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The following article by Dr. George O. Wood was downloaded from asite on the WWW. I have had several requests for it, and I believe itaddresses the stated issue with Biblical insight, balance andChristian love.
It is presented here just as I downloaded it with the exception offormatting which I had to alter to read it on my Macintosh computer.There have been no changes whatsoever in the text, and thus I believeI have complied with the copyright notice at the conclusion of thearticle. I would urge that any who download it from my site do so aswell.
By George O. Wood, General Secretary
General Council of the Assemblies of God, USA
Recently a manifestation of laughing has become commonplace inmany charismatic meetings. The phenomenon has been popularizedthrough the so-called Toronto Revival, and the itinerant ministry ofan evangelist who identifies himself as a "Holy Ghost bartender"inviting persons to "have a drink at Joel's place." It has been namedthe laughing revival. Is it from God? We must look to His Word forthe answer.
The New Testament has much to say about joy. Jesus has come thatour joy might be full. The promise of an abundant life presupposesdespair and depression will not have the upper hand in the life ofthe believer. One can hardly describe the boundless joy ofresurrection morning, or meeting with the Risen Christ. The 120 onthe Day of Pentecost appeared to others as intoxicated because theywere full of the Spirit. Through times of great persecution, thechurch exuberated joy. And, joy remains as a quality in the fruit ofthe Spirit. This age will end in a great hallelujah:
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!" (Rev.19:6,7).
But, is this Biblically described joy the same as the currentmanifestation of laughter in church services?
For some, the very act of making inquiry as to the validity of aprofessed spiritual experience may be criticized as a lack of faith,and an evidence of unspirituality. However, it is our duty to passeverything by the test of Scripture. The example of the Bereans iscommended to us:
"For they received the message with great eagerness and examinedthe Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts17:11).
In other words, the Bereans did not unscrew their heads, park themin the foyer during the service and the preaching, and then pick upand reattach their cerebrums as they left the building. It is notunspiritual or ungodly to ask questions as to whether the Biblevalidates any particular doctrine expounded or experience claimed. Weare admonished by the Apostle Paul:" Test everything. Hold on to thegood "(I Thess. 5:21) and "Weigh carefully what is said." (I Cor.14:29).
Paul also warns leadership to "Keep watch over yourselves and allthe flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers...savagewolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even fromyour own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to drawaway disciples after them" (Acts 20:28-30).
Exercising doctrinal vigilance, however, requires balance lest thecontenders for orthodoxy become unloving judges in the body ofChrist. The Lord commends the Ephesian church for its hard workexpended in testing false from true prophets; but He corrects themfor leaving first love. It's so easy to become unloving whilecontending for the "right" on any doctrinal battleground. Christianapologists, if not careful, may appear to be full of sour grapes, andcome across as legalistic, Pharisaical, and nasty.
It is right that we should examine any matter in the light ofScripture, including the current phenomena of "holy laughter;" but,it is wrong to conduct such an inquiry with an unloving and nonjoyfulspirit.
As Pentecostals, persons committed to the authority of Scripture,we would do well to heed the example of William J. Seymour, the elderat the Azusa Mission. During the great Azusa revival, Seymour andothers were criticized sharply for their insistence on "checkingeverything out with the Word." But, they were unashamed. In fact,Seymour responded to the criticism in the September, 1907, issue ofThe Apostolic Faith.
"We are measuring everything by the Word, every experience mustmeasure up to the Bible. Some say that is going too far, but if wehave lived too close to the Word, we will settle that with the Lordwhen we meet Him in the air."
We must ask two questions about "holy laughter:" (1) do incidencesof it occur in Scripture, and (2) if the instances do occur, are they"normative," intended as a pattern for Christian experience?
Why should we ask such questions?
Suppose that someone appeared on the contemporary scene with thegift of healing; except something very unusual happened - people weregetting healed by placing themselves in the shadow of the ministerwhen he passed by. Suppose, further, that the word got around andother ministers began also claiming to have "the shadow ministry."Suppose that yet others came along and said, "All ministers can havethe shadow ministry, and all who want to be healed should getthemselves into the shadow." Finally, imagine then that books andclinics began to teach the entire body of Christ the importance andneed for "shadow ministry," along with practical steps at having"shadow ministries" in every local church.
How would we evaluate such an emphasis, and such claims? By askingthe two questions: (1) did such an experience ever occur in theBible; and, if so, (2) was it intended to be normative for all?
The answer to the first question is "Yes." Acts 5:15 records:"People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds andmats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as hepassed by."
However, the answer to question two is "No." None of the otherapostles is ever recorded as having "the shadow ministry." Only Peterappears to have had "the shadow ministry." Could you imagine whatwould have happened in the early church had the other apostlesabandoned their less spectacular ministry of praying for the sick tofast and pray for "the shadow ministry?" What if Peter had heldseminars on how to conduct a "shadow ministry?" The church would havebecome caught up in a particular method and abandoned the normativepattern the Lord had given to the apostles: "they will place theirhands [not shadows] on sick people, and they shall recover"(Mk. 16:18). The regular procedure for the sick person is not that heseek "the shadow," but that he "call the elders of the church to prayover him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James5:14).
