The term "Reformed Charismatic" is an oxymoron, though there appears to be a growing number of people who call themselves "Reformed Charismatics." There are plenty of articles right here on the Highway that address cessation and charismatic issues. I have a forum for ex-charismatics and ex-Pentecostals that directs people here to the Highway as well called ExCharisma.

On occassion we've dealt with so-called "Reformed" Charismatics in that forum also. Most of the folks that are attracted to Charismatic churches are drawn by the style and informality of their liturgy (or the appearance of no liturgy at all) and the apparent depth and emotional appeal of Charismatic worship. But all too often, Charismatic "worship" becomes a way of saying "I love you Lord" without doing what He has commanded. Charismatic worship makes you feel like you have really worshipped God in a more genuine way than ever before. But I believe that in God's way of worship, the absolute high point of any church service is the sermon, not the music; and there is far greater fulfillment in applying His word all week long than in "recharging your batteries" in a Charismatic worship service.

I also have found that Charismatics are unlikely to even be willing to question their beliefs until those beliefs have failed them multiple times. Even when "giving to get" made a friend of mine homeless, he still would not give up on his "seed-faith" dogma until it happened multiple times. I refused to quit believing in "deliverance ministry" until having multiple "demons expelled" multiple times failed to supply the promised rest and peace.

Finding and embracing the doctrines of grace, though, did for me all at once what twenty years of "charismania" could not do. Absolutely every aspect of my life turned around for the better once I abandoned false hope in nonexistent "gifts" and leaned wholly on God as revealed in His written, infallible, and unchanging Word. My health improved. My marriage improved (tremendously!). My finances turned around. I became a better employee, better student, better husband and father, a better citizen, a better church member and leader. My worship both in private and in the assembly is richer and deeper than was ever possible for me in all my years as a Charismatic. But alas, for most Charismatics, it takes multiple disastrous failures and many years of reality-defying denial before they are finally willing to even question their beliefs. Such conditioning goes against what the Reformers themselves urged: "Reformed, but always reforming.

Semper Reformada,
Robin