Can We Avoid a Charismatic Civil War and Reply by Tammy Franz
Lee Grady
A Thoughtful Reply to Lee Grady
Tammy Franz
See below.
Some leaders say the controversial Lakeland Revival is forcing us to choose sides. But I don’t believe God wants to split our movement.
It’s been more than 10 years since charismatic prophet Rick Joyner predicted in his popular book The Final Quest that believers would experience a Civil War in the church. Joyner’s book, based on a series of visions he says God showed him, describes in graphic detail a turbulent conflict that redefines Christianity as we know it.
Other charismatic leaders have echoed this theme since Joyner’s book was published in 1996. They have predicted that our movement will be divided between “Blues” (those who constantly live in the supernatural realm of dreams, visions and miracles) and “Grays” (those who rely more on their intellect), and that the Blues will win and usher in true revival as champions of the Holy Spirit’s power.
Even in early 2008, before the Lakeland Revival erupted in Florida in April, some charismatic prophets were declaring that a great rift would divide those who believe in “the glory realm” and those who have a more conservative, left-brained approach to their faith. When God TV began its nightly broadcasts of evangelist Todd Bentley’s healing meetings in Lakeland, the Civil War prophecies reappeared overnight on hundreds of blogs and e-mail blasts.
I’ll admit I was not paying too much attention to these Civil War predictions 10 years ago. But I was jolted into reality in May after I wrote an online column in which I raised honest questions about some of Bentley’s teachings and techniques. Even though I celebrated his passion and zeal, and praised God for the healings that were reported in Lakeland, I was immediately branded a revival critic and banished to the Gray camp.
I became the bad guy because, by asking questions, I was “relying on my intellect.” To those in the Blue camp, my skepticism made me an enemy of the Holy Spirit and all things supernatural—even though I believe that all the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today!
I tried to laugh this off at first. Surely, I imagined, my Christian brothers and sisters do not really think it is wrong for a Spirit-filled believer to test the spirits (which we are instructed to do in 1 John 4:1), discern truth (see 2 Pet. 3:17) or evaluate prophecies and angelic encounters (see 1 Cor. 14:29, Gal. 1:6-8).
But now I realize that some people really want a war. They want the charismatic movement to split right down the middle. They imply that all those who do not embrace 100 percent of the current movement in Lakeland are “old wineskins” that cannot be used by God in the coming revival.
I can’t even describe how much this hurts because I love people on both sides of this conflict. I love the Blues and the Grays, along with every other color in the body of Christ. I refuse to believe that God is trying to split us. Division is the devil’s work.
I want to plead with everyone in our movement to reconsider the whole Civil War scenario. Instead of rattling sabers and stockpiling gunpowder, maybe we need to take steps in the opposite direction:
1. Let’s accept one another. The apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians because they exalted certain gifts above others. He reminded them that every member of the body of Christ plays an important role, and that no individual part—whether eye, hand or foot—functions on its own. He rebuked this elitist attitude “so that there may be no division in the body” (1 Cor. 12:25, NASB).
Most of us already acknowledge the importance of supernatural gifts of healing, prophecy, tongues and other demonstrations of God’s power. But in our zeal to recover these gifts, let’s not isolate those whose primary functions may be mercy, giving to the poor, teaching or intercession. We should cherish every spiritual gift—not just the sensational or the exotic.
2. Let’s admonish one another. Christians have not always been the best models of conflict resolution. When tension gets high we either avoid it (usually by saying nothing and hoping the problems go away) or we overreact (by childishly picking up our marbles and playing somewhere else). But the Bible tells us to work things out in eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.
In the case of Lakeland, there are some doctrines and methods that have come under intense scrutiny. Heresy hunters are having a field day as they toss their grenades and label everything in Lakeland demonic. But because I embrace Todd Bentley as my brother in Christ, I must take a higher road even if I don’t agree with his prayer methods or his claims regarding angels. Anything I say, even if it is corrective, must be said in love (see Eph. 4:15).
Thankfully a group of leaders from various charismatic camps (both “Blues” and “Grays”!) are discussing the contentious issues surrounding Lakeland—and biblical confrontation is occurring. I trust this process will result in correction where it’s needed, apologies when necessary and more humility on all sides of the debate.
3. Let’s pray for one another (see James 5:16). Jesus prayed that we would be one. There is no record of Him praying that we would split over doctrine. So why in the world would any of us hope for a Civil War?
Please pray for Bentley—and for the leaders who are speaking into his life during this season. And pray that the church will not only experience genuine spiritual revival but also true unity. Let’s work out our differences, support one another’s ministries and focus all our efforts on one common goal: To tell a lost world about the love of Jesus.
