shing a ding

I participated in what is probably hands down the most extreme end of progressive Christianity this weekend.
Now, my guess is different people will interpret that statement in different ways, and perhaps the word progressive may be the wrong word to use..
Some of you may be thinking: The Emerging Church movement? Nope.
Others may be thinking: A new cutting edge worship/teaching style church? Nope.
Others still yet: A ridiculously charismatic pentecostal wing of the church? Sorta but no.

I went to a Mystics School this weekend. My previous blog talked a bit about my first nights experience there.

John Crowder was the teacher, and quite possibly is the title claimer of most persecuted person by Christians per capita. I saw per capita because less people have heard of him than someone like Benny Hinn or Todd Bentley who have been criticized quite a lot themselves.
John is most famous for his extreme use of grace in "getting high on the Holy Ghost" and "tokin' the ghost", etc.

Some of you may be thinking: Why on earth would you go to something like that? Ha ha ha ha. I bet a lot of you may be thinking that. I had my reasons...

So what of it?
Most people see him and think he's a dumb fool, but in reality it's quite the opposite. He is incredibly intelligent in the realm of apologetics and Biblical knowledge and more. He's very focused on the context in scripture and can preach 4+ hours in one sitting. I got 3 1/2 hours straight on Saturday. wow!

It was a mystics school, so it was a lot about the old mystics from the middle ages, as well as modern day occurrences too.
Discussions were on trances, the angelic realm, the prophetic realm, the ramifications of the gospel of the cross of Christ (what Christ really paid for and what that means for us), and a bunch of other things, ending in a Love Feast with him reading and interpreting the entire book of Song of Solomon and us taking communion together.
Lots of drunken revelry, ecstatic experiences, and hilarious antics and amazing stories. A 3 1/2 hour sermon that doesn't bore you is truly an achievement.

I was so whacked up on the Holy Spirit I had difficulty taking notes. ha ha ha. What is whacked up? Well we'll use proper terminology and say: filled up with His presence...
(Psalms says: In His presence are pleasures forevermore)

Here are some things I was able to coherently write down...

Peter didn't walk on water, he walked on the Word that Jesus gave. We ought always to trust the Word (logos or rhema) more than our natural eyes. (faith is the evidence of things unseen)...

Christianity is not a masochists club. We *were dead, now we are alive, we don't have to kill ourselves. (asceticism and self-mutilation are already in many parts part of our past, but self-deprecation is a way of killing ourselves). God says you are good, you are beautiful, you are a new creation, completely body, soul, spirit.
Check out Romans 6...

Sanctification is not a process, it's a person.

The flavor of religion is always striving. The flavor of faith is rest & trust.

If I still sin, I am shadow-boxing a lie. When I know who I am, I'll know who I am. I am new, the enemy attacks my identity to keep me believing a lie. He did it with Adam, and he did it with Jesus. He's the father of lies.
CS Lewis said: "You are what you believe."

God is not impressed by my hunger, he likes my satisfaction with Christ's blood.

Holiness isn't the absence of sin, it is the presence of God.

Before the cross, we asked for a blessing, after the cross we are the blessing.

Rick Joyner says: "Criticism is the #1 thing that keeps people in poverty of soul."

THE FLAVOR OF HUMILITY IS JOY!

I haven't decided if I agree with everything he said, but I like a lot of it. He takes scripture to its full meaning and it's entire implications not putting limits on it based on personal experience or lack-thereof. But taking it on faith, like Peter walking on water, not knowing if he would sink or not...

I admire that about John, and back to why would I go to this conference?

Because I never want to judge a movement without tasting of it first. I can see that, despite the weird stuff, the goofy things, and confrontational theology, etc, there is a man who loves Jesus and loves freedom and uses it fully...

His testimony is beautiful, the fruit of his ministry has been amazing, and he's reaching people that 99.9% of Christians could never reach.
I love it.

So, a big booshkee and shing a ding to you all, and blessings.
You can check out his ministry at: http://www.thenewmystics.com
He's also known as the YouTube prophet so there is much to watch..