Fellowship Q: Worship (Hillsong), theology, prophecy etc

[Maniel]

Hello everyone,
I'm here asking for your insights and thoughts on the subject of Worship (Hillsong), theology and prophecy.

The reason why I'm asking is that I recently got together with a wonderful woman, whom I now feel very blessed to call my girlfriend. She is attending a Pentecostal church called "City Church". We have yet to attend church together which is a thing we are both preparing for and I'm looking forward to. I have been introduced to some of her friends and the "Family Network", her church reaching out to a nearby area offering food and shelter.

My own background is a family rooted in Lutheran theology (my father mostly), so the "style" is very different from what I'm used to. Maybe I'm naive and in love, which is why I'm asking for the perspective of you guys. My thoughts is this; some like light/dark chocolate, some like candy/carrots. Some people like to express themselves creatively through painting, some like to repair cars. All equal in different manners I would say.

I've heard some criticism towards the Hillsong churches, a small concern is the music. I've seen the church from the inside, all the lights etc. I'm sure it's a very nice "show" and worship as well. I'm mostly used to quiet organ music and psalms.
Question: But again, different styles of worship, so I would love to hear what are your thoughts on worship and the music that is being used in different churches?

This lead me to the theology of the Charismatic Church movement. She has mentioned personal prophecies in her own life, and I'm very open to that - I believe her. I'm just not used to it, speaking in tongues, "hearing the voice of God", the healing of the sick.
As with anything new, it raises some deep questions in regards to my personal faith and integrity. How do I translate these realities in a way I can understand?
I believe in prophecies and prayer, that God is able to communicate his Word and Truth through people. That he is able to prepare the heart of man to what is to come. We had both recently made prayers and opened our hearts to find a partner, God willing. We both feel very connected in that way personally, some could say it's all just lucky accidents and the natural way, I choose to believe otherwise.
I don't think I've ever been speaking in tongues unless I actively tried to and that didn't feel authentic to me. I have however tried to play music, the guitar, singing tunes without words - which has been both emotional and personal experiences with Jesus. If I ever were to speak in tongues I would hope that it spontaneously happened without me having any control what so ever. My concern is that peer pressure is the cause of many speaking in tongues and actively inducing an emotional experience. Also scripture saying that no more than 1 should be speaking, with many churches having hundreds. But again, I'm trying to be open minded, and just as when I'm playing music, these are perhaps personal experiences that are connecting people with God without having to say words.
Again, I would love to hear what you guys have to say.
Hearing the voice of God. By thoughts as I'm writing this is that it's so easy to deconstruct and almost mechanical tear down truths of reality. I believe in the deep miracles and mysterious of reality. As some have said in regards to wisdom, the more I know the less I know. We all have personal experiences, different likes/dislikes and opinions on matters. Which is clear in the many church directions. As all Christian believers I'm hoping for God to reveal himself, that he may open my eyes, ears and heart. That I may believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I don't want a god for personal gain, but the Living God "I Am" to lead me on his path.

Christ is the centre in both me and her life. We're both sinners in need of His grace as we daily follow Him.

What I'm hoping to communicate is that I would love to hear of the perspective and thoughts you guys have. Your relationship with God, the worship and theology of churches, what separates, any main concerns? Are we able to live, communicate, be reunited despite our small-big differences. I don't mind people who eat light chocolate, I personally prefer mine to be as dark as possible. I could probably get used to Hillsong, and listen to Michael Card or some Johnny Cash Gospel when I'm home. C. S. Lewis advised to guard our imagination, the things we let in can so greatly influence our very being. I'm not sure what impact Hillsong can have, or other church practices. I'm very much looking forward to your responses.

God Bless,
Mathias

 

[Brian Mcnamee]

Hi I am glad the LORD has brought you into a relationship with a woman who loves the LORD and working your diverse backgrounds together will be important if you are going to move forward as a couple. You are in a unique place to sort of both cast off your backgrounds and do as the scriptures say study showing yourself approved rightly dividing the word of truth. There is a way to measure what is good and wrong in both churches and that is through scripture. I believe in prophecy to but normally it is just speaking forth the word of God so if I share a scripture with you I am speaking forth God's word. The charismatic churches have a thing of authority and many want the title prophet or evangelist or even apostle. They practice something called impartation through the laying on of hands and act like Elijah passing power on to Elisha. I have seen many young people have the prophets speak things that they say are of the LORD into them about what they will do and none of them that I have seen have come true.

