in action” that stands behind the biblical record of the charismatic activity of the Spirit of God. The term “charismatic” must be distinguished from its contemporary meaning—that is, as it is used to describe the neo-pentecostal movement that penetrated the historical denominations of the 1960s and 1970s.2 I use the term “charismatic” in a functional and dynamic sense. By “charismatic” I mean God’s gift of his Spirit to his servants, either individually or collectively, to anoint, empower, or inspire