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Salam,

Beberapa waktu yg lalu ada beberapa tulisan ttg Toronto Blessing
atau "Holy Laughter", dan juga ada pertanyaan ttg identitas atau
"apa sich" atau "siapa sich" Toronto Blessing ini.  Berikut saya
dapatkan beberapa artikel dari Christian Research Journal (diterbitkan
oleh Christian Reseacrh Institute).  Tulisan ini dari edisi
CRJ Volume 17 Number 3 Winter 1995.  Ini juga hasil karya 
scanner, jadi maaf kalau ada karakter2 yg membingungkan.

selamat menikmati, dan kalau mau ditanggapi atau dibicarakan
juga silakan.

salam,
kie eng

(1)
         
"Toronto Blessing" Stirs Worldwide Controversy, Rocks Vineyard
Movement
         
SOME WEEP  UNCONTROLLABLY  SOME LAUGH HYSTERICALLY.  SOME TOPPLE OVER or crumple
silentl) to the floor.  while others jerk, twitch, keel  drunkenly,  karate-chop
the air,  scream,  sway,  double  over with  abdominal  spasms.  roar.  or bark.
Still others look on in utter  disbelief.  As the London  Daily Mail asks:  What
in God s name is going on?  To many, it's known as the ,'Toronto  blessing,,  or
the "Laughing  revival."  More cautious  sympathizers have dubbed it "the season
of refreshing" or "the present  renewal."  Wherever it hits, it's  characterized
by such  Pente-  costal  phenomena  as ' holy  laugh- ter and being slain in the
Spir- it.  And aIthough similar mani-  festations have been reported in both the
recent and distant past.  the phenolnena now  multiplying on five continents are
unprece- dented in their intensity,  persis- tende.  and rapid spread.  And it s
not   just   Pentecostals:   Mennonites,   Nazarenes.   Methodists,   Anglicans.
Baptists, Catholics, and even Salvation Armv members in North America ~nd Europe
are falling in ecstasy, "doing carpet time , on the floor ot the Toronto Airport
Vineyard chur~h ~nd carrying the experi-  ence--and  controversy--back  to their
home churches.  Growing numbers  testify that their lives ha~e been  trans~ormed
by God's  power,  with  blessings  ranging  from a renewed  zeal for the lost to
physical  and  emotional  healing.  Wher~ Did It Come From?  Whil~  some see the
influence of televangelist  Benny Hinn and prominent  Argentine  pastors Claudio
Freidzon  and Edgardo  Silvoso, by nearly all  accounts  the  outpoUring  can be
traced back to Rodney  Howard-Browne.  the South  Atrican-born  evangelist whose
ministry  gained interna-  tional  ~ttention  through a highly charged series of
revival meetings in 1993 (.see companion article).  Th~t same year, Randy Clark,
pastor ot the Vineyard  Church in St.  Louis,  Missouri  Was  discour-  aged and
approaching  a  nervous  breakdown.  At a  friend's  urging,  he  swallowed  his
doctrinal biases and attended Howard-Browne,s  meetings at Kenneth Hagin,s Rhema
Bible Church in Tulsa,  Oklahoma.  Feeling  transformed  after receiving  prayer
from  Howard-Browne  and witnessing  apparent signs and wonders at the services,
Clark took the  ''anoint-  ing , back to his church,  where the  phenomena  were
repeated.  Soon John  Arnott,  pastor of the  Toronto  Airport  Vineyard in Mis-
sissauga,  Ontario,  learned of Clark,s  experience  and  invited  him to lead a
four-day conference  be~inning Janualy 20, 1994.  The  manifestations--including
laughter,  falling, and  drunkenness , in the  Spirit,'--were  so unex- pectedly
powerful  that the church  began  holdin~ the meetings six nights a week.  Since
then, legions of blessing-seekers from around the world have made pilgrimages to
Toronto--an estimated 100,000 by October, including some 6.000 pastors.

Most agree that the "Toronto  blessing" hit Great Britain full- force on May 29.
Eleanor Mum- ford, whose h~sband John over- sees  Britain's  vineyard  churches,
electrified  the  congregation  of Holy  Trinity  Brompton  (HTB),  a  prominent
chansmatic Anglican church in London's fashionable  Knightsbridge  neighborhood,
with  a  vivid   account  of  her  raptur-   ous   expenence   in  Toronto.  The
manifestations  spread like wild-  fire, the secular  press took  notice, and to
date between 2,000-4,000 British churches have "caught the expenence."  (Ell,B's
attendance  has surged to the point that tickets are now  required to ~et a seat
at its  services.)  Still, so many  spiritually  hun- gry Britons are heading to
Toron- to in search of their own epipha- nies that Air Canada has added  flights
on its  London/Toronto  run to accommodate  the extra pas- senger  demand.  Hong
Kong  pas-  tor  Gene  Preston  explains  in  Christian  Century  that  "English
Christians are eager for encour-  agement from any source.  After talking with a
dozen  English  vicars in  Toronto, I concluded  that  pastors in England are so
depressed with the church that they can,t afford to be skeptical of  charismatic
gifts.,'  What Is It?  'Not a clue, but isn't it  wonderful?"  quips HTB  curate
Nicky  Gumbel.  Forrner  Jim Bakker  associate  Richard  Dortch  says that "this
doesn't seem to fit into my theology,  but God doesn't need my approval for what
He does."  "We bless what the Father is doing,"  affirms John Arnott,  "[but] we
don't know exactly what it is.,'

(bersambung)

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(2)

Indeed,  the  phenomena  have  baffled  even the  movement's  most  enthusiastic
proponents.  Some charismatic leaders are cau- tiously supportive,  wanting nei-
ther to back a  counterfeit  move of the  Spirit  nor to be  found  "fight-  ing
aga~nst God" (Acts 5:38-39) or passing  judgment in haste.  Skeptics both within
and with- out the  charismatic  camp in Britain  and North  America  have wasted
little  time in  condemning  the  renewal.  They  decry its near-  total Iack of
scriptural   support,  tumultuous   services  in  which  preaching  is  rendered
impossible, and the wide practical disregard for the guidelines in I Corinthians
12 and 14 and the  prernium the apostle Paul placed on self-con-  trol as a true
mark of the Holy Spirit.  Many  scomfully  attnbute the  manifestations  to such
human  factors as mass  hysteria  and auto-  sug~estion  or to demonic  activity
(drawing compansons with simi- Iar ecstatic behavior, including "holy laughter,"
in Eastern and occult  groups).  Opponents  aIso compare the believers,  bedlarn
that typifies  renewal  services  with the classic  marks of t~ue  revival--most
notably the mass repentance and conversion of  nonbelievers.  As Sword & Trowel,
the ma~azine of London's  Metropolitan  Tabema- cle, asked:  "What is the effect
of this  'revival' on the world?  Does it have the effect of historic  revivals,
in which even those untouched by the message were filled with awe and solemnity?
On the contra~y, we read in a national newspaper  that--'An epidemic of laughter
is spreading  across the land,  flashing like light- ning from church to church.
It is the most bizarre thing to happen in the religious life of Britain for some
time...is  it a case of 'whom the gods wish to destroy  they first  make  mad'?"
Larry thomas of Amazing Grace Ministries  observes that durin~, Jimmy Swaggart's
Argentina  crusade  in the late  1980s,  "there  were  literally  hun-  dreds of
people...who  would begin to laugh hysterically and throw themselves down on the
~round.  They would howl like  dogs..  .they would roar like  lions,  they would
make a11 kinds of wild  sounds, and when these thin~s  began to happen, the ush-
ers went and  physically  restrained  them, took them out of the coli- seum to a
tent  outside,  and they  cast the Devil out of them.  But now when you do that,
it,s  evidence  that the Holy Ghost is doing some- thing  great in your  life!,,
(Vineyard  movement  founder  John Wimber aIso admits that,  despite the current
popu- Iarity of such  outbursts in his  churches,  "there have been times in the
past when we've  attempted to cast demons out of people who made animal  noises.
Proponents  respond  that, for thousands of  discouraged  ~nd weary  Christians,
there is no doubt that the  ''blessing,,  has revitalized  their spiritual lives
and done them no perceptible  harm.  Many claim an  invigorated  enthusiasm  for
God, renewed  boldness in  evangelism,  physical and  emotional  healing~.  deep
repentance and  forgiveness.  and restored  marriages as a direct and undeniable
result.  Indeed.  the movement,s apologists say that its "fruit,,--both  present
and eventual--will be its principal justification.  Some seem to want to have it
both ways.  For example.  Charis- ma magazine publisher Stephen Strang has run a
dozen or more positive  stories on the renewal, but feels  compelled to warn his
readers of the  temptation to fake the Iaughter, and voices  concern about where
the whole  thing may be  headed.  In an August  1994 edi-  torial  he asks,  "If
[Howard-  Browne] or his followers  insist that  laughing is the hallmark of the
truly  spiritual  among us that mean that those who have not laughed  are not as
spiritual?  If they press the  point,  they may split with other  Christians  as
the, Oneness  people did in 1917..  If that happens, then what may be a blessing
now could become One more Pentecostal fad that ulti- mately  discredits the Lord
and hurts  churches in the process.,  Tensions  Building.  Observers are aIready
expressing the fear that just such an outcome awaits the Association of Vineyard
Churches (AVC).  One of the denomination,s top officials esti mates that as many
as 60 percent of their roughly 400 U.S.  congre gations have been  influenced by
the  Toronto  phenomenon,  which John Wimber says  optimisticall  'could  really
become the revival we ve all Ionged and prayed for.,,

(bersambung)

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(3)

