Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism have failed to answer the origin of any species. Is intelligent design the only scientifically viable answer? Thanks to Brigada for suggesting this long article to start some interesting conversations.

“Verna Linzey Collection Deposited at Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center” iFPHC.org (October 2, 2019).

Jim Linzey, a PneumaReview.com author, has donated a significant collection of papers, photographs, and other media from his mother, Verna Linzey, to the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center of the Assemblies of God. For more from Verna Linzey, see her author page at PneumaReview.com.

“Pentecostal Political Theology” AndrewGabriel.com (October 9, 2109).

Andrew Gabriel introduces this interview: “In today’s video, I interview Dr. Steven Studebaker from McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, ON. I ask him about what unique emphases Pentecostals make regarding political theology and what difference these ideas make for the average Christian.”

“The Gospels Are Fact Not Folklore: Why the first four books of the New Testament should be read as serious historical sources” Christianity Today (October 22, 2019).

Christopher Reese interviews Craig Keener about his 700-page exploration of gospel studies, Christobiography: Memory, History, and the Reliability of the Gospels.

Craig Keener, “Christobiography: Within the Frame of Living Memory” Eerdword (October 23, 2019).

In this publisher’s blog, Craig Keener, considers how much we can know about the historical Jesus from reliable biographies, the four Gospels, recorded within living memory.

J. Lee Grady, “Don’t Be Afraid to Let Holy Spirit Move” Fire In My Bones (October 9, 2019).

Jeff C. Magruder, “Why Pentecostals Don’t Preach Expository Sermons” Christianity.com (July 13, 2012).

John Lathrop recommended this as being a significant article to read if you missed it in 2012.

Image: Jeremy Thomas

Kendra Semmen, “Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke Dies Saturday at 79” CharismaNews (December 7, 2019).

Read the 2014 interview Reinhard Bonnke gave to PneumaReview.com: “America shall be Saved: An interview with Reinhard Bonnke“

John P. Lathrop, “Prophetic Revelation” BeritaMujizat.com (December 19, 2019).

Mark Galli, “Trump Should Be Removed from Office” ChristianityTodayOnline (December 19, 2019).

This editorial opinion from longtime editor of Evangelicalism’s premier publication stirred a storm of controversy. CT’s president, Timothy Dalrymple addressed this on Dec 22, “The Flag in the Whirlwind: An Update from CT’s President.” Galli described Dalrymple’s response in his weekly newsletter (Dec 27) in this way: “It reminds our readers that, while CT magazine might have specific views on this matter and that, we also want to be a place where evangelicals of differing views have a place to express their ideas.” One example of critique came from Dennis Prager, “CT’s Editorial Confirms One of the Sadder Realizations of My Life” CharismaNews (December 24, 2019).

PR

Paul Hattaway is the founder and director of Asia Harvest, a ministry that seeks to equip the Asian church to reach its unreached people groups. He has done missionary work in China for thirty years. In addition to his missionary work he is a prolific author. He has written many books, most of which focus on Christianity in China. Shandong: The Revival Province is the first volume of The China Chronicles. This is a series of books that Hattaway is publishing that examines in detail the history of Christianity in the various provinces of China. Once it is complete this series will consist of about 22 books.

Many believers around the world are aware that Christianity has experienced tremendous growth in China. The church has, and is, growing by leaps and bounds in spite of experiencing significant persecution. Current estimates are that there are over 100 million Christians in China (page xiii). The author says that no one can take credit for this revival, it is the work of Jesus Christ (page xv).

This first book in The China Chronicles examines the foundations and growth of Christianity in the province of Shandong. The 2010 census indicates that at that time 95.8 million people lived there, the province covers over 60,000 square miles (page 1). The area is a little larger than the state of Georgia but has about 10 times as many people (page 1). Today approximately 5 million people in the Shandong province identify themselves as Christians (page 9). This is about 40 times more than there were in 1949 when Communism began (page 9). As you read this book, you will see that the revival truly is a group effort that has caused many to come to Christ. The Lord used many of His servants to bring about this growth, some of them were native Chinese and some were missionaries from other countries.

