02.26.09
Eschatology and Pentecostals
What and how did the doctrine of eschatology impacted or impassioned the PEntecostal Movement in the past and the present?
In the past, the Pentecostals were impassioned to go out to every part of the world to preach because they held fast to this eschatological view that untill every tongue and tribe has heard the good news then shall be the return of Christ. It was during that era where the missionaries went into different parts of the world. So were the Wycliff Bible translators were working hard to translate the Bible into as many language as possible so that the good news can be wide spread and thus hasten the return of Christ.
The early missionaries during the beginning of the Pentecostal Movement believed that Jesus would return in their time. And this set them ablaze to win as many souls in preparation for the soon return of Christ.
In the present however, when we hear news of war, natural disaster, and chaos in our time, we believe they are fulfillment of the prophecy of the signs that the return of Christ is soon. This spurs Pentecostals to be all out to preached the Gospel far and wide in these last days. We also hear preachers in our days proclaiming that the return of Christ is near and that many of the prophecies of the Sciptures regarding the signs of the second coming has been fulfilled. We see the urgency. We know that we do not have much time left to proclaim the good news of Christ.
02.12.09
Pentecostal Spirituality Healthcheck
Pentecostal spirituality is derived from what began on the Day of Pentecost and continued through the Book of Acts. It has been described as “the everyday faith experience of real communities whose very identity is wrapped up in the Pentecost.”
There are various factors of Pentecostal Spirituality:
Factor #1: Leadership
Pentecostal ritual leadership symbolizes a basic binary opposition: order/ecstacy.The Pentecostal service maintains a leadership balance in part through a dynamic tension between order and ecstacy. The pastor functions as a symbol of both order and ecstacy. The pastor must lead the congregation to experience the wworking and manifestations of the Spirit (ecstasy). On the other hand, the pastor remains responsible for maintaining the boundaries that provide order.
Is this factor dissipating?
In a sense I would say that a good number of leadership among the Pentecostal churches have somewhat failed to maintain this balance and tension of order and ecstasy. They feel more comfortable to stick to “order” and close one eyes when it comes to allowing and leading the congregation into experiencing the Spirit’s working.
Factor #2: The Word
Pentecostals recognize the voice of God, the word, in various forms, e.g., biblical messages, sermons, teachings, exhortations, testimony, prophecy, interpretation of tongues etc.. Pentecostal believes “the word” is not limited to just the sermon.
Is this factor dissipating?
Yes, It is rather a rare happening in Pentecostal churches compare in the days of Azusa Street. OUr Word are mainly confined to the sermon, testimonies and exhortations but coming to prophecy and interpretation of tongues, they are otherwise. Largely is because the church are fearful for exception cases where the one who is giving the prophecy or interpretation is not being led by the Spirit and is doing it out of wrong motives which may stumble some other believers. However my personal opinion is that we should not always be too protective and just close out evrything. Rather as leaders of the church we should teach our members regarding this areas and importantly teachthe congregation the importance of discerning a charismatic word’s appropriateness and validity.
Factor #3: The Gifts
Pentecostals believe God grants gifts to individual believers for the benefit of the whole, that the church might be edified, “strengthened and built up.” Thus, the term “the gifts” points to at least three things: Spirit baptism, empowerment of individuals and edification of or ministry to the faith community. In a classical Pentecostal view the gifts are understood as incorporated in the Spirit baptism, which is seen as a primary gift of the Spirit. In this view Spirit baptism or “being filled with the Holy Spirit” represents a “conversion-type” event subsequent to an initial Christian conversion. Spirit baptism does not symbolize a salvific, justifying event to Pentecostals. Rather, it represents a confirmation of the Spirit’s presence in the believer’s life and an empowerment or gifting. In this view, speaking in tongues evidences the initial event of baptism in the Spirit. Spirit baptism, then, occurs initially as an event and continues as the process popularly called the “spirit-filled life.” This process includes an openness to the Spirit’s gifts and a willingness by the believer to operate within these gifts toward the edification of the body of Christ.
Is this factor dissipating?
Overall it has been well maintained but not to the extend that it is on a cutting edges. As pentecostals this are the fundementals being taught to a newborn believer. The reason I say it is well maintained is because I feel it has been a formality or part of a “to-do” for a new born believer. The essence of a spirit filled life could be missing if churches are only concern with maintaining the pentecostal view or beliefs in this aspect.
Factor #4: Missions
To Pentecostals “missions” means: ministry beyond the faith community, called to accomplish God’s purposes, gifted service, and distribution of resources. The language of “reaching the world” sounds so idealistic in part, because it draws on an understanding of being called by God to become involved in God’s purposes. Our focus church Pentecostals not only appropriate to themselves Christ’s commission to his disciples to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel” (Mark 16:15), they believe that God “raised them up” for this period of history. They feel called to “this generation.” They have a mission: to spread the gospel in their society and around the world. As a result of their sense of mission, the spirituality of Pentecostals seeks to “equip” toward the accomplishment of their missions goals. And part of the equipping process they believe is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. For according to Pentecostals, the Spirit leads into missions, the Spirit gifts for missions, and the Spirit enlightens the understanding concerning missions, i.e., its aims and methods. Pentecostals discover themselves, and their spirituality, in the context of God’s purposes, God’s will. Missions for Pentecostals not only gives a reason for being, it takes them beyond themselves and their own concerns to consider the needs of others.
Is this factor dissipating?
I guess it was once neglected but I see that the good point is that now a good majority of Pentecostal churches are doing well in this area of missions.
01.17.09
What Is It To Be A Pentecostal?
Dear Readers
Welcome to Post #1.
What Is It To Be A Pentecostal?
Be my guest and interact with me on the PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT
The Pentecostal Movement
(The First Wave)
Very briefly on the history of pentecostalism. During the 19th century, the holiness movement and Higher Life Movement in America and England, gave roots to what we know as, the modern classical Pentecostal Movement which began in the early 20th century. At that time a good number of people view this movement as a second century heresy known with the term, Montanism.
The New Pentecostal Movement received its greatest impetus from the Azusa Street Revival of 1906-1909 led by William J. Seymour (photo on the right), a black Holiness preacher from Texas. This revival launched Pentecostalism into a worldwide movement.
The Pentecostal movement soon spread far beyong the Holiness movement to practically every Protestant denomination in America. In time, Pentecostal converts without roots in
the Holiness movement formed newer churches. In 1914, E.N. Bell (photo on the right) led the formation of the Assemblies of God organization, to serve those from a “Baptistic”background.
In 1916 the infant AG organization was torn because of the Godhead issue. Adherents of the “Jesus’ Name” Pentecostal movement taught a modalistic view of the Godhead that denied the Trinity while ascribinh to Jesus Christ the deity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Those who left formed the “Oneness” denomination.
After World War II, pentecostalism experienced unprecedented growth in America and all around the world. By 1980 the classical Pentecostals had grown to the largest and fastest-growing family of Protestant Christians in the world.
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit
- The manifestation of speaking in tongues as the initial evidence
- The manifestation of divine healing.
Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is seen as proof of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This experience of Spirit baptism and its initial evidence in tongue speaking must be earnestly sought by believers. Charismatic doctrines rejects the necessity of speaking in tongues as the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Pentecostals differ from Fundamentalists by placing more emphasis on personal spiritual experience and, in most cases, by allowing women in ministry.
