RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS - THE PROCESS (Part 5)

Last time, in Part 4, saw how how the Body of Christ began with predominately home fellowships, with more public meetings whenever a large venue was available.  Over time, practices have changed to the traditional model that somewhat followed the early synagogue model.  Congregations or larger organizations own the buildings they meet in and each congregation likely has a full-time pastor who is paid by the congregation or the larger organization.

However, many congregations today might not own their building.  Often the pastor does, or his non-profit organization does.  Many pastors today "own" their church buildings, parsonage, and vehicles through through their organizations, as a tax dodge.  No wonder so many ministers have fallen.  If they get away with financial shenanigans, then they could easily think they could get get away with other misdeeds.

Because of these changes, the process of restoring fallen believers, ministers included, has gotten more complicated.  How so?  The involvement of government in church business affairs.  That is why Part 4, ended with the beginning passage of Romans 13.

Remember, some offences are sins, some are crimes, some are both.  Not all sins are crimes, and not all crimes are sins.

So, if a believer, even if is he or she is a minister, offends another person and that offense is a crime, whether or not it is also a sin, one rule applies before any other rule.  I cannot emphasize this enough:

Call the police!

Why?  Because the police are trained and equipped to investigate crimes.  Most congregation members, ministers, or staff may have some training in this, but it is likely not to be enough to discover the true facts of the case.

Now, I am aware that not all law enforcement officers are competent, and some are corrupt.  Some ministers curry favor with local law enforcement agencies, so an investigation could be biased in favor of the offender.  In a situation like that, go to a higher agency, such as the county, state, or federal level.

Is this Scriptural?  Doesn't Paul warn believers not to drag one another into court?  Yes, but he was talking about civil lawsuits, not criminal cases.  Peter does speak about criminal behavior:

1st Peter 4: 12 - 19 NASB95

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.  If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.  For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER?

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Peter wrote this letter to believers who were facing persecution from the government.  The first persecution that early disciples faced came from the Jewish religious authorities, but the Roman government came to place their own pressure on the believers.  No matter where the persecution came from, he uses legal terminology to describe it.

So, obviously, whenever someone commits an offense, if it is just a sin, then the Body of Christ can deal with it internally.  But, if the offense is a crime, then the proper authorities need to be called first.  Let the police and the courts deal with the crime, and disciples handle the sin.

Still more to come...

RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS - THE PROCESS (Part 4)

This process, so far, has become quite involved, so a review of Scripture and what is required for a fallen minister to be restored.  We need this, because things will get complicated in this part.

I need to bring up some early Christian history.  When Jesus and the Apostles taught on these matters, the traditional church organizational structure did not exist.  The closest organizational structure existing at the time was the synagogue.

I'm not sure where or when the first synagogues formed.  The Old Testament does not  mention them, but the foundation of their structure might have been laid in Ezra, the 8th chapter, where Ezra read the Law to a large assembly of people in Jerusalem at the (ahem) Water Gate.  Levites were scattered among the people to interpret the Law from Hebrew into Aramaic.  This was because the Law was written in Hebrew and the people spoke Aramaic.  They picked up that language when they were in exile.

Synagogues are not structured like churches in the traditional model.  The Jews might have modeled the synagogues after another practice they had, the 'minyan.'  A minyan was a group of ten men that would meet together for prayer and study.

A group of Jews of any size may start a synagogue.  Once they decide to do that, they elect a president to lead the group.  Then they select other officers as needed.

Cantors lead synagogue services, not the rabbis.  A synagogue does not need a full time rabbi, but they can hire one if they wish.  As far as I know, no organization appoints a rabbi to a particular congregation.

Jesus didn't want his followers to form synagogues.  If He did, He would have used that word when He spoke about His assembled disciples.  He used another word instead.  I believe when He talked privately with His disciples, they spoke Aramaic.  Whatever word He used, Matthew decided the best Greek word for what Jesus said was the word 'ekklesia.'   That word refers to people, usually citizens who have been called out to assemble for a purpose.

So, the first assemblies didn't have much of a visible organizational structure, like we see today.  The first assembly grew to 3000 people in one day.  The only visible leaders were the Apostles.  How could this small group lead so many people?

