Cedric Harmon, “God’s Lightning Rod” Charisma (Vol 26, No 9, April 2001), pages 62-66, 107.

Is Rick Joyner a New Testament prophet? Whether he is or not, his ministry is not without criticism. If you are interested in the prophetic movement in general, or Joyner’s new book Shadow of Things to Come in specific, you will want to read this engaging article on Joyner.

Harold D. Hunter

Harold D. Hunter, “Pentecostal Healing for God’s Sick Creation?” The Spirit & Church (Vol 2, No 2, November 2000), pages 145-167.

Dr. Harold Hunter offers a Pentecostal perspective on ecological stewardship and social responsibility. Published in The Spirit & Church, a mostly-English journal of Gospel Theological Seminary in Taejon City, South Korea.

Wolfgang Fernandez, “Could Japan’s ‘New Race’ be a key to its evangelization?” DAWN Report (Issue 43, Jan. 2001). Pp. 1,2.

The shinjinrui (“new race”) has much more in common with the emerging world youth culture than the traditional Japanese culture. Today’s Japanese youth also seem to be approachable with the gospel. Trends in world youth culture and their apparent openness to spiritual things has some, including DAWN Report editor Jim Montgomery, wondering if this could be the last generation before the return of the Lord.

Although the concept called spiritual mapping is mainstream in the independent charismatic movement, this new arms race against the devil is not without controversy. Professor Larry Taylor offers a biblical challenge to this practice in his paper “Worldviews in Conflict: Christian Cosmology and the Recent Doctrine of Spiritual Mapping” which will be appearing serially in the Pneuma Review.

Messianic teacher Kevin Williams continues his Messianic Foundations Series with the third chapter in a mini-series on the Gospel of Matthew. Kevin will be looking at the Hebraisms and Jewish background often missed to reveal beautiful prophetic pictures fulfilled at the coming of Messiah. Be sure to read every installment of this unique commentary on the Gospel to the Hebrews.

The Fall 2001 issue of the Pneuma Review will see the third installment of portions of The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne Grudem. Grudem’s exposition of 1 Corinthians 13 is not to be missed.

Professor Amos Yong investigates what the much maligned ecumenical movement is really all about and offers a challenge to rethink our stereotypes. The fourth of five installments of “Pentecostalism and Ecumenism: Past, Present, and Future” will appear in the Fall 2001 issue.

The Worship Leader Series continues with “Should it Sound Like That?” by Joe Randeen. This will be an introduction to one of the technical sides of being a song leader.

Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is.

III. Ecumenical Pentecostalism: A Historical Overview

I hope to have shown that Pentecostal anti-ecumenism stems in part from theological convictions imported into rather than derived from the Pentecostal experience of the Spirit. Such importations have inhibited Pentecostals from a genuine understanding of what the biblical ecumenism stands for. On the other hand, it has also certainly been the case historically that there has been a lack of spiritual fervor within the mainline churches, especially in terms of how Pentecostals gauge these expressions. Going back to the biblical material in section I, however, this should come as no surprise. Different communities of faith bring different gifts to the one body of Christ. It goes without saying that these various communities also bring different liabilities and have diverse struggles.

My goals in this and the next section are threefold. First, I would like to demonstrate that Pentecostalism and ecumenism have not been inherently antithetical historically. This historically oriented presentation supplements the biblical and theological arguments presented in the first two sections. Secondly, I want to make a similar case on behalf of the ecumenical movement. I wish to show that historically, ecumenists have shared many of the convictions and goals of Pentecostals. Third, however, I also want to demonstrate that the devil is at work not only on “their” side but on both sides of the fence. The history of God’s work among the people of God always features both triumphs and failures, and this applies to both ecumenists and Pentecostals alike.¹¹

Let me begin with what I call “ecumenical Pentecostalism.” I want to focus in what follows on the ecumenical character of Pentecostalism in three stages. There is, first, the ecumenism of the Azusa Street revival. Second, there is the ecumenism of the charismatic renewal. Finally, there is the ecumenism now inherent within a Pentecostalism that has grown to be a global phenomenon. Let me overview each in order.

Peter Hocken, The Glory and the Shame: Reflections on the 20th-Century Outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Gildford, UK: Eagle, 1994).

