A devotional about what is most important.

“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately.
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life!
To put to rest all that was not life,
And not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
— Henry David Thoreau.

What does it really mean to live? I assume that each of you who are reading this is currently “alive,” but are you really “living”? When I look around me, both inside the church and out, I see so many people who are drifting through their earthly existence with no real “life” in them. As Tony Campolo so perceptively states, “They play it safe and tiptoe through life with no aspiration other than to arrive at death safely.”

Please don’t think that this is turning out to be a negative, depressing article. The desire of my heart is to somehow share with you that which God has been showing me, which can be summed up in the Latin phrase “carpe diem”–“seize the day.”

Image: Rula Sibai

Did you know that the person you were when you read this “word” has ceased to exist? As each second of your life passes, every molecule and atom and subatomic particle in your body changes position. Your blood moves around your body, while some of your cells die and some new ones come to life. In a physical sense, the person you were one second ago no longer exists and can never be brought back.

It is the same way with “life.” During our time here on earth, God presents us with only so many opportunities to “live,” and once that opportunity passes, it is gone forever. We cannot go back and retrieve it–God is the only one who can control the timeline.

The biggest-grossing movie of all time is “Titanic,” a three-hour extravaganza about the sinking of the (then) largest and most luxurious ship in the world, on April 14, 1912. Deemed “unsinkable,” the R.M.S. Titanic now sits in two pieces on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, having claimed the lives of over 1500 of the 2200 souls aboard her 90 years ago.

Besides the obvious tragedy of 1500 people losing their lives, one of the saddest parts of the story (to me) is the wasted opportunities. Think of all of the family and friends who never had the chance to say good-bye … all of the important things that were left unsaid or undone … all of the loved ones who never got to say “I love you” that one last time before their mother/father/husband/wife/brother/sister was swept away for all eternity … simply because those 1500 people didn’t know that the early morning hours of April 15, 1912 would bring an end to their earthly lives.

God has given to each of us a wonderful gift—life. In this life, we are presented with a multitude of opportunities, blessings, and challenges, which make each day and hour that we exist very special. God blesses us with friends and family, a mind with which to learn and a heart with which to care.

The truth is, we don’t know what the future has in store for us. It is now the year 2008, and I am now 38 years old, I may live another 60 years or another 60 minutes. The point is that we should live each day like it is our last. Make the most out of every moment, and do not waste the opportunities that God gives us: “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:9-10).

I’ve come to believe that this is the “abundant life” that Jesus talked about (John 10:10). God has blessed us all with talents and abilities; let’s use them to worship him and to bless others. Let’s not waste the life that we’ve been given here on this earth. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Let’s not wait until we get to heaven before “living it up”; let’s start right now with the eternal life we already possess.

Find joy in the cry of a newborn … discover the creativity of our Creator in nature and in the world around us … give at least three sincere and edifying compliments a day … develop those gifts that you can see peeking through, and use them to God’s glory … live life as an exclamation, not an explanation.

When I come to the end of my earthly life, I don’t want to find that I never really lived. Let’s have a passion for everything we do. Let’s personally turn into reality the words of poet Walt Whitman, who, after despairing over all of the world’s problems and evils, and wondering what was the point in living, then came to the conclusion that the answer is simply “that you are here—that life exists and identity, that the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” What does your verse say?

This guest article was originally published on the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website in May 2008.

Recognizing our creatureliness humbles us and teaches us to praise our Creator.

If the opinion polls are right, most of us believe God created the universe. We may argue about how long ago the Lord began creating or what methods He used, but most of us agree that God did it. In the U.S. and Canada, roughly half of the people who were surveyed take the Bible quite literally and reject Darwin’s theory that people evolved from lower forms of life.

OK, then, so we believe in divine creation. So what? What difference does it make that we believe in the Creator?

Image: Danist Soh

I have spent much time trying to offer to people solid reasons for believing in the Creator and for taking seriously the Bible’s account of creation, and showing how much of evolutionary theory is based more on dogmatic assumptions than on scientific data. But what difference does it make for our lives today? How do we live the truth of creation?

