Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
| PentecostalTheology.com
A MOTION for a PENTECOSTAL EMOTION
If there was a New Bapticostal Edition [NuBE] of the Bible, Acts 2 would have read like this:
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind [causing no obvious change in the disciples who sat there in silence without any wonder of what that may be]
came from heaven [where Jesus had just gone, so nor emotional surprise there either]
and filled the whole house where they were sitting [but they were of no fear, trembling or any other emotion – yeah, right ]
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire [but still their stone faces showed no emotion]
that separated and came to rest on each of them [causing absolutely no emotional distress to any of them]
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit [but no external change occurred as they clearly possessed power to control this might move of God]
and began to speak in other tongues[a] [but now shouting, crying, laughing, screaming, jumping, leaping]
as the Spirit enabled them. [yet they left the place in the same emotional state they arrived – not a thing changed]
Symeon the New Theologian reportedly cried, groaned, whaled and spoke in tongues, all done with no obvious emotion
Early Quakers prayed and jumped. George Fox said they trembled (quaked) at the name of God and the name stuck with them but hardly any emotion there either
Russian Mollokans were known to pray on their knees until the Spirit power fell on them and speaking in tongues to move across the room back and forth on their knees crying to God
Some Mollokans called Leapers were known to jump while showing no emotion at all
Other Mollokans calls Tryassuny (from Russian “to shake”) shook under the Spirit in a completely composed manner
During the Wales revival people without seeing any emotions in the converts, all drinking pubs in many cities closed down for good
NOTE: none of them have seen anything even remotely to African worship in order to imitate it. But they have seen the power of GOD…
Also there 1801 Cane Ridge, KY revival – a true Appalachian religion much alike the early Church of God; many in trans on the floors, some even barking like dogs
Maria Woodworth-Etter’s crusades were mocked by newspapers nationwide probably for not having any emotions in them
“Though glossolalia and divine healing became the pivotal experiential doctrines in the AG, prophecy, miracles and demonic exorcisms were also part and parcel of the Pentecostal package. More controversial were the strange physical manifestations that generated the pejorative label “Holy Rollers” ascribed by outsiders to Pentecostal believers who sometimes fell in a faint to the floor, jumped pews, violently jerked and shook, laughed, barked or rolled in the aisles under the alleged influence of the Holy Spirit [quote from AG General Council, while all these with absolutely no emotion among the AG folks wither]
Even Catholic today get slain in the Spirit after receiving prayer from priests like Fernando Suarez, but consistently show no emotion about any of this
And last but not least, the book “Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom,” starting with ch. 4 sums up all of the above as “Apocalyptic affection,” without which Pentecostalism simply cannot exist as itself.
If there was a New Bapticostal Edition [NuBE] of the Bible, Acts 2 would have read like this:
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind [causing no obvious change in the disciples who sat there in silence without any wonder of what that may be]
came from heaven [where Jesus had just gone, so nor emotional surprise there either]
and filled the whole house where they were sitting [but they were of no fear, trembling or any other emotion – yeah, right ]
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire [but still their stone faces showed no emotion]
that separated and came to rest on each of them [causing absolutely no emotional distress to any of them]
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit [but no external change occurred as they clearly possessed power to control this might move of God]
and began to speak in other tongues[a] [but now shouting, crying, laughing, screaming, jumping, leaping]
as the Spirit enabled them. [yet they left the place in the same emotional state they arrived – not a thing changed]
Symeon the New Theologian reportedly cried, groaned, whaled and spoke in tongues, all done with no obvious emotion
Early Quakers prayed and jumped. George Fox said they trembled (quaked) at the name of God and the name stuck with them but hardly any emotion there either
Russian Mollokans were known to pray on their knees until the Spirit power fell on them and speaking in tongues to move across the room back and forth on their knees crying to God
Some Mollokans called Leapers were known to jump while showing no emotion at all
Other Mollokans calls Tryassuny (from Russian “to shake”) shook under the Spirit in a completely composed manner
During the Wales revival people without seeing any emotions in the converts, all drinking pubs in many cities closed down for good
NOTE: none of them have seen anything even remotely to African worship in order to imitate it. But they have seen the power of GOD…
Also there 1801 Cane Ridge, KY revival – a true Appalachian religion much alike the early Church of God; many in trans on the floors, some even barking like dogs
Maria Woodworth-Etter’s crusades were mocked by newspapers nationwide probably for not having any emotions in them
“Though glossolalia and divine healing became the pivotal experiential doctrines in the AG, prophecy, miracles and demonic exorcisms were also part and parcel of the Pentecostal package. More controversial were the strange physical manifestations that generated the pejorative label “Holy Rollers” ascribed by outsiders to Pentecostal believers who sometimes fell in a faint to the floor, jumped pews, violently jerked and shook, laughed, barked or rolled in the aisles under the alleged influence of the Holy Spirit [quote from AG General Council, while all these with absolutely no emotion among the AG folks wither]
Even Catholic today get slain in the Spirit after receiving prayer from priests like Fernando Suarez, but consistently show no emotion about any of this
And last but not least, the book “Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom,” starting with ch. 4 sums up all of the above as “Apocalyptic affection,” without which Pentecostalism simply cannot exist as itself.” />
Link Hudson [11/06/2015 6:20 AM]
I notice Acts 2 doesn’t say anything about them being in an emotional frenzy. That topic isn’t addressed. Some onlookers accused them of being drunk. Maybe that’s a hint of some sort of emotional state. I suppose it’s possible they could make that accusation if they saw some uneducated-looking Galileans speaking in other languages that they didn’t know were real.
Acts 2 doesn’t say that any of the apostles got so super excited that they started dancing around, or shouting uncontrollably while being overwhelmed by emotion. It doesn’t say that Peter talked to the rest of the apostles and told them they looked like they’d been baptized in lemon juice, and that they needed to look more excited.
