TODAY’S WORLD: Born in Toronto – 1994
Recalling what happened in January…..
It all began in Toronto, Canada, on Thursday 20th January in 1994. Few people realized at the time just how significant the event would be. One journalist, some months later, reported that
“British Airways’ flight BA092 took off from Toronto Airport on Thursday evening just as the Holy Spirit was landing on a small building a hundred yards from the end of the runway.” (1)
“The Toronto Blessing” (as it was described) became a world-famous phenomenon. In the early days after the event thousands of visitors flocked to Toronto to witness the unusual manifestations at the Airport Vineyard, and many took “the blessing” home with them to their own churches. As a consequence, churches all over the world were affected by the event that many people have called a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
There were two parts to “The Toronto Blessing”. On the one hand there were the extraordinary physical manifestations. These included falling down, uncontrollable laughter, staggering (as if drunk), trembling, jerking, jumping, writhing on the floor as if in childbirth, shadow-boxing, swimming movements, crawling on all fours, warrior-like dancing, monkey movements, running backwards, arm-windmilling, animal noises of all kinds, and – on occasions – weeping. The list appears endless. The other part of the “blessing” consisted of claims that personal renewal had been experienced. Repentance, holiness, a love for the Lord, a love for the Scriptures, and a new desire to evangelize have all been mentioned as consequences.
MIXED REACTIONS
Reactions to “The Toronto Blessing” were mixed – to say the least. Some immediately pronounced that it was God’s great work in our day. Others spoke out against it and branded it as nothing more than a work of the flesh. Somewhere between these two opposing viewpoints were thousands of souls who did not know what to think and decided to “wait and see” before coming to any final judgment. In addition to these, some other people completely changed their assessment since first encountering the “blessing”. Perhaps the only fact beyond dispute was that the scores of books written about the phenomenon gave a real boost to many publishers’ sales figures!
Revival is, of course, something that all born-again believers should long for. The prophet Habakkuk cried, “O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years” (Hab.3:2). Isaiah prayed, “Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down” (Isa.64:1). Another saint pleaded, “Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?” (Ps.85:6). While we should rejoice (2) to know that, through repentance, another believer has been brought to a greater desire for holiness and into a more fervent love for the Lord, was the movement that radiated from Toronto really revival?
Many people (even those favouring “The Toronto Blessing”) found some of the manifestations disturbing. Consider, for instance, the animal noises. Many times in the New Testament we are told that, as believers, we should behave like Christ. Did the Lord Jesus ever roar like a lion or bark like a dog? The question is too absurd to require an answer. Although barking or roaring are not wrong in themselves, there is nothing distinctively “Christian” about either of them. There is therefore no reason to expect one of Christ’s followers to produce such noises.
THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK
The biblical content of some of the teaching related to these unusual manifestations was equally disturbing. While a journalist might be excused for making statements that lack theological precision, it is to be deplored when pastors and teachers are found speaking without biblical accuracy. One particular area of confusion relates to the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit of God was promised by the Lord Jesus (3) and came at Pentecost (4), baptizing those early believers into the Body of Christ on that memorable day. (5) Like Calvary, Pentecost is a “once-for-all-time” event and has never been repeated. Christians today are sealed with that same Holy Spirit of promise from the moment of believing. (6) It is true, of course, that at certain times in history the Holy Spirit has been strikingly active in revivals in particular parts of the world. However, because He indwells every true child of God, the practice of calling the Holy Spirit to come (often found in these meetings) is both unnecessary and wrong.
We must not misunderstand the Holy Spirit’s work today. Before returning to heaven the Lord Jesus spoke of the Spirit’s coming and declared, “He shall glorify Me” (Jn.16:14). The Son of God is glorified through powerful preaching that exalts the Lord Jesus and draws sinners to Him in true repentance. (7) The Holy Spirit also glorifies the Saviour by producing in the lives of believers His distinctive fruit: “Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal.5:22-23). A careful reading of the gospels will make it clear that these beautiful features marked the life of the Lord Jesus. Those who are His followers should display them too.
MISSING FRUIT
To those who maintain that “The Toronto Blessing” was an undeniable work of God, it ought to be a matter of great concern that certain aspects of the Spirit’s fruit were noticeably missing. One of the pastors at the Toronto Airport Vineyard has described how his wife “took the joy” and became hysterical with laughter. When guests arrived for a meal she was unable to prepare anything, and when her husband returned home after purchasing portions of fish and chips, she tossed the hot, greasy fish to each guest as she continued laughing hysterically. (8) While joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit, so is self-control. The holy joy which He produces never displaces self-control.
Any truly Christian experience will stand the test of Scripture. Many today will protest that because God is sovereign we cannot restrict Him to working in particular ways of our own choosing. “We must not be guilty of quenching the Spirit!” they warn us. While this is perfectly true, God’s ways will not contradict the principles He has laid down in His Word. Just as it is wrong to quench the Holy Spirit, so it is wrong to believe every spirit. John warns us that we must test them in order to discern “whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (9) Applying Scriptural tests is perfectly reasonable. Remember, however, that an experience is to be tested by Scripture – not Scripture to be tested by one’s experience.
One particularly relevant test is found in 1 Corinthians 14:40:- “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The confusion of sprawling bodies and the lighthearted frivolity often seen in meetings connected with “The Toronto Blessing” should raise questions in the mind of any honest believer.
ANALYSIS
Books supporting this “Toronto experience” often contain many personal testimonies of those who have been helped or blessed. Testimonies by themselves, however, are inadequate. Nowhere in Scripture do we find the principle that the end justifies the means. Failing to recognize this important point, many Christians (and non-Christians too) are receiving an “instant thrill” which is nothing more than an emotional substitute for the real spiritual blessing.
We must not forget the warning given by the Lord Jesus that false Christs and false prophets would arise before His return. He said that they would show “great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt.24:24). In these last days we need to be on our guard. The saying “all that glitters is not gold” may not be from the Bible, but it remains true. It is right to long for revival, but it must be in God’s own way and in His time – and that will always be in accordance with His unchanging Word.
Many, through the passing years, have practically forgotten Toronto. Clearly what took place did not bear the usual hallmarks of revival. To remember it as “The Toronto Blessing” is to perpetuate a misnomer. The manifestations were hardly God-glorifying, and to suggest that they were poured out from heaven is a slight upon the holy, righteous, and perfect character of God. It might be better to remember the event which had its birthplace in Toronto as The Toronto Experience. With hindsight, many of those fleshly experiences are really best forgotten.
END NOTES:- (1)The Sunday Telegraph, London, 19 June, 1994. (2)Rom.12:15. (3)Jn.14:16-17. (4)Acts 2. (5)Acts 1:5; 1 Cor.12:13. (6)Eph.1:13. (7)Jn.12:32; 1 Cor.2:1-5. (8)Guy Chevreau, Catch the Fire, (Marshall Pickering: London, 1994) p.13-14. Jonathan Edwards is quoted extensively in this book to support the author’s case. A thorough examination of Edwards’ works, however, will show that Guy Chevreau is very selective in his quotations and misrepresents Jonathan Edwards. Edwards would never have approved of “The Toronto Blessing”, yet some writers today give the impression that he was its founder! (9)1 Jn.4:1.