This article rom the New York Times, 9 July, 2011, describes a US church that combines a 24/7 cycle of continuous prayer with an eschatological focus on preparing for the end times and the second coming of Christ. A daily round of prayer (even if not "24/7")has been a strong part of Christian devotional practice and feature of monastic life for many centuries so in that respect there is a devotional intensity here that is attractive. In terms of relating to the culture, which is a huge goal of contemporary culture, the appropriation of the IHOP name is brilliant, even if it is being contested in court. However, as the NYT article notes, some evangelical theologians have raised concerns about the teaching of the International House of Prayer's teachings. Andrew Jackson's (Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary) concerns as found here are thoughtful and worth reading, both on essential vs nonessential eschatological teachings and on the ecclesiological dangers of a church using private insider language. MP+
Where Worship Never Pauses
By ERIK ECKHOLM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The worship music, throbbing soft-rock appeals performed by live bands, has continued here without pause, day and night, since May 1999. Voices calling to Jesus or pleading with God to help tornado victims or make Congress ban abortion resound in an auditorium that is the physical and spiritual heart of the International House of Prayer, a Christian ministry rapidly blossoming into a movement.
Founded 12 years ago by Mike Bickle, a self-trained evangelical pastor, with a group of 20, the International House of Prayer, in a former strip mall, now draws tens of thousands of worshipers to its revival meetings. A wholly devoted cadre of 1,000 staff members, labeled missionaries, have given up careers to move here, living off donations and spending several hours a day in the prayer hall to revel in what they describe as direct communication with God. Another thousand students attend the adjacent Bible college, preparing to spread this fervent brand of Christianity.
The well-populated prayer room and the devout community growing up around it are at the epicenter of a little known but expanding national network: dozens of groups that are stressing perpetual prayer in a way seldom seen in modern America, said Marcus Yoars, the editor of Charisma, an evangelical magazine. Many of them were inspired by the operation here, though none have maintained such an elaborate 24-hour system of worship, seen around the world on a live webcast.
Mr. Bickle has won praise from many evangelicals, but he has also been criticized by some pastors for what they describe as unorthodox theology and a cultish atmosphere, charges that Mr. Bickle rejects. Some former students said they had been expelled for questioning the fascination with mystical healings, prophesies, angels and demons.
The ministry has also drawn fire for helping Gov. Rick Perry of Texas plan a day of prayer in Houston, which is scheduled for August and will be dominated by ardent opponents of abortion and gay rights. Mr. Bickle said he avoided direct involvement in partisan politics himself, but a member of his leadership group, Lou Engle, has a side group, The Call, that organized stadium revivals to promote California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage.
But many young followers here said they were drawn by their sense of visceral communion with God and had given little thought to such issues.
Read the whole article here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Mad Padre
Followers
Blog Archive
-
▼
2011
(150)
-
▼
July
(14)
- Book apps: A reading revolution, or the end of rea...
- Marijuana a Possible PTSD Cure
- "Where Do Human Rights Come From?": Secular vs Div...
- Help for a veteran in "a perfect storm of things g...
- Language Play of the Week
- Canada's youngest RC Bishop is a Blogger
- Notable Quotable: James Traub on What's Going Rig...
- A Rare Honour for a US Soldier
- This IHOP Serves 24/7 Prayer, Not Pancakes
- Crazy Generous: A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday Af...
- "He Was a Good Soldier": White House Letters of C...
- "The Thirst For Fairness Runs Deep": The Evolutio...
- "A Carbon Copy of Reality": Video Game Technolog...
- “Canadian Forces have stayed here for a long time”...
-
▼
July
(14)
Labels
- Advent (5)
- Adventures in Alberta (11)
- Adventures in Atlantic Canada (17)
- Adventures in Ontario (2)
- All (1)
- All Saints Collingwood (110)
- All Saints King City (128)
- American Civil War (2)
- Angl (1)
- Anglican Church (321)
- Anglican Military Ordinariate (6)
- archaeology (1)
- Beer (2)
- Blogs and Blogging (13)
- Book Reviews (58)
- C.S. Lewis (1)
- C.S. Lewis and Narnia (1)
- Canada At War (18)
- Canadian Armed Forces (25)
- Canadian Forces Chaplain School (2)
- Canadian Military History (1)
- Chaplain Stories (23)
- Chaplaincy Issues (7)
- Children's Ministry (9)
- Christianity and Islam (4)
- Christianity and Society (13)
- Christmas (2)
- Church and Society (8)
- Church History (11)
- Climate (1)
- Climate and Environment (1)
- Conversations (1)
- Cool Stuff (11)
- CS Lewis (1)
- Cultural Studies (1)
- Daily Devotional (37)
- Daily Office (2)
- Death and Dying (5)
- Depression and Suicide in the Military (10)
- Drones (3)
- Easter (2)
- ebooks (7)
- Ecumenism (1)
- Epiphany (6)
- Ethics and Society (31)
- Eucharist (1)
- Evangelism (1)
- Family News (5)
- Films (4)
- Firearms (1)
- First World War (2)
- Flowers (1)
- Food Insecurity (1)
- Friday Theology (19)
- Funerals (5)
- Funny Stuff (36)
- Gaming and Ethics (7)
- Good Friday (2)
- Great War (3)
- Grief and Loss (1)
- Hebrew Scriptures (3)
- Holy Week (6)
- Homiletics and Preaching (6)
- Interfaith Dialogue (3)
- J.R.R. Tolkien (1)
- Jordan Peterson (2)
- Judaism (2)
- Language Play of the Week (9)
- Lent (44)
- Lent Madness (1)
- Lent Madness 2023 (20)
- Lent Madness 2024 (20)
- Literacy and Literature (12)
- Literature and War (2)
- Liturgy (2)
- Living History (1)
- Marriage and Relationships (6)
- Marriage and Society (3)
- Me and My iphone (12)
- Mental Health (9)
- Military and Literature (2)
- Military and Society (59)
- Military and Spirituality (40)
- Military and Suicide (13)
- Military Chaplaincy (109)
- Military Culture (7)
- Military Ethics (68)
- Military Families (10)
- Military Goats (11)
- Military History (67)
- Military History American Civil War (5)
- Military Humour (32)
- Military News (220)
- Military Picture of the Week (36)
- Military Rantings (10)
- Military Reading (3)
- Military Service (42)
- Minature Wargames - My Figures (18)
- Miniature Wargames - Battle Reports (11)
- Miniature Wargames - Miscellaneous (2)
- Music (2)
- Oh Canada (10)
- Over There (122)
- Pandemic (1)
- Physical Fitness (1)
- Pluralism (1)
- Poetry (1)
- Prayer (3)
- Psalms (1)
- PTSD Issues (45)
- Random Stuff (1)
- Reconciliation (2)
- Regional Ministry (1)
- Religion and Conflict (5)
- Religion and Society (74)
- Religion In The News (12)
- Remembrance Day (1)
- Royal Canadian Regiment (4)
- Running (37)
- Sacraments (1)
- Saints (18)
- Saints Days (3)
- Seen on the Run (16)
- Self Care (1)
- ser (1)
- Sermon (3)
- Sermons (346)
- Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) (1)
- Spirituality (23)
- Technology and Humanity (1)
- Terrorism (1)
- The Bible and Society (4)
- The Great War (1)
- The Secular (1)
- Theology (35)
- Tolkien (1)
- Tom Holland (1)
- Travel Stories (3)
- Truth and Reconciliation Canada (2)
- Video Gamex (1)
- Volkswagen Westfalia (8)
- Wanderings (8)
- War and Literature (3)
- Worship (4)
No comments:
Post a Comment