Belief in the Creator isn’t just a fact to be stored away in our mental filing cabinet. It’s not just a theory about something that God did a long time ago. A living faith in the Creator drastically affects the way we relate to Him.

How? First of all, it enables us to live with confidence in God. It allows us to trust Him for today and tomorrow, because we know that He is in charge. Instead of worrying, we should seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and leave the rest to Him (Matt. 6:25-34).

Our worries would be understandable if we believed that everything in the universe happened by pure chance, that there’s no plan for our lives, and that nobody’s in charge. But if we believe that the entire universe is God’s creation and that He continues to uphold and direct it (Heb. 1:3), then it’s time to stop worrying and start trusting.

Secondly, a living faith in the Creator gives us an attitude of gratitude. One of the Bible’s great songs about creation, Psalm 104, says, “He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate–bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart” (v. 14-15). Acts 14:17 says, “He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” The Bible makes it clear that God didn’t just get the universe going a long time ago. He’s the One who supplies every good thing right now (Jam. 1:17), and that calls for thankfulness on our part.

Unfortunately, though, it’s possible to believe the correct theories about creation and yet live as though we’ve earned everything we’ve got. Are you intelligent? “Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind?” (Job 38:36). Are you successful? “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth …” (Deut. 8:17-18). We wouldn’t have the ability to do anything if our Creator hadn’t given it to us.

If you and I believe in the Creator, pride has got to go. There’s only room for humble gratitude. We can only say thank-you to our Creator for giving us so many good things.

A living faith in our Creator also affects our relationship with God in terms of asense of wonder and praise. Creation isn’t just an academic theory. Creation is a present reality. It’s a grand theater that displays God’s glory, and we should be ever applauding.

Psalm 104 is a beautiful song about God’s creation. It begins, “Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty” (v. 1). The inspired writer sees God’s splendor in the dazzling brightness of the sun. He hears God’s power in the deep roar of the thunder. He sees God’s creativity and loving care in the sky and clouds, in meadows and mountains, in birds and fish. The writer is so full of awe and amazement that he ends by exclaiming, “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works … I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” (v. 31,33).

So don’t just believe certain facts about creation. Experience the creation itself, and offer the Creator your wonder and praise. When you’re looking at a flower, watching a sunset, walking through a park, or hiking up a mountain, it’s a good time to praise the Creator and marvel at His greatness.

And the most amazing thing to me is this: God has birds to sing His praise, lions to roar His praise, elephants to trumpet His praise, breezes to whisper His praise, thunder to rumble His praise, and yet He also seeks praise from you and me, and He loves to hear it! Let’s pay attention to what the Lord has made, and praise Him for it!

So how about it? We say we believe in the truth of creation. But are we living the truth of creation?

This guest article originally appeared on the Pneuma Foundation (parent organization of PneumaReview.com) website in October of 2008.

A valuable insight into a book can often be gained through reading the introduction, where you may find the author’s original purpose and mindset for putting pen to paper (or, in the twenty-first century, fingers to keyboard). This proves to be true in the case of Jim Croft’s book as well. In the very first paragraph of his introduction, Mr. Croft expresses his concern over what he calls a “perplexing enigma” that seems to exist in the lives of many Christians, a dichotomy between Sunday living and Monday-Friday living:

Many believers have the impression that the primary way that they can please God is to fill their lives with as many overtly religious activities as possible…. During church services, they glow with the vibrant confidence that they have heavenly approval. It is as though they believe that they are fulfilling the zenith of life’s purpose solely when they are singing hymns, testifying, and listening to sermons. The enigma is that when life’s necessities call them to be occupied with other equally legitimate pursuits, the quality of the confident glow that they have heavenly approbation seems to mysteriously wane (p. vii).

Mr. Croft sees this enigma as being expressed (at least in part) in the fact that statistics indicate that there seems to be little difference between Christians and non-Christians, when it comes to such areas as the escalating divorce rate and the increasing use of prescription and over-the-counter medications for depression. Why do so many believers in Christ turn to the same methods of escapism as non-believers? This is a question that has haunted the thoughts of Christians everywhere, laypersons and leaders alike.

