IHOP, The Call, Shofars and Lasers… Yeah, Lasers
I can’t recall if I stumbled onto this or if someone directed me to it. Either way, this is one of the more absurd demonstrations of charismatic inanity I’ve seen in a while. (Probably since Rick Pino and Dutch Sheets messed us up with a little carrot cake!)
This video was shot at The Call 07.07.07. The Call was founded by Lou Engle and heavily promoted by IHOP. Mike Bickle currently serves as Director of The Call’s National Board.
Many in the audience are holding horns called shofars. Honestly, I had no idea what a shofar was before watching this video. I searched the KJV, NIV, ESV and NAS at BibleGateway.com for “shofar”. I was unable to locate the word. Apparently, these ancient horns were used in Old Testament religious ceremonies. The shofar-wielding audience members were instructed to toot their horns in order to garner some kind of special favor from Yahweh.
This is annoying, in and of itself. Why? Why are you blowing shofars? But it gets worse – much worse. Ray Hughes of MorningStar Ministries (Rick Joyner’s ministry) said the following before commencing the shofar-ing:
Right before we do this, I want you to know that a renowned scientist inventor has invented a device that literally takes the sound and converts it back to light. And there are five lasers going forth out of this, and every sound of our voice, the sound of our praise, the sound of our proclamation literally (inaudible) goes 25,000 miles into space beyond the (inaudible) , and we’re going to praise the Lord in the heights – in the heavens, according to the word of David.
Really? God needs lasers to convert our praise from sound into light and then beam it into outer space? (Though, not very far into space. Since God is obviously bound by the three-dimensional space of this universe, I hope He was in the neighborhood of Earth when all this noise was being transmitted.)
Those of you within this movement who find yourself reading this: Do you realize how insane you look to everyone else outside your fringe charismatic clique? Just when I start to think there are reasonable folks within these movements, I run into something like this. This junk drives me nuts! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?! What does this have to with ANYTHING?!?!
I Corinthians 1:22-24
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
“…but we preach Christ crucified…” Could we, please? Could we stop with the shofars and preach Christ crucified? Could we stop with the territorial spirits and preach Christ crucified? Could we stop with the generational curses and preach Christ crucified? Could we stop with the creepy wedding ceremonies and preach Christ crucified? Please?
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It should be noted that Ricky Skaggs had the privilege of kicking this nonsense off with the first seven shofar blasts. (Of course, it had to be seven. What is it with modern-day charismatic/prophetic types and numerology? Oh, and Skaggs didn’t just play or blow these blasts – he released them! Whatever that means…)
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Now playing: 16 Horsepower – Blessed Persistence
via FoxyTunes
Jim,
During my charismatic years the shofar was very big for these reasons:
(1) It is/was symbolic of a call to revival. They would stand at the north, south,east, west points of an area they felt needed revival and blow the thing. We had a man in our group who had a large seashell that he used to blow. Then they would go around the area anointing buildings, churches and the like for God, and proclaiming these places as His territory, as if already isn’t.
(2) It symbolizes the final trumpet, and the falling of the walls of Jericho. There is a belief that walking around a building or a city or town seven times and blowing the shofar in areas where God needs to “do something radical” will “release” His power.
(3) It is also used to put people on notice in the area that God is about to do something radical, mainly through Christians. And if the people don’t listen something terrible will befall them because God is calling them via His “trumpet.”
Sigh.
Thanks Mbaker,
You were able to say it very well.
BTW, JimB, there were 300 men set aside as symbolic to represent Gidean’s Army. They were the ones you saw march in and blow the Shofar.
In most references in scripture, especialy OT, when it says trumpet, this is the instrument that is actually speaking about.
You might want to get used to that sound. You will be hearing it a lot in eternity.
Love in Christ Jesus
Jake
“Everything will change.”
What has changed? There is no revival. Why it is an emotionally charged thing to see a stadium of people blowing shofars it did nothing. Very man centered. I’ve seen it before. When will people give up this nonsense?
