The Christian Chronicle and the Holy Spirit (2): Pat Boone

Does The Christian Chronicle think the era of the Holy Spirit’s giving of supernatural gifts has ended? If they do, why are they publishing articles in favor of them? One man assured readers that the Holy Spirit led him to stop at his father’s grave. Another article deals with Pat Boone, who claims to have been speaking in tongues for 50 years. When Bobby Ross interviewed and reported on Pat Boone, he gave no value judgments as to whether the former “star” was right or wrong. Why not? Are they confused at the Chronicle?

Whether or not they are, Pat Boone is confused—and has been for five decades. Notice that he did not make an argument for gifts still being active and legitimate although he must be convinced of that. All he says is that the churches of Christ ruled out the supernatural. That’s not exactly accurate—in fact, it rather suggests that we are modern-day Sadducees.

Of course, we do not rule out the supernatural, or we could not worship God Who created this universe Supernaturally—by the power of His word (Ps. 33:6, 9). We do not deny that the Ten Plagues God brought upon Egypt were Supernatural. We all agree that the conquering of the Promised Land involved God fighting for Israel. Miracles attended Elijah and Elisha as well. Jesus Himself was God in the flesh. He and the apostles all did miracles and exercised other supernatural manifestations as well, as did members of the body of Christ. But God planned for them to end.

It was never His design for the church to perpetually have the spiritual gifts granted in the first century. He designed them to terminate when that which was perfect came—the complete Word of God. When that century ended, no apostle remained to impart the gifts, and the complete revelation of God had been given, according to both Peter (2 Peter 1:3) and Jude (v. 3).

Jesus foretold that the apostles would be guided into all truth, and Peter confirms that they were when he wrote that God had given them all things that pertained to life and godliness. Jude said the faith had been once for all delivered to the saints. Now if all had been given, how much left is there? If a woman puts in all the ingredients of a recipe, what is lacking? Nothing! She included everything that was required. If someone has $5,000 in his checking account and writes a check for that amount, how much is left? Nothing. He was not robbed; the bank is not out to get him; he simply spent it all, and no more is left.

Likewise, God revealed all truth to the apostles in the first century. He said He would, and He did. This means that, since the Holy Spirit’s objective was fulfilled then, He is not causing travelers to go to a cemetery to see a grave. He is not causing Pat Boone (or anyone else) to speak in tongues. If so, what is He revealing that is more than the all He already gave?

1973

In 1973 Pat Boone spoke at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh; several preachers in the Lord’s church were on hand, hoping to have an opportunity to speak to him. The crowd numbered in the thousands because many charismatics wanted to hear what he had to say. Whereas members of the church once touted him as “one of us,” now the neo-Pentecostals were claiming him. This writer taped him from the audience; so the quality of the tape is poor. One preacher from the area did manage to get through for a few words after the program, but he was waved off after a brief exchange.

The star of this show demonstrated confusion even back then. He obviously fellowshipped those who use instrumental music, but he stressed the value of singing a cappella, saying, “Let me show you what God’s instrument can do.” Did he really think that many in the audience cared or caught the significance of what he was saying? When a person fellowships the way he did, no one is going to care that he sang a spiritual song without the accompaniment of musical instruments—so long as he didn’t insist the same of them.

When he talked about baptizing someone at a very late hour, he said that he was “baptized in the middle of the night. Now that has a Scriptural ring to it, doesn’t it?” (a reference to the Philippian jailer). Again, what was he trying to do? He fellowshipped by the thousands those never baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. Many had probably only been sprinkled as infants. Did he think that by such a comment anyone would see that baptism in the Bible is always immersion? Did he think they would conclude that it was essential to salvation? No, an offhand comment cannot substitute for an argument based on the Scriptures.

But as to his goofiness, he told a story that reveals his dependence on the Holy Spirit taking care of his every need. At the time of the story he was visiting in Nashville. A friend wanted him to watch a particular television program, seeking his opinion of the performance. He was afraid that if he went to Wednesday evening Bible study he would miss it; so he stayed home to be sure that he caught the program.

The way he tells the story, it was a nice clear night; so he decided to sit outside in the porch swing and wait for the show to come on. He felt like singing; so he sang some hymns to God. He told the audience that a lot of people would not believe what he was about to say, but that he knew they would. As he was singing, the crickets began joining him in song. He said it was really neat the way man and crickets sang together. Alone in the country, both were enjoying singing and praising God. All of a sudden the crickets stopped. He said, “What’s a matter, fellas?” Then he looked at his watch and saw that it was time for the show to start.