Jim Croft

One of the contributing problems, according to Mr. Croft, is the perpetuation of the distinction between one’s “spiritual” life and “secular” life, which keeps Christians from experiencing the abundant life that Jesus promised his disciples:

Biblically there is no such division [between the secular and the spiritual] because all aspects of life are described as spiritual, even though they are not all primarily religious. God’s divine influence and pleasure can be experienced in every arena of life, though every arena may not be overtly religious in its content and exercise (p. viii).

Charismatic Superstitions & Misconceptions is Mr. Croft’s answer to this dilemma. He seeks to examine and refute the kinds of teachings and doctrines that contribute to this unbiblical dichotomy between the secular and the spiritual.

However, the seventy-nine doctrines and beliefs that Mr. Croft examines left this reviewer wondering, “What does this have to do with the enigma presented in the introduction?” For example, some of the “superstitions & misconceptions” that Mr. Croft considers are: “There is no such thing as the Trinity” (p. 6), “All religions are basically similar in that they all worship the same God” (p. 88), and “The Bible gives hints that there could be validity to belief in reincarnation” (p. 89). While it is indeed important for such beliefs to be examined according to God’s truth revealed in the Bible, such doctrines do not really have anything to do with a “secular vs. spiritual” dichotomy.

Rembrandt, Descent from the Cross (1634)

His arrest and crucifixion were not events that came upon Him unexpectedly.  Instead, right from the very beginning of His ministry, He repeatedly told His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.  They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life” (Matthew 17:22-23; see 16:21; 20:18-19; 26:2,10-12).  It was His plan all along, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

No ordinary man could have orchestrated things the way that they happened.  On the surface, it may seem as if Jesus was not in control, as He was betrayed, arrested, beaten, condemned, and crucified.  However, even the betrayal by His friend and disciple Judas (Matthew 26:20-25; see Psalm 41:9), and the gambling for His clothes by the Roman guards at the foot of the cross (Matthew 27:35; see Psalm 22:18), were all part of His Master Plan, as prophecy after prophecy was fulfilled in every detail.  The Bible is clear that Jesus’ death on the cross was not an unexpected “accident”; instead, it was a choice that He made as the ultimate demonstration of His love for all mankind.  After all, as Jesus Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13), and as the apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church thirty years later, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  When it comes to the fact of His death, Jesus was still in control.

Have you ever stopped to think about the details of that “Good” Friday twenty centuries ago?  Notice that Luke wrote in his gospel, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’  When He had said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).  Most victims of crucifixion would slowly pass out and eventually die of asphyxiation.  However, Jesus did not die in the normal way.  Instead, He chose the exact moment of His death, thus proving His words, “I lay down My life — only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).  Even when it comes to the timing of His death, Jesus was in full control!

If Jesus’ death was the end of the story, it would be a sad story indeed, because it would only be the story of a man who was defeated by death.  But three days later Jesus proved that He was more than just a man, and that He had the ultimate control over death itself, by walking out of the tomb alive and well and for all to see!

What does all of this mean for you and me today in the third millennium?  If Jesus had control over the fact of His death, the timing of His death, and death itself, the most sensible and reassuring thing we can do is to give Him control over our lives as well.  When it comes right down to it, there is not really all that much in our lives that we have control over.  However, the One who heard the cry for help from the thief hanging next to Him on Golgotha, is the same One who hears our cries for help today.  And I don’t think that we could ever go wrong in taking our finances, our relationships, our jobs, our ministries, and our lives, and turning control of them over to Him.  After all, if He can keep this entire universe running smoothly (see Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3), He should be able to keep our lives running smoothly too.

Craig L. Blomberg, Making Sense of the New Testament: Three Crucial Questions (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 189 pages.

How do we know that the New Testament that we hold in our hands today is accurate? If we conclude that it is indeed accurate, how do we reconcile Paul’s teachings with Jesus’ teachings? And if they can be reconciled, how do we even understand the New Testament and apply it to our lives? These are arguably the three most basic and crucial questions that a Christian in the twenty-first century needs to grapple with, and Craig Blomberg helps us with this task. Blomberg, professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary, has provided us with a well-reasoned and balanced introduction to the New Testament. This is a small yet concise volume that would be beneficial for every Christian out there.