Jake, where does it say in scripture the shofar will be heard alot in eternity? Maybe, maybe not. This is still a pointless waste of time.
Jake,
I think you missed the point of mbaker’s comment.
“…there were 300 men set aside as symbolic to represent Gidean’s Army.”
Why?
“You will be hearing it a lot in eternity.”
I would echo Mary’s query: “where does it say in scripture the shofar will be heard alot in eternity?”
In all seriousness, Jake, what do you think was accomplished here?
God Bless
So you don’t think God heard the prayers and the cries of His people ???
How can you not get it ??
I know !!
You are blinded by your personal biased against things that you don’t understand. Your hatred toward your fellow brothers is revealed by your words.
Do you propose that God will not honor the prayers of His children?
The things of the Spirit are not understood by the world, but I would think someone who claims to be a child of God would understand these things! I guess not.
Please don’t tell me this thing about ” it ain’t in scripture” and all that. I FULLY understand what you are saying. Scripture without the Holy Spirit teaching, guiding and directing you, has filled our churches with people who are just as dead spiritualy, or more so, as the day the set foot in the Church.
There has to be a fair and balanced presentation of The Word from Scripture. There also must be ministry of The Holy Spirit, lest we continue down the same dark path, only getting a glimpse of the Living God!!!!
Jake,
What I object to about this it is emotionally moving but based on no truth. You mean if you get a whole staduim of people blowing shofars then that will motivate God to move and “everything will be changed”. Please God move!! Please God!!!
The shear numbers will make Him move!
It has never been about numbers, Jake ,and never will. It’s based on our individual obedience and willingness to act on the truth He has already revealed. That’s the hard part.It’s being faithful in the little things.
There is a difference between being emotionally moved and being moved in the Spirit. One pleads with God and is dependent on man’s actions. The other occurs when God is magnified through the truth of who He is.
It’s never about a stadium of people getting all riled up but about individuals humbly being obediant in every area of their lives. Did God say that He is pleased with a staduim of people blowing shofars?
But on His word I will meditate both day and night.
I’d also like to add, when God moves He convicts. it’s always about our flesh, our wills being crucified. Not about an emotional apeal that wows the croud.
Very well said, Mary.
Jake,
” The things of the Spirit are not understood by the world, but I would think someone who claims to be a child of God would understand these things! ”
Jake,
What is it that we are not understanding? What is so spiritually deep about a stadium of people blowing shofars? What has changed? What spirital truth are we missing? This is the same stuff that pushed by the charismatic church is seen each week on TBN and it is a false spirituality. it’s emotionalism pure and simple.
Thank You Margaret, I posted before I saw your post.
Mary,
First off, I am not your enemy here, so I want to dispell that notion up front.
We both have the same God, the same Jesus and the same Holy Spirit.
I don’t live my life off of emotions or feelings. Do I have any of those? Most definetly!
I don’t live my life according to TBN, GodTV, Benny Hinn, etc. etc.
I was in fellowship with the Lord, long before I ever heard of those people.
I live a Romans 12: 1&2 lifestyle and sometimes it really is hard to climb up on that altar and let the Holy Spirit reveal to me those things that are not pleasing unto The Father. But , I do it nonetheless. Why ?
Not because of some scripture, but because of my love for God the Father. Because I am sure to mess up on my own. I need the Holy Spirit working on me, in me and through me to be who my Father has called me to be. Now if that seems “out there” to someone, so be it. Chalk it up to “working out my own salvation”.
I came out of an empty tomb called “church” and will never go back on my own free will.
I bless you, mbaker, JimB, and the others for your stance on the Word. I will be the last one to tell you that you are wrong by not following the scripture. When I speak in Church or wherever called, I always preach the Gospel and always bring The Word from Scripture. I will not compromise on that. I will always speak what God is giving me to speak at the time by the leading of the Holy Spirit. I am not a man pleaser and have been accussed of being a bit hard, as in OT prophet hard.
I will not apologize for that.
If you really knew me then you would probably understand me a whole lot better, but that’s the nature of this beast we call blogging.
