Sometimes I feel as if the local church needs a healthy theology of healing. I’m not speaking of my local church or any church in particular. I just wonder….
What is the responsibility of the local church toward suffering, sickness?
What role/function does the Bible demand of the local church?
Often the individual enduring the crisis is expected to muster the faith or bare the burden.
Does the local church need a more faithful theology of healing? A deeper exploration of Scripture and a pastoral paradigm of healing within the local church?
I’m close to really researching and writing about this..your thoughts
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June 10, 2010 at 9:56 pm
There are a number of levels at which we could tackle this topic. First, I don’t want to mistaken those who have the gift of healing with what should be the norm for each one of us. We need to be called to a proper understanding of healing, which is what I would emphasis for the Church and each of our congregations. Let me just take some from history, John G. Lake, Wigglesworth, and others we could name. Their annointing should challenge us, but we shouldn’t feel condemned or feel we are settling to accept our own giftings and callings.
With that being said, healing should be happening around us. It is God’s will, it is part of what was purchased in blood, and a proper theology is necessary. “Lord, if it be thy will, heal my brother.” We need to evaluate these types of prayers and see where our faith really is.
This leads me to where I want to go next: Faith and Hearing. They are closely linked. Just today I was reading Galatians and 3:5 jumps out at me as it relates to this topic. “Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” Paul is emphasizing faith, and that faith comes through hearing. We can preach the right messages with the right doctrines, but until there are ears to hear what the Spirit is saying faith will not be born in our congregations or Church. These are crucial.
Just getting starting. What are you thoughts?
Michael
June 11, 2010 at 8:53 am
can you delete one of these…lol
June 10, 2010 at 10:16 pm
I am in agreement. I appreciate your thoughts and comment. I believe there is much to glean from history. And we need a deeper appreciation for Scripture and response to it.
June 10, 2010 at 10:16 pm
I was just thinking about this over the past week. If a person gets sick and dies of a disease, is it because of their lack of faith? Should they have done this or that according to faith differently and been healed? I think about mom at the age of nine being diagnosed a diabetic. She believed as a little child, and went off insulin, and nearly died. If a person is healed is it because of their faith or is it all glory to the great God? Is it sometimes His will for us to suffer?
June 10, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Charity, this is some of what I am drawn to study in depth. I realize that healing is ‘child-like faith’, however, it is a complex issue. One body, many members…our gifts ought to work in harmony and provide heathly congregations. Discernment, intimacy with the Father and other non-formula-based theological issues need to be carefully examined for the benefit and health of the local congregation. Charles Farrah’s book, From the Pinnacle of the Temple, is great.
June 11, 2010 at 8:56 am
This is where I am torn…the responsibility of the person sick, something they should do? I would love to see my two nephews healed of CF. We have prayed from day one for their healing, and are still believing. But what is the formula, if there is one?!?
June 10, 2010 at 10:58 pm
You have my interest! It’s definitely a complex subject. I think about Nana too….
June 11, 2010 at 10:28 am
What if no Christian ever suffered disease and sickness; and we all died in our sleep, peacefully?
June 11, 2010 at 11:10 am
I would encourage all to read Rienhard Bonnke’s autobio where he discusses the subject in depth from personal experience on thousands of miraculous healings. His conclusion…there is NO formula but one central theme seems to be “is there a purpose to expand the Kingdom?” Think about it, everyone that is healed eventually dies. There is only one miracle that is eternal, all other miracles seem to be used by God to accomplish that one miracle. Reinhard does NOT focus on healing but healings are used by God to comfirm his message of salvation to peoples who don’t know about Christ. We all know about Christ. What is our motive behind seeking healing miracles?
June 11, 2010 at 1:23 pm
I do want to read his book. I’ve heard powerful things from it. I fully believe God’s healing activity is most directly related to revealing His glory and His love. Spreading the Gospel through His mighty acts has always been central to classical Pentecostal theology. Evangelism is authenticated by His miracles and wonders.
Btw, thank you for the webinar invite. I thoroughly enjoyed it and gleaned much.
June 11, 2010 at 11:12 am
Which requires greater faith…healing or salvaltion?
June 11, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Same? Isn’t the faith, fundamentally, His anyway?
June 11, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Putting healing and salvation together w/ faith in the picture gets me thinking (again).
I don’t believe you can follow Christ except the Lord call you. Sorry, but predestination comes into play, true disciples and those that wanted to follow, but Jesus knew they wouldn’t…doesn’t mean he doesn’t call more…but how does this touch healing?
Can someone muster this faith on their own, or is it also God initiated if you ‘swing that way’?
These are just thoughts, random at that!
(I secretly think faith is key, and expanding the Kingdom essential.)
June 11, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Just added another statement or two to the original post….a few things I am thinking about addressing over the next few months in study..
June 12, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Jeremy,
I think you know that I have really struggled with the issue of sickness and healing. I have a chronic illness that has changed the course of my life. I believe God still heals. I still have hope that he will heal me. However, I think that the conflicting and unbalanced ideas and beliefs surrounding the issue of healing can be a great distraction. I am so much more than a “sick girl”! Even though my understanding about my own pathway to healing is shaky, my trust in God is strong. He has rescued me from unbalanced teaching, self-condemnation, and just basic doubt over and over again. He is the lifter of my head. He is my Jehovah-Rapha. He is my Saviour and I will forever praise Him. But back to your basic question- yes, there is a great need for Biblical, practical teaching on healing and coping with illness in the pentecostal church and beyond.
June 12, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Sonya,
I totally agree! Thank you for sharing. This is exactly what I feel drawn to share. Breaking of condemnation and unbalanced teachings. I just walked out of a Care Group talking about these issues. God is good, God is love and God is mysterious. I don’t have all the answers, but we pray and believe.
June 14, 2010 at 10:34 am
knowing your specific direction now…i think all my posts are random tangents…lol
i think sonya said it best, “He has rescued me from unbalanced teaching, self-condemnation, and just basic doubt over and over again.”