The Glory and the Shame is perhaps the most outstanding piece of Christian historical interpretation produced in recent decades. It covers the major outpourings of the Holy Spirit in the recent century, from Azusa Street to the charismatic movement, to the contemporary expansion of the “non-denominational,” Spirit-filled churches. Father Hocken rightly sees them all as manifestations of the same Holy Spirit. In this he continues the theme developed in his earlier work on the charismatic renewal One Lord, One Spirit, One Body (Gaithersburg: The Word Among Us, 1987) which dealt with the charismatic movement as an ecumenical force.

Fr. Hocken is one of the pioneer scholars of the Catholic charismatic renewal, entering the movement in 1971. He helped edit the Catholic ecumenical journal One In Christ, and also served as Secretary of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. He has written many scholarly articles for its journal, PNEUMA. A devout Roman Catholic, Fr. Hocken has been a long time resident at Mother of God covenant community in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

However, Hocken’s Catholicism does not obscure the deep respect he has for other Christian denominations, nor does it blind him to some of the extremes of Catholic piety. In a passage in The Glory and the Shame that must have been particularly difficult for him to write, Fr. Hocken chides some of the Catholic charismatics:

One particular danger [of the Catholic charismatic renewal]…is the combination among some Catholics of a charismatic emphasis on contemporary revelation and a Marian devotion of a strongly apocalyptic character. In some places, this combination has almost taken over and displaced Catholic charismatic renewal. Its fruits appear to be highly questionable…Instead of their renewal experience opening them to the saving work of Jesus on the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform, they have majored on revelations and messages. (p.188)

Hocken’s gentle by effective critical/prophetic attitude is evident throughout the entire work. He writes in the opening chapter:

It is important to reflect with open hearts and critical discernment upon this extraordinary phenomenon [i.e., the Pentecostal outpourings]. Simply to be critical is to risk missing the glory and the grace; but to be enthusiastic without discernment risks welcoming the viruses that obscure the glory and sully the grace. (p. 11)

Father Peter Hocken, pictured here at the Society for Pentecostal Studies convention in March 2014, has been active in the charismatic movement since 1971.

Most Christian histories of the Pentecostal revival or charismatic renewal have been apologetic. Their purpose has been to explain the Spirit-filled movements to a skeptical Christian public, or supply basic histories to Spirit-filled readers. Recently I eagerly purchased a new volume by a noted Charismatic historian (best left unnamed) which dealt with an important Spirit-filled para-church ministry. It was embarrassingly hagiographic in spite of the fact that the organization was undergoing considerable decline, and suffering from internal divisions. It was as if the Bible told of King David’s rule without the story of his adultery or the rebellion of his son. Christian historians could do no better than to follow Hocken’s example which evenhandedly describes the grace (glory) of the renewal, but shows also its sin (shame). Glory and the Shame is especially welcome to those us who have been long time charismatics and have been embarrassed by the excesses and scandals of the 1980s.

Matthew 1:18-2:12

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows …” (Matt. 1:18).

We could likely spend a lot of time debating the season of the Messiah’s birth, but we are not going to. We will not even try.

Christian tradition holds to the 25^th of December, a date that parallels the celebration of the pagan god Saturn and was indoctrinated sometime around 400 CE. Biblical scholar Alfred Edersheim¹ agrees. Noted author John Lightfoot,² on the other hand, espouses an autumn birth during the Feast of Tabernacles, while Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum³ teaches a nativity closer to Passover, in the spring. Each of these renowned scholars have well-founded arguments leaving us to investigate the matter on our own, reaching our own conclusions. The really important news is—the Messiah was born!

Other gospel accounts of the Messiah’s birth begin, “And it came to pass.” John’s words resonate “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). Perhaps the apostle Paul says it best, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4).

The plan—God’s plan—unfolded right on schedule—in “the fullness of time.” The miracle occurred not a moment too soon, and by all accounts, not a moment too late. Everything was in order.

In part one, we examined that according to some Hebrew theologians, the time appointed for the earth is divided into four distinct ages.

1. Tohu—void (from creation to Abraham)                    2,000 yrs

2. Torah—instruction (Abraham to Messiah’s advent)  2,000 yrs

3. Moshiach—the Messianic Kingdom                          2,000 yrs

4. Shabbat—the Sabbath rest                                       1,000 yrs

                                                                        TOTAL    7,000 years The Soncino edition of the Talmud includes a footnote that the Messiah should have been born at the beginning of this third epoch. While they have no faith that this occurred, they do believe that he will still appear within this 2,000-year period.

