S5 E2: Two Christian Worldviews

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Season 5 will cover the supernatural and paranormal from a Spirit-led perspective. In this thought-provoking episode, Glenn condenses Christian worldviews down to two....charismatic and non-charismatic. Knowing your own worldview is important for the episodes that follow. 

The Bible will be the source of truth for this season, even though extra-biblical books and podcasts will be discussed. As discussed in Episode 1, Glenn will be kind to the authors and podcast hosts discussed throughout the season.

This episode has a transcript. If your podcast player does not support transcripts, please go to the Transcripts section of https://spiritledhope.com/ . These transcripts have been edited for accuracy and are typically of higher quality than those produced automatically by many podcast apps.

Transcript

S5 E2 TRANSCRIPT 

TWO CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEWS

INTRODUCTION

Hello everyone and welcome to Spirit-Led Hope. My name is Glenn Erichsen, and in this episode, we are discussing:

  TWO CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEWS

If you are a regular listener of Spirit-led Hope, you know that I addressed this topic in Season 2, Episode 2. But here we are going to look at worldviews a little differently. In Season 2 we focused on comparing the worldviews of Christianity to materialism, and we looked at the importance of the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. In this episode, I want to address the different worldviews that may be held by Christians. And I want to address this for two main reasons.

The first reason is that our worldview determines how we think about the supernatural and paranormal. And the second reason is that our worldview determines how we act in response to the supernatural and paranormal. “Thinking about” and “acting” are two different things. 

While I do know that non-Christians listen to this podcast, the main goal of this podcast is to help Christians live a full life centered on God, led by the Holy Spirit. To a Christian, this season is about more than interesting stories of the supernatural and paranormal. This season is about living a supernatural life which intersects the world beyond materialism. I do not mean that to sound overly mystical, but that is a feature of a Spirit-led life.

THE TWO CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEWS

In a way, it seems strange to me, that we should even be discussing different Christian worldviews. But the reality is that Christians encompass a broad range of beliefs. I saw one article by Wesleyan University which estimates there are over 33,000 Christian denominations in the world today. I have seen some estimates as high as 45,000. 

That seems almost impossible to me if we are all reading the same Bible and put our faith in the same Jesus. But of course, if we consider Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Church, we do not read the same Bible. Our canon of Scripture is different. And the lens in which we view Jesus can be affected by cultural differences and the people we choose to follow.

For example, in the United States today we are watching critical changes occur in the body of Christ because of movements like the New Apostolic Reformation. I am not going to go into any details, but these movements are shifting the way millions of Christians believe. And we can see it happening in real time.

So how do we make sense of this when it comes to looking at worldviews? Well, in Season 2, I took thousands of worldviews and condensed them down to two…Christianity and materialism. I am going to do the same thing in this season and take all Christian worldviews and shrink them down to two very broad classes. These two worldviews are “charismatic,” and “non-charismatic.”

Now, of course, these are highly simplified and subjective, and I am additionally speaking from a Protestant perspective. What I am trying to convey is that, broadly speaking, most Christian denominations fall into one of these camps. 

When I refer to a charismatic worldview, I am talking about a worldview which believes Christians today live a life just like the first Christians we read about in the New Testament. A charismatic worldview believes that Christians can function in spiritual gifts like prophecy and speaking in tongues. Anything the first disciples did, like healing and miracles, may be done today through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

A charismatic worldview treats the Bible as the source of truth but also believes that every Christian can hear the Holy Spirit speak to them. There is an emphasis on life led by the Holy Spirit. An experiential relationship with God is part of a charismatic worldview. Pentecostal denominations fit into this category. Technically, there are differences between charismatic and Pentecostal churches, but I am going to use a charismatic worldview to describe both and all similar belief systems…although, in speaking, I may toggle between saying charismatic and Pentecostal.

As you might guess, a non-charismatic worldview does not place an emphasis on spiritual gifts like prophecy or speaking in tongues. There is a broad range of how non-charismatic denominations view spiritual gifts. The extreme view is to believe in cessationism. A cessationist believes that prophecy, speaking in tongues, and all other spiritual gifts ceased when the last of the Apostles died. 

