How has God worked through his people to keep and spread the true good news about Jesus Christ despite global-scale opposition?

The Gospel in Late Antiquity

The Ghost Of Alexander Severus: Third Century Religious Pluralism as a Foretaste of Postmodernity

Has Christianity ever found itself in a world full of competing religions and cultures? What can we learn from how those followers of Jesus acted in their times? Should we hope for the same kinds of outcomes?

As appearing in the Winter 2013 issue.

A Time of Weakness, A Time of Strength: AD 315-450

Constantine’s Edict of Milan brought an end to the persecution of Christians, but that did not mean the Church was granted favor throughout the Roman Empire. What are the lessons for us today?

As appearing in the Winter 2014 issue.

New Threats to the Gospel After Suppression and Expansion

Reappraising the Christian Faith During Late Antiquity: AD 175-400. Christian historian, Woodrow Walton, invites us to take another look at the early church and the struggles it faced as it emerged from the Apostolic Age and became the state religion of the crumbling Roman Empire.

As appearing in the Fall 2016 issue.

The Gospel in the Medieval Conundrum

The Medieval Church Conundrum: How the Gospel was Preserved and Spread from the Frontiers

When the Empire made the Church into one of its institutions, how could the radical good news about Jesus the Christ continue to break out and change lives?

As appearing in the Winter 2016 issue.

Spreading from the Frontiers: Another Look at the Gospel in the Medieval Church

Wars without end, daily terror, displacement of entire populations: Can the medieval Church help us understand how to respond to our troubles today? What relationship should there be between the Church and political power? What should we make of how monks lived out their understanding of the good news of Jesus on the margins of society? How can we come to grips with how crusaders often acted nothing like Christ whom they claimed to be fighting for? Christian historian Woodrow Walton shows how the Gospel spread from the frontiers in this re-appraisal of the years A.D. 400-1452.

As appearing in the Spring 2017 issue.

The Spread of the Gospel in Hindsight: The Church’s First 1452 Years

What can Christians today learn from the successes and failures of Christians in the first fifteen centuries of the breaking out of the Good News of Jesus the Christ?

As appearing in the Fall 2017 issue.

The Resurgence of the Gospel and the Flowering of the Global Christian Message

“The Medieval Prologue and the Remapping of the World”

The gospel continued to spread as the Power of the Holy Spirit changed lives and changed the course of history, no matter the opposition and oppression.

As appearing in the Summer 2018 issue.

“Recharting the Christian World Mission”

Church councils, a changing geo-political landscape, invasion and upheavals had a radical impact on how followers of Jesus participated in the Christian mission.

As appearing in the Fall 2018 issue.

“The Challenge of the Muslim Curtain”

Through upheaval and suppression, being despised by civil governments and facing outright persecution, Christians survived on the other side of the Muslim Curtain. This is part of their story.

As appearing in the Winter 2019 issue.

“The Reconversion of Europe”

How did monasteries, hospitality, and persecution lead to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

As appearing in the Spring 2019 issue.

“Resurgence of the Gospel: Postscript and Bibliography”

Historian Woodrow Walton helps us look back over the big events and movement of history to see how God was working to make the story of Jesus known throughout the world. In this postscript to the Resurgence of the Gospel series, he ties together what the challenge of the Turkic-Moslem curtain meant and how it affected the people of Europe and the global mission of Christianity.

As appearing in the Summer 2019 issue.

Aida Besançon Spencer’s New Covenant Commentary Series on 1 Timothy, is a fresh and powerful look at some of the most challenging texts in the New Testament. Where most commentaries give a lot of external information, Spencer bridges the gap between historical background, culture, and context. Spencer’s extensive research on the historical, social, literary, cultural aspects surrounding 1 Timothy, effortlessly guides the reader toward a deeper comprehension of this epistle.

Beginning with an analytical outline, Spencer believes the overarching purpose of Paul’s first epistle to Timothy is to promote sound doctrine of the gospel by countering a false teaching endangering the church in Ephesus (18). Throughout her work, she categorically rebuilds what this heterodox teaching might look like, how the ancient culture shaped it, and Paul’s response.

Most of all, her love for God and His Word undergird the content of her commentary and is conveyed through five major strengths.

