“Experiential Theology is dead!” It’s what the man on the reel said. Like an electric shock, his words got my attention; I had been listening only half-heartedly to his arguments. First, I had to ask myself, “Is Experiential Theology really a thing?” and then I wondered, “How could theology be anything but experiential? Isn’t that the point?”
My attention roused, I listened to his discourse, as he hammered nails in the coffin of presence-based worship. It’s the belief that God allows us to joyfully expect to experience His presence in worship and prayer. I wondered to myself, “What is the opposite of Experiential Theology? Is it Non-Experiential Theology?”
The problem with all of this, is our God is a Living God and He wants us to know Him. He told Moses His name at the burning bush – I am that I am. God is alive. His name is always in the present tense. (Exodus 3:17)
Polarization
I was listening to the old Baby and Bathwater debate. One sect of Christians believes we are to experience God’s Spirit, especially in prophecy and worship meetings. But perhaps they go too far in their experiential expressions. Another sect reacts to that – too far – with criticism and demonization of the others and their doctrine. They declare experiencing God is not for us today.
Simply because one side goes too far, it does not mean that the idea found in scripture is wrong as well. We do not have to swing from one extreme to the other to be safe. The balance comes from knowing the Word and knowing God.
High Winds
In the past 40 years or so, we caught wind of several famous Holy Spirit outpourings and revivals. Many wonderful things happened, but at the same time, we heard reports of people barking like dogs or roaring like lions, hysterical laughing, or angels showing up giving divine guidance. Some screamed fire over people to impart the Holy Spirit or purposefully pushed people down under the ‘power.’ Everyone has a list of strange things they have seen and heard in church.
Just because some Christians do strange things in meetings, does not mean the strange things are the sole expression of experiencing God through the Holy Spirit. Simply because some are out of balance, does not mean that God is out of balance. God still moves through His Spirit and He still wants to be known by us. Truly that is the whole point.
As for me, I love vibrant prayer and praise meetings. Yet I never ran to the revivals, because I reasoned if God wanted that for me, I would not have to run to a place, or preacher or prophet. I actually believe in Experiential Theology because I believe God wants to speak to me, transform me, and lead me to live a victorious holy life, full of His Spirit. He wants that for all of us.
So – Is Experiential Theology Dead? YADA YADA YADA!
God actually wishes us to experience Him here on earth and it’s reflected in a Hebrew word. The Hebrew verb – to know – is yada – Strong’s # 3045. Yada means to know something through observation and reflection, but also to know through experiencing it.1
Look at that balance. To know is to observe, reflect and experience.
Yada is also the root for acknowledge.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
Knowing God is not just head knowledge. You could say, in all your ways – yada – or experientially know – God, and He will direct your paths. God wants us not only to know about Him, He wants us to supernaturally experience Him in our every way and every day. As we walk with Him by His Spirit, He will direct our path. Hallelujah!
God experientially knows us as well. In Psalm 139, David writes, God knows us, our thoughts, our comings and goings, He knows our heart, and all our ways.
Yada can be a knowing as intimate as relations of a husband and wife. (Genesis 4:1,17)
In the Old Testament, Israel was to know their God; they were to – yada – or experience their God. The enemies of Israel also experientially knew the God of Israel, through experiencing defeat on the battlefield as God brought supernatural victories for His people.
By the way, the forbidden tree in the Garden was the Tree of the YADA of Good and Evil. (Genesis 2 & 3) Surely when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they experienced evil. The knowledge was experiential, not just a collection of dos and don’ts.
Furthermore, if we have anything to boast about, it should only be that we yada God!
But let him that glories, glory in this,
that he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:24 NKJV
Experiencing God
Many examples exist in the Old and New Testament of people supernaturally experiencing God.
Daniel – In the Lions’ Den, His friends – Shadrach Meshach Abednego in the Fiery Furnace.
Jonah – and the Great Fish!
Noah – and the Ark.
Moses – At Mt. Sinai, the Parting of the Red Sea, God Speaking at the Burning Bush.
Joseph – From Prison to the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt.
Paul – Blinded by the Presence of Jesus on the Road to Damascus, Healings, With Silas Praising in Prison.
Peter – The Miraculous catch of fish, Healings, Salvation to the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house.
As these men experienced God, everyone around them also experienced God. Likewise, when you and I live a life knowing God experientially, He draws others to come near to know Him.
Jesus Himself said that He came to show us the Father. (John 14) People came near to Him and got to see and experience God literally, through the miracles and wonders.
But one could argue that Jesus is now gone back to Heaven. Is this when Experiential Theology died?
God’s Presence
Perhaps the most misunderstood member of the Godhead is the Holy Spirit. On His last night in the upper room, Jesus taught His disciples about the precious Holy Spirit. Jesus called Him the Helper Who would be with them and us. The Holy Spirit helps us, comforts us, communicates with us, guides us, corrects us, gives us understanding, etc. (John 14,15,16)
The Holy Spirit is God’s presence with us while we wait for the return of Jesus. He is the promise from our Father Who the disciples waited for in Acts chapter 2. (Luke 24:49) They waited for Him in Jerusalem to come and give them power to go and spread the Good News of the Kingdom. (Acts 1)
You and I are to live a life of power and spiritual transformation daily. The Holy Spirit came to help us do that. We are not alone, the Spirit is – God with us – Emmanuel. (Matthew 1:23)
For Today?
Here is where the Baby and the Bathwater begin to get murky! Many Christians believe that the gifts and miracles of the Holy Spirit ceased after the disciples died out. Others believe He is present today and wants to work through us. Here is where the 2 camps polarize and the fighting begins.
If we insist interactions with the Holy Spirit have ceased, then Experiential Theology is dead. We can lose the expectation of experiencing God, because the Spirit is God’s presence here on earth.
If we live only according to God’s Word, the Word itself gives us permission to believe we can know and experience our Father’s presence.
If Experiential Theology is the glorious expectation that God wants you and I to experience and know Him, then I say it’s not dead! Let’s push through to really YADA our Father as The Living God.
What do you say?
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1 Strong -Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary p. 108
Strong, James LL.D., S.T.D., Dictionaries include contributions by John R. Kohlenberger, III.
The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Red-Letter Edition.
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001.