This is where we can connect some dots.  First, the Apostles remembered the concept of the minyan.  Then they remembered when they assisted Jesus with the feeding of the thousands, and Jesus had them seat the people in groups of fifty.  They knew they had to get these new disciples into smaller groups.

Acts 2: 42 - 47 NASB1995

They were  continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.  And all those who had believed were together and  had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.  Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord was adding to their number day by day  those who were being saved.

Notice the phrase, "breaking bread."  It appears twice, and the second time, Luke adds "from house to house."  They set up home fellowships, plus they had large meetings in the outermost court of the Temple.   I can see the Apostles recruiting the others that were with them in the Upper Room to lead these fellowships.  These home fellowship leaders later became known as elders.  Elders are also pastors or shepherds.  Since most towns and cities had only one congregation that included home fellowships, each congregation had more than one pastor.  These pastors were not paid to lead.  Actually, if the pastor was hosting a fellowship in his own house, and these fellowship meetings involved food, he was providing some of that food.

In these groups, if an elder or another minister fell, the process that Jesus outlined in Matthew would apply mostly the same.  However, since most Christians today follow the traditional church model, and from other changes in society and culture, the restoration process for ministers has become more complicated, but still must follow Scriptural requirements.

At this point, I must bring up another passage that applied then, but applies now too.

1 Timothy 5:17 - 21, 24 - 25 NASB1995

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.  For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

Do not receive an accusation against an a  elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality...

The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.  Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

First, Paul upholds the honor of eldership.  Some peach and teach equally.  Some do one more than the other.  Some, counsel as well as preach and teach.  Some counsel without speaking to the group or in public.  But all elders have the responsibility of ruling, and it is a shared responsibility.  Those who rule well are worthy of double honor.

Because of the honor due to elders, if one doesn't measure up to the standards for ministers and elders, charges made against an elder must be confirmed by at least two witnesses.  Once this has been done, then the congregation can act.

But today, especially in the United States, the issue can get more complex.  At this point, I must point out something that most Christians don't understand, mostly because most leaders don't know it, so they don't tell others about it.

Sin and crime are not always the same.  Many sins are also crimes, but some are not.  Many crimes are sins, but some are not.

What is the difference?  What do they have in common?

Both are offenses.  The difference lies in who is offended.

Sin is an offense against a person.  That person can be God, an angel, or a human.

A crime is an offense against society.  Government is the mechanism by which society deals with offenders.

Romans 13: 1 - 7 NASB1995

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.  For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil.  Do you want to have no fear of authority?  Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good.

But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also a  for conscience’ sake.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.  Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

We will examine the application of this in Part 5.

RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS - THE PROCESS, (Part 3)

 

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.  Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.  Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.  For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Matthew 18: 15 - 20 NASB95

We see here a continuation of the restoration process.  Actually, up to the end of verse 16, this applies to every believer as well as ministers, and completes the first 2 parts of the process.  Before we move on to part 3, let me remind you of a some principles from parts 1 and 2:

NO RESTORATION WITHOUT RECONCILIATION.  NO RECONCILIATION WITHOUT REMORSE, CONFESSION, REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION.

In  verse 17, we see part 3, and then things can get complicated during this step.  Depending on the situation, the process could end here, or, it could get very involved.

Let's walk through the entire process in different scenarios.

1. A "rank and file" believer has offended another believer, and the offender seeks reconciliation according to Jesus' instruction in Matthew 5.  The offended party forgives them and the two parties are reconciled.  Only one thing is left to complete the process.

2. The offender does not seek reconciliation, and so the offended party confronts the offender.  The offender confesses to the wrong, apologizes, and asks forgiveness.  The offended party accepts the apology, and forgives the offender.  The two are reconciled and but the process needs to continue.

3.The offender does not seek reconciliation, and so the offended party confronts them.  The offender denies committing the act.  The offended one comes back with one or two other believers to witness a second confrontation.

The two witnesses are there to hear both sides of the story.  They agree with the offended party, and the offender admits their fault.  Again, reconciliation occurs, and the process still needs one thing more..

4. Same as #3, except the offender continues to deny any fault.  The offended party and the the witnesses report the offender to the congregation.  The offender then admits their fault, the offender forgives, and the two parties are reconciled, but the restoration process still needs something.

