It's very comon for people who may never have seen what Pentecostalism actually teaches and practices to assign at least nominal validity to it. After all, the Bible does say
"desire to prophesy and do not forbid to speak with tongues (1st Corinthians 14:39)."So sincere efforts to prophesy and/or apply any of the other charismata flow from the idea that they are at least a
possible result of being filled with the Spirit (or in some Pentecostal and Charismatic circles - absolutely required of those who claim to be filled;
the evidence of infilling of the Spirit.
When we don't understand the nature and purpose of the gifts, we tend to fill in the blanks with our own expectations or what we have seen and heard others do.
The gifts of the Spirit as they were in the Bible were nothing like the what is practiced today. I suggest a browse through the ExCharisma forum here on the Highway, as well as the articles on the
Charismatic movement.
-R
