Christian History Magazine Features: Guest Editor, David Neff; Author, Grant Wacker and Fellow Historians Who Chronicle the Life of the World’s Best Known Evangelist for Christ  

Christian History Institute (CHI), a quarterly magazine series, published a special edition of Christian History – issue #111, titled: “Billy Graham – Apostle of changed lives and second chances,” originally released in 2014. Christian History magazine continues to publish informative and entertaining history, now alongside its companion website, christianhistorymagazine.org.

In this issue, #111, Christian History magazine’s guest editorial consultant, Grant Wacker, a Duke Divinity School professor and author of America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation, leads a team of distinguished historians and writers who tell the epic story of Mr. Graham’s life and career, a unique contribution to the character and spirit of the evangelical church, the nation and the world. The issue’s 10 articles, rare archive photos and intimate writing style documents the life and family of Billy Graham, who has personally shared the salvation message of Jesus Christ with more people than any other individual in history.

Guest editor, David Neff, former editor of Christianity Today, has assembled the talents and expertise of several leading historians and writers, to capture the essence of the life and times of America’s most prominent religious figure, Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ministry (BGEA). Outstanding among many central themes associated with Mr. Graham in the issue, and lasting throughout his career, is his core preaching message focused on belief in Jesus and the believer’s life, lived in faith and holiness.

In addition to Graham’s primary message of salvation in Christ, the issue’s contributors have identified and examined many of Graham’s famous milestones and associations that have helped to shape the Graham legacy. These themes include:

• The 1949 Los Angles tent revival, that garnered the attention of the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, who urged his editor to pay attention to Graham
• Graham’s use of television and radio that positioned him in the living rooms of millions of Americans, where he introduced the values of evangelical Protestantism
• His commitment to world evangelism that took him throughout Europe, the Far East and Africa as an ambassador of Christ
• His interest and gift as a confidant to presidents, prime ministers and statesmen that made him a cultural influence in over 150 countries, 49 of which hosted his mass meetings that reached, in the aggregate, billions of listeners and millions of believers
• Graham’s marriage to Ruth Bell which inspired men, women and families to a deepened personal faith life and encouraged future family and relationship ministries
• His intellectual engagement with education leaders and students that spawned seminaries, colleges and universities, helping shape a worldwide evangelical movement and revival
• His pioneering vision for racial integration that inspired the American civil rights movement – in 1953, he shockingly removed ropes that separated his audience by color – and in association with Howard Jones, a full-time BGEA associate
• Graham’s uncompromising stand for ethics and morality, setting strict rules for his own behavior and that of ministry associates, which helped prevent moral scandal and compromise that destroyed many other ministry leaders and organizations

“No man has had more personal, one-on-one, impact for faith in Jesus Christ than Mr. Graham,” said Michael Austin, a Christian commentator and spokesperson for Christian History magazine. “He and his family are a living testimony to the faithfulness of the Biblical message he so clearly delivered from the start of his ministry. Billy Graham’s impact for good in this world is incalculable.”

The world’s leading expert in the subject of exorcism in the Jesus tradition has now turned to exorcism in the early church, covering the period from the earliest traditions to the end of the second century (the last figure he treats [Galen] died in the year 199). This volume is as detailed and as apparently exhaustive as Twelftree’s work on the Jesus tradition.

Twelftree discusses, in turn, exorcistic narratives and ideas in Paul, Q, Mark, Luke-Acts, Matthew, “1 Peter, Hebrews, and James” (considered together), Johannine Christianity, the apostolic fathers and second-century apologists, and Mark 16:9-20, as well as a number of second-century critics of the faith. Much of the material on the gospels, of course, overlaps with Twelftree’s earlier work on the historical Jesus. Twelftree finds that, in many cases, exorcism serves a theological end greater than the simple depiction of Jesus as an expert exorcist, as when he interprets the exorcisms in Matthew as the inbreaking of God’s kingdom, yet finds in Matthew evidence of disagreement with the practice of exorcism in the late first-century Antiochene church. In methodology, therefore, this work stands in the tried tradition of redaction criticism, with a sensible mix of a more broad literary analysis.

Graham H. Twelftree, Charles L. Holman Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Regent University School of Divinity.

