Bad Habits to Break

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma magazine who still writes a weekly column for them called “Fire in My Bones.” Brother Grady often points out things done by Spirit-filled Christians that need changing. One of his best articles is titled “9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break” (which was published five years ago). I encourage you to read Lee’s article in its entirety but will share the list of habits…

1. The body slam

2. The courtesy drop

3. The song that never ends

4. The amateur flag corp

5. The wannabe telethon offering

6. The sermon with seven endings

7. The praise-a-go-go dancers

8. The ear-shattering amp

9. The “jump-start” glossalalia

After reading Brother Grady’s article, I thought of two more annoying Pentecostal practices...

* Telling the congregation to “turn to your neighbor” numerous times to say something. I think it’s okay to do this once or twice during a service (I even tried it years ago when giving a speech on Bible prophecy at a Toastmasters meeting) but some preachers overdo it. I’ve been in meetings where the congregation was instructed to “turn to your neighbor” at least ten times during an offering. Depending on who’s preaching, I now sometimes sit in an isolated part of the sanctuary so I won’t have a neighbor next to me uttering vain repetitions.

* Adding an “a” to words when preaching. I heard Andrew Wommack point out how one could recite a nursery rhyme like this to make it sound holy (“Mary had-a little lamb-a, its fleece was-a white as snow-a...”). It actually sounds like one is trying to talk Italian here.

Two other religious habits previously written about on this blog could be included in this list:

* Overusing the word “just” when praying or praising the Lord.

* Worship singers inserting many filler syllables to songs.

Every church has its traditions and every minister has habits that are part of his or her personality. Nevertheless, congregations shouldn’t feel obligated to participate in certain practices if they are not grounded in Scripture.

“making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” - Mark 7:13

Holy Smoke

Yesterday afternoon I went evangelizing on the streets of Haverhill, Massachusetts (just north of Boston) and saw 19 people pray to receive salvation. One of them was a young man who once had another preacher tell him smoking sends people to hell and even showed him Scripture supposedly supporting that belief. I responded by making a comment I’ve told many other smokers; “Smoking won’t send you to hell but it will make you smell like you’ve been there…and if you don’t know Jesus, smoking can help send you to hell much quicker.”

Some Christians believe if a person really gets saved, he or she would stop smoking immediately. I have seen instances (including one yesterday) when people tossed their lit cigarettes before praying to get born again. Then again, there was another man who asked me to pray for him and then lit up a cigarette while receiving salvation. This man thanked me for the prayer afterward even though he continued smoking. Romans 10:13 says, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Giving up smoking is not a prerequisite for entering through the Pearly Gates.

Certainly, I don’t approve of smoking. As a boy, I had to put up with relatives who were chain smokers. That was enough of a deterrent for me from getting started on that nasty habit. Before I gave my life to the Lord, I worked as a disc jockey in nightclubs and at wedding dances where I was often surrounded by smokers.  I got used to that kind of environment, but could no longer tolerate being in smoke-filled places after resigning from nightclub work.

I would agree that smoking is a sin because it damages a person’s health. On the other hand, there are other habits destructive to the human body. Christians who willfully abuse their health by overeating or drinking alcoholic beverages are being a poor witness to non-believers observing them. We are to be living epistles (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) and good stewards of our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Evangelist Nick Kinn often testifies the day after he got born again, he read the gospel of John with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. Just over a year later, Nick was so full of God’s Word that he no longer desired those vices. Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Brother Nick didn’t give up smoking and drinking because someone beat him over the head with a Bible. He took it upon himself to desire more of God and has since preached the gospel in numerous cities and countries.

Reading the Bible causes our thoughts to line up with God's will. So if you have an addiction that’s hindering your walk with the Lord, feed on the word more. I also encourage you to build up your spirit by praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 20). God will give you victory over fleshly habits if you put your trust in Him.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

- Philippians 4:13