THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT FOR SALE

J. Lee Grady is a contributing editor of Charisma, and the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale (Chosen). In an article, Grady wrote, "In honor of Reformation Day, I’m offering my own list of needed reforms in our movement." [I have edited these for space and theological reasons.]

1. Let’s reform our theology. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God and He is holy. He is not an “it.” He is not a blob, a force, or an innate power.

2. Let’s return to the Bible. The Word of God is the foundation for the Christian experience. Any dramatic experience, no matter how spiritual it seems, must be tested by the Word and the Holy Spirit’s discernment.

3. It’s time for personal responsibility. We must stop blaming everything on demons. People are usually the problem.

4. Stop playing games. Spiritual warfare is a reality, but we are not going to win the world to Jesus just by shouting at demonic principalities. We must pray, preach and persevere to see ultimate victory.

5. Stop the foolishness. People who are unruly during worship should be reminded that meekness and self-control are the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

6. End all spiritual extortion now. Christian ministries must cease and desist from all manipulative fundraising tactics.

7. No more Lone Rangers. Those who claim to be ministers of God—whether they are traveling evangelists, local pastors or heads of ministries—must be accountable to other leaders. Any who refuse to submit their lives to godly discipline should be corrected.

8. Expose the creeps. Churches should start doing background checks on traveling ministers. Preachers who have been hiding criminal records, lying about their past marriages, preying on women, or refusing to pay child support, should be exposed as charlatans and shunned if they do not repent.

9. Stop faking the anointing. God is God, and He does not need our “help” to manifest Himself.

10. Let’s return to purity. We’ve had enough scandals. The Church must develop a system for the restoration of fallen ministers. Those who fall morally can be restored, but they must be willing to submit to a process of healing rather than rushing immediately back into the pulpit.

11. We need humility. Ministers who demand celebrity treatment, require lavish salaries, insist on titles or exhibit aloofness from others are guilty of spiritual pride.

12. No more big shots. Apostles were the bond slaves of Christ, and were the most impeccable models of humility. They did not wield top-down, hierarchical authority over the church. They served the church from the bottom up as true servants.

13. Never promote gifts at the expense of character. The world needs to see His love, not us.

14. Hold the prophets accountable. Those who make inaccurate statements should not be given platforms.

15. Let’s make the main thing the main thing. The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s anointing is to empower us to reach others through evangelism, church planting, missions, discipleship, and compassionate ministry that helps the poor and fights injustice.