"A Ministry of the Holy Spirit"
Roelf Ruffner, whom we support, sent us yet another action being attributed to the Holy Spirit, which relates to last week’s and this week’s articles. It’s a copy of the invitation that is being extended to all by Lipscomb University, who is hosting a “Formational Prayer Seminar” from May 16-19, 2018. Those who have read their Bibles might not have seen information on “formational prayer” (maybe because it’s not in there); so the invitation explains it.
Formerly known as "inner healing prayer," formational prayer is "a ministry of the Holy Spirit, moving through a Christian caregiver, bringing the Healing Presence of Jesus Christ into the place of pain and brokenness within a wounded person."
Really? The Bible does not speak of “inner healing prayer,” either; so we are still at a loss as to what this is. But we have been assured that it’s “a ministry of the Holy Spirit.” Umm, no one has ever read about this ministry in the Bible. But He allegedly moves through a Christian caregiver. And we know that—how? Some are taking the literal indwelling of the Spirit to extremes, are they not? Jesus provides a “Healing Presence”? How does that work?
This program is designed, among other things, to help dysfunctional behaviors and demonstrate “pathways that help people dismantle destructive, false beliefs.” Apparently, it has not occurred to the promoters that the contents of this program might, in fact, contain “destructive, false beliefs.” The Bible contains the truth, along with insights into the human character. It does advise us to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). If that is the purpose of this seminar, it has a peculiar way of phrasing its goals.
The presenter is apparently not a member of the Lord’s church. He is Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology at Ashland Theological Seminary, which is associated with the Brethren Church. According to Wikipedia, “The Brethren Church is an Anabaptist Christian denomination with roots in one of several groups that traces its origins back to the Schwarzenau Brethren of Germany.” The group is about 300 years old—1700 years too late to be the church Jesus established. However, anyone who wants to learn inner healing prayer and is available for the date in May needs only to send in $475 to reserve a spot. Hurry, though, they only have room for 150 participants.