Those who are familiar with missions history will recognize the names of some of the missionaries who labored in this province:  Jonathan Goforth, Lottie Moon, Marie Monsen, and Eric Liddell (the Olympic runner whose life was featured in the film Chariots of Fire). It is interesting to note that these missionaries came from different denominational backgrounds. Goforth and Liddell were Presbyterians, Moon was a Southern Baptist, and Monsen was a Lutheran. Other lesser-known missionaries also made significant contributions to the gospel cause. These include Griffith John and Hunter Corbett. Corbett served in China for 57 years (page 19). Timothy Richard was another, his application to be a missionary was rejected by a major missionary organization, however, he did become a missionary and at the end of his career, he was regarded as one of greatest missionaries to China (pages 28-30). Lesser-known national workers, such as Wang Baogui, also played an important role in the spread of the gospel; he had a burden for the lost and reached out to areas in Shandong that had not been evangelized (pages 23-24). Another influential Chinese leader was Ding Limei who was involved in evangelism and theological education (pages 97-100). Some of the more well-known Chinese preachers who ministered in Shandong were Andrew Gih, Watchman Nee, and John Sung (pages 139-144). The reader will also be introduced to a significant church movement known as the Jesus Family (pages 158-172).

Christ healing the blind man, by Andrei N. Mironov (2009).

When Jesus was on Earth, he spent much of his time in ministry healing the body and souls of those around him. There are several instances in scriptures where we see this. In John 4:43–54, Jesus healed an official’s son in Galilee. He drove spirits out of a man in Luke 4:31–36. In Matthew 8:14, He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. In Mark 1:40–45, He healed a man with leprosy. These are only a few of the dozens of healing miracles Jesus performed.

When Jesus called His disciples to continue His ministry, He, through the Holy Spirit, gave His followers the power to heal. Take, for example, Peter. In Acts 3:1–11, Peter healed a beggar who was unable to walk. In Acts 8:5–7, Philip healed several sick believers. Paul also healed the sick on several occasions.

As Charismatics, we believe wholeheartedly that the gift of healing still remains, 2000 years later. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ still gives some the power to heal in His name. This can, of course, still happen through one who is given the gift. Believers have also been known to come together and storm Heaven with prayers over a loved one, resulting in their healing.

While in biblical times, we saw true miracles and instantaneous full healing of those with physical, mental, and spiritual disabilities and health issues, what does the gift of healing look like today?

The editor of this book, Dr. Riku P. Tuppurainen, Dean of Graduate Studies of Summit Pacific College in Abbotsford, BC (xii), has skillfully assembled a festschrift of “Essays in Honor of Professor Roger Stronstad” (T.p.) for Roger’s 75^th Birthday. These essays are divided into four major sections: PART I—Roger Stronstad as Biblical Scholar, Pentecostal Theologian, and Educator (vii); II—Reading St. Luke’s Text: Hermeneutical Considerations; III—Reading St. Luke’s Theology: Pneumatological Ambiances; and, IV—Reading St. Luke’s Pneumatology with Other Texts. All 21 scholarly contributors of the book’s 22 chapters hold doctorates and because of their contacts over the years with the honoree knew him well enough to make personal references to him. Unfortunately, among the Pentecostal scholars who personally know him, not one of them is a Pentecostal woman academician. The contributors are scholars currently living in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, or Australia.

The work consists of two bibliographies, one of which is a “Comprehensive Bibliography of Roger Stronstad’s Published Works” by Alford Deeley (xxix-xxxiii). He holds the Roger J. Stronstad Chair of Biblical Theology at Summit Pacific College. The other “Bibliography,” near the end of the book (265-290), precedes the Indexes. Besides Roger Stronstad, who has the most bibliographic entries in the festschrift, are the contributors Amos Yong, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Robert P. Menzies, Craig S. Keener, Martin William Mittelstadt, and Rikki E. Watts, each with a comparatively large number of bibliographic sources.

The primary foci of the book are both biblical and pneumatological, reflected by the Old Testament (including the Septuagint) and by the New Testament. In addition, Old Testament apocryphal and Pseudepigraphic literature, other ancient Jewish writings, early Christian writings, and other ancient literature appear. Tongues speaking, pre- and post-Stronstad eras, socio-rhetorical criticism, postmodernism, ecclesiology, Charismatic ministries, missional pneumatology and prophetic learning are discussed. Although Lukan, Matthean, Markan, and Johannine theologies are presented, Pauline theology is limited to one specific and comparative essay: “What Does It Mean—According to the Book of Acts and the Letter to the Ephesians—to Be ‘Filled with’/’Full of’ the Holy Spirit?” This contribution is by Dr. Sven Soderlund, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Regent College, Vancouver, BC. Of all Scriptural passages selected for the basis of an essay to represent Pauline theology, arguably to be “Filled with” or “Full of” the Holy Spirit is one of the most important for Holy Spirit living. But considering the importance to Pentecostals of Pauline theology, particularly of I Corinthians 12-14, references to these chapters unfortunately include only 63 references to this Corinthian segment in the festschrift. Of further import to Pentecostals are spiritual gifts in Romans 12 that is limited to three references. Among the collected essays, Romans 8 has five references, but Romans 8:26-27 has only one reference pertaining to these verses.