It is funny how we all get emotional about things on the blogs, but then “we shouldn’t get emotional” about God ? Whats’ up with that ?
Anyway, I have to go for today. I pray you all will have a great weekend and a great time in The Lord as well.
Love in Christ Jesus
Jake
Jake,
I never said you were my enemy. But you do sidestep the question that we asked: What did this accomplish?
When the disciples asked : “Lord teach us to pray” He didn’t mention the Lord’s prayer in a stadium full of people blowing shofars. You asked “You don’t think he hears the cries and prayers of his people? Yes he does. He doesn’t require all this hoopla in order to get his attention.
Jake that’s 99% of the charismatic problem-getting all emotional but having little actual effectiveness. Seems like that is important -isn’t it? Being effecive in ministry?
BTW, I am not a cessationist. I don’t know where you are coming from with al that Jake.
well that’s great that you are free-but that has nothing to do with what we are talking about here.
Jake,
Wow. You seem to know a lot about me. Is this prophetic insight, or uncharitable assumption?
A child of God should understand shofars beamed into space with lasers?
So, those of us not beaming shofars into space have only “a glimpse of the Living God”, while those beaming have a fuller view?
What does that have to do with the topic at hand? A “Romans 12: 1&2 lifestyle” is the Christian lifestyle – it is not the unique province of the shofar-blowing charismatic fringe.
Be careful, friend. You are speaking about Christ’s Church. (Funny how some of those obsessed with the Bridal Paradigm are so ready to slander the Bride.)
Please define “Holy Spirit teaching”. Are shofars and lasers required? Can a cessationist preach/teach with Holy Spirit unction?
Jake, you are welcome to comment here anytime, but you really haven’t even touched on the topic of my post. What did this shofar-blowing accomplish?
God Bless
“What did this shofar-blowing accomplish?”
To hazard a guess: Perhaps getting rid of a lot of prophetic hot air?
oohhh!
In my personal experience I have seen the shofars used in a deliverence ministry when the participants came to a section called “Fighting for Freedom” or it use to be called “Call to War”. The worship team would open the Saturday afternoon sessions with music and specifically with a song called “Blow The Trumpet of War”.
The worship team would have anybody who brought a shofar to come to the platform and then after the first few lines of the song:
(chorus)
Blow the trumpet of war (blow shofars)
Blow the trumpet of war (blow shofars)
Let the saints all be assured
This battle is, this battle is
This battle is the Lords
So in this case it was used as an example of O.T. use of “announcing” the call to war. This of course is the thought process of spiritual warfare, announce to the devil we are coming after him and setting the saints free from bondage through formula ministry.
I have also seen it in other “worship” situations as a form of “praise and celebration”. As I studied this idea of the shofar blowing it is mentioned in the O.T. as a “horn” and was usually a rams horn that was used. In fact in Jewish custom a bull horn was unacceptable.
Here is something I found in research:
The shofar – a ram’s horn – is the oldest wind instrument. And the sounding of the shofar is the most ancient rite in the Rosh Hashanah observances. The primitive and simple sound of the shofar …spiritually touches people on Judaism’s holy day of soul-searching, repentance and judgment.
Interesting that it was an announcement for soul-searching, repentance and judgement. Who is the “horn” now? Jesus Christ of Nazereth!
If you want to learn more about the shofar use in Judiasm go here…
http://judaism.about.com/od/roshhashana/a/shana_shofar.htm
Did the sound of the shofar do anything… No! in my opinion.
It was an impressive theatrical moment, pleasing to the eye, a great “experience” to those who were there, but alot of noise that has no effect on the kingdom and especially the way is was pre-spoken of in the video. Nonsense!
Personally if they had just said we want to “praise and celebrate” Jesus I may not have had an issue, but as usual, it’s use was to motivate God to hear our prayers as if we had the power to move the soveriegn Lord as if he obeyed our every command!!!!
Thanks for the insight, TimH!
