Cornelis van der Lann, holds a doctoral degree from the University of Birmingham and is currently Professor of Pentecostalism at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands. This book was published in both the Dutch and Indonesian languages in 2016. CPT Press (Centre for Pentecostal Theology) is to be commended for publishing it for the English speaking world; it preserves some important, though lesser-known, Pentecostal history.

The main text of the book consists of a preface, eighteen chapters, and two appendices. If the reader takes a look at the bibliography they will see that it is pretty sizeable; a significant amount of research went into the writing of this volume. Drawing from the writings of Sister Alt and other sources the author has written a biography of her life. He has given particular attention to her spiritual journey and ministries. Photos are included at various points in the text.

Margaretha Adriana Alt was born in 1883. She was the younger of the two children in her family. At an early age both of her parents were out of her life. Her father pretty much left the family after she turned three years old because he had been unfaithful to his wife. Her mother, Anna, died shortly before Margaretha’s fourth birthday. Because of these circumstances, Margaretha was raised by her grandparents. They raised her in the church, but she did not have a serious relationship with the Lord until later in life. Interestingly enough, at the age of twelve, even though she was not yet a true Christian, she decided she would become a missionary! And that is what she did.

Indonesia in 2020.
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Margaretha did not initially go to Indonesia to be a missionary, she first went there to be a nanny for a family. When that position ended she remained in the country and became a nurse. Her conversion took place in 1908. Once that happened she was baptized in the Seventh-Day Baptist church, this church observed Saturday as the day of worship. Upon becoming a Christian, she broke off her engagement with her fiancée. He was not a believer and in view of her faith, she did not think their relationship would work (she remained single her entire life). She then became a missionary nurse. Sister Alt spent much of her time in Indonesia caring for orphans and children with disabilities. She took care of children who had physical disabilities and those who had mental disabilities. She could have thirty or more of them at a time in her care. On more than one occasion, she moved to different locations in the county and the children moved with her.

In addition to her care of children, she was also involved in evangelistic work. She ministered with the Seventh-Day Baptist church for a while. She later severed her relationship with them when she rejected their teaching about the Sabbath. The author tells us that by 1911, Alt’s diary indicates that she was seeking the baptism with the Holy Spirit. In 1920, she heard someone speak in tongues for the first time. In 1926, in the city of Surabaya, Indonesia, she received the baptism with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. After she received her Pentecost, others in her community also received and a revival took place among the people she served. When she went into that particular community in 1914, there were no Christians there. When she left 15 years later, the whole community was Christian.

Sister Alt became very involved in the Pentecostal Movement in Indonesia. She preached in many cities, opened churches, and even rose to leadership within the movement. The Lord used her powerfully. One particularly memorable account in the book tells of the time she delivered a man who was levitating off of the ground. Interestingly enough, even though she was very involved in ministry, she did not baptize new believers, she left that for the male ministers to do. In addition to her public ministry, she was involved in writing and editing. She also put together a hymnal. The character and quality of her life and work can be seen in the fact that she was respected by people who were outside of the Pentecostal Movement.

The 2005 cover from Brazos Press

Sam Van Eman, On Earth as It Is In Advertising: Moving From Commercial Hype to Gospel Hope (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2005), 191 pages.

Introduction

Advertising is one of the most powerful forces to be reckoned with in today’s society. Thanks to modern technology, it is even stronger and more intrusive as it frequently delivers self-centered messages and half truths through different media 24 hours a day. Because of its ever-growing presence in homes across the United States and around the world, the reality of advertising poses a number of challenges for the Christian.

Van Eman is a staff resource specialist with the Coalition for Christian Outreach. In his new book, he contends that when advertising is unchecked and received without any filtering, it feeds the viewer (or reader) a steady stream of worldly-based ideas that often contradict the biblical teachings of sacrifice.

In other ways, Van Eman believes that commercial advertising presents a false gospel—one that appears to offer truth but in reality offers a message based on greed. The problem, he suggests, is only compounded when Christians spend more time watching movies (or television), and thereby consume more of the worldly messages than Scripture. Whenever that happens, “we lose focus on God, which means that everything we see is from a blurred point of view” (p. 10).

Van Eman warns that when Christians expose themselves “mindlessly to popular culture,” they “interpret little of it wisely and permit most of what is advertised to leave reside on [their] consciousness” (p. 15).

An overview

The cover from the 2010 re-release from Wipf & Stock.

Van Eman begins his discussion with an explanation of what he calls, “SimGospel.” The term is defined as “all messages that simulate the biblical narrative through advertising and popular media for the purpose of selling products and ideas” (p. 3). The idea comes from the computer game, “SimCity” where players can create and govern a simulated city. Hence “SimGospel,” is an imitated means to self-establishment (p. 20). An example of that may be seen in the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where they bought into the message of the serpent to become rulers of their own world.

Van Eman divides his discussion into three parts. In the first part, he addresses “Who Am I?” He compares what the Bible teaches about human nature with the messages of the SimGospel from popular culture and advertising. He also notes what the Bible and the SimGospel have to say about the needs of humanity.

In the second part, Van Eman discusses, “Who Is My Neighbor?” Again, he makes a striking comparison of what the Bible teaches and what the SimGospel teaches. He stresses the need for the church to remember the poor and anyone in need. He also explains how the church may neglect its true neighbors and thereby misplace its priorities.

Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos, Making Wise the Simple: The Torah in Christian Faith and Practice (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005), 353 pages.

Why should Pentecostal preachers read a book written by a Presbyterian scholar whose passion is a study of the “Law” which many Christians often regard as the dullest part of the Old Testament? Dr. Van Wijk-Bos, Dora Pierce Professor of the Bible and Old Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, has given us many reasons in her compelling look at the relationship of the Pentateuch to Christian faith. Central to these reasons are Van Wijk-Bos’ definitions of covenant and torah (Hebrew word for “law”). Covenant provided ancient Israel their identity as the people of God while torah provided their instructions for living out that life as God’s people (p. 281). These concerns relate to Christians as well. We want to know who we are as the people of God’s new covenant and what are we to do in light of that relationship.

Van Wijk-Bos divides her study into five parts. Part I introduces her topic of how the idea of torah has been treated and mistreated by Christian hands. Her personal story of being raised in post-WWII Netherlands instilled in her an obligatory sensitivity to Jewish people and their story of faith. Thus she seeks to show the relevance of the covenant and torah for Christians while not despising the historical people who gave us the Pentateuch. She uses the theme of the “stranger” (Hebrew gēr) as a running motif throughout not just the Old Testament but the New as well.

Johanna W.H. van Wijk-Bos is the Dora Pierce Professor of Bible and Professor of Old Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Part V provides a theological summary of key aspects of the character of God and the relationship of Jesus and Paul to torah. Her presentation of the God Who Regrets, Appears, Accompanies, Is Prejudiced, and Passionate should awaken any reader to the value of Van Wijk-Bos’ book for Christians. She challenges many ideas in both Reformed and non-Reformed theological camps alike. Her discussion of the “new perspective” on Paul will bring the reader up-to-date on a contemporary scholarly issue regarding Paul’s view and use of the law.