夫妻作為基督與教會奧秘的聖禮

保羅在（弗五22-33）把夫妻關係視作基督與教會關係極大奧秘的預示。我們或可以這樣說，保羅把夫妻視為基督與教會的聖禮。保羅期望人透過看見夫妻，體認基督與教會之間捨己之愛與順服的微妙之處。為何保羅選擇以夫妻作為該真理的預示，而不是其他關係？

因為夫妻乃創世以來最基本的人際關係（創一27，二24-25；弗五31），而且夫妻關係帶來了新的生命以及代理著神的治權（創一28），而在神的賜福中，新生命與治權的代理是一個金幣的兩面。因此夫妻所彰顯出來對其他東西的治理，是一種帶來生命力的治理，而非限制或壓迫性的控制。而這種治理也是內化在夫妻裡，推動著這個二人成為的一體成長。這種治理包含著神對完整人性的期望（創一27）：「神就照著自己的形像造人，乃是照著他的形像造男造女。」這個期望透過男女相異性合一反映出神的形像，意味著單一性不能令人完整地體會何謂神的形像。神那帶來生命力的治理內化在夫妻間，在治理中夫妻分享著不同的任務，兩者亦透過不同的治理任務滿足著對方的不同需要。（弗五22-33）丈夫效法基督的捨己先向妻子獻出愛，當中包括了以道使其聖潔（即教化，而非管教）和保護愛惜，作頭也意味著看見前路的異象。妻子則以順服和敬重作為向丈夫的回應。這種愛與順服的彼此呼應顯出了神那帶來生命力的治理，分別滿足了男女成長上不同的需要，俗語說：「女人要愛，男人要尊重」。

因此透過神在夫妻裡治權的實現，使基督與教會間的奧秘被顯明。同時，教會作為被愛群體（人類與萬物）的代表，神在夫妻這個原始人際關係的治權實現，再推廣至教會內外、或人與其他人和物的關係上，透過治理留意和滿足不同他者所需，從而帶來了他者的生命。

聖誕佳節將到，讓我們除了反思基督降生作為給我們的禮物外，也反思自己怎樣帶來另一半生命，和他者的生命吧！我相信這也是基督降生、受死和復活後期望為世界帶來的結果。

順祝聖誕快樂！

主僕
陳智聰

舞蹈宣教事工

聖靈是創造之靈、生命之靈。在祂的啟發和富創意的引導之下，基督徒的服侍方式可以呈現活潑的多元化。片段中這些韓國青少年的舞蹈宣教事工，就是很好的例子。

佛羅里達大澆灌 / 雷克蘭復興

以下題為〈佛羅里達大澆灌〉的文章，是小弟在羨智領袖學院（Synergy Institute of Leadership）修讀MPS時交給老師的(五旬節運動發展史)課程功課的修改版，主要修改是在尾段部份中加入了一些新觀點，是交功課時沒有的。小弟也是首次寫這類歷史科論文，可能不是寫得太好，但如今也放在網誌，盼望得到各方好友指教。(注：我的網誌不知為甚麼沒有註腳功能，故原稿的註腳未能顯示在網誌版上)

論文題目：佛羅里達大澆灌
作者：陳智聰（羨智領袖學院．五旬節研究碩士學生）

2008年4月2日加拿大藉佈道家托德．賓利（Todd Bentley）到達位於美國佛羅里達州的雷克蘭（Lakeland）的一間神召會．點燃教會（Ignited Church）舉行原定一連四日的聚會。 4月3日賓利聲稱有天使造訪他，故決定在點燃教會開始每日舉行聚會，宣布聚會最早在4月底才結束。其後該聚會每天吸引大群人擁入教會悔改，並聲稱得到醫治。這就是人稱佛羅里達大澆灌（Florida Outpouring）或稱雷克蘭復興（Lakeland Revival）的序幕。

本文以〈佛羅里達大澆灌〉為題，嘗試闡述在美國佛羅里達州的雷克蘭由2008年4月2日至同年8月15日結束的復興現象。筆者在本文會嘗試闡述該復興的發生經過、聚會情況、該復興所引發的爭論、及嘗試對該復興作出初步分析。期望讓讀者對該復興有概略的認識，並總結該復興對五旬節及靈恩基督教的貢獻。

復興發生的經過

正如筆者對〈佛羅里達大澆灌〉序幕的描述，該復興原本是始於點燃教會在2008年4月2日所舉行一連四日的聚會。但因聚會講員賓利在4月3日聲稱有超自然的造訪（指天使），故決定在整個四月於點燃教會每天舉行聚會。而該聚會後來一直伸延至2008年的暑假，其間聚會人數由七百人急升至一萬二千人。 2008年4月11日God TV開始每日將聚會轉播至全球二百個國家。 而在4月至6月份期間聚會也因應人數而轉移了三次場地。當中聚會講員賓利報告許多人身體得醫治；包括腫瘤消失、末期癌症康復、瞎眼的恢復視力、耳聾的恢復聽覺、跛腳的走路，並有二十多人直接或間接因雷克蘭復興從死裡復活。 雖然主辨單位聲稱該復興有極多神蹟奇事的發生，亦聲稱有很多人在復興中悔改歸主。但該復興仍然引起了外間極多的爭議，特別是因聚會講員賓利後來被其所屬的新火事工（Fresh Fire Ministries）證實其有婚外情，因而被暫停所有公開服侍。使該復興只持續了四個月。

香港國度復興報．網上版裡有一篇題為〈延續雷克蘭復興〉的報導，記錄了雷克蘭復興當中所發生的重要事件，見下表：

日期/重要事件

• 2008年4月2日 賓利到雷克蘭的點燃教會舉行原定一連四日的聚會
• 2008年4月3日 賓利稱有天使造訪他，故決定在點燃教會每日舉行聚會
• 2008年4月11日 God TV開始每日將聚會轉播全球二百個國家
• 2008年4月至6月 因應人數轉移三次場地。賓利報告許多人身體醫治
• 2008年5月14日 《靈恩》雜誌編輯加迪對該復興提出疑問，呼籲群眾分辨
• 2008年6月23日 國際使徒聯盟團隊為賓利舉行公開的按手禱告禮
• 2008年7月23日 賓利宣布8月23日為他最後一日在雷克蘭服侍，並將到其他城市推動復興
• 2008年8月12日 傳媒報導賓利與妻子分居的消息
• 2008年8月15日 賓利所屬的新火事工（Fresh Fire Ministries）證實賓利有婚外情，並宣布賓利暫停所有服侍。

聚會情況

對於雷克蘭復興的聚會情況，筆者曾嘗試在網上錄像網站YouTube下載該復興聚會的錄影短片。發現YouTube網站內有大量該復興聚會的短片，內容包括敬拜、講道、禱告時間、見證等。

激烈和自發性敬拜讚美：
在YouTube短片，筆者發覺該聚會的敬拜形式，基本上與部份的五旬宗及靈恩教會的敬拜形式十分相似。敬拜的主領者在台上投入地帶領台下的會眾頌唱流行曲風格的敬拜詩歌，台上伴奏的是一隊如流行樂隊（Pop Music Band）般的敬拜樂隊，其使用樂器包括爵士鼓、電子結他、低音電子結他、和電子琴等等。台上亦配備有少量舞台燈光以增強整體樂隊的舞台效果。當會眾在主領者的帶領下敬拜時，常配合著舉手、自發地歡呼、禱告等情況。 這種敬拜形式在部份的五旬宗或靈恩教會中也是常見，例子如澳洲最大的神召會．Hillsong教會。

雷克蘭復興聚會的敬拜亦有一些更激烈的情況，例如主領者在台上跑來跑去帶領會眾一起大叫耶穌的名字。台下的會眾亦一起跳一起大叫耶穌的名字。其間亦配合樂隊的音樂帶動著整個敬拜有一種興奮的氣氛。 另外有一點很有趣，不論是台上的敬拜主領者、敬拜樂隊，或是台下的會眾，其衣著都是極為平民化，一點也不嚴肅。這與主流基督教堂聚會會眾衣著中所反映的嚴肅感有很大對比。

而另外雷克蘭復興聚會的敬拜亦有一些現象，是在其他主流基督教會聚會中不常見。例如其中一段錄影中顯示，聚會的敬拜時間講員賓利自己倒臥在台上，而台下近台前的位置亦有幾十名人士倒臥在那位置，在敬拜主領者使用電子琴自彈自唱的歌聲下，慢慢有越來越多人自發地走上台前俯伏在地上祈禱，或仰臥在地上祈禱。

靈舞和醉在聖靈裡：
在另外一段聚會錄影中，台上有一位女士自發地起舞，而台下所有會眾亦自發地大聲以方言祈禱，其間有少部份人發出笑聲及歡呼聲，其後樂隊才加入伴奏帶動該舞者的舞蹈節奏。 對於聚會敬拜帶領者進入一種像喝醉般的出神狀態，也是在其他類似的聚會中不常見的。其中一條短片，拍下了聚會的其中一位敬拜帶領者羅伊（Roy Fields）進入了這種出神的狀態，然後他連人帶講台倒在台上的地板上。

這種有如喝醉的狀態不單出現在聚會的敬拜帶領者身上，也出現在聚會講員賓利和其他人身上。其中一段錄影顯示，講員賓利正在台上與一位女同工訪問一位分享見證的男士，但突然賓利就出現喝醉的狀態，表現有如醉漢。而該位女同工也出現類似狀態，接著在賓利大笑大叫一段時間後，該分享見證的男士就倒下台上，而賓利就在台上走來走出，並叫著該男士的名叫「Bob」。當賓利這樣做，台下的會眾也出現了類似的出神狀態，不斷大笑大叫，部份人倒在地上。他們稱這種現象為「喝醉在聖靈裡」。 而賓利在聚會中也會鼓勵會眾進入這種「喝醉在聖靈裡」的狀態，甚至鼓勵在電視中觀看聚會直播的人也進入這種狀態。

見證和激烈的禱告服侍方式：
在賓利的聚會中常會在見證時段，邀請那些聲稱在聚會中疾病得醫治的人士上台分享見證。然後賓利會為他們進行禱告，該被禱告的人士就會倒在台上。 這種邀請得醫治者在台上分享見證，和講員為該見證者禱告的做法，其實在另一位著名的神醫佈道家辛班尼（Benny Hinn）的聚會中也很常見。 只是辛班尼的聚會是在詩歌班的歌頌聲中進行，故比較賓利的聚會辛班尼的做法則顯得較為幽雅。

而賓利在雷克蘭復興聚會中，則會以一種很激烈的方式為人禱告。例如他常常在為人按手禱告時，發出「砰！砰！砰！」的聲音，讓人感覺他好像在轟炸那位被按手的人士。 而在其中一段短片顯示，賓利在為人禱告時，除了按手外也曾以「頭槌」的方式禱告，就是把頭衝向該被禱告的人士的肚子。然後該人士立刻倒在地上。 賓利在該聚會中還有一種稱為「神聖膝蓋」（Holy Knee）的禱告方式，就是用他的膝蓋擊中該位被禱告人士的肚子，然後該人士立刻倒地。

死人復活：
雷克蘭復興其中一個最令人感到驚訝的地方，就是聲稱有二十多人直接或間接因雷克蘭復興從死裡復活。 其中一段短片顯示，有一位來自奧蘭多一間學校的三歲小女孩在星期一證實死亡，但在星期三突然復活。她的一位學校老師走到雷克蘭復興聚會中分享見證，並且賓利在聚會中立刻致電醫院給該女孩的父親，證實女孩的復活。 另外一段顯示，有一位二十三歲的男子在星期三死亡，他的家人到達雷克蘭復興聚會，之後把大會的代禱咭放在男子的屍體上，星期四早上該男子復活。 還有一段短片，是一位聲稱自己曾死去的黑人女孩，復活後到達雷克蘭復興聚會分享見證。 這樣多的死人復活事例，是令該復興讓人感驚訝的地方。

雷克蘭復興所引起的爭論

雖然雷克蘭復興聚會聲稱有那樣多的神蹟奇事發生，但它所引起的爭論也一樣多。

賓利的「出位」外形：
其中一個爭論是在佈道家賓利本人的外形上，賓利的外形及其裝扮與北美典型的奮興佈道家不一樣，他不穿整齊的洋服，外表肥胖粗魯、光頭，而且在他的頸上和手臂上均有色彩鮮豔的刺青。除了配帶耳環外，他還在下辱位置配上金屬環。作為基督教復興聚會的帶領者，他這樣的外形已經引起了外間不少的批評。 但他還常常說：「耶穌喜愛他的刺青」或說自己為：「聖靈的特別兵團」。

暴力對待參與者？
另外一個對雷克蘭復興聚會的批評，就是賓利被指常以暴力方式對待參與者。例如在禱告時大力地腳踢、撞擊、拍擊、或敲打聚會的參與者等。 這種情況我們的確能在聚會的YouTube錄影中看見。

天使艾瑪（Emma）：
還有一個對雷克蘭復興是否來自上帝的爭論，起因自賓利聲稱看見一位名為艾瑪（Emma）的天使。 在賓利的描述中，艾瑪是在一九八零年代幫助美國堪薩斯州先知運動的天使。她是母親型的天使，協助培育先知。賓利描述艾瑪呈現出約二十二歲的年輕美麗女子外形。艾瑪滑翔入他的房間，並發出閃耀的光輝和色彩，她亦帶著一個放著黃金的袋子，走在教會的走廊上，並開始把黃金放在人們的頭上。 賓利在聚會中還教導天使會帶來財務上的突破或啟示。 有評論者認為賓利這樣強調天使，和喚起人注意天使的教導，可能會把耶穌的福音混亂，帶來災難性的後果，評論者甚至以摩門教的創辦人同樣強調天使作例子向賓利提出忠告。

亦有批評者提出疑問，認為賓利所言的女性天使是否有聖經的根據。因為按照聖經的講法天使是沒有性別非男亦非女。 而更有批評者提出一個有趣的講法，就是這個名為艾瑪的天使，其實在一本叫天使之書（The book of angels）的書本中出現過，她名字的意思就是擁抱一切。但另有一個名字是「Emma-O」在日本神話中是地獄的王的意思。 因此如果正如賓利自己的見證，稱該復興是透過天使艾瑪的幫助，那麼該復興是否來自上帝就將會是一個很大的爭論點。

使徒聯盟的按手禮：
另外一個在雷克蘭復興引起極大爭議的事件，就是6月23日由彼得．魏格納（C. Peter Wagner）所領導的國際使徒聯盟團隊高調地為賓利作按手禱告禮。 出席的領袖除彼得．魏格納外，還有雷克．喬納（Rick Joyner）、祈安（Che Ahn）等等，數名使徒領袖承諾作賓利的屬靈遮蓋。其後該事件被《靈恩》雜誌（Charisma）編輯加迪（J. Lee Grady）質疑如此高調的按手儀式是否明智，並認為是操之過急，與保羅在聖經有關按手之禮，不可急促的原則不乎。

有趣的是連魏格納太太也承認，他們夫婦在為賓利行按手儀式前幾分鐘才與賓利有交談的機會，雙方在之前其實從沒有見過面。但她就回應指這個按手之禮，是表示賓利接受使徒們在他身上有管教的權柄。 雖然魏格納曾在一篇公開信中解釋，他在6月23日到雷克蘭，只因接到點燃教會的主任牧師司提反．史崔得（Stephen Strader）的使徒性求助，為電視直播而令全球基督身體產生的混亂恢復秩序，但事件也令國際使徒聯盟團隊產生內部分裂，部份成員決定退出聯盟和其他由魏格納帶領的機構。