This is, believe it or not, an important facet of the birth of Jesus as it relates to the 3^rd and 4^th epochs. In light of what Peter says, “that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Peter 3:8), we have an important clue to our Matthew examination.

In Jewish life, there are six days to the week, and then the Sabbath. In fact, the Sabbath is the only day of the week with a name! All others are referred to by their number.

With the Shabbat falling on the 7^th day, or last day of the week, the following two days (Sunday and Monday respectively) are days of “remembering the Sabbath.” However, by the 4th day, Thursday, one’s attitude is supposed to switch gears, and begin looking forward the next Sabbath. Thursday and Friday, therefore, become days of preparation for the coming day of rest.

This may tie directly into the Hebrew concept of the millennial epochs, and the birth of the Messiah. In the first two epochs—with each epoch lasting two thousand years, or for our purposes, the first four “days of the week”—man remembered all that had been lost during the first Sabbatical: his life in the Garden of Eden. He remembered the “rest” that was lost and the subsequent striving to return to paradise.

Alen Martin and Dian Ginter, “Power House: How Prayer Can Saturate the Life of Your Church,” Pray! (Issue 23, Mar/Apr 2001), pages 14-17.

Looking for some practical advice on transforming your church into a house of prayer? This issue of Pray!, and this article in particular may offer the simple steps needed to get your church on track.

Cover from the 2010 re-release from CrossBooks.

Martin and Ginter say that churches establishing a prayer ministry should see this as only the first step toward becoming a church saturated by prayer. In a house of prayer, prayer is a part of every aspect of individuals lives and the corporate life of the church. There are nine elements that Martin and Ginter say are common to churches that are houses of prayer: 1. Prayer is visible from the pulpit. 2. Prayer saturates every aspect of the service. 3. The leadership is committed to prayer. 4. Prayer is an agenda item in every meeting and class. 5. Prayer is part of Christian education. 6. The pastor has a strong prayer covering. 7. Prayer is the first step, not the last resort. 8. Intercession is an integral part of the church life. 9. The church has a recognized prayer leader other than the senior pastor.

Although this brief article is actually an adaptation from the book Power House: A Step-By-Step Guide to Building a Church That Prays (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), it summarizes what the heart of Pray! magazine is all about: encouraging all of God’s people to have a passion for prayer. This article is followed by “Firm Foundations: A Blueprint for Building a House of Prayer” by Pastor Wesley Tullis, “Developing a Prayer Strategy for Your Church” by Gary Kinnaman, as well as an article on developing a pastor to prayer leader relationship.

Reviewed by Raul Mock

Robert W. Graves wrote Praying in the Spirit (Chosen Books) in 1987, when it received great reviews from a number of Pentecostal/charismatic scholars and leaders including John Sherrill, Dr. Vinson Synan, Dr. Gordon Fee, Dr. William Menzies, Dr. Howard Ervin, Dr. Walter Martin, and Dr. Stanley Horton. It is the great privilege of the Pneuma Review to republish it here.

Works Cited

Throughout the Praying in the Spirit Series by Robert W. Graves, the following works were cited.

Adams, Moody. Jesus Never Spoke in Tongues. Baker, La.: Moody Adams Evangelistic Association, 1974.

Agrimson, J. Elmo, ed. Gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ: Perspectives on the Charismatic Movement. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1974.

Alford, Delton L. Music in the Pentecostal Church. Cleveland, Tenn.: Pathway Press, 1967.

Anderson, Sir Robert. Spirit Manifestations and “The Gift of Tongues.” Wilmington, Del.: Cross Publishing, n.d.

Anderson, Robert Mapes. Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1979.

Banks, William . Questions You Have Always Wanted to Ask About Tongues But…. Chattanooga, Tenn.: AMG Publishers, 1978.

Barrett, David B., ed. World Christian Encyclopedia. Nairobi: Oxford University Press, 1982.

Bartleman, Frank. Azusa Street. Formerly How “Pentecost” Came to Los Angeles—How It Was in the Beginning. Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1980.

Basham, Don. A Handbook on Holy Spirit Baptism: 37 Questions and Answers on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues. Monroeville, Pa.: Whitaker House, 1969.

——. The Miracle of Tongues. Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1973.

