April 10, 2012

Not exactly a crisis of faith, but I am doing some reflection on my beliefs of the "supernaturalness" of Christianity--specifically healing, prophecy and words of knowledge.  I am currently reading a book, The Risk Factor: Crossing the Chicken Line by Kevin Dedmon.  http://www.kevindedmon.com/

Kevin is an author, evangelist and also teaches at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry.  http://www.ibethel.org/bethel-school-of-supernatural-ministry  He is also a very prolific healer and prophet.

(Disclaimer:  I will refer to "supernatural" to include healing, prophecy and words of knowledge.  But I realize that all Christianity is in actuality supernatural- answered prayer, the Holy Spirit's leading, salvation, etc.)

Here is my conundrum.

1.  I was raised in a church where the supernatural was never preached, taught or acknowledged, so I was not afforded the hours of learning and study on this aspect of Christianity.
2.  As I became aware of such things, my main sources of knowledge were Christians who did not support the "supernatural".
3.  There are thousands of well-meaning, Christ-loving people who genuinely believe in the supernatural.
4.  Multiple scripture verses seem to support the supernatural.
5.  If the supernatural is possible at the level outlined in Dedmon's book and attested to by thousands, Satan would do everything in his power to blind Christians to that fact.

However:

1.  So much of what I read and see on t.v. concerning the supernatural does not seem supported by scripture.
2.  I am from Missouri, so Show-Me.  Since I have never personally witnessed the supernatural in a way I feel is legitimate, I remain dubious.
3.  There are thousands of well-meaning, Christ-loving people who genuinely believe the supernatural ceased with the end of the apostolic era.
4.  True or not, is there any real danger is subscribing to such a belief system?
5.  If such healings as described in Dedmon's book are legit, why aren't there riots to access such men and their institutions?

One such example in Dedmon's book:  While Dedmon was in the grocery store, he noticed a lady with two hearing aids.  When he struck up a conversation with her, he learned that she had been battling hearing loss most of her life.  He asked her if he could pray for her.  She removed her hearing aids "so that we could tell when God opened up her ears."  After laying his hand on her ears and praying, Dedmon reports that she could hear better than the 20-year old store clerk.

Dedmon was then impressed that there were many more healing opportunities in the store, so he got on the intercom and announced, "Attention all shoppers. . .God is in the building!  He has just healed a lady of deafness."  Many other healings took place that night in that grocery store.  Dedmon gives details of this experience and mentions that he "suddenly felt a wind on the back of my neck, and I saw two healing angels flying over me."

I realize I cannot base my whole opinion of supernatural Christianity on Dedmon's experience, but these types of incidents are what many in this camp use as support for this belief system.

Last thoughts:
Is the supernatural in today's world supported by scripture?
Is there a danger in investigating this belief system?
Can one be truly objective in such an investigation?

Hmmm. . .