Originally Posted by DMW
I used to a attend a WOF church where the gifts of the spirit would often go on for half an hour. One after another would get up to prophesy. We got everything from poems to political battle cries, and plenty of foretelling of future events, which is not what simple prophecy is supposed to be about, as I understand it. Sometimes the gifts were directed at individuals, and sometimes with embarrassing and hurtful results.
I said all that to point out what has scarred some people away from charismatic churches. Most of what happened in that church was very good, but enough was strange so that it could be alarming to visitors (and regulars).
Over the years, many pastors have gotten a stomach full of this kind of stuff, and perhaps they've become a little gun-shy as a result.
There has also arisen over the past decade or two a new "prophetic" movement that seems to breed a lot of hyper-prophesying on the part of some it's adherents. I'm not trying to put them down, but you can visit other corners of this forum and find these folks. They want to prophesy too quickly about future events, and are too quick to offer personal prophesies to hungry individuals.
Brother Hagin spoke often about these kind of excesses. I'm not telling anyone else what to believe, or what to do, but I am offering some reasons why some Pastors may be putting the brakes on a little of the activity that used to be more prominent.
Besides that, if we are to blame the Pastors, then we should look at the attendees as well, who come hoping to be impressed, entertained and sang to instead of bringing the supply of the Spirit like we are supposed to.
Just my 2 cents!
I agree DMW, this is exactly the same troubles that the leadership of the Thessalonian church experienced.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 KJV
(19) Quench not the Spirit.
(20) Despise not prophesyings.
(21) Prove all things;
hold fast that which is good.
Because of the harmful excesses, they had grown to despise prophecy all together, but Paul instructs not to throw the baby out with the bath water so to speak.
It takes work to maintain a proper flow of the service that is open to the Spirit. It means stopping the service to bring correction, not allowing the flesh to take over & even confrontation at times. It means demonstrations
& outpourings of the Spirit, special miracles & casting out demons!
Its much easier to just go back into the comfort zone of your power point outline, bulletin led program (notice I didnt say "service").