Reflections of an Undeconstructed Pentecostal
A few decades ago, I took my first class in environmental science. I well remember the dire warnings of over-population, energy shortages, mass starvation, and the ever present threat of thermo-nuclear war with the ensuing nuclear winter that would plunge the earth into a new ice age. All of this would happen by the year 2000. Well, as we all know, those predictions proved to be pseudo-science.
Continue reading “Thinking about a Biblical Eco-Theology”
The story of the demonized boy (Mark 9) can be understood as a motif of postmodernism. The father of the demonized boy confessed, “I believe, help my unbelief.” This is the cry of postmodernity. We want to believe, but we find it difficult to believe, or to know what to believe.
Continue reading “The Postmodern Cry – “Help my unbelief!””
In a recent conversation I was asked, “How do we move forward to settle the issue of women in ministry?” I replied, “You’ve got to call out the issue for what it is – sexism.” I continued, “If the issue is homosexuality we call it out as sin. If the issue is racism, we call it out as sin. And, if the issue is sexism we must call it out as sin.” Many of my colleagues will protest, “It’s not sexism, it’s what the Bible teaches!” So, which is it?
Continue reading “Calling out Sexism as Sin”
In the early days of my ministry (1978-1990) I was known as a liberal because I favored the New American Standard Bible over the King James Bible, the new Church of God practical commitments over the old, and the contemporary music of Andrae Crouch, The Imperials, and Keith Green over Southern Gospel. Also, I was outspoken on the issues of racial equality and women in ministry. In fact, one well-meaning friend suggested to me, “Dan, you could get elected to the youth board if you’d just keep your mouth shut.” I replied, “The cost is to too high.” As my colleagues considered me to be liberal, I remained theologically conservative. My early experiences left me asking, “So, just what does it mean to be liberal or conservative?”
Continue reading “Are you Liberal, Conservative, or . . .”
I recently engaged in a dialogue about baptism in the Holy Spirit via social media with a friend who is a minister in a mainline denomination. I thought it might be good to share (with minor editing).
Friend: I want to begin a longer conversation with you – so I am starting it here and will come back to it from time to time. I don’t expect instant responses to my questions. I want to talk to you about the gift of tongues. My understanding of scripture is that tongues are not a gift that all people might be expected to receive and I know you believe differently. So, I want to know . . . your testimony of be “baptized in the Spirit” and, I would assume, speaking in an unknown tongue for the first time.
Continue reading “A Dialogue about being Baptized in the Holy Spirit”
One of my responsibilities at Pentecostal Theological Seminary is to conduct an annual assessment of our recent graduates to determine how our graduate programs are serving our constituency. I would like to share some of the results from our 2019 graduating class. The constituency of the Church of God should be very pleased with the work PTS is doing.
Continue reading “Assessing the work of Pentecostal Theological Seminary”
Christians in the USA have long been ambivalent about the education of clergy. The first colleges founded in colonial America were established primarily to educate clergy. But many colonial Americans viewed clergy education as a vestige of European elitism. During the Great Awakening the conflict raged between formally educated clergy who generally opposed the Awakening and clergy who were not formally trained who generally supported it. Jonathan Edwards, the greatest American theologian who was formally trained, resisted elitism and guided the Awakening. His book, The Religious Affections, remains a helpful guide for the formation of renewal in the Church. Don’t miss the point here – it was a formally trained theologian who resisted elitism and offered an enduring defense of renewal movements.
Continue reading “The Real Crisis in Christian Education”