WOWSERS! all i can say who are we to judge whether blowing the shofars accomplished anything? Who are we to judge the “false spirituality.” i’m not saying that i don’t judge, trust me i am a judger. i hate religion, i have not found one church that i have liked. My church is at home, when me and my family get in in depth conversations about god and his ways and how we can show people god.
i thought the schofars were very cool sounding, i hope to hear that sound in heaven! i think these people were just having a little fun, they are on fire for god. it does look a little wierd…lol
God has different ways of bringing people to know him, and if this is a way let it be so.
I don’t know…this world is confusing!
the ways of this world and especially religion are pretty much pissing me off. THE ONLY TRUE JOY I HAVE ON THIS EARTH IS KNOWING THAT I WILL ONE DAY BE WITH HIM IN HIS ARMS. AND I WILL BE THERE WITH MY BUDS. AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR THAT DAY.
i encourage you all to just live and love and let the holy spirit lead you in everything you do. this world is a war, put on the armor of god and stop thinking about what is wrong or right and start thinking about your relationship with jesus and getting to know his heart. its amazing when you fall so in love with him, you overflow with this love that you want to share with everyone and you want everyone to have it cause you don’t want them to miss out!!! and if the door opens for god to speak into their lives then you go for it and plant that seed in their heart!
some of this probably didn’t have anything to do with the schofar…but it was on my heart and it felt good to let it out.
-aly
I didn’t read all the comments so maybe it got touched on, but the shofar thing bugs me as well.
You know shofars are actually only supposed to be blown by rabbi’s. It’s not biblical at all.
However i feel it’s harmless, but I will a agree it is in many circles a great distraction from the gospel.
We banned shofars at IHOP a few years back.
It’s been much more pleasant since.
also I agree with you about all the “generational curses” and the creepy “marrying Jesus” ceremonies. I also have a hard time with the whole breaking off “soul ties” and all of that.
I believe spiritual warfare is merely worshiping our God. Proclaiming the name of Jesus. any “spiritual thing” that comes at us will fail if we simply just glorify Christ in our lives.
Talking about all that stuff isn’t helpful or biblical.
Aly,
With all due respect, have you considered that the problem lies not with all of the churches you have disliked, but with you?
Zack,
Amen & amen…
…and Congratulations!
@Zack
“..I believe spiritual warfare is merely worshiping our God. Proclaiming the name of Jesus. any “spiritual thing” that comes at us will fail if we simply just glorify Christ in our lives…”
Amen from me also…
“Put on the Whole armor of God…”
Here is an article about the the
Shofar in the Bible.
Wow. I thought the charismatic movement was strange before, but this just boggles me. Thanks for sharing Jim, it’s good to have my eyes opened to what’s out there.
@JimB thanks man I’m so excited!
@TimH “put on the full armor of God” agreed man. each symbolic piece of armor: truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God.
we war by walking out those things. The doctrine of “binding and loosing” is misunderstood by most in the charismatic movement of which I’m admitably apart of.
@ Zack,
I’d like to read your understanding of “binding and loosing”.
I believe it is not used properly in the Charismatic church also.
@Zack,
Is this a fair assesemnt of the meaning of “Binding and Loosing?”
Binding and loosing were used in two different manners judicially and legislatively. The traditional meaning was used in a -judicial sense “to bind” meant to punish, “to loose” meant to release from punishment.
Used legislatively “to bind” meant to forbid something, “to loose” meant to permit.
The terms of binding and loosing were used by the Rabbis as legislative authority in interpreting scripture. The Pharisees used this authority to permit laws that were forbidden and forbid laws that were permitted. By doing this they elevated their own authority to add onto the scriptures extra laws which were man-made and became tradition.
As I have researched it seems that the term that is used from Matthew has absolutely noting to do with “binding the devil, etc.
By the way.. Congratulations on the proposal that I saw at your site. I was going to post this there but couldn’t figure out which topic to put it under.
Thanks on the congrats! I’m excited to see whole this whole beautiful marriage thing works! God is good, it’s going to be awesome.
I’ve got a ton to say about the matter, but don’t have the time at the moment, nor the ability to be succinct. But I will try to answer you this week.
