Summer 2017

• Reclaiming the Original American Vision

  There are some that would say private faith has no place in the public sphere. Historian Eddie L. Hyatt shows this was not what America’s Founders believed, and urges all Americans to recapture their vision that linked faith and freedom together. In a meeting with Delaware ... Read More

• Heidi and Rolland Baker: Learning to Love

  Heidi and Rolland Baker, Learning to Love: Passion, Compassion, and the Essence of the Gospel (Bloomington, MN: Chosen Books, 2013). The missionary ministry of Heidi and Rolland Baker is widely known and their stories of miracles throughout Mozambique are legendary. In this book, the Bakers ... Read More

• Samuel Moyn: Christian Human Rights

  Samuel Moyn, Christian Human Rights, Intellectual History of the Modern Age series (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015), 264 pages, ISBN 9780812248180. This is an enlightening book about the role that Christian understandings of the dignity of the individual have had in the modern push ... Read More

• Seven Tests of a True Prophetic Word

  God is speaking today and Pastor Loren Sandford urges all of us to pursue biblical discernment.   With so many questionable prophetic words circulating these days, concerning both the wider world and personal prophecies, wouldn’t it be a good thing for the body of Christ to sharpen its discernment? ... Read More

• D.H. Williams: Tradition, Scripture, and Interpretation

  D.H. Williams, Tradition, Scripture, and Interpretation: A Sourcebook of the Ancient Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 189 pages. D. H. Williams (PhD, University of Toronto) is professor of religion in patristics and historical theology at Baylor University. He is the author of Evangelicals and Tradition ... Read More

• Adam McHugh: The Listening Life

  Adam S. McHugh, The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 224 pages, ISBN 9780830844128 The Listening Life is Adam McHugh’s second book; his first was Introverts in the Church. Both of these books have a common theme; ... Read More

• Empowered 21 Asia Congress 2017

  Everyone with the most rudimentary knowledge of Christianity knows the most significant revival during the past several centuries was the Pentecostal revival that began at a mission-church on Azusa Street, Los Angeles, USA around April 1906. From that revival missionaries filled with the Holy ... Read More

• Melanie Dobson: Health as a Virtue

  Melanie L. Dobson, Health as a Virtue: Thomas Aquinas and the Practice of Habits of Health, Princeton Theological Monograph Series (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2014), xiv + 146 pages, ISBN 9781620325612. With the rise in obesity among adults and children globally, it is not surprising, perhaps, ... Read More

• Exploring Theology: A Guide for Systematic Theology and Apologetics

  Clarence H. Benson and Robert J. Morgan, Exploring Theology: A Guide for Systematic Theology and Apologetics (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007). Exploring Theology is a compilation of three books originally written by Clarence H. Benson (1879-1954), who helped found the Evangelical Training Association in 1930 and was ... Read More

• Take the Brakes Off God

  Happy Monday! I hope you are off to a great week! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of preaching three services at the First Presbyterian Church of Norfolk. The message was about “Finding God in the Unexpected.” The passage of focus was Mark 6:52. Jesus had already fed the 5,000 men ... Read More

• David Courey: What Has Wittenberg to do with Azusa?

  David J. Courey, What Has Wittenberg to do with Azusa?: Luther’s Theology of the Cross and Pentecostal Triumphalism (Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015), 304 pages, ISBN: 9780567671899. Dr. David Courey is the Dean of graduate Studies at Continental Theological Seminary in Brussels, Belgium. In addition, he was ... Read More

• Ways to Minister to Cancer Patients This Summer

  How can you serve friends and the people of your congregation who are battling cancer? In this guest article, Rev. Percy McCray suggests practical ways to demonstrate you care. The sun is heating up and that is cause for alarm for some cancer patients. Not everyone ... Read More

• Pentecostal Theological Education: Asia Pacific Theological Seminary

  Asia Pacific Theological Seminary What does Spirit-filled education look like around the world? Dave Johnson, part of the faculty and leadership at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, introduces us to the school and the state of education in the Asia Pacific region of the world. Part ... Read More

• The Christian’s Core Identity

  Happy Monday! I hope you’re off to a great week. This week is a big week in my family. My mom’s birthday is today; So, Happy Birthday to my mama! I know… She has 8 children. But, each of us refers to her as “my mama.” (smile) I ... Read More

• Amos Yong: The Future of Evangelical Theology

  Amos Yong, The Future of Evangelical Theology: Soundings from the Asian American Diaspora (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2014), 255 pages, ISBN 9780830840601. Amos Yong begins this monograph by emphasizing the global diversity of Christianity. He argues that, in terms of demographics, we can no longer ... Read More

• The Evolution Controversy

  Thomas B. Fowler and Daniel Kuebler, The Evolution Controversy: A Survey of Competing Theories (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 382 pages. Fowler and Kuebler have offered us a gem by publishing this volume. Not since my undergraduate degree in the study of Biology have I encountered ... Read More

• The Apostolic Fathers and Paul

  Todd D. Still and David E. Wilhite, eds., The Apostolic Fathers and Paul, Pauline and Patristic Scholars in Debate (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017), 256 pages, ISBN 9780567672308. Todd Still and David Wilhite are editing a series of books on Paul’s reception among the church ... Read More

• Exorcism in Public Places

  Charismatic historian and prayer warrior, William De Arteaga, invites readers to visit his blog and be challenged to rethink how casting out demons can have a powerful impact on your community. This posting, “Exorcism in Public Places,” is doubly controversial. Some Christians still doubt the reality of ... Read More

• The Holy River of God: Currents and Contributions of the Wesleyan Holiness Stream of Christianity

  Barry L. Callen, ed., The Holy River of God: Currents and Contributions of the Wesleyan Holiness Stream of Christianity (Aldersgate Press, 2016), 274 pages, ISBN 9781600393099. The very mention of holiness can conjure up images of dower saints dressed in black garb, expressionless countenances, and a ... Read More

• An Apostate Church?

