B.j Christofferson Interview
B.J. Christofferson is in her 60's and still identifies as Charismatic Pentecostal. It is her opinion that you can identify with Pentecostalism and not have to attend the same church.
What is the difference between Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement?
"During the 60s there was a big movement—the Jesus People, hippies that turned to Jesus and turned back to Christianity but it was a different form than they were raised in. The Charismatic Movement collided with The Jesus People and there was an overlap, the Charismatics were much more accepting of anyone who was a believer despite their look or what they were in the past.
The traditional Pentecostal movement was much more straight laced, strict, older denomination and the Charismatic Movement swept across all economic and lifestyle borders. It was kind of like AA, a bunch of people with similar experiences.
Traditional Pentecostalism was much more structured. The Charismatic Movement was born more out of an uneasiness or disattiscation of mainstream Christianity. It offered more of an intense experience and went back to the Bible, to scripture, to the day of Pentecost when the apostles spoke in tongues. The technical term for speaking in tongues was glossalalia, might be a couple of extra “Ls” in there. Means speaking in other languages that you might not know but might have structure to it. There are anthropologists that study it.
The movement was born out of dissatisfaction of mainstream religion. Also a Catholic Charismatic Movement was formed when the Catholics started reading the Bible. There was a big crossover for any Christians that were Charismatic because they were dissatisfied.
Bob Dylan went through that phase, hippie and post-hippie Charismatic Movement. He went to a church called The Vineyard in California."
Have you Spoken in Tongues?
"I could never do it at the drop of a hat. It's a very real experience, it's been quite awhile. The only time I’ve ever been able to do it is if there is an extreme emergency, like if someone is going to die. Its not hard if you are a believer. It's things in your heart and your spirit that can’t be spoken by words. It's your spirit more than words. When Nate fell out of a tree and we didn’t know if he was going to live or die I was talking to Molly on the phone and said I had to hang up right now. Nothing was able to stop it. If I was afraid for myself or someone else I could. It can be practiced and you can train yourself. It comes from within. I believe in it. Its not like you are making up sounds, not something you can control. You don’t have to scream it out like turrets."
Why did you stop going to your Charismatic church?
"I quit going to this particular church because it was conservative even though charismatic. The New Testament in Hebrews says the meaning of true religion is to help widows and orphans and keep untouched by the world. Back in the day widows were nobody. I said widows and orphans would be the same as me, welfare without a spouse, same thing, no response, pastor looked through me and it wasn’t open to discussion. I thought I can’t go to a church that feels that way about me and my children so I started to go to Park Avenue Methodist that wasn’t charismatic but it was open and there are charismatic people in all denominations."
Why did you want to be a part of the Charismatic Movement?
"I was at a point in my life where I was totally disillusioned in my life and my relationship with my husband and was searching and heavy into drug use. I had a religious background and also had an experience as a kid and was searching for it. I went to a commune in northern Minnesota in Leach Lake, a commune, I hadn’t met anyone like that, so accepting and didn’t care what I looked like or what I did. They cared about what I wanted to do now. I was longing for something and I was ready."
"During the 60s there was a big movement—the Jesus People, hippies that turned to Jesus and turned back to Christianity but it was a different form than they were raised in. The Charismatic Movement collided with The Jesus People and there was an overlap, the Charismatics were much more accepting of anyone who was a believer despite their look or what they were in the past.
The traditional Pentecostal movement was much more straight laced, strict, older denomination and the Charismatic Movement swept across all economic and lifestyle borders. It was kind of like AA, a bunch of people with similar experiences.
Traditional Pentecostalism was much more structured. The Charismatic Movement was born more out of an uneasiness or disattiscation of mainstream Christianity. It offered more of an intense experience and went back to the Bible, to scripture, to the day of Pentecost when the apostles spoke in tongues. The technical term for speaking in tongues was glossalalia, might be a couple of extra “Ls” in there. Means speaking in other languages that you might not know but might have structure to it. There are anthropologists that study it.
The movement was born out of dissatisfaction of mainstream religion. Also a Catholic Charismatic Movement was formed when the Catholics started reading the Bible. There was a big crossover for any Christians that were Charismatic because they were dissatisfied.
Bob Dylan went through that phase, hippie and post-hippie Charismatic Movement. He went to a church called The Vineyard in California."
Have you Spoken in Tongues?
"I could never do it at the drop of a hat. It's a very real experience, it's been quite awhile. The only time I’ve ever been able to do it is if there is an extreme emergency, like if someone is going to die. Its not hard if you are a believer. It's things in your heart and your spirit that can’t be spoken by words. It's your spirit more than words. When Nate fell out of a tree and we didn’t know if he was going to live or die I was talking to Molly on the phone and said I had to hang up right now. Nothing was able to stop it. If I was afraid for myself or someone else I could. It can be practiced and you can train yourself. It comes from within. I believe in it. Its not like you are making up sounds, not something you can control. You don’t have to scream it out like turrets."
Why did you stop going to your Charismatic church?
"I quit going to this particular church because it was conservative even though charismatic. The New Testament in Hebrews says the meaning of true religion is to help widows and orphans and keep untouched by the world. Back in the day widows were nobody. I said widows and orphans would be the same as me, welfare without a spouse, same thing, no response, pastor looked through me and it wasn’t open to discussion. I thought I can’t go to a church that feels that way about me and my children so I started to go to Park Avenue Methodist that wasn’t charismatic but it was open and there are charismatic people in all denominations."
Why did you want to be a part of the Charismatic Movement?
"I was at a point in my life where I was totally disillusioned in my life and my relationship with my husband and was searching and heavy into drug use. I had a religious background and also had an experience as a kid and was searching for it. I went to a commune in northern Minnesota in Leach Lake, a commune, I hadn’t met anyone like that, so accepting and didn’t care what I looked like or what I did. They cared about what I wanted to do now. I was longing for something and I was ready."