Charismatic Calvinists

[ReformedPentecostal]

I was raised Charismatic and attended a Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) church for most of my childhood (I now attend a non-denominational church) and I have always believed in predestination ... that's how I explained sociopaths and those who completely rejected God ... I think it's because they've already been rejected by God. I have recently come to believe in irresistible grace and limited atonement. I consider myself a "Reformed Pentecostal" and I think my theology is more aligned with the "Emergent Reformers" like Mark Driscoll and Matt Chandler, who are continuationist, and John Piper, who considers himself a Charismatic.

My question is this: how do Calvinists view those who are Calvinist in theology, but have a personal prayer language (tongues) and believe in the present operation of spiritual gifts (if they are done according to Scripture)?

 

[Eddie L]

There is a group of churches called Sovereign Grace Ministries that was really formed as a way to "reform" assemblies of God churches from the excesses that were really a problem in the last two decades. I attended a SGM church about 10 years ago, and I thought it was a very sensitive approach to those that were coming out of charismatic churches.

Their worship services were two hours long. The first 45 minutes was music, and those with a "prophetic gift" lined up by the teaching pastor during the music to show him what they wanted to say. If the pastor agreed, the person would add a small message (45 seconds or less) based on a passage of scripture during an instrumental break in the song. It's hard to explain exactly how it worked, but the messages were always very encouraging and inline with the message of the song.

I attended a small group, and that's were you encountered people with a "personal prayer language". It was something individuals had brought with them from AOG churches, and the SGM church was neutral to them. Again, I think that was sensitive of them.

Most older Reformed or Reformed Baptist churches are likely to believe the gifts aren't active today, though some newer churches that are a part of newer monergistic movements may not be predisposed that way.