Journal of Ministry Resources and Theology for Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministries & Leaders

Amazon.com Widgets

Apostolic Practice, by Vinson Synan

| November 18, 2013 | 9 comments

Bibliography
Christenson, Larry. A Message to the Charismatic Movement. Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1972.

Flegg, Columba Graham. Gathered Under Apostles: A Study of the Catholic Apostolic Church. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

Dayton, Donald. The Theological Roots of Pentecostalism. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1987.

John Eckhardt. Moving in the Apostolic. Ventura, Calif.: Renew, 1999.

Faupel, William. The Everlasting Gospel: The Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal Thought. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996.

Goff, James. Fields White Unto Harvest: Charles Fox Parham and the Missionary Origins of Pentecostalism. Fayetteville: Arkansas University Press, 1988.

Hamon, Bill. Apostles and Prophets and the Coming Moves of God. Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.: Christian International, 1997.

Hollenweger, Walter. The Pentecostals. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988. First published in 1972.

Hunter, George G. Radical Outreach: Recovering Apostolic Ministry and Evangelism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.

Lindsay, Gordon. John Alexander Dowie. Dallas: CFNI, 1985.

McGee, Gary B. Initial Evidence. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991.

———. People of the Spirit: The Assemblies of God. Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 2004.

Menzies, William. Anointed to Serve: The Story of the Assemblies of God. Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1971.

Moore, David. “Cover Me: Apostleship, Submission and Accountability—Five Lessons We Learned From the Shepherding Controversy.” Ministries Today, November-December, 2004.

Nelson, P.C. Bible Doctrines: A Series of Studies Based on the Statement of Fundamental Truths as Adopted by the General Council of the Assemblies of God. Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1948.

Riss, Richard M. “The Latter Rain Movement of 1948.” Pneuma 4, spring, 1982.

———. A Survey of 20th Century Revival Movements in North America. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1989.

Ruthven, Jon. On the Cessation of the Charismata. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993 (see 211-220).

Strachan, Gordon. The Pentecostal Theology of Edward Irving. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1973.

Synan, Vinson. Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.

———. The Holiness Pentecostal Tradition. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1971,1998.

———. Voices of Pentecost, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Vine Books, 2003.

———. “Who are the Modern Apostles?” Ministries Today, March-April, 1992.

Wagner, C. Peter. Aftershock! How the Second Apostolic Age Is Changing the Church. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 2004.

———. Churchquake: How the New Apostolic Reformation Is Shaking Up the Church as We Know It. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1999.

———, ed. The New Apostolic Churches. Ventura, Calif.: Regal Books, 1998.

Worsfold, James E. The Origins of the Apostolic Church in Great Britain: With a Breviate of Its Early Missionary Endeavours. Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand: Julian Literature Trust, 1991.

This article is reprinted with permission from Encounter 2:1 (Winter 2005). agts.edu/encounter/articles/2005_winter/synan.htm

Page 9 of 9« First «...5 6 7 89

Tags: apostles, apostolic, Azusa Street, charismata, five-fold ministry, New Apostolic Reformation, office gifts, Peter Wagner, practice, restoration, Vinson Synan

Category: Ministry

About the Author: Vinson Synan, Ph.D., went home to be with his Lord on March 15, 2020. He was Visiting Professor of Church History and Dean Emeritus of Regent University’s School of Divinity in Virginia Beach, VA. Dr. Synan had over ten years of pastoral experience and is the author of twenty-five books including The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century, The Century Of The Holy Spirit 100 Years Of Pentecostal And Charismatic Renewal, 1901-2001, Global Renewal Christianity: Europe and North America Spirit Empowered Movements: Past, Present, and Future, and The Twentieth-Century Pentecostal Explosion: The Exciting Growth of Pentecostal Churches and Charismatic Renewal Movements. Dr. Synan had been a leader bringing Christians together in the gospel of Jesus Christ through such efforts as founding the Society for Pentecostal Studies and participating in the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA) Task Force. www.regent.edu/acad/schdiv/faculty/synan/

Pneuma Review says:

June 4, 2014 at 10:29 am

On https://www.facebook.com/groups/pentecostaltheologyworldwide, RK wrote:
“I read this overview of the background and current perspectives on the title ‘apostle’ with much appreciation. Dr. Synan summarizes so well the history, the current trends, and the dangers. I particularly appreciate his list of reservations with the current apostolic movement. However, I wonder about the implication of the last paragraph, namely, that the church can content itself with the function of apostle without the title. That seems like a safe path in light of all the abuses that have occurred, but does it also impose a foreign influence on the pattern of ministry we find the NT? I’m still thinking about that one.”

Pneuma Review says:

June 4, 2014 at 10:29 am

On https://www.facebook.com/groups/pentecostaltheologyworldwide, JDK wrote:
“Excellent. When Dr. Synan was in Jakarta a number of years ago I had dinner with him and a visiting pastor from the USA. During the dinner some aspects of the modern claims of apostolic ministry were discussed and Dr. Synan shared a number of the things he shared in this article and in more depth and perhaps more current application. It was an interesting evening.”

Scott Lencke says:

June 4, 2014 at 10:29 am

Just a couple comments to consider about what distinguishes a genuine apostle (from pg3 of the article). The first 2, I think, possibly miss what the noted Scriptures are actually stating.

1) True apostles saw Jesus in the flesh and witnessed the Resurrection (see 1 Cor. 9:1).

This also gets connected with Acts 1:21-22. But none of these verses actually say an apostle must have seen the risen Christ. In 1 Cor 9:1, Paul does point to his seeing of the risen Christ. But this is not unequivocally connected to being an apostle. Otherwise, we need to deal with how his first rhetorical question relates: Am I not free?

