Discussion With Michael Brown On Authentic Fire & How To Disagree Amicably

Yesterday I appeared for the second time on Michael L Brown’s radio show. You can download the MP3 here.

I have to say that meeting Dr Brown online has been one thing I’ve been very pleased came out of the Strange Fire discussion. He is a good man, as we discussed on his show he and I would probably disagree about a bunch of stuff, but what unites us far outweighs that which divides. I believe that a new effort towards unity is vital now, both between various different types of biblical sane charismatics, as well as between charismatics and cessationists.

Brown’s new book Authentic Fire is a really great read, and I encourage you to get ahold of it. Here is how I endorsed it after reading it avidly:

Michael Brown demolishes the weak arguments outlined in John MacArthur’s Strange Fire book and conference. He does so robustly but without resorting to divisive or schismatic language. Graciously Brown invites Cessationists to understand the biblical reasons why charismatics believe what we do. Charismatics are also reminded that we do need to be more discerning as there are indeed unhelpful extremes in our movement.

This book will help you think through these issues. It will fill charismatics with renewed confidence to boldly follow our convictions. It should also help cessationists appreciate that the Charismatic Movement does have something to teach the broader Church, even as we also have much to learn from others.

We talked about how Martyn Lloyd-Jones was in many ways the unwitting father of Newfrontiers, the largest charismatic group in the UK. We agreed that we can all learn from a range of servants of God from different backgrounds.

We both believe that not all cessationists are angry and hostile towards us. I mentioned my discussions with Steve Camp and Doug Wilson as examples of brothers exploring issues they disagree about with grace and a drive towards true understanding. He also mentioned some of the debates he has had with people who love the whole body of Christ.

Jesus died for all of us.

Lets love the whole church, his body, warts and all.