What the "shadow ministry" of Peter illustrates is that the HolySpirit may act sovereignly through an individual for a limited timeand in a unique manner; but, that such working on His part may not bedesigned as normative in the experience of the church. We only knowsomething is normative if it is explicitly approved, commended,repeated consistently, or commanded in Scripture.
Many other examples abound in life of the apostolic church betweenthe normative and the unique. For example, what is the normal patternfor church discipline? Is it not Matthew 18:15-20? How then do youexplain the death of Ananias and Sapphira as a discipline for theirlying? It surely does not fit the normative pattern of Matthew 18!What do we make of it? Is it to be the exception or the rule, uniqueor normative? To answer the question we look through Scripture. Isthere any other example of church discipline by means of instant HolySpirit execution? Are we ever enjoined to call upon the Holy Spiritto make liars fall dead onto the floor? Should the coroner ormortician's presence be requested during all church meetings? No! Wefollow the normal pattern of Matthew 18 and I Corinthians 5 indealing with sin in the life of a church member.
Also, as another example of the difference between the unique andthe normative, look at the phenomena present on the day of Pentecost:a mighty rushing wind, tongues as of fire distributed and restingupon the heads of the 120, and all speaking in other tongues as theSpirit causes them to speak. Are these three phenomena unique(one-time) or normative (the pattern for other believers)? It appearsthe wind and tongues of fire are unique. They never occur again inthe Biblical text. We can't build doctrine on them, exhorting people:"Before you are baptized in the Spirit, there must be wind and fire."But, speaking with others tongues does reoccur in connection withbeing filled with the Spirit. As Pentecostals, we take speaking withother tongues as normative for the initial evidence of being baptizedin the Spirit because we find it as a repeated phenomenon on otheroccasions and we deduce from the text that speaking in tongues alwaysoccurred when persons were baptized in the Spirit.
So, we inquire: is the laughing revival a normative pattern ofChristian worship and behavior explicitly taught in theScripture?
We must ask the same two questions of laughing as we haveregarding "the shadow ministry," church discipline, and wind, fireand other tongues: (1) does the current phenomena of "holy laughter"occur in the Bible; and, if so, (2) is it meant to be a normativeexperience for believers?
In answer to the first question, the Bible is filled withadmonitions to rejoice (Ps. 5:11, 32:11, 107:19-22, 126:1-3; Zeph.3:14-17; I Thess. 5:16). Special examples stand out. Sarah laughed inunbelief at the prospect of becoming a mother since she was old, andlater she laughed for joy when Isaac was born to her (Gen. 18:12-15,21:6). John the Baptist leaped in his mother's womb when she greetedMary; and Mary responded to Elizabeth by saying: "My soul glorifiesthe Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..." (Lu. 1:41,46).The angel of the Lord heralded the birth of Jesus by declaring "goodnews of great joy that will be for all the people" (Lu. 2:10).Thirty-three years later, on resurrection morning, the women "hurriedaway from the tomb afraid yet filled with joy and ran to tell thedisciples" (Mt. 28:8). Upon seeing the resurrected Christ, at firstthe disciples "did not believe it because of joy and amazement;" butforty days later, after the Lord's ascension into heaven they"returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Lu. 24:41,52). Jesus in thecourse of His ministry told His disciples, when they returned withreports of having done exorcisms, "do not rejoice that the spiritssubmit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven"(Lu. 10:20). He promised to make full our joy (Jn. 15:11). Thecondition of joy characterized the early church, even when it faceddifficult times (Acts 8:8, 13:52, 20:24).
Note, however, that the emphasis lies on joy rather than laughter.Joy appears to be an integral and indispensable quality in Christianexperience, not rooted in subjective feelings of the moment; but, inthe objective reality that God has granted us salvation, redemption,and deliverance in Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amid all accounts of joyin the Bible, no direct claim or inference is made that persons wereuncontrollably laughing, laughing in a crowd of worshippers with ahost of others also laughing, or falling down unable to stoplaughing.
Recognizing this lack of Scriptural precedent for the moderncharismatic phenomenon of so-called "holy laughter" (some argue thatit is neither "holy" nor "laughter"), the advocates of the experiencepoint to Acts 2 and invite persons to "have a drink at Joel'splace."
So, we turn to Acts 2. Is laughter the condition of the discipleson the day of Pentecost? Did they have the giggles, belly-laughs, orsome in-between form of laughing?
Per the instructions of the Lord, the disciples had remained inJerusalem. Ten days after the ascension, while the 120 were prayingand worshipping the Lord in an upper room, a mighty rushing wind cameand tongues of fire rested upon the heads of the 120. They were thenall filled with the Holy Spirit and all spoke in other tongues.
They spilled out of the upper room into an area where a largemultitude was gathered, probably the Gentile area of the temple. Somein the crowd thought they were drunk.
However, the laughing revival advocates have assumed that thecrowd thought the 120 were drunk because they were laughing. That isnot what the text of Acts 2 either states or infers.
