need help about christian summer camp - was it ok?

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

hi
can someone please giveme some help - i am new.

in the summer (!) i went to a large christian conference.
but i am worried about some of the things that happened at the end of all the big meetings.

is it ok what is going onthere?
Icon_sad

do you think people arereally getting healed there? there were so many saying they were healed.
and is it ok for them all to be pushed or fall over?
and was the screaming and shaking stufff o.k?
please help - i need advice

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1448 Location: second childhood

This is a mixed reply.

In my opinion.

I am sure that some people do get healed.
Some have evil spirits that get cast out.
Some are overcome by the Spirit.

I think that a lot of what you talk about is emotion, over excitment and not real.

Others will disagree with me both on the reality of some of it. And on my criticism of most of it.
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Sisyphus · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 5:48 pm Post subject:

Hi BornAgain,
I pretty much agree with JtheB. I have been to meetings/gatherings/services where much excitement bordering on hysteria seems to take hold, and I'm sure there are people participating who genuinely feel moved, but personally I get a bad feeling when things like that happen, particularly the 'slain in the spirit' type of events.

That's not to say I don't believe in healing or that evil spirits can be cast out, it's just that I have never witnessed it, not wanting to be a doubting Thomas of course, or restrict the power or methods of God, but it generally makes me feel uncomfortable.
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".... love thy neighbour as thyself." is the hardest thing I have ever done....

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1324

Hi ba. Is your question a genuine one or is it a wind-up on your part? Sorry that I have to ask but some people do come onto forums like this with the distinct aim of making mischief. It would help if you could be more specific about why you feel concerned enough to ask the advice/opinions of people you do not know.

Without wanting you to name the event you attended was it organised and led by people who were Pentecostal/charismatic in their outlook and attitude? Gatherings that were strongly Pentecostal/charismatic would quite likely expect to see healings and assorted 'signs and wonders' (e.g. prophecies, visions and speaking in tongues). It could be argued that if such things are expected then some people are predisposed to see them and thus claim (or predict) a healing that did not happen because it was not needed.

As jtheb implies there are some Christians who firmly believe in such shows of Holy Spirit power that you apparently witnessed but there are other Christians who remain sceptical of the whole phenomenon. Perhaps it is better to ask yourself if you felt comfortable with what happened. If so does it damage your faith? If not then it is your choice to have little or nothing to do with churches and Christians who endorse the sort of activities about which you have written.

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

thanks all for your replies.
no this is NOT a wind up.!

Icon_1435

i am asking because i felt unhappy with it all.
yes it was a pentecostal type large church that organised the week. and i felt uncomfortble with it - i didn't get a sense of peace in the 'healing' bit BUT i DIDsense the presence of th HolySpirit very powerfully in the worship.
could it be that the Holy Spirit was there for the worship, but then departed for the (so called or maybe genuine) healings & deliverence??
and am i now guilty of blasphemy feeling this way?

i just felt like i was at a party and was the only one not drinking while everyone else was really happy with it and enjoying themselves.
but i just kept thinking 'there are so 'many thousands of people here- how could they all be wrong and i'm right. then i just got confused and unhappy.

and they kept saying things like 'more Lord - 'more' which i didn't understand - and 'there's a new wave coming now' - and people were bobbing up and down (like bending in the middle-) and when i asked someone they said it was because they felt like they'd been punched in the stomach.

i wouldn't let anyone touch me when they prayed - and i just prayed for protection all the time.

i feel unsure and confused now -

do you think God couyld still bless me there if it was wrong??

i was not with anyone else i trusted to ask because my church did not go there.

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

and saome people wer really shakingall over and flapping their hands about, and some laughing hysterically

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1448 Location: second childhood

Nothing wrong with you.

Hyperexcitement is not spirit filling.

Assess what happened and keep the good parts. Let the rest go.
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C.S.Craig

Covenanter · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1446

BA,

I have been a Christian for 50 years, & have never personally experienced the so-called baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have been in such churches, by invitation from people who seemed to be normal Christians. Once spiritual manifestations started, I felt the I did not belong there. I had no impression of the Holy Spirit moving. Repetitive singing seemed to be an important element in generating the "atmosphere."

That was before the extraordinary phenomena of the 90s, though I did attend my son's wedding in such a church, associated with Queens Rd Baptist Church, Wimbledon. The marriage did not last.

You will not be grieving the Holy Spirit by rejecting such phenomena, even claimed healings. Stay away from churches that promote them. For several years I worked with a Pentecostal. She had chronic back pain, from which she was healed by Jesus at every meeting. Every next morning the devil returned the pain. I consider that euphoria of the meetings relieves pain temporarily. Such instant healings are counted by the organisers, as are instant decision conversions. What happens after may be very discouraging.

I do not deny the possibility of genuine healing, & there are credible reports of such, but I suspect very few lasting healings take place at such meetings. I have moved from acute back pain & walking heavily with a stick to playing tennis in a few days.

By all means pray for healing, & get on with living as a Christian with the glorious hope of the resurrection when all the problems of this life will be no more. His grace is sufficient.
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May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will ... (Hebrews 13:20-21)

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

thanks covenantor.

the other thing worrying me is this - if these people are in fact under a wrong spirit and they pray for you and touch you - how does the wrong spirit affect you? is it a demon? and how does it get in? Icon_1435

Covenanter · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1446

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

im not going to a church right now so dont have a pastor. i was hoping to her from God at the camp.

i have just read the topic 'toronto blessing - deception? i have copied the 8th paragraph : -

.....andFinally the penny dropped for me as I was rolling around one night 'drunk in the Spirit' as we would say. I started singing and as I rolled around the floor the Nursery Rhyme 'Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow.' came to mind. I sang this in a mocking spirit and instantly my heart told me this was a demon. Instantly I repented and was in total shock. How could a demon get into me? Did I not love God? Was I not zealous for the things of God? Was I not nuts about Jesus? I knew that an unclean spirit had just manifested through me and I was guilty of great sin. After this experience I stayed away from TACF. I did not go back there any more. I did not possess the conviction to denounce the whole ..........

that is what i'm worried about

Covenanter · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1446

Where do you live? We may be able to suggest a church, or make personal contact.
_________________
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will ... (Hebrews 13:20-21)

bornagain · Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

thanks, i'm quite near to london

but what about the paragraph i just quoted????

bobbyc · Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1324

Hello again ba, how can you be sure that the person in the paragraph you quoted did become possessed? As I suggested in my previous post it is not uncommon for people who are predisposed to seeing/feeling elements of the supernatural to experience exactly what they expect to occur at such gatherings. That's not to say that I am suggesting the person was deliberately lying about their sensation but the notion of self-fulfilling prophecy is neither unknown nor unusual.

If the description of Toronto-style events and meetings causes you some disquiet then I'd say that you are not going to be happy in any of the more extrovert charismatic churches (mostly but not exclusively Pentecostal). It should be quite easy for you to investigate your local churches and find one that is neither too overwhelming nor too dry both of which are not very edifying. Speak to the ministers concerned. If you have a local Christian bookshop you will probably find some information about local churches there. You haven't said whether you went to this particular summer camp alone or with friends. If you went with others have you shared your concerns with them? If you were invited by people who belong to the sort of church that promotes the 'signs and wonders' that upset you I can understand any reluctance to voice your misgivings. However it is most emphatically not a betrayal on your part if you find less exuberant worship more to your own liking and so decide to join a different church.

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1448 Location: second childhood

I think that is good advice.

My own experiance of signs and wonders has left me convinced that a lot is excess emotion, but that some is genuine Spirit activity.
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The effectiveness of a posting is inversely proportional to its length.
C.S.Craig