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The Art of Hearing God
The Kings Fellowship is hosting a course on "The art of hearing God" which is described as being a "biblically based, in-depth course which aims to help people hear from God and to develop greater intimacy with Him."
 Dr Mark Stibbe of Father Heart Ministries and author of the book "Prophetic Evangelism" has this to say concerning the course:
"Streams provides the best training available in the ministry of prophecy. They have a very healthy emphasis on both character and charisma, theory and practice, prophecy in the house and prophecy out of the house (i.e. in evangelism). This material has arisen from the work of one of the most authentic and experienced practitioners in the world today. I highly recommend this course."
Mark Hadfield of Inveress Community Church and Street Pastors has written saying:
"I'm familiar with the course content myself. I've spent many years helping people to understand hearing God, something which I believe is the birthright of everyone in Christ. I've found that an appalling lack of solid Biblical teaching on the subject, coupled with, let's be honest here, 'flaky' practice, has quite understandably put many people off or made them wary. So I was delighted when I sampled the course last year, to find one course that lays all the Biblical foundations necessary to have confidence in hearing God clearly, including a strong emphasis on discipleship and character.
The course is not just for those who consider themselves confident or gifted in this area. Neither is the course 'unreal' considering hearing God's voice. It is Biblical. For example, have you ever wanted to understand those times when "heaven seems silent" or to understand what is happening during 'the dark night of the soul'?
I can't recommend this course enough. I thoroughly recommend this foundation course to ANYONE who wants to grow in confidence in hearing God, maybe for the first time, as well as anyone who already considers themselves gifted in this area and has the humility to make sure good foundations are in place (or who wants to progress to courses of a more advanced nature for which this course is a prerequisite)."
The following is copy of the flier which can be downloaded in various formats.
The Art of Hearing God course runs in the Kings Fellowship from Thursday, 10 September - Saturday, 12 September 2009.
Further info:
Heather: Tel. 01383 723329
E-mail: hes1603@btinternet.com
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Kings Fellowship, 29/08/2009
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Eddie Hallahan |
21/09/2009 21:07 |
I see,
So in you worldviews there is no place for visions, dreams, prophecies and the like? We are simply to stick to reading the bible and that is it?
While I think that we do need to keep reading the bible we also shouldn't denigrate or put down the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.
I take it neither of you would be insensed if the course was on biblical hermeneutics, or New Testament Greek or the like?
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Andrea Mac |
21/09/2009 21:57 |
Eddie,
I've no problem with visions, dreams or prophecies but they're not going to happen to those who won't even spend time with God in prayer or studying His word. People want the above without the discipline of reading and praying and that's what is wrong with a lot of the church today.
They are wanting special revelations and miraculous healings etc. but don't want to spend the time alone with God that is so necessary to a right relationship with Him.
Incidentally, I am not incensed at the course, just not convinced of its need. Neither would I relish the thought of attending the two alternatives you suggest - I can feel my eyes glaze over at the very thought of them!
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Alec (Guest) |
22/09/2009 09:23 |
Eddie asked: "So in you worldviews there is no place for visions, dreams, prophecies and the like? We are simply to stick to reading the bible and that is it?"
Depends.
How does one KNOW that it is "God" that is doing the talking, and not just some voice in ones head? Christians run the risk of making themselves look ridiculous with this sort of stuff.
For instance David Wilkerson (whose practical Christian work I admire) made an idiot of himself with that ludicrous March 2009 prophecy about New York and the need to stockpile a 30 day supply of food. You can read it here:
http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2009/03/urgent-message.html
And a whole page on it here:
http://www.christianstogether.net/Articles/145768/Christians_Together_in/Christian_Life/Is_there_any/David_Wilkersons_latest.aspx
Just yet more charismaniac nonsense, but not alone by any means.
Also, why is it when someone gets a "word" from "the lord" it is frequently given in the vaguest terms imaginable? Seldom is it very "specific" in its detail and little more than the vague warnings and utterances that would do Mystic Meg proud. Warnings about "the nations" and "God is judging" could be applied almost any time over the past 2000 years!
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Eddie Hallahan |
22/09/2009 13:25 |
I agree that there are plenty of immature Christians who want the results without the study - one could equally level that against church itself - there are plenty of people tipping along to services every Sunday that want everything done on the sunday, they don't bother opening up their Bible the rest of the week....should we then stop church services?
No of course not. The same can be said of these courses. Yes some people misuse them, or have wrong expectations but plenty of mature christians find them useful in getting a) closer to God and b) recognising His voice better.
And you are right the best way to see miracles is by getting closer to God and spending time with Him - it is His presence that causes the miraculous, not any formulaic mutterings by ourselves.
If you do not feel the course is for you then that is fine, don't go. I just don't like to see people speaking out against things that deal with the Spirit seemingly just because they deal with the Spirit.