5. Same as # 4, except the offender continues to deny any fault.  The congregation then must decide the outcome.  If the leaders and the other members judge the evidence presented is factual, they must call for the offender to repent.  If the offender still denies guilt, the congregation must refuse to accept the offender as a brother in Christ until he repents.

The last three verses of the above Scripture apply here.  People often pull them out of context and use them to create a form of witchcraft.  But Jesus is talking about His assembled disciples - what we call "church."  He is saying whatever the congregation decides must first align with heaven, and then when it does, heaven backs up the decision.  Jesus shows us here how His followers can maintain unity and integrity though accountability.

Accountability has levels.  Private offenses have personal accountability, and should be handled privately.  If reconciliation does not happen privately, then the offense should be taken to the next  higher level - the local congregation.  That should be enough to reconcile the offender with the offended individual, and the Body of Christ.

But, so far we have looked only at offenses between two "rank and file" individuals.  Let's now consider how the above scenarios change when the offender is a minister.

In scenarios 1, 2 and 3, the process ends with reconciliation, and nothing more needs to be done as far as reconciliation goes.  But, when the offender is a minister, in scenarios 3, 4, and 5, another issue comes into play - faithfulness.  In the Body of Christ, minsters must prove themselves faithful.

"Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy."  1 Corinthians 4:1 -2 NASB95

We will examine this and another issue more fully in Part 4.

RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS - The Process (Part 2)

 In Part 1, we looked at what Jesus said in Matthew 5 about seeking reconciliation with someone you have offended BEFORE you present an offering at the Temple.  Of course, Jesus was speaking to Jews under the Mosaic law, but the principles still apply.  No true restoration without reconciliation.  No reconciliation without confession and repentance.

But what about when the offender doesn't seek reconciliation first?  Did Jesus say anything about that.  He definitely did!  That is what we will look at here in Part 2.

Matthew 18: 1 - 17 NAS95

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

"Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!"

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell."

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray."

“So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."

"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."

Now, Jesus is talking to His disciples. The directions He gives here applied not only to them, but to us as well, because we also consider ourselves to be His followers.

I have heard of the final verses being used against the victims of fallen ministers, saying they should have privately confronted their offender and not come out publicly. However, many of the victims were children at the time of the offense, and they experienced trauma that would effect even an adult. They had to grow and heal, often with help, until they had the strength to face their offender.

In the case of ministers, they have built reputations that enable them to continue in their ministry activities. If they admit to harming anyone, they will lose their reputations, their positions, their influence, their money. So, most of them refuse to admit anything until they have been backed into a corner. Some times, even if they admit to some wrongdoing, their associates and followers will call for their restoration. And some have been restored to ministry activities, but they continue their abuse.

Obviously, this should not be. But some people cannot or refuse to see the obvious. Thus, I am examining from a Biblical standpoint what the restoration process should be.

How does this passage relate to the restoration of fallen ministers? Let's go step by step through the context.

First, the disciples ask which one of them is the greatest in the Kingdom. To understand this question, we must consider the first century century Jewish culture. Rabbis would not just teach the people in general, they would gather disciples to follow them full time so each rabbi would train that group of disciples to become rabbis too. With this in mind, we can see how each one of Jesus' disciples would wonder about how valuable he would be in the ministry. In other words, who would be their leader?

But Jesus had to show them their need for humility and who really is important in His Father's eyes. So, he takes a child and places him in the middle of their group. The wording in the Greek indicates this boy was young, but able to stand on his own. He could have been a toddler, but I believe he was older than that, one able able to converse with adults on a very basic level. I think he was at least 5, but no more than 12. Jesus uses him as an example of humility.

Think about that for a moment. These were grown men, who had careers, families, houses, and more, that they had left behind to follow Jesus for several years. They too had preached, cast out demons, and ministered healing. Peter, James, and John had seen the Transfiguration. Now, Jesus compared them to a child??? If they had not known that Jesus loved them, they would have felt that He had insulted them.

But they knew. They continued to listen, because they knew Jesus would teach them more about the Kingdom that they needed to know.