Evident from his sources used, Dr. Craig S. Keener is to be commended for his depth of research evident in his essay, “Prayer for the Spirit in Luke 11:1-13.” Keener is F.M. and Ada Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY (xii). The range of references he uses in the essay displays his depth of research and is but a small reflection of his monumental 4-volume-4600 plus page work, Acts: An Exegetical Commentary (2012). In his essay, Keener goes far beyond Biblical references. These include Deuterocanonical and Pseudepigraphical sources. In addition, Jewish writings comprise the Babylonian, Mishnah and Tosefta Tractates; Targums; Rabbahs; the Qumran Rule of the Community and Josephus. Christian writings encompass Polycarp, Justin Martyr and Chrysostom. Other ancient writings are by Philo, Homer and Seneca.

Essays by Keener, and the other 20 contributors honoring the Rev. Dr. Roger J. Stronstad, will provide for an upcoming generation and future generations of Pentecostal scholars a host of topics and motifs for further research and discussion.

Reviewed by Laurence M. Van Kleek

Publisher’s page: https://wipfandstock.com/reading-st-luke-s-text-and-theology-pentecostal-voices.html

Preview: https://books.google.com/books?id=cRK4DwAAQBAJ

“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”

Scripture is very clear that sin is a hindrance to answered prayer. Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” In Psalm 66:18 we read, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened …”

One of the most pervasive, tenacious sins in the Christian culture today is unforgiveness. It is disobedience to Christ, and it renders our prayers ineffective and powerless. Many times, an unforgiving spirit comes from a heart filled with pride. We often feel justified in our unforgiveness because of the wrong done to us. Or, the sin against us was so grievous in our own mind and heart that we cannot possibly forgive.

Probably the most common stumbling block in this area is when we say that we have forgiven someone outwardly, while still harboring the resentment or anger in our hearts. Jesus effectively illustrates God’s viewpoint on this matter in Matthew 18:23-25 when the king’s servant, who had been forgiven his debt, turned around and refused to forgive the debt of a fellow servant. The king turned his anger towards the man, threw him in jail and ordered him to pay back all that he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).

If you are struggling with your prayer life, could an unforgiving spirit be one area that is keeping you from effectively touching the heart of God with your prayers? From time to time, each of us must take a deep look into the dark places of our hearts, asking the Lord to reveal our sin to us. We can find healing from the sin of unforgiveness in the Scripture, for when we truly understand how strongly God feels about forgiveness, we can seek to be more like Christ in response to those we need to forgive.

Beth Moore, in her excellent book, Praying God’s Word, has a chapter devoted to “Overcoming Unforgiveness.” Using Scripture, she has a three-fold way to become more like Christ in this area. First, she has an extensive section of scriptural prayers which ask God to do a deep work in us that we might forgive as He forgives us. Next, she recommends praying “about” the person or persons we need to forgive. In essence, she says, we are “tattling” on the person to God. We express how we feel about what that person has done through venting our anger, our exasperation, etc. This was the very way that David dealt with those who were persecuting him. As you read through the Psalms, you will see clearly how David talked “about” those persons to God. He did not hold back from expressing his displeasure: “Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit” (Psalm 5:9).

Dr. Eddie Byun is a man with significant ministry experience. He has served in pastoral ministry in America, Canada, Australia, and South Korea (page 1); he planted churches in two of the countries that I just mentioned. In addition to his pastoral experience, he has taught practical theology at a university. At present, he serves as the missions and teaching pastor of Venture Christian Church in Los Gatos, California.

Many churches and Christian denominations financially support missionaries. This is good and necessary, but missionaries need support in other ways as well. A crucial area in which they need support is prayer. However, in many cases they do not receive proper prayer support. There are a number of possible reasons for this. As the author of this book has pointed out, some people in churches do not know who their missionaries are (page 2). This may be because not enough attention has been focused on the missionaries that the church supports. Or, it may be due to the fact that some church members do not pay attention to the missions material that is available at their church. Another reason why missionaries might not receive proper prayer coverage is that the local church congregation does not see their missionaries on a regular basis, as the author says they are “out of sight, out of mind” (page 2). Still another reason why missionaries may not be adequately prayed for is that people do not know what to pray for them. Praying for Your Missionary supplies a wealth of information about the prayer needs of missionaries. The author has gathered some of this information from his interactions with missionaries (page 4).