  Can a denomination move so far from biblical truth that it should be considered apostate? What about those local churches that have not embraced heresy or rejected the biblical gospel yet remain within the denomination?     After reading the article, “The Charismatic Renewal,” by historian William De ... Read More

• Gordon Lynch: Remembering Child Migration

  Gordon Lynch, Remembering Child Migration: Faith, Nation-Building and the Wounds of Charity (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016), 175 pages + index, ISBN 9781472591128. Gordon Lynch is Michael Ramsey Professor of Modern Theology at the University of Kent. His current research concerns a detailed study of post-war ... Read More

• John Piper: Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce

  John Piper, Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2006), 76 pages. John Piper did not attempt to add another biography of William Wilberforce’s life. He has instead probed to find the source of what motivated Wilberforce to spend his life ... Read More

• Verna Linzey: The Baptism With the Holy Spirit

  Verna M. Linzey, The Baptism With the Holy Spirit: The Reception of the Holy Spirit as Confirmed by Speaking in Tongues (Longwood, FL: Xulon Press), 180 pages, paperback. A New Handbook on the Pentecostal Experience Verna Linzey’s new book, according to scholar James D. G. Dunn, is ... Read More

• How Can Christians and Muslims Relate?

  I was blessed to participate in “A Consultation on Christianity and Muslim Relations” that was convened at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan from August 24-26. The meeting consisted of outstanding conversations among pastors, missionaries, seminary presidents, deans, professors and seminary students about godly ... Read More

• Dexter Low: God’s Mandate For Transforming Your Nation

  Dexter Low, God’s Mandate For Transforming Your Nation: Touching Heaven, Changing Earth (Lake Mary, FL: Creation House, 2016), 208 pages, ISBN 9781629985190. Dexter Low attended Fuller Theological Seminary and was mentored by the late Dr. C. Peter Wagner (page xi). He is an apostolic leader who ... Read More

• Consultation on American Evangelicals and Islam

  As any observer of contemporary media well knows, the religion of Islam and its Muslim adherents have for some time been at the center of much public attention. Previously, American evangelicals have responded to Islam in various ways. Some regard Islam with fear and condemnation. ... Read More

• Reflections on Engaging our Muslim Neighbors

  Evangelical leaders from around the world gathered at Calvin Theological Seminary from Thursday, August 24 through Saturday, August 26 to discuss Christian-Muslim relations. This was a private consultation and I invite you to read what participants have written about this. Tony Richie: Consultation on American ... Read More

• Summer 2017: Other Significant Articles

  Roger E. Olson, “Response to ‘the Benedict Option’” Patheos (June 3, 2017). See also the commentary by Michael Brown: https://stream.org/mixed-feelings-rod-drehers-benedict-option/   Jayson Capser, “Forgiveness: Muslims Moved as Coptic Christians Do the Unimaginable” Christianity Today (April 20, 2017). The subtitle reads, “Amid ISIS attacks, faithful response inspires Egyptian society.” ... Read More

• New Wine 2017: Elephants Explored

  In June 1960, the seeds of the New Wine movement began as David and Mary Pytches responded to God’s call to Chile. During time in South America over seventeen years, they experienced earthquakes, a military coup and illness. All of this caused Mary to call ... Read More

• Tears: Towards a Biblical Theology

  Introduction Tears universally exist across cultures and throughout history. The Bible records many examples of tears both from humans and from God. In this paper I will explore tears in culture and in various religious traditions. I will explore tears in theology and describe some possibilities ... Read More

• The Spirit, the Affections, and the Christian Tradition

  Dale M. Coulter and Amos Yong, eds., The Spirit, the Affections, and the Christian Tradition (Notre Dame, IN: Notre Dame University Press, 2016). The Spirit, the Affections, and the Christian Tradition is a collection of essays concerning the role and understanding of emotion throughout the history ... Read More

• New Wine 2017: The Irony of Experience

  Rachel Marszalek is Vicar of All Saints Church in London, England. In this report from the New Wine United 2017 convention, she primarily shares insights and perspective about what is happening within the Anglican Church. For more about the New Wine movement and the United ... Read More

• What I Like and Don’t Like About the Modern Charismatic Movement

  What I Don’t Like About the Charismatic Movement I don’t like the super-spirituality that is constantly giving rise to new and bizarre teachings and experiences. In this super-spiritual milieu, individuals are constantly seeking some new experience or some new revelation or giving themselves and others impressive ... Read More