In a pluralistic world where truth is relative, it is vitally important for believers to know why the New Testament documents can be trusted and how we may apply them to our daily walk with God. From the first chapter, Blomberg gets right down to basics. He argues for the reliability of the New Testament from the standpoints of textual criticism, authorship and date, genre, internal consistency, external attestation (both Christian and non-Christian), and archaeology. He touches on the “hard sayings” and miracles, blending it all together into a thoroughly researched and logical apologetic for believing the New Testament to be what it claims (and for believing that Jesus is who he claimed to be).

Next, Blomberg asks the crucial question, “Was Paul the true founder of Christianity?” Although it is true that a cursory and superficial comparison of the gospels with the epistles may lead some to believe that Jesus’ teachings were not the same as Paul’s, this does not need to be the conclusion. Indeed, Blomberg digs deeper into these writings and shows that Paul actually did have knowledge of Jesus’ teachings (and of the gospel in general), and that Paul’s teachings do not contradict those teachings. Rather, Paul helped expand upon them and explain them more fully. From eschatology to soteriology, from the role of the law to the role of women, from christology to ecclesiology—Paul’s teachings and Jesus’ teachings are complementary to each other.

But once we know that we can rely upon the accuracy of Jesus’ and Paul’s teachings, what do we do with it? We need to take one more step down this road, moving from apologetics to hermeneutics. Professor Blomberg walks us through the entire New Testament in one amazing chapter, from the gospels and the epistles to Acts and Revelation. He briefly summarizes (with examples) all of the different styles of writing and literary forms, and shows us how to apply the principles contained within them. Finally, Blomberg concisely summarizes three chapters into three pages, and reminds us one final time why he wrote this book to help each of us: “[H]ow one responds to Jesus of Nazareth reflects the most important decision anyone can make in this life” (p. 147).

Reviewed by Michael J. Knowles

Books on the rise and growth of the early church abound, focusing on various personalities and emphases. Do we need additional volumes to add to this library? If they are as well written as this new book, I believe that the answer is a resounding yes! Ivor Davidson has done us all a wonderful service, by re-presenting the story of the first three centuries of Christianity in this first volume of what should prove to be a fascinating series by Baker Books.

Ivor Davidson is a senior lecturer in systematic theology at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. In his preface, he explains that his aim in writing this book was to produce “a fresh narrative history of the early church that is accessible in style, comprehensive in scope, and—not least—up-to-date in scholarship” (p. 7). It is this reviewer’s conviction that he succeeded in his threefold purpose. Birth of the Church is both readable and informative, and could be easily digested by the layperson and the minister, the student and the teacher, the seminary president and the youth group member. History is presented as story, with a flowing narrative that includes personable characters, memorable places, thrilling travels, and fascinating conflicts. Davidson does not simply give us a list of people, places and dates, but shows how Christianity grew among real people, with real problems and issues, troubles and triumphs—people we can relate to and understand.

Still focusing on the real people from those centuries, although written from a mainstream evangelical perspective, Birth of the Church does not hesitate to hold up “the other side” of the numerous debates among those who professed to follow Christ (and what that meant) in those early centuries. What was Montanism, Gnosticism, and Marcionite dualism (among others), and why did those early followers become Montanists, Gnostics, and Marcionite dualists? Arguments for both sides of each debate are presented, in the end demonstrating why one side prevailed over another. Davidson is refreshingly balanced and uniquely fair in his historical narrative, but still shows why we believe what we believe today in mainstream Christianity.

Stanley J. Grenz, “We Dare Not Fall: Dealing With the Peril of Clergy Sexual Misconduct.” Enrichment (Fall 2004), pages 38-47, 51.

Sexual misconduct on the part of the clergy is fast becoming a national problem of epidemic proportions. In an over-sexed society, bombarded by sexual themes and images on all sides, increasing sexual misconduct on the part of trusted leaders (even spiritual leaders) should not come as a surprise; however, neither does it come with an excuse. In a very timely and necessary article, Stanley Grenz deals with the reasons behind this growing problem and how the tide can be stemmed. (For consistency of nomenclature in this review, the pastor will be referred to as “he,” while the congregant will be “she.”)