賓利與妻子分居：
2008年8月12日傳媒報導了賓利與妻子分居的事件，消息也得到賓利所屬的新火事工（Fresh Fires Ministries）的董事會確認。消息指賓利與一名女同工發生感情，墮入了不健康的關係之中。 該事件令雷克蘭復興聚會及相關的服侍團隊，包括：新火事工、點燃教會、國際使徒聯盟等等受到嚴重打擊。 賓利在消息公布後，宣布退出新火事工的董事會，及被命令立刻停止所有的公開服侍。賓利婚姻出現問題的消息使雷克蘭復興只持續了四個月就被逼停止。雖然彼得．魏格納仍然在一篇公開信中稱雷克蘭復興應該進入第二期，第一期的領導者是賓利，而第二期的領導者是點燃教會的主任牧師司提反．史崔得。但事實上整個復興已因賓利的婚外情消息而蒙上了極大污點。賓利本人也在消息傳出後被標籤為一個騙子。

對雷克蘭復興的分析

魅力領袖：
英格蘭西大學（University of the West of England）的史提芬．享特（Stephen Hunt）曾在學術期刊《PentecoStudies》以〈The Florida ‘Outpouring’ Revival-A Melting Pot for Contemporary Pentecostal Prophecy and Eschatology?〉為題，撰寫一篇對雷克蘭復興作分析的論文。 享特以韋伯（Max Weber）對魅力領袖（Charisma）的分析理論去分析賓利作為一個魅力領袖的特性。該理論指魅力領袖具有非凡的熱情和顯著的靈感來源。而且他們的魅力是不尋常的、自發的和具創造性的。這種魅力通常是透過特殊的經驗取得，例如典型的做法是通過苦行活動，或長時間進入了神秘的沉思，或通過改變國家的意識。但根據韋伯，這種魅力是相對的，並且受限制於時間、地點和特定的文化背景。魅力領袖的成功在於當時的文化和歷史環境，是否令人相信該魅力領袖可以帶來突破，而宗教上的先知言論和預言常常帶有以上的特性。 賓利的外形和言行雖然與典型的北美佈道家不同，但他那曾經「活在罪惡中」的過去，卻增加了他那種「重生傳道者」的魅力。而且他那特殊的神聖造訪經歷（指他聲稱與天使的接觸）亦增加了人們對他作為神聖使者的理解，認定他是為雷克蘭帶來復興的靈魂人物。

當代先知預言及文化背景氣氛：
根據享特的分析，九十年代的兩大復興運動，加拿大的多倫多祝福（Toronto Blessing）和美國的潘薩克拉大復興（Pensacola Revival）為雷克蘭復興提供了預期性的文化背景氣氛。原因是在多倫多祝福復興發爆前五年（1987年4月24日），韓國的著名五旬宗領袖趙鏞基（Yonggi Cho）曾發出預言，指在基督再來之前加拿大將成為聖靈在末後偉大工作的起始點，而該工作將進入二百一十個國家直至基督再來。 四年後（1991年）趙鏞基又在西雅圖發出預言指，下一個復興將在多倫多機場基督徒團契（Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship）事件後十八個月在佛羅里達州的潘薩克拉（Pensacola）發爆。有另外一位著名的當代先知領袖鮑勃．瓊斯（Bob Jones）在以上兩大復興爆發後指：「神給了我們多倫多祝福帶回了喜悅，也給了我們潘薩克拉復興中的悔改，祂做了這些事讓我們活著，是要叫我們呼喊現在就是末後的大豐收了…」。 以上的預言反映出一種當代先知的末世論敘事，這敘事除了刺激了傳福音和宣教事業，也使像點燃教會這類受以上思想影響的教會群體帶來了對聖靈在末後更大工作的期待感。這種期待感就為雷克蘭復興提供了預期性的文化背景氣氛。因此雷克蘭復興被理解為續多倫多祝福和潘薩克拉之後，聖靈末後澆灌的第三浪潮，所以享特形容該復興中所表現的狂喜現象也與以上兩大復興相似，他甚至形容雷克蘭復興是一個復興現象的大溶爐，融會了以上復興的所有現象，如聖笑、身體像痙攣般、倒地、金粉、金牙等等。 而在這樣的當代先知末世論敘事下，雷克蘭復興也被理解為以上兩大復興的延續性工作。只是其強調點有所不同；多倫多祝福強調了神聖親密的關係，潘薩克拉強調了悔改，而雷克蘭復興則強調神蹟性的醫治。

傳媒和網絡媒體的貢獻：
此外對於雷克蘭復興能夠在短時間內影響全球二百多個國家及地區，成為國際關注的事件。筆者認為電視傳媒和電腦網絡媒體等在該復興傳播上，擔起了重要角色。美國基督教電視台God TV於2008年4月11日開始每日透過電視現場直播雷克蘭復興聚會的實況至海外二百多個國家。使這個原本只是佛羅里達州一個細小城市某間教會所舉行的復興聚會，快速地成為國際關注的復興浪潮。 其信息按魏格納所言影響著全球的基督肢體，甚至帶來了混亂。 而電腦網絡媒體在該復興及其信息的傳播上，也作出了重要貢獻。例如新火事工的網站，內容不只有文字的報導，更大量使用了多媒體作為宣傳和信息傳播的工具。在新火事工的網站裡，網民可以輕易看到關於賓利和雷克蘭復興聚會的影片、復興的最新消息，和下載相關教導的MP3格式錄音。

此外近幾年所流行的網絡錄像網站YouTube也成為了該復興傳播的有效工具。該網站開放了自己的網站錄像儲存，讓網民可以隨時隨意上載錄影短片在該網站上，使任何人可以在網站內隨意觀看短片內容。雷克蘭復興聚會的主辦單位，甚至任何參與者也可以隨意把關於聚會的最新錄像和聚會情況錄影上載至YouTube，使全球各地的網民隨時隨意觀看和接收復興的信息。 而且這些關於雷克蘭復興的錄影短片至今仍然存在於YouTube的網站內，供全球網民搜尋和觀看。筆者也因為這個原因，輕易地在網上找到雷克蘭復興聚會的錄影。

這與早期的五旬節運動相似，傳媒在復興消息的傳播上也起了重要的貢獻。例如在托貝卡復興當中，其領導人查理巴罕（Charles Parham）在托貝卡設立「伯特利醫治之家」後，就出版第一份的五旬宗刊物《使徒信仰》（Apostolic Faith）雙週刊。 而在亞蘇薩街復興當中，由於聚會充滿了各種聖靈彰顯的現象，如說方言、唱靈歌、說預言、和情緒化的肢體動作。故在1906年4月18日的洛杉磯時報就報導這個運動是「奇怪的巴別方言」。雖然該報導是屬負面消息，但卻使復興的消息開始傳開，使當時在洛杉磯地區祈求復興已久的基督徒領袖前往聚會尋求，後來也吸引了全國各地甚至海外的訪客到來。 這可見傳媒報導在復興消息和信息的傳播上的確起重要作用。而由於現在的電視和電腦網絡多媒體，比已往的報紙和刊物更有效和快速地把信息帶入各人的家中，其傳播度比報紙更廣闊，故使雷克蘭復興能夠在更短的時間內，影響到全球更多地區的人士。

雷克蘭復興對五旬節及靈恩基督教的貢獻：
雖然雷克蘭復興因為賓利的婚外情消息，而只能持續短短四個月。而且整個復興亦充滿著不同的負面消息，和各方的爭議。這些引起爭議和負面結果的地方，的確值得後來者好好反省。但如果只從信仰傳播的角度看，這個復興卻成了五旬節及靈恩基督教在後現代處境中的傳播方式的重要事例。整個雷克蘭復興基本上是在一個後現代的全球處境，使用著現代的資訊傳播工具，傳播著一個具前現代世界觀相信神蹟和超自然事物的信息。其結果是在短短的四個月內，信息的影響力遍達全球二百多個國家和地區。雷克蘭復興對五旬節及靈恩基督教的貢獻在於，它成為了一個實例，說明了在全球後現代處境中，無論人類的科技怎樣進步，人們對前現代世界觀中所表達的靈性和超自然事物仍然極感興趣。而五旬節及靈恩式基督教，其信仰正就具有這種前現代世界觀的靈性和超自然特徵。因此只要配合適當的傳播策略，如使用現代多媒體廣播等等，五旬節及靈恩基督教的信息就能夠快速地遍達全球。

其次該復興亦揭示早期五旬節運動，及其後的靈恩運動所持的晚雨神學（即相信在末後日子將有更大的聖靈澆灌）末世論敘事，到今天在五旬節及靈恩基督教圈子中仍然極具吸引力。故當有人聲稱其群體所發生的事情，能夠與這個末後日子聖靈大澆灌的精神連上關係，並有以往相關復興中所出現的現象出現時，該群體所發生的事，就會立即快速地受到全球五旬節及靈恩基督教圈子人士的注意。

第三就是該復興印證了全球人類靈性觀的範式轉移；由從前唯理性重視科學實證的思想形態為主流，轉變為對屬靈和非理性能解釋事物，存在更開放態度和接受度的思想形態。這轉變從該復興能在短時間內被二百多個國家和地區的群體所接受或注視中反映。這種思想轉向亦與二十世紀所發生的全球宗教復興相一致。

總結

雷克蘭復興由外形引起爭議的加拿大藉佈道家賓利所帶領，復興聚會在佛羅里達州的雷克蘭持續了四個月（2008年4月2日至8月15日），參與人數由七百人急升至一萬二千人。而且每日聚會均由God TV透過電視現場直播全球二百個國家。雖然該復興聚會聲稱有極多神蹟奇事、醫治、和悔改歸主的見證，但其所引起的爭論和問題也不少。但由於領導人賓利具有魅力領袖的熱情和特性，加上多倫多祝福和潘薩克拉復興及相關當代先知預言，其末世論敘事為雷克蘭復興預備了其成功所需要的預期性文化背景氣氛。使該復興在爭論中仍然被理解為自多倫多祝福後聖靈末後偉大澆灌的第三浪潮。

雖然該復興在持續四個月後因賓利的婚外情消息而被迫停止，但它在短短四個月內成為了影響力遍達全球的復興，它那在後現代全球處境中，使用現代的資訊傳播科技，傳播著前現代世界觀具超自然特徵的信息的傳播形態，卻成為了五旬節及靈恩基督教在信仰傳播上的重要事例，說明了在後現代處境中，人們對前現代世界觀的靈性和超自然事物仍然極有興趣，只要配合適當的傳播策略和資訊科技的使用，五旬節或靈恩基督教的信息，仍然能夠在短時間內影響力遍達全球。而且該復興亦揭示了早期五旬節及靈恩運動中的晚雨神學影響力至今仍然未減，受以上運動影響的基督教群體仍然盼望著該神學中所相信的末世聖靈大澆灌。而且雷克蘭復興也印證了全球人類靈性觀由唯理性主流思想，改變至對非理性事物存在更大開放和接受度的轉移。

參考書目及網上資料

1. 葉先秦著：《聖靈的洗-路加與五旬宗的聖靈神學》（台北：台灣基督教文藝，2008）
2. http://www.krt.com.hk/modules/mews/article.php?storyid=5366 (21/07/2010) 。〈延續雷克蘭復興〉《香港國度復興報．網上版》有關佛羅里達大澆灌的報導。
3. http://www.krt.com.hk/modules/new/article.php?storyid=5232 (30/7/2010)。J. Lee Grady著，林國祥譯：〈向麗克蘭（Lakeland）復興坦誠進言〉《香港國度復興報．網上版》有關雷克蘭復興的特稿。
4. http://www.krt.com.hk/modules/mew/article.php?storyid=5456 (29/7/2010) 。〈回應雷克蘭大復興〉《香港國度復興報．網上版》有關彼得．魏格納就雷克蘭復興的公開信報導。
5. http://www.krt.com.hk/modules/new/article.php?storyid=5267 (30/7/2010)。〈魏格勒使徒團隊替賓利按手作屬靈遮蓋〉《香港國度復興報．網上版》有關佛羅里達大澆灌的報導。
6. http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Id=955&pid=916 (30/7/2010) 。新火事工（Fresh Fire Ministries）的官方網站。
7. http://www.glopent.net/pentecostudies/2009-vol-8/no-1-spring/hunt-2009 (21/07/2010). Hunt Stephen, “The Florida ‘Outpouring’ Revival - A Melting Pot for Contemporary Pentecostal Prophecy and Eschatology?” , PentecoStudies, vol.8, no.1, 2009.
8. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Florida+outpouring&aq=f (22/07/2010) 。網頁為在YouTube找尋 Florida Outpouring的相關短片時的結果。
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoBNngUcOF4 (22/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Catherine Mullins – Revelation Song – Lakeland Florida Outpouring(USA) 2008 的雷克蘭復興聚會敬拜錄影短片。
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ (22/07/2010) 。網頁是題為Hillsong – Mighty to Save – With Subtitles/Lyrics 的Hillsong教會敬拜聚會錄影短片。
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPnNHK7uaso&feature=related (22/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Florida Outpouring – They couldn’t stop worshipping 2/4的雷克蘭復興聚會敬拜錄影短片。
12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA8vXEuOI1A&feature=related (22/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Florida Outpouring – More of you, less of me的雷克蘭復興聚會敬拜錄影短片。
13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHXrdUEMskU&feature=related (22/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Heather Clark Dances at Florida Outpouring的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcEtDqVMXNY&feature=related (28/07/2010) 。網頁是題為Roy Fields at the Florida revival gets drunk的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCzkTbapufg&feature=related (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Todd Bentley drunk again…so funny!!!6/08 的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pK1Ddy2kY0&NR=1 (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Ohhh My DRUNK AGAIN!! Bentley Head Butts another poor man!!的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sthm3vH6ixY (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Benny Hinn – Mighty Anointing in Milwaukee的辛班尼聚會錄影短片。
18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7y_D6atXDo&feature=related (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Todd Bentley DOES IT AGAIN!!! HEALING WITH THE “HOLY KNEE”! 的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWv0YZw07BA (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Florida Outpouring – Raised from the dead in hospital的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU6YOVnjk4&feature+related (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Todd Bentley 23Year Old Boy Raised from Dead的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqlURlKMs8U&feature=related (28/7/2010) 。網頁是題為Girl raised from the dead tells her story的雷克蘭復興聚會錄影短片。
22. http://www.pantagraph.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_0fe92491_afdd-51ee-9ccf-2f2d39d3b52a.html (28/7/2010). Reed Travis, “Florida revival drawing criticism – and thousands of followers”
23. http://www.deceptionbytes.com/Florida-Healing-Revival (28/7/2010). “Florida Healing Revival - Todd Bentley”
24. http://www.eternalpath.com/lakeland.html (28/7/2010). Ray S. E., “Todd Bentley, Fresh Fire Ministries and Lakeland Revival”, Eternal Path for Seekers of Truth.
    

