From: gr837@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael Townsend)
Date: 3 Apr 1995
[[this is from The 700 Club's web site (http://the700club.org/).
Really. This is not an April Fool's joke. In the Church of "Bob",
April 1st is the one day we are completely SERIOUS.]]
Holy Laughter: Bringing Revival To The Church?
THE FACTS
It's a phenomenon making headlines both inside and outside the Church.
Some call it a laughing renewal. Others call it strange. But all agree
that it has already extended to at least three continents and shows no
signs of waning. "We've reported about an extraordinary phenomenon
rippling across various parts of the world," says Larry Pierce of the
National & International Religion Report. "It involves people during
church services laughing, breaking out in laughter, shaking and then
also weeping and repenting, and they sometimes fall to the floor."
The physical manifestation noted more than others is laughing. For
that reason, this renewal has often been referred to as the laughing
revival.
This phenomenon of laughter and other manifestations has been
associated with some ministers like Cindy Jacobs and Mahesh Chavda.
But most well known is the ministry of Rodney Howard Browne. Some
have criticized Browne's ministry, saying these manifestations are a
result of emotionalism and peer pressure. But Browne says his ministry
should be judged by the fruit of changed lives. "It's having God
change us and really asking God to forgive us," he says. "And just
saying, Lord, I'm so hungry, change me, touch me, do whatever You want
to do with me."
[[ed note: spot the multiple "Bob" manifestations in the following
paragraph.]]
How should the church respond? "Test the spirits and submit to godly
counsel in order to keep this new revival balanced," says Charisma
Editor, Steven Strang. "On the other hand, we need to be aware that
significant changes seem to be taking place when the joy of the Lord
touches [people]."
No matter the opinions, the laughing renewal seems to be spreading. Of
the 27 nations represented at Stoneleigh, there are already reports of
this phenomenon happening in Russia, Africa and India.
Pat Robertson Responds
The power of the supernatural is so much greater than human flesh,
that human flesh has a tendency to just fall. What this says to me is
that revival is taking place in the world in a mass wave,and we look
to the coming of the Lord. I think this is a very encouraging sign. In
the middle of all this trouble, God is saying He's on the throne and
He's going to touch multiplied millions of people.
[[ What we want to know, Pat, are you laughing AT God, or laughing WITH
God? Do these flocks GET THE JOKE, or are they laughing just to keep
their TERROR under control? Are they prepared to DIE LAUGHING? X-day
coming real soon.]]
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