The book consists of an introduction, twelve chapters, and an epilogue. At the end of each chapter, there are discussion questions, prayer points, and an action plan, all designed to help the reader interact with the material presented in the chapter. This book can be used for personal study or it could be used for group study. Some of the chapters that are included in the book are: “Pray for More Workers to Finish the Mission,” “Pray for Incarnational Love for the Nations,” Pray for Oneness in the Teams,” and “Pray for Successful Ministry in the Eyes of God.” In the course of these chapters, Byun raises the readers’ awareness of the challenges that missionaries face, things that we might easily overlook. For example, the loneliness that missionaries can experience being in a foreign culture, missing family and friends as well as significant family events, such as birthdays and weddings (page 27). Stress is also a significant challenge for missionaries, many of whom have to deal with safety issues that most of us in the United States do not have to face (pages 26-27). In addition, the author points out that Satan will attack anyone who tries to preach Jesus to people who do not yet know Him (page 47). Missionaries are involved in significant spiritual warfare. As the book points out the challenges and needs of missionaries, prayer points are identified.

In addition to identifying the challenges that missionaries face the book also contains some interesting information about missions. The author, citing a survey done by others, tells us that 47% of missionaries leave the field within their first five years of service (page 29). Byun also informs us that one of the main reasons missionaries leave the field is strained relationships with other members of their team (pages 86, 130). One missionary told the author that he did not realize when he went to the mission field that so many of his relationships would be attacked, but they were, and quite frequently (page 60). I learned about another “window” while reading this book. I had heard of the 10/40 Window, which is the area in which many unreached people groups live. But the author also mentioned the 4/14 Window (pages 13-14). The numbers in this window refer to ages, those between the ages of four years old and fourteen years old (page 14). A study has showed that 85% of adult Christians in the United States came to faith in Jesus between these ages (page 14). Byun feels that it is important to reach people in this age range no matter what country they are in (page 14).

PneumaReview.com had the opportunity to speak with two scholars about this move of God, each of them giving an interview. The first of these interviews was with Dr. Paul Palma. He has written a significant book called Italian American Pentecostalism and the Struggle for Religious Identity, published in August 2019. In this book, he has written about the Italian Pentecostal Movement in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The second interview is with Dr. Michael Brown. It may be a surprise to some but an Italian Pentecostal Church played an important role in his spiritual journey. We trust that you will find these interviews informative and inspiring.

PneumaReview.com: You were born into a Jewish family. How did you happen to go into an Italian Pentecostal Church?

Michael Brown: Because I was not a religious Jew, I got caught up in the whole counterculture revolution of the 1960s, playing drums in a rock band and becoming a heavy drug user. My two best friends and fellow bandmembers (and drug users) liked two girls whose uncle was an Italian Pentecostal pastor and whose dad had been praying for them for years.

When the girls started attending services there, my friends went with them, first just to hang out, then because the church fascinated them, both because it was Pentecostal and because the pastor was teaching about the end times. When my friends started to change, I went to the church in August 1971, to pull them out. I was sixteen at the time, and, as they say, the rest is history.

PneumaReview.com: How were you received by the people there?

It made such an impression on me that I said to my friends, “Fine, if this is the direction you want to go, I won’t fight you over it.”

PneumaReview.com had the opportunity to speak with two scholars about this move of God, each of them giving an interview. The first of these interviews is with Dr. Paul Palma. He has written a significant book called Italian American Pentecostalism and the Struggle for Religious Identity, published in August 2019. In this book, he has written about the Italian Pentecostal Movement in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The second interview is with Dr. Michael Brown. It may be a surprise to some but an Italian Pentecostal Church played an important role in his spiritual journey. We trust that you will find these interviews informative and inspiring.

Pneuma Review: When and where did the modern-day Italian Pentecostal Movement start?

Paul Palma: In assessing the origins of any religious movement, I think it is helpful to distinguish between a movement and specific phenomena. Pentecostal phenomena—“baptism in the Spirit,” speaking in tongues, healing, etc.—have been present among Italian peoples for centuries. Such phenomena, typically occurring in isolated contexts, were reported in parts of Italy in the late nineteenth century as well as at the Azusa Street Revival in 1906. A movement, on the other hand, brings cohesion to such phenomena for ongoing edification within a congregational setting. Defined in this latter sense, the origins of Italian Pentecostalism trace to Chicago. There is wide consensus, among North American, Italian, as well as South American scholarship, that the Italian Pentecostal Movement first took shape among an independent holiness congregation of Italian immigrants in inner-city Chicago in 1907.