“Thank you, guys,” he said as he entered the house. This was offered as an example of the way the Holy Spirit takes care of us. God used the crickets (not the ones who sang with Buddy Holly) to serve as a clock to remind him of why he had skipped Wednesday evening Bible study. This is how wonderful life is when a person is “led by the Holy Spirit.” Okay, some might call it weird.

Mac Deaver—Before He Grew

There was a time when Mac Deaver would have said of Boone’s story that in today’s world we hear “exaggerated claims regarding what He [the Holy Spirit, GWS] is alleged to be currently doing.” [All the quotes from Mac Deaver in this section come from a chapter he wrote for the 4th Annual Missouri-Kansas Lectures, hosted by the 39th Street Church of Christ in Independence, Missouri in 1986. His manuscript appeared on pages 153-59 of that book, What Do You Know About God?]

Deaver might still make that statement, but he would no longer agree with other teachings he set forth in that chapter. For example, he would agree with Pat Boone today that everyone who becomes a Christian is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Would he agree that Pat speaks in tongues? Here is what he believed and wrote in 1986.

Seventh, the Holy Spirit was the spiritual element into which some were later baptized (Acts 1:5; Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:15-21; Acts 10). It is noteworthy that this baptism of the Holy Spirit was never commanded; it was promised and that promise was made only to a few. It was a baptism which God Himself could perform directly upon the individual [emph. GWS].

Today, Deaver believes that the promise of Holy Spirit baptism was made to all—not just a few. When asked about this obvious change, he commented that he had “grown.” Could not Pat Boone say the same thing? It is not “growth”; it is a repudiation of the truth he once believed.

Today Mac also denies that spiritual gifts were given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands. He contradicts the Scriptures when he declares that Peter and John did not come down to Samaria to impart spiritual gifts. But in 1986 he believed precisely that, as the following sentences show.

Eighth, the Holy Spirit was the spiritual element given to some through the laying on of the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:17). The gifts or miraculous abilities listed in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 could by the apostles be given to others [emph. GWS].

Mac Deaver was correct when he wrote those words, but he no longer agrees with himself. He now believes the apostles did not impart a gift. In his Spring 2011 issue of Biblical Notes Quarterly, he made the following assertion:

…the laying on of apostolic hands does not mean that the apostles were the source of the Spirit’s being given in the sense that in Acts 8 and in Acts 19, their hands provided the identification of those to receive the Holy Spirit from God….

The apostles could only give the Spirit in the sense of identifying, by the laying on of their hands, those to whom the Spirit was to be given by God (specifically by Jesus Christ—Mat. 3:11) (6).

So the apostles only functioned like a Pointer? They identified those who had been baptized so Jesus would know whom to fill with the Holy Spirit. He would not have known otherwise? No, Mac was right in 1986. Acts 8:17 still says: “Then they [Peter and John who had made the journey from Jerusalem to Samaria just for this purpose, GWS] laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Simon saw that “through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given” (Acts 8:18). He wanted to buy that power but was soundly rebuked for thinking that way.

Mac had it right in 1986. Jesus baptized just a few with the Holy Spirit, and He did it directly (Acts 2; Acts 10). Spiritual gifts were imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. A third point where Mac disagrees with his earlier self involves his original claim that “the Holy Spirit directs us only through His word (Rom. 1:16; 2 Thess. 2:13,14; Luke 8:11)….” Faithful brethren still believe that, but Mac changed on this point, also. Below is an excerpt from an article appearing in Spiritual Perspectives on March 4, 2007.

…Mac Deaver claims the same directness that Pentecostals and that other misguided brethren do. To prove that this is the case, we reprint below what he uttered in the Deaver-Lockwood Debate, which Goebel Music published in his book, A Resource and Reference Volume on the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit:

Direct Influence. “(2) I do mean: (a) It is as direct as the influence of a demon upon a human spirit possessed by it. (b) It is as direct as the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the human spirit of an ‘inspired man.’ (c) It is as direct as the human spirit upon the human body in which it exists (710-11).”

Note that Deaver defines himself in this text; no one has put any words into his mouth. He argues for the Holy Spirit directly (not indirectly through the medium of the Word) influencing man….

Pat Boone could not have said it better. Perhaps The Christian Chronicle should interview Mac Deaver. Maybe we could find out how different Boone and Deaver really are. If one miraculous gift (such as wisdom) still exists, then all the gifts, such as “speaking in tongues,” are available. Has Mac “grown” that much yet?