Decades ago i ran across a book that covered the Charismatic movement in the Lutheran Church. As an ex-Lutheran it was of interest to me. The books lasting value was putting a finger on a problem I've seen and experienced all too many times. Too many times pastors and other people respond to textbook problems of people of the past rather than trying to hear what the person in front of them is trying to say. Welcome Holy Spirit describes a young missionary that describes it well. I'll give you some truncated excerpts.
Intro
"Martin Luther's basic question was "How can I find a gracious God?" In an earlier century, Francis of Assisi asked how the church of Christ, which had fallen into corruption could be restored. In the 18th century, John Wesley quest was for holiness of life. What Kinds of questions are people asking in this century?
Missionary:
"Luther's Question was not my question......" "Is God real?" was one question I struggled with Another Question that was on my mind was "What difference does it make?" The answer for me became clear when God revealed himself as being personally concerned with me. The central issue of my quest was personal experience. The meaning of my existence was personally wrapped up in the question of God's existence and his concern for me as an individual. You can imagine the kind of problems that arose when I came up against astute theologians who were skeptical of my personal experience. For which reason, I became skeptical of all theological activity, formally speaking. It all seemed totally irrelevant. The basic problem was that their questions were not my questions and my questions were not their questions, and their was no sensitivity on either side for the questions of the other. So all they could offer me was answers to questions that I never asked."
Intro
"Martin Luther's basic question was "How can I find a gracious God?" In an earlier century, Francis of Assisi asked how the church of Christ, which had fallen into corruption could be restored. In the 18th century, John Wesley quest was for holiness of life. What Kinds of questions are people asking in this century?
Missionary:
"Luther's Question was not my question......" "Is God real?" was one question I struggled with Another Question that was on my mind was "What difference does it make?" The answer for me became clear when God revealed himself as being personally concerned with me. The central issue of my quest was personal experience. The meaning of my existence was personally wrapped up in the question of God's existence and his concern for me as an individual. You can imagine the kind of problems that arose when I came up against astute theologians who were skeptical of my personal experience. For which reason, I became skeptical of all theological activity, formally speaking. It all seemed totally irrelevant. The basic problem was that their questions were not my questions and my questions were not their questions, and their was no sensitivity on either side for the questions of the other. So all they could offer me was answers to questions that I never asked."