.::zack
p.s. the “bring it up” page on my blog is set aside to bring any question at any time.
but i hate it when people talk about thier blog on mine… so just read Jim’s and I’ll e-mail you when i update something.
Interesting back and forth here. Its all very well to laugh and point fingers. Truth is the shofars are a bit theatrical, but not necessarily heretical.
Emotional / spiritual distinction is actually not so cut and dried. In the brain, there is a process that can be described bio-chemically, even if our doctine makes a clear distinction between spirit soul and body this is only pierced or made clear by the word of God. Neuro-science would show the emotional and spiritual to be one and the same.
Blowing trumpets (shofars) is a legitimate outlet or demonstration in the natural of what is happening in the spiritual. I don’t doubt some people’s lives were changed that night, as a bundle of physical/soulical/spiritual experiences… so it would be wrong to ridicule it.
Let’s continue praising God in every way we can and give him all the glory for our lives. Trust me this worship event is even far less insane than the wrestling that get’s piped to our TVs around the world from America.
Love from Daniel
Check out thegreycoats post today! Interview with Ernie Gruen and its a real eye opener!!! I am hosting some IHOPPers at my home tomorrow. Will need your prayers as I hope to have the opportunity to share all that this blog and others have taught me.
Jim B, you said you searched all those English translations on the web… if you want to find shofar in the Bible use your concordance and look up any scriptures containing trumpet or ram’s horn (in the old testament). These two words have often bee translated from the original “shofar”, an onamatopaeic (sp?) word describing the sound.
I hope you don’t have a problem with musical instruments in worship in general?
Lasers sound like an update on stained glass windows to me. Doesn’t make any difference to God, like you said – He is looking at the heart.
I understand the shofar is the OT trumpet/horn. I still don’t understand why we’re beaming its blasts into space with lasers.
And no, Daniel, I don’t have a problem with musical instruments in worship – even shofars (though I don’t find the noise particularly appealing). Here’s my problem:
You said, “Doesn’t make any difference to God…” Precisely my point. These folks clearly believe this nonsense DOES make a difference to God. They believe having Ricky Skaggs blow the shofar seven times (the number of perfection/completion) and transmitting it into “the heavenlies” via laser will somehow move God to… I don’t know – whatever it is they want Him to do. It’s a typcial hyper-charismatic error: the notion that we can voodoo-manipulate God by performing some kind of mystical formula. It’s gnostic, it’s ridiculous and it’s a distraction from what the Church should be about.
“I don’t doubt some people’s lives were changed that night, as a bundle of physical/soulical/spiritual experiences”
Daniel your point that according to neuroscientists the brain processes spiritual and emotions no differently…..hmmm so there is no truth? It’s all the same? Whether I react with emotion or through the power of the Holy Spirit ?I am confident that I could have been in that stadium as a catholic and not been convicted of my lostness. I would have loved that show of hysteria a few years ago. Sad isn’t it? I could have walked out of there with no spiritual conviction at all and remained lost.
As I have read the scriptures that mention the use of the shofar this is just one of many O.T. rituals that were performed and of course God had his reasons for them to occur. One scripture I (regarding the rams horn) read had to do with repentence, people to be reminded that they needed to repent, when they heard the sound of the horn.
But today we don’t need a horn we need Jesus, so why is the church performing these rituals that even God said enough to? He hated the things that were going on because they meant nothing to Him anymore. Too much sin. Why did jesus come in the first place? This is my problem, the church is doing things that are not necessary, wasting time. The truth is these things are done thinking we are pleasing and worshiping God but I don’t buy it. I think it is a case of “I”-itis. It’s all about make me feel good, see me, look at what I am doing and it is a form of idolitry.
No laser or sound is going to change things. We are not going to MAKE God do anything. You want to change the world, one person at a time hearing the gospel of Jesus and hopefully they accept Christ as Savior. Unless they repent and come to the Lord, sin will still run rampet because the “heart of man is filled with all kinds of evil…” Matthew 15
I have a close fiend who is from the jewish faith who has accepted Christ as Savior. He sees the Christian church do these things that come out of judiasm and he gets absolutely livid because we gentile Christians have no idea what we are doing and how legalistic it all is.