SHine LIKE STARS - True Worshippers

表面看有如大型流行歌演唱會，其實是五旬節教會的敬拜讚美聚會情況。五旬節派基督教就是以這樣子的方式敬拜上帝。以最入世的音樂形態，敬拜和宣揚一位道成肉身進入世界，但卻超越世界之上的上帝（耶穌基督）。他們這種方式的敬拜形態，和所承載的神學觀念與背後的前現代世界觀，已經深深影響全球基督教（特別是新教）的敬拜形態，朝向更有動力和活潑的方向發展。

認同五旬宗神學應該轉向

筆者剛拜讀了台灣葉先秦先生（《聖靈的洗-路加與五旬宗的聖靈神學》一書的作者）在其網誌中一篇名為〈五旬宗神學的轉向〉的短文。筆者甚是認同他的觀點，認為以往北美的五旬宗為了證明自己的正統性，而遂尋求向基要派以及後來的福音派靠攏的講法。這種靠攏令五旬宗神學的發展，一直以來只能被限制在基要主義的方法論的典範之內，強調著神學的護教功能，並與現代主義和自由派對立。但這種只強調護教的神學卻在回應社會議題上顯得無力，或讓人感覺它很教條主義。

神學的功能不應該只在消極的護教上，更應該積極地從自身傳統中尋找資源，向社會處境上的各種議題提出具貢獻性的意見、批判、挑戰、啟迪。神學除了推動著信徒內在的屬靈經驗外，也應該幫助信徒建立靈性與自身處境中的橋梁，幫助信徒透過自身信仰傳統的眼界，去重新觀看世界，並懂得回應社會上的各種議題，從而為人類帶來貢獻。這種神學的轉向是積極的，是具創意的，也具批判性的。

以往華人五旬宗學界因受著資源、處境、文化等各種限制，故未能有效地發展自身傳統具特色的神學。但現在不少華人五旬宗牧者、學者都已經具備較高水平的學術能力，故筆者希望漢語的五旬宗學界，能夠如歐陸神學般，做出令人激賞和具創見的神學。

葉先秦先生的文章網誌：
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/pentecostal/16092097

人際關係的醫治：試論五旬宗醫治觀對人際關係醫治的貢獻

人際關係的醫治：試論五旬宗醫治觀對人際關係醫治的貢獻

作者：陳智聰

以下是筆者整理研究論文稿件時，嘗試對近期閱讀資料，和神學反省上的整理。內容主要為五旬宗醫治觀，在經過被莫特曼盼望觀詮釋後，對人際關係醫治的應用。當中也包括了五旬宗四重福音的其他三個核心教義的少許應用。由於筆者對以上問題仍然處於反思階段，故文章只是反省的初稿，作為對這問題思想的整理。

人際關係是一切社會關係的起點，也是各類社會關係的最基本單位。「排斥」造成了人際關係的破壞，這種「排斥」不但出現在人際關係之中，也出現在人際關係所衍生出的各種社會關係之中；如兩性、種族、社會階層、群體之間、國與國之間。沃弗認為這種「排斥」就是：

「...以驅逐、同化或征服的暴力以及放棄的冷漠，取代了接納和排除的動力，還有施與受的相互關係。」（沃弗，2007，129頁）

當我們談到人際關係的醫治時，這意味著關係之中出現了傷害，而傷害往往起因於「排斥」，當中涉及了加害者與受害者的關係。當面對著以上這種傷害性的關係出現時，我們很容易被誘進「壓制 / 解放」範疇的思想之中，期望為受害者帶來解放。（沃弗，2007，177-185頁）但這種「壓制 / 解放」的思想方式卻無助於破裂關係的醫治，因為「壓制 / 解放」的思想往往假定了加害者為全然罪惡，而假定受害者為全然無罪。但在解放的過程中，受害者往往被引誘去使用加害的手段去達成自身的解放，但同時使自身也變成了另一個加害者。加害者與受害者因此同樣墮進了互相傷害的惡性循環之中。

那麼，怎麼樣的觀念有助於關係的醫治呢？五旬宗那種四重福音，即耶穌是救主、醫治者、聖靈施洗者、再來君王的核心教義，又對關係的醫治有何貢獻？特別是耶穌是醫治者的教義。

耶穌作為救主，透過十架事件所成就的救贖，不單帶來了靈魂得救，也顯明了其醫治者的身份，帶來了人類肉體和心靈的醫治；（彼前二24）：「...因祂受的鞭傷，你們便得了醫治。」，同時醫治作為天國來臨的預示，它指向新天新地這終末盼望；（啟廿一1-4）：「我又看見一個新天新地......神要擦去他們一切的眼淚；不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭號，疼痛，因為以前的事都過去了。」

由於新天新地裡那種不再有眼淚、死亡、悲哀、哭號、疼痛的狀態，已包含了一切疾病、傷害的完全醫治。故建基在基督再來應許的期盼，將為關係的醫治帶來一副完整的未來圖像。醫治作為天國來臨期盼的預示，它被包含在前述的未來圖像之中，本身也是建基在耶穌這位醫治者對人類的醫治應許上，因此醫治本身也是個盼望。這盼望喚起人們對現實疾病經驗的矛盾感，從而成為痊愈這個新經驗得以可能的條件。當醫治應許應用在人際關係的傷害上，醫治者應許所帶來的盼望，喚起了人們現實中被「排斥」所傷的矛盾感，但它不會引導人們試圖以「壓制 / 解放」的方式來達成所謂的解放，卻把受害與加害雙方都被納入十架救贖的恩典之下，雙方都被邀請進入三一真神的神聖之愛團契之中。耶穌作為聖靈施洗者的教義本來就預期了人類不分種族、階級、性別、出身都有領受聖靈洗的可能性，同被歡迎進入三一神聖之愛。方言的禱告有如與萬物等候得贖時的歎息彼此呼應（參考：羅八22-27）。而醫治的盼望，就引導被傷害的雙方放下冤仇，共同進入愛的團契之中。

這種對加害者愛的邀請，是否放棄了公義的要求？是否把上帝變成了加害者的同謀？不是。因為新天新地的終極醫治期盼，並沒有否定對罪惡的審判，這審判本身已經包含了公義。但在審判之後，上帝卻因耶穌為人類的犧牲，在恩典下對罪人的惡宣布赦免，並選擇把罪行忘記：（耶三十一34）：「我要赦免他們的罪孽，不再記念他們的罪惡。」（沃弗，2007，131-235頁）。

因此，這種醫治的期盼比「壓制 / 解放」的思考方式更能引導人們達成關係的醫治。因為它不會令人們的視線只放在自身所處的不公現況上，卻引導人們注視那邀請他們走進愛的團契裡的耶穌基督。因為祂就是醫治應許的發出者，信實的祂會保証承諾要被兌現。這就是五旬宗醫治觀對人際關係醫治的貢獻。因此從這角度去關注的社會公義、貧窮、種族歧視、性別歧視等問題，就不會再用解放的思考模式，彷佛加害者與受害者兩者必然處於兩極對立狀態，反而兩者均被完全醫治的期盼，呼召走進以神聖之愛團契為藍本的共融而努力。所謂的加害者在上帝面前被要求悔改，同時領受被赦免的恩典。所謂的受害者也在上帝面前選擇饒恕，效法那位饒恕人罪惡的上帝。兩者共同為走向上帝三一共融般的團契關係而努力，這樣正義才有出現可能，也免去了罪惡藉著解放為名而挑起的更大仇恨。

耶穌死在公義好人手上

近日重新閱讀五旬宗神學家沃弗的大作《擁抱神學》，其中一段引用尼采的話，很值得我們反省：

「...十架酷刑乃是一種出自『公義好人』的行為，絕非出自我們以為的惡人。這些『公義好人』無法了解耶穌，因為他們的心靈被『囚禁在他們無虧的良心』裡，而且，他們把他釘十字架，係因為耶穌拒絕他們的是非觀，這被他們視為是邪惡之舉...」

有時候我們自以為義，而不能聆聽他者的聲音，排斥就會以不同的形態出現，甚至是要至他者於死地。排斥令我們只懂站在所謂的道德高地去批判別人的所謂不是，但同時使我們不能夠嘗試站在他者的角度理解事情，而且也使我們只懂聆聽合心意的話。因為我們早以把那些被我們排斥的他者妖魔化，好讓合理化自己的惡行。

基督教雖然也是一個重視道德的信仰，但我們所重視的道德，仍是一種對耶穌基督的效法，而不是以道德誡條去束縛他人。當我們口講道德卻沒有愛，那些話就成了最傷人的利器。正如尼采所講：「世界一切誹謗當中，要以出自好人之口的，傷人最深...」。當我們被囚禁在那自以為的「無虧良心」當中，而不能夠聆聽他者的聲音時，我們就墮入排斥他人這種罪惡之中，因此也永不能行出沃弗所言的「擁抱」。因為「擁抱」與排斥相反，它是開放自己的生命，容讓他者成為自己的一部份。這種對他者的接納就是「擁抱」所要求的愛。就正如三一真神藉著聖子的犧牲和聖靈的邀請，好讓我們進入祂那豐盛的生命。基督徒，在你生命中誰是他者呢？誰是你最看不順眼，心想除之而後快的呢？耶穌基督教導我們要愛你的仇敵，為逼迫你的人禱告，正正就是這種「擁抱」的實踐。同時間也挑戰著我們常常出現的那個自以為義的心。

十字架

我們有誰願意背起主耶穌所說的十字架呢？又有誰願意去明白這個背十架的意義呢？你願意嗎？我願意嗎？像我們這些生活在城市中的基督徒，彷佛已經忘記了甚麼是十字架了。它對我們來說彷佛只是個裝飾品，而不再是個受苦的記號。

對施洗約翰傳道工作的靈修反省

經文：路三

（路三）所記載約翰傳道的時代，是一個社會動盪不安的年代，（路三11-14）就反映了當時貧窮、衣食不足、稅吏濫收稅項、官兵以強暴待人和以權訛詐百姓等事情，似乎都是那個時代的社會常態。施洗約翰就在這個動盪不安的年代開始了他的傳道工作，他所傳講悔改的洗禮，可以說是對當時那種不公義的社會常態，作出一種強烈的控訴與批判。而且在他的教導中，他認為所謂悔改就是對這種不公義的反轉面。這也是路加在記載這教導時所認為結出果子與悔改之心相稱的真正意義。而在（路三18）路加記載約翰以上這種勸勉百姓的行動就是傳福音。

在路加整個對約翰傳道的記載之中，有一個很有趣的地方，就是路加以以賽亞書上的一段話，作為對約翰傳道工作的詮釋（參考路三4-6）。路加認為約翰這種傳福音的行動，重點是為那將要來的主預備道路。（路三16-17）路加引描約翰所講那將要來的主（基督）要用聖靈與火給人們施洗。明顯地，在路加的思想中聖靈的洗，引述（徒一5）：「約翰是用水施洗，但不多幾日，你們要受聖靈的洗。」這個洗是指向（徒二）記載聖靈澆灌的事，這與門徒得力作福音宣講有關。而火的洗，按上下文似乎就是指向終末的審判，審判作為對世界不公義的徹底消滅。這也指向包含在福音之中的終末盼望，新天新地的來臨。（路三19-20）講到約翰因在傳福音的行動中挑戰希律王的罪惡而被收監，這也暗示傳福音的行動需要付上代價。

當我們反省這段經文時，其實我們作為基督的門徒，我們也是為主預備道路的人。約翰預備的是基督第一次顯明在猶太人面前之路，而我們所預備的就是基督第二次再臨全面地作王時，祂顯明在普世百姓面前之路。傳福音就是一個這樣為主預備道路的行動，要求傳講者付上代價，要求傳講者自身對不公義的反對，對理行公義的嘗試而與悔改的心相稱。同時，這行動也要求傳講者謙卑仰望那位將要來的王，而對終末新天新地中罪惡徹底被消滅有所盼望。這就是傳福音，就耶穌基督藉聖靈的洗加力給我們，並吩咐我們要在全地上去作的事。基督徒！你預備好要去傳福音嗎？

反省問題：

1. 路加怎樣理解約翰的傳福音行動？他引用甚麼舊約經文去作出詮釋？
2. 約翰所傳所教的東西對當時的社會提出了怎樣的挑戰？
3. 約翰的教導對傳講福音者本身有甚麼要求？

具社群性面向的福音

午飯時間，看了《時代論壇》趙崇明博士所寫〈具中產特色的信仰個體化〉一文，故有以下意見：

趙博士的文章如下：
http://christiantimes.org.hk/Common/Reader/News/ShowNews.jsp?Nid=58162&Pid=2&Version=1174&Cid=754&Charset=big5_hkscs

我所發表的意見如下：

當我們過於強調個人靈魂得救的福音形式，並誤以為這才是福音的唯一正確解說時，我們的信仰就會變得內向化，因此信仰就只成了私人範疇的事件，而信仰甚至可以變得和其他範疇的生活脫軌。特別在社會的公共領域中，信仰彷彿變得毫無位置。

但其實，基督信仰本來就不是那麼個人主義，例如基督教神學，在上帝論中的社群式三一論，其中所表達的上帝是父、子、靈三個獨特位格在愛的團契中神性舞動，彼此合一成一個關係性存有。因此，當以這角度去再看人論中上帝形象時，人除了是個獨立個體外，也如父、子、靈般在彼此團契中，有多元而共融合一的群體特性。因此，當再看一種團契式的教會論時，教會就可以被理解為上帝神性三一團契在地上的具體彰顯。

因此上帝對教會及人類的救贖，以聯合式救贖論的說法，就是被聖靈邀請透過進入基督裡，有份與這個永恆的神性團契。故此，教會的使命就是透過聖靈幫助，盡力委身於基督，而彰顯出這種神性團契在地上可見的一面，進而論到所謂宣教或傳福音，就可以被理解為這個神性團契的彰顯，被推廣至更大的社會範圍。因此，這個福音就不只是個人的靈魂得救，更是包含了社會公義、人際間彼此相愛等的具體彰顯。所以這個福音，也是社群性、公共性、和普世性的。

陳智聰
神召神學院禮拜堂助理牧師

對小山晃佑〈宗教多元化现象的神学思考〉的讀後感

閱讀了著名日裔美國神學家小山晃佑教授的一篇名為〈宗教多元化现象的神学思考〉的講稿。該稿刊登在加拿大維真學院中國研究部的網頁上：

http://www.regentcsp.org/list_bbs.asp?id=198

筆者首先要說明，筆者不是完全同意小山晃佑文中的論點。筆者只是覺得他的文稿點出了一個十分重要反思，就是：基督教信仰身處在一個宗教多元的處境下（特別在亞洲），應該怎樣去理解自己？在一個多元化的處境之下，任何自稱真理就在他或她的手上的人或群體，都會變相成為了自我中心的霸權，因此而不能贏得其他人的尊重，也必然會面對其他人的批判。小山晃佑的基本論點是真理和人們對真理的認知是兩回事。任何真理，只有通過人的語言，就不能完美地為人所掌握，或為人所傳達給他人。因此，他認為《聖經》所教導的謙卑要求我們承認，在我們對真理的認知和真理本身之間是存在著相當的距離。引用保羅在（林前十12）的說法，就是「我們如今彷佛對著鏡子觀看，模糊不清...」。他認為《聖經》（太廿八18-20）耶穌說：「天上地下所有權柄都賜予我了。...」不等於這些權柄會自然地授予給基督教會或者基督徒，因這權柄只屬於被釘十字架又復活的耶穌基督。將它轉授給基督教會或基督徒本身是一種危險的利几行為。因此，基督教會和基督教徒可以參與分享卻不能獨自占有。

筆者同意以上論點在討論基督宗教內部的宗派多元化上是可行的，因為不同的宗派傳統只反映了對神部份理解，沒有一個宗派能宣稱她是唯一的教會，或宣稱她對神的講述或理解是唯一正確的理解。因為這是與使徒信經中「我信聖而公之教會」的「公」的概念是有矛盾的。

但以上這種概念能否被擴展至應用在宗教的多元化討論上呢？筆者對這種擴展是有保留的。當然，筆者並沒有否定其他宗教對人類社會的貢獻及價值。筆者只是認為這種擴展，有損於耶穌基督道成肉身、受死、和復活這事件對真理探求上的獨特性。當然，筆者同意神學不等於耶穌基督，神學是由人類自身所構想出來對神的理解。但如果這個對神的理解，慢慢地否定了耶穌基督道成肉身，並在世上所作受死與復活的重要性。那麼，這個理解還是這位道成肉身的耶穌基督所期望的嗎？

小山晃佑的理解可以是其中一種的理解，但在宗教多元的處境下，筆者相信基督教信仰對自身理解還會有其他出路吧！這個問題，筆者還沒有答案，還是把它交回給廣大的基督信仰群體去想想吧！