A good example of a cessationist is the late Pastor John MacArthur who died in July of this year. MacArthur publicly and passionately spoke against the possibility of spiritual gifts and wrote books and gave sermons about it. He was so staunchly against spiritual gifts that he stirred up some conflicts with charismatics and Pentecostals. 

But not everyone with a non-charismatic worldview believes in cessationism. It is common for non-charismatics to deny gifts like speaking in tongues but believe that the gift of healing is still active. Most non-charismatics place a high value on doctrine and are cautious towards the type of experiential relationship with God claimed by those with a charismatic worldview.

In describing these two worldviews, I acknowledge that Christians may “hover” in the middle. For example, I know non-charismatics who enjoy vibrant worship often associated with charismatics. And I know charismatics who have backed away from spiritual gifts because of misuse. But even though you may find these two worldviews a little fuzzy, I think you understand what I am trying to convey.

From these descriptions, it is not hard to see that I fit into the charismatic worldview. When I was younger, I was a non-charismatic but made the switch when I was 37 years old. If you have listened to any of the previous seasons you know that I do believe every Christian can and should have an experiential relationship with God. And I believe in spiritual gifts which I covered in Season 1. But you also know how highly I elevate the Bible (as seen in Season 3) and treat it as the source of truth which all Christians must follow. I am totally convinced that a charismatic lifestyle is meant for everyone, but I also recognize the necessity of avoiding the unhealthy behaviors seen in some charismatic circles.

Now even though I just mentioned the differences between charismatic and non-charismatic worldviews, we need to recognize that the similarities between the two worldviews are far greater than the differences. Both worldviews are Trinitarian and view God as the Creator and Sustainer of everything. Both believe that the Bible is God’s revelation to humankind. Both acknowledge that sin entered the world through Adam and that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Both worldviews know that reconciliation with God is only made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. And both worldviews believe that the defining characteristic of a Christian is the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit lives in both charismatics and non-charismatics. I know there are many more similarities, but these are essentials that both worldviews share. Both groups are Christian.

Okay…this is the moment in the podcast where I am issuing a disclaimer of sorts. Having now defined two Christian worldviews, please recognize that these are broad categories and generalizations. I realize that I may often, in referring to these worldviews, inaccurately represent some Christians.

For example, if I say that charismatics are more apt to work with demonized people, I recognize that some non-charismatic churches may have deliverance ministries. I believe these two worldviews are helpful, but please forgive me when I use generalizations that may not apply to you or a specific situation.

WORLDVIEWS AFFECT HOW WE THINK AND ACT

I was talking through these generalizations with my wife. And it seemed like no matter how I tried to categorize Christian views of the supernatural, there were always exceptions. And yet, as a charismatic who lived 37 years as a non-charismatic, I can attest to the fact that how we think, and act is affected by those two positions.

What I find fascinating is that Christians from both worldviews are taking a greater interest in the supernatural and paranormal. So now, let us look at how these two worldviews can affect our thinking and actions.

The first thing we need to acknowledge is that both charismatics and non-charismatics share a worldview that is based on the supernatural. You cannot believe in God without accepting something beyond materialism. Faith in God dictates that God is beyond any scientific endeavor seeking to prove his existence. Christianity is a supernatural worldview. So, it is a view held by both charismatics and non-charismatics.

The differences between the two worldviews often center around how we get to know God. Non-charismatics lean more towards knowing God through prayer and a study of Scripture, while charismatics tend to add additional experiential events like vibrant worship, praying in tongues, and personal prophecy.

Both worldviews accept the realities of a spiritual world inhabited by other beings such as angels and demons. If you believe the Bible, then these spiritual life forms are real. Angels and demons are supernatural beings able to influence and interact with us. We will look at angels and demons in upcoming episodes.

But here is where I think we get some deviation between charismatics and non-charismatics. In my experience, the risk that non-charismatics face is that they will over emphasize an intellectual approach towards the paranormal and supernatural. Often, in this process, the practical belief in a spiritual world begins to diminish. And this affects thinking and actions.  To a non-charismatic, that wild-acting person on the street is most likely having a mental breakdown and needs medications or therapy.

On the other hand, in my experience, charismatics risk over emphasizing the experience of supernatural things. Belief in a spiritual world can become over elevated, and this affects thinking and actions. To a charismatic, that wild-acting person on the street is most likely demonized and needs deliverance.

