Jacques Ellul, in his study of the city, suggests that, faced with the iron wall of secularism, only the miraculous, the direct intervention of God, is able to break through the supercilious indifference. Jesus says that if the miracles ,which he had performed, had been done in the ancient rebellious cities, of Tyre, Sidon, and even Sodom, then they would have repented (Mt. 11.20-24). While Ellul was no pentecostal, but a radical Barthian, his comment nevertheless opens up the way for us to imagine a possible way to break through in the secular city, a development even more pronounced today than in the 1960s, when Ellul was responding to Harvey Cox’s paean to the so-called Death of God theology.
Practically, we see the possibility of this, in the experience of the churches in the global south, where it is Pentecostalism, which has reached the poor in the mega-cities. To some degree, this is replicated among classical Pentecostals in the UK: in South Wales, Dudley, and Leeds. In the 80s and 90s, Ichthus Fellowship also successfully evangelised and planted churches in the inner city, by emphasising the role of signs and wonders in outreach; following the Messianic command to proclaim the Kingdom, and demonstrate its presence, through prayer for healing or deliverance (Lk. 9.1-2). This they updated contextually, into a simple phrase, to communicate with working class people: “God wants to do something good in your life” – i.e. the kingdom is here, receive, and then respond/repent – get in line with the Divine programme: i.e. submit to the King.
In this way, we might provide a practical apologetics. Philosophical arguments for the existence of God have their place; but they may equally be subsumed into the prevailing rationalism of western society, and fail to penetrate the unbelieving heart, with anything more than a set of interesting ideas. Here is possible experiential evidence, which may supply an opening to a growing awareness of a numinous realm: that there is “something more”.
Naturally, there are objections to such a strategy: theological and practical. For cessationists the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only given to authenticate the initial apostolic message, and are no longer necessary, now the church is established and the Canon of Scripture completed. However, this interpretation would render much of the New Testament, such as Corinthians, irrelevant to the present-day church, as it contains much supernatural material. In this, it is a reformed sister to the dispensationalists, who similarly ignore much of the bible, because, in their view, it relates only to the millennial Kingdom. Thus, supposedly bible-believing Christians exclude vast portions of Scripture from their teaching and discipleship.
In addition, there is much theological ignorance, and distortion, as enthusiastic believers preach the gospel, and often-times add syncretistic elements, of magic and superstition. This leads to, at best, caution over the use of spiritual gifts, if not their actual prohibition. I myself went through a period of scepticism over the gift of prophecy in particular, after I saw the train wrecks many people experienced as they went on hair-brained adventures in obedience to supposed “words” from the Lord. But as David Watson used to say: the answer to mis-use (of the gifts), is not dis-use, but right-use; for which we need teaching and proper procedures.
At a practical level, there have also been many abuses, power play, sexual and financial misconduct. Meetings have indulged in hype and emotional manipulation. Separating spiritual power from principle of grace may also lead to feelings of failure I spoke recently to someone who was left feeling their faith-level was inadequate, when a promised miracle failed to occur; thereby leaving them feeling doubly worse, as guilt was added to their initial problem. In this way a gospel of works replaces justification by grace.
In our cultural context there are two additional factors, which may reduce the capacity of Pentecostalism to impact society. Firstly, in the global south, they operate among the majority the masses. In Europe, however, they are restricted largely to the minority, of migrant communities. So, culturally, and demographically, they may find it hard to break out of the cultural enclaves. Their precise spiritual-cultural mix may also be less attractive to the next generations, who belong culturally to the hybrid mix of metropolitan urban centres. While such “Third Culture” young people are artistically creative, the may not feel at home, in their parents’ “home” culture. I know one ethnic migrant church which had three church-splits in one year, as young people, wanting to add services in English, to reach their friends, were forbidden to do so, but their elders, and so broke away to form new congregations.
Secondly, in capitalism, such spiritual phenomena can b co-opted or commodified, into another marketable product, and thus be absorbed into the plurality of strange and exotic, but relativized and defanged spiritualities. Thus any cutting edge, and radical demand for response, can be removed, and the church relegated to a product for minority tastes; among the poor, compensation for their poverty, and for the rich a “top-up”, consumerist, an experiential add-on for those who already have it all: an added dimension to otherwise comfortable lives.
Against this critique, there are other cultural factors, which may suggest more potential for the movement to grow in Europe. Firstly, the experience of the wider Charismatic Movement, from the 1960s. Although much of its momentum has slowed down, the recovery of spiritual gifts in the mainline denominations (e.g. Catholic, Baptist, Anglican), which drew on more middle class congregations that the Pentecostals, suggests that, in the right circumstances, direct spiritual experience can cut through the suspicion of emotional and hype, to introduce people to God.
The success of the Alpha Course, which mushroomed after the eponymous Toronto blessing in the a990s, may give some credence to this. With its deliberate inclusion of a Holy Spirit session, Alpha is a charismatic challenge to more conservative courses, such a Christianity Explored. Though both tend to be more middle class in appeal, both courses illustrate the wider potential of “process evangelism” in general, in a context where snap decisions are rare, and seekers need a gradual introduction to faith.