「成神」- 東正教神學的救恩論

今早剛看了一篇刊登在《時代講場》名為〈西方神學的新導向：Theosis「人成為神」- 東正教神學所持守的救恩論，西方神學研究的新方向〉的文章。

文章的網址：http://christiantimes.org.hk/Common/Reader/News/ShowNews.jsp?Nid=57996&Pid=1&Version=0&Cid=145&Charset=big5_hkscs

圖左是一間東正教堂的內部











文章詳述了由希臘東方教父至西方宗教改革後的一眾神學家對「成神」或「神化」救恩論的理解。「成神」對於華人基督徒來說，的確是一個陌生的觀念。因為我們對於救恩的理解，大多只停留在因信稱義之上。但當我們提到「成聖」的觀點時，這一點相信在華人基督徒中是不陌生的。

上一輩華人基督徒十分重視重生這個在救恩中的觀念，而且認為重生會使信徒在道德上被轉化成為聖潔（不再犯罪或不會刻意犯罪）。這可能是受衛斯理神學中的第二次祝福觀念影響。因此，問題是「重生是一個突然發生的事？」還是「一個人生中持續不斷的歷程？」。衛斯理神學的答案可能是前者，但接近改革宗背景神學的答案卻可能是後者，而且這個歷程就被稱為「成聖」之路。因此，如果華人基督徒，從這個「成聖」的觀念去理解東方教父們所講的「成神」，其實是容易的。

得救除了罪得赦免之外，也步入了一個「成聖」的旅程。這個「成聖」或稱「成神」的觀念與中國道教修煉成仙的觀念不同，「成聖」不是依靠個人的修煉功德，而是在整個「成聖」的旅程中，強調在基督裡與聖靈同工，接受聖靈在生命中的不斷更新。神學家潘嘉樂在其以聖靈的觀點所重寫的系統神學著作《靈風愛火》（基道出版），其中救恩論中所陳明聖靈使信徒與神聯合的觀念，就正好形容這個「成聖」之旅。因此，華人基督徒其實是可以從這點上，去理解東方教父所講的「成神」。

此外，從復活的盼望這點上，也可以成為華人基督徒理解「成神」的切入點。就如(林前十五35-53)對復活盼望有如此詳細的論述：

「...或有人問：死人怎樣復活，帶著什麼身體來呢﹖ 無知的人哪，你所種的，若不死就不能生。 並且你所種的不是那將來的形體，不過是子粒，即如麥子，或是別樣的穀。 但神隨自己的意思給他一個形體，並叫各等子粒各有自己的形體。

凡肉體各有不同：人是一樣，獸又是一樣，鳥又是一樣，魚又是一樣。 有天上的形體，也有地上的形體；但天上形體的榮光是一樣，地上形體的榮光又是一樣。 日有日的榮光，月有月的榮光，星有星的榮光。這星和那星的榮光也有分別。

死人復活也是這樣：所種的是必朽壞的，復活的是不朽壞的；所種的是羞辱的，復活的是榮耀的；所種的是軟弱的，復活的是強壯的；所種的是血氣的身體，復活的是靈性的身體。若有血氣的身體，也必有靈性的身體。經上也是這樣記著說：首先的人亞當成了有靈（靈：或作血氣）的活人；末後的亞當成了叫人活的靈。但屬靈的不在先，屬血氣的在先，以後才有屬靈的。頭一個人是出於地，乃屬土；第二個人是出於天。那屬土的怎樣，凡屬土的也就怎樣；屬天的怎樣，凡屬天的也就怎樣。

我們既有屬土的形狀，將來也必有屬天的形狀。弟兄們，我告訴你們說，血肉之體不能承受神的國，必朽壞的不能承受不朽壞的。我如今把一件奧祕的事告訴你們：我們不是都要睡覺，乃是都要改變，就在一霎時，眨眼之間，號筒末次吹響的時候。因號筒要響，死人要復活成為不朽壞的，我們也要改變。這必朽壞的總要變成不朽壞的，這必死的總要變成不死的。...」（林前十五35-53）

其中v42-44「...死人復活也是這樣：所種的是必朽壞的，復活的是不朽壞的；所種的是羞辱的，復活的是榮耀的；所種的是軟弱的，復活的是強壯的；所種的是血氣的身體，復活的是靈性的身體。若有血氣的身體，也必有靈性的身體。...」v49「我們既有屬土的形狀，將來也必有屬天的形狀。」和v52-53「...死人要復活成為不朽壞的，我們也要改變。這必朽壞的總要變成不朽壞的，這必死的總要變成不死的...」，論到我們復活時，必朽壞的要改變成不朽壞的，而且是一個靈性的身體。這種復活的狀態，也可以是一種對「成神」的理解。信徒在復活後進入神的榮耀之中，永遠與神同在。

「成聖」、「成神」、「神化」這等觀念對華人基督徒對基督救贖的理解是有價值的，因為其豐富了我們對救恩理解的深度，使我們不至於只停留在不至滅亡（有天國入場券）的層面，也是我們重視得救後生命的成長歷程，使整個信仰生命變得有目標，而且這種目標不只是那種可量化的（帶了多少人信主）目標。

成長路上的比喻：約拿逃避神的故事

剛剛星期三晚，我在小組中分享了自己這一兩天的靈修心得。分享後，組員們都有很好的回應，而且也各自分享了自己成長的見證。由於組員們都覺得該信息「幾好！」，所以我也寫在今日的Blog上與大家分享。

那天晚上我們所用的聖經是舊約約拿書一章1-6節。經文的故事描述約拿為了逃避耶和華給他往尼尼微城傳話的任務，所以他下到約帕乘船要往他施去逃避耶和華。然而聖經記載耶和華卻使海狂風大作，甚至船幾乎破壞。但約拿仍然在船底艙躺臥沉睡。就算船主要求船上的人各自求告自己的神，但約拿也逃避而不去求告。直到大家掣籤，掣出是他。

約拿就好像我們各人，在走上成長路上的時候，我們都要面對不同的成長任務。我們自己心裡其實也清楚知道那些任務，是非做不可，也是神所喜悅。只是我們也會像約拿一般，當任務來臨的時候，往往選擇逃避。因為這些任命常常都是觸犯了我們的神經，要求我們突破自己的安全區域，甚至是挑起了我們的不滿情緒，要求我們在成長上有所更新。約拿因為憎恨尼尼微人，所以就不想做神交給他訓勉尼尼微人悔改的任務。而我們也會在成長路上，因為各種原因，而逃避一些明知是神喜悅的事。

人意往往使我們錯失了成長的契機。但神意又奇妙得叫人不可測度。約拿以為逃往與尼尼微相反方向的他施，就可以逃避耶和華。其實想深一層，耶和華是沒所不在的神，約拿誤以為逃往他處就可以逃避祂。但事實是逃避得到嗎？逃避使約拿的行動變得愚蠢，也使他忘了對神本來已知的認識，選擇去做一些明知是無謂的事。他選擇在海上狂風大作的時候，在船底艙沉睡，沉睡其實就是逃避的最明顯表現。

與約拿的情況一樣，逃避使我們在成長路上變得愚蠢，我們選擇自認為行得通的路，但心底裡卻知道不是神的計劃，也知道那不是對自己成長最好的路。逃避往往也使我們不想面對現實（沉睡），但神的心意卻奇妙地，以祂的方法去打亂我們那逃避之路。對於約拿，神使用狂風大作。對於我們，祂可能使用其實方式，叫我們在逃避時，看見那裡其實沒有路。因此，祂也像慈父般，重新引導孩子走回那當走的路，也引導他由爬行，變成為學懂走路。

神是我們的創造者，但祂不是那些自然神論所形容的神，創造了我們就不理會我們。相反，聖經所描述的這位神，卻是慈父。祂創造了我們，也引導我們慢慢地長大成人。正如聖經以弗所書四章13節所說：「直等到我們眾人在真道上同歸於一，認識神的兒子，得以長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量。」從成長的角度看，我們各人也很像約拿，但感謝神！神怎樣引導約拿，也同樣怎樣引導我們。

聖法蘭西斯禱文

有時候，我們唱出禱文是很容易，但真正能夠活出禱文中，那種生命的基督徒又有多少呢？或者會像法蘭西斯這樣禱告的人又有多少呢？感謝親愛的聖靈，在我們如此軟弱的人身上，仍然不離不棄地作我們生命的伙伴！像和平之子般去禱告，正是聖靈在我們心中喚起的呼召。

近距離觸碰死亡，感覺也不一定是可怕

昨夜零晨，我陪同一位姊妹及其家人，於醫院病床邊在禱告中送別其母親返回天父那裡。我觸摸著其母親的右手帶領家人禱告。我在禱告中仍能感覺到該位要返回天家的姊妹的微弱體溫，整個送別禱告的過程雖然寧靜，家人們也顯得不知如果面對有家庭成員的離開，但我感謝主的地方，就是我仍然感到整個送別過程有從神而來的平安。姊妹終於可以放下在世上的重擔，安祥地返回天父的懷抱中。

在那一刻，我忽然感到自己與死亡的距離很近。當我的手觸摸著姊妹那已經沒有生命的身軀時，雖然我的手觸摸著她的手，但兩者的觸碰點已經成了兩個世界的交會點。雖然在這個情況下領禱的確是不容易，但感謝神在當中所賜下的平安，令送別的過程充滿著溫暖。

在神的創造之中，生老病死本來就是正常的生命規律，我們每個人也要經歷一死。在我們的信仰中，死亡不是最可怕的事，死得沒有盼望才是最可怕。當我在近距離觸碰死亡，並在領禱的過程中，我突然感覺到姊妹已經進入了一道通往永生的門。她現在真的進入了永恆的家，永生的門已經為她打開。這也是我們每一個基督徒（包括了我自己）所盼望將在所到之處。今天，當我靜一來反思整件事情時，我突然感覺到死亡只要是帶著永生的盼望，其實死亡一點也不可怕。我相信這也是主耶穌為我們犧牲自己生命所帶來的最重要恩賜。阿門！

美國佛羅理達州大復興

早兩日剛讀閱了一篇關於美國佛羅理達州大復興(The Florida'Outpouring' Revival)的研究文章，文章對該復興的現象、其領導人物的背景、及其孕育的文化和神學背景，都有詳細的介紹和很好的分析。文章特別分析該運動的終末論，也分析了這類復興家、先知預言、和終末論的關係。相信這篇文章為各位對復興運動有趣興的研究人士，作出了很好的研究範例。文章出自 Enropean Research Network on Global Pentecostalism 的網頁：http://www.glopent.net/pentecostudies/2009-vol-8/no-1-spring/hunt-2009 。

本人實在盼望華人的五旬節/靈恩信仰研究，也能早日達到以上這類文章的學術水平，讓華人五旬節/靈恩式基督教信仰，不只是一種信仰上的宗教經驗，更能在學術研究上或神學反省上更上一層樓。最近有一間持五旬節/靈恩信仰的學院（羨智領袖學院）在香港成立，當中研究院級別（研究碩士及博士）課程的講師，本身均有神學碩士或博士以上的學術資歷。本人盼望該院在未來的日子，能夠多為華人五旬節/靈恩信仰基督教，在學術或神學反省上多作努力，甚至多與其他宗派學院的學者多作交流討論，本人相信這對整體華人教會的神學發展，以及宗教實踐都是一件美事。

該篇文章的全文如下：

The Florida ‘Outpouring’ Revival
A Melting Pot for Contemporary Pentecostal Prophecy and Eschatology?

Stephen Hunt
University of the West of England

Pentecostalism has proved to be a multi-faceted and rapidly evolving Christian movement leading to the speculation that it now consists of numerous ‘Pentecostalisms’ (Robeck 1999). Nevertheless, certain core characteristics remain discernible among the movement’s various ‘streams’. This includes, as a universal mark of both ‘classical’ Pentecostalism and the latter-day neo-Pentecostals (charismatics), the enduring hope of a global revival and the mass conversion of unbelievers before Christ’s Second Coming. This hope was encapsulated throughout the 1990s – a decade which saw a series of revivals breaking out in North America that proved to have global significance, each carrying a notable eschatological narrative. Perhaps the most noteworthy was the well-known revival in Toronto, Canada, which became associated with the so-called ‘Toronto Blessing’ with its controversial range of ecstatic and esoteric manifestations typified by ‘holy laughter’. While the revival in Toronto had been under way for several months, a further revival broke out at an Assemblies of God church in Brownsville near Pensacola, Florida. In turn, these revivals were followed by smaller and frequently shorter-lived sites that Margaret Poloma has referred to as ‘hot spots’ of revival (Poloma 2003: 176-202).

While further revivals in the Western world, even a global revival, were prophesised by many Pentecostals and charismatics in headship positions (especially those within the mainstay cohorts of the movement associated with Toronto and Brownesville), the early years of the twenty-first century proved to be a fallow period, nullifying dominant eschatological speculations. However, beginning in April, and moving into the Summer of 2008, a Pentecostal/charismatic revival of considerable proportions broke out in Lakeland, Florida, seemingly fulfilling such prophetic expectations. Lakeland, as had Toronto and Brownesville, became a global location for hundreds of thousands of ‘spirit-filled’ Christians who pilgrimaged to experience the ‘outpouring’ of the Holy Spirit.

There was much that was integral to the ‘Florida Outpouring’, as it came to be known, marking a continuity with the earlier revivals. Yet it proved to be of a rather different genre. At Toronto the core focus was upon intimately encountering God (Arnott 1998; Richter 1996). Brownsville emphasised the call to repentance (Kirkpatrick 1995). At Lakeland divine healing became the dominant motive, alongside a considerable call to evangelism. While the revival displayed many of the ecstatic manifestations (not to mention the ‘hidden’ esoteric experiences claimed by those who attended, including visions and divinely-inspired prophecies) associated with its predecessors, there were numerous alleged miraculous healings and at least thirty claims to cases of resurrection of the dead. Furthermore, the Lakeland revival was predominantly headed-up by an individual of outstanding personal charisma and whose name became practically synonymous with the ‘Outpouring’: the healing evangelist Todd Bentley.

Prophetically, the fresh revival potentially held great eschatological significance with further ‘Last Days’ outbreaks of revival anticipated across the world as visitors to Lakeland returned with the ‘transferable’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit to their own congregations. In late August, however, the revival was forestalled as a result of the scandal associated with the moral failures of Bentley in his personal life. While the revivals at Toronto and Brownsville finally petered out with the loss of momentum, Lakeland was threatened with a premature demise. Nonetheless, the ‘Outpouring’ continued into early 2009 undergirded by the enduring and integral relationship between revivalism, eschatology and prophecy. By largely developing the work of Margaret Poloma, this paper will explore such a relationship and its implications for what she describes as an independent Pentecostal/charismatic ‘stream’ (Poloma 2003). Before doing so, the central role of Bentley in lighting fresh revival fires may be briefly overviewed especially in the context of his charismatic/prophetic role.

Todd Bentley and Fresh Fires Ministries
The concept of charisma can be viewed as one of Max Weber’s key sociological typologies, one connected to the psycho-social nature of authority. Charisma, according Weber, exemplifies the qualities of those who are believed to possess powers of leadership either by means of extraordinary personality traits and/or derived from some remarkable inspiration including a divine source, powers not bestowed upon ordinary people (Weber 1947). Charisma has an origin in an evocation or aura, and those who support the claims of the charismatic personality do so with certainty and passion. Charisma, whether inherent or acquired, is by definition unusual, spontaneous and creative. When acquired by an outstanding personality charisma is typically the result of undergoing some exceptional experience or involvement in practices which are equally extraordinary, characteristically attained through dedicated ascetic activities, and time spent in mystical contemplation or through altered states of consciousness. While there is not the room to fully overview his sophisticated typology at this juncture, we can at least acknowledge that according to Weber, charisma is relative and restricted to time and place, and undergirded by a particular cultural context. In short, the charismatic leader will only succeed if the level of commitment to his/her message is supported by a high degree of emotional fervour and receptivity according to the prevailing cultural and historical environment. Moreover, the charismatic personality frequently instigates a prophetic breakthrough, an innovating vision that constitutes its dynamic element in religious change particularly through prophetic utterances and predictions.