Even  in  a  movement   already   famous  for  its   experimental   approach  to
unconventional  spiritual  activity,  this renewal may be pushing the  envelope.
Toronto  Airport  church  staff member Marc DuPont  describ~  John Arnott as ''a
tremendous  risk-taker.,,  adding:  'We're quite radical by Vineyard  standards.
John is very close  friends with Benny Hinn.  which gives an indication  of what
his priorities  are in terms of the Holy Spirit.  (Revealingly.  Arnott had per-
sonally sought the ble~sings of Hinn.  Howard-Browne,  and th~ Argentine pastors
prior to the January 20  eruption.)  Wimber, too, has been taking risks, and may
regret  this gam ble even as he did his stormy and  damaging  relationship  with
Paul Cain and the ',prophets'~ the Kansas City Fellowship in 1990-91.  Believing
that "God wants me to bless what He is  blessing,"  in July Wimber  spon sored a
special four-day, Tor to-inspired  conference entitle "Let the Fire Fall" at his
Ana heim, California  headquarter~  church.  Five thousand attended 'the largest
response  to  any  meeting  or   conference   we've  ever   had.',  But  as  the
manifestations  spread, division and confusion  followed in their wake.  Pastor~
and churches are reportedly  leav- ing the  denomination  over the issue.  There
are clear signs that the Vineyard,s  intemational  lead- ership--in  response to
disarray  within  their own ranks and  mounting  criticism  of the  renew-  aI's
excesses--has  been  working to control the damage.  In September  the AVC Board
convened to discuss , the current  renewal  phenomena.  Present  were Wimber and
the headquar-  ters  leadership.  13 Regional  Overseers,  and Toronto  regulars
Arrlott,  Randy Clark.  and Wes Campbell.  On October 14.  National  Coordinator
Todd Hunter released the Board's consensus  findings.  a ,'Summary Report on the
Current Renewal and the Phenomena  Surrounding  It,,' and a brief study in which
Wimber  attempts to make sense of "'roaring  under the anoint-  ing,, and offers
his overall  per-  spective  on the  manifestations.  The  two-part,  nonbinding
Report gives yuidelines for''The Pastoral  Administration of the Phenomena,, and
suggestions  on how I Corinthians  14 might be applied to them.  Ironically,  it
cau- tion~ against  ,,proof-texting the phenomena;  overreliance on the writings
of   Jonathan   Edwards   and  other  past   revival   figures   'to  justi-  fv
manifestations,,:   and   "endors-   ing,   encouraging   or   stimulating   the
experiences--  all three of which were in full swing at the  Toronto  Vineyard,s
rowdy six-day  'Catch the Fire , con~erence  held the very week the document was
released.  By  December.  the Anaheim  church was toning down some of the wilder
manifestations  at its services.  Visitors to the Toronto Airport  Vineyard were
describing its rerrewal meetings as lookiny forced.  Arrlott and his cohorts may
be  headed  for a  showdown  with the  Vineyard  leadership,  and the  'laughing
revival,,  spawned by Rodney  Howard-Browne and exported globally by John Arnott
is now too big to  contain,  and only God  knows  when--and  where--it  may end.
--Paul Carden


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(4)

         An Evening with Rodney Howard-Browne
         
         VERYTHING WAS GOING WELL IN MY INTERVIEW
         with Rodney Howard-Browne until he tried to get me slain
         in the Spirit.
         
I met him at a national meeting of charismatic leaders at a retreat
center east of Orlando, Florida. Howard-Browne, 33, had driven in
from Tampa so these leaders could get a look at him.
         
When Howard-Browne  entered he was accompanied by two Pen- tecostal pastors, one
carrying a portable telephone,  presumably to answer  Howard-Browne,s many phone
calls.  Two of the men wore gold bracelets and all three had on nearly identical
suits,  shirts,  bright-  ly colored  ties, and  expensive-  looking  cufflinks.
Howard-  Browne--who is six feet tall, built like a football tackle, and wear~ a
perpetually good-humored  expression--had hi~ initials, RMHB, monogrammed on his
cuffs.  Although a South African, he wore a tie tack of the U.S.  presi- dential
seal (with a George Bush  signature  etched on the back) and cufflinks  sporting
the words  "U.S.  Senate,,--acquired,  he said, in  Washington,  D.C.  where, he
added  casually,  he spoke to some st~ at the  Pentagon.  We all sat  down.  The
gentle- man with the phone had an annoying  habit of drumming his fingers on the
table during the interview whenever he got impa- tient or bored or thought I was
asking impertinent questions.  They a11 seemed irked when I asked about anything
money-  related:  the  ministry,s  income,  Howard-Browne,s  salary, and whether
there  was a board of  directors.  They  refused  to give me  specific  answers,
aIthough  I did glean that he drove a luxury  car.  He had just  spent  close to
$70,000 for his first official audit by the Irvine, Texas firm of Guinn, Smith &
Co.  and was forming a board of directors.  He had taken on 22 paid staff-- some
of them family  members  --to help him  evangelize  120 cities in 33 states.  He
said the Rodney Howard-Browne  Evangelistic  Association had given $500,000 away
to missions in 1993.  "I'm surrounding myself with pastors from major ministries
around the world," he explained~  "and I'm  accountable to them.,' These consti-
tuted what he called his "board of advi- sors,,' a11 of whom  pastored  churches
of at least 3,000 members, the kind of circles  Howard- Browne aimed to move in.
Howard-Browne  began his rise to fame when he arrived in this  country in Decem-
ber 1987.  Observ-  ing the  fallout  from the Jim  Bakker  and  Jimmy  Swaggart
scandals, he kept a low profile for about 18 months.  His  minist~y  took off at
an  unexpected  event at a church  north  of  Albany,  New  York in April  1989.
Howard-  Browne was leading a week of revival  meetings on the  ,'anoint-  ing":
what it is and how the pres- ence of God is tangible and can be felt and sensed.
He claims that one Tuesday morning he saw the presence of God entering the room,
like a cloud.  "Lord, you're ruining my meeting,,' he complained silently.  "The
way your meetings have been goin~ lately, they deserve being  ruined,', the Lord
allegedly  retorted.  People began crying, Iaughing, weeping, and rolling on the
floor --' and," he says, "it hasn't  stopped for five years."  The phe-  nomenon
that has grabbed the most  attention  at his  meetings is '~holy  laughter,"  in
which congre- gants are  inexplicably  convulsed  with  hilarity,  sometimes for
hours.  Howard-Browne's  watershed  moment  arrived  in the  spring of 1993 when
Assemblies of God pastor Karl Strader  asked him to preach at  Carpenter,s  Home
Church in  Lake~and.  Florida.  Although he was only  supposed to preach for one
week, Howard- Browne stayed for four, because of the vast crowds that filled the
10,000-~eat  sanctuary to hear the "Laughing  evangelist',  and maybe get struck
dumb with  lau~hter  themselves.  When the  services  were  broadcast  on radio,
hundreds more showed up.

(bersambung)

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(5)

"people flew in from Africa, Great Britain, South Africa, and Argentina, Strader
said.  "It was the ~reatest  move of God I ve ever seen.  It was like  somethin~
in the historv books.  I've been in the charismatic movement and participated in
the Jesus move- ment, and I,ve never seen any- thing like this."  Since March of
1993, income has risen 30 percent at Carpen-  ter,s Home Church, 800 newcom- ers
have  joined, and 2,200 per- sons have been  baptized.  "We'd go until 2 a.m.,,'
said  Strader.  "Rodney,d  baptize them six at a time in our pool.  Two or three
would ~et  totally  dead drunk and we,d have to fish them out.  Then we  stacked
them  like wet fish on the  platfomn."  Howard-Browne  had made the hit  parade.
That summer, he went to the Jerusalem of American  Pentecostalism:  Tulsa, where
he preached at Kenneth  Hagin's Rhema Bible  Training  Center.  Amon~ others, he
impressed  Richard  Roberts,  president  of Oral Roberts  University  (ORU), who
himself ended up on the floor laughing along with his wife, Lindsay, and mother,
Eve- lyn, during Howard-Browne's meetin~s.  Roberts invited him to conduct ORU,s
annual fall revival.  "At the close of the first ser- vice, Rodney Howard-Browne
asked who wanted  hands  laid on them to be prayed  over for a new  'baptism  of
joy,"'  Roberts  remembered.  they lined up, stu- dents and faculty, up and down
the aisles.  all over the building.  By the time Howard-Browne had laid hands on
each one, most of the crowd  was on the  floor.  Many  more had not been  prayed
for, so  Howard-Browne  continued out the building, up and down lines of seekers
on the  outside  lawn.  By the time he was done,  some  4,000  persons  had been
prayed over, Roberts estimates.  "My little nine-year-old daugh- ter Jordan came
to the first night service and Rodney laid hands on her," said Richard  Roberts.
"She fell to the ground and laughed  for an hour and 45  minutes.  When we tried
putting  her to bed, she fell out  laughing.  We  finally  had to put her in the
bathtub."  The  attraction  of it a11 lies in what  Roberts  temns  'Holy  Ghost
joy,,, whereby depressed, defeated Christians are transfomned into happy people.
Over three decades have passed since the dawn of the  charismatic  movement, and
the "holy laughter"  phenomenon may merely represent  peoples' desper- ation for
something  new.  Baby  boomers  are  notorious  for  going to great  lengths  to
alleviate  their inner  pain.  Howard-Browne  understands  this quite  well.  He
calls this joy the  "anesthetic  of the Holy Spirit.,'  Deeply  impressed,  Oral
Roberts  proclaimed  Howard-  Browne's  ministry as the begin- ning of  "another
level in the Holy Spirit."  Tuming to Rodney, he prophesied over the evangelist,
adding,  "We can never pay you for what  you've done for us"-- then sent him off
with a $25.000 honorarium.  (Howard-Browne, in tum, gave $11,900 from his offer-
ings to ORU.)  The elder  Roberts  then  prophesied  over him, but the sounds of
students  hysterically laughing nearly drowned him out.  Not everyone thinks the
laugh- ing  phenomenon is good.  Edith  Blurnhofer,  who holds a doctorate  from
Harvard in American  reli-  gious  history and  directs  the Insti- tute for the
Study of American  Evangelism  in Wheaton,  Illinois,  says "holy  laughter" has
prece-  dent  among  Pentecostals,  but it has never  received  such  widespread
attention.  "My personal  opinion is that it's a fad," she said.  "I don't think
it is significant for American  Christianity  in general."  Apolo- gists for the
"holy  laughter" phe- nomenon tend to pick and choose their way among  incidents
in Pen-  tecostal  history  to  make  it  look  like  laughter  has  respectable
precedent~  she  said,  adding  that  silence  has  as  much   precedent   among
Pentecostals  as does laughter.  "I don't see any  theological  warrant for it,"
she mused.  "In fact, I don't think it's  theological  Howard-Browne  scoffed at
criticism  that he,s merely using the power of suggestion  to get people to roll
on the  floor.  "I  tell  them  never  to  preach  salvation,  because  they  re
suggesting  peo- ple get saved," he said.  ''I'll  guarantee  anybody, I'll give
them a congregation of 1.000 people and tell them to get up and suggest a11 they
want and see what will happen., One of the other pastors cut in on the interview
to say he read the story of Ananias and  Sapphira  to his church the other night
and everyone ended up on the floor laughing.

