Charismatics & Evangelicals

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I became a born-again Christian in 1976 while working at the University of Ottawa as a Geology Lab Technician.

A cherished friend, whose petrographic thin sections I prepared for his doctoral thesis, invited me to come to church with him one day. And so I did. I later became part of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Ottawa University, though at that time I was not a believer in the tenets of the Christian Faith. My full story is here: My Testimony (It’s a long one, and one of the most difficult things I have written and posted on this site.)

I am at the point in my life where I am very interested in learning more about the Charismatic and the Evangelical perspective about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I have spent most of my adult life since my conversion in Evangelical churches. I have recently developed a sincere desire to learn more about the differences in Evangelical and Charismatic interpretations of of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

One day a few years ago I came across a condolence message in the obituary of my home town newspaper. It had been been posted by a fellow I barely new from our Grade 8 days in Renfrew, Ontario.

It was a simple comment, yet somehow I knew that my friend had been born again and baptized with the Holy Spirit. I also immediately knew in my heart that I had not, as yet, been baptized in the Holy Spirit, though I had been baptized by immersion shortly after I received Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

My response to this brief condolence message was to say to myself: “Bill????” Bill is a born again believer? And is filled with the Holy Spirit? How can that be? (I think he thought exactly the same thing about me when he heard that I too was now a born again believer!!!)

While I knew that I was definitely a born again Christian, I also definitely knew that I had not been baptized with God’s Holy Spirit.

I know that when I repented of my sin and invited Jesus into my heart, He forgave me my sin and came into my heart as my Lord and Saviour, in and through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible clearly states that “…no one can call Jesus Lord unless they have received the Holy Spirit. I was very aware that upon my repentance of my sin, and by asking for forgiveness, I knew immediately that I had received the filling or indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

“Receiving” the Holy Spirit” and “the Baptism” of the Holy Spirit were terms that were considered interchangeable in the Evangelical churches I subsequent attended.

I acknowledge that I am getting into controversial waters here…

Interestingly enough, I did know beyond a shadow of doubt that somehow, simply by reading a brief condolence from someone I knew only as a ‘rascal’ in Grade Eight, (circa 1964) and whom I had completely lost touch with until shortly after I read and responded to his comment that he had posted in my friend’s obituary in our hometown newspaper in 2017, that the rascal, Bill, had received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and that he had also received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. How did I know? I knew because he had something I definitely did not. Something that showed up even in the brief condolence message he had posted for our mutual friend. There was power in his condolence. I recognized it right away!

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I was saved shortly after I was exposed to the Navigator’s Plan of Salvation. The Pastor used the NAVIGTOR’S BRIDGE DIAGRAM to lead me to the Lord. And I’m thankful he did.

However, I was never told or taught anything about being ‘baptized’ by the Holy Spirit. Or even what the ‘gifts’ of the Holy Spirit referred to. However, I did hear about being ‘sealed’and ‘indwelt’ by the Holy Spirit.

However, when I read my friend’s comment on our mutual friend’s obituary, I knew immediately that he had something that I didn’t have in my walk with the Lord. That something was power and love. A power and love that was evident even in a brief condolence on a public website.

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Most Evangelicals teach that you are baptized and indwelt and filled with the Holy Spirit when you repent of your sin and receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. And I know that this is true for me. Yet I know that something is missing in my walk with the Lord.

I am still learning. I respect the teachings of David Pawson. He always exhorts us to examine the scriptures for ourselves about everything he teaches. This is not an easy task, but it is a worthwhile one. For that reason I am posting the link to the messages about the Holy Spirit.

David Parson examines the different points of view regarding this topic in the following video talks. I appreciate both the clarity and the depth of David Pawson’s teachings, and also the teachings of others on this oft-time controversial topic.

It is up to each of us to decide for ourselves and hold fast to what is true. It is what the Bible teaches that matters; not man’s opinions.

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Posted here is the introductory video from David Pawson’s complete series of teachings about the Charismatic and Evangelical differences and similarities regarding the Holy Spirit.

My hope is that if you are struggling with this issue, these talks will give you something to consider and pray about. I know they are certainly helping me.

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NOTE: The complete series of David Pawson’s teachings about the Holy Spirit (both audio and video) are posted on his website at:

Charismatics and Evangelicals: By David Pawson

These talks are informative without being judgmental. They are also free to download or read online.

Please note that David Pawson foresees the eventual unity of both groups into one. And that is exactly what I am hoping for!

Time will tell. God’s truth will prevail! I sincerely welcome and appreciate other’s input into this oft-time controversial topic. We ALL learn from God’s word, His working in our lives, and from learning about and sharing each other’s journey.

That is exactly what I am attempting to do. It is a joyful quest and an empowering journey. I hope you will correct me if something I have posted in this message needs to be changed or clarified. We are all on a journey. Our destination is both on earth and in heaven. What an exciting adventure it is!

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

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