Recently I went back and read again and re-read again the gospels and read the very words of God in Flesh, Jesus, and it was amazing what he said and in what he said telling us what we are to do. Just don’t see what the “Third Wavers” are doing as part of His instructions.
Hi Mary,
Please don’t misunderstand me – just because neuro scientists measure activity in the brain, doesn’t mean their is a difference between spiritual and emotional things. Only, the difference is subtle – so that saying something is “emotional” doesn’t really mean anything – unless you speak directly from the “Word of God, sharper than a two edged sword, which pierces to the marrow diving soul and spirit”. (Hebrews 4:12)
The two-edged sword of the God’s word, in my opinion, divides emotions from spiritual things. Neuroscience cannot do it. So unless you want to say blowing shofars and beaming lasers is unscriptural, don’t say its wrong because its emotional.
Some are saying its unscriptural. Well, it may be wrong to rely on these things are think that they move God – but its not wrong as an expression of worship imo.
ok
SHAZAAAM!!! Been there done that. So many opinions, so many different thoughts and only one real way, the straight and narrow. Who shows you the enlightened path? Zen? Buddah? Hindi? Christ! All men will start down the wide and easy way, eventually led by the Spirit to the street called straight. It’s the funnel of life, each to his own and on his own, individually and not collectively. You look from the present toward the future, from your own perspective fed by what you hear, see, feel and others opinions and teachings. Eventually all this wil fall away from the true believer and whats left is the Way. Simple, truthful, quiet and Spirit led. You will say I remember when; and with each experience you will have a small truth to remain. As you experience (anything) you will gather knowledge and in gathering your knowledge you wlll gather truth. Sometimes you have to drink a whole lake of lies to find the one drop of truth but drink you must and search you will do and in this race you must not become weary nor be taken by the Lie but hold to the Truth of Him crucified and raised from the dead. For in the end of life that is all that matters and all that will allow you to come face to face with God. As Paul stated so must I. A searcher of truth, graduate of ORU, first to attend RHEMA, teacher of the Faith Movement, purveyor of health, wealth and Power.
But….
Now, only one who lies quietly, waiting on the Lord, speaking only when unctioned by the Spirit, quietly planting and watering along the Way, hoping for the imminent return of the Lord, either in the clouds or in the dirt of death. So take heart my fellow travelers, at the end of your journey all the experiences, all the emotion, all trials and pain will pass away and as your earthly body lies powerless and all that has been has fallen away all that will be left within will be His fruit: Love,joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control for against these things there is no LAW. Only THIS will carry you to His presence and nothing more. So take heart weary traveler, your journey may be long and winding but it will have an end. It started with the Cross and will end with your resurrection. For He is the first fruit and we are His. Blow your Horn, do your dance, speak with other tongues, lay on the hands, give till it hurts, be slain in the Spirit, sing praises till you drop, pray unceassingly, read, study, pray, listen, learn, change from one who drinks milk to one who eats the meat…but remember…
Its not what you do or how you do it, not even what you have learned or gathered in your journey nor even the journey itself. It’s all about Christ and Him crucified and raised from the dead and why He did such a thing. Because He first loved us we can now love Him. So…Love Him with all your heart, mind and spirit and wherever your journey takes you it will finally bring you to HIM. Isn’t that the point???
God bless all of you, wherever you are in your journey.
Captaingold
One who is at the end of his journey.
The blog is a wonderful thing, or is it? Dialogue that promotes thought outside of our bubbles, edifies us and challenges us to think outside the box and even outside dogma is a good thing but the bickering is ugly…really ugly. Seriously. If we understood each other and all the dynamics of life we wouldn’t be blogging in the first place. There would be no need, would there? So……..meet on the basis of trying to build each other up…sometimes agreeing to diseven if you disagree. Oh, does that sound like some churchy, biblical principle stuff? Some love thy brother and speak well to them stuff? Just wondering!