God made us with emotions. There are times to rejoice. There are times to mourn and weep. But it’s also possible to overemphasize emotions or to wrongly condemn people for not having the emotions you want them to. James told the afflicted to pray and the happy to sing psalms. He didn’t command them to all have the same feelings and condemn them if they didn’t.
John Kissinger [11/06/2015 8:08 AM]
Do you believe that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, He brought His gifts and fruit as well?
Link Hudson [11/07/2015 2:25 PM]
John Kissinger As far as fruit goes, if ye walk in the Spirit, ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Bearing fruit is a process.
If people barked at Cain Ridge, does that mean it’s good for Christians to bark in church? Some people, even folks who believe in the gifts, look at that and say even amidst true moves of God, there can be emotional excesses. Would you want to go to a church where everyone barks like a dog? I’ve heard of that sort of thing, but I’ve never seen anyone go to church and bark like a dog that I recall. And if I have, it would have been a little kid playing.
Btw, are those idols in that Easter Island picture? I’m curious about your choice of photo.
John Kissinger [11/07/2015 4:19 PM]
Psychology tells us many people in the ministry are introverts. Does this has something to do with lacking external expression? Timothy
Timothy Carter [11/08/2015 3:03 AM]
B this is a great article 🙂
John Kissinger [11/08/2015 6:47 AM]
Timothy Carter Take the title and write your dissertation on it. A MOTION for a PENTECOSTAL EMOTION: Toward theology of Pentecostal emotion and worship
Timothy Carter [11/08/2015 6:50 AM]
This is one of the best books to understand how personality traits affect spiritual gifts with men ministry.
Check out this book on Goodreads: Personality Type and Religious Leadership http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1016936.Personality_Type_and_Religious_Leadership
John Kissinger [11/08/2015 6:54 AM]
Timothy Carter ever since CPE I’ve been the salesman type thou I’ve never sold anything 🙂 Link Hudson the FRUIT of the SPIRIT is mainly emotion. Seems like through sanctification GOD is renewing our very emotions as well. How are we then NOT to express them in our worship toward GOD? Not to mention there are multiple OT and NT verses where GOD calls for and even orders emotion in our worship toward Him. We may even conclude that the lack of Godly emotion during worship indicates lack of sanctification and holiness in worship Melvin Harter Alan N Carla Smith
Link Hudson [11/08/2015 12:31 PM]
John Kissinger I”m not against emotions and I believe our faith should affect our emotions, so your comments feel like a bit of a straw man. But I wouldn’t say that list is mostly emotion. Love has an emotional component, but we are also to love in deed. Patience, kindness, goodnes, faithfullness, gentleness, and self control aren’t emotions, but have a relationship to our emotions, too.
I’m not against expression of emotion. But pagans and atheists have emotions, too. And the Holy Spirit is not our emotions.
John Kissinger [11/08/2015 3:55 PM]
Link are you an introvert?
Link Hudson [11/09/2015 2:36 AM]
John Kissinger When I took Myer’s Briggs I was just barely an extrovert. I think I was EFTJ one time I took it.
John Kissinger [11/09/2015 6:07 AM]
I am surprised. Has this changed over time?
Link Hudson [11/09/2015 3:37 PM]
John Kissinger I took a mini-test once that had slightly different results, but I think I was still a mild extrovert. I don’t know if there is any actual peer reviewed support for Myers Briggs. I haven’t really researched it, but I’ve heard a professors make that comment. She couldn’t think of any support for cognitive dissodence. That theory is rather intuitive and just seems to be true. I think it’s possible to find papers that find results using measures of extroversion version introversion, though.
John Kissinger [11/09/2015 4:03 PM]
oh yes mini-test 🙂 Timothy Carter
Link Hudson [11/09/2015 4:21 PM]
I think I took one full and one mini.
Timothy Carter [11/09/2015 4:49 PM]
Take The Fruit of the Spirit Inventory
John Kissinger [11/09/2015 5:09 PM]
most all of it is #EMOTIONS in the Spirit
John Kissinger [11/13/2015 9:13 AM]
Mr. Been kills the theory of Link Hudson 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/pai.gdragon/videos/870542443045012/
John Kissinger [11/13/2015 3:35 PM]
Link Hudson if you dont believe the Bible, believe Bro. Been 🙂
Link Hudson [11/13/2015 5:32 PM]
John Kissinger I believe the Bible, and I’m glad they didn’t make Mr. Bean try to be Pentecostal about it.
Varnel Watson
good old discussion on Pentecostal praise
Daniel J Hesse
C’mon somebody!
Varnel Watson
If there was a New Bapticostal Edition [NuBE] of the Bible, Acts 2 would have read like this:
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind [causing no obvious change in the disciples who sat there in silence without any wonder of what that may be]
came from heaven [where Jesus had just gone, so nor emotional surprise there either]
and filled the whole house where they were sitting [but they were of no fear, trembling or any other emotion – yeah, right ]
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire [but still their stone faces showed no emotion]
that separated and came to rest on each of them [causing absolutely no emotional distress to any of them]
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit [but no external change occurred as they clearly possessed power to control this might move of God]
and began to speak in other tongues[a] [but now shouting, crying, laughing, screaming, jumping, leaping]
as the Spirit enabled them. [yet they left the place in the same emotional state they arrived – not a thing changed]
Varnel Watson
A MOTION for a PENTECOSTAL EMOTION: Toward theology of Pentecostal emotion and worship
Steve Phifer
Well said! Here’s my take on the topic: https://stevephifer.com/whats-so-bad-about-feeling-good/
Anonymous
https://spiritualgifts.wordpress.com/2007/05/05/take-the-fruit-of-the-spirit-inventory/