(bersambung)

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(6)

"One night I was preaching on hell,"  Howard-Browne said.  con- tinuin~, "and it
just hit the whole  place.  The more I told  people what hell was like, the more
they  laughed,  and when I gave an altar call, they came forward by the hundreds
to get saved.,, "Then,,, I replied, as to what you're preaching on.  it,s aImost
irrelevant  what  you,re  saying.  He  nodded.  Our  conversation   switched  to
Howard-Browne,s  reading  of  American  church  history.  a key  element  in his
apologetic.  Howard-Browne  insists that "holy  laughter',  happened  during the
Great  Awakening in the 1740s and the Second Awaken- ing in the early 1800s.  It
is true that the 18,000 25.000  partici-  pants in the famous Cane Ridge Revival
in  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky  in  1801  jerked.  fell to the  ground,  danced,
barked-- and laughed.  (They also did other things, leading some to comment that
more souls were  conceived  during the revival than were  saved.)  Howard-Browne
reels off the names of famous  American  evan-  gelists  Charles  Finney,  Peter
Cartwright,  George  Whitefield, and Jonathan  Edwards to bolster his case, even
though  Edwards  disliked  the bizarre  phenomena  --which he called ' religious
affections"--intensely.  "Jonathan Edwards.  in his book A Treatise on Religious
AJ~ections, said that involuntary  stuff is no evidence of grace and does you no
good,"  said  Richard  Lovelace,  an  evangelical  historian  at  Gordon-Conwell
Seminary in Massachusetts.  "Some critics said it was just mass hysteria.  These
folks aIso found out that if they rebuked these  phenomena in the name of Jesus,
there  were  less of them.  Cartwright  took the  position  that the more  these
things  happened, the more active the Spirit is.  But Jonathan Edwards and other
Puri- tans would not have agreed.  They had a saying that when the sun shines on
the swamp, the mist rises.  Human nature is full of gross  impurities,  possibly
demon- ic in  nature,  that come out when the Gospel  goes in.  In other  words,
laugnter was a phenomenon of revival but not nec,essarily a manifestation of the
Spirit.  When  Howard-Browne  was told that some church  histori-  ans could not
find laughter occu- pying a major plaee in American  revivalism-- 'I don,t care!
I don t care who they are,,, he burst out.  They  haven,t  read church  history.
Charles  Finney in his memoirs  talks about being hit with inde-  scribable  joy
when he took out his pocket  handkerchief and stuck it over his head., "But that
might  not be  Iaugh-  ter.,, I  interjected.  Well,  joy has a voice,  and it s
Iaughter,,,  he  replied.  Howard-  Browne  appeared  to have read  selectively,
mainly  material that could give legitimacy to the cur- rent movement.  However,
he had never read books by the late J.  Edwin Orr, the preeminent histo- rian of
revivals   around   the   world.  Howard-Browne   takes   no   credit   for  the
Vineyard-driven  "Torontoblessing, phenomenon (see companion article) and claims
to be unable  to  analyze  the  current  movement  at all.  "You  really  cannot
understand  what God is doing in these  meetings  with an  analytical  mind," he
said.  , lt,s not a move of man, it,s a move of God.  The mind is never goin~ to
understand  what God,s  doing....the  only way you,re ~oing to  understand  what
God,s doing is with your heart.''  Despite this  contention,  Howard-Browne  was
willing to take questions  Iater on that evenin~ from the group of charis- matic
leaders,  who he addressed  as 'imen of God" even though there were women in the
group.  Few had anything substantial to ask him.

(bersambung)

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(7)

"America  needs a major move of God.  Otherwise,,,  he added,  we,ll have racial
conflict in this country that will make South Africa look like a holiday.  , The
cordless phone rang, jarring  everyone,s  concentration.  One of the Pentecostal
pastors  answered it, said the caller was none other than  Howard-Browne s wife.
then  fell on the  floor  laughin~J.  this  set the  stage  for the  rest of the
meeting.  as  How~rd-Bro~ne  began  explaining how ,,holy  laughter, has set his
ministry  apart.  'I'm just the Holy Ghost  bartender.  he intormed  us.  I just
serve the new wine and tell them to come drink.  Lauchter.  he explalned,  "bub-
bles up'' from the same  pla~e the gift of  tongues  comes  from.  It was all in
some  deep  spiritual  reser-  voir  that  needed  to be  tapped  the same  way.
Howard-Browne  then  began  pumping  us up to do just that.  He led us in a song
with  these  words:  "I am  drunk, I am drunk.  Everv day of my life I am drunk.
I,ve been  drinkin~  down at Joel's place every night and everv day.  I am drunk
on the new wine.  Then he asked us all to lift our hands and "let that  river of
joy come out of your  belly.,,  The right  side of the room  began  laughing.  A
Catholic nun was howling with  laughter.  Another  person wept.  One past~r from
Ohio was  red-faced  from  laughing  so hard.  and then  dropped to the  ground.
Howard- Browne began to laugh, too,  en~ouraging  the rest of us to get with the
program.  the left side of the room  stayed  silent,  except  for an  occasional
giggle at the bizarre  behavior  of those on the right  side.  Finally,  Howard-
Browne took matters into his own hands by praying over one of the younger men on
the  left  side,  pointing  his  finger  at the man  like a gun.  ,'Fill!  Fill!
Fill!"  he said, and down the man went.  Howard-  Browne then  interviewed  him.
"How do you feel, ?"  the evan-  gelist  asked.  "Overwhelming  peace,,' the man
replied.  this  brought up the  majority  of leaders in the room to be  individ-
ually prayed  over.  About a dozen hung back,  pressing  themselves  against the
walls:  some left the room.  "There i~ a thin line  between a move of the Spirit
and manipula-  tion.'  the Episcopal priest next to me murmured.  and we've just
crossed that line.  Unexpectedly,  It was my turn.  After laying  '20-30  people
out on the  floor,  Howard-Browne  and his two  friends  asked if I'd like to be
prayed  over.  I was in a quandary;  should a reporter  main- tain an  objective
distance, or "enter in" to the experience?  I finally assented and the three men
gathered  around  me.  Howard-Browne  instructed  me to lift  my  hands.  I knew
enough about these  things to know that lifting  your hands puts you off balance
enough that, if someone  smacks you on the  forehead,  you tend to fall over.  I
folded my hands near my waist.  Undaunted,  the three men prayed over me, one or
the other  saying he could  feel joy  rising up in me like a bubble  that I only
needed   to   "release,"   apparently   by   laughing.  I  felt   nothing.  Then
Howard-Browne instructed me to begin praying loudly--in tongues.  I guessed this
was to "help out" the Holy Spirit, so I compromised by prayin~ very softly.  the
three  men  asked me to pray  louder.  This was  becomin~  a farce.  I looked at
Howard-Browne  and he looked  at me.  "SORRY,,,  I said,  and  walked  away, not
laughing at a11.  --Julia  Duin Julia Duin is city editor for the Daily Times in
Farmington.  New Mexico.


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(8)

         Questions of credibility
         
RODNEY MORGAN  Howard-Browne was bom on June 12, 1961 to Pentecostal  parents in
Port Eliz- abeth, South Afnca.  According to his promotional literature, he "was
bom again at the age of 5 and  baptized in the Holy  Spilit at the age of 8, and
felt the call of God at a very early age,  entering  the  ministry  at  eighteen
years of age in 1980" and mar-  rying  his  wife,  Adonica,  in  October  of the
following year.  Gordon Kelmeyer, an administrative  staff member at Rhema Bible
Church in Johannesburg (a l9,000 mem- ber congregation  with close ties to Faith
movement patnarch Kenneth Hagin), recounts that Howard-Browne's first min- istry
venture was with Youth for Christ, visiting  schools in his area.  After leaving
YFC, he enrolled at the church's Rhema Bible Training  Center,  graduat- ed, and
began pastoring a small Full Gospel Church of God congregation in Molteno in the
Cape  Province.  Several  years later he left  abruptly,  having no direction or
focus on what he wanted to do.  Virtually despon- dent, Howard-Browne retumed to
Rhema, all but begging for a job.  Finding an openin~ at the unaccredited  Bible
school, he settled in as a lecturer for two years  before  suddenly  uproot- ing
himself, his wife, and three children  again--this  time to answer God's call to
be a mis- sionary to the  wealthiest,  most  church^laden  country in the world:
America.  Howard-Browne's  standard  biography  claims  he  once  served  as  an
associate  pastor at Rhema, But according to Rhema church officials  contact- ed
for this story,  Howard- Browne was never an associate  pastor--nor  did he ever
hold any pastoral credentials or  responsibilities.  Said Kelmeyer:  "Rodney was
never an associate pastor here.  He was an ordained rnir~ster by the state and a
lec- turer at our Bible  school,  but was not  involved in any forrn of pastoral
work."  And  though  Rhema  officials   confirm  that   Howard-Browne's   Tampa,
Flonda-based  ministry was  kick-started  in South Africa  (albeit with  limited
acceptance), they are also quick to distance  themselves.  "R~odney never did it
[holy  laughter]  here," one high-level  Rhema  spokesman said.  "It wouldn't be
appropn- ate.  But the main thing is that, no matter how the Holy Spint moves or
what  happens,  you have to be very  careful in  attributing  things to the Holy
Spirit,  and using  terminology  like 'a new move of the  Spirit.'  In  Rodney's
case, we haven't  been in touch with him since  1987~8, so we  certainly  cannot
comment on nor  condone  what he's  doing  now."  Howard-Browne  may have  other
reasons  not to play up his South  Afncan  roots.  When asked in May for comment
about one of their  fellow coun-  trymen,  leaders of African  Enterpnse,  South
Africa's best- known evangelical  ministry,  tersely replied that it was "unable
to commend  [Howard-  Browne] or his  ministry  to you,"  adding:  "It seems one
should  approach  this form of ministry  with care and  caution."  Howard-Browne
also claims a  "doctorate  of ministry  degree,'  from an obscure  San  Jacinto,
California correspondence insti- tution called ' The School of Bible Theology.,'
A state  Department of Education  employee  contacted by the JOURNAL likened the
tiny  school,  which  bills  itself as "The  Seminary  to the  World" and has no
faculty,  to a "diplo- ma mill."  Despite  repeated  attempts,  requests  for an
interview with  Howard-Browne or his ministly  representatives  were still unre-
turned at press time.  --Perucci Ferraiuolo


(sekian)

From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Tue Aug 15 15:22:51 1995
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From: noes@xs4all.nl (Estepanus Souisa)
To: Indonesia Christian Mailing List 
Subject: Toronto Blessing: Gods Blessing???
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Pendahaluan:

Sehabis membaca  informasi mengenai Toronto Blessing (TB) dan
Rodney Howard-Browne, yang di mail oleh Bung Eng Go
saya mau menambahi sedikit saja sebab informasi Bung Eng Go
sudah jelas.
Saya berdiam di negeri Belanda. Disini  pandangan2 mengenai
Toronto Blessing (TB) berlainan maupun di gereja2 Pentacosta dan 
di gereja yn non-Karismatik.
Misalnya ada pendeta  gereja Pentacosta yang mengatakan
yang TB tidak Alkitabiah dan ada pendeta lain dari Gereja
Reform yang suda menjadi penganut TB movement.
Dus sudah jelas yang TB movement membingungkan 
Jemaat Tuhan.


