Dr Paul Allen

"Isn't it a load of rubbish? This speaking in tongues?"  Some say that speaking in tongues is just gibberish resulting from over-emotionalism. Isn’t there danger in getting mixed up in something like that? No, not unless you deliberately seek out a place where such goings-on are encouraged. Certain individuals and churches indeed show more emotion in their worship than others. Some shout and some cry. But these displays we find disturbing mainly because of their contrast to the quiet way we worship.  This doesn’t mean that noise is wrong and silence is right; it merely means their ways are different from ours. We may think their worship noisy and unseemly while they consider our worship dead and lifeless. Church history shows that all great revivals have been marked by the presence of physical phenomena such as trembling, weeping, shouting, fainting, and even dancing.  They are not necessarily the work of the Holy Spirit as much as they are human reactions to the working ...

Every Christian believer who seeks baptism in the Holy Spirit is eligible. The Holy Spirit is always willing to fulfil this promise, but most people are not.   “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Him” (Acts 2:39 NRSV).  Every believer has the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to pursue a Spirit-filled life. The only conditions for receiving the promise are repentance and faith. Therefore, it is available to us today.  The Holy Spirit is willing, but we are the problem, not the Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit baptism signals entrance into the Spirit-filled life. Jesus demonstrated a sense of urgency for His disciples to receive all the Father promised. He said, “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49 NRSV). Further, He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Sp...