Reflections of an Undeconstructed Pentecostal
We have watched with anger and horror the events throughout the Muslim world this past week – riots and terrorist attacks on September 11. Americans have been targeted, attacked and killed. I am deeply concerned about the radicalization of Islam throughout the world. I fear that we will face this conflict for decades to come.
Continue reading “Muslims, the Bill of Rights, and the Gospel”
On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, I was sitting in class at Pentecostal Theological Seminary. During a break, someone told me that a jet had flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. At that point I thought, “What a terrible accident.” Later, back in class, someone interrupted the class to announce that the Pentagon had been attacked. We were still in the dark, but we knew a horrible tragedy was occurring. Classes were dismissed and the entire student body gathered in the chapel to pray. Later, someone brought a television to the student center and we all gathered to watch the events. It was there that I saw the towers fall.
Continue reading “Remembering 9/11/2001”
The story of the kings of Israel offers to us a powerful reminder of the corruption of politics. After a period of rule by heroic judges and prophets, the people of Israel cried out, “Give us a king!” (1 Samuel 8:6). The desire for a king was nothing less than a subtle form of idolatry. “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘…they have rejected Me from being king over them…’” (1 Samuel 8:7f). Beginning at Mt. Sinai, the people of Israel often flirted with the pseudo-gods of Egypt and Canaan. Their desire for a king was a rejection of the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Following the words of the Lord, Samuel warned the people that a royal dynasty would be oppressive and corrupt and then he anointed Saul as king over Israel.
Continue reading “Of Caesar and Mammon”
Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement. Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori. Berkley: The University of California Press, 2007.
Progressive Pentecostals are having a positive social impact in the developing nations of the world. Of course, this statement has to be qualified. First, not all Pentecostals are successfully engaging the social culture of their nations. As a rule, the most progressive Pentecostals are those of indigenous Pentecostal denominations and the independent Neo-Pentecostal churches. Second, the term progressive must be defined.
Continue reading “A REVIEW – Global Pentecostalism: The Face of Christian Social Engagement”
Too often our PASSION about righteousness turns to ANGER and our anger gives way to HATE. May God help us to be passionate about LOVE so that we may be PATIENT, KIND, and GENTLE.
I posted the above quote on Facebook this week in response to the myriad of posts regarding the Chick-fil-A controversy. I support the free speech of Dan Cathy and of the hundreds of thousands who offered a peaceful protest by eating at Chick-fil-A. I also support the free speech of those who are opposed to my view. After all, free speech is reciprocal. If we are going to have a serious civic conversation, then we must be willing to allow all sides to be engaged in the discussion.
Continue reading “Chick-fil-A, Sex, and Pastoral Care”
The title of bishop is used to designate a person who is charged with oversight of a local congregation (pastor) and/or multiple congregations. The term “bishop” (episkopos) is used in the New Testament only six times. Five of these occurrences are Pauline and speak to oversight of the church (Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1ff; and Titus 1:7). The fourth occurrence is Petrine and speaks to the ministry of Christ as he who is “Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). In his farewell address to the church elders at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul exhorted, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 2:28). Here Paul offers a paradigm for understanding the ministry of bishop in the apostolic church.
Continue reading “The Pentecostal Bishop”
I recently stumbled into a conversation about the acceptability of soft-core pornography by Christians. No, it wasn’t framed in those terms, but that’s what the conversation was about. Apparently, some “youth leaders” in a local church got upset when someone suggested that “Magic Mike,” a new movie about male strippers, was inappropriate for Christians. Of course the offended youth leaders countered with the usual dribble about their “accuser” being judgmental.
Continue reading “Magic Mike & Church Moms”