Daniel Tomberlin – Page 26 – Reflections of an Undeconstructed Pentecostal

March 29, 2021March 29, 2024

The Agony and the Glory

One of the greatest temptations for Christians is the sterilization of the faith. We are embarrassed, sometimes even offended, by the brutal portrayals in Scripture. Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ has been roundly criticized for its graphic portrayal of the crucifixion. Some Christian theologians are so scandalized by the brutality of the cross that they postulate a non-violent atonement in which the blood of Christ is not the agent of atonement.

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March 20, 2021March 20, 2021

In Defense of Church of God Academia

My first experience in Church of God academia occurred in 1978 at East Coast Bible College (Charlotte NC). My first class, Old Testament Survey, was taught by Dr. Ken Bell (presently Administrative Bishop of Western North Carolina). I will never forget his first words: “This is not going to be a glorified Sunday school class.”

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March 17, 2021March 18, 2021

Not Angels, But Glorified Human Beings

One of the most common misunderstandings I have encountered in forty years of ministry is that at death humans are transformed into angels. We have all heard silly sentimental statements like: “Well, now Grandmama is singing in God’s angelic choir;” or “Daddy got his angel’s wings today.” No, when we die we do not become angels. So, what happens when we die?

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March 17, 2021March 17, 2021

An Undeconstructed Pentecostal – New Book

I am an undeconstructed Pentecostal. So, just what does that mean? Maybe we should ponder: What is deconstructed Pentecostalism? It seems to me that many Pentecostals are uncomfortable with their story. Maybe an emphasis on seeker-sensitive evangelicalism has domesticated Pentecostal spirituality. Many Pentecostals in my tribe often testified to being “saved, sanctified, and baptized in the sweet Holy Ghost.” I believe that testimony offers the seeds of a robust Pentecostal spirituality.

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March 9, 2021March 11, 2021

New Book is Available!

An Undeconstructed Pentecostal: Reflections, Articles, & Sermons – is now available at Amazon.com.

Softcover @ $14.95 Kindle Edition @ $7.49

This book is a collection of essays, articles and sermons that I have written over the last decade (2011-2021). Includes reflections on Pentecostal spirituality, biblical and theological issues, cultural and political issues, and ministry leadership issues.

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February 27, 2021February 27, 2021

False Prophets & the Sharp Sword

I find it interesting that so many of my politically liberal friends and colleagues who “prophetically” denounced the toxicity of the recent GOP administration (I often agreed with them), are strangely silent about the toxicity of the present Democrat administration. It appears that both major parties have court prophets on the payroll.
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January 10, 2021September 24, 2025

When Heroes Fall

We all have heroes. My childhood hero was Captain James T. Kirk, commander of the Starship Enterprise. Captain Kirk led the crew of the Enterprise on weekly treks to “explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!” But that’s science fiction. I have other heroes, real men and women who acted heroically in the face of great danger. Jesus Christ is the first to come to mind. But there are others: Athanasius, George Washington, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Martin Luther King, Jr. As a child, one of my favorite biblical heroes was Samson. What makes a hero?

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