What can we say about the so-called ‘miraculous gifts’ in light of the post-eschatalogical situation. What is the place of the ‘miraculous’ gifts in New Testament spirituality? The paradigm shifting that is underway opens an opportunity for fresh commentary on this, and those of us hammering out a theology of/for/with the emerging church just might be in the grace-infused historical moment within which the boorish and constipated controversies of the past can be transcended.
This is important for an emerging church seeking to be generous to those with whom we disagree, but also who recognize the complexites that arise when our desire to be generous meets a concern about the demonic or the counterfiet.
My current interest in this is due to the widespread influence of the International House of Prayer based in Kansas City and its rapid growth of late, even among emergent-friendly congregations. It is a ‘whole-nother-thing’ with it’s own vocabulary and alot of talk about ‘eschatology’. Other brands of charismatic theology and practice have expressed concern over their influence.
At this point I do not desire to start a conversation about IHOP. I don’t know if that is even appropriate to do on this website. (Maybe even my mentioning of their name is wrong…if so please let me know) What is in order is what I first mentioned above.