As this volume treats the various streams of tradition separately, it could be used as a (rather thorough) reference work. It was not intended as a reference work, of course, but as something approaching the final word (in a sense) on the topic of first and second century Christian exorcism. Twelftree would deny, of course, to have written the final word on the topic, but he has given it a sort of top-down treatment that it has not had in an English work until now.

I have a minor quibble on one point: as one who doubts the Q hypothesis, I would have preferred more engagement with the issues underlying that theory. Instead of giving reasons for believing in Q, Twelftree simply gives a nod to its detractors by mentioning, in a footnote, a single work doubting Q’s existence.

The style of Twelftree’s discussion is reminiscent of David Aune’s work on prophecy: he provides an extremely thorough discussion of the details of the text, together with thorough discussion of past scholarship, although the latter is never allowed to control the discussion too much. In spite of the depth of his analysis, Twelftree does not allow the reader to get too bogged down. If a book can be said to have a pace, this one seems to have a spring in its step.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the topic of exorcism.

Reviewed by John C. Poirier

Preview  In the Name of Jesus: books.google.com/books?id=NmZ7Q1-8QkEC.

Graham Cooke, Prophecy & Responsibility: A Journey into Receiving Revelation and the Process of Godly Communication (Brilliant Book House, 2007), 230 pages.

Prophecy & Responsibility is the second book in Graham Cooke’s six book Prophetic Equipping Series. The first volume is titled Approaching The Heart Of Prophecy: A Journey Into Encouragement, Blessing And Prophetic Gifting. The Prophetic Equipping Series is a major rewrite of Cooke’s earlier book Developing Your Prophetic Gifting; the series includes some new material not found in the earlier work.

The book contains four modules. Each module begins with teaching and closes with a practical section of reflections, exercises and assignments designed to help the reader implement some of the things that have been covered in the module.

Module one is titled “The Guidelines For Handling Prophecy.” In this module Cooke covers such subjects as inspirational prophecy, revelatory prophecy, words of correction, words of direction, interpretation of a prophetic word, application of a prophetic word, revelatory protocol, delivery of a prophetic word, the character of the prophetic person and the part that church leadership plays in overseeing prophetic ministry.

Module two is “Evaluating The Prophetic Word.” In this module Cooke teaches the importance of prophetic people being grounded in a local church, that the purpose of New Testament prophecy is to edify, exhort and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3), the need to test prophetic words to see if they conform to Scripture, glorify Jesus, or are manipulative or controlling. In this section Cooke also speaks about four different kinds of prophetic words: the now word, the confirming work, the future word and the new word.

Module three is “Handling Wrong Prophecy.” In this section Cooke looks at the issue immaturity in prophetic people, the difference between false prophecy and poor prophecy, the elements of poor prophecy, things that those who evaluate prophetic people need to take note of, and handling wrong prophecy in a public meeting.

Module four is “Workshop and Case Study.” This is a very practical section which is to be done with someone who is part of the leadership team of the church. In this section a person is to seek the Lord for a word of prophetic encouragement for a family, whom they don’t know very well, in the church. There is a step by step process that is to be followed in this exercise. The church leader is to evaluate how the prophetic person does in areas such as prophetic content, delivery and humility.

The book closes with a section of final applications. This final section includes a mediation exercise as well as some information on working with leaders.

This book is a valuable addition to the growing body of literature dealing with the prophetic. Cooke is a prophetic person, with many years of experience, and so he speaks as one who is knowledgeable in the field. He has, thus, thought through a lot of the issues that relate to the prophetic. It is clear from this book that Cooke has a number of passions: he desires that the Lord be properly represented, that is, that prophetic people truly convey the mind and heart of God, that God’s people be built up through the prophetic gift, and that the body of Christ be protected from abuses associated with the prophetic gifts. The contents of this book will go a long way in helping the church to see these things become realities.

Graham Cooke, Approaching The Heart Of Prophecy: A Journey Into Encouragement, Blessing And Prophetic Gifting (Winston-Salem, NC: Punch Press, 2006), 282 pages, ISBN 9780977080786.

Graham Cooke’s new book Approaching The Heart Of Prophecy: A Journey Into Encouragement, Blessing And Prophetic Gifting is volume one of what will be a six book set known as The Prophetic Equipping Series. This series is based on a major rewrite of his earlier book,Developing Your Prophetic Gifting, and will include new material as well. Future volumes in the series will be Prophetic Protocol, Prophetic Wisdom, The Prophetic Impact, Prophetic Partnerships and Prophecy And The Ways Of God. Volume two of the series, Prophetic Protocol, is scheduled to be released in either February or March of 2007.

