Specifically, Charles Finney was pastor for 37 years at what is now called the First Church in Oberlin. It is now part of the mainline liberal denomination called the United Church of Christ; and they are basically unbelievers, allow gay marriage, and evolution doctrine. Completely unlike Finney believed: he was more in line with Bible-believing fundamentalism and Wesleyan-holiness theology. He also was a young earth creationist, because he assumed that it has been “six thousand years” that “God has been hearing” people constantly shift the blame to other factors to explain why they can’t live for God (Sermons on Gospel Themes, p. 98).
First Church in Oberlin (outside)
First Church in Oberlin (inside). Charles Finney’s pulpit in view.
I’m under the impression that because of these liberal developments, faithful Finney-following pastors, broke away from the UCC and formed the following Bible-believing Congregationalist denominations: CHURCH OF CHRIST, etc.
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. –1 Samuel 16:23
“Now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha. –2 Kings 3:15
The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good; his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. –2 Chronicles 5:13-14
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John Wimber, “Worship,” Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 1989. Video series.
—, ed. Thoughts on Worship (Vineyard Music Group, 1996). Hard to get. Probably copies at the libraries of Regent University, Oral Roberts University, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Fuller, and Pentecostal Theological Seminary.
Paul Engle, ed. Exploring the Worship Spectrum (Zondervan, 2004).
LaMar Boschman, The Rebirth of Music (Destiny Image, 1980), pp. 79-80. Boschman is the only charismatic writer I’ve found that talks about the connection between worship music and feeling the presence of God. He has another book I’ve read called A Passion for His Presence (Destiny Image, 1992). Augustin Poulain, the Catholic theologian, also has a section in The Graces of Interior Prayer (Kegan Paul, 1921), which is called “God’s Presence Felt,” and in that place he describes the experience as a “mystic union” between the person’s soul and the Holy Spirit. He does not refer to musical instruments, but he does bring in the charismatic aspect of “contemplation,” or what charismatics would call “seeking God’s face,” “worship,” or “focusing on the Lord.” Closing your eyes and concentrating your mind intently on the face of Jesus, or the throne of God, or the Holy Spirit surrounding you. This action, when reaching the point of perfect mental concentration on God, with the mind fully fixed that way for several minutes, can attract a feeling of God’s real presence on the body, or should we say, make the worshiper aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. –Jesus in John 17:17
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again. –John 18:37-38
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Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology (InterVarsity Press, 1999).
Walter Martin, The Kingdom of the Cults (Bethany House Publishers, 1985).
WesleyGospel Ministries 