The glossy advertisements for hotshot healing evangelists, success gurus and big-name ministries are simply nauseating to most outside the world of card-carrying Pentecostals and charismatics, and next to them, anything useful or sensible the editors might occasionally have to say looks rather hollow and disingenuous. Most of the content will seem alien and bizarre to all but health and wealth, devil-bashing conservative fundamentalists. And "fundamentalist" -- despite the sometimes relatively moderate stance of the editors -- does describe very accurately Charisma's readership, I think, as a glance at the letters page will usually show.

One caveat: It is a few months since I have been a regular reader, so there is a slim chance things may have changed.

However, Charisma is comercial. It has chosen not to apply the same standards that it uses in editorials and stories to its advertisers. One might say that it is biting the hands that feeds it. It also has not taken a hard stand against some teachings that many consider wrong headed and dangerous but where there is still substantial disageement in the Charismatic/Pentecostal ranks.

I heartily recommend this magazine to evangelical Christians. I never agree 100% with what I read but I deeply respect the approach that Charisma and the other Strang publications have taken.