David Brayshaw
Age 60, born SW Penna., boyhood spent in Lutheran, Methodist, Salvation Army and Baptist churches, but actually got saved while in the U.S. Navy in 1972. I spent eight VERY intense years among grassroots Charismatics with our long hair, sandals, and antiestablishment sentiments. The prevailing doctrines of those groups consisted of that which was born out of the Word of Faith and and Sheep/shepherding leaderships (Texas and Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Toxic faith hit prior to my first decade in the Lord, despite having finally fell in with a group from Beaumont, TX who moved to Jax. Beach who provided me with daily teachings in the foundational principles found in Heb. 6. Those teachings, however, carried a root of bitterness in them. And so, I left "belonging" behind for many years.
This past weekend, my friend (female) and I attended the Ligonier conference in Orlando, FL after I'd won two free passes for the three day event. I went mostly to get a glimpse and to hear Ravi Zacharias, a favorite speaker of mine. I've listened to R.C. Sproul teach on predestination and I find the doctrine stimulating, although I am fully persuaded the ministry of reconciliation, i.e. evangelism, becomes less a draw when pre-selection is held to the extreme.
Posted in: What is a Reformed Charismatic?
I attended the Ligonier conference in Orlando, FL this past weekend. After hearing Ravi Zacharias speak for years on the radio and online, this was my first opportunity to see him in person. He was the last speaker on Friday evening, between 8 and 9 pm and had a great message; yet, throughout the meetings, I longed for one thing even more than to hear Ravi personally -- concentrated worship in an effort to draw the presence of God. We are not meant to worship the letter, but Jesus. Where was that being directed? What if the Lord wanted to interrupt man's plans, especially where 5000 Christian believers have Him in their midst? Instead, for me, it was merely academic. As sound as the messages were, God's presence was missing.