1) Peringatan Alkitab:

Kita sekarang hidup dalam hari2 terakhir. Inilah hari2 dimuka
Yesus Kristus datang mengambil milikNya ke Ruma Bapa di 
Sorga.
Dalam jaman ini iblis berjalan keliling sama seperti singa yang
mengaum-aum dan mencari orang yang dapat di telannya (2 Petrus 5: 8).
Dan yang membingungkan  kita orang percaya itulah yang
iblis menyamar sebagai malaikat terang  (2Korintus11: 14).
Ini berarti yang di bikin diri seperti dia Yesus Kristus.

Jika kita bandingkan 
2Tesalonika 2:9 dengan 2Korintus12:12
Di 2 Tesalonika 2:9 ada tertulis tanda si pendurhaka:
"Kedatangan si pendurhaka itu adalah pekerjaan Iblis, dan akan
disertai rupa-rupa perbuatan ajaib, tanda-tanda dan mujizat-
mujizat palsu."
Dan di 2 Korintus 12:12 ada tertulis dari tanda seorang rasul:
"Segala sesuatu yang membuktikan, bahwa aku adalah
seorang rasul, telah dilakukan di tengah-tengah kamu 
dengan segala kesabaran oleh tanda-tanda, mujizat-
mujizat dan kuasa-kuasa.
Dua2 ada perbuatan ajaib,  tanda-tanda dan mujizat-mujizat.
Hampir tidak ada perbedaan antara tanda2 si
pendurhaka (antikristus) dan tanda2 seorang rasul.
Sebab itu Firman Tuhan menekankan yang kita 
harus menguji roh-roh yang muncul.

2) Bagaiman kita menguji roh-roh yang muncul.?

Di 1 Yohanes 4: 2 dan 3 ada tertulis:
"Demikianlah kita mengenal Roh Allah: setiap roh
yang mengaku, bahwa Yesus Kristus telah datang
sebagai manusia, berasal dari Allah, dan setiap roh,
yang tidak mengaku Yesus, tidak berasal dari
Allah. Roh itulah adalah roh antikristus......"

Iblis dan malaikat2 nya tidak bisa atau dengan susah
sekali  menyatakan yang Yesus Kristus telah
datang sebagai manusia sebab  itu berarti yang
mereka di kalahkan oleh Manusia (1 Korintus 15:20).
Itu satu penghinaan bagi mereka.

Ujian yang lain adalah tertulis di
Korintus 12:1-3:
"Karena itu aku mau meyakingkan kamu, bahwa tidak
ada seorangpun yang berkata-kata oleh Roh Allah, dapat
berkata 'Terkutuklah Yesus! ' dan tidak ada seorangpun, 
yang dapat  mengaku: 'Yesus adalah Tuhan', selain oleh
Roh Kudus."

Seperti sdr. Andre dan sdr. Yunus sudah menulis
kita dapat menilai pengajaran jika kita menyelidik 
buahnya.(Matius 7:15-23). 
Tetapi sdr. Andre dan sdr Yunus juga tahu
bawa ada buah2 yang  dalamnya sudah busuk
tetapi  kulitnya ada baik. Dan kita harus tungguh
lama sekali baru ternyata busuknya.
Dan jangan lupa ada tertulis di 
Matius 7:21:
"Bukan setiap orang yang berseru kepadaKu:
Tuhan, Tuhan! akan masuk ke dalam Kerjaan Sorga,
melainkan, dia yang melakukan kehendak Bapa yang 
di sorga."

Dan kehendak Bapa adalah  tertulis dalam Alkitab.
Di situ juga ada tertulis yang kita harus menguji 
roh-roh.
Sebab itu mari sama2  kita potong itu buah dan menyelidik
isinya......

3) Apa tugas dan maksud Roh Kudus.?

Dalam TB movement mereka menekankan pekerjaan Roh
Tuhan.
Maksud Roh Kudus adalah membesarkan Yesus Kristus
sebab  Yohanes 15:26 berbunyi:
"Jikalau Penghibur yang akan Kuutus dari Bapa datang, 
yaitu Roh Kebenaran yang keluar dari Bapa, Ia akan bersaksi
tentang Aku."

Roh Kudus bersaksi tentang Yesus Kristus.
Dia mengajar kita tentang Kristus dan Dia memimpin kita
dalam Kristus dan Dia menghiburkan hati kita (Yohanes 14-16).
Roh Kudus tidak membesarkan diri sendiri tetapi Yesus
Kristus Juru Selamat kita.



4) Toronto Blessing: Gods Blessing???
Di Alkitab tidak tertulis yang "tertawa terbahak-bahak, menangis
dan jatuh di ubing dll" adalah tanda2 hadirat Roh Kudus.

Tetapi ada tertulis di
1Korintus 14:32.
"Karunia nabi takluk kepada nabi"
We don't lose our selfcontrol.

1Korintus 14:33:
"Sebab Allah tidak menghendaki kekacauan, tetapi damai
sejahtera."

Di Perjanjian Baru tidak ada tertulis dari "laughter".
Jika di Perjanjian Lama ada kata "laughter" itulah bermaksud
bangsa Israel. Jika mereka bertobat dan berbalik kepada Bapa
hati mereka penuh dengan kesenangan. Dan pada waktu
Roh Kudus belum di curaikan.
Dus visi mengenai kaum Israel sangat penting.

Latar belakang TB movement dan gereja-gereja Karismatik itulah
yang kita jika sudah bertobat kita perlukan "second blessing".
Mengikut perasaan saya itulah problematik yang mengakitban 
masalah2 dan memgbingungkan Jemaat Tuhan..
Alkitab menyatakan  yang jika kita bertobat, berbalik dan menerima
Yesus Kristus sebagai Juru Selamat pri badi  kita menerimah Roh Kudus.
(Efesus 1:13 dan 14).
"Second Blessing" tidak di perlukan.

Menjawab pertanyaan di atas
Toronto Blessing: Gods Blessing? 
I don't think so.


Bagaimana parasaan saudara-saudara?



Yours in Christ,
Noes Souisa.

............................................................................
.....................
" Segala tulisan yang diilhamkan Allah memang bermanfaat untuk
mengajar, untuk menyatakan kesalahan, untuk memperbaiki
kelakuan dan untuk mendidik orang dalam kebenaran.
Dengan demikian tiap-tiap manusia kepunyaan Allah diperlengkapi
untuk setiap perbuatan baik."

                                           2Timotius 3: 16 dan 17
............................................................................
....................


From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Tue Aug 15 17:26:32 1995
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Salam,

Akhir-akhir ini cukup banyak diskusi yg terjadi di ficanet
(saya tdk sempat mengikuti semuanya, krn cukup sibuk).
Saya pribadi sangat menyambut diskusi dalam topik Toronto
Blessing (TB).  Entah darimana saya merasakan adanya
sedikit sikap yg takut2 dan sungkan utk membicarakan
topik ini, yg mungkin dikarenakan takut nantinya mengakibatkan
perpecahan atau dicap (entah oleh siapa).  Karena hal
ini saya jadi sedikit penasaran.  Misalnya selalu kita
berani utk bicara terhadap hal2 yg datangnya dari luar,
misalnya ttg mormon atau saksi Jehovah atau Islam dst...,
tapi kalau itu datang dari dalam, kita sedikit "malu2".
Mungkin juga karena alasannya memang valid, yaitu
kita tidak tahu bagaimana cara menelaahnya, sehingga
bisa betul2 tahu apakah yg dari dalam ini betul2 alkitabiah
atau tidak.  (tayangan2 tentang Faith Movement oleh sdri.
Martha, saya kita sangat membantu dan penting utk dibaca).

Anyway, saya ingin memberanikan diri utk menikmati alam
bebas ini dan menyatakan pikiran2 saya secara jujur,
termasuk pertanyaan2 yg mana memang saya selalu dalam proses
masih belajar.

Membaca beberapa tulisan ttg TB, yi khususnya dari teman2
yg setuju dengan TB, saya membaca bahwa penjustifikasian
teman2 ini terhadap TB hanyalah berdasarkan suatu pengalaman
(experience), entah itu pengalaman pribadi atau dari teman2 
yg dikenal maupun dari cerita2 lainnya.  Dimana, dari sisi 
saya, saya tdk membaca suatu penjelasan akan adanya dasar2 
Alkitab yang menyeluruh dan kuat.  Sedangkan ayat2 Alkitab 
yang dikutib, saya kira terlalu riskan dalam arti kata, ayat2
tsb. dikutib tanpa secara bertanggung jawab dari sisi
keberadaan konteks yg ada.

Jadi misalnya begini, kalau nanti terjadi suatu peristiwa
dimana ada suatu gereja yang mempraktekkan tradisi baru
dimana dalam kebaktian dibawa ular2 berbisa (dan ini sdh
terjadi di beberapa gereja di USA), dimana setiap jemaat
harus berani memegang ular tsb.  lalu di tengah altar
dibangun suatu image ular, dimana mereka yg tergigit ular
dan kena bisanya, bisa melihat image ular yg dialtar.
Seperti yg terjadi dengan Musa dalam Keluaran 21, yi siapa
yg melihat dan memandang image ular maka akan sembuh
seketika.  Tradisi ini diadakan sebagai suatu tanda
lawatan dan curahan Roh Kudus, dan justifikasi dasar
Alkitabnya adalah Kelauran 21 tadi dan juga kejadian
dimana Paulus disengat ular dan tdk mati (Kisah 28).

Pertanyaan saya bagi teman-teman yg kenal dgn TB dan
percaya, bisa tdk tolong dijelaskan secara singkat
dan padat dasar2 Alkitabiah dari TB ini.
Kutiban bahwa Sarah tertawa dalam Kejadian 21:6
tdk sama dengan apa yang terjadi dengan TB.  Adalah
sangat dangkal dan tdk ada dasarnya sama sekali
memakai kejadian (EVENT) dalam Kej 21 tsb. sebagai
justifikasi bahwa kepenuhan RK harus termanifestasi
dalam bentuk tawa yg histerikal.  
Pertanyaan ini saya ajukan dengan maksud utk sungguh
lebih tahu ttg TB, dan saya ajukan dengan hati yg terbuka
yi ingin belajar lebih lanjut (belajar melalui bertanya).