Also I think you would find a hermeneutics course worthwhile - I definitely did. Although I would recommend a Rick Warren book ( I actually think it is his best) called Bible Study Methods - it gives 12 methods of studying the bible, each building on the previous and growing in complexity, well worth the read and working through.
The NT Greek I'm currently working on - there is a free course on iTunesU where a US seminary (Bible college for us wot speaks proper english) has videoed their Greek course so all you need to do is buy the textbook - they even accept homework via email (but yes, it is eye-glazing) but it does open up a lot of the meaning and nuances that we just don't get in the translations.
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Eddie Hallahan |
22/09/2009 13:30 |
"How does one KNOW that it is "God" that is doing the talking, and not just some voice in ones head?"
Perhaps by doing a course on the art of hearing God?
"Christians run the risk of making themselves look ridiculous with this sort of stuff."
Christians by their very faith look ridiculous to the world.
The fact that some people make mistakes doesn't change the fact that God moves in prophecy. Equally not everyone understands prophecy - it generally requires, much like the Word, an engagement with the Holy Spirit.
I can just imagine you in Nineveh Alec - "That charismaniac Jonah, bleating on about us being wiped from the face of the earth and nothing happened...nutter that he was."
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Andrea Mac |
22/09/2009 13:40 |
Alec,
It's very easy for some to dismiss Wilkerson's prophecy. He does at least state at the end that he doesn't know when it is going to happen but has been prophesying it for ten years. I can imagine the same happening to Noah as he took decades to build the Ark. Imagine the ridicule he must have had to endure with many laughing at his 'failed prophecy'.
I simply don't know what will come of Wilkerson's prophecy but neither would I dismiss it lightly in view of his past integrity. I have never had any revelation so don't know what it feels like and how definite it is to the recipient.
People didn't believe Biblical prophets at the time either and either dismissed them as insane or drove them out of town in anger. The events prophesied still happened, though.
If Wilkerson's prophecy is not of God then it will come to nothing and so will he. If it is of God, then nothing will stop it. At the very least, shouldn't all true Christians at least keep an open mind?
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Alec (Guest) |
22/09/2009 13:55 |
A couple of points. Eddie, Not all Christians look ridiculous. Some do. The ones that roll around the floor laughing like drains, blethering gibberish and generally latching onto every new mad charismatic fad with open mouthed credulity - yes, they look ridiculous.
Regarding Jonah, Jonah lived in OT times. Prophecy was vaild then, just like in apostolic times. We live in post apostolic times now.
Re Wilkersons prophecy, the thing that disturbs me most was this "stock up on food" nonsense. That imples that Wilkerson thought that disaster was going to strike IMMINENTLY.
And when the whole thing ends up as , well, nothing, the "prophet" looks silly. Like these charicatures that we often see in comedy - the guy with the sandwich board proclaiming "the end is nigh!"
To make a claim for modern day prophecy is to make an extraordinary claim indeed. And I tend to go with the view that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" - thats not a lack of faith, just a lot of discernment!
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Andrea Mac |
22/09/2009 14:14 |
Alec,
I'm puzzled why you think prophecies belong in the past. What is your reason for believing that God doesn't use this method of warning people now?
I agree with you about those who chase 'experiences' and roll about uttering gibberish. I can't see anything scriptural about that - quite the opposite. Christians should not 'lose control' in any sense of the word. I also feel uncomfortable with bland statements such as 'The end is nigh'. There's no point in making such a statement without telling people why and in what way it impacts on them personally. Sadly, we will always have to put up with individuals expressing themselves in bizarre or ridiculous ways. God alone will be their judge and I'm confident that He knows who truly belong to Him, even if we have trouble discerning it.
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Eddie Hallahan |
22/09/2009 16:30 |
Alec,
The Christian faith is regarded as ridiculous by many in the world, regardless of which particular denomination you are part of.
I see where you are coming from now though, you are basically taking the cessationist/dispensationalist viewpoint. Unfortunately that viewpoint is basically a case of making the Bible fit your theology rather than letting the Bible form your theology.
Tongues, prophecy, healing, words of knowledge in fact all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today.
Also with regard to christians always being in control....I disagree. Isn't the very centre of Christianity about surrendering control to God?
I firmly believe that the reason so many churches are in decline at the moment is because they are 'still in control' and haven't surrendered control to God.
God uses the foolish and the weak pretty consistently throughout the Bible and I personally would rather put up with being thought foolish and ridiculous by man while being thought obedient by God.
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Rosemary Cameron |
22/09/2009 21:02 |
I'm not cessationist but I think that we need to be thoroughly familiar with the Bible in order to be able to correctly discern whether or not a prophecy, vision or whatever is really from God. Otherwise the whole thing is a minefield. As regards the issue of control, see 1 Corinthians 14:32.
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