Todd Bentley displayed many of the classical characteristics of the charismatic personality within the context of Pentecostal/charismatic prophecy, eschatology and revivalism. While the Toronto and Brownesville revivals were not without their enigmatic leaders,i one of the distinctive features of the Florida Outpouring was the centrality of Bentley, his name becoming almost synonymous with the revival. Bentley’s rise to practically celebrity status was not, however, entirely unannounced, given that his ministry was increasingly in demand in Pentecostal/charismatic circles and his reputation preceded him. Born in 1976 in Sechelt, British Columbia, Bentley by all accounts experienced a disturbed childhood and adolescence. At age 11, after his parents parted, he indulged in illicit alcohol and, four years later, was sentenced as a juvenile delinquent after allegedly sexually assaulting a minor. Aged 17, Bentley was unconsciously hospitalized after an overdose of amphetamines and hallucinogenic pills. His dubious past became the focus of concern for his critics, yet it nonetheless increased his charisma among those who recognised him as a ‘born-again’ evangelist, rising from anonymity for a divinely-appointed ministry.

Bentley is scarcely the epitome of the conventional American evangelist. Short, balding, tattooed and somewhat overweight, he energetically stomps the platform, against the backdrop of a ‘soft’ rock ‘worship team’, wearing jeans, over-sized tee-shirts and paramilitary-style jackets that often proclaim such slogans as ‘Jesus Loves My Tattoos’ or ‘Holy Spirit Special Corps’. During times of revival Bentley’s preference is for a modest trailer rather than expensive hotel rooms. Like other prominent American evangelists, however, he carries a remarkable charismatic persona that has endeared him to many in the Pentecostal/charismatic world and placed him in high demand on the healing ministry circuit.

After an alleged ‘road to Damascus’ spirit-filled conversion experience, Bentley is reported by his ministry as entering ‘an exciting new place of intimacy with the Holy Spirit’ and ‘supernatural encounters with the Lord’.ii This included new revelations and the endowment of personal charismatic powers. During this time, the Holy Spirit is understood to have taken Bentley into five distinct ‘seasons’ of encounter with the supernatural and God’s bestowal of Pentecostal ‘giftings’: intimacy with the divine, the prophetic, repentance, healing and evangelism. He subsequently travelled internationally holding church services and crusades in over 55 nations. In addition, Fresh Fire Ministries, which Bentley has headed up since 1998 from his home church, Global Harvest Centre, oversees a Supernatural Training Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia. It was events at Lakeland, however, that jettisoned him to a central place on the North American revival circuit.

Lakeland is a small but rapidly growing city located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando. From April, 2008, it became associated primarily with the Florida Outpouring. Leading up to the outbreak of revival in Lakeland, according to the Fresh Fires web-site, Bentley ministered ‘prophetically, corporately and personally....sparking revival fires and equipping the body in power evangelism and healing Ministry’.iii Many of his campaigns involved evangelising meetings that were extended to last from one to two months, continuing on even after he had left such events. The Lakeland Outpouring appeared to be a climax to these campaigns when Bentley’s visit to the city resulted in him holding nightly meetings, beginning on 2nd April, that carried on into the summer of 2008 with attendance rising from 700 to 12,000.

Bentley’s arrival in Lakeland coincided with a certain anticipation that great things would happen at the Assemblies of God church, the Ignited Church, where he held his early meetings before moving the revival to a larger auditorium close to the city’s airport. The Ignited Church was originally a subsidiary of the now obsolete but once prominent Carpenter’s House Church, founded by Karl Strader, which had promoted itself as a ‘transdenominational church’ in the 1980s. It became one of several sites of the Toronto Blessing in 1993 onwards. Ignited Church was founded and pastored by Strader’s son, Stephen who observed regarding Todd Bentley’s initial meeting that

... the Holy Spirit began demonstrating His power and glory in an unprecedented way. It has become known as the Lakeland Outpouring. None of us knew how long this would last, nor what it would. However, Ignited Church had a vision since the turn of the century to become an International Apostolic Center. We didn’t know that this would happen. Now we know! The Lakeland Outpouring has catapulted our vision forward.iv

Earlier the Carpenter’s Home Church had encountered its own significant revival or, in the words of Karl Strader, it had ‘experienced a glorious move of God with Rodney-Howard Browne’.v The latter healing evangelist, with others such as Randy Clark, had provided the indirect catalyst of the Toronto Blessing (Römer 2002). Hence, Bentley’s arrival coincided with a localised milieu and expectation of a further revival that he himself initiated.

It soon became apparent that the Lakeland revival had far greater significance than the impact of one particular ministry of a charismatic healing evangelist. Prophecy and expectation of further revivals following those of Toronto and Brownesville provided the context that helped forge Bentley’s acceptance in Pentecostal and charismatic circles. While the Florida Outpouring appeared to hold the promise of a further wave of revival, it certainly marked a continuity with those of Toronto and Brownesville. Bentley’s revival appeared to subscribe to the same eschatological paradigm as those of the earlier revivals. That is, it was widely prophecised - a prophecy endorsed by Bentley himself - that the revivals of the 1990s would be followed by others which would intensify in the ‘End-Times’ before the return of Christ.

Revivalism, Prophecy and Eschatology
The link between Pentecostal revival, eschatology and prophecy has been perhaps most cogently analysed by Margaret Poloma (2002). Poloma commences her survey by first recounting the link between Pentecostal prophecy and eschatology and in doing so quotes the words of D. J. Wilson:

… for most Pentecostals the future determines the present, their view of eschatology governs their view of current events. Their interpretation of prophecy has had a very significant effect on their perception of world historical events and on their political and social response to those events. On a smaller scale their eschatological views have affected their own history by stimulating evangelistic and missionary endeavors (Wilson 1988: 264).

Poloma advances by noting that most Pentecostal are pre-millennial futurists who expect the major realization of biblical prophecy to occur in the imminent future. She quotes Pentecostal historian Edith Blumhoffer to the effect that the early Pentecostals leaders worked during the early decades of the twentieth century to mobilize resources ‘for a brief and intense spurt of activity they thought would usher Christ's return’ (Blumhoffer 1993: 4). Put otherwise, revivalism. In the broad Christian tradition revivalism has come to have several distinct meanings (Aune and Walker 2003). However, since the birth of the movement it has meant for Pentecostals the fresh outpouring of the Spirit that they themselves experienced and was ‘itself a fulfillment of end-time prophecy’ (Wilson 1988: 264) and vindication of the words of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32).

In further exploring the link between revivalism and prophecy Poloma states:

As the present millennium draws to a close, it appears that the prophetic is increasing in importance, bringing about notable differences as theological nuances about prophecy continue to proliferate within the many streams of the Pentecostal movement (Poloma 2002: 170).

For Poloma, prophecy, eschatology and revivalism constitute a worldview that amounts to a curious blend of pre-modern miracles, modern technology, and postmodern mysticism in which the natural merges with the supernatural (cf. Poloma 1989). It is a worldview that not only makes room for the prophetic, but one in which the prophetic is a central element or, according to Roger Stronstad, it offers a different ‘paradigm’ supplying a ‘narrative theology’ (Stronstad 1994 :145). In summary, Poloma insists that ‘underlying the Pentecostal understanding of prophecy is a biblical hermeneutic which acknowledges the release of the prophetic during the “end-times”’ (Poloma 2002: 167). Poloma continues

While some Pentecostals join their evangelical and fundamentalist cousins who focus on interpreting the prophetic elements found in the book of Revelation, many more downplay the details of premillenial eschatology that has been foundational to much of Pentecostalism. These believers prefer a more practical, utilitarian and personal experience of the prophetic that is birthed through common experiences of the prophetic and nurtured by prophetic myths (Poloma 2002: 168).

Poloma explains that prophecy, although commonly regarded as involving ‘foretelling’ or ‘prediction’, must be understood in the context of a broader worldview. Those involved in the Pentecostal/charismatic subculture are likely to profess that prophecy, first and foremost, is an action of the Holy Spirit using a human vehicle to speak a divine word. Prophetic revelations may come through visions, dreams, impressions, ‘divine coincidences’ or verbal proclamations:vi

Pentecostals have taken this stage of religious experience and further developed it to provide a subculture in which hearing the voice of God is normal spirituality. The Pentecostal movement is not only part of a revealed religion, but it is a movement that professes a belief that revelation is ongoing (Poloma 2002: 171).

Poloma utilizes the work of Rodney Stark (1991) which, in turn, resonates with Weberian undertones. Stark describes how mystical experiences apply well to an analysis of prophetic expressions in the Pentecostal movement: ‘Most episodes involving contact with the supernatural will merely confirm the conventional religious culture, even when the contact includes a specific communication, or revelation’ (Stark 1991: 242). For many Pentecostals the prophetic is a personal experience, often confirming some understanding of a biblical truth or some divinely inspired personal insight. As Stark (1991: 244) also notes, however, ‘genius’ often enters in the form of ‘creative individuals (who) will sometimes create profound revelations and will externalize the source of (a) new culture’. For Poloma, this process has occurred within each new Pentecostal wave, including The Latter Rain movement, the Charismatic movement, the Third Wave, and the current revivalism in process around the globe: ‘The prophetic once again is aroused, refashioned, and expanded by an increasingly vocal minority within the larger movement’.

Poloma (2002: 176) points out that the major forms of prophecy found in contemporary Pentecostalism are two forms: (1) a democratized charism available to all Spirit-baptized persons and (2) an ecclesiastical office that is being restored to Christianity, a conviction that is also integral to restorationist theology. The latter includes restoration of the ‘five-fold ministry’ listed in Eph 4:12-13. Three of the ministries, those of evangelist, pastor and teacher have popularly believed to have already been re-instated. As the second millennium drew close the remaining two, prophet and apostle, were understood to be in the process of restoration in the current move of global revivalism.

Poloma explores the four-level typology of prophetic office offered by Mike Bickle and Jim Goll. Level one, simple prophecy constitutes the democratization of the Spirit - an extension of prayer experiences including thoughts that God brings to mind and (less frequently) visions, pictures, or prophetic dreams, and functions to strengthen, encourage and comfort. The second level of prophetic gifting has the same function with an intensification of prophetic experiences (including clearer visions, words, pictures, and dreams). It is only with the third level of prophetic ministry that prophets in prophetic office are encouraged to give direction and correction to others. Bickle and Goll (1997: 33) describe such experiences as regularly receiving words, dreams and visions, having ‘open visions’ (angelic visitations, audible voices, etc.), and as often including detailed information, such as names, faces, dates, future events. Although the fourth level - that of the prophet - has ‘less authority than those who wrote the scriptures’, it functions ‘to provide direction and correction to those in church government, and often leaders in the secular world as well’ (Bickle and Goll 1997: 33).

The Revivals of the 1990s
Clearly prophets and prophecy have provided a core component in first foretelling and then confirming and directing the latest wave of the Pentecostal/charismatic revival. Prophecies given publicly prior to the Toronto Blessing and the Pensacola revival were matched with the events, creating a narrative that fed the prophetic enterprises already in motion. A key prophecy surrounding the former starting at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF) was given by Marc Dupont (then of Mantle of Praise Ministries) which singled out Toronto as the chosen city. However, the renowned Korean Pentecostal leader, Yonggi Cho prophesized nearly five years earlier (April 24, 1987) that ‘the last great move of the Spirit will originate in Canada, and….will be brought to the 210 nations of the Earth before Jesus returns’ (quoted in Riss 1987).vii Four years later in 1991, Cho gave a prophecy in Seattle that was said to foretell another revival beginning eighteen months after that of the TACF in Pensacola, Florida. This prophecy changed three times, each time becoming more specific until it identified Pensacola as the city where a ‘great end-time revival’ would break out and spread throughout the world.viii

Poloma argues that when a public prophecy comes to pass as it did at TACF it becomes both a hope and a model for increased prophetic activity (Poloma 2002: 184). Given the significant role that prophets and prophecy played in birthing and spreading the 1990s revivals, it should not be surprising that prophetic voices continued to direct and redirect their remnants. Complementing the more sensational predictive prophetic words, prophecies (often from unknown local prophets) appeared regularly on listserves and later on scores of websites devoted to revival news. Poloma suggests predictive prophecy which announces a fresh outpouring of the Spirit on particular locations comprises only a small part of prophetic utterances forwarded globally. What makes the selected few especially significant is the role they play in the myths that tell the narrative of revivalism. The accounts of those predictions that came true continue to nurture the belief that more of the same is to come.

Poloma conjectures that while it is not appropriate to debate whether there is any causal relationship between the predictive prophecies proclaiming religious revitalization and the actual events, it is within the realm of social science to note the perceived relationship between prophetic words and revivalism. Amidst the verbal expressions about a soon advent of Christ is the promise of an even more intense revival than that experienced in the 1990s. This revival will usher in a ‘great harvest of souls’ followed by the Second Coming. Poloma quotes the leading prophet Bob Jones:

(God) gave us Toronto bringing back the joy. He gave us Brownsville bringing back the repentance as he did several other things up here to keep you alive to bring you to this point. And now he is after the harvest and everyone of you is called to harvest….ix

There is a reciprocal pattern to be observed here. Such statements made by contemporary prophets reflect an eschatological narrative. This eschatology continues to stimulate evangelistic and missionary endeavours as it has with earlier generations of Pentecostals.

The Prophetic Basis of the Florida Outpouring
While the first decade of the twenty-first century constituted a barren period for Pentecostal/charismatic revivalism in North America, further revivals at least on the scale of Toronto and Brownesville were expected and indeed prophesied. A number appeared to point, if somewhat vaguely, to a further revival in Florida, and others more specifically to Todd Bentley’s ministry. Prophecies can be found on a number of web-sites. The Unknown Prophet web-site, generally attributed to Wendy Alec, the GOD-TV co-founder and author of Christian fantasy ‘End-Time’ popular volumes,x reiterates her prophecy of July 9, 2004.

And now it is to the East Coast of America that I would speak - Cry Out - Cry Out to the East Coast, says the spirit of the living God….this day I declare to you, that even as the East Coast has been targeted in this day and forthcoming hour by the powers and Princes of the regions of darkness - so too I declare to you America that in this coming day and in this coming hour you shall surely see the strong right arm of the Living God rise in the East - that so too the East Coast has been marked with a divine marking from the realms of Heaven itself….so I, the Lord God of Israel has marked you with a sovereign marking for revival…For in these next years and in this next hour, I tell you that the East Coast shall start to burn with the fire of my spirit - for the prayers of my saints and the supplications of my sent ones have not been in vain.xi

A second prophecy, recounted on Fresh Fires Ministry web-site,xii was uttered personally to Bentley on March 8, 2008, and just before the outbreak of revival in Lakeland. It more than hinted at the global impact of the coming revival. The prophecy was given by New Zealand pastor Rob DeLuca of His Way Church, Auckland, at the Downpour Conference of the Gold Coast in Australia:

Todd, I saw a vision, and it's concerning 4 revivals that are going to take to place in the world…I saw a human boomerang flying out of Canada and it hit the nation of England, it hit the nation of Australia, it hit the nation of New Zealand, and it came spinning around....I saw Todd Bentley, you're name on the boomerang, but I knew that it was the Lord showing me that it was you and I saw it fly back around and it came and hit America. But....there was a bit more accuracy to it. It hit the state of Florida. The Lord is showing me that what took place in Pensacola & also what took place in Lakeland with Rodney (Howard Browne)xiii, your gonna bring something very strong to Florida. I see something BIG in Florida... Then I saw the Lord turning you into a human nail, you know, like a spike nail. I saw the hand of God, I saw the Father hit this hammer & it hit you & it went straight into the ground of Florida.

