Travis Johnson

Confessions of a Continuationist - part 2

As a Continuationist, I confess that I do not understand the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit.

Wade Burleson, a good Southern Baptist, posted a great piece of work by Sam Storms from "The Conference on the Holy Spirit."  It outlines 12 Bad Reasons for Being a Cessationist and 12 Good Reasons for Being a Continuationist.  Still, with all of the Scriptures, points, and experience that can be had, I confess that I still see through a glass darkly.  There are some things I do not and never will understand.  And, I'm OK with that.

related: On Continuationism - Confessions Part 1

Confessions of a Continuationist - part 1

I am a Continuationist.  I pray to God for his intervention in the daily and mundane.  If He never moves in a tangible spiritual way post-salvation, I will live.  But, I thank God that Jesus is moved by the feelings of my infirmity.  I believe that God is not cruel...that He would simply feel my pain and weakness and does nothing about it.  I look to God for healing.  I look to God for wisdom, discernment, and for my future. 

I believe that God is very involved in my life.  I am dependent on His presence.  This past year, a mom in our church had a baby born 2 weeks before the age of viability.  God did a miracle in that baby.  He was at church Sunday, a big healthy boy.  I believe that was the continuing work of the Holy Spirit.  That was awesome.

With that said, I know that we will not always be healed.  The Bible shares that we all have an appointment with death.  Still, I confess as a continuationist, I do not understand how some people are not healed when it just feels like they should be.  My friend, Dave Crowley is going through a tough journey.  Still I trust God.  Keep praying for my friend.  Thanks for taking a look at my theology as I actively work it out in Word and in experience.

On Continuationism

Dallas News shared a story yesterday about an ongoing controversy in the SBC as a result of a message preached by Dwight McKissic at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.  During his chapel message, he made the comment that he had a private prayer language, a reference to a manifestation of Spirit Baptism found in the book of Acts.  You can catch up on what is being said below.  For the sake of this blog entry, I am want to write about my understanding of this practice.  Tim Challies interviews Dr. Wayne Grudem and Dr. Sam Waldron to show each perspective.  Its worth the read.

I am a continuationist.  I believe that the Holy Spirit is still moving and functioning as He was during the Book of Acts and at the time the Epistles were written.  I embrace the Charismata and see no Scriptural end to the gifts of the Spirit.  I believe the Canon is closed.  I have never spoken in another earthly language as the Spirit of God directed me.  I do "pray in the Spirit and with understanding(1 Cor 14:15)." I am dependent on the leading of the Holy Spirit and also fully embrace the authority of Scripture. I do believe in miracles and the Scriptural manifestations of the Holy Spirit though I would have a more strict interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14 than most Pentecostals/Charismatics.  I feel that both of those descriptors may be narrow or incomplete in their description of my doctrinal understanding.

I love and appreciate my pastoral friends who are cessationists.  I do not have an affinity for a rejection of spiritual things that are simply rejected because they are too spiritually messy, inconvenient, or decentralized.  Certainly, arguments can be made that "prophecies have failed, tongues have ceased, and knowledge has vanished away (1 Cor 13:8)."  I think that is a legitimate theological perspective on the Scriptures.  But, it concerns me when any Scriptures are marginalized because of our discomfort.

I thought I'd throw that out there so you can get to know me a bit better as well as sharing this journey the SBC is on presently.  I hope you enjoy the conversations below:

McKissic's letter to SWBTS - Dallas News - Burleson on McKissic - How It All Went Down - Wes Kenney: 1st Impressions - Restive Baptists Meet - Nathin Finn: Solutions