What Is The Charismatic Movement?

           The late John Osteen left the Southern Baptist Convention for the charismatic movement in the latter half of the 1950's. The charismatic movement began when its founding members adopted certain beliefs which were typically held by Pentecostal Christians.

           These are known as the biblical charisms. These are set of spiritual gifts. The prominent ones among these charisms or gifts are glossolalia and prophesying. The term glossolalia refers to the ability of a person to speak in several tongues.

           The leaders of the charismatic movement were influential members of the mainstream Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. They went on to establish separate denominations and churches. John Fletcher's writings played a key role in the establishment of the charismatic movement. The Azusa Street Revival in California in the year 1906 sparked off the establishment of this movement.