With Acts 1:21-22, this is not so much pointing to seeing the risen Christ, but to being witnesses/testifying to the fact that Christ is risen.

2) True apostles are accompanied by “signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12).

In this passage, the word “signs” is being used twice. In the first instance, the “true signs of an apostle” relate to Paul’s suffering. That’s what takes place in the life of a true apostle, which is in contradistinction to the super-apostles and their boasting. Then, Paul says he came with “signs, wonders and miracles”. So, while I’m happy to attest that apostles normally are used in the the miraculous, it might be a bit too strict to say they MUST be. But 2 Cor 12:12 is not saying what we normally think it is about the “true signs of an apostle”.

Bibliata TV says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:49 pm

Scott Lencke It looks like a great resource and perhaps Pneuma Review needs to soon create a separate discussion on apostles from MacArthur’s book. Wouldn’t be questionable however to regard the comments of a non-apostle on apostolic ministry? In the same way as the link on the resource you’ve mentioned regarding Ed Stetzer on apostils and missions, who aside of his great accomplishments has never served in full capacity in neither one of these ministerial offices (apostle or missionary).

Scott Lencke says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:28 pm

UK church leader & theologian, Adrian Warnock, has been regularly engaging with MacArthur's conference and book. Here is his article in which he comments on MacArthur's thoughts on present-day apostles: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock/2013/11/strange-fire-every-biblical-argument-refuted-apostles-today/.

Bibliata TV says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:31 am

Then you get to Paul who saw the resurrected Lord under special circumstances on the road of Damascus. Perhaps Pneuma should pick on MacArthur’s requirements for apostleship as well. Very timely text by Dr. Synan. I love the last words:

It is axiomatic to say that anyone who claims to be an apostle probably is not one. An apostle is not self-appointed or elected by any ecclesiastical body but is chosen by the Lord himself. As Lewi Pethrus, founder of the famous Filadelphia Church in Stockholm, Sweden, has said anyone who claims apostleship is suspect. The one most likely to be an apostle is he who, like John the Baptist, claims only to be “a voice crying in the wilderness.”

Pneuma Review says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:28 am

On https://www.facebook.com/groups/pentecostaltheologyworldwide, RK wrote:
"I read this overview of the background and current perspectives on the title 'apostle' with much appreciation. Dr. Synan summarizes so well the history, the current trends, and the dangers. I particularly appreciate his list of reservations with the current apostolic movement. However, I wonder about the implication of the last paragraph, namely, that the church can content itself with the function of apostle without the title. That seems like a safe path in light of all the abuses that have occurred, but does it also impose a foreign influence on the pattern of ministry we find the NT? I’m still thinking about that one."

Pneuma Review says:

November 19, 2013 at 12:27 am

On https://www.facebook.com/groups/pentecostaltheologyworldwide, JDK wrote:
"Excellent. When Dr. Synan was in Jakarta a number of years ago I had dinner with him and a visiting pastor from the USA. During the dinner some aspects of the modern claims of apostolic ministry were discussed and Dr. Synan shared a number of the things he shared in this article and in more depth and perhaps more current application. It was an interesting evening."

Scott Lencke says:

November 18, 2013 at 7:33 pm

Just a couple comments to consider about what distinguishes a genuine apostle (from pg3 of the article). The first 2, I think, possibly miss what the noted Scriptures are actually stating.

1) True apostles saw Jesus in the flesh and witnessed the Resurrection (see 1 Cor. 9:1).

This also gets connected with Acts 1:21-22. But none of these verses actually say an apostle must have seen the risen Christ. In 1 Cor 9:1, Paul does point to his seeing of the risen Christ. But this is not unequivocally connected to being an apostle. Otherwise, we need to deal with how his first rhetorical question relates: Am I not free?

With Acts 1:21-22, this is not so much pointing to seeing the risen Christ, but to being witnesses/testifying to the fact that Christ is risen.

2) True apostles are accompanied by “signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12).

In this passage, the word "signs" is being used twice. In the first instance, the "true signs of an apostle" relate to Paul's suffering. That's what takes place in the life of a true apostle, which is in contradistinction to the super-apostles and their boasting. Then, Paul says he came with “signs, wonders and miracles”. So, while I'm happy to attest that apostles normally are used in the the miraculous, it might be a bit too strict to say they MUST be. But 2 Cor 12:12 is not saying what we normally think it is about the "true signs of an apostle".

Featured Authors

Amos Yong is Professor of Theology & Mission and director of the Center for Missiological Research at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. His graduate education includes degree...

Jelle Creemers: Theological Dialogue with Classical Pentecostals

Antipas L. Harris, D.Min. (Boston University), S.T.M. (Yale University Divinity School), M.Div. (Emory University), is the president-dean of Jakes Divinity School and associate pasto...

Invitation: Stories about transformation

Craig S. Keener, Ph.D. (Duke University), is F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is author of many books<...

Studies in Acts

Daniel A. Brown, PhD, planted The Coastlands, a church near Santa Cruz, California, serving as Senior Pastor for 22 years. Daniel has authored four books and numerous articles, but h...

Will I Still Be Me After Death?

Archives

Apostolic Practice, by Vinson Synan

Connect with PneumaReview.com

Recent Comments

Featured Authors

Recent Posts

Archives

Apostolic Practice, by Vinson Synan

Related articles:

Connect with PneumaReview.com

Recent Comments

Featured Authors

Recent Posts

Archives