The reality is that we need a balanced approach that considers both world views.

In the upcoming episodes, it will be important for all of us to understand our own personal worldview, so we can minimize the areas that are risky for us.

If you ask me where I see the biggest difference between charismatics and non-charismatics, I believe it has to do with a willingness to embrace supernatural or paranormal situations. Because charismatics believe in spiritual gifts and hearing God speak to them, I believe they are more inclined to step out in unusual situations and act. They trust and believe the Holy Spirit will help them.

I recently listened to a podcast by a non-charismatic pastor who was praying for a man, when the man began demonic manifestations. You know what he did when he had a chance? He called one of his charismatic friends to help him process what had happened. To me, this is an example demonstrating how charismatics generally are much more at home when supernatural and paranormal events take place. Of course, I realize that everything I am saying now is a generalization.

SELF-EVALUATION

I suppose I could spend a couple of episodes trying to defend my generalizations. But at the end of the day, what really matters is where you find yourself. Do you lean more towards a non-charismatic or a charismatic worldview? Or do you find yourself with some sort of hybrid belief which affects your thinking and the way you act…or do not act!

Our Christian worldview will determine how we think about aliens, or Bigfoot, or telepathy. And our Christian worldview will determine how we act around a medium, or a man who walks into your prayer meeting and tells you he has demons. And yes, that has happened to me. Our Christian worldview matters.

Instead of telling you more about what I believe, I am going to give you, not really a homework assignment, but something to think about. There is a verse that I have noticed can help you understand what you believe. It is a verse that I have seen misused by charismatics and partially ignored by non-charismatics.

The verse is found in John 14:26 where Jesus is speaking. He said:

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26 CSB

The challenging part of the verse is where Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach us “all things.” What you believe “all things” includes can help you decide if you are charismatic or non-charismatic.

Non-charismatics often like to focus on the “remind you” part and say this verse shows that the Holy Spirit will remind us of Bible verses or Bible teachings. The “all things” is wrapped up in the Bible. 

Charismatics often like to focus on the “all things” and point to spiritual gifts like words of knowledge or discerning of spirits. The “remind you” part, which will place an emphasis on the Bible, is often minimized.

So, what do you believe? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit can give you information for a given situation that might not be in the Bible? Or do you think the Holy Spirit only functions in a way that brings Scripture to mind? It is an interesting question and worth thinking about.

While you are thinking about this, it is important to decide if there are limits to the “all things.” If not, you have the possibility of “fresh revelation” that is beyond what is found in the Bible. Things get very dicey if we do this.

If you have listened to prior seasons, you know that I take a very balanced charismatic view. Yes, I believe that “all things” can mean something outside of the Bible. A word of knowledge about someone may certainly contain information not related to any chapter or verse. But I also believe there are strict limitations to what “all things” can mean. Nothing can oppose or add to what we read in Scripture today. It is this limit that gives us tremendous safety and freedom to operate with gifts of the Holy Spirit.

So again, what do you think? Do you lean towards charismatic or non-charismatic? How much flexibility do you have? If you are a cessationist, will you listen to a charismatic viewpoint? If you are an extreme charismatic, will you consider possible boundaries? 

In the upcoming episodes, I am not yet sure what it will look like to teach about the supernatural and paranormal from a Spirit-led perspective. But it will be interesting, and you can be sure that I will be teaching from a charismatic viewpoint that is strongly rooted in Scripture. I think it is important to make that clear. Please keep this in mind if we disagree.

CLOSING

I know these first episodes have laid some groundwork, but in the next episode we are going to start digging in. And we are going to begin by reviewing a book written in 2015 by the late Dr. Michael Heiser. The book is called “The Unseen Realm:  Recovering the supernatural worldview of the Bible.” This is a book written from a Christian perspective, and it is the book which many Christians use to help them understand anything from Bigfoot to aliens. 

As always, you can send me comments, suggestions, or questions, by email at glenn@spiritledhope.com, or simply use the Contact Form at spiritledhope.com. That is spiritLEDhope.com. You can also send me a one-way text message by going to the episode show notes and clicking on the link with your smart phone. If you find these episodes useful, please spread the word and share them with your friends.

As you spend some time thinking about your worldview…

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Until the next episode, take care.

Copyright 2025 Spirit-Led Hope