Yet a further prophecy, mentioned by Bentley himself in the context of a coming revival, in conjunction with the prophet and former member of the renowned Kansas City Prophet, Bob Jonesxiv, was allegedly given by Jones on New Year's Eve, 2007. Although the accuracy is disputed,xv the story runs that Jones received a divine prophetic message that ‘the third wave is coming’ and that Bentley had asked him what this meant. Jones is believed to have replied that Toronto was the first ‘wave’ of revival, Pensacoloa the second, and that a ‘third wave’, a ‘Wind of Change’, would constitute a global move of God ‘traveling with signs and wonders all over the world! The third wave is here!’

As a sign that this wave would be released from the North-West, Jones allegedly shared that God had proclaimed to him that in the natural world there would be extreme ‘winds and storms’ out of Canada and the North-West of the USA in early 2008 (a prophecy seemingly fulfilled through the actual occurrence of storms in the North-West at the anticipated time). Jones predicted that these natural winds would be followed by a move of the Holy Ghost, where entire towns would be ‘shut down’ by the power of the Spirit with revival coming as a North-West wind. Jones is reported as prophesying that there would be twelve places (an ‘Elijah list’) where revival would first impact, listed in the order mentioned: Des Moines, Lincoln, Nebraska, Kansas City, Denver, Nashville, Lakeland, Ohio, Charlotte, Albany, Washington, and Reading, California. Significantly, several of these cities are the sites where sympathetic ministries are located. Bentley, is recorded as agreeing with the prophecy stating

We have known for some time that revival was on its way to Albany, and yet when I heard it declared by the prophets, it was a glorious moment. So for Albany and Oregonians, rejoice and get your heart ready.xvi

Also mentioned by Jones were countries where the ‘third wave’ of revival were prophesied to impact, firstly England, then Australia and New Zealand.

Apparently, Bentley elaborated on this prophecy which included a message posted on a supportive web-sitexvii after the Florida Outpouring had commenced and plausibly the prophecy was given retrospectively:

The third wave has begun! This wave promotes, prepares, purifies, pierces and inspires. We can expect to be changed by this move of God. The year 2008 will be the best of years for Christians and the worst of years for unbelievers, mainly due to their fears about the economy.xviii There are doors now open in the spirit that will not shut! (The) move of the spirit of years ago is here for the second time and it won’t be stopped. This was a major healing move. This current move can be carried to other cities and countries. Wherever people move and are clarriers of this glory, it will move, like the ark was moved from place to place.

Two much earlier prophecies that circulated the broad Pentecostal world are also worth mentioning in the context of the Florida Outpouring. One ‘prophetic word’ given common currency in the 1980s and 1990s, but cannot be attributed, was that a future revival would be ‘contagiously imparted; and carried by the nameless and faceless within the Body of Christ’. This prophecy was often quoted during the Outpouring seemingly because Bentley had emerged from obscurity for a divine global mission. Another prophecy appeared to have particular validity for the Florida revival and was that attributed to Yonggi Cho, who predicted that ‘the last great move of the Spirit will originate in Canada, and….will be brought to the 210 nations of the Earth before Jesus returns’. Earlier, as explored above, this prophecy was given to refer to the Toronto Blessing but seemed to have greater validity to the Florida Outpouring since, unlike the Toronto and Brownsville revivals, Lakeland was televised, with GOD-TV broadcasting a nightly meeting to precisely 210 nations.

Continuity and Departure: Revivalistic Phenomena
Given that Florida was widely prophesied to be the ‘third wave’ of revival, it might be expected that the Outpouring would display both some of the same characteristic ecstatic phenomena and also be framed within a recognizable eschatological narrative. If the Toronto Blessing was discerned as bringing together a range of charismatic phenomena familiar in Pentecotal/charismatic circles for a decade earlier (Hunt 1995; Richter 1996), the Florida revival appeared to be a melting pot for the range of revivalistic phenomena that had been observable during the Toronto, Brownsville and other revivals of the 1990s, taking them to a greater level of esoteric manifestations. ‘Soaking in the Spirit’, ‘holy laughter’, rigorous body convulsions, ‘blowing’ the Holy Spirit over emotionally-charged audiences, deliverance of demonic spirits, altered states of consciousness and angelical visitations were observed or claimed by Bentley in an ‘open heaven’ when the Spirit descended.

Beginning in 1998, as the Toronto Blessing declined, a new prophetic ‘sign’ began to sweep through a number of charismatic churches in the form of gold dust. This was the so-called ‘Golden Revival’, focusing on gold phenomena of one kind or another and, according to some accounts, the experience of revival gold surfaced when the popular revivalist, Ruth Ward Helfin, reported ‘golden glitter’ on a cancer patient who had earlier claimed a miraculous cure. Within a few months gold dust was being reported in diverse places (quoted in Sheflett 2000). Shortly afterwards claims were made to ‘dental miracles’ where amalgam fillings were reported to turn into gold or silver on the teeth of believers. After seeing ‘dental miracles’ in South Africa, John Arnott, senior pastor of the TACF reported 150 people claiming gold fillings ‘or other miraculous changes in their mouths’. Claims to divinely gold fillings were fairly frequent during the Florida Outpouring. So were other gold ‘blessings’ as evident in one of Bentley’s ‘visions’:

Here’s what happened. At first I saw heaven open, and as I ascended a ladder into the heavens I saw full vibrant wings and feathers!….and then I saw the angel standing, having a body like a man with six wings. I knew it was the angel of finance….I saw a door called ‘treasure’ and the door was open. Without thinking or considering what to do, I found myself in a treasure room in heaven. The only item in this room was gold coins, and I began stuffing those coins into my pockets until they were falling out. Then, after filling up another pocket, I opened my trousers and started filling my trousers with gold coins. After that, I stuffed them into my suit jacket. I even opened my shirt and started stuffing gold coins down my shirt!xix

While the emphasis on gold blessings marked continuity with earlier revivals, the claimed vision additionally vindicated a fresh departure. The charismatic prophet also brings innovation. Bentley placed a great emphasis on the prosperity gospel and brought it into the ‘melting pot’, thus cranking up a gear the eschatology and theology embraced. He therefore added to much that had been witnessed at Toronto and Brownsville and included teachings deliberately avoided by their leaders. During the Outpouring he unashamedly advanced divine prosperity teachings and in his Lakeland meetings commanded ‘financial breakthroughs’ and even dedicated particular evenings to the subject. This additional aspect resulted from a supernatural revelation: that personal wealth for the born-again believer was divinely sanctioned and that the Church as a whole would come to partake of the riches of the world.

The Florida Outpouring also brought a new emphasis. Although Toronto and Brownesville were not without their physical healing aspects, the Florida revival centred on healing miracles through ‘words of knowledge’. Terminally ill patients were brought to Bentley’s revival meeting for healing, while claims to ‘restorative’ miracles included the divine removal of medical artificial implants of one sort or another. During meetings Bentley would scornfully discard wheelchairs, walking sticks and such as ‘instruments of the devil’.

Bentley’s revival was at one with those at Toronto and Brownsville with its means of dissemination and international dimensions. At Toronto the point of departure was commonly designated to be the TACF situated in an industrial strip mall close to the runway of Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport. Pilgrimage played a not inconsiderable part in the international dissemination of the phenomena from this site. Indeed, the Blessing came to be known as the Toronto Blessing because its followers believed that it was to be found there in ‘major concentration’. Not that the geographical site of the TACF was itself of great significance. Nonetheless, the disused warehouse that constituted the TACF church could claim to be of considerable relevance given the alleged spiritual manifestations occurring there. Some two million visitors pilgrimaged to the church by 1995 (Poloma 2003: 162).

What became known as the Brownsville revival overlapped with that at Toronto. This revival in Pensacola was a site for the relentless search for signs of revival and became yet another pilgrim centre. The Brownsville Assembly of God (BAOG), a southern old-style Pentecostal church, is located in a deteriorating suburb. Here the language was more about the coming wrath of God and the call to repentance. Yet it was not without its own esoteric phenomena earlier associated with the Toronto Blessing. Throughout the rest of 1995, over one and a half million visitors from the USA and many parts of the world surged to Brownsville for another alleged move of God.

The Lakeland Outpouring likewise became a global site for many and enhanced renewed expectations of world revival. In a very short space of time the Outpouring had ‘gone global’. Visitors arrived from all over the world. Recognizing the potential, Bentley moved the site of the revival from its initial auditorium to a specially constructed ‘tent’ that held 12,000 people. Resituated close to Lakeland airport, the revival became more internationally accessible as Bentley invited visitors from across the nations. He also made his own prophetic utterances that the Outpouring revival would be transferred to at least a hundred US cities, all stemming from his own ‘kingdom party’. His decision to hold evangelising campaigns in several major cities during the revival, and a further planned extensive international itinerary that was not ultimately fulfilled, at least pushed the prophecy in the right direction.

Bentley’s charismatic ‘powers’ could be shared to some measure including the fresh emphasis on physical healing. This meant a certain democratisation of the revival. Rank-and-file believers could not only partake of healing but pass on the ‘anointing’ themselves to their home churches. The anointing could be ‘imparted’ either by visiting Bentley’s revival campaigns or via his web-site or television coverage (viewers being encouraged to touch their TV screens for an ‘impartation’). ‘Wafting’ the Holy Spirit over the assembled during revival meetings, Bentley would typically loudly evoke an impartation of the ‘fire’ of the Spirit: ‘Reach out and grab it! Grab it, grab it! Kabang! Kaboom boom! More Lord, more! Fire! Fire!’ Bentley nevertheless remained the core ‘fountain’ of divine anointing and his ‘impartation’ to others for the miraculous strengthened rather than weaken his personal charisma.

Eschatology
There was also an eschatological element to the Florida Outpouring. On more than one occasion Bentley claimed that ‘Lakeland has become an End-Time world revival’. He even saw his revival as a climax of those that had occurred over the previous century, stressing such historical antecedence as Azusa Street and the Welsh Revival. Bentley saw forerunners to his own revival in the ministries of earlier Pentecostal revival leaders and revivalist movements (but not exclusively so): the healing/latter-day revival of the 1950s generally associated with William Branham, the Californian Jesus People movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the Kansas City revival of the 1980s. Other revivals played tribute to included a diverse range such as those of as Jonathon Edwards, Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Graham. As far as his own healing ministry was concerned, Bentley associated himself with Smith Wigglesworth, A. A. Allen, Katherine Kuhlman, Kenneth Hagin, and T. L. Osborne. In fact, Bentley’s ministry was seemingly inspired by notable others. While Bentley’s revival style is quite unique there are elements of it observably derived from a wide range of ministries that fed into these revivals originating in the USA including those of John Wimber, Rodney Howard-Browne and Benny Hinn. He was also eager to bring a sense of continuity with contemporary revivals identifying with those that have swept Argentina and Nigeria and identified the Lakeland Outpouring as a continuation with those of Toronto and Brownsville.

Bentley advanced the prophetic ministry as a result of times of intimacy with the Holy Spirit which, according to his web-site

….naturally lead (Bentley) into a period of exponential growth in the gifts of the Spirit and the prophetic. As Todd cried out to know God more, he began experiencing many visitations from the Lord - dreams, visions and supernatural visitations.xx

Throughout the time of the Outpouring he claimed, as he had throughout his earlier ministry, that God would give him almost instant prophetic sermons out of revelation and messages into what He wished him to do in healing meetings regarding the people who attended, providing insights into their sicknesses or demonic bondages, in short, ‘words of knowledge’.xxi

Bentley also associated himself with the prophetic ministries that had developed from the 1980s. He thus came to embrace the ‘third level’ of the prophetic or prophetic ministry. Bentley linked himself to Patricia King of the Extreme Prophetic Ministry who allegedly helped bring him to develop his own ministry, as did other, better known prophets. While there was a continuity shown by Bentley himself with the broad Pentecostal tradition, further connections seemed to endorse more controversial or deemed heretical antecedence that brought Bentley into prophetic circles.

Bentley developed a close association with Bob Jones, a controversial prophet in his own right. Thus through this connection the Outpouring came to have an indirect connections to the Kansas City Prophets. The KCP began with Mike Bickle, the church he founded (the Kansas City Fellowship), and the prophets who gathered around him during the 1980s, primarily John Paul Jackson, Jack Deere and Bob Jones. The most significant however was Paul Cain who developed his prophetic abilities as a young man during the post-war Latter Day Rain movement of the 1950s while travelling with the well-known healer of the time, William Branham, who had digressed into theological heterodoxy before meeting an accidental death from which his followers expected him to be resurrected. Cain became discredited as a result of his unfulfilled prophecy of ‘End-Times’ revival in the late 1980s, and Jones because of his alleged immoral lifestyle. Bentley’s words endorsed the connection with the latter:

I just spoke with Bob Jones again and he told me several things. First, he was not expecting that the glory would fall this soon. Second, Bob said the angel, ‘winds of change’, is bringing the change NOW, and that this outpouring would break out internationally. He said this outpouring, the very tangible healing anointing, is for the world and would go everywhere. (God told me that every night in the meetings I was to impart it to ministries, and as I write this, several hundred pastors, evangelists and ministries have already come). Third, Bob said, and I agree, we have never seen such notable miracles….Fourth, Bob said that our interns would become ‘doctors’, quickly, and take this to the world, and that our associates are needed to spread the fire.xxii
Of all the claims to supernatural experiences it was Bentley’s reference to angelic visitations that attracted the greatest attention from friends and foes alike.xxiii Featuring prominently has been one particular angel named ‘Emma’ a supernatural figure discussed as follows with Jones:

Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: ‘Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?’ He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, ‘Bob, who is Emma?’ He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation….when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, ‘Here's Emma’. I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor… Emma appeared beautiful and young - about 22 years old - but she was old at the same time…. She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people....xxiv

The prophetic revelations outlined above indicate the close connection Bentley developed with the restored office of Prophet. He also legitimated likewise the restored office of the Apostle. During the ‘Outpouring’ Bentley frequently played tribute to apostolic ‘generals’ and prophetic networks of the End Times; ‘The apostles are gathering, the prophets are gathering!’ This not only legitimately his revival and associated it with leading Pentecostal figures of the present, but shrouded it in eschatological significance.

Summary
By the Autumn of 2008 the Florida Outpouring appeared to be on the wane. It might be said that it was the revival itself that was losing momentum: that it was becoming less spontaneous and subject to more structure during revival nights, repeating the established pattern of long periods of worship, followed by testimonies and then Bentley’s appearance on stage to minister to the gathered thousands. There were signs that Bentley was personally facing what might be called ‘revival fatigue’. In short, the demands for his ministry and ‘giftings’ were taking their toll. He began to take periods of rest. He was later to explain during Lakeland revival meetings that he was taking a day off each week to recuperate.

The ‘Outpouring’ had its many detractors. Some were from the established Christian denominations. For instance, an Anglican Bishop in the UK attempted to have Bentley’s visit to Birmingham cancelled. Bentley was attacked for his association with evangelist and prophets as Branham, Cain and Jones. His technique of attempting to cure cancer by kicking tumours out of bodies with his biker boots came under scrutiny, as did episodes of his past including allegations of child abuse. In the end, however, Bentley’s demise resulted from a very human failing: it was announced in early August that he was to divorce his wife who he had hitherto often brought up on stage during revival meetings as a shining example of married life. More revelations followed revealing that Bentley had entered into

….an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff…. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, he agreed to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life.xxv

As a result of this disclosure Bentley’s international itinerary planned for such places as Kampala, Malibu, Istanbul and Jerusalem was cancelled.

