A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
Churches, which in 1999 consisted of about 500 churches
in the U.S. and 850 worldwide. Since Wimber’s death
it has been led by Todd Hunter. It is the most significant
Third Wave organization, and it emphasizes teaching,
signs and wonders, contemporary worship, and small
groups.
As of 1988, David Barrett reported that there were
123 million Charismatics worldwide, excluding the Third
Wave, and 28 million in the Third Wave. 291 Of the 123 million,
however, he identified 80 million as post-
Charismatics. They were once active in Charismatic
meetings, but later stopped attending or attended rarely.
It is doubtful if most of this number ever received the
Holy Spirit. Thus, the net number of active Charismatics
was about 43 million. As a more conservative estimate, J.
I. Packer stated in Christianity Today that in 1989 total
Charismatics numbered about 25 million. 292
In an update of Barrett’s figures, by the end of 1998
there were an estimated 92 million Catholic Charismatics
and 71 million Protestant Charismatics, for a total of 163
million. 293 When we consider the percentage of post-Charismatics
reported by Barrett, however, probably only about
60 million of these could be counted as active Charismatics.
There were reportedly 110 million Third Wavers.
Doctrines and Practices
Peter Hocken, a Catholic Charismatic priest and a
well-known scholar in the Charismatic movement, presented
nine characteristics of the Charismatic movement
that it shares with Pentecostalism: 294
1. “Focus on Jesus”—renewed devotion, worship,
praise, and proclamation of Jesus.
296