Introduction (Updated: December 2024)
While God changed my life in a Pentecostal Church (Elim Church in Singapore) in around 1994 or so when I became a Charismatic Christian and soon a follower of the Vineyard Movement (and especially their Worship music), it was from around 2008 to 2012 or so that I was very much again into Charismatic Christianity - especially the healing teachings of Bill Johnson of Bethel Church (Redding) initially then Curry Blake of John G. Lake Ministries (JGLM). Both taught and practiced healing (esp. street healing) yet taught and practiced it in slightly different ways, which greatly intrigued me. I explore the the differences in some of my writings below (e.g. "Two ways to minister", "The place for 'more' in the New Covenant" and "Why you should eat your Curry before paying the Bill").
I'm writing this in 2023 and the differences have constantly been on my mind the last decade or so - and not just as it relates to the healing ministry, but also as it relates to the future of Charismatic teachings and experience - and all this led me to become attracted to what some people call Mystical Christianity or Christian Mysticism.
I stopped being interested in and practicing healing after 2012 for various reasons:
- 1Firstly, I was at a stage in my life where I focused more on work.
- 2Also, I was disappointed with the lack of healings in the ministries of many healing ministers.
- 3Finally, and perhaps a more significant reason - since social justice and progressive politics have always been a big part of my life and thinking since my teenage years - was seeing many of my friends who were into healing (in Singapore and overseas) and many of the healing ministers I respected (including Bethel Church and JGLM) holding on to a more conservative political view - most eventually also supporting Trump and some even embracing crazy conspiracy theories (e.g. QAnon). All that was a bit too much for me and put me off quite a bit. But anyway, that's the reality with a lot of Charismatic Christianity. Many, if not most, of the charismatic Christian leaders I respect and admire have atrocious politics, but I have learned to accept the good in their teachings and just throw out their politics - rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And boy am I glad to have recently discovered the Mystical Christian movement, with some of its leaders not being from America (and thus not that interested or attracted to conservative American politics). Furthermore, because the Mystical Christian movement (at least the part I'm attracted to and follow) emphasizes intimacy and experience with a loving God and also the Restoration Of All Things (or what I'll describe as Christian Universalism on steroids), when one comes face to face with a loving God and understands His plans to lovingly restore everything and everyone, there's just no place for hate or judgement or a lack of compassion or a love of power over a love of people - all of which are reflective of the American Christian Right. Therefore a lot of awful Christian Right political perspectives and rhetoric do not fit well with what many Mystical Christians experience of God.
Anyway, in the writings below, I share my thoughts on a theology of healing as well as my experiences related to healing (including doing street healing, trying to raise a dead person but failing, my trips to Bethel Church and JGLM in 2010, hosting various healing ministers in Singapore, etc.). And I also write about other things related to Charismatic Christianity in general:
Healing (Theology)
- Healing Resources (2010)
- Curry Blake of John G. Lake Ministries (2010)
- Curry Blake’s Divine Healing Technician (DHT) training course (2010)
- Two ways to minister? (2010)
- "Where You Go I'll Go" or "Just Do It"? (2010)
- Healing and Idealism (2010)
- The place for “more” in the New Covenant – Part 1 (2010)
- The place for “more” in the New Covenant – Part 2 (2010)
- Roger Sapp on Meditation on Christ, Authority and Faith (2010)
- Bruce Latshaw on Vineyard’s vs. John G. Lake’s Healing model (2010)
- Why you should eat your Curry (Blake) before paying the Bill (Johnson) (2010)
Healing (Events)
- Thoughts on Bethel Church and the Kingdom Culture Conference 2010 – Part 1 (2010)
- Thoughts on Bethel Church and the Kingdom Culture Conference 2010 – Part 2 (2010)
- Curry Blake’s Divine Healing Technican (DHT) in Arkansas – Part 1 (2010)
- Curry Blake’s Divine Healing Technican (DHT) in Arkansas – Part 2 (2010)
- Healing in San Jose and San Francisco (2010)
- Invitation to meeting on healing and John G. Lake Ministries (JGLM) in Singapore (2010)
- Meeting on healing and JGLM – Overview and Steps Forward (2010)
- Invitation to Mike Reyes healing meeting (30th August, 7:30pm) (2010)
- Mike Reyes’ healing meeting (2010)
- The Elijah Challenge in Singapore (2010)
- Roger Sapp in Singapore, Malaysia and even Batam! (2010)
- John G. Lake Ministries (JGLM) coming to Singapore (2012)
Healing (Street Healing & Other Experiences)
- Healing On The Streets – Saturday (14th August) 5pm meeting (2010)
- Early healings and thoughts (2010)
- First Healing On The Streets Meeting (2010)
- Week of Healing and Learning (2010)
- Thoughts on raising the dead (2010)
Other Charismatic Posts
- The Word of Faith, Health and Wealth and Prosperity Gospel (2008)
- Hearing God's voice (2008)
- Healing through the Children (2010)
- On the Lakeland Florida Healing Revival - Part 1 (2010)
- On the Lakeland Florida Healing Revival - Part 2 (2010)
- On the Lakeland Florida Healing Revival - Part 3 (2010)
- On the Lakeland Florida Healing Revival - Part 4 (2010)
- Seeking God (2010)
- The Radical Christianity of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) (2010)
- Chatting with God (2010)
- Hearing God's Voice Again (2010)
- Healing Revival at Disneyland (2010)
- Hearing God's voice through the Scriptures (2010)
- On Moving to the Spirit - Part 1 (2010)
- On Moving to the Spirit - Part 2 (2010)
- On Moving to the Spirit - Part 3 (2010)
- The criticism and defense of inconsistent (and sinful?) continuationism (2010)
- Embracing the strangers in our midst (2010)
- Newfrontiers Resources (2010)
- Spiritual Disciplines I've been learning about and practicing (2010)