I’m not involved with any Charismatic movement, but know some Catholics and Protestants that are. I personally don’t have any problem with the Charismatic way of worship or prayer. However, it’s not my cup of tea; I find it distracting when everyone prays simultaneously without listening to each other’s prayers.
You don’t have to be a full-fledged member, of course. There’s similar things that I dislike about some church services.
One thing I’ve observed from some individuals involved in that movement (and I’m not trying to generalize here) is an attitude that if “you don’t faint or speak in tongues, then you have not experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” I’ve heard similar expressions several times from different individuals. The Holy Spirit has many gifts and we all experience them in different ways.
Fainting is not necessarily a part of the experience, and indeed, I’m not even sure it is, I don’t know where it says that scripturally!
However, according to Pentecostalism and Charismatics, speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of what we call the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without this initial physical evidence, you haven’t been baptized with the Spirit and are yet to obtain the gifts.
Saint Paul said to the Corinthians, “[t]hough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have no charity, I am becoming as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” (1 Cor 13:1-2)
He also said to them, “[n]ow, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?” (1 Cor 14:6)
I think you’ve misunderstood what Paul was talking about. The context of 1 Corinthians 14 is in a church that has completely abused the gift, and it must be rectified. The Corinthians were known for exaggerating with everything bestowed upon them. Indeed, they abused Holy Communion eagerly enough.
But the context of 1 Cor. 14:6 is about public exhortation of tongues. Indeed no Charismatic would (or should) deny that tongues spoken aloud must be followed by an interpretation. Otherwise it is simply chaos. But there is a distinction between that, and the private prayer tongues, which is spoken between the speaker and God.
This is why he concludes the chapter by saying this:
“Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Cor. 14:39-40).
Evidence of the private prayer language comes when he says, shortly after speaking about edification of the church, he says:
*“If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.” *(verse 28)
And I would absolutely agree. I’ve heard of even Assemblies of God churches abusing the gift by having absolute chaos in the worship service. People uttering aloud and making the service absolutely uncomfortable. The correct formula of public tongues should be a special amount of time allotted separately, where people who are ready to speak come forward and begin to speak, after which the interpreter (or the speaker himself if he can interpret) translates for the rest of the congregation.
Paul doesn’t downplay speaking in tongues. Indeed, he says “I thank God I speak in tongues more than all of you!” (proving also that we all can receive this gift, the private prayer language). If we take this approach, then we must be wary of Holy Communion because Paul took a similar approach.
And I wouldn’t surrender Holy Communion for anything in the world. I adore it and indeed think that Protestants don’t do it enough!
God Bless You
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