The doctrinal errors of charismatic churches are no more numerous than any other denominational church. However, the emotionalism that is associated with their attempts to worship God contributes to their acceptance of error in a unique way. Now, let me say that there is nothing wrong with being emotional about the things of God and the blessings of Christ, but when emotions take over reason and worship is based more on feeling than what is taught in the scriptures, there is a definite problem.

Let me give you an example of this happening in charismatic churches when they attempt to worship God. People sit in the pews nice and calm no matter what the preacher says until he starts getting worked up. Then, just as soon as the preacher gets worked up, the members in the pews get worked up. The more the preacher gets worked up, the more the members in the pew get worked up. When the preacher calms down, the members calm down. This reveals at least two things: First, obviously the word of God alone isn’t enough to move charismatics. Since the power is in the seed, not the sower, the manner in which the preacher preaches should only have a nominal effects on the audience. I’m not saying that the preacher’s style should have no impact on an audience for it obviously does. However, it should not have the extreme effect that you see in charismatic churches.

This leads us to the second revelation about these kinds of so-called worship services. Much of what they do is based on pure emotion, not the Word of God. In fact, the Word of God might be directly violated by some of their emotional outbursts, and they don’t even realize it. I once attended a service like this and it sounded like someone around me was attempting to speak in tongues, or at least what they claim to be tongues. Really it was nothing but gibberish and I meant to ask someone afterwards if they thought that what they were doing was speaking in tongues, but I did not get the chance. Assuming for the moment that that’s what they thought they were doing, what ever happened to the inspired instruction of Paul to always have an interpreter when someone speaks in tongues?

1 Corinthians 14:27-28
²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

There was no interpreter at the gathering that I attended. This tells me that whatever was happening, God wasn’t a part of it. These people allowed themselves to get so worked up that they either forgot about the scripture opposing what they were doing, or perhaps were not aware of the passage in the first place. This is what happens when emotions take a higher seat than scripture in religious services. It reaches a point where anything that sounds good, feels good or looks good is okay and acceptable without any consideration for what the Bible teaches. It is not unusual among charismatics, and really most protestant churches today, for women to be pastors and preachers. Again, it doesn’t matter that this is a direct violation of scripture (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Emotions and feelings and what is presently popular dictate what these churches do rather than the Bible. Surely the Spirit of God would never move people to do things today that God outlawed in the first century.

When we allow emotionalism to override the scriptures, the end result will always be religious error and confusion. Yes, charismatic services make people feel good. Yes, you will hear shouts of praise and attempts to glorify God, but mark this down: God is never glorified by the doctrines and works of men, no matter how sincere people might be. Everything that we preach and teach should be based on Bible, not emotionalism.