Why did some in the crowd in the temple think the 120 were drunk?Not because they were laughing! Luke tells us straight out what thereason was:
"Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from everynation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd cametogether in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in hisown language. Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Are not all these men whoare speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them inhis own native tongues...we hear them declaring the wonders of God inour own tongues!"
The "sound" which attracted the crowd is explicitly identified byLuke as the other tongues spoken by the 120.
There were three reactions to this supernatural speaking of praiseand worship to God: amazement, perplexity, and those who made fun bysaying the 120 were inebriated. Note that only "some" thought theywere drunk. The use of the word "some" suggests only a smaller partof the main body of people. We are left with the impression, fromLuke, that "most" did not assume them drunk; rather, they were amazedand perplexed -- and these persons asked "What does this mean?" But,others were not looking seriously for an answer and immediatelydiscounted the behavior by mocking and attributing thetongue-speaking to drunkenness.
Nowhere does the text in Acts 2 suggest the appearance oflaughter: it is the speaking with other tongues which draws thevarious reactions noted by Luke. "Utterly amazed they asked: 'Are notall these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each ofus hears them in his own native language?'" (Acts 2:7-8). Clearly,the 120 are not described as laughing, but praising God in languagesthey had never learned! Further, even if the 120 had been laughingrather than, as the text states, "declaring the wonder of God in ourown tongues," things get very serious quickly. Peter uses thequestion: "What does this mean?" [a question referring tospeaking in tongues, not laughing] to preach a strong sermon tounbelievers on repentance. A powerful response follows: 3000 menconfess Jesus as Lord and are baptized.
Even if one granted the premise that the behavior of the 120 inActs 2 was that of laughing (a premise that cannot be true since theywere articulating praise to God in languages they had not learned,not emitting incoherent guffaws or cackles) -- then, for consistencywith the premise -- one would expect the laughing revival, if theHoly Spirit has sent it, to have Pentecostal results: greatevangelism.
If the church had been laughing in Acts 2, they soon got down tothe business of preaching -- a remarkable contrast with somemanifestations of contemporary phenomena where the laughing eithercrowds out all opportunity for preaching or continually interruptsit. The day of Pentecost concluded with 3000 getting saved and beingbaptized; not 120 stuck to the floor laughing.
Can there be occasions where one "laughs" in the Spirit?Absolutely! The Lord knows how deep depression lies upon the souls ofsome. He may choose sovereignly to manifest the joy of His presenceand miraculously lift their gloom and sorrow. But, the occasion ofmanifested laughter in the body of Christ while it worships is notsomething described as normative in Scripture. In fact, since "holylaughter" is not mentioned in the New Testament as an aspect ofpublic worship, it would have an even lower status than somethingthat *is* mentioned: the gift of tongues. And, the gift of tongues istightly regulated by order and love lest some unbelievers come and"say that you are out of your mind" or the church itself not beedified (I Cor. 14:24.26). How much more then does a non-Scripturalphenomenon need the regulation of order and love lest it becomedivisive or detractive. When churches split over the laughingrevival, it truly is no laughing matter.
Obviously, there are examples from past revivals and churchhistory where unusual manifestations, such as laughter, havecharacterized persons upon whom the Spirit has come with great joy.Such accounts also, however, include weeping as well as laughter. Thelaughing advocates err in citing the past outbreaks of laughing inrevivals as a basis for justifying the current wave of laughing. Whatthey often fail to note is that such laughing in past revivals wasdone by the few rather than the many; and, was the exception ratherthan the rule of behavior.
We should treat the phenomena of laughter in the same fashion asPeter's shadow: rejoice in the sovereign and unique ways God maychoose to demonstrate His blessing; but, avoid the temptation ofmaking assembly lines of copy-cat laughter in our churches, or havingcopy-cat laughing evangelists and pastors. And, our major emphasismust never be on laughing, or any other spiritual experience or gift;but, upon Christ Himself. It is unimaginable that the Apostle Paulwould ever denigrate or diminish his calling and office, or the workof the Holy Spirit, by identifying himself as a "Holy Ghostbartender."
As people of the Spirit, we live a very experiential Christianity.When we attend church we expect to "feel God's presence." Rightly so!The Bible clearly teaches that Christ's presence fills not only ourminds, but emotions as well.
However, our openness to experience may also make us prey tonovelty. That is why it is so important for Pentecostals to beBible-based. The Spirit of God flows within the river of Scripture.The Spirit of God does not venture where the Word of God does notalso go.
Sad to say, in our quest for experience, there is often a dearthof solid Bible-based preaching by our ministers or personal Biblestudy by our people. When such is absent, then novelty enters as adevice for attracting people and crowds.
Years ago, a friend wisely counseled me: "What you do as pastor toget people is what you will have to do to keep them. If you arealways riding the latest fad, then you will have to keep the fadsgoing to keep the audience; but, if you will preach God's Word andmake Christ central, then that is all you will need to do to keeppeople."
