unrealistic picture of how the Holy Spirit works in a Christian’s life. Here’s what I heard them tell us what the best kind of Christian, a “spirit-filled” Christian is…

• Happy all the time, loud and publicly emotional
• a wielder of the “faith” force…  not faith in God, but faith in “faith”
• No doubt, no questions etc. Rather be certain and bold – “name it & claim it!”… so-called charismatic “faith”.
• Free from sickness, physical or mental, ie we should expect instant healing from God all the time (otherwise there’s something wrong with us… not enough faith or we’re being oppressed by demons)
• The gifts of healing and/or prophesy are most important and should be exercised by all and also proclaimed publicly by all, all the time… (ie boasting, of which these 2 did quite a bit of during their “teaching”…)
• Never bored or “boring” – in other words the opposite; be hyped, sensational. jacked-up emotionally in church and all the time!

Problem is, these aren’t the real signs of the Holy Spirit’s work in a person… these are:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

And the main vocation of Christians is not to work solely in the “prophetic” or “supernatural”… but to do these things:

Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matt. 28-18-20

Next, I’ll do a more in-depth overview of Jake Kael’s “deliverance” Thursday night opening and JC Azamora’s Saturday, and Sunday sessions.

December 30, 2018: A prominent LMC preacher/leader gave our morning sermon on the eve of New Years, looking ahead and laying out his general vision for 2019. I heard some good exhortations, like expecting God to do great things and to join wholeheartedly with that mission. I heard a Biblical desire to overcome hindrances that might be affecting our churches. I heard a worthy desire to be used by God more in our world today.

But then we veered off into unfortunate territory… First came some misdiagnosis of the state of our churches, then some misinterpretation and whitewashing of history and finally the solution to our problem; a solution that’s not offered in Scripture nor practiced by the apostles or church fathers! No wonder Groffdale district is in the state it’s in… Read more

Why would we be attracted to charismatic expression, ideas and theology?

1. Maybe we’re bored with being radical followers of Jesus… like the early Anabaptists who focused on Jesus AND His teachings; like loving your enemy, not accumulating wealth, not participating in the state religion (or the religion’s chosen state), or emphasizing community over today’s idolatry of the individual and their subjective feelings/cravings… These are all things our culture disdains and most christians do too. But we’re not interested in being That countercultural… so we chase after a, faux “radicalness”… and continue living the same lifestyle and believing most of the same cultural assumptions that every other white suburban/rural generic evangelical does and believes…
2. Maybe we want things instantly – we want magic tricks – we want excitement? Problem is, that looks/feels a lot like our culture and times… our religious longings mirror the world’s; give me, give me and give it to me instantly! Charismatics continually promise this kind of religion, ie self-empowerment and instant everything! I thought we’re supposed to follow Jesus, not the winds of our culture…
3. Maybe we want to be like the Pharisees and make public spectacles of our religiosity? (Again a defining element of charismatics… noisy, ecstatic, public displays of religious experience sometimes seems to be THE only thing they care about; not really a very good imitation of Jesus Christ… is it?)
4. Maybe we think that huge numbers (global growth of charismatic-ism) and spectacle are signs that God is moving? Like our secular american/western populations, we tend to credit bigness, novelty and worldly success and so we’re attracted to the numbers? (The implication that numbers are a sign can be found in this book, written by charismatic leaning, LMC missional/pastor scholars –

   Winds of the Spirit: A Profile of Anabaptist Churches in the Global South) However, neither Jesus, the apostles, the church fathers or the church traditions teach to value those things, yet we and the Lancaster Mennonite Conference, seem to be mesmerized by these things… Again, like point 2 above, is it God’s Spirit that attracts us to charismatic-ism, or is it the spirits of our age?

But I’m sure some people have good, well intentioned reasons for seeking charismatic expression/experience. May they prosper in the Lord and use the energy they receive from charisma to further the restorative mission of God to His creation and humanity.

If charismatic expression, ideas and theology blows through Metzlers and it quickly translates to the hungry being fed, the poor being served, etc (Matt. 25: 21-46) then I have no problem with that; couldn’t have a problem. But, if its immediate effects and aftermath are anything else, or if it keeps people focused on themselves, then I’ll believe it’s a lost cause or worse…

From my perspective it appears that Lancaster Mennonite Conference has long been vexed by charismatic leanings, but as the older generation begin to die off, the push for charismatic expressions/theology is really beginning to make its big play now. This seems to be happening now in the Groffdale district of the LMC, where some district leaders are leading advocates and practitioners of extreme charismatic (word/faith, Third Wave) ideas and practices within the denomination.  As I see it they were helped by the turning out/letting go of the MCUSA contingent a few years ago. There may have been some valid reasons for that move, but the MCUSA contingent also happened to be a strong discerning bulwark against the heretical, unorthodox teachings and practices of modern american charismania. So now the last thing standing in the way is the oldest generation who have probably seen some of the excesses and detriments brought by charismatic ideas, and therefor cast a wary eye at this movement.

