Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Jan/75

Contributor - John J. Opmeer

Title - A New Wind 'is Blowing

Topic - Charismatics

A Report on the Institute on the Holy Spirit and Charismatic Theology, held at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Mich. November 4-5, 1974.

There is no doubt about it at all: a new wind is blowing within the Reformed Church in America. How things have changed! Less than ten years ago, a serious proposal was made by one of our leaders to dissolve our denomination. So hardened were the divisions, so controversial the issues! But out of this crisis, a new spirit was born: a renewed desire to serve the living Lord, a new determination to emphasize the positive, to take leadership, to celebrate Christian life and commitment. The Festivals held throughout our denomination gave thousands an opportunity to experience first-hand what was happening in the Reformed Church.

The most recent manifestation of the new wind blowing in the R.C.A. is the Institute on the Holy Spirit which I attended. "Institute!" you may say, "how unlikely a place for anything to happen!" Yes, but this one was different. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident. Things fell into place. Doors were opened. In fact, the spirit of love and openness was so great that the Institute was able to break through a lot of so-called "Reformed" tradition on the subject of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What ten, and even two years ago would have been labelled 'trouble' is now seen as a possible blessing. What came to be rejected as sectarian, emotional and certainly unreformed' is now beginning to be evaluated in a more positive manner, namely as the very real work of the Holy Spirit, preparing, the churches for greater service and, possibly, greater suffering. What used to be at best tolerated in the R.C.A. as the peculiar views of a few, is now beginning to be taken seriously as a message of the Spirit addressed to all.

Let me explain. As most of you know, during the last 15 years many local churches have been forced to respond to the challenge of the presence of members who claimed that they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit. These members were teaching that the church at large had neglected to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit, with the manifestation of the full range of the gifts of the Spirit, including the list mentioned in I Corinthians 12. They were witnessing that they had received the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and were challenging others to seek this baptism with the Spirit for themselves. Many of those involved in the so-called charismatic movement began to attend "charismatic" worship and prayer meetings outside of their own local churches. Some of them, including local church leaders, had themselves re-baptized. The result has usually been confusion, frustration, tension, even division within the local church affected, often leading to the exodus of the "charismatic" members.

However, as more and more church members began to be claiming the "new experience", local churches started to ask for guidance from higher ecclesiastical bodies. And so, reluctantly or willingly, many denominations have formulated an 'official) position with regard to the charismatic phenomenon in their churches. Some took a hard line. others cautiously welcomed the charismatic renewal.

Our own Reformed Church is late with its official' position, but by the grace of God this may turn out to be a blessing. For during the past 15 years the charismatic movement has matured considerably, and many of the early excesses have been weeded out. Also, it has recently attracted some able' theologians, who have already greatly improved on the early, often superficial, biblical interpretation of the charismatic experience.

This is the background for the Institute on the Holy Spirit at Holland and also for the study which General Synod's Theological Commission is presently undertaking. Thus, the period 1974/ 75 may prove to be highly significant for the future direction of the Reformed Church. If the report of the Theological Commission will reflect the new wind that was blowing at the recent Institute, no less than a turning point will be reached in the history of the R.C.A. For no matter how cautiously the door will be opened to the charismatic movement, once it is 'officially' open no one can predict the depth of renewal that may eventually sweep through our churches. For who can tame the wind? Who can control the Holy Spirit of God?

Of course, it may be said that I give a biased report on the Institute. There was some negative input also, but one has come to accept that in our circles. And even the negative voices were voices of love, of openness. What I single out for attention is what is new, totally new in the history of our denomination: scholars of name opening the door cautiously to what they perceive the Spirit to be saying to us through the charismatic movement.

I do not think that one can easily overstate the potential impact the Institute can have on the life of our churches. What may be theory as yet for most, and as theory is acceptable, may soon present itself for practical application. Now that the Holy Spirit has obviously brought many in the R.C.A. to the point of recognizing the Spirit's presence in the charismatic renewal, obedience to the Spirit will demand that this renewal is allowed to work itself out in our churches, as God leads.

What, now, has happened at the Institute to justify the expression 'a new wind is blowing'? Hasn't there always been emphasis on the Holy Spirit in our churches? Haven't we always been teaching that the Holy Spirit manifests His presence in the church through the distribution of spiritual gifts?

True, but there has been a strong tradition in our churches that many of these gifts have been withdrawn at the end of the apostolic period. Examples: the gifts of healing, working of miracles, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. And thus, there has been an unwillingness to recognize that the Holy Spirit may be restoring these gifts to the churches. This unwillingness has ,been greatly re-enforced by the glaring weaknesses that were sometimes found in the neo-pentecostal movement. Some teachings were plainly unacceptable to Reformed theology. And some of the experiences have been wildly emotional, thus testing the goodwill of the non-charismatics to the breaking point.

This was exactly the main subject of the Institute: "Is the Holy Spirit teaching and leading us to open our churches for the manifestation of these gifts?" And if so, "can we do so without swallowing wholesale the teachings and practices of neo-Pentecostals?" And I believe that the majority of the leaders of the Institute, and the majority of the ministers, elders and students present were saying:

"Yes, we believe that the Holy Spirit is leading us to seek again for these neglected gifts";

"Yes, we believe that there is nothing in Reformed theology that would require us to reject the charismatic renewal as a whole";

"Yes, we believe that this can be done without accepting some peoples' teaching on the baptism with the Holy Spirit, or the disorder found in some of the charismatic circles."

I am so happy to have seen at this Institute that when the Reformed Church is finally facing up to the issue, it is giving the subject such a gracious hearing. I am proud to be part of a church that is willing to be Reformed according to the Word of God, even though this may mean a break with some of the established tradition in our denomination. I praise God for a man such as Dr. Oudersluys, who declared with passion that "our congregations need desperately these gifts to be rediscovered and exercised"! For a scholar of the standing of Dr. Hesselink* to state: "We may be long on theology, but we are short on experience. With the neo-Pentecostals, it is the other way around. So, we need each other." And for a teacher such as prof. Paul Fries (not present at the Institute) who wrote: "I would hope that the R.C.A. is big enough and biblical enough to embrace the best that this movement has to offer."

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN IN PRACTICE ?

This was the question in my mind when I returned home from the Institute. Where do we go from here? It is one thing to state at high level, that the charismatic experience can and should have a place within Reformed theology and church life. But how is this translated into the experience of the average congregation?

I expect no overnight changes. At the Institute it was stressed time and again that love is the more excellent way. And love is patient! The gifts are given to build up the church. The Spirit may want to restore the full range of the gifts to all our congregations, but the Spirit also provides the right timing. When a congregation is not ready, the gifts may divide, rather than build up.

However, that being understood, there IS a new wind blowing in the R.C.A., a refreshing, renewing, restoring wind. There IS a growing recognition that the charismatic movement has been raised up by the Holy Spirit just for a time like this. I Corinthians 12 - and similar passages - is beginning to be read with new eyes. We begin to understand that the Spirit is NOT saying, "wait till I give this gift to you", but, "earnestly desire the spiritual gifts". And above all, there IS a new urgency to the command: "be filled with the Spirit"'

Praise God for what is happening in our beloved denomination! And let us join in fervent prayer that the day may come soon that the fruit and gifts of the Spirit may be found in balance and abundance in all our congregations, so that the works of God may be done among us as we all grow up into the fulness of Christ!

* Some excerpts from the lecture by Dr. John Hesselink are found on page 15 of the Pioneer of December, 1974.

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