I have now lived long enough to see many winds of doctrine blowthrough the body of Christ: the Latter Rain movement with itsemphasis of oil miraculously appearing on the palms of hands, thesubmission and shepherding movement, absorption in demonology,positive confession, the health and wealth gospel, kingdom now, holylaughter, and on it goes. I notice that often the leaders who ridethese waves tend also to be riding the next wave when the old wavehas ebbed out. Thus, some former shepherding or extreme faith peopleare now laughing advocates; and, the body of Christ forgets their oldroles, how their extreme emphasis left countless persons spirituallyshipwrecked and divided churches while the financial nests of theserootless teachers were nicely feathered by their naive and gullibleaudiences.
If not careful, the Pentecostal church can quickly assume thecomedian Flip Wilson's caricature and be known as "The Church ofWhat's Happening Now," doing anything to attract a crowd, driven byexpediency rather than Biblical principle.
The Apostle Paul, at the very end of his ministry, had thisconcern heavy on his heart. He warned us about those who come intothe body of Christ with fads and novelties:
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sounddoctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather aroundthem a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears wantto hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn asideto myths" (2 Tim. 4:3,4).
At times, I have been asked "What's the Lord been saying to youlately?" I get the inference from the questioner that unless I have a"late" revelation I must not be in tune with God, or not "hip." Myheart cries out to answer: "Here's what the Lord has been saying tome lately. 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,mind soul and strength; and your neighbor as yourself.'" We need tolong for a bedrock experience in Christ rather than chasing the chaffblown by every wind and whim of doctrine.
A trusted spiritual mentor admonished me regarding myresponsibilities as a minister: "The main things are the plain thingsand the plain things are the main things." That's certainly true asyou read the book of Acts. The early believers "devoted themselves tothe apostles' teaching [i.e., doctrine] and to thefellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). Notehow the main things were the plain things. Novelist Lloyd Douglastells about a man who went to visit his old violin teacher and asked,"What's new?"
"I'll tell you what's new" said the teacher. He grabbed his tuningfork and banged it. The tuning fork, at 440 cycles per second,vibrates an "A" -- the "A" came out loud and clear.
"Do you hear that? That's an 'A,'" he proclaimed. "Now, upstairs asoprano rehearses endlessly and she's always off key. Next door Ihave a cello player who plays his instrument very poorly. There is anout-of-tune piano on the other side of me. I'm surrounded by terriblenoise night and day."
Plunking the "A" again, he continued, "Do you hear that? That's an'A' today. There will be an 'A' tomorrow. It will never change."
As believers, we must find our "A" in the central themes of theGospel: Jesus Christ -- our Savior, Baptizer, Healer, and Soon ComingKing!
Toward the end of the apostolic era, and at the beginning of thesecond century, a heresy developed in Christianity called Gnosticism.Its title came from the Greek word "gnosis," knowledge. The Gnosticsclaimed extra-Biblical revelation, and were inordinately fascinatedwith the unseen world, and hierarchies of angels. You were not"spiritual" unless you bought into their so-called secret knowledge,their mapping of the world of principalities and powers. Paul warnedthe Colossians against those who foisted onto the body of Christ such"secret" knowledge which had no basis in apostolic doctrine:
"Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen andhis unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lostconnection with the Head from whom the whole body supported and heldtogether by its ligaments and sinews grows as God causes it to grow"(Col. 2:18-19).
The next time a new "wave" of doctrine hits your church, askyourself: "If this is so important, why didn't Jesus mention it? Whydidn't the apostles teach it? Why is it not referred to or commandedin Scripture? Why does it not seem to have been thought of orpracticed by the early Church?
Obviously, we did ask those questions at the turn of the centuryin the modern outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We found that thedoctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the "full Gospel" hadbeen taught by Jesus, the apostles, the Scripture, and the earlychurch. The reason the doctrine fell out of practice was that theChurch neglected and abandoned biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit.So, the Holy Spirit brought the Pentecostal Movement into being torecover what had been lost; He never brought us into being to inventwhat was never there in the first place!
The Gnostics looked down on the Bible-based Christian. They pridedthemselves on their "secret" knowledge. They had the "meat" whileothers had only the "milk." They were mature because they understood"the deeper things of the Spirit." We must be on guard regarding thereemergence of a new Gnosticism in the church today which leadspeople beyond the sure foundation of Scripture into the orbit ofpersuasive personalities who promote and sell their own ideas andexperiences. Such do not obey the apostolic injunction to "Preach theWord" (2 Tim. 4:2), preferring instead to pawn off on the body ofChrist, for an offering or for notoriety, their new, heretoforesecret spiritual elixir.
Further, we must be on guard lest this Gnostic emphasis, a twin tonew age eastern mysticism, subtly invades Christian worship. Such anemphasis seeks to bring the seeker into an altered state ofconsciousness wherein rationality is suspended and the worshipperfloats inert in the divine "om," the yoga state of mental void. NewTestament worship, while impacting the senses and the emotions,involves also the mind and will. To the spiritual mystics at Corinth,Paul gave the reminder that
"The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace" (1 Cor.14:32,33).
Have you heard of the weeping Madonna? In mid-April, 1995, I wasin Italy and the weeping Madonna was attracting far more mediaattention there than the laughing revival has attracted in NorthAmerica and Western Europe.