The broad Pentecostalism/charismatic movement had potentially found a new lease of life in the Outpouring after the disappointment of the Toronto and Brownsville revivals in that no global revival followed. The Florida revival was significant, not only because of its global potential but because, set in a developing eschatological and prophetic mould, it calibrated together many of the core elements of earlier revivals and offered a way forward. This is not to say that the revival did not have its own distinguishing features. As noted above, those caught up in the revivals of the 1990s differentiated between that of Toronto where intimacy of God was emphasised; Brownesville where repentance was the dominant motive; and Lakeland where divine healing and evangelism was central. The latter was also distinguished by its greater level of Internet exposure and television coverage via GOD-TV.

The question remains as to whether the hope of future revival in the broad Pentecostalism/charismatic movement has been seriously damaged by Bentley’s demise. The answer is that it probably has not and that the movement will undoubtedly survive the scandal surrounding a single individual despite his considerable personality. The movement can also survive the more serious dynamics of routinization and the dampening down of charisma. The possibility of the routinization of contemporary Pentecostal/charismatic revivals has been brought into question by Martyn Percy (2005). Percy found that routinization and any matter of repairing cognitive dissonance that resulted was not an issue for those involved in the Toronto Blessing. The avoidance of the problems associated with potential routinization was partially overcome by a sense of continuity expressed in a narrative of a particular Pentecostal/charismatic worldview: ‘on-going story of struggle’ and the rhetoric of revival continued (Percy 2005: 167). Interestingly, as the momentum waned it was necessary for the TACF leaders to allude to the great revivals of the past in order to bring a sense of historical continuity. The fallow years which followed became part of the great spiritual adventure in which future revivals were anticipated. Similarly, there is little indication that the demise of the Florida Outpouring has undermined the narrative of even more future revival, ensuring that the intimate relationship between eschatology, prophecy and revivalism will endure.

Endnotes
i Including John Arnott, Marc Dupont and Randy Clark at Toronto, and John Kirkpatrick and Steve Hill at Brownesville.

ii http://www.freshfire.ca/ (accessed 2/7/08).

iii Ibid.

iv www://karlstrader.com/ (accessed 17/11/08). The inside story of the Florida Revival is recounted in Stephen Strader's recently published book, The Florida Outpouring: The Inside Story (2009).

v www://karlstrader.com/ (accessed 17/11/08)

vi Here Poloma cites the writings of several prophetic ministries headed by James Ryle (1993; 1995); Marc Dupont (1997); Graham Cooke (1994); Cindy Jacobs (1995) and Rick Joyner (1996).

vii Senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, believed to be, with a membership of 750,000, the largest church in the world.

viii new-wine@grmi.org: June 27, 1996.

ix www.revivalnet.net/prophecy/jones.

x http://hubpages.com/hub/Prophecy-and-Revival-in-Florida (accessed 16/1/09).

xi http://unknownprophet.dynamicone.cc/LatestPropheticWords2.html (accessed 16/1/09).

xii http://freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=prophetic&Id=41&pid=954&bid=915.

xiii Howard Brownes’ ministry, renowned for initiating ‘holy laughter’, has also been identified as an influence on the Toronto Blessing (Hunt 1995).

xiv Elija List Ministries, ‘Todd Bentley and Bob Jones 'The Third Wave is Here!' 12 Places for Healing and Revival to Start are mentioned - but THIS TIME IT'S GLOBAL’, April 23, 2008, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/6383 (assessed 23/0/08). Elija List Ministries was founded in the early 1990s by Steve Shultz.

xv A certain amount of confusion seems to exist in respect of Jones’ and Bentley’s account of this prophecy. See http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/todd-bentley-bob-jones-proclaim-the-third-wave-is-here/

xvi Elija List Ministries, ibid.

xvii Elijah List Ministries, ibid.

xviii Several prophecies regarding economic disaster had been prophecies by Pentecostals, charismatic and non-charismatic web-sites since the year 2000. See, for example,’ Woe! To The Money-Loving Christians, Economic Disaster is coming’, Bible Prophecy Revealed web-site, http://www.bibleprophecyrevealed.us/ (accessed 18/1.09). Even before the economic downturn several Christian books have been published on the subject including that by the Church of God minister and self-assigned prophet Ronald Weinland (Cinncinatti, OH: the end-time com, 2006.

xix http://www.reachouttrust.org/articles/deception/ToddB.htm#four (assessed 2/9/08). Those such as Benny Hinn and Howard-Browne that feed into the Toronto Blessing, came to play down their health and wealth gospel. It had also been denounced by John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard movement, which TACF had formerly been a part.

xx http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/The_Florida_Outpouring_With_Todd_Bentley/31710/p1/ (accessed 18/7/08).

xxi This distinctive utilization of a ‘gift of the spirit’ is not unique to Bentley. It is a form of ministry developed by those within the Pentecostal/charismatic movement including William Branham, Paul Cain and John Wimber.

xxii www.freshfire.ca (accessed 27/8/08).

xxiii Such claims are also very reminiscent of those of Branham and Cain.

xxiv http://www.reachouttrust.org/articles/deception/ToddB.htm#four (assessed 2/9/08).

xxv The Fresh Fire Ministries Board of Directors, http://www.freshfire.ca/ (assessed 2/9/08).

REFERENCES

Arnott, J. (1998) ‘The Toronto Blessing: What Is It?’. Spread the Fire. January, pp. 4-5.

Aune, K. and Walker, A. (2003) On Revival: A Critical Examination. Carlise, UK: Paternoster.

Bickle, M. and Goll, J. W. (1997) ‘Four Levels of Prophetic Ministry’. In: J. W. Goll (ed.), Prophetic Maturation. Antioch, TN: Ministry to the Nations, pp. 31-34.

Blumhofer, E. L. (1993) Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press.

Colas, R. (1998) ‘Charismatics Awake America’. The Christian News. 2nd November, p. 22.

Cooke, G. (1994) Developing your Prophetic Gifting,.Kent, UK: Sovereign World Ltd.

Dupont, M. (1997) The Church of the 3rd Millennium. Living in the Spirit and the Power of the Elijah Years. Shippensburg, PA: Revival Press.

Jacobs, C. (1995) The Voice of God. How God Speaks Personally and Corporately to His Children Today. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Joyner, R. (1996) The Final Quest. Charlotte, N.C.: MorningStar Publications.

Hunt, S. (1995) ‘“The ‘Toronto Blessing”: A Rumour of Angels?’. Journal of Contemporary Religion. 10 (3), pp. 257-71.

Kilpatrick, J. (1995) Feast of Fire. Pensacola, FL: self-published.

Martyn, P. (2005) Engaging with Contemporary Culture: Christianity, Theology and the Concrete Church. London: Ashgate.

Poloma, M. (1998) ‘The Spirit Movement in North America at the Millennium: From Azusa Street to Toronto, Pensacola and Beyond.’ Journal of Pentecostal Theology. 12, pp. 83-107.

Poloma, M. (2002) ‘The Pentecostal Movement’. In: S. Hunt (ed.), Christian Millenarianism: Themes and Perspectives. New York: New York University Press, pp. 166-85.

Poloma, P. (2003) Main Street Mystics: The Toronto Blessing and Reviving Pentecostalism. New York: Altamira Press.

Richter, P. (1996) ‘Charismatic Mysticism: A Sociological Analysis of the Toronto Blessing’. In: S. Porter (ed.), The Nature of Religious Language, Roehampton Institute London Papers. 1, Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press.

Riss, R. (1987) Latter Rain, Ontario. Canada: Honeycomb Visual Productions.

Robeck, C. jr. (1999) Making Sense of Pentecostalism in a Global Context. Paper presented at the 28th meeting of the Society of Pentecostal Studies, Springfield, MIS, , p. 18.

Ryle, J. (1993) Hippo in the Garden: A Non-Religious Approach to Having a Conversation with God. Orlando, FL: Creation House.

Ryle, J. (1995) A Dream Come True. A Biblical Look at How God Speaks Through Dreams and Vision, Orlando. FL: Creation House.

Sheflett, D. (2000) ‘Gold Rush in Glory Land’. Wall Street Journal, 31st March.

Stark, R. (1991) ‘Normal Revelations: A Rational Model of “Mystical” Experiences’. In: D. Bromley (ed.), Religion and the Social Order. vol.1, Greenwich, CT: Jai Press Inc., pp. 225-38.

Strader, S. (2009) The Florida Outpouring: The Inside Story. Lakeland, FL: Self-Published.

Stronstad, R. (1995) ‘Affirming Diversity: God's People as a Community of Prophets.’ Pneuma. The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. 17 (2), pp. 145-57.

Weber, W. (1974) Theory of Social Action. trans. by A. M. Henderson and T. Parsons, and ed. by T. Parsons. New York, Oxford University Press.

Wilson, D. J. (1988) ‘Pentecostal Perspectives on Eschatology’. In: S. M. Burgess and G. B. McGee (eds.), Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, pp. 264-68.

五旬宗的獨特性-回應方然

上期時代論壇，有讀者以筆名方然撰文回應本人以前所寫的文章，其文章可進入以下網址看見。

http://christiantimes.org.hk/Common/Reader/News/ShowNews.jsp?Nid=57214&Pid=2&Version=1166&Cid=641&Charset=big5_hkscs

故本人亦剛再投稿時代論壇，撰文回應。文章如下：

題目：〈五旬宗的獨特性-回應方然〉
作者：陳智聰

自筆者在〈時代論壇第1163期〉刊登了〈回應五旬宗教會的發展與前瞻〉一文後，文章得到不少讀者在網上的熱烈回應。其中一位讀者更以筆名方然，在上期論壇中以靈恩教會的角度，撰寫〈有感而發：回應陳智聰論五旬宗〉一文，作對話式回應。筆者實在要感謝時代論壇造就了這一美好交流和討論的機會。就著方然對筆者的回應文章，筆者其實已在論壇的網上版與方然作出討論。但由於回應只限網上版讀者閱讀，故筆者亦盼能在今期論壇的眾議園中，再作一對話式回應。筆者相信定能對其他讀者了解五旬宗有更大幫助。

方然的文章認為筆者討論本港五旬宗的發展，但卻不提第三波運動的影響，是怪得不合理。筆者當然不能否定第三波運動對整體教會的貢獻。但由於筆者所討論的，是五旬宗教會的發展，故文章就有必要把五旬宗教會和靈恩教會在定義上有一清楚的劃分。而方然的文章認為五旬節運動、靈恩運動、和第三波運動三者是不可被劃分討論，因為這是聖靈在近代工作的三波階段。但其實這種觀點是出於一種對三者視為同一運動的三個階段之誤解。當然，這三個運動在現象上的確有很多相似之處，而且三者的連結點也的確是聖靈的工作。但如果要論聖靈近代的偉大工作，由豈只以上三個運動呢？在五旬節運動興起之前，由約翰衛斯理等人領導的循道主義聖潔運動、在英國所興起的威爾斯大復興、具改革宗背景的更高生命運動、由宣道會創辦人宣信等人所領導的神醫運動等，都是近代聖靈的偉大工作，而且也對五旬節運動的孕育，及其神學思想的發展起著重要的影響，但大部份的學者也不會把以上運動視為同一運動的不同階段。而把五旬節運動、靈恩運動、和第三波運動視為同一運動三波階段這種誤解，卻是來自第三波運動中一位具代表性的人物；彼得．韋拿。他本是一間具影響力的福音派神學院（Fuller）的宣教學教授，而他對第三波運動中聖靈工作之理解，大部份是借用了福音派神學中對保羅書信聖靈觀的理解。而他的觀點也在後來大衛寶信的著作《第四波》中被發展，引申出福音派與靈恩派溶合的所謂第四波觀念。這就類似方然所謂的「福恩派」觀念。韋拿這種以保羅聖靈觀，作為對聖靈工作的詮釋視點的理解，與五旬宗那種以路加著作聖靈觀，作為對聖靈工作詮釋視點的理解，有很大的分別。

正如本港神召會（神召事工）會長潘文信牧師，在最近一次神召神學院的畢業禮中所言；靈恩是一個信仰實踐的問題，但五旬宗卻是一個教義的問題。五旬宗教會彼此間有著一個共同的教義宣認，而這教義宣認是以耶穌基督的四個身份表達出來，就是耶穌是救主、耶穌是醫治者、耶穌是聖靈施浸者、和耶穌是再來君王，但靈恩教會卻不一定有這個教義的宣認，這就是兩者間明顯的分別所在。

方然的文章認為吳國傑博士在講座中，所提出的平衡宗派控制與個人異象，是為了防止異象超過了聖經的真理成為異端。筆者認為方然的意見很好，但由於當日筆者也在講座之中，筆者相信吳博士所言並沒有方然意見中的意思。故筆者才會在文中指出五旬宗那種團契式的教會論，重視的是團契中的信任關係，而大於所謂的宗派控制。而且筆者認為所謂平衡宗派控制，以防止異象超過聖經真理成為異端，其作用並不很大。因為任何有經驗的教牧同工在分享其異象的時候，也總是能找到其聖經真理作為對異象的支持。但就算其異象有多大的聖經根據，也不代表其宗派必須百份百地支持。反過來說，在五旬宗內由於重視聖靈活潑的引領，其事工的發展往往也極具創意，故就算一個異象未能得到宗派的百份百支持，也不代表該異象不能被獨立出來發展成新的事工。而這類事工也往往會在發展成熟後，反過來再被其宗派總會認同。而且要分辨一個事工是否異端，最重要分辨的也不是其異象，而是其領導者和群體所持的教義，及其發出的教導有否反映出純正的教義。

方然的文章在最後的地方認為「伍山河牧師認為信徒或領袖說不說方言並不重要...」是難得能放鬆宗派堅持的表現。筆者認為如果伍牧師是一位福音派或靈恩派教會的牧師，那麼他本人或其會友不說方言，真是問題不大。但由於伍牧師是一位五旬宗教會的牧師，「不說方言，或不鼓勵說方言」就成為了一個很大的問題。原因是靈恩教會對方言的理解，是借用了福音派神學，特別是保羅聖靈論中，方言作為其中一個屬靈恩賜，故信徒是否說方言，只是有否這個恩賜的問題。但五旬節神學對方言的理解，卻是作為信徒經歷靈浸後的「外顯憑據 Evidence」，而多於作為恩賜的其中之一。因此，不鼓勵說方言就成了不鼓勵領受靈浸所帶來為基督作見證的大能。由於五旬節運動本質是一個宣教運動，而不是方言運動或舌音運動，其重點在於得力宣教，而多於個人靈命復興，因此五旬宗教牧不鼓勵說方言，或不按教義教導相關真理，就是成了否定自身宗派信仰的大問題，而不是難得放鬆宗派堅持的少問題。

此外，筆者對伍牧師所言講道不是『man's word about God』 和而是『God's word to man』的評論，不是只在於「由....至....」的運用。因當日在講座中，伍牧師認為只有釋經講道才是講道，其他的講道方式，引用他的話是：「狗屎垃圾」。但筆人的文章回應卻要指出五旬節式講道，雖不同於釋經講道，但卻是一種重視與聖靈靈感互動的神學反省式講道。這種講道極具特色，而且內容不下於釋經講道。可說是與釋經講道同樣重要的另一講道方式。

最後，筆者感謝方然以靈恩教會的角度對文章作出回應！靈恩教會與五旬宗教會雖在神學上有所不同，但就對聖靈工作的重視上，兩者卻可說是遠親。其實，香港基督教圈子以往對五旬宗教會，和靈恩教會，不論在神學、教義、信仰實踐的認識上，都多有誤解。筆者相信如果以上兩者有更多弟兄姊妹，能在報刊上撰文介紹，或如方然兄般撰文對話。我相信會對其他宗派的弟兄姊妹認識以上教會，和聖靈在以上教會的不同工作有更多幫助。