Sexual misconduct often involves someone “violating” another, but in the case of the clergy, that violation occurs on several different levels. It is a violation of the congregant’s trust (as she entrusts to her pastor the vulnerable areas of her life), a violation of the pastor’s power, a violation of sexual trust (as the congregant looks to the church as a place of safe and healthy relationships), a violation of the image of God (as the pastor is to reflect God’s character), a violation of the pastoral office, and a violation of the pastoral calling.

Oftentimes, when sexual misconduct occurs, the focus of victimization tends to fall on the congregant. However, Grenz makes the important point that she is not the only victim in this case, but one among many, including the families of both parties, the pastor’s wife and children, and the congregant’s children and spouse. (I would like to add two other groups of victims that Grenz did not specifically mention: the congregation (among whom may be some who may become disillusioned with the church or with God), and the unsaved (among whom may be some who may see this as just one more reason to reject Christ).)

What can be done to prevent sexual misconduct from occurring? In what is arguably the most important section in his article, Grenz explores nine concurrent lines of defense to lessen the chances of the pastor falling sexually:

1. Recognize your identity in Christ and your need for his help in overcoming temptation;

2. Avoid the urge to try to “fix everything”;

3. Realize that you are a healer who also needs healing like everyone else;

4. Take the necessary steps to help bring about that healing;

5. Set up support systems and accountability around you among people you trust;

6. Maintain proper boundaries in counseling settings;

7. Understand the dynamics of therapeutic relationships;

8. Watch for the warning signs and signals that proper boundaries are in danger of being crossed; and

9. Rely on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit for help.

The warning signs and effective support systems are described in detail in a helpful sidebar to the article, as well as a “Covenant of Clergy Sexual Ethics,” recommended by the Assemblies of God (thus providing another form of accountability).

Grenz presents us with a message of hope in the midst of a disturbing trend, showing us that the situation is not hopeless by any means. With discipline, common sense, a bit of work, and overall reliance on the Holy Spirit, the trend can be reversed, removing out of the way just one more obstacle in the quest to fulfill the Great Commission before our Lord comes again.

Reviewed by Michael J. Knowles

At the time of publication, this article was found online at: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200404/200404_038_miscon.cfm

Mark L. Cartledge, Practical Theology: Charismatic and Empirical Perspectives (Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Paternoster Press, 2003), 271 + xiv pages.

Theology. Charismatic spirituality. Sociology. Theories of knowledge and truth. Heady topics which Mark Cartledge has successfully integrated into one book, “Practical Theology,” one of the newest volumes in the continuing series “Studies in Pentecostal and Charismatic Issues.” This book is not exactly as easy book to read, but the patient reader will gain an abundance of insight into the relationship between practical theology and charismatic spirituality, which Cartledge presents through an empirical study of a local church in the United Kingdom.

Cartledge begins with a presentation of his methodology—the “how” of his study. He explores how theology relates to the social sciences, specifically to sociology. Since the outworking of our faith occurs primarily in a community setting (i.e., the local church), “theology should be conceived as an empirical discipline in the sense that it would aim to explore, describe and test theological ideas contained within a specific context [i.e., the local church]. The direct object of empirical theology therefore is the faith and practice of people concerned” (p. 14). Empirical theology (or empirical research) is the means; practical theology (or faith-in-practice) is the result.

How does practical theology relate to charismatic spirituality (and Christian spirituality in general)? Cartledge sees this faith-in-practice as having a number of significant components: the doxological belief that God is actively at work in the church and in the world (thus leading to worship), the devotional belief that God answers prayer (thus leading to prayer), and the missiological belief that God desires others to be brought into a personal relationship with him (thus leading to evangelism). All three of these beliefs are acted upon both individually and communally, and an empirical study of these beliefs as evidenced in a church community setting would “contribute to the life of the ecclesial community to which the person belongs. … Thus the process of practical theology becomes itself a mechanism for transformation within the kingdom of God [as both the researcher and the community reviews the results of the research]. Practical theology viewed in this light is theology in the service of the church for the world” (p. 26).