Ada beberapa hal lainnya lagi yang saya kira baik
utk ditelaah:
1. Menghakimi, menilai, dlsb.
Ada seorang teman menyatakan bahwa seringkali kita
ini bingung dan tdk tahu beda antara menghakimi
dan menilai.  Alkitab ada bilang - jangan menghakimi.
Pernyataan itu seringkali kita ambil tanpa tahu konteksnya.
Jadi kalau ada seseorang Kristen yg hidupnya nggak
karuan, tapi penampilannya "suci".  Lalu ada orang lain
yg tahu dan mencoba menyatakan penilaiannya terhdp
kemunafikan si orang tsb.  Orang2 lain yg tdk tahu 
menahu, langsung mengatakan - jangan kamu menghakimi.
Apa beda antara menghakimi dan menilai?  
silakan tolong dikomentari.
Apa betul orang Kristen tdk boleh menghakimi?
Saya ajukan issue ini dan tanyakan, krn saya ada membaca
seolah-olah kita tdk patut mempertanyakan apa yg
terjadi dgn TB, krn dengan bertanya kita sama
artinya dengan menghakimi, bahkan malah kayaknya
kita meragukan akan kuasa RK. (inilah yg waktu itu, saya
maksudkan bahwa kita sdh membuat simbol2 utk diri
sendiri yg dijadikan jimat atau tahayul).

2. Akhir Jaman.
Memang pada waktu akhir jaman nanti akan terjadi hal2
yg sungguh spektakuler (paling tdk apa yang saya
mengerti waktu membaca kitab Wahyu).  Namun kapan
sich akhir jaman itu?  Yesus sendiri sdh menyatakan
bahwa akhir jaman sdh dekat.  Yg saya perhatikan
seringkali ungkapan akhir jaman ini dipakai utk
menjustifikasi kejadian2 yg spektakuler sebagai
tanda langsung dari Allah, tanpa meneliti lebih
teliti dasar2 Firman Tuhannya.  jadi kalau ada
suatu kejadian yg spektakuler yg diberikan
label - "pd akhir jaman RK akan bekerja secara luar
biasa", maka otomatis Firman Tuhan bisa di-write-off.
Jadi kapan akhir jaman itu?  apakah itu suatu kurun
waktu atau era, atau itu lebih sempit dari itu atau
bagaimana?  apakah masa RK (yi sejak pentakosta) bisa
kita sebut akhir jaman?  atau akhir abad ke-20 saja
baru bisa kita sebut akhir jaman?  atau kita sendiri
yg bingung dan kurang jeli dalam membaca Alkitab.?
(saya sungguh bertanya).

(bersambung)

From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Tue Aug 15 17:27:50 1995
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(2)


3. Pengalaman pribadi
Seperti yg pernah saya nyatakan bahwa suatu pengalaman 
itu nyata dan tidak bisa dibantah atau dipertentangkan.
Namun yg seringkali saya juga perhatikan yi yg
menjadi issue bukanlah pengalaman itu sendiri, melainkan
apa interpritasi dari pengalaman tsb.  

Pernah seorang teman datang pada saya dan bertanya ttg 
pengalamannya dimana dia dihembus oleh RK dalam suatu 
acara kebaktian.  Dia waktu itu bingung dan sedikit dalam 
keadaan yg depress.  Dalam pembicaraan itu, hal pertama 
yg kita setujui dan akui, yi adalah nyata bahwa pengalaman
si teman ini, dia jatuh waktu ditumpangi tangan.
Itu nyata dan tdk bisa dipungkiri.  Nach selanjutnya
yg perlu hati2 adalah bagaimana kita menginterpritasi
kejadian nyata itu.  Apakah itu bisa diartikan bahwa
RK sedang bekerja dan memanufestasikan diri-Nya?
Bisa saja.  Tapi apakah itu juga bisa diartikan
sebagai suatu penomena psikologi?  Terus terang kita
berdua bingung mencoba menjawab kemungkinan2 yg
bisa terjadi.  Saya jujur katakan pada teman ini
bahwa saya tdk tahu menjelaskan secara pasti kenapa
dia jatuh, yg jelas dalam suasana kebaktian yang
begitu highly emosional, adalah cukup wajar kalau
terjadi manifestasi2 yg bersifat psikologi.  Dianne Sawyer
dalam programnya Prime Time di ABC, pernah mengadakan
eksperimen dengan para psikolog dan psikiater, dimana
dia bawa beberapa pasien pada mereka.  Dalam proses
"counselling" tsb. para "pasien" ini bisa mengalami
proses "trance", bahkan ada yang sampe muntah2.
Yang menjadi masalah saya kira, bukanlah soal pengalaman
pribadinya, melainkan penginterpritasian dari pengalaman
tsb.  Apakah suatu pengalaman yg terjadi itu bisa
kita interpritasikan atau lihat dalam terang Firman Tuhan
secara utuh dan menyeluruh.  

Contoh yg simple saja, misalnya saya dinasihati kalau 
menyeberang jalan di Jkt harus hati2.  nasihat ini 
berulang kali diberikan pada saya.  lalu setiba di Jkt, 
saya main seberang seenaknya saja, dan ditabrak
mobil.  Kejadian itu nyata, yi saya tertabrak.  Tapi
apa interpritasinya?  Pdt datang melawat saya di RS,
interpritasi Pdt terhdp kejadian tsb. utk saya, yi
Tuhan punya rencana, dan dia kutib Roma 8:28.  Dan orang
yang memberikan nasihat pada saya datang menjenguk saya,
dan interpritasi dia terhdp kejadian itu utk saya -
apa kate gue... udah dibilangin nggak percaya sich lu...

Demikian juga mungkin itulah yg terjadi dengan misalnya
si pasangan dari Jepang yg dilaporkan datang ke TB lalu
terima Yesus.  Dari sisi saya, sekali lagi ini suatu
interpritasi terhdp suatu event, yi ada sepasang
orang Jpn yg nyatanya dan faktanya terpengaruhi oleh
manifestasi2 di TB.  Itu fakta.  Namun selanjutnya
itu diartikan bahwa si pasangan tsb. menerima Yesus.
apa betul?  bisa betul, tapi bisa juga itu hanya merupakan
interpritasi mereka2 yg disitu, khususnya krn mungkin
sdh di-suggest oleh para pemimpin dan situasi yg ada.

Kalau sempat dan waktu mengijinkan saya ingin meringkaskan
sedikit dan menulis palikasi ttg makalah dari RC Sproul 
yg pernah beliau sampaikan dalam salah satu ceramahnya yg 
berjudul "The Blue Print of thinking".  Makalah ini sangat 
baik sekali.  Kalau ada teman2 yg ada akses ke video cassettenya
saya sarankan utk lihat ceramah beliau dalam topik tsb.

Pada dasarnya beliau menyampaikan bahwa sadar atau tdk
setiap manusia itu dalam mengartikan atau menginterpritasikan
suatu event (pengalaman atau kejadian) ada melalui 5 
langkah proses.  Proses ini ada yang dilalui dengan sangat
bergantung pada emosi (feeler), tapi ada juga mereka
yg melalui proses ini dengan banyak memberikan pemikiran2
dan pergumulan (thinker).

5 proses itu kurang lebih sbb:
1. theological proses
   pertanyaan yg ditanyakan dalam proses ini - who is the truth.
2. metaphysical proses
   pertanyaan yg ditanyakan - what is real or truth?
3. epismotological proses
   pertanyaan yg ditanyakan - how do I know a truth or something
   is true?
4. Antropological proses
   pertanyaan yg ditanyakan - how this truth relate to me?
5. ethical proses
   pertanyaan yg ditanyakan - how this truth commands me to action?

Moga2 ada waktu utk bisa mengupas sedikit dalam proses pemikiran
atau pembentukan pola pikir kita tsb.

segitu dulu.  Sekali lagi maaf kalau tulisan ini terasa provokatif.
sama sekali tdk ada maksud utk menihilkan segala macam pengalaman
teman2 yg sungguh terjadi, juga tdk ada maksud memberikan cap-cap
tertentu kepada teman2 yg menulis.  Tulisan ini dan initiatif saya
bertanya tdk lain tdk bukan merupakan upaya utk lebih mengerti
kebenaran yg sesungguhnya, dimana moga2 merupakan pursue kita
bersama, dan kita tdk menganggap sesuatu itu sebagai suatu
given sehingga kita take it for granted.  Melainkan kita bisa
mengembangkan keberanian dan kebebasan utk kritis.  Grace dan
mercy yg Allah berikan melalui YK bukanlah suatu cheap grace.
Mohon maaf kalau kurang berkenan di hati teman2.

salam,
kie eng


From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Tue Aug 15 18:31:30 1995
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From: ruben@lava.net (Ruben M Sentana)
To: Indonesia Christian Mailing List 
Subject: RE: TB
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Syalom dan aloha,

Setelah saya dengar-dengar dari diskusi tentang Toronto Blessing ini, saya 
jadi ingin sharing tentang apa yang pernah saya alami sendiri.  Secara garis 
besarnya, saya tidak bilang kalau TB itu ajaran sesat, tapi saya juga tidak 
bilang kalau TB itu benar seluruhnya.  Saya masih pegang dahulu ajaran saya 
semula dan sebelum saya dapat illumination dari Holy Spirit saya tidak mau 
bertindak ngambil mind-set kalau TB itu salah atau benar.  Selama nama Tuhan 
dimuliakan dan nama Yesus ditinggikan, there is no problemo fo' me.

Waktu saya ikut retreat ICF Hawaii ke dua di North Shore, saya sempat tukar 
pikiran dengan pendeta Che Ahn (ada di majalah Kharisma bulan Juli lalu, 
kalau tidak salah).  Dia sangat menganjurkan kalau saya bisa ke Toronto 
untuk mendapatkan curahan Roh Kudus besar-besaran di sana.  Saya pikir sih 
setelah seseorang percaya Tuhan Yesus, pasti dia sudah terima Roh Kudus, 
karena itu janji Tuhan sendiri.  Tidak perlu tumpangan tangan lagi dari 
orang yang lebih tinmggi rohaninya, karena menerima Roh Kudus bukan masalah 
tumpang tangan atau baptisan khusus, tapi berdasarkan iman akan janji Tuhan 
Yesus sendiri yang memeteraikan umat Tuhan dengan Roh Kudus sebagai bukti 
kepunyaan Allah.  Tapi saya tidak berani terus-terang bertentangan dengan 
pastor Che, karena saya sendiri sadar kalau buktinya tentang apa yang pastor 
Che bicarakan memang fakta.  Maka dari itu, saya tidak menentang atau 
memihak ke salah satu posisi.