But this oldest generation is beginning to pass on now, and so the charismatics are proclaiming “breakthrough!” They sense victory and the near total remaking of LMC from it’s orthodox, Biblical Anabaptist faith, centered in and through Jesus Christ – to the new spirit of the age; the undisciplined, unthoughtful, anti-intellectual, neo-gnostic, individualistic, self-worshipping spirits of modernist american charismatic ideology, theology and practice. (what I like to call charismatic hoopla…) There are lots of good, hungry-for-Jesus people at Metzler’s and it’s unfortunate that this is what many of them are turning to in order to satisfy desires, some legitimate; maybe some not so good (ie like the rest of america, more excitement, fun, thrills, distraction, etc)

As a Metzler’s Mennonite attendee, called by God to live out his Christian life in an Anabaptist and historically orthodox way, and having life experiences that God very clearly used to turn me away from charismatic ideas/practices; this running after charismania is troubling. My first reaction is to find ways to openly confront and push back and question… but I’m not a confrontational person; neither am I a great public speaker or debater type. So I’ve been praying and asking the Lord what to do.

It came to me that maybe instead of agonizing over ways to tangle with or directly confront the charismatic winds, it might be better to just observe and record the narrative of whatever plays out. And so this space will be a diary of happenings, snapshots, impressions, related links and readings as I walk with Metzler’s Mennonite Church and its journey into and/or through modern american charismatic spirituality. Maybe it will be so-so; maybe some really nutty, sad, bad, crazy things will happen or maybe it won’t be so bad. We’ll see. God’s grace is sufficient through anything.

Journalism without a moral position is impossible. Every journalist is a moralist. It’s absolutely unavoidable. A journalist is someone who looks at the world and the way it works, someone who takes a close look at things every day and reports what she sees, someone who represents the world, the event, for others. She cannot do her work without judging what she sees.  — Marguerite Duras

Thanks for joining me! Hope you’re challenged as I observe and record the flirting with or embracing of modern charismatic (word/faith, Third Wave) experience/theology in an american, mostly white, suburban/rural mennonite church. (Metzler’s Mennonite Church, Lancaster Mennonite Conference)
Because of the specificity of the church, I will do all that I can to NOT publish names and personal details of persons involved in events or church life discussed in this diary.
I will though, be upfront about how I feel about the charismatic ideas/theology that slinks around and through our church and other LMC churches… I am not fond of, nor do I trust modern american charismatic experience, ideas or theology. I believe it is one of the more dangerous influences in our churches, especially a church with Anabaptist roots and a high regard for the teachings of Scripture. I feel by God’s grace, that He kept me from falling into the charismania that other friends and family have fallen into. God through many wise teachers and men of God, definitely and specifically lead me away from modern charismatic teachings, ideas and theology.

Now, does this mean I judge, eternally, those who are part of this movement or branch of Christianity? Of course not. God has the final say in such matters and I let it up to Him as to eternal rewards, judgments, etc. In fact if you’ve noticed, I have specified this type of charismatic-ism with the qualifier, “american”. There’s a lot of overseas charismatic expression that seems to be a good move of God and beneficial to His Kingdom in many places. I wonder though if certain cultural parameters and the social strata of those overseas believers plays a role in tempering the excesses found in the american style? In other words, their charismatic expression stays more authentic, spiritually/Biblically, compared to the american variety, which seems to be very corrupted with the american individualistic – libertarian – self-centered – sensation seeking ethos.

I do believe He calls us (including overseas Christians) to discern good, better, or best. In my study and God/Scripture inspired discernment, I feel the modern american charismatic experience/ideas/theology, in many ways, falls short of God’s best, and so I must in good conscience, continue to be a skeptic of all things charismatic, especially the most modern word/faith-Third Wave ideas and theology.

The charismatics I’ve observed, in person or on the national public stage, seem to believe they have more of the Holy Spirit than others… Many seem to use this arrogant impression to stifle or diminish accountability, squash God-given critical thinking skills, dismiss intellectualism and impugn or ignore the study and lessons of church history.