Mark Virkler's blog

For us at the School of Ministry, it’s our motto: Encounter God. Be Transformed. Change the World.

As I turned from being focused on theology to being focused on story, I soon recognized that the heart of the story is God touching our lives. In the Garden of Eden, He touched by walking with Adam and Eve in the Garden in the cool of the day. When Jesus taught, He touched by laying on hands and healing as He ministered in the streets. In revivalist healing crusades, it is the touch of the Holy Spirit that draws the soul to Christ and heals and transforms the body. So it is time for me to add to any theologically-focused teaching the opportunity for people to encounter Jesus directly by being touched by Him.

Is that not what the Toronto blessing is all about – being touched by the Holy Spirit? Is this not what Kathryn Kuhlman's and Oral Robert's healing services were all about? Is the same not true concerning John Wimber's, Bill Johnson's, Billy Graham's and Reinhard Bonnke's meetings, along with so many others which I could mention?

It is time we change our focus from studies about God to encounters with God! We do this by walking and living by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). This provides continuous ongoing encounter with our Heavenly Father. Not thinking about Him, but encountering Him. Remember, this is the COMMANDED LIFESTYLE, to live and walk by the Spirit. This is the way we are to live. This is the heavenly design. All else is a dead work (Hebrews 6:1,2).

The Bible says that the goal of our instruction is: 1) love from a pure heart and 2) a good conscience and 3) a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Did you notice these three goals are all heart realities rather than mental information? Out of the heart flow the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). The Holy Spirit is released through our hearts! 

It has been said, “Facts are silly things” until they are coupled with underlying principles. I agree, and yet transmitting facts has been the center of so much of our secular and religious education, and the result is the destruction of our creative capacity.

The interview took place at Charisma headquarters in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Greene and the entire Charisma staff are incredibly hospitable and fun to work with. We all had a truly great time.

The interview was a fast-moving discussion on the role of story in Christian education. This applies to your home, a classroom or a message from the pulpit. . As you listen to this 30-minute podcast, you will see we covered a lot of ground. You will find keys to relating to your children, your spouse and your students in a classroom setting.

It is amazing how much we love boxes! The box I used to love the most was my theological box, as I am a theologian and I believed that my doctrinal box of rules of right and wrong kept me safe from deception and error. 

Narrative Theology – “Discourse about God in the setting of story” - Gabriel Fackre

It was because of a story that I became a Spirit-filled Christian. I was a student at Roberts Wesleyan College, having been saved in an ultra-conservative Baptist church. My theology was staunchly anti-tongues and anti-healing. Then a lovely lady invited Patti and me to her home for some great meals. She told us a story of how her family used to have to go to the hospital several times a year with illnesses, and since she started praying for healing for them, no one had gone to the hospital for the last couple of years. Wow! That didn’t line up with my theology, but it was an amazing story by a person extending friendship and a meal to us. I listened to the story, honored it and by the time I was done researching Scriptures with an open heart and mind, my systematic theology which said healing wasn’t for today had changed and I became a charismatic Christian.

The Bible tells us praying in tongues is a manifestation or gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). Therefore it obviously has great value for our lives. Even though our minds may say this is ridiculous baby talk and has no value, what do you suppose the value is? The following journaling is from Malachi Talabi.