Just wondering,
Good dialogue necessarily contains some element of tension.
But, that is a sharpening experience, in my humble opinion. We are not supposed to be clones of each other as Christians, we are all called by God to contend for the faith and correct erroneous doctrine as well. In identifying and making corrections biblically that are threatening to water down or distort the tenets of the faith by which we are all saved, we are loving the whole body of Christ by applying correction and/or healing to the affected part. Certainly we need to do it in a way that edifies and educates in the process.
When correction is applied in the biblical way, I don’t find using our minds distracts from our encouraging or loving one another. In fact, as someone who was once unaware that I was in a unbiblical fringe element of the church, I am most appreciative of those who did stand for the truth, even though at the time I felt they were being unloving.
I wholeheartedly agree that aimless bickering accomplishes nothing, but there is much encouragement to be gained from truthful and factual examination and debate on the serious issues of our times. I believe the trend toward strictly experiential Christianity, such as we see in this particular movement, is very dangerous, because it does tend to rely more on human emotions as a spiritual guide, rather than the known will of God for His people.
God bless.
Just Wondering,
Did you just criticize me? That’s awfully unloving (and hypocritical).
Thanks, mbaker!
where did you get the shofar photo from?
I would like to use this shofar image for non-commercial use. May i use it? please advise.
http://www.helperin.com/images/300dpi/press_shofar_300dpi.jpg
I am disheartened by the passive aggressive vibe from alot of the comments on both sides of this arguement. I love the Shofar. It’s a cool instrument.
I will not pretend to even begin to understand the depths of our Father. I will agree with the opposing side that there is a great deal of emotion in the charasmatic zealots that may or may not “help” anything. But I will say for certain that unloving criticism is counter productive to our goal as Christians. But listen for a moment to the words of David in Psalm 22,
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
Our forefathers cried out to God. David went as far as to say that God DOES NOT HEAR! I would venture to say that is not a “biblically sound” claim. The man after God’s heart spoke like this on many occasions. However, he always finished up with the attitude of “but You are holy”.
My point is this. The Lord knows we are who we are. He MADE us.
He knows we are feeble and lack understanding. I can’t say that every prayer I have prayed has been biblically sound, or theologically acceptable. But I know that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. And I know that even though sometimes we feel, as David did, that He isn’t listening, HE is! 
And I would much rather cry out to my Father like a fool and be criticized for it than to be silent so that the rocks can do it for me. I cannot see myself standing before the Lord on that day and Him saying to me, “You cried out to me too many times silly! Why would you do that? That was sooo unnecessary! Don’t you know that it did nothing at all!” If nothing more was accomplished from the blowing of the shofars other than honor and praise directed toward the King of kings then it was a good thing. However, there are not enough shofars in the world to blow an adequate praise to my God. 
So when I cry out to him, I will cry out with all I have, because I know that all I have isn’t enough to give Him the Glory He deserves. So how could I give anything less?
I love you all very much! The Lord has shown Himself worthy of all praise, so all praise must and will be given.
God bless you all.
-Nathan
Nathan,
This thread is pretty old, so I don’t know if your referring to my post, the comments or both. Either way, I would be wary of justifying every goofy antic we want call “worship” simply because “the Lord knows who we are”. I think the New Testament is relatively clear as to what the church – local and universal – should be about until her Lord’s return. And I’m pretty sure transmitting shofar blasts via laser into space is not on the to-do list.
I fully recognize and appreciate that there are many sincere brothers and sisters involved in this kind of thing. And I do genuinely want to be sensitive enough to not blow them out of the water with my rhetoric. On the other hand… those engaged in these types of activities (and worse – I think of John Crowder) need to recognize that they carry the name of Christ with them. These shenanigans don’t just reflect badly on them – or me – but on Christ! The world sees this and thinks, “Really? Is this what following Christ is all about?” I don’t think any of us should take that lightly.
God Bless & thanks for the comment,
Jim B.