The parish priest of a small community forty miles northwest ofRome purchased a slender 18-inch-tall plaster of paris statue of Marywhile on a visit to Croatia the previous summer. The statuesupposedly represents the Madonna of Medjugore, a town in Bosniawhere the virgin Mary allegedly appeared to children a decadeago.
The Italian priest gave the statue as a present to his neighbor,who installed it in a specially built niche in his garden.
On February 2, 1995, the five-year-old daughter noticed theMadonna weeping blood, and 14 times since then it has so wept. Frontpage newspaper photos have shown the blood-smeared checks of theMadonna. As word got out, thousands flocked to see the weepingMadonna. The local bishop, at first skeptical, took the statue intohis own house to ascertain whether the phenomenon was genuine, andreported that the Madonna wept while he held it in his hands.
Since I was in the area, out of curiosity, I stopped by the smallparish church of St. Augustine, outside the city of Civitavecchia --the parish to which this Madonna belongs. I talked with severallocals. Some women at the church told me they had themselves seen theblood on the Madonna. DNA tests have already determined that theblood is human and male -- supposedly, the blood of Jesus (or theblood of someone who is faking the phenomenon). Another local personI talked with speculated that the DNA would match the blood on theShroud of Turin, the supposed burial cloth of Jesus.
Thus, during Easter Week of 1995, the talk of the town and of agreat deal of Italy, centered not on the death or resurrection ofChrist; but, a statue of Mary weeping blood. National news mediatrucks, with satellite dishes, were parked outside the parish churchto beam the latest news of the weeping Madonna to Italy and theworld.
As Protestants and people of the Book, we would not hesitate toevaluate this phenomena of the weeping Madonna by the light ofScripture. We hear the warning of Luther ringing in our ears:"Scripture Only." We recognize this weeping Madonna is occurringwithin a religious system which has openly embraced teaching notfound in the Bible: praying to the saints, purgatory,transubstantiation, indulgences, papal primacy, praying for the dead,the immaculate conception and perpetual virginity of Mary, and herbodily assumption into heaven where she is a co-mediator beforeGod.
Why am I relating the story of the weeping Madonna within thecontext of an article on the laughing revival? If we blindly acceptall non-Scriptural phenomena simply on the basis of our feelings,experience, or that there is no human explanation -- then we riskdrifting into a dangerous subjectivity which will in the course oftime pull us, like the Roman church, further and further away fromBiblical Christianity. Such a drift can ultimately produce ageneration easily prey to a complete deception away from Christ (Mt.24:24).
It is not improper for Pentecostals to err on the side of caution.We would do well to remain within the circle of Scriptural safety,and not traverse into the danger zones of spiritual phenomena justoutside the circumference (the penumbra) of God's written Word.
Why place major focus on peripheral experiences or doctrines whenwe may instead give central focus to our Lord, His doctrine, and thatof His apostles?
How can the body of Christ become immunized to the constant windsof doctrine which buffet us today? I have found the best answer isnot to become a negative critic, a brittle apologist, or an unlovingdoctrinal sword rattler. Neither the world nor the church is helpedby mean-spirited persons. Sad to say, there are many examples ofpersons whose theological orthodoxy is sound, but the manner in whichthey behave is inconsistent with the fruit of the Spirit. They shootarrows of discord, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions ratherthan demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:19-22). (By theway, since self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, why is the trait oflack of self-control so celebrated in the laughingmanifestation?)
In the late seventies and early 1980s I was pastoring in southernCalifornia. I became especially strident against the so-calledword-of-faith movement. Their claim? Failure to be healed is aperson's own fault: either sin or unbelief are the only two thingswhich can prevent healing. One dear distraught believer said to me,"Because of them, I not only had to deal with the burden imposed bymy illness (multiple sclerosis); but, I now also had to deal with theheavier burden that I was responsible for having and keeping theillness." I noticed, however, that my preaching against this emphasisbecame very shrill. One day, I felt the Holy Spirit gently say: "Youhave no right to criticize the positive faith movement. You don'tgive an opportunity regularly in your services for the sick to beprayed for, so you have no right to condemn others."
I immediately realized where I had erred. In seeking to correct animbalance, I had gone to the opposite end of imbalance. Immediately,I moved to the center -- and almost no service went by thereafter inwhich there was not an opportunity for the sick to be anointed withoil and prayed for.
Why this emphasis today on laughing? Is it possible that mostchurch services and the individual Christian's spiritual liferesemble a funeral more than anything else? There's no life!Nothing's happening!
Has the joy of the Lord gone out of your church or personalexperience? Is there a deadness in the body of Christ?
The correction is not to get on the other extreme; but, to becomecentered in Christ Jesus. The best alternative for "wild fire" is"real fire!"
We also need to recognize that our society is one which prefersthe microwave to the oven. We want it all "now." The "laughter"experience is joy microwaved. I have talked with some who have,through laughter, experienced a genuine and instant deliverance fromdepression (and I have been in services where the laughter seemedvery forced, guttural, unnatural, and attention-getting). At the sametime, however, we must also recognize that joy, as a fruit of theSpirit, is developmental. It takes time to grow, even as does loveand patience.
