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Most of the ministers I know have no use for the practice of 'pushing', forcing, knocking folks down when going thru the motions of 'laying on of hands.' I truly draw up when a man literately blows or waves a coat and folks fall.But the practice has been apparent with leaders of our own denomination to the point, the personages are lifted to the positions of 'sainthood'. I have heard the term 'courtesy drop' used a lot. Folks who were intimidated into falling-out! Is it right or wrong? Is it misguided and teaching the wrong 'techniques' to the young impressionable preacher ? Just in the last few weeks I was in a COG in Florida where the visiting minister walked around touching folk with his Bible and they 'fell out'. He stepped over a person in a wheel chair to 'slay some one in the spirit'. That was not an exhibit of the power of God (IMHO). I think it falls in the category of 'repeat after me'. Or say, 'xyz'. I just attended a service where half the minister's message was 'Say ,,,something,,,', about every two or three minutes. Some TV evangelist did a lot of that Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

I too loathe this phony circus act. Anybody starts that in a service I'm in I walk out. Wouldn't matter if it was a new kid on the block or one of the TBN charlatans. I was in a service years ago when a preacher did the blow on em and wave the coat thing and people were falling out all over. Didn't seem to change anything though as the church soon closed down.The very last thing a lost world needs is more foolishness from our pulpits. We could use a very real demonstration of the power of God, however. Unfortunately,the average person doesn't seem to care or know the difference between the two “Hell will be filled with people that didn’t cuss, didn’t drink, and may even have been baptized. Why? Because none of those things makes someone a Christian.”

FLRon said:

It's the best show in town.

Some entertainment I enjoy, but this seems a little much and it confuses me because it seems to lower the power of God to putting people on the floor, not anything miraculous. (confuses me and scares me that now 'falling out is the main demonstration of the Power of God.) The God that spoke the world into existence, then later healed the sick and raised the dead, can only knock folk to the floor (or need help pushing them down). Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/

Great discernment Cojak. I believe we need to be very diligent in doing our best to not add or take away what the Holy Spirit wants to do when leading a service. Fleshly distractions can interfere with our ability to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. How sad to think a man or a woman would be so concerned with looking like they have this great power when in reality he or she is pursuing self glory rather than getting out of the way and being a vessel for the Holy Spirit. A blood vessel does not produce blood but instead carries the blood that is pumped to it from one place to another without adding or taking away. Are we so afraid of pleasing man that we would risk being a vessel of honor?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but are y'all saying you don't believe the Holy Spirit can truly put people on the floor or that He doesn't do that?I am one of those who doesn't do courtesy drops. I don't think it's intimidation so much as it's just easier to go with it. Push me all you want. I might leave with a headache or a neck ache, but I ain't going down unless it's God. Yes, there are those who push and get in the flesh, but there are also those who have the Spirit of God on them, and when they pray for folks, they go down. Expose the counterfeit, but IMHO, there are still some out there who have what's real More of Him...less of me.twitter.com/camiracle77www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691241499&ref=name

I think perhaps the original post dealt with perhaps the expectation that someone is supposed to go down and if you don't something is wrong with you. Others do the mercy drop rather than have someone think they are resisting the Holy Spirit.In all honesty, I get weary with the head slapping neck cracking body rocking fakers.There, said it and I'm glad.The Holy Spirit has caused me to fall before. At times I was being prayed for and other times it was just the Spirit's moving. But don't try to neck crack me or rock me. I just might lock on and we'll see who goes down

I can't find a place in scripture where it is literally mentioned as a practice or even an option but I do think while in the presence of the Lord if one is prayed over & they 'fall out' in the Spirit, it's not a huge issue that defines their walk with God nor an essential issue related to salvation.I have prayed for numerous people in my 39 years of ministry & in various countries all over the world & it happens everywhere.The one thing I refuse to do is add even an ounce to their head or neck to encourage them to fall out. My wife was called out of the crowd at camp meeting many years ago & a certain famous CoG preacher prayed for her & slapped her forehead so hard she had no choice but to fall out & it gave her a bad headache that night.I decided that very night as a young preacher to let the Holy Ghost floor them ...not me. Empty nest syndrome is for the birds!Email me at: [email protected] planters are focused on just one thing ...introducing people to Jesus!

Bump!