Some members of this Chicago Italian congregation experienced the baptism in the Spirit at William H. Durham’s North Avenue Mission, the center of a revival considered in many respects to be the Midwest transplant of Azusa Street. From Durham’s church, the revival made its way to their Italian mission on West Grand Avenue, only blocks away. In the weeks and months that followed, numerous Italians were converted and reportedly baptized in the Spirit. The congregation later adopted the name the Assemblea Cristiana (Christian Assembly), becoming the first Italian Pentecostal church on record.

Pneuma Review: Which denominations today can trace their roots back to the Italian Pentecost in Chicago?

Paul Palma: There are numerous denominations today that trace their roots to Chicago’s Assemblea Cristiana. These are centered chiefly in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, and Italy. The flagship denomination of the Italian Pentecostal Movement was the Christian Church of North America (CCNA), today known as the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, established in 1927. The Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada (now the Canadian Assemblies of God) developed from the CCNA, although incorporated as a separate religious body in 1959. The Assemblea di Dio in Italia (Assemblies of God in Italy, ADI), the largest Protestant denomination in Italy, was also founded with the help of Italian Pentecostal pioneers from the CCNA. Numerous other denominations in Italy trace their roots to the classical Pentecostalism of the Assemblea Cristiana, among them being the Chiesa Cristiana Pentecostale Italiana (Italian Pentecostal Christian Church), Chiesa Apostolica in Italia (Apostolic Church in Italy), Chiese Elim in Italia (Italian Elim Churches), Chiesa di Dio (Church of God), Congregazioni Cristiane Pentecostali (Pentecostal Christian Congregation), and the Chiese Evangeliche della Valle del Sele (Sele Valley Evangelical Churches).

Thank you to our authors and readers who continue to make PneumaReview.com possible. It is my privilege and joy to participate in this ministry of the written word, proclaiming the truth and love of the Word made flesh.

Please join me in giving thanks to our God for his abundant provision.

Raul Mock
Thanksgiving 2019

The authors of this book are both ordained ministers with the Assemblies of God. Joseph Girdler has served in pastoral ministry and is currently the Superintendent of the AG in Kentucky. Carolyn Tennant is professor emerita of North Central University and is an adjunct professor at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. Both have doctoral degrees and both have written books prior to this one. This volume focuses on the controversial ministries of the apostle and the prophet. Girdler and Tennant are very qualified to write this book. Girdler wrote his doctoral dissertation on the topic of “apostolicity” and Tennant has taught and ministered in the prophetic in a number of places around the world.

The book consists of a foreword, an introduction, and twelve chapters. Some of the chapter titles are: “Work Details for Apostolicity,” “Apostolicity and Relationships,” “The Prophetic Core,” and “God Uses Creative Prophetic Roles.” One thing that you might notice in this brief sampling of chapter titles is that the authors do not use the words “apostle” or “prophet.” This is a practice that they maintain throughout the book. They refer to biblical individuals who are identified as apostles and prophets by those terms but they do not use them for the contemporary expressions of these ministries. They explain their reasons for this. The authors feel it is best to refrain from using the words “apostle” and “prophet” when referring to ministry in the contemporary church because of the increased number of false apostles and prophets in our day. They prefer to focus on the functions of these ministries rather than the titles.

Girdler and Tennant believe that there is a great lack of knowledge about these two ministries in the modern-day church. They say that most people who attend church do not have a clear picture of what these ministries are. They also say that there are church leaders who do not know what to say about these ministries. The book was written to correct how the lack of knowledge about these ministries, coupled with the abuses that have taken place, have contributed to the neglect or exclusion of the genuine expression of these ministries in some places in the church today. Girdler and Tennant say that this has left a vacuum that Satan has filled with false apostles and prophets. As the authors point out, this results in the church being cut off from two genuine ministries that Jesus gave to it for its good.

The subtitle of the book is Embracing the Authentic Avoiding the Bizarre. The writers help the reader to do this by setting forth both the positive qualities that characterize the life of a genuine apostolic or prophetic person as well as calling attention to signs that indicate that a person is not a genuine minister in these areas. For example, they say that people who genuinely function in the apostolic and prophetic are humble servants, who have been called by the Lord, and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. False apostles and prophets generally lack these qualities, they are more self-absorbed. This is evidenced by their desire for titles and attention.