In Reply to: Re: The link between Berg, Teen Challenge & Assemblies of God posted by Perry on May 12, 2008 at 18:51:48:
Well, I started with that link & copied the contents.Very informative.Thanks.You said:
I'm interested in the links between Berg and other charismatics/fundamentalists/evangelicals etc., probably for reasons opposite to yours. I was raised a Catholic, so that whole charismatic, evangelical world was foreign to me. That's partly why it was so easy for Berg's followers to convince me that they truly were different from any other Christians. I honestly thought that holding hands in prayer circles, "holy" hugs, etc. were Berg "inventions".
I am not sure, whether my interests for the links
between Berg and the charismatic movements are so opposite to yours...couldn't crack that "nut"/thought yet...as a proverbial saying goes here in G.....no offense meant...I simply don't know what
is exactly your interest...I know somewhat my interest: To get to the root of delusion & deviance from the truth...in my life & other people's life as well.
In 1995 I started a formal education as an electrician for 3 years - sitting in the same class as my teenage-classmates as a 40 year old...it was humiliating, but I needed a better job as a breadwinner-
When the schoolyear started, I placed myself by coincidence next to a German Russian from Kazachstan, 28 years old then, & to my surprise I learned, that he was a believer...from some Russian brethren movement.One of the first things he advised me to read was a book of W.Bühne...the title is kind of "playing with the fire" (subtitles: the three waves of the Holy Spirit, the pentacostal movement, the charismatic movement, power evangelism)
I was reading the book (& another one by him) through TF-tinted glasses & tried to prove the points in this book and also others as wrong, underlining & commenting a lot in it.
When I came to these boards here, I thought everybody must have surely read similar books with information about:
David du Plessis, Dennis Bennett, Smith Wigglesworth, David Wilkerson, Cardinal Suenens,
Kathryn Kuhlmann (joined the catholic church from
last I heard), John Wimber, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, R.Bonnke, Yonggi Cho...the list is much longer.
By the way in 1966, it says in the book, catholic students at the University of Duquesne, Pittsburgh, got together for prayer & also read Wilkerson's book...& started with other charismatic people from other groups to pray & sing in tongues etc...
So there was already a ripe ground for "events" like this in the catholic church, also along with
labour of Cardinal Suenens...something similar happened at the catholic university of Notre Dame/Indiana at a conference between 2.-4. June 1972
on a conference for charismatic renewal.There
were supposed to be 11000 participants, among them 4 bishops...I think there is evidence, that the catholic church had joined that bandwagon quite early, however that wasn't probably known in all the "little districts".
Now this is all about 14 years back & I kept finding out more & more, which I get back to probably later.
The solution to the problem for me would be in the "ideal" interpretation of the text/Bible in question & I know that latest there our views would be most likely be different...
foremost I want people to be very cautious of what awaits them, should they be interested.
I must admit, that I met some extremely nice, loving, sweet folks even after TF among charismatics...but they also strike me, looking back, as quite gullable, taking the first explanation handed to them without double checking,time & again.That's my impression, also at times, they look not as stable, as others I met
in more "reasonable" congregations...
I leave it here...it's a huge subject, but one has to start somewhere.
I know, Mr.Don has got to have a total different opinion, nevertheless it's not about who's right, but what's right or better.
Actually, I missed the important Rick Joyner...I heard, that he "confessed" that 50 % of his prophecies were incorrect or downright false...on some websides they commented about that: 100% wrong
When Mr.Don finished so bravely his studies lastyear, I was torn between applauding him (because that is quite an accomplishment in itself, bravo) & my apprehension about the AOG & all the rest, as the university is in good terms with the AOG and the pentacostal movement.On top of that, I really don't believe in a paid clergy, but that's another subject.
Since I knew what controversies could arise, I just left the whole thing to "pass by"...however I do believe, that it is a very vital subject.
In the town I live, some charismatic prophecy said, there would be great revivals & the hospitals would be empty , with nothing then to do anymore...Excuse me, but so far that's very wrong...not to speak of all the wrong predictions
- all the centuries over - of when Jesus would return...I read, Luther was even among them...another story.