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Gentle Conquest is Published Monthly by Charles Carrin |
January 2001 Issued Monthly
Monthly Commentary
Dr. R.T. Kendall, American born, and
an Honors Graduate in the United States, received his Ph.D. from Oxford
University in England. Here he met Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Pastor of
Westminster Chapel, London. Both were confirmed believers in Reformed
Theology* and soon after Dr. Lloyd-Jones' retirement, Dr. Kendall became
pastor of this world-renown congregation. He is the author of 25 books; some,
encyclopedic in quality. In May, last year, Dr. Kendall and I met at the Fresh
Oil/New Wine Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where we shared the
platform. During a visit to my home later that year, Dr. Kendall invited me to
preach at Westminster. Reformed Theology is also my background; first from my
family, then my church, and finally, Columbia Theological Seminary. In 1977,
however, I experienced the "baptism in the Spirit" and began
ministering in the Holy Spirit's charismatic gifts. Since my preaching in
England, according to Dr. Kendall, the "Dove" has remained in every
service at Westminster. The congregation is now experiencing the excited
romance of Reformed Theology with Renewal Power. I share the following
excerpts from the Westminster Chapel News only that God may be glorified and
other churches encouraged.
VVV
Dr.
Kendall Wrote:
"We have just
had one of the greatest weekends in my nearly 24 years at Westminster Chapel.
Someone told me that having Charles Carrin was the greatest risk I have ever
taken, but all I know--we
thankGod that he came. He is such a gentle, humble man, but has power that
flows from his lips and hands unlike many people I know.
"What thrilled
me most was the sense of God's presence and the way that people generally have
received both the presence of the Lord and Charles Carrin's ministry. I don't
think we have had anything like it in Westminster Chapel before!
"We had him all
to ourselves on the Saturday morning and afternoon and all seem to agree that
it was right to keep him to ourselves. It was just so wonderful--almost
impossible to describe unless you were there ..."
VVV
Philip Evans, Editor
Of The Westminster Chapel News, Wrote:
"Dr. Kendall called the Reverend Charles Carrin 'America's Best Kept Secret.' Unlike the special guests invited in the past, Charles Carrin is relatively unknown in his own country. For 30 years he ministered as what we would call in England a 'Strict Baptist' pastor until an encounter with the Holy Spirit in 1977 changed his life. He loves to teach and describes his main gift as 'impartation'--the 'laying on of hands.' "Sunday morning
services at Westminster Chapel have continued largely unchanged for nearly 100
years; a teaching service encased in a traditional format. With Charles Carrin
and his assistant, David Rhea, alongside R.T. in the pulpit, it ran much as
usual for a while--except for an heightened expectation... Charles departed
from his prepared text to say a few words about tradition: 'Tradition is
beautiful--but unfortunately tradition freezes us at our present level
of achievement. Tradition, good as it is, can only turn its eyes on the past;
it cannot look to the future. If it does, it ceases to be tradition. The
reason we like tradition is that it removes the necessity of decision-making.
Decision-making requires mental energy. Therefore, it is simpler to go by
habit ... but God is not looking to the past. God always looks to the future.
The culmination of all things and the climax of human history is where His eye
is focused ...
Gentle Conquest * January 2001 |