Dua minggu yang lalu, saya diajak teman saya yang suka datang ke Grace Bible 
di Honolulu, karena dia bilang gerejanya bakal kedatangan assisten pastor 
dari Toronto Airport Vineyard church.  Saya ditumpangi tangan sama pastor 
itu, dan saya rasakan getaran diseluruh badan saya.  Akan tetapi saya tidak 
mau ikut-ikutan jatuh seperti yang lain.  Tapi akhirnya saya tidak tahan, so 
saya duduk di karpet.  Di situ saya jadi bingung: sampai kapan saya harus 
duduk di sini?  Mungkin sebagian dari kalian akan tertawa mendengar kejadian 
yang saya alami ini, tapi saya tidak berani membuka mata saya, takut 
kalau-kalau orang pada melihat saya dan menyangka kalau saya hanya 
ikut-ikutan orang lain disekitar saya.  Akhirnya, saya terus duduk sampai 
khotbah selesai.  Selama itu saya sadar sepenuhnya, hati saya tertuju sama 
Tuhan Yesus yang telah begitu mengasihi saya, dan saya terus berdoa selama 
saya duduk plus bingung.  Sesudah selesai, saya ngga ngerasa ada perobahan 
dalam diri saya, seperti angin lalu.  Hari-hari sesudah itu, pergumulan 
hidup terus ada seperti sebelumnya, dan kekuatan Roh Kudus tetap sama 
seperti sebelumnya (jatuh bangun, malah rate jatuhnya agak meningkat 
sedikit).  Tapi saya pegang janji Tuhan yang mengatakan kalau Roh Kudus akan 
terus bekerja dalam diri kita & terus menyucikan kita tiap hari lebih 
menyerupai Tuhan Yesus.

Setelah saat itu, saya agak condong ke posisi yang mengatakan kalau TB itu 
agak kurang alkitabiah.  Saya tidak menyalahkan orang-orang yang mengalami 
phenomena itu, tapi seperti pendeta Stephen Tong bilang kalau kita tidak 
boleh menentukan doktrin hanya dari phenomena.  Bagi anda yang mengalaminya 
dan buah-buah Roh tampak lebih nyata, saya sangat bersyukur kepada Tuhan.  
Akan tetapi, itu bukan menjadi patokan kalau semua orang akan mengalami 
hal-hal yang sama.  Alangkah baiknya kalau itu dapat dialami oleh semua 
orang, but I dare to differ that it might not be the only way that Holy 
Spirit works within us.  Ingatlah bahwa Tuhan kita adalah Tuhan yang 
bervariasi.  Kalau semuanya ikut satu pattern, surga akan monoton dan 
boring.  Tapi Tuhan kita bukan Tuhan yang monoton.  Kevariasian itu yang 
saya pikir mungin menyebabkan adanya orang yang mengalami hal-hal yang luar 
biasa lewat TB, dan ada pula yang biasa-biasa saja.  Ada yang bisa 
aneh-aneh, ada yang adem-ayem.  Semuanya itu dilakukan oleh satu Roh, dan 
adalah sebaiknya bila kita tidak membatasi pekerjaan Roh Kudus dan 
sebaliknya, kita juga tidak berhak memaksa orang-orang agar mengalami 
phenomena yang sama.  Saya sendiri masih terus belajar & pengenalan akan 
Tuhan masih perlu lebih intim lagi.  I am open to any comments from all of 
you bro & sis in Christ.  Immanuel!

//RMS


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From: Jonathan Adipranoto 
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Subject: Toronto Blessing
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halo,

saya tertarik dengan diskusi tentang toronto blessing. dari beberapa
artikel yang di post ke fica, ada beberapa hal yang kelihatannya
perlu dipertimbangkan :

1. apakah fenomena tertawa, jatuh atau yang lainnya itu memang tidak
   bisa dijelaskan ? atau, itu hanya ikut-ikutan saja, supaya tampak
   canggih begitu ? soalnya, ada kecenderungan untuk ikut-ikutan
   bertingkah seperti itu, untuk mendapatkan legitimasi _kemasukan
   roh_ .....
2. apakah peristiwa kemasukan roh itu membawa berkat bagi diri sendiri
   atau orang lain ? kalau tidak ada apa-apanya, perlu dipertanyakan,
   roh apa yang masuk ? atau, apa memang ada roh ?
3. hubungan antara kita dengan roh kudus itu sifatnya pribadi, dan
   bukan untuk show. so, kalau sampai terjadi show, harus dipertanyakan
   dulu : apa benar ?
4. kalau terjadi kesurupan atau lainnya gitu, khan lucu jadinya. apalagi
   dipamerkan didepan orang banyak. lha apa ndak malahan mempermalukan
   sang pencipta ? atau ada pendapat lain ?

saya bukan ahli bermain dengan ayat-ayat alkitab. cuman, membaca cerita
tentang peristiwa tersebut, yang muncul adalah pertanyaan-pertanyaan di
atas. bagaimana ? mungkin teman-teman punya pendapat lain ?

salam,
--

*************************************************
Jonathan R. Adipranoto
Hewlett-Packard Servisindo

OpenMail : jonathan ADIPRANOTO / HP-Indonesia,om1
Internet : jonathan@obelix.indo.hp.com
voice    : 62-21-3518788
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*************************************************

From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Mon Aug 14 21:29:44 1995
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Menambahi keterangan saudara Andre ttg. subject, saya setuju dengan
pendapatnya. Di tempat saya tinggal di Sydney, Australia juga mengalami
lawatan atau jamahan Holy Spirit yang sama dengan di Toronto, bahkan
pastor John Arnott dan istri Carol Arnott sendiri yang  membawakan
seminar mengenai subject. Tepatnya di Psalm 126:2 "Our mouths were filled
with laughter" juga di Gen 21:6 "...God has brought me laughter".

Mengenai buahnya, ada pasangan Jepang yang khusus datang untuk melihat
apa itu Toronto Blessing, mereka tadinya dari agama lain. Ketika di doakan
mereka mengalami suatu suka-cita dan damai sejahtera yang melampaui segala
akal (Phl 4:7), sehingga mereka terima Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Juru Selamat
nya pribadi. Juga banyak sekali orang2 yang disembuhkan dari sakit 
penyakit dan beberapa orang yang tidak pernah tertawa karena stress hidup
memperoleh damai sejahtera Kristus.

Yang penting kita jangan men-judge apakah itu sesat atau bukan. Sebab
pada akhir jaman ini Tuhan akan mencurahkan Roh Kudus atas kita, dan
His work is beyond our own understanding (Job 37:5b).


In His service,
Yani Tedjojuwono
email : yani@acslink.net.au

From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Mon Aug 14 15:25:43 1995
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From: "'In Austin TX' Andre Chandra" 
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Subject: Re: Toronto Blessing
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Shalom FICA-netters,

Toronto Blessing yang saya tahu adalah lawatan Roh Kudus secara besar2an 
di Gereja Toronto Airport Vineyard. Manifestasi dari lawatan Tuhan ini 
belum pernah sebelumnya terjadi, walaupun pernah dinubuatkan oleh 
beberapa hamba2 Tuhan.

Yang menjadi kontroversi di berbagai golongan dan denominasi Kristen 
adalah manifestasinya, dari tertawa terbahak-bahak, menangis, sampai 
"drunken in the Spirit," atau literally mabuk karena hadirat Roh Kudus. Banyak 
yang didoakan dan jatuh bergelimpangan, dan ini terjadi setiap kebaktian 
sampai hari ini di Airport Vineyard, sejak kira2 1.5 tahun y.l.

Banyak orang dan hamba2 Tuhan yang mengunjungi Toronto, beberapa karena 
ingin tahu apakah ini benar, dan yang lain ingin ikut merasakan lawatan 
Tuhan, dan banyak dari antara mereka yang berasal dari Indonesia. Waktu 
mereka pulang, blessing itu juga mereka bawa ke gereja2 mereka di 
Indonesia, dan seluruh gereja dilawat. 

Saya personally percaya bahwa Toronto Blessing is real, tapi jangan 
sampai blessing ini 'taken for granted', seperti orang2 mengunjungi 
Gunung Kawi, orang Kristen pergi ke Toronto. Tidak ada salahnya pergi ke 
Toronto kalau ada waktu, but you know, God is omnipotent. 
Saya sendiri belum pernah pergi ke Toronto, cuma manifestasi yang sama 
juga terjadi di gereja2 yang saya kunjungi di Seattle dan Portland.

Apakah ini benar dan Alkitabiah? Tuhan pernah bilang "I will put laughter 
in your mouth" di Perjanjian Lama (I think it's Isaiah, sorry I don't 
have my Bible & notes handy) dan juga pernah menjanjikan outpouring of the 
Spirit di jaman akhir. Tapi satu prinsip yang Tuhan pernah ajarkan 
tentang mengenali suatu ajaran sesat adalah: lihat buahnya (hasilnya). 

Based on my own testimony and some friends, this new blessing has changed 
our lives. My Spirit was renewed and strengthened. Glory to God forever 
and ever! Amen.