By the way, wouldn't it be wonderful if we had a "patience"revival, where with one quick inoculation we could be spirituallyimmunized against impatience. But, would a "patience" emphasisattract the same interest and crowds as a "laughing" emphasis?
Joy should be part and parcel of our Christian experience. Itflows out of our relationship to Jesus Christ Since we know He isVictor over sin, death, hell, the devil, and the grave -- we arealive with triumph! Jesus Himself gave us a picture of the truelaughing revival when he told the stories of the things that arelost. His permission to rejoice is a welcome antidote to any false oraberrational emphasis present in the current laughing revival.
When the shepherd finds his lost sheep, what does he do? "Hejoyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls hisfriends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I havefound my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there is morerejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-ninerighteous persons who do not need to repent." (Lu. 15:6,7)).
And when the woman finds her lost coin, what does she do? Shecalls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me:I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you there isrejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner whorepents." (Lu. 15: 9,10).
Finally, when the lost son returns home, what does his father do?""'Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead andis alive again: he was lost and is found.' So they began tocelebrate. (Lu. 15: 23,24).
The true laughing revival, spoken of by Jesus Himself, is onewhich comes to a church doing the work of evangelism, which knows theunlimited joy of seeing lost men and women, boys and girls, come toChrist.
Before that kind of revival occurs, there must be work and effort.The shepherd searches for the lost sheep, the woman seeks the lostcoin, the father agonizes over the lost son.
As this century draws to a close, may the body of Christexperience that kind of a revival -- an unprecedented hour ofevangelism with believers who truly celebrate over the lost beingfound!
Finally, I hesitate to explore an issue which every Pentecostalpastor has had to deal with. I am concerned about beingmisunderstood, and of appearing judgmental rather than honestlyevaluating. But, the problem is real and needs to be addressed -- soI risk being thoroughly criticized.
In the body of Christ many kinds of believers are found: new,immature, mature, young, old, carnal, spiritual, balanced, andimbalanced.
I have observed that every time revival occurs a good number ofpersons enter in who could be described as mentally, emotionally, orrelationally disturbed, neurotic or psychotic. The Spirit literallydraws them out of the woodwork. It is a time, when like the Gadarenedemoniac (Mark 5), they can be helped or delivered. Most are unstablebelievers, who float from church to church.
Sometimes, during a genuine move of the Spirit, they act in veryextreme and even inappropriate ways. In fact, their behavior, if notdealt with in loving firmness, can quickly become a sideshow. Otherslay aside their own seeking of the Lord because of the distraction;and some are so repelled by the behavior they either leave ordetermine they want none of "that." Let me make clear that I am notreferring to the valid demonstration of spiritual gifts; but toextremes in conduct or expression of spiritual gifts wherein theworshipper seems to be reaching out to get the attention ofothers.
I once asked the late J. Edwin Orr about this phenomenon inrevival: the eruption of silliness, craziness, "the flesh," orextremes in behavior. Dr. Orr studied and wrote more on the historyand nature of revival than anyone in the whole twenty centuries ofChristianity. He explained to me: "When revival begins, the church islike a cabin on the Maine coast boarded up for the winter. A strongnor'easter begins to blow. If you are on the premises, what do youbegin to hear? The sound of all the loose hinges and shutters nowmaking noise and vibrating in the wind.
"So," Dr. Orr explained, "it's that way in the church. The wind ofrevival comes and what you first begin to notice is the sound beingmade by persons who are loose hinges and shutters."
That explanation helped me. Many people want nothing to do withrevival because all they know of it is its first effect: the looseshutters and hinges rattling and attracting attention.
By Dr. Orr's understanding of revival, given some of the crazinessin some charismatic circles today, the Spirit is coming powerfully torevive the whole church. The wind of His Presence has begun toblow!
Let us lift our attention from the loose hinges and shutters tothe Person of the Spirit Himself whose central mission is to exaltChrist!!
May I conclude by offering some counsel to those pastors andChristian leaders who are sincerely concerned for revival, who wantto embrace what the Spirit is doing; but, desire to avoid pitfallswhich bring harm to the body of Christ and individual believers inparticular?
1. Self-examination.
The laughing phenomenon should prompt us to look inside ourselves.Do you have the joy of the Lord? Developmentally, joy flows out ofour personal relationship to Jesus. It is the second fruit of theSpirit, following after the first, love (Gal. 5:22). Note theconnection: love; then, joy. The New Testament continually gives uspractical help on becoming a loving person (Rom. 12:9-21 and I Cor.13). Our temptation is the desire to receive love rather than giveit: but, in Jesus we have received by grace through faith the love ofGod in overflowing measure. A loved and loving person produces a lifeof joy.
Is that not why Paul can write the letter of joy, Philippians,from a prison cell? He is not, at that moment, experiencing gales oflaughter -- but, he can continually say: "Rejoice in the Lord always.I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4).
Our joy must be integrally related to the formation of Christiancharacter. Joy must not be elevated to the pinnacle of Christianvirtue, as though it should be the singular dominant trait of theChristian life. Rather, joy walks together with the companions oflove, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,and self-control.
The life of too many believers is marked by joylessness, despair,depression, bitterness, and anger.
