Tony Reinke: Piper Addresses Strange Fire and Charismatic Chaos

One month ago, John MacArthur hosted a conference titled “Strange Fire.” The conference opposed the so-called “prosperity gospel” and with it the excesses of “charismania.” But somewhere along the way all things charismatic and continuationist got swept up into the conference conversation, too, igniting a strange online conflagration of its own.

The conversation prompted a variety of questions from listeners of the Ask Pastor John podcast. Before boarding a flight for the Middle East, John Piper agreed to field a few of the questions, particularly:

• If you’re a continuationist (believing the supernatural gifts of the Spirit continue still today), why doesn’t this show up more often in your ministry?
• Why do you not seem persuaded enough to advocate that others pursue the gifts of tongues and prophecy today?
• How do you define contemporary prophecy?
• Are there charismatic abuses that need to be addressed? Keep reading