Richard N. Longenecker, ed., Community Formation in the Early Church and in the Church Today (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), 251 + xix pages, ISBN 9780801046964.

The new believer is not likely to progress far in his or her spiritual walk before coming across someone calling the church today to return to our New Testament roots. One of the foundations of this call is the desire to discover (or rediscover) what may be called “the New Testament model” of church structure and Christian community. Some have even gone so far as to suggest the abolition of church buildings and worship centers and the return to small home groups as “the only true New Testament norm” for Christian fellowship.

Regardless of whether there is validity to these claims or not, a number of questions still remain: Does the New Testament present the 21st century church with a model for Christian community? If so, is it a normative model, exclusive of any other structures? Or is there a freedom to be enjoyed in how the church today can be structured? Is the decision to be based on theological bases, sociological bases, both, or neither? It is obvious that the most basic of observations reveal a wide variety of church structures along denominational lines, and even within those same denominations.

These are important questions to the life and ministry of the church in general and every Christian in particular, and that church (and Christian) has been blessed with a collection of twelve essays, from a variety of Canadian and American scholars, which examines these questions in detail. The general perspective that developed from these studies (originally presented in June 2000 at the Bingham Colloquium, held at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) is that Christian community formation is based on both the biblical doctrine of the gospel and the sociological elements that define each society in which that gospel is presented and followed.

As editor, Longenecker has grouped these essays into four natural sections. Beginning with the social context of the Greco-Roman world in the first few centuries of the church’s existence, the first three essay take us on a walk through the various communities, fellowships, and “voluntary associations” which were in abundance at that time and place. By way of archaeological descriptions and discussions, the reader discovers how closely the early church structures resembled similar structures of which the first Christians were well aware.

Archaeological examination is closely followed by biblical examination in the second section of the book. The fact that Christianity (and the church) stands or falls on the person of Jesus Christ, leads to the natural and necessary corollary that the ministry of the church should be guided and shaped by the ministry of Christ. “The paradigm of ministry for Christians was established by Jesus himself, whose example was followed—even though not always successfully or willingly—by his disciples and those who came to believe in him. Every model of ministry, therefore, if it is to be truly Christian, must be guided by the teaching and example of Jesus” (p. 59). Following on the heels of Jesus’ ministry was the ministry of his disciples, and Longenecker himself contributes a chapter on the vision and image of the church described by the apostle Paul in his missionary letters. The New Testament portion of the book continues with a look into Luke’s theology of ministry and leadership as presented in the book of Acts, and concludes with a look into the various elements of the New Testament congregations as described by Paul in his pastoral epistles.

French L. Arrington, Encountering the Holy Spirit: Paths of Christian Growth and Service (Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press, 2003), 546 pages.

One hundred and four years ago (as of the time of this writing), two births took place: the birth of the twentieth century, and the birth of the Pentecostal movement. And in a little more than a century, that movement has become a global phenomenon, growing in size to the point where more than half of all Christians worldwide consider themselves to be Pentecostal/charismatics. This growth has helped to reawaken interest in and exploration of the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and Arrington’s new book is a welcome addition to that exploration. The recently retired professor of New Testament Greek and Exegesis at the Church of God Theological Seminary, Dr. Arrington expresses the importance of the Third Person of the Trinity very succinctly: “The critical element to the life, vitality and growth of the Christian church has been, and remains, the presence and power of the Spirit” (p. 19).

French L. Arrington

Arrington, no stranger to Pentecostal scholarship, presents us with an excellent volume on the subject of pneumatology, focusing mainly on the work of the Spirit in each believer, as well as in the local congregation and the Body of Christ as a whole. This focus occurs in an examination of seven main (and fairly comprehensive) topics (p. 20):

1. The Spirit in the Old Testament.

2. The Spirit’s role in conversion and the Christian walk.

3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

4. The relationship of glossolalia to baptism in the Spirit.

5. The results of baptism in the Spirit.

6. The gifts of the Spirit.

7. The challenge of living the Spirit-filled life in the church and in the world.

He concludes his book with a chapter filled with accounts of individuals’ experiences with the Spirit.