Bill Johnson and other self appointed apostles a while back say God showed them that Todd Bently was called to be an apostle and they did a circus show installing him. This guy has been exposed as being an abuser from the days he was installed and that would make the ones who anointed him in error as saying God chose this guy. The scriptures speaking of the gifts of the spirit say everything should be done decently and in order. This whole episode was anything but. As far as Hillsong goes a man named Izzy Folau quoted scripture warning people of the eternal judgment and the need for turning to Jesus and the gospel. He pointed out Romans 1 warns homosexuals need to repent and Hillsong condemned Izzy. These are the kinds of things that we need to be aware off as the eschatology or end times stuff is big. On one hand the unity of the faiths seems like a way to promote world peace and advance human dignity on the other it is what the Masonic lodge teaches that all paths are the same and in reality the Masons teach at the highest levels that Lucifer is the light bearer. Now scripture says in the last days men will no longer endure sound doctrine. It also says they will teach doctrines of demons. So it is important that through the scriptures you know what sound doctrine is and can recognize what is a counterfeit. So get in the word and be in prayer and work on your own character and God bless both of you..

 

[Heavenhome]

Hello, it is indeed a blessing to have a Christian partner.
I cannot speak well of Hillsong I'm afraid as I am reformed in faith.
I attend a home church where we read the Bible, pray, sing Psalms and listen to a sermon.

However my eldest sister years ago was involved before they were called Hillsong, they came from Assemblies of God here in Australia and she took me along, I found it was more emotional focused than anything and they would use a few praise verses to rev people up by using one or two over and over again.
Personally the whole thing seemed the opposite to "let all things be done decently in order" 1Corinthians 14:40.
I truly hated it.
My brother and sister in law were attendees and when questioning a few things were told if they left they would be following the devil.

A good thing also is to look at their history, specifically one Brian Houston.
Interestingly a few weeks ago I read that Hillsong is now a denomination of their own.

It is good that you have asked questions, my main answer to you is that I measure all things against what Scripture says. We have a duty as Christians to do this and how blessed we are to have Bibles when so many dont .
It is interesting to note that the healings done in the Bible were usually to non believers as proof of who Jesus was, as also with the Apostles.
If these people claim the gift of healing, why don't they ever go into the hospitals rather than in their church amongst themselves?

I do believe God can and does heal if it is His will to do so. So as you see I am not a believer in the gifts of the Spirit that was given to the Apostles.
We have to be like the Bereans who continually checked the Scriptures so we do not be deceived.
Anyway thats me, I hope you will find all the answers from God alone, He is a wonderful Heavenly Father and God bless you.

 

[jiminpa]

Music style is not mentioned in the Bible at all, so that is a matter of taste and about if it helps you worship God. It is usually a personal thing, and what one person finds inspiring another may find distracting.

The Bible supports the gifts of the Spirit, and those saying that prophesy is reduced to speaking out the scriptures are not supported by the Bible. In the book of Acts Paul was warned prophetically about what would happen if he went to Jerusalem. Tongues can be a difficult topic, because some theologies have a carnally vested interest in opposing the Holy Spirit's gifts, for some reason tongues especially. Contextually, Paul's criticisms of tongues, by my reading doesn't prohibit multiple people praying in tongues, but it does prohibit more than one at a time speaking to the congregation, since it is of no benefit to the congregation. In context it can be easily inferred that Paul would not have approved of simultaneous prophesies, again, being disruptive.

Keep in mind that while it is the Holy Spirit that gives the language, (tongue), if you don't speak it out you will still be silent. It takes faith to trust that what comes out will be of the Holy Spirit, and I think that's the point. If you ask for bread, God will not give you a serpent, (often Biblical symbolism for a demon).

I, myself, have a hard time trusting doctrinal advise based on traditionalism. Traditions almost always run counter to the Bible. The Lutheran, Catholic, Reformed, etc. denominations all lean far more heavily on tradition than the truth of scripture, and my experience has been that those theologies hold scripture subservient to tradition.

Please note: my opinions and observations are just that my opinions and observations, and subject to my own human fallibility