Secondly, the increase of spiritual interested seekers in the de-christianised West, may provide us with a group who are already spiritually interested, and avid to taste spiritual experience directly. Those churches, which discourage spiritual gifts, may be missing a trick, in attracting these spiritually thirsty people. Although they are searching in the wrong areas, they are at least looking. Those attracted, for example, by fortune-telling, may well be potential prophets. One person, came to our church, and asked if we did healing. A new age practitioner, they asked if they could join in; so we said: yes of course, but first they should learn a little about what we believe. Eventually they became a believer, and did indeed join our Prayer Ministry Team.
Thirdly, in a sad development, th degree of poverty, precarity and immiseration in Europe (to follow a Marxist analysis), has been increasing, under the impact of economic recession, neo-liberal policies, and now the pandemic. This suggests there may well be many poor(er) people, for whom signs and wonders provide the (only) solution. While we do not want to exploit poor people, and need to wholistically combine words and wonders with (political and social) works, this development may well provide classic conditions for the rise of revivalistic religion.
Today, such Spirit-led ministry is frequently imagined as a platform ministry, from the front. Such emphasis on power, by anointed leaders, however, represents the routinisation and institutionalisation of charisma by a new ecclesiastical elite, a fresh priesthood. Originally, renewal happened among the laity: in small groups, and with personal evangelism, among friends or on the streets. It is thus a form of empowerment, which leaders, traditional or contemporary fear.
A student, whose dissertation I supervised, researched the impact of prophecy on the spiritual growth of working class people in London. The conclusion was: very little. But the methodology involved a prophetic person pronouncing “words” over the subjects; there was no direct reception of prophecies, “words”, by the working class subjects. It is this, which may pave the way for revival: when people themselves cease being disempowered and passive recipients of ministry, and become active agents, utilising their own spiritual anointing and gifting, and seeing God operate in power through themselves.
Encouraging believes to pray, for friends, work colleagues or family members, provides a window for the Spirit to move. God is present everywhere. But our prayer inserts the Spirit practically into situations, in visible way for people to point to. Because of shyness, Christians may not feel confident to actually pray “with” people; but few will refuse the offer to ray for a need “later”, when were at home. This will also give us opportunity to inquire subsequently how the person is now, and further chances to share practical care.
Such an approach does not entail necessarily adopting classical Pentecostal theology of a “Second Blessing”, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, necessarily evidenced by speaking in tongues. It is possible to follow the Third Wave charismatic teaching, that every Christian already has the potential for various spiritual gifts, by virtue of their new birth through the Spirit. On the other hand, nor does this necessarily require us to believe that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is cc-existent with either conversion or being born again. Instead, we can cut loose from these rigid doctrinal frameworks, and welcome repeated fillings with the Holy Spirit and a life of gradual progression and growth, rather than an all-or-nothing binary. It is thus an arena of spiritual experience, which any believer can be encouraged to try out.
Charismatic experience also connects with the rediscovery of contemplative prayer in the West. Both are expressions of “affective prayer”, and sidestep the cerebral nature of much evangelical spirituality or forma liturgical prayer. Valuable though the intellect and structure are for personal and corporate worship, they need to be supplemented by the direct encounter with God. In a support group I lead, for people with same-sex attraction, it was the personal experience of God speaking to them, which peruaded them to finally abandon a sinful relationship, even though they had already known the Biblical arguments for a long time.
Corporate worship also needs to incorporate the elements of charismatic encounter. Expository preaching is essential, encountering the Word in the Word, God speaking what hs has already spoken, but today in the living moment. So too, opportunities for the exercise of spiritual gifts are needed, space for spontaneity within order: sharing prophecies, or the recruitming of a Prayer Ministry Team. Not just the leaders but ordinary church embers exercising their gifts, either in services or small groups. Such worship will also be missional in two ways.
Firstly, the experience of Divine encounter, for example through healings, or the Word of Knowledge (1 Co. 14.24-25), provides evidence for the reality of claims made. It is, however, not necessary to go along with a Pentecostal theology, based on the dubious long version of Mark’s Gospel, that preaching must always be accompanied by “signs following” (Mk. 16.17, 20). It is enough to follow Jesus’ own command and example.
Secondly worship also provides missional impetus, in communicating, emotionally as well as cerebrally, the vision for the Missio Dei, God’s intention for the cosmos, and our place in his plans. The Missio Dei pictures mission as God’s activity, which he invites us to join in with him. The Divine Economy of Mission here is pictured as being the activity of God’s Two Hands, his two missions: that of the Son and that of the Spirit. Wherever God acts in the world, he does so in a mediated way, not directly. This may include cultural, psychological and social determinants, or channels for God’s manifestation. But it also operates intra-trinitarianly: the Father through the Son and Spirit.
The Missio Dei therefore needs to pay attention to the work of the Spirit, and this must mean also this Pentecostal-charismatic dimension. Our missiology will be the deficient to the extent that we neglect it. One of the main characteristics of the Missio Dei is to discern the mover of God in the world, and to join in with him. Mission is therefore not about our initiative, but his: not only in the means, which must be spiritual, but also in planning and direction. So, the missional is always mystical. We need to interpret the signs of the times (Mt. 16.1-4; 24.3-31), and to discern the spirits operating in any situation, so we are not misled (1 Co. 12.10). Besides careful contextual cultural analysis, this must involve the spiritual gifts.
Altogether, therefore, we see that we need the Pentecostal-charismatic Dimension, for God’s mission into secular Europe:
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