Jesus goes on to say that children need to be protected from offenses - both from being offended and from being made to offend. Then He continues, but talks about sheep. However, He is still talking about the Kingdom. Sheep and children are quite similar. When Jesus talked about the one sheep that strayed, the one the shepherd would leave the rest of the flock to go look for and rejoice over when found, He was still talking about who was great in the Kingdom. He equated an offended child to a straying sheep. Both need to be sought out and restored.

Then Jesus says something that sounds harsh. If part of your body causes you to sin, to offend, CUT IT OFF! Is Jesus promoting self-mutilation? Of course not! How could someone who healed people, including those with missing body parts, recommend removal of those parts? What was He really saying? He was talking about the desires of our bodies. We should not let them control us if they cause us to offend. He just used extreme language to show how much we need to do this.

Then, He talks about offenders. Notice His words. "If your brother sins," and some versions add "against you." But does it really matter? As long as you know someone has sinned, you should go confront them, and not just to recover them for the Body of Christ, but so that others will not be offended against or to offend.

How should we approach the offenders? In humility before God and love for the offender, remembering that you are doing this for their sake as well for the offended and the entire Body of Christ.

So, to sum up this passage: No one in the Body of Christ is more important than anyone else. We are often to eager too believe otherwise, and we need to stop that. Consider the teachings of Jesus and James about avoiding partiality, and Paul's teaching about the Body of Christ.

Part 2 of Restoring Fallen Ministers is a fallback for when Part 1 does not happen. It is the confrontation in love and humility.

Part 3 to come...

RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS - THE PROCESS (Part 1)

Matthew 5:6-9 NASB1995

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Matthew 5:21-24 NASB1995

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.  Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering."

I included that second passage in a previous article, RESTORING FALLEN MINISTERS.  In this article, I add the first passage to enlarge the context.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, a pronouncement of blessings upon those who hold certain attitudes, or possess certain characteristics.  This is in contrast to the Torah, the Law of Moses, which contains blessings and curses.  Blessings for those that kept the Law, curses for those who didn't.

Jesus was not overturning the Law.  In the verses that immediately follow, He says as much.  He also adds that our righteousness must exceed that of those who were the experts in the Law, the Pharisees.  Their righteousness was based on their actions and not their attitudes.

I point this out, because in the circles that seem to produce the most fallen ministers not only emphasize healing, miracles, signs, and wonders, they also focus on blessings.  Most of the blessings they talk about are material, carnal, and earthly.  The blessings Jesus spoke of tend to be spiritual.

We do see fallen ministers in all kinds of Christian groups, not just those that emphasize supernatural experiences.  This shows us that experience based, or experience driven religion is not the only factor that causes ministers to fall.  It could be one of the strongest.

The experience oriented groups do seem to be the ones that most often call for their fallen ministers to be restored.  They often claim that the fallen minister had produced so many healings, prophecies, etc. and they assume the world, or the body of Christ, needs that to continue.

Really?

Jesus never pronounced a blessing on those who seek after miracles, signs, wonders, healings, prophecies.  He did promise satisfaction to those who seek righteousness.  And those who seek signs, He called wicked and adulterous.  

We could say that the theme of the Sermon on the Mount is righteousness, not "blessings."  Look at two other passages, the ends of Matthew chapters 6 and 7.  "Seek first the kingdom of God," and, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity..."

So when Jesus was talking about the Torah, He was speaking of righteousness, not just in action, but it heart.  This becomes obvious when He equates hate with murder.

But then, He seems to say something contradictory.  You would think that He would immediately tell us to forgive those we hate.  As well, we should.

Instead, He says if your brother has something against YOU, YOU go to him and seek reconciliation.  You are not the hater, but the hated.  Why should YOU be the one who seeks reconciliation first?

For righteousness sake.

If someone has something against you, then YOU are the offender.  YOU might not feel like it, but you are.  This is the major problem I see with the majority of these fallen ministers.  They never admit to their offense.  Some might even feel entitled or justified to do what they did.

But until the offender admits to what they did, no reconciliation is possible.  This is not to say the offended one is justified in not forgiving the offender.  The offended one must forgive to maintain a right relationship with God, even if the offender never admits anything.  And the offended one does not have to wait, and should not wait until the offender confesses.

So, the biblical process to restoring a false minister begins with reconciliation, but reconciliation is not possible unless the offender seeks it by admitting the offense and expressing remorse to the offended party.

