The Toronto wave: holy laughter is contagious - Toronto, Canada - Column - Cover Story

Christian Century, Nov 16, 1994 by Gene Preston

A Scot began to testify but doubled up in laughter and collapsed on the floor; another Scot have his testimony and then swooned next to me. Then an English deacon testified and fainted. As several more bodies collapsed around, me, Gumbel drifted into a half-hour talk expounding Pentecostal doctrine. His style was low-key, and he was completely nonchalant about the growing number of worshipers on the floor.

Charismatics preachers favor dramatic texts (Exod. 13, Ezek. 47. John 7) and powerful images - parting of the water, the vast river that flows underground, streams of living water - that can be tuned into metaphorical celebration of the power of the Holy Spirit. Toward the end of the second hour, the presiding ministers asks the congregation if they wish to be prayed for in the Spirit. An audible sucking in of collective breath signals an affirmative response. The pastor then recites a simple invocation.

In each of the seven large gatherings on two continents, one or two persons began to laugh a few seconds after the invocation prayer. They weren't raucous and never so loud as to override the ongoing praying. Sometimes a woman's holy laughter became objectionably shrill to my ears, but it seems the Holy Spirit respects middle-class sensibilities about what is appropriate in worship, even charismatic worship. The laughter spreads. The preacher invokes the Spirit's blessing several times. Then there are several rounds of laughter.

The gales of laughter and swooning release the collective tension. We are all alerted to look our for our neighbors' welfare, and the worship leader wisely limits this part of the evening to 15 minutes.

After about two and a half hours, there is a benediction, and a few worshipers depart. But more stay, moving into small groups for the prayer ministry. Our fixed seating in Union Church prompted a graceful, slow spiritual dance as those who wanted to be prayed for were visited by those who had already been blessed. In Toronto this final aspect of prayer ministry usually continued until 2 A.M.

We are rather relaxed about our blessing at Union Church, though some of the Anglican parishes are experiencing a bit of internal stress. We were aware that charismatic enthusiasm can divide a congregation, but we have not experienced any judgmental attitudes from anyone. My leaders, who seldom read theology, are now perusing books on the Holy Spirit; some are reading contrarian writings against the tenets of Pentecostalism. Some have set aside major blocks of time for praying and teaching. Two years ago I had only one or two deacons who would lead impromptu prayer; now I have a dozen confident, praying deacons.

Charismatic leaders like Arnott and Gumbel stress the fruits of the Spirit and practical ministry. At Toronto there was a nightly call to support a ministry of food and blankets to the downtown homeless. In Hong Kong we have our outreach and benevolent programs, and I expect increased generosity the next few months from people who have been blessed. The Toronto blessing is for the baptized. Very few unbaptised identified themselves in the congregations. Faith is being quickened, not found. The blessing seems most powerful with white males. (The Toronto assemblies are 99 percent white, even though Ontario Province has a large minority population). The Asian third of my Hong Kong congregation were not touched much, while conservative British businessmen were very open to this palpable experience of worship therapy.