The Holy Spirit's task to replicate the life of Jesus in us -- andJesus, although never recorded as laughing, continually manifestedjoy (Lu. 10:21, Jn. 15:11). His joy desires to dwell in us! We must,therefore, ask ourselves if we are consciously or unconsciouslyblocking out His joy from our lives? Is there unconfessed sin?Unforgiveness? Failure to trust Him in trial?
Thus, our initial reaction to the so-called laughing revival isnot one of censure or condemnation; but, of introspection. Does Hisjoy radiate through my life? If not, then my emptiness must be turnedinto hunger for His presence. We must let the Holy Spirit point outany corrective measures we need to take; and, then let Him praythough us in languages learned and unlearned.
Paul reminds us of the value of praying in unknown tongues -- thatwe ourselves are edified or built up (I Cor. 14:4). Surely, an aspectof praying in the Spirit is the replenishment of joy in the innerlife. If, in my own personal communion with Him, the Lord wants todownload a great measure of joy so that I laugh before Him, then mayI be willing to receive all He wants.
2. Regulation,
Quite clearly, the apostle Paul distinguishes between personaledification and the edification of the whole church. Thus, in ICorinthians 12:14, he places a regulation on the public use of thegift of tongues. In private, he speaks in tongues even more than theCorinthians; but, in public when a believer functions in the gift oftongues by giving an utterance for the whole church, such must speakone at a time, the utterance must be interpreted, and a maximum ofthree utterances occur per service.
The Corinthian church enjoyed speaking with other tongues. Theywere as fascinated and drawn into an excessive public expression oftongues as some in the contemporary charismatic church are drawn tolaughing or other phenomena. But, keep perspective.
(1) Unbelievers must be considered. If even a Scripturallyestablished gift such as other tongues without interpretation turnoff the unbeliever to the claims of the Gospel, how much more anon-Scriptural gift such as laughing: "Will they not say you are outof your mind?" (I Cor. 14:23).
(2) The church must be edified. What builds up one individual maynot build up the whole. Suppose, in I Corinthians 14:4-5, wesubstituted laughing in the place of the gift of tongues? We wouldhave a helpful rule for regulating laughter in the church: "He who[laughs] edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies thechurch. I would like every one of you to [laugh], but I wouldrather have you prophesy. He who prophesies [i.e., preaches orspeaks with anointing] is greater than one who [laughs],unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified."
Now, in the above passage, I don't for a moment think Paul wouldelevate the phenomenon of laughter to the same status and place asthe gift of tongues; therefore, it is most unlikely he would say "Iwould like everyone of you to laugh." But, my point is this: we mustbe concerned for the building up of the church. To the persons whomisused the gift of tongues in the Corinthian church and to thecontemporary advocates of laughing, Paul says, under inspiration ofthe Spirit: "Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try toexcel in gifts that build up the church" (1 Cor. 14:12).
(3) Love, not spiritual gifts or laughter, must be at thecenter.
That's why I Corinthians 13 lies between the chapters on spiritualgifts, 12 and 14. How sad to see persons who insist on exercisinglaughter at the expense of dividing a local church. Both laughers andnon-laughers would do best to regulate all conduct by the test of ICorinthians 13.
Romans 14 and 15 also must be considered as part of the rule oflove. Believers may sometimes divide on peripheral practices --therefore, we do well to paraphrase Paul's admonition to believerswho divided over the issue of eating meat offered to idols: "Do notdestroy the work of God for the sake of [laughing]" (Rom.14:20).
3. Remember the cold water.
Many Pentecostals had the unpleasant experience of initiallysharing their testimony of the baptism of the Spirit with a pastor orspiritual person whom they thought would rejoice with them; only tofind that the trusted Christian poured cold water on theirexperience.
As leaders, our task is not to pour cold water on persons whotestify to a fresh experience with God. Our first responsibility isto rejoice with them for a victory or deliverance they have had. Aswe embrace them in their newfound joy, we also make it possiblethrough our personal bond to become encouragers and models to them infurther growth in Christ.
For example, Paul knew there were problems in the Corinthianchurch; but, he does not begin his first letter to them by attackingthe believers or denigrating their value or their faith. He offersthem "grace and peace." Having established his bond with them, he isthen able to proceed in helping them mature in Christ. Sometimes, hecorrects gently and at other times, sharply; but, always Paulcommunicates his love and pastoral care for the flock of God. Let usdo the same.
4. The continuum away from Scripture.
The modern Pentecostal revival is replete with examples of personswho got caught up in a non-Scriptural emphasis or experience, and astheir so-called ministry progressed, they journeyed further andfurther away from Scripture. Few in the present generation rememberO. L. Jaggers or William Branham -- great Pentecostal preachers atone time; but, who wandered far away from apostolic doctrine.
Laughing in the Spirit appears to be on the edge of the circle ofBiblical doctrine. Unlike the gift of tongues, miracles, ordiscernment, for example, laughing in the Spirit gains no mention orapproval in Scripture. Neither is it condemned.