A Thoughtful Reply to Lee Grady
Tammy Franz
In J Lee Grady article, “Can We Avoid a Charismatic Civil War?”, he has a few statements that I thought might be worthy of addressing from what I feel Holy Spirit has shown to me, much of which I have already presented in The Glory BLING articles part 1 and 2, but wanted to refresh in this response.
First statement … Some leaders say the controversial Lakeland Revival is forcing us to choose sides. But I don’t believe God wants to split our movement.
I Matthew 10:34 there is a very plainly spoken statement that Jesus makes, he says,” Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword”. Verse 35 and 36 continue, “For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, a daughter from her mother, a newly married wife from her mother-in-law –and a man’s foes will be they of his own household. (cross referenced to Micah 7:6) Isn’t this what we are seeing today; brethren against brethren, family member against family member? So why does this disturb us? Jesus told us this WOULD be happening because HE came. The great “worried” campaign of UNITY has become the battle cry of many believers. There has been so much focus on having the BODY become ONE, they have forgotten to make JESUS the HEAD. Without the head, the body is dead!
)J (That would be a good bumper sticker for my van
It should not vex us to see this happening among believers, and among our own family members, (as I shared before, my husband and I have, and are, personally experiencing this in our lives with close family members and life long friends) and understand that it will actually increase the closer we get to Christ’s coming. In Matthew 10: 37-38 Jesus says, “He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more that [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more that [in] Me is not worth of Me; and he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living, and if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.” Wow! How can anyone argue away this direct and “hard” statement?
POLARIZATION is the word the Lord gave to my husband 9 years ago, when we began our ministry to the Bride of Christ, and we have lived it first hand everyday since. Those who we thought were for us, now are against us, and those we thought knew the Lord, the depth of their relationship has been challenged and many have “returned back to their lives and continue to do as they did before”, like in John 6:66 (check out that number) just like those who appeared to be followers of Christ, when He challenged them all with “eat my flesh and drink my blood” it says that many of His disciples drew back, returning to their old associations and no longer accompanied Him. Only the 12 were left, and even they had trouble with His statement, but they REMAINED! I love how Peter replied to Jesus when Christ asked them if they too would go away, and if this shocked and scandalized them, “To whom would we go? You have the words (message) of eternal life. And we have LEARNED to believe and trust and [more] we have come to know [surely] that YOU are the HOLY ONE OF GOD, the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of the Living GOD!” Only through our earnest desire to KNOW Him in the deepest way possible will we remain with Him when things becoming seemingly impossible. It should NOT shock and scandalize us to be seeing the polarization in the church today. Joshua trumpeted, choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. To know His voice, and He says very clearly that His sheep WILL know His voice and follow HIM, is to be accountable to HIM FIRST. If you believe that Holy Spirit has given you the ability to discern and to try the spirits, they DO SO! (Good scripture reference given in Grady’s article - 1 John 4:1, discern truth , 2 Pet. 3:17, or evaluate prophecies and angelic encounters, 1 Cor. 14:29, Gal. 1:6-8 )
Do not fear what man’s opinions can do to you! We are to please GOD not man! This is not a popularity contest! John the Baptist did not care what people thought of him, he was committed, IN LOVE, to heralding the coming of the Sweet Savior of the World. If we remain committed to our love (marriage) relationship with the Lord Jesus FIRST, what He says to directs us will be what we are to follow, remaining accountable to HIM FIRST.
Grady goes on to say in his article: …I refuse to believe that God is trying to split us. Division is the devil’s work.
Well, let's see, the Lord uses the enemy many times to bring about a CLEANSING of His Bride, and division can not always be credited to the enemy. Again, read Matthew 10:34 (above).
And further: … He reminded them that every member of the body of Christ plays an important role, and that no individual part—whether eye, hand or foot—functions on its own. He rebuked this elitist attitude “so that there may be no division in the body” (1 Cor. 12:25, NASB). Without the HEAD the body is DEAD!
And finally: … Let’s pray for one another (see James 5:16). Jesus prayed that we would be one. When we, as His Bride, become completely ONE with JESUS FIRST, then the natural byproduct, or life giving response, will be - WE WILL BE ONE WITH EACH OTHER, functioning as ONE BODY with CHRIST AS THE HEAD. Only Jesus can accomplish this, and He is doing so through each of us in a deep and personal way, everyday. In our own “noble” efforts to accomplish oneness with fellow believers, we will fail every time. Let’s let Christ have His way in our lives first, and HE WILL BRING the real PEACE and UNITY that passes all understanding; it will be completely VOID of presumption and assumption, this I know for a fact!
Do not be afraid of what Christ may do or say that may shock and scandalize your doctrines. Be a blank canvas for His creative and beautiful hand to paint the picture of His Bride as HE WANT HER TO BE! He really does have ALL of this under complete control! AMEN!!!