4 Him,
Andre

+ Untuk informasi lebih lanjut, checkout this homepage site:
  http://www.io.org/~robind/scarvine/torbless.html
+ "Catch the Fire" by Guy Chevreau

=========================================================================
                   email: andrec@u.washington.edu
           homepage: http://weber.u.washington.edu/~andrec


From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Wed Aug 16 15:39:41 1995
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From: Eng Go 
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Salam,

Membaca kesaksian sdr. Ruben (sambil menanti tanggapan
dari teman2 ttg dasar2 TB menurut Alkitab), saya ingin
bertanya pada sdr. Ruben:

1. Apa interpritasi anda terhadap peristiwa anda ditumpangi 
  tangan, lalu anda merasa ada getaran, dan akhirnya anda
   jatuh terduduk?  Kira2 sebisa kemampuan anda menjustifikasi
   pengalaman tsb., bisa tdk anda tolong jelaskan kira2
   apa sich explanation-nya?  Apa betul itu suatu kuasa,
   atau kira2 psikological impact?  (beberapa minggu yg lalu
   saya lupa dalam program apa (entah itu prime time atau 20-20
   atau dateline-nya NBC), disitu diadakan suatu case dimana
   seorang lecturer memberikan ceramah di satu universitas
   hukum.  dalam ceramahnya dia ada sebutkan sesuatu ttg
   hidung besa.  lalu tiba2 masuk seorang asing ke ruang
   kelas tsb., dan merampok tas dari si lecturer tsb, dan lari 
   keluar kelas.  Ini eksperiment yg sengaja di setup, utk
   membuktikan berapa banyak dari murid di kelas yg bisa
   menangkap wajah si perampok tsb.  Yg herannya beberapa
   dari murid yg diinterview menyatakan bahwa si perampok
   berhidung besar.  pdhal hidungnya tdk besar sama sekali.
   jadi ini power of suggestion.  bahkan di daerah dallas ini
   ada seorang christian magician, Danny Koram (spelling).
   dalam memulai shownya dia selalu secara tdk disadari 
   memborbardir audiencenya dengan menyebut suatu warna.
   Lalu waktu show dimulai, dia lemparkan sebuah kertas
   ke audience.  Audience yg mendapatkan kertas itu diminta
   berdiri dan diminta utk menyebutkan satu warna yg dia
   sukai saat itu.  si audience langsung menyebutkan warna
   yg tanpa disadari sdh dibombardir oleh sang magician.
   Lalu si magician meminta audience tsb. membuka kertas
   tsb., dan di dalamnya tertulis warna tsb.  Sebelum
   kita diberitahu ttg the power of suggestion ini, kita
   audience sangat terpesona dan kagum.  Namun Danny segera
   menjelaskan bahwa dia pake powe of suggestion (Danny ada
   menulis beberapa buku ttg orang2 yg mengaku punya supernatural
   power).

2. sdr. Ruben menyatakan bahwa anda tdk percaya kalau TB ini
   alkitabiah.  Bisa tdk anda berikan penjelasan kenapa anda
   berkesimpulan demikian?

Sekali lagi, saya bertanya ingin tahu lebih lanjut ttg hal2
kayak gini, dan saya yakin bukan cuma saya yg ingin tahu
dan belajar.  Terima kasih utk sdr. Ruben yg bersedia ditanya.

salam,
kie eng

From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Thu Aug 17 06:00:12 1995
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From: ruben@lava.net (Ruben M Sentana)
To: Indonesia Christian Mailing List 
Subject: RE: TB
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Kie Eng wrote:
>
>Salam,
>
>Membaca kesaksian sdr. Ruben (sambil menanti tanggapan 
>dari teman2 ttg dasar2 TB menurut Alkitab), saya ingin bertanya 
>pada sdr. Ruben:
>
>1. Apa interpritasi anda terhadap peristiwa anda ditumpangi 
>  tangan, lalu anda merasa ada getaran, dan akhirnya anda
>   jatuh terduduk?  Kira2 sebisa kemampuan anda menjustifikasi
>   pengalaman tsb., bisa tdk anda tolong jelaskan kira2
>   apa sich explanation-nya?  Apa betul itu suatu kuasa,
>   atau kira2 psikological impact?  (deleted...)

Sebelum saya jawab, saya ingin menegaskan kembali kalau saya tidak melarang 
akan hal ini (walaupun saya anggap kurang alkitabiah - saya reply di 
pertanyaan kedua nanti).  Menurut interpretasi saya yang kurang sempurna, 
penumpangan tangan itu adalah sebagai simbol dari pemenuhan Roh Kudus.  
Sebelum saya ditumpangi tangan, saya tidak bergetar dan tahan berdiri.  Akan 
tetapi, setelah ditumpangi tangan, saya percaya dengan iman kalau Roh Kudus 
memenuhi saya dan manifestasinya berbentuk getaran dan berat sampai jatuh 
terduduk.  Of course, itu semua tergantung dari iman kita masing-masing, dan 
ada pula yang tidak merasakan apa-apa waktu ditumpangi tangan (contohnya 
saudara misan saya yang mana pada waktu itu juga ditumpangi tangan di waktu 
yang sama).  
Kesimpulan saya, kepenuhan Roh Kudus itu adalah hal yang diwajibkan oleh 
rasul Paulus (Ephesian 5:18).  Tetapi, caranya kepenuhan Roh Kudus itu 
bervariasi.  Ada yang sampai manifestasi macam-macam, ada yang kalem-kalem 
saja.  Saya kira itu bukan psychological impact, walaupun ada yang mungkin 
extremenya sampai diinterpretasikan demikian oleh bererapa pihak.

>2. sdr. Ruben menyatakan bahwa anda tdk percaya kalau TB ini
>   alkitabiah.  Bisa tdk anda berikan penjelasan kenapa anda
>   berkesimpulan demikian?

Saya bukannya menyatakan kalau hal ini tidak alkitabiah, hanya kurang 
alkitabiah.  Alasannya meskipun banyak ayat di alkitab yang menyokong hal 
ini, ada pula ayat yang bisa dipakai untuk menolaknya.  Saya lebih condong 
pada hal yang kurang menyetujui daripada hal yang menyokong.  Saya kasih contoh:
Ayat-ayat pokok yang dipakai untuk menyokong TB adalah kejadian di Acts 8 
dan 19, di mana adanya penumpangan tangan kepada orang-orang percaya.  Saya 
akan singgung sedikit tentang perbedaan baptisan Roh Kudus dan kepenuhan Roh 
Kudus.  Untuk lebih jelasnya anda dapat baca buku dari John Stott (Baptism & 
Fullness) dan buku Charles Stanley (The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life).  
Kebanyakan orang dari aliran kharismatik percaya kalau ada senggang waktu 
antara lahir baru dengan turunnya Roh Kudus atas seseorang.  Contoh 
konkritnya ialah pada waktu di Acts 8, rasul Petrus pergi ke Samaria supaya 
murid-murid di Samaria menerima Roh Kudus, karena ternyata Roh Kudus belum 
turun ke atas mereka.  Di sini banyak orang menginterpretasikan kejadian ini 
sebagai salah satu norm dari yang diistilahkan sebagai baptisan Roh Kudus, 
dimana orang yang telah lahir baru belum menerima Roh Kudus secara penuh.  
Maka dari itu perlu ditumpangi tangan oleh pendeta atau tua-tua yang sudah 
"kepenuhan" Roh Kudus.  Saya agak kurang sreg dengan interpretasi ini, 
karena jika hal itu benar, maka ada perpecahan diantara orang Kristen : yang 
punya Roh Kudus secara penuh dan yang belum menerima Roh Kudus secara penuh 
(extrimnya, the haves and the have nots).  Ini tidak mungkin, karena saya 
yakin pasti ada orang yang tidak pernah ditumpangi tangan tapi Tuhan pakai 
luar biasa, dan ada pula yang sudah ditumpangi tangan, tapi kurang 
pelayanan.  (Penjelasan dari kejadian itu ialah karena gereja di Samaria 
adalah gereja yang belum mendapat persetujuan dari rasul-rasul.  Semua 
gereja yang ada harus dilandasi oleh ajaran nabi-nabi & rasul-rasul.  Gereja 
jaman sekarang disahkan oleh adanya Perjanjian Baru.)  Itu semua menandakan 
kalau penumpangan tangan dan jatuh dihembus sama pendeta adalah bukan suatu 
norma penerimaan / kepenuhan Roh Kudus bagi semua orang.  Saya percaya kalau 
seseorang sudah lahir baru, dia sudah punya Roh Kudus sebagai meterai dari 
Tuhan kalau orang itu adalah milikNya.
Di atas hanya salah satu contoh yang paling mendasar yang saya kira paling 
banyak ditanyakan oleh orang.  Tentu saja masih banyak contoh lain seperti 
holy laughter dll.  Kakak saya sendiri pernah mengalami holy laughter, dan 
dia sendiri kesulitan untuk mengiterpretasikan kejadian itu.  Memang Tuhan 
tidak mungkin dapat dimengerti oleh otak kita yang sangat terbatas ini.  
Yang penting dari kesemuanya itu ialah buah Roh.  Kalau buah Roh tampak 
jelas sesudah dipenuhi Roh Kudus lewat penumpangan tangan, itu jelas karya 
Roh Kudus sendiri.  Kalau tidak, yah itu bukan dari Roh Kudus.  Seperti yang 
pernah saya tulis dahulu, bahwa Roh Kudus bekerja lewat berbagai macam cara, 
dan tidak boleh hanya satu cara yang harus dipakai untuk terus kepenuhan 
dengan Roh Kudus.  Asal kita meminta kepada Bapa yang Maha Kasih, dan dengan 
iman kita percaya, pasti Tuhan akan memberikannya kepada kita.

>Sekali lagi, saya bertanya ingin tahu lebih lanjut ttg hal2
>kayak gini, dan saya yakin bukan cuma saya yg ingin tahu
>dan belajar.  Terima kasih utk sdr. Ruben yg bersedia ditanya.

You're welcome.  Saya usul, bagaimana kalau anda bertanya langsung kepada 
Roh Kudus?  Ngga enak juga kalau kita serius mendiskusikan tentang pekerjaan 
sesuatu oknum tanpa mendapat jawaban langsung dari oknum yang bersangkutan.  
Kita di sini semua masih belajar terus, dan bukankah Roh Kudus akan 
mengajarkan dan mengingatkan kita akan Firman Tuhan?  Kejadian-kejadian TB 
yang ada itu harus diinterpretasikan sesuai dengan Firman Allah, yaitu 
Alkitab sendiri.  Tidak mungkin kalau phenomena bertolak belakang dengan 
Alkitab, sebab jika hal itu terjadi, maka pasti interpretasinya yang salah 
dan bukan Alkitab.

>salam,
>kie eng
>

Merdeka!  Indonesia Jubilee!
//RMS


From owner-fica-net@cs.wisc.edu Fri Aug 18 13:22:29 1995
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From: Eng Go 
To: Indonesia Christian Mailing List 
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Salam aloha utk sdr. Ruben,

Terima kasih utk tanggapan anda.  (btw. aloha itu artinya apa
yach... sering dengar dari dulu [maklum pernah nge-fan sama
McGaret dan Danu di H5O], tapi nggak pernah tahu secara
pasti artinya apa; kalau Tunei saya tahu artinya, yi
good solid offensive line [pemain offensive line dari 
Dallas cowboys, football tim])

Dari tanggapan anda, ada beberapa hal yang saya kira
perlu digaris bawahi:
1. di Alkitab ada tercatat banyak EVENTS.  Adalah sangat
   riskan memperlakukan EVENTS itu sebagai suatu NORM.
   misalnya, peristiwa baptisan RK di Kisah 2, 8, 10, 19,
   merupakan EVENTS; atau peristiwa Musa mengangkat patung
   ular di Keluaran 21; atau peristiwa Sarah tertawa di 
   Kejadian 21.
   Saya kira point ini sangat penting utk disimak.  Apakah
   bisa kita jadikan suatu EVENT sbg suatu NORM?  Kalau
   bisa, apa saja kriterianya; krn EVENTS sangat bergantung
   pada konteks kultur budaya yg berlaku pada waktu itu,
   dimana kultur budaya dari satu masy. ke masy lainnya
   belum tentu bisa dipindahkan begitu saja.  Yg bisa kita
   dapatkan dari EVENTS adalah PRINSIP2 yg tersirat di dalamnya,
   dan PRINSIP2 ini yg mungkin bisa dijadikan NORM.