——. A Handbook on Tongues, Interpretation and Prophecy: 27 Questions and Answers on the Inspirational Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Monroeville, Pa.: Whitaker Books, 1971.

Bennett, Dennis J. How to Pray for the Release of the Holy Spirit. South Plainfield, N.J.: Bridge Publishing, Inc., 1985.

——. Nine O’Clock in the Morning. Plainfield, N.J.: Logos Inter-national, 1970.

Bennett, Dennis and Rita. The Holy Spirit and You: A Study-Guide to the Spirit-Filled Life. Plainfield, N.J.: Logos International, 1971.

Berkhof, Hendrikus, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit: The Annie Kinkead Warfeild Lectures, 1963-1964. Richmond, Va.: John Knox Press, 1964.

Bird, Brian. “The Legacy of Demos Shakarian.” Charisma June 1986: 21-28.

Bittlinger, Arnold. Gifts and Graces: A Commentary on I Corinthians 12-14. Herbert Klassen, trans. 1968. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976.

——. Gifts and Ministries. Clara K. Dyck, trans. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1973.

Bixler, R. Russell, ed., The Spirit is A-Movin’. Carol Stream, IL: Creation House, 1974.

Bridge, Donald and David Phypers. Spiritual Gifts and the Church. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973.

From the Worship Leader series.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity (Psalm 133:1).

Copyright Stan Myers. Used with permission.

When my teenage daughter walks out the door, and I say, “Drive safely” she looks at me and says, “Absolutely, Dad.” I reassure myself that I have really communicated. I assume she understands “Drive safely,” the way I do: observe the laws, watch out for pedestrians, pay attention to the speed limit, etc. What she really understands when I say “Drive safely” is more like this: “As long as you bring the car home in one piece, then all existing land speed records are up for grabs.”

When we throw around terms like “worship” and “unity” we often think we are communicating. The problem is, we often have divergent interpretations and understandings of those terms.

When we sing the familiar chorus:

I love you Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you
O my soul, rejoice
Take joy my King
In what you hear
Let it be a sweet, sweet
Sound in your ear

we assume that what we are singing must be a sweet, sweet sound to His ear. After all, the band is tight, our arms are raised. The angels must be taking the night off just to listen.

But truthfully, not everything we sing and communicate, no matter how exhilarating the experience, or how enthusiastic the band, is a sweet sound in God’s ear. You can fool all of the people some of the time—but you cannot fool God any of the time.

He looks past the words, raised arms, the music, and sees the heart. Isaiah 29:13: “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'”

We always run the risk of letting our worship fall into that category. We have the audacity to expect that we can offer something that is going to impress God, or catch His ear.

So when I say “true worship” or “acceptable worship” I’m working from the understanding that worship has nothing to do with any offering or sacrifices we can give to God. Worship is not God responding to our sacrifices; it is our response to His.

But what do I mean when I say “unity”? It is an important concept for worship leaders who are called to lead people to intimate communion with God. In John chapter 17, in His prayer for the disciples, He prays that they might be one not in some monotonous cookie-cutter fashion but “as We are One.” The Trinity has unity and diversity. One nature, yet three unique personalities. God has His heart set on this kind of unity for His church.

Cover from the 2005 revised edition.

John Stott, Evangelical Truth: A Personal Plea for Unity, Integrity & Faithfulness (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 131 pages.

In this 1999 book, John Stott has summarized with excellence that which all evangelicals hold in common. He begins by defining who the evangelicals are and then applies the three R’s—revelation, redemption, and regeneration—to succinctly explain the breadth of evangelical faith.

As part of his definitions, Stott distinguishes between fundamentalism and evangelicalism. In describing the many “tribes” of evangelicalism, he unapologetically includes Pentecostals and charismatics in his list of the different, but sometimes overlapping groups. Rightfully so, for the essentials he defines as evangelical belief are certainly embraced by Pentecostal/charismatics.

Stott relates revelation to the Father, redemption to the Son, and regeneration to the Spirit, thereby bearing “witness to the supreme authority of the Word of God, the atoning efficacy of the cross of Christ and the indispensable ministries of the Holy Spirit” (p. 122).

This threefold introduction to evangelical theology could not be sufficiently summarized here, so allow me to make some brief comments. First, Stott makes a distinction between revelation and illumination that many Pentecostal/charismatics do not feel necessary (see the section entitled “personal revelation” beginning on page 43).