回應「五旬宗教會的發展與前瞻」．一個五旬宗同工的反思

以下是小弟一篇回應「五旬宗教會發展與前瞻」的文章，剛被刊登在第一一六三期時代論壇。

在本年九月二十八日，神召神學院於該院舉辦了一次名為「香港五旬宗教會的發展與前瞻」的講座，分享嘉賓包括了香港浸信會神學院．吳國傑博士及五旬節聖潔會香港總監督．伍山河牧師，而回應則由神召會元朗錦光堂堂主任劉金勝牧師負責。

筆者雖然當日也在現場，但因工作的原故，未能聽畢整個講座。而最近筆者在網上無意中看到基督教週報第2355期內，就以上講座的報道。故引發了筆者身為五旬宗同工，對本宗的發展及前瞻的一點反思。當然內容也包括了對週報中所引述幾位講者的回應。

「…近年五旬宗教會較香港教會增長快速，乃受第三波靈恩運動的影響…」這是週報引述吳國傑博士在會上的講法。五旬宗教會近百年內在全球爆炸性增長，已是個引起學術界關注，被肯定為在基督宗教內近代其中一個最為重要的運動。其中原因，透過不同學科的研究，從中會發現不同的影響因素。但在神學新近研究中發現，近代五旬節運動，其本質是一個基於某種聖經理解而引發出的普世宣教運動。雖然五旬節運動與第三波靈恩之間，在現象上有很多相似的地方，但其神學的核心思想卻與第三波靈恩相距甚遠。故筆者不明白吳博士為何會把本港五旬宗教會的增長，與第三波靈恩連上關係。筆者作為宗內人士，實在也看不出當中的相關因素。反而筆者看見宗內所增長的大型教會，大多都是一些有強勢領導，而且行政能力強的教會。而這現象與五旬節運動的關係，卻需要多加研究才能有定論。

報道亦引述吳博士所講：「…教會分裂相對較多，原因是個人異象為重，缺乏分別對錯的平衡體制…」。縱觀本港五旬宗派的情況，教會出現分裂現象亦是事實，但其原因是否因個人異象為重？筆者卻不敢莽加論斷。但筆者卻對吳博士所提出，如何平衡堂會異象與宗派控制的所謂平衡體制有保留。如果對五旬宗教會有了解，都會發現五旬宗教會的體制是呈現出一種多元化的現象，而沒有所謂的統一存在。這與五旬宗教會對自身教會論的理解有關。以神召會為例，神召會在一九一四年創會時，以表明對自身的理解，是一個為闡述可被捍衛的五旬宗信仰立場，和促進五旬宗牧者相交關係，與支援前線宣教師工作的團契。在團契關係之中，所重視的就是信任，而非所謂的宗派控制。故本港最大的神召會宗派組織（神召事工有限公司），對其接近四十間會員堂，都是堅持堂會自治的原則。因此，在「和而不同」的原則底下，所謂的教會分裂，正面地看只要不帶來牧者間團契的破壞，其實是可以被看為一個宗派內的堂會拓植。這與吳博士所講相對負面的宗派控制大為不同。

五旬節運動雖然在早期發展的時候，參與者多為社會的草根階層，但隨著信徒的社會階層提升，宗內牧者學者對運動的神學反思努力，五旬節神學在近年的發展及成果，已得到國際學術界的廣泛肯定。問題是本港的五旬宗教會，有否重視宗內學者的研究成果，建基於五旬節神學的獨特性，發揮自身宗派信仰傳統的特色，貢獻於區內整體的基督宗教群體，在彼此尊重的原則下與其他宗派堂會，共同努力扮演好自己在基督身體內的應有角色。

對於週報引述嘉賓伍山河牧師所講：「…他認為信徒或領袖說不說方言並不重要，最重要的是順服神，以教會為使命的核心的屬靈觀。…」和「…講台事奉很重要，證道內容應宣講『God's word to man』（神對人的話語）而不是『man's word about God』（人對上帝的理解），因此，釋經講道非常重要。…」的講法，筆者有以下回應。五旬節神學當然不是坊間誤解的所謂「福音派加靈恩」。但其中一個五旬節神學的特色，就是「聖靈浸是信徒有別於重生的後繼經歷，目的是得能力為基督作見證。而靈浸的首次外顯可見憑據，就是信徒按聖靈感動說出方言」。這個五旬節信仰中的重要教義，可說是其中一個辨別何謂五旬宗教會的重要身份認同點。而伍牧師卻認為信徒包括領袖說不說方言並不重要，對於五旬宗教會來說，這可謂對自身宗派信仰的否定，忘記了宗派群體的存在是要捍衛宗派信仰的目的。而伍牧師在講座中，正是談論本港五旬宗的發展與前瞻，言則伍牧師認為本港五旬宗教會的發展與前瞻，是應該「不再做五旬宗」。而這點正是筆者難以認同的地方。沒有根，樹怎能生長呢？一個宗派否定了自身的根源，怎能談甚麼發展與前瞻呢？故筆者認為五旬宗教會應該重視自身的神學特色，認定本身在基督身體內的獨特位置，從而對整體教會作出應有的貢獻。

而有關證道內容應是「God’s word to man」而不是「man’s word about God」的問題。筆者有以下回應：請問誰人可以百分百認定自己所宣講的，就是神對人的話語？而不是在某個程度上也是人對上帝話語的理解呢？筆者當然無意否定釋經講道，筆者所受的神學訓練，也重視釋經。但所謂釋經講道，與其說是重尋經文的原意，不如說它本身也是一種釋經者對經文與自身信仰經歷、傳統、習慣等因素的神學整合。後現代詮釋學也支持以上的觀點，認為所謂重尋經文原意，在整個釋經過程中是沒有可能的。五旬節式的講道，正是這樣的一種神學整理，宣講者除了釋經之外，也重視禱告、與聖靈靈感式的互動、信仰與日常生活的經歷、宗派信仰特色等，作為神學反省與整理的材料，甚至在整個宣講的過程中也極度重視與聖靈的互動關係。筆者兩年前出席神召神學院的六十週年院慶學術研討會時，其中一位講者楊天恩博士所發表的論文〈先知講道．五旬節觀點〉也道出了類似以上的觀點。筆者相信這種證道的特色，也是五旬宗教會應該重視的。

而最後，筆者同意週報引述劉金勝牧師的回應：「…被神使用的人，必須是謙卑及敬虔…」，早期華人五旬宗牧者所呈現出的那種敬虔和謙卑的事奉態度，筆者相信正是香港五旬宗教會所應該承繼的寶貴屬靈遺產。如劉牧師所言：「…最重要是忠於神所託，踏實做神的事工。信徒應向聖靈開放，讓聖靈的能力彰顯，主權得以運行…」，如果從屬靈的角度看五旬節運動，它是一個由聖靈所推動的宣教運動。那麼五旬宗教會所忠於的神所託，就應該是在聖靈的活潑加力和引領之下，踏實地在全地為基督作見證，讓上帝的主權在信徒所到之處，藉著聖靈的自由的運行與同在彰顯出來。筆者相信這不單是五旬宗之福，也是整體基督身體之福。最後，筆者還是以五旬宗教會經常引用的一節經文，與眾同工互勉：「但聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力；並要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地和撒馬利亞，直到地極，作我的見證。」（徒一8）。

五旬宗學者 Amos Yong 的文章〈Discerning the Spirit〉

Discerning the Spirit

by Amos Yong


Amos Yong teaches at Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach. Virginia. This article appeared in The Christian Century, (March, 7, 2006, pp.31-33 .) Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation: used by permission. Current articles and subscription information can be found at www.christiancentury.org. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock.
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But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8, NRSV).


Pentecostals’ spirituality and practice revolve around their understanding of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which empowers Christian witness. For most Pentecostals, the experience of this empowerment is logically (if not chronologically) subsequent to the experience of salvation, and opens the believer to the wide range of charismatic gifts of the Spirit as enumerated at various places in the New Testament (especially 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 27-31; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-13; and 1 Peter 4:10-11).

Particularly important for Pentecostal spirituality are the gifts of prophecy, tongues and the interpretation of tongues. While both prophecy and tongues are inspired by the Holy Spirit, the gift of tongues calls attention to the realm of the Spirit’s working that is not irrational, but that cannot be adequately comprehended by conventional languages, categories of thought and rational explanations. However, since focus on these gifts could also lead to a false sense of elitism or to the neglect of other aspects of the faith, many Pentecostals are careful to insist both on the importance of the fruits of the Spirit (as recorded in Galatians 5:22-24) and on seeking after the Giver of the gifts, the Holy Spirit, rather than after the gifts themselves.

Perhaps surprisingly, the emergence of Pentecostal theology, in the sense of formal scholarly work, has coincided and overlapped with the renaissance of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in the academy. Many Pentecostal thinkers have been deeply engaged in conversations with those mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic theologians who have been involved in research on the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal contribution has been to emphasize not only the person of the Spirit, but the Spirit’s gifts or charisms and their function for Christian spirituality and for the practices of the church. This may explain, at least in part, why Pentecostal theologians have been less interested in historic doctrines like the filioque (‘and from the Son") clause in the creed (which are related to the person and procession of the Holy Spirit) and more interested in doctrines like Spirit baptism (which are related to the works of the Spirit).

Ecumenically, Pentecostals have slowly become involved over the course of the last generation in bilateral dialogues -- for example, with the Roman Catholic Church and with the World Alliance of Reformed Churches -- and have participated in various discussions organized by the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. To be sure, those involved usually have represented only themselves, since Pentecostal denominational leaders generally have not endorsed formal participation in ecumenical dialogue, given the movement’s historic alliances with fundamentalism and conservative evangelicalism rather than mainline Protestantism. Further, most lay people in Pentecostal churches are committed to evangelistic and missionary activities, and many are not even aware of the ecumenical movement, much less of developments in the ecumenical world. Yet because of the recognition that those who are filled with the Holy Spirit are empowered to testify about their experience of the Spirit, official Pentecostal leaders often view the involvement of Pentecostal scholars and theologians in the ecumenical arena as a legitimate form of witness.

How exactly do the gifts of the Spirit function in the church? Citing Acts 1:18, Pentecostals believe that the primary purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to empower believers to bear witness to the gospel to the entire world. The 20th century has been called the "century of Pentecostal mission" because of the explosive growth of Pentecostal and charismatic churches in the Eastern and Southern hemispheres. Pentecostals have from their beginnings espoused a Spirit-centered theology of mission and evangelization, believing that the gifts of the Spirit orient believers toward evangelism.

The gift of healing is especially important in this regard since it is through this gift that many lives are initially touched and people are turned to God. Further, the gifts of the Spirit include empowering vocational witness as seen in the lives of individuals appointed to be apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor-teachers. Individuals called toward these vocations and anointed by the Spirit for serving in these roles are the instruments of God through whom mission, evangelism and discipleship occur, and through whom the church is built up and edified. Hence the gifts of the Spirit not only strengthen and edify the body of Christ but also enlarge the church as individuals are added daily to those who are saved (cf. Acts 2:47b).

Within the ecumenical context of the worldwide church, however, counterquestions have arisen. Insofar as the gifts of the Spirit are central to Pentecostal spirituality and practices. does that mean that the presence and activity of the Spirit is constrained to this realm? What about the historic Christian sacraments like baptism and the Eucharist, and what about the liturgies of the churches? Is not the Spirit also present and active in those domains, and if so, why are Pentecostals in general so opposed to more sacramental and liturgical forms of worship? Do Pentecostals privilege the spiritual gifts and minimize the sacraments of the church? Insofar as the anointing of individuals is central to Pentecostal missionary and evangelistic activities, what about the church’s corporate witness on issues related to peace and social justice? Have Pentecostals so focused on the witness of the individual member that they have neglected the corporate witness of local churches and of the church catholic?

These questions culminate, of course, in considerations regarding the nature of the church. Arguably, Pentecostal sensitivities to the gifts of the Spirit have led them to embrace a more spiritualized (rather than institutionalized) notion of the church. However, through the ecumenical conversation many Pentecostal theologians have been led to rethink their understanding of the relationship between the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit and the doctrine of the church. Perhaps tongue speech (or any of the other gifts of the Spirit) is a kind of sacrament through which the transcendence of God is both pointed to and mediated (albeit in this case, through the human body). Further, it is being recognized that the Spirit’s work also involves the bringing about of righteousness, peace and justice (cf. Isaiah 32:15-20), and that this is accomplished through the collaboration of local churches (or the church catholic) rather than through individual members. Hence, a Pentecostal understanding of the church cannot be merely a spiritualized one, nor can it be formulated only in terms of local congregations.

All of this points the way toward future explorations. Pentecostals need to be involved in ecumenical discussions on the nature of the church catholic. This is especially important given the concerns about proselytism expressed by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communions, given the fact that the charismatic churches of the global South are now sending missionaries to reevangelize the Anglo-American West, and given the explosive growth of independent, charismatic churches around the world. Pentecostalism can help ecumenical theology retrieve the more organic shape of the New Testament church, and the ecumenical movement can help Pentecostal theology appreciate the sacramental, liturgical and conciliar dimensions of the church also expressed in the pages of the New Testament.

But how optimistic can we be about ecumenical conversation if the conversation partners have differing approaches to the theological task? Pentecostals who begin with Acts 1:8 often conclude their testimony by inviting their audiences to experience for themselves the Spirit’s presence and activity as recorded throughout the Acts narrative, and to continue to expand the early Christian story into -- as it were -- an additional chapter of the book of Acts.

This focus on the book of Acts raises a number of questions. For one, does not privileging any particular book in the Bible result in a skewed theological orientation? In addition, is not the genre of the book of Acts ill-suited for theological and doctrinal purposes? This latter question is raised especially by Protestants who believe that the didactic portions of the New Testament, such as the letters of Paul, are more reliable for theological and doctrinal reflection than historical narratives such as Acts.

Pentecostals would certainly do well to heed the admonitions about privileging the book of Acts. On the other hand, there are numerous points of entry into the biblical canon -- whether the Gospels in contemplative traditions or Paul’s letter to the Romans in Lutheran churches. Pentecostals see their own contribution as highlighting the Lukan perspective, especially the book of Acts. Further, Pentecostals who read Acts theologically and even doctrinally are simply joining scholars across the theological academy who have emerged in the last generation to defend the author of Luke-Acts as a theologian in his own right.

The unique Pentecostal emphasis is on the charismatic and missiological components of Luke’s theological vision. The Lukan witness that the many tongues of Pentecost all combine to declare "God’s deeds of power" (Acts 2:11) to the ends of the earth is confirmed by Revelation’s insistence that many tribes, languages, peoples and nations will be represented in the coming kingdom. Hence, Pentecostals defend the unity of the Spirit not in terms of the uniformity of the church, but as expressed in the plurality of the many members of the church catholic and the diversity of their biblical interpretations.

A hermeneutic focused on Acts not only results in securing for Pentecostals a place at the ecumenical roundtable, but also injects into the conversation issues related to the church’s mission. There is no possibility of an abstract doctrine of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal theology because the person of the Spirit is understood in terms of the Spirit’s gifts and empowerment for witness. Hence, Pentecostalism’s contribution to the ecumenical conversation involves also a spirituality and theology of mission that express the essential unity of Christian belief and practice. In turn, Pentecostal theology will itself be enriched by treasures from the church catholic on the entirety of the biblical cannon, the vitality of various Christian spiritual traditions, and the history of the church’s mission theology and practices. We can look forward to at lest this much in the Pentecostal-ecumenical dialogues of the 21st century.

文章來源：http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3345(12/11/2009)