First, the structure she uses in this commentary is simple and direct. Analysis and excurses provide the backstory and give more applicable details to the themes Paul discusses in his epistle to Timothy in Ephesus. One such backstory contains the pertinent information concerning Artemis and her temple, one of the ancient wonders of the world. Associated with ritual murder, Spencer’s research and study points toward the practice of human sacrifice within the first century. She connects the mythological history of an Amazonian community predating Ephesus to this thriving first century idolatrous cult. Revealed for more than a temple, “a hub of commerce, sorcery and witchcraft” becomes the backdrop for Acts 19 (16).

Secondly, the format was appealing, easy to follow and informative. Semantical study charts, word comparisons, extensive footnotes, and summaries of a contemporary application of the texts referred to as “fusing the horizons.” She adeptly does just that: pertinent information is fused together cohesively. Scholars and ministers alike should be able to navigate the information freely.

Third, her work adds value to theological studies. Not only as a woman in the field of theology, but also as a true scholar, her contribution to the literature is invaluable. Throughout the commentary Spencer weaves 2000 years of historical tradition, theology, ancient culture and contemporary contexts into a beautiful, insightful tapestry. Without discounting Pauline authority, readers are given a glimpse into the unyielding yet pastoral heart of Paul. Unlike the misogynistic zealot Paul is often times presented as, Spencer lays the groundwork for an impassioned and devoted Paul. A Paul who exhorts believers on to maturity, instead of a Paul who creates exclusionary lists to satisfy his legalistic nature (16). This Paul affirms and exhorts women as well as men together toward all maturity and spirit-empowered ministry.

Editor’s note: With a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching, a Doctorate of Theology in Pentecostal Preaching, and extensive experience training preachers in the Majority World, Aldwin Ragoonath is uniquely gifted to help today’s church leaders around the world. PneumaReview.com asked Dr. Ragoonath to tell us about the series of twenty-five lectures he had made available without cost in his YouTube playlist.

Aldwin Ragoonath and his class at a Bible college in Chennai, India in 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUAzGabLGGL2-z2kxsGeBQGg

Introduction. These lectures will give you an idea of what Pentecostal preaching is and the subjects I will cover. They are given by a trained Pentecostal homiletician from within the movement who draws homiletical ideas from Jesus, Acts, The Church Fathers and the founders of the Pentecostal movement with a mixture of contemporary homiletical theories.

Theology of Pentecostal preaching. The emphasis of this lecture focuses on the character of the preacher, the message he preaches, a theological understanding of preaching, the altar call, the anointing and fasting and prayer.

Historical analysis of Pentecostal preaching. This lecture looks at early sermons by the founding fathers of the Pentecostal movement, major themes and the changes that have taken place.

Hermeneutics of preaching. We give biblical and theological foundation of Pentecostal preaching, define the difference between hermeneutics proper and homiletical hermeneutics, the gifts of the spirit, preaching and how to get a word from God. Luke 4:16-20 gives us a biblical and hermeneutical basis to say that Pentecostal preaching is 50% sermon and 50% signs, wonders and miracles. Drawing the symbolic meaning of the text adds to the preaching text.

Types of sermons: Here is a list of sermons preached today: expository is general, topical is similar to expository, counselling is the type of sermons Dr. D. Cho preaches and need centered sermons seek to address the needs in the audience, such as stress etc. We provide a homiletical theory for each type of sermon.

Preaching, healing and deliverance service. Most Pentecostal services in the west shy away from praying for the sick because of the abuse by some evangelist. This lecture provides direction and a context to bring back the healing service into the context of the church.

Outlining sermons. This lecture gives simple and straight forward steps on how to outline sermons simply so the audience can understand what the preacher is saying.

Sermon Delivery. Many people think that Pentecostal preaching is a specific style of communication in sermon delivery. That is not true. This lecture draws from the biblical words on preaching that define preaching and from contemporary communication theory of great public speakers today.

Culture and preaching. Good preaching is only as good as one understands and communicates in a given culture. There are three types of cultures that is taken into consideration in preaching: biblical, western and non-western. I suggest biblical culture is the best approach to communicate Pentecostal preaching

Steps in building a sermon. We walk through simple steps in building a sermon. We start at receiving a word from God to the delivery of the sermon.

Summary. I summarize the lectures and emphasize the most import parts in building a sermon

Dr. Ragoonath and his ministry facilitate two-day seminars for pastors in groups as well as offering personal mentoring. Contact www.atmc.ca for more information.