The goal should not be to place a person into a position, or to allow them to resume an activity that seems desirable, but to establish righteousness where it is lacking.

ONE LAST THING ABOUT THAT FIVE-FOLD THING

I believe that major problem with the Five-Fold Ministry term is with the word 'fold.'  It implies layers.

People assume the five ministries listed in Ephesians represent layers created by folding, and each later added to the first is created by one fold. So, the second layer is created by the first fold, the third layer is created by the second layer, etc.  Well, this works if you are creating pleats or a fanfold, but if you are folding a flat item in half with each fold.  In that case, you cannot create five layers, because each fold doubles the number of layers.

Try it yourself.  Take a flat item, such as a sheet of paper, or a washcloth, or a bandana, and fold it in half three times.  You have created six layers.

Now, if you used a cloth item, you can flatten it out and use it again.  Take one side and fold it over one third of the way to the other side.  Then take the unfolded side and fold it over to align with the first fold.  You now have three layers.

If you wanted five layers, you would have to measure one fifth of the way from one side to the other to make the first fold. From there, you can go one of two ways.  You can alternate folding under and over for each fold, working from the first side across the cloth.

No matter what manner of folding you use, it is a poor analogy for the ministries listed in Ephesians 4.  The passage does not mention any folding, layers, or structure of any kind.  And the larger context doesn't imply any of those either.  Nowhere does the Bible state that those ministries are offices either.

From what I see in that passage is that Jesus equipped men for those ministries according to what they would need to serve His people.

This is the easiest way to determine true ministers from the false.  True ministers will serve you by bringing you truth.  False ministers will decieve you into serving them by twisting the Bible.

CESSATIONISM / CONTUATIONISM, OR SOMETHING ELSE.

I guess I am now something else.  That is not to brag, just stating that my view has changed.

I was once a cessationist.  Back in junior high, I had joined a Southern Baptist congregation, and the pastor there taught us from the old Scofield Study Bible that speaking in tongues was not for today, that it had passed away, so if anyone is speaking in tongues today, they are doing so by the power of the devil!

Then I got involved in a coffeehouse ministry.  I was now in high school.  I loved Jesus, and I was happy to find a place where I could hang out with other kids who loved Jesus, and we wanted to tell other kids about Him.  One of those kids said something that made me take another at tongues.  After some study, I discovered a connection between tongues and Jesus!  So, I became a Charismatic and started speaking in tongues.

Back in those days, the pro-tongues position was called "restorationism," that is, that God was restoring tongues and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit.  But, non-Pentcostals / Charismatics also believed in a form of restorationism that started with the Protestant Reformation. In recent years, the term "continuationsm" has taken over, as Pentecostals and Charismatics now say the gifts have always been available.

One factor that confounds the issue is the use of the phrase, "move of God" to refer to a new push or surge of activity in Pentecostal / Charismatic circles.  Are they truly moves of God, or something else?

I can't say for sure about this, I can only give my view based on what I have learned.  And I like to look at things from different angles than everyone else.

A while back, I began to wonder about reform movements before Luther.  I knew his was not the first, just the first to have a major impact that lasted.

I learned of the Waldensians, the Lollards, and the Hussites.  These were definite precursors to Luther because they sought to bring understanding of the Bible directly to the people.

Were they moves of God?  That is, did He start those movements?  Or, did a hunger for God spark them?

I believe that people had seen that Christianity had changed from a vibrant faith in it's earliest centuries into an institution that was riddled with superstition, ritualism, and corruption.  They wanted to recover what was lost.

Considering those movements along with those that followed, I would now call myself a recoverist.  That is, I believe the Body of Christ has been trying to recover what has been lost since it's early days.

Of course, Satan does not like this.  When God's people seek Him, Satan wants to derail those efforts.  He tries to draw our attention away from God and His Word to our own emotions, our own experiences, to his lies, to 'hidden knowledge,' all under the guise of spiritual growth.  Men without honorable intentions will also seek to exploit the good intentions of believers for their own greed.  That is why we see so much false doctrine, so many false prophetic words and faked healings and miracles, ministers falling into sin, and their followers trapped in abusive cults.

But all is not lost.  The posers are being exposed.  People are escaping cults, and recovering from the emotional damage.