For anyone needing a refresher on the grace of God and reminder of what Messiah accomplished on the tree of Golgotha, Stott’s summary of the redemption story may well begin the flood. I believe that sound teaching on this subject is deeply necessary to bring balance to those who have over emphasized holiness in the life of the believer. Such over emphasis has led to good actions being equated with righteousness, thereby turning the “good news” into a man-centered endeavor. When we rightly understand what Jesus has finished, we are able to enter that rest instead of practically striving to earn it.

There are many things to be said about Stott’s presentation of the Spirit and His ministry. While he takes issue with the pneumatology of the late John Wimber, he is friendlier to general Pentecostal/charismatic pneumatology—perhaps he does not know how similar these two are. Stott does seem unaware of how classical Pentecostals and charismatics frame the doctrine of the subsequence of Spirit-baptism. Overall, he is fair and reasonable, calling for biblical balance and a reminder of the Spirit’s primary work—regeneration.

Stott closes by echoing Paul’s fivefold summons given to the church at Philippi. Stott calls for holiness of living in “evangelical integrity” (p. 113), “evangelical stability” anchored in God’s Word (p. 115), contending for “evangelical truth,” “evangelical unity,” and “evangelical endurance.”

One potential weakness I see is that Stott’s Anglicanism seems to have flavored his outlook on evangelicalism as a whole. This flavor might be quite foreign to others, such as the classical Pentecostal or Baptist. I hope that this becomes a strength by opening readers from other traditions to see things in a different perspective and expand their palette.

Are misplaced priorities making you a bad report to the world around you? Pastor Mur asks if you are living in the Promised land or if your life is being eaten up by promising to do too much.

Numbers 13:32 contains a thought or sentence that most of us have never noticed. This section of scripture discusses the various reports given by the twelve men that Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land.

The Grapes of Canaan by James Tissot / Wikimedia Commons.

We all know the general story—two of the returnees said “Let’s go,” but ten said “Let’s not, the task is beyond us.” While the debate over the correct decision was still raging, the ten added the comment in Numbers 13:32: “The land we explored devours those living in it.” These words have a theological bent to them. I have never read a commentary on their implications, and thus I am left to wonder if the ten were that clever or knowledgeable to wage such a theological debate with Moses. I do know that the Torah and all of Scripture is layered with meaning and the revelation of that meaning is ongoing for all of us who care to study, ponder, unpack and grapple with what is there. I thought I would take the time to discuss some of the implications that I see with you.

Does the land where you live devour you? This happens to all of us at times, and it is fatal to some. For example, I have taken on too much for the next three months and the one just past. My life has and is being devoured—consumed by so many chores that I do not have enough time for myself and, more importantly, for the One to Whom I owe all. In short, the land where I live has devoured me.

My priorities are all wrong. I have given control of my days over to people and tasks that do not really matter and those that do (and I) will suffer until I catch up or ‘fess up that I cannot do all that I have promised.

Another example (and one that well might have been part of the desert debate 3300 years ago) is that people can soon find themselves so taken up in the effort to produce this year’s State Fair Blue-ribbon turnip that there is no time left for serving the King or being part of the family or community. It is so easy to get absorbed in worthwhile pursuits that really do not matter that much. Could it be that you cannot handle the Promised Land? Maybe it is not the right place for you to live?

How about the church that splits over doctrinal issues? I remember a church that years ago split over whether chromium automobile bumpers were too worldly. Some of the more ‘Godly’ among that flock insisted that every chrome bumper should be painted black to maintain the right witness to the community. Soon there were two congregations and an unimpressed though amused community. Now there are no chrome bumpers and a doctrinal debate over something so long out of fashion seems silly. How could someone be so consumed—devoured—over passing fashion? Could you? Are you?

The mainstream church often looks with scorn at the Spirit-filled Christian who has let the gift received overpower their good taste and sense. This scorn devours at or rejects that which God had intended to be birthed in all His church.

Numbers 13:32 says that this is a bad report—to live in a place where we are devoured. Do you live in such a place? Is your life consumed with things not precious, but worthless? Are you a bad report? I have been a Pentecostal Christian for nearly 40 years and I have to change direction again. Am I too old to have to catch up or to repent and start over? I should know better and yet I have to repent—to be smarter this time. How about you?