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[Taiwan Church News <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Charismatic Movement
Taiwan Church News 2680, July 7-13, 2003
Reported by Ku Hao-jan and Li Hsin-ren. Translated and rewritten
by David Alexander

   Last week announcements from "The School of the Holy Spirit"
began running in major Christian media outlets in Taiwan, but the
school and its founder do not enjoy universal high regard among
Taiwan's Mainline and Evangelical churches.
   The school, which ardently promotes a "Charismatic" approach
to Christian life and mission, is the creation of Yeh Ping-shun.
Those who have attended its courses, like Mr. Yeh, are highly
critical of established churches and their leaders. The recent
announcements claim that the school has been misunderstood and
invite any who have differences with Mr. Yeh to make themselves
known.
   Rev. Chia Hi-beng (Andrew Hsieh), the operations secretary of
the Taiwan Church Renewal Association (a mildly Charismatic
movement itself) set forth some principles of Holy Spirit
reflection in his evaluation of the school.  He did this to help
Christians discern the verity or fallacy of claims made by all
preachers regarding the Holy Spirit.
   "Results are indicative," he said.  "If a church member who
has graduated from a theological college returns to the church to
serve, positive help can be expected.  But if all that comes from
the graduate is criticism of the church and its pastor, and no
positive participation in the life of the congregation, care must
be taken."
   "Church division is NOT the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Spirit may destroy something that is old, but the Spirit builds a
unified church."
   "We must," he says, "return over and over to the basic
principles of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into truth in a
balanced fashion."
  "An individual may not usurp the place of the Holy Spirit. If
someone claims to have the authority of the Holy Spirit to judge
matters, or to permit or prohibit things, and says, 'The Holy
Spirit told me, you must do thus and so...' or ' The Holy Spirit
says...,' such a person is out of line."
   "Those who often tell us what the Holy Spirit is saying want
us to listen to what they think, but their words are not
necessarily those of the Spirit."
   Mr. Chia asserts that the guidance of the Holy Spirit will
conform to that which is taught in the scriptures and will uplift
Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit is not just a mover of
individuals, but of people, giving the same guidance to all.  The
growth given is for the entire church.	"That which throws a
church into chaos is NOT the work of the Holy Spirit."
   Professor Chou Hsueh-hsin, who teaches church history at China
Evangelical Seminary in Taipei, spoke about the background of Yeh
Ping-shun.
   "He is a Singaporean businessman without formal theological
training who came to Taiwan 5 or 6 years ago and began to promote
his school.  Some local evangelists went to him for training."
   Professor Chou said, "Mr. Yeh did itinerant evangelistic work
in India and Africa. He promotes a highly individualistic message
emphasizing the direct experience of the Holy Spirit. Many church
leaders in Taiwan say that he has gone beyond the scriptures."
   Speaking to the effect that Mr. Yeh and the charismatic
movement in general have had upon Taiwan's churches, the
professor said, "Taiwan's churches have long held systematic
understandings of Holy Spirit manifestations and charismatic
phenomena. Some church leaders who call for Holy Spirit
manifestations are looking for physical and visible signs and
wonders.  These leaders at times go beyond what is taught in the
scriptures thereby evincing weak theological underpinnings."
   He says that many churches seek these charismatic
manifestations to liven things up.  But he warns that, without a
firm Biblical foundation and understanding, it is easy to be
beguiled by superficialities with little faith content.
   Churches bear responsibility in this matter.  They often try
to duplicate things from outside in order to speed growth. They
reach outside of the church world for methodology to bring
"success", and put themselves at peril.
   In sum, Professor Chou calls on churches to test all things by
the scriptures, and on individual believers to be "thinking
Christians."

For more information: Chia Hi-beng  andrewhsieh@hotmail.com
		      Chou Hsueh-hsin  www.ces.org.tw

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