We’ve witnessed in recent years a surge of hyper-emotional events masquerading as expressions of genuine Christian faith. These gatherings, such as the Passion Conference, Hillsong concerts, and other events connected to the charismatic, word of faith, and prosperity gospel movements, claim to be fueled by the Holy Spirit. Yet, the truth of the matter is, what’s happening at these events is far removed from Biblical worship.

The atmosphere at these events is emotionally charged—highly orchestrated music, impassioned speakers, and provocative visuals often lead participants to believe they are experiencing the Holy Spirit. However, what they’re actually experiencing is emotional manipulation, cleverly crafted through a phenomenon known as “dopaminergic activation.”

Here’s just one example I recently saw:

When emotionally charged music starts playing, your brain’s limbic system—the control center for your emotions—springs into action. Think of it like a well-tuned orchestra coming to life, ready to play a captivating symphony. In this neural symphony, dopamine acts as the lead violinist, setting the pace and tone for the experience. This neurotransmitter is released in a specific area of your brain known as the striatal system, which is particularly centered around the nucleus accumbens. This part of the brain can be likened to the VIP section of a concert, where the most exhilarating parts of the show are felt. It’s this area that lights up with activity, producing the sensations of intense happiness, emotional elevation, and pleasure that people often describe as a “high.”

While these sensations may feel extraordinary, they are not unique to these charismatic so-called Christian “worship” events. In fact, the exact same neural symphony plays out in various other cultural and religious settings, including Eastern mysticism, where practices like meditation or chanting can induce similar emotional and psychological states. Similarly, African tribal dances, which often involve rhythmic music and movements, are designed to bring about heightened emotional states. Even secular rave parties, where pulsating music and lighting effects aim to produce an emotional crescendo among the crowd, are indistinguishable from such charismatic euphoria.

In all these scenarios—Eastern mystic rituals, African tribal dances, and rave parties—the same brain chemistry is at work. The limbic system activates, dopamine is released, and the striatal system, with its nucleus accumbens, produces that familiar emotional “high.” The context may differ, but the physiological process is remarkably consistent.

This makes it clear that the emotional highs experienced in these various settings are not exclusive markers of the Holy Spirit’s presence or work. Rather, they are part of a universal human experience—a physiological response that can be induced by a wide range of stimuli. It’s critical, therefore, to distinguish between what feels spiritually exhilarating and what is genuinely a work of the Holy Spirit, rooted in the truth of God’s Word.

The Bible warns us to be vigilant and discerning, holding every experience up to the light of Scripture. Paul tells the Thessalonians to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV). If we evaluate these emotionally charged events through the lens of Biblical teaching, it becomes evident that they bear little resemblance to the worship of God as revealed in Scripture. Worship, in the Biblical sense, involves recognizing the greatness and holiness of God, confessing sin, and humbling oneself before Him—it’s not about chasing an emotional high. The role of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and to guide us into all truth (John 16:8-13). No mention is made of inducing ecstatic, emotional experiences as evidence of His work.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and He doesn’t engage in manipulation—emotional or otherwise. His work is the will of God and He is sent by the Father and the Son to carry out His purposes. When David repented in Psalm 51, he didn’t ask for an emotional experience but for a “clean heart” and a “right spirit” (Psalm 51:10, ESV). Likewise, the early church in Acts was committed to the “apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, ESV), not to manufactured emotional experiences.

While the emotional highs produced at these events may feel exhilarating, they are not evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. Instead, they are the result of emotional manipulation, achieved through neurochemical changes in the brain—something that’s not unique to Christian settings but common to various secular and religious experiences. True worship is not about chasing emotional highs; it’s about humbling oneself before a sovereign God, in spirit and in truth, just as He commands in His Word.