   Point utk menjadi bahan pemikiran.  Kalau seandainya
   EVENT2 di Kisah Rasul 2,8,10,19 itu harus dijadikan NORM,
   yi adanya baptisan RK setelah keselamatan, bagaimana dengan
   Efesus 1:13-14 yg menyatakan bahwa pada detik moment seseorang
   menerima kabar keselamatan itu, saat itu pula RK masuk
   dalam hidup si orang itu dan menjadi meterai.  Kalau begitu 
   Alkitab saling mengkontradiksi dirinya.

2. TIDAK ALKITABIAH VS. KURANG ALKITABIAH VS. ALKITABIAH
   Membaca tanggapan sdr. Ruben, dimana anda nyatakan ttg TB
   bahwa anda tdk menganggap mereka TIDAK alkitabiah, melainkan
   KURANG alkitabiah, saya jadi mikir lagi...  Apa betul hal
   ke "alkitabiahan" ini bisa dikategorikan dalam suatu spectrum
   dari sisi yg totally alkitabiah.....kurang alkitabiah...tdk
   alkitabiah....  Kalau iya seperti itu, lalu kembali kita
   dihadapi dengan suatu issue, ayat2 Alkitab yg mana yang dipakai
   utk menjustifikasi hal2 yg KURANG alkitabiah....
   Apa begitu?
   saya koq bingung dadi ne iki..., piye mas...?!?!
   Cara saya lihat selama ini seperti ini....  saya temukan dari
   Alkitab banyak sekali prinsip-prinsip hidup yang disampaikan
   secara jelas (mis 10 perintah Allah, khotbah di bukit, kitab 
   Amsal dst...dst...), dan utk itu saya kira sedikit mudah 
   utk menentukan secara awam bhw hal2 itu ALKITABIAH.  Sementara
   itu di Alkitab juga ada catatan sejarah (EVENTS), ada pula 
   journal (mis Pengkhotbah), ada nubuatan ada sajak...  Dari
   hal-hal itu, kalau konteks budaya sosial politik dst...
   dipelajari dengan cukup baik, maka kita akan dapatkan prinsip2
   alkitabiah yg suprakultur.  Kalau (sekali lagi KALAU) memang
   prinsip-prinsip itu sifatnya ALKITABIAH, maka prinsip2 itu
   harus bisa di bawa ke dalam budaya apa saja dalam segala
   peradaban (suprakultur).  Prinsip2 yg Alkitabiah universal 
   sifatnya (suprakultur), dan bisa kita katakan ABSOLUT.
   Sementara itu, saya percaya bahwa Alkitab memberikan kita
   kebebasan utk mengimplementasikan prinsip2 itu dalam budaya
   kita masing2.  Jadi ini berkaitan dengan methode atau cara
   (mis liturgi itu tdk absolut, organisasi itu tdk absolut
    dst... dst...).  Bagi saya events dalam alkitab merupakan
   suatu contoh yg Allah berikan pada kita, dimana kita bisa
   belajar bahwa orang2 pada budaya tertentu mengaplikasikan prinsip2
   DIA sedemikian rupa.
   Jadi saya melihat adanya hal yang ABSOLUT (prinsip2 Alkitabiah)
   dan TIDAK-ABSOLUT (methode, cara, alat dst...).  Mencampur
   adukkan hal2 absolut dengan yg tidak absolut, atau mencampurkan
   NORM dengan hal2 yg kultural, akan menimbulkan suatu kebingungan
   dalam kehidupan berjemaat.  Saya kira dalam Alkitab ada contoh2
   seperti ini, misalnya jemaat di Galatia (pertama Paulus marah
   kpd Petrus krn kemunafikan Petrus waktu orang Yahudi berkunjung
   ke sana; kedua, jemaat di Galatia sendiri terbawa pada suatu
   kehidupan beribadah yang legalistik yi ada yang mengajarkan bhw
   utk betul2 menjadi orang Kristen, mereka harus disunat seperti
   orang Yahudi).  Ini juga bisa dijadikan suatu indikator, yi
   kalau sudah ada suatu system ibadah yg "legalistik" (legalistik
   disini tdk hanya diartikan kaku dengan hukum2 yg tertulis, tapi
   seringkali juga ada banyak "NORM"2 yg tdk tertulis yg menjadikan
   kehidupan beribadah menjadi kaku.), itu menandakan bahwa kemungkinan
   besar ada pengertian yg kurang jelas terhdp hal2 yg absolut yi
   perinsip dengan hal2 yg tdk absolut, dalam system tsb.
   Kembali saya pribadi menyatakan bhw kalau ada ajaran dalam
   iman Kristen yg mengajarkan bahwa seseorang baru sahih menjadi
   Kristen, setelah mengalami baptisan RK sebagai pengalaman kedua
   dari keselamatan itu sendiri, saya harus katakan itu TIDAK 
   ALKITABIAH, saya tdk akan katakan itu KURANG ALKITABIAH.
   Lalu kembali ke issue, bagaimana dengan TB?  Moga2 teman2 yg
   setuju dengan TB sudi memaparkan dasar2 Alkitab dari gerakan
   TB ini.

   (beberapa kali Allah mengijinkan saya utk mengalami kehadiran
   RK secara lebih akrab dalam hidup saya, dan saya tdk artikan
   hal tsb. sbg "baptisan" RK.)

3. Bertanya pada RK.
   Saya kira anjuran sdr. Ruben utk saya bertanya sendiri pada RK
   secara langsung, merupakan suatu anjuran yang sangat tepat dan
   setiap kita perlu berani melakukan hal ini.  Tapi anjuran inipun
   saya kira perlu dipilah lagi, sehingga kembali kita semua tdk
   menjadi bingung.  Misalnya, bagaimana misalnya 20 orang di antara
   kita bertanya pada RK ttg issue TB ini (misalnya), dan ternyata
   setiap orang mendapat jawaban yg berbeda.  Bagaimana?
   Dengan kata lain bagaimana proses atau guidelines-nya utk kita
   bertanya pada RK.  jawabannya sederhana, yi kalau memang itu dari 
   RK, pasti ke-20 orang itu akan mendapatkan jawaban yg sama.
   (contohnya, yi dalam Kisah 10 misalnya, RK dengan jelas memberitahu
   pada Cornelius melalui suatu penglihatan, dan juga memberitahu
   pada Paulus, sehingga kedua orang itu bisa sinkron).  Namun toch
   dalam kehidupan ini, bagaimana ke-20 orang itu bisa mengalami
   hal yang sama, yi mendapat jawaban yg sama, yi dari RK? (tdk ada
   masalah kalau memang cara RK berkomunikasi hanya satu yi seperti
   yg tercatat dalam kejadian di Kisah 10 itu, yi melalui penglihatan
   dan bicara langsung....).
   Bagaimana?  Silakan didiskusikan.

   Sedikit catatan dari saya pribadi...., saya menikah dengan seorang
   yg berlatar belakang karismatik kuat sekali.  Istri saya aktif
   sekali dalam pelayanan gerejanya yi gereja karismatik (dia bisa
   berbahasa lidah).  Catatan saya ini jangan diartikan bahwa saya 
   menyoroti doktrin karismatik, catatan ini lebih condong utk 
   menjelaskan sedikit bagaimana saya dan istri melalui proses dialog 
   dengan Allah (termasuk dengan RK), yi pertanyaan sdr. Ruben - apakah
   saya sdh bertanya langsung pada RK.  Ternyata dalam kehidupan 
   berumah tangga, perbedaan praktis iman antara istri yg kuat
   karismatik dan saya yg tdk karismatik, membuat kita berdua sepakat
   utk membuat suatu adjustment.  Lalu kami bertanya pada Allah
   tentang hal2 yg kontraversil ini.  Ternyata dari pengalaman kami,
   Allah tdk memberikan jawaban-Nya secepat apa yang dialami di Kisah
   pasal 10 itu.  Allah memberikan jawabannya dengan menuntun kami
   berdua utk mempelajari Firman-Nya secara lebih tekun.  Kami
   mulai mempelajari ayat2 yg berhubungan dengan hal2 yg kontraversil
   menurut kami pd waktu itu.  Dari situ kami mulai pelajari konteks2 
   yg ada (dengan memakai methode mulai memilah hal2 mana yang
   absolut prinsip dan hal2 mana yg tdk absolut (events, methode), 
   dan kami mulai membaca pikiran2 dan interpritasi tokoh2
   gereja, baik dari yg kubu karismatik sampai pada tokoh dari kubu
   konservatif.  Kami ingat waktu itu seringkali di dalam mobil pun 
   kami seru mendiskusikan issue tsb.  Proses ini mungkin memakan 
   waktu 2 tahun.  Di satu sisi kalau kami lihat kembali, prosesnya
   seringkali cukup emotionally draining, khususnya ada kalanya kita
   terjerat dimana diskusi menjadi debat, yi saya ingin mempertahankan
   tradisi saya, dan istri saya mau mempertahankan tradisinya.
   Namun di sisi lain, kami bersyukur utk proses yg Tuhan berikan
   pada kami sbg jawabannya, krn dari pengalaman itu, selain kami
   menjadi lebih kenal, tapi juga kami dibawa ke dalam Firman Tuhan
   (mungkin tdk pernah kami mempelejari Firman Tuhan se-extensif itu
   sebelumnya).  Akhir dari proses tsb. kami berdua berubah banyak,
   dan dari sisi kami, kami dibawa lebih dekat pada Allah.
   Demikian kurang lebih bagaimana Allah memberikan jawabannya pada
   kami, pada waktu kami bertanya ttg hal ini.

Demikian dari saya.  Kalau sudi, silakan diteruskan diskusi ini,
khususnya agar setiap pembaca bisa makin lebih mengenal kebenaran
Allah dan makin berani berdiri atas kebenaran itu, dan diatas
kebenaran itulah kita bangun tradisi kita.

salam,
kie eng


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