Approaching The Heart Of Prophecy, like Cooke’s earlier work, Developing Your Prophetic Gifting, deals with practical aspects of the use of the prophetic gifts. While the book certainly contains theology, it is not mainly a theological work.

The book is divided into four modules. Module one is titled “The Exercise of Prophecy.” In this section, Cooke stresses the grace aspect of the prophetic gifts. He writes about the importance of having a proper view of the nature of God and having God’s heart when operating in prophetic gifts. He says that it is important that we see people as God sees them. Also in this module Cooke talks about his belief that prophecy comes to the prophetic person in three stages: a word of knowledge, a word of prophecy and a word of wisdom. In Cooke’s words, “A word of knowledge opens up the issue, a prophetic word speaks God’s heart into it, and a word of wisdom tells us how to respond to God.” Thus, his counsel to prophetic people is to speak the second thing revealed, not the first. Also in this module Cooke addressed some of the things in a prophetic person’s life that can taint their gift.

Module number two is titled “The Process of Prophecy.” In this section Cooke lists a number of things that are important for a prophetic person to pursue in order to be effective for God. He mentions the need for humility, rejoicing, meditation, waiting on God, the importance of speaking in tongues and the practice of unceasing prayer. In this section he also speaks a little more about the three phases of revelation that he introduced in the first module. This module also contains a list of the various ways in which God communicates prophetically. God can communicate through dreams, visions, words, Scripture or impressions.

Module number three is titled “The Purpose of Prophecy.” In this section Cooke discusses nine purposes of the prophetic gifts. The purposes are: to restore people’s dignity and self-respect, to edify, encourage and comfort the church, to bring correction and warning, to provide direction and enhance vision, to open up the teaching of the Word and confirm preaching, to release the church into new doctrine or practice (note: don’t get worried about this one), to provide insight into counseling situations, to provide evangelistic breakthroughs and to provide an agenda for prayer. In this module he also deals with four arguments that are used against prophetic gifting.

Graham Cooke, Developing Your Prophetic Gifting (Chosen Books, 2003), 284 pages, ISBN 9780800793265.

I operate well in the gift of prophecy and interpreting tongues. I thus enjoy reading the thoughts of others who, too, share this realm. My first experience with prophecy was back in the late 60’s when the Philadelphia Gospel Temple was in its heyday. The Temple sponsored a Labor Day convention each year, and the Saturday afternoon session featured the visiting pastors, the Temple pastors and several members of the Temple board who laid their hands on various candidates and spoke what they perceived as the mind of God over each of those who had sought this experience. I wanted that experience.

The seekers always outnumbered the places available so it took several years for me to work my way up on the list. When my turn finally came, I was dismayed when the voice of God came through Johnny Green, a member of the Temple board, and not through one of those mighty visiting preachers. I wrote down what I remembered Green saying shortly after he spoke. It was something like “You (me) will be like a well re-dug and a dam overtopped with flood waters for out of you will flow rivers of living water, you will touch thousands for Christ and your marriage will be an example to many.”

Nothing much happened to change my life’s direction for ten years, then my wife divorced me, I was relieved of my church teaching duties and I soon moved 2,500 miles to California in 1979 to start over. It seemed at that time that John Green’s prophetic words were merely some nice thoughts uttered among many others one Saturday afternoon long ago. And then after several years in California, they all came true. Amazing and astonishing.

I never heard of Graham Cooke until his book appeared on a list of potential book reviews. Even then his name meant nothing to me until I began to read his book on one of the airplane rides I seem to constantly take. Graham Cooke’s writing was fascinating and compelling as he unfolded his experiences and knowledge about the gifting and calling of a prophet. I ended up with 22 pages of notes in my journal, and then I used those notes in the session on Prophecy in my class at Pacific Rim Bible College. Next year I will add his book to the texts for the class.

The class session on prophecy is always fascinating as I teach my students how to prophesy by doing so over almost every one in the class. After I work my way through this, I invite the students to try their wings and see if they too can fly. Often the class ends with a season of protracted tarrying and tears, students everywhere on the floor all over the class room. In no other class of mine is the power of God so evident.