There are two very apparent dangers, however, inherent in thecurrent laughing phenomena:
(1) That it will assume a higher value than the Biblicalexperience of the baptism of the Spirit, or praying personally inother tongues. Sometimes I wonder if the unspoken sentiment of thelaughing advocates may be: "You've had tongues, now let's go on tosomething new." In that context, Spirit-baptized believers, who havehad a Biblically taught experience, are made to feel that they areincomplete. They have "only spoken with other tongues, but theyhaven't laughed."
The Pentecostal revival will collapse within a generation if weeven unthinkingly begin to devaluate genuine Bible taught experiencein favor of new experiences not commanded or exampled in Scripture.One can truthfully say from the Bible, "If you have not been baptizedin the Spirit. you have not received all God has for you;" but, onecannot say: "If you haven't yet laughed in the Spirit, you do nothave all God wants for you."
Laughing is unique; speaking with other tongues is the normativeScriptural pattern.
(2) Once you depart from experience which is rooted in Scriptureto embrace spiritual phenomena of any sort, in all likelihood therewill be further development in extreme manifestations. Witness thecurrent phenomena: in some charismatic churches, roaring and evenbarking has begun. The roaring is explained as "The Lion of Judah." Ido not know what the barking represents. I do know that if the spiritof prophets is subject to the prophet (I Cor. 14:32); then, surelythe spirit of the roarer and barker is subject to them. Sometimes weneed to call things by their real name: and I do not hesitate to saythat barking and roaring is "weird." It either comes from a mistakenfleshly notion (the human flesh is capable of making a lot ofcommotion) or it is the devil roaring and his dogs barking.
Let not the Pentecostal church get caught up in such mysticismtotally devoid of any Scriptural root.
Finally, you may feel it has been inappropriate for me to addressthis matter of the current laughing revival. If I have erred in anyway, with all my heart, I want the Scripture and the Spirit tocorrect me.
Some have counseled, in regard to these matters, that we shouldnot attempt any examination "For if their purpose or activity is ofhuman origin, it will fail. But if it is from God you will not beable to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fightingagainst God" (Acts 4:38-39).
Remember who spoke those words? The teacher of Paul -- Gamaliel.They were true words as applied to the apostles and the church ofJesus Christ. However, Paul never takes the advice of his oldprofessor when it came to dealing with false doctrine in the church.Read his letters and note that he does not base the validity of anydoctrine on its outward success, acceptance, or growth; but, uponfidelity to Jesus Christ. If Gamaliel's test were always to be used,then we would have to affirm many things as being from God which arenot. Islam has not yet died out, nor Buddhism; nor cults such asMormonism or Jehovah Witnesses. The fact that these religions arestill growing is not a testament at all to their validity.
Recently, I visited in Rome the prison from which Paul is believedto have written 2 Timothy prior to his own execution by Caesar. Hewould have been lowered into the cell through a hole in the ceiling.In the cold dampness of that dimly lit cell, his words brilliantlyreach us today and illuminate our hearts. He closes the letter with acharge to Timothy and all Christian leaders: "PREACH THE WORD" (2Tim. 4:2)! He does not say, "Preach your own experience. Preach fads.Preach minor things as major things "No! He says:
"PREACH THE WORD!"
Why does he say that? Because "the time will come when men willnot put up with sound doctrine" (2 Tim. 4:3).
There are all kinds of doctrine, but only some are sound. Onlysound doctrine produces spiritual health and well-being,Christ-likeness and Godliness.
Most needed in the church today are those whose emphasis lies withthe preaching of God's Word, the faithful exposition of eternal truthgiven us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As preachers of theGospel, let us guard with diligence the trust given us. When the Wordof God is not faithfully proclaimed, persons fall quickly into errorand deviate from the centrality of Jesus Christ and His work of gracein our lives.
We are all praying today for God to wonderfully revive us, andempower His church to bear witness to His name throughout all theearth. And, the Holy Spirit has already begun His renewing work. Whenrevival occurs it is always marked by deep repentance, passion forholiness, travailing, fasting and prayer, resurgence of spiritualgifts and fruit, unity in the Body, deliverance of the oppressed,anointed music, Christ-centered living and preaching, signs andwonders, ardent evangelism and missionary efforts, resurgence ofyoung people preparing for full-time ministry, diminishment of socialproblems and crime, and -- most importantly of all -- the salvationof the lost!
"Oh God, send that kind of revival upon us!"
Copyright, 1995 George 0. Wood 1445 Boonville Avenue Springfield,MO 65802 ----------- COPYRIGHT/REPRODUCTION LIMITATIONS: Used withpermission. This data file is the sole property of George O. Wood,General Secretary, The General Council of the Assemblies of God, USA.It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced onlyin its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. Allreproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice[i.e., "Copyright (C)1995 by George O. Wood, General Secretary,The General Council of the Assemblies of God, USA"]. This datafile may not be used without the permission of The General Council ofthe Assemblies of God, USA, for resale or the enhancement of anyother product sold. This includes all of its content with theexception of a few brief quotations. Please give the following sourcecredit: Copyright (C)1995 by George O. Wood, General Secretary, TheGeneral Council of the Assemblies of God, USA. -
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