We can assume that, at the time Paul wrote, the New Testament church had a clear understanding of what these offices required, how they operated and who filled them. However, with the passing of time, the role and operation of these ministries in the everyday life of the church became less clear.

Thus, for centuries, the offices of pastor and teacher have been familiar ministries in all churches. However, only since the middle of the nineteenth century, with the success of Charles Finney and other “professional” evangelists of that day, has the office of evangelist gained a popular understanding and acceptance.

The offices of apostle and prophet have been more elusive for modern Christians. Many have accepted a belief developed throughout the centuries that the age of the apostles and prophets ended around 96 AD, about the time John, the last apostle, died. Another belief, first stated by St. Augustine (and later retracted), has been widely accepted along with this. It holds that, with the completion of the canon of Scripture, the Lord withdrew miraculous gifts of the Spirit such as tongues, prophecy and healing.

Over time, as the bishops consolidated their power in the church, the office of apostle was almost forgotten. By the second century, apostles and prophets were seen as nothing more than traveling medicine men with little or no influence or authority. In the Didache (11:3) the following rules were laid down for itinerant “apostles and prophets”: “Now, as regards apostles and prophets, act strictly according to the precept of the Gospel. Upon his arrival every apostle must be welcomed as the Lord; but he must not stay except one day. In case of necessity, however, he may stay the next day also; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. At his departure the apostle must receive nothing except food to last till the next night’s lodging; but if he asks for money, he is a false prophet.”

Murray W. Dempster, Byron D. Klaus, and Douglas Peterson (eds.), The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel (Irvine, CA: Regnum International, 1999), ISBN 9781870345293.

This guest review essay originally appeared in Trinity Journal and is reprinted here by permission of the author.

This work[1] is the result of a conference in Costa Rica (1996) devoted to a selection of issues emerging from the ongoing globalization of what Presbyterian theologian J. Rodman Williams identifies as the Pentecostal Reformation,[2] a movement which represents more than one third of the world’s practicing Christians, more than all of Protestantism combined.  In Williams’ case, for example, his many writings,[3] especially his trilogy, Renewal Theology,[4] have been of some assistance to the global Pentecostal and Charismatic renewal movements as have the biblical contributions, for example, of Arrington, Ervin, Horton, Palma and Rea[5] from within the Pentecostal sector.  These movements[6] continue to attempt to reach out to Christians in various denominations through conferences and symposia around the world, as is the case with the current effort of Dempster et al.  The estimate that the Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal movements now numerically dwarf all Protestantism combined is probably a conservative numerical estimate by Baptist statistician David Barrett’s latest tabulation[7] and accords with the belief of travelling observers that there are over a million Pentecostal churches in villages, towns and cities across the world.  Given the contributions of the Reformed/Evangelical and Catholic tradition to the Charismatic Renewal, joining Pentecostalism’s renewed emphasis on Scripture and experience in theological reflection and hermeneutics,[8] and to various former and ongoing dialogues with Pentecostals,[9] perhaps the fruits and outreach of this conference in Costa Rica, along with associated theological ramifications, may be of interest to readers of the Trinity Journal.

Dempster, Klaus, and Peterson have put together a collection of essays built around three pre-selected themes, somewhat similar in style to the earlier Charismatic Christianity as a Global Culture.[10]  Here, the editors and conference organizers come from the disciplines of social ethics (Dempster) and missiology (Klaus and Peterson).  The immensity and diversity of the Pentecostal movement and its burgeoning offspring, the international charismatic renewal (not considered in this volume), afford a wide possibility for scholarly consideration.  Those topics chosen here reflect the concerns and interests of the conveners and are grouped into three categories: Changing Paradigms in Pentecostal Scholarly Reflection, Pentecostalism as a Global Culture, and Issues Facing Pentecostalism in a Postmodern World.

As a brief assessment cannot give due consideration to all the contributions, perhaps it is appropriate to focus on some of the highlights and lowlights, as well as some backgrounds, in an effort to provide an overall perspective of the volume.  In the first category, Changing Paradigms, Wonsuk Ma, writes on “Biblical Studies in the Pentecostal Tradition: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” (52-69).  Noting that two thirds of the world’s people in the Third World are more open to the supernatural world enunciated in Scripture than in Western cultures, Ma points out that “The Pentecostal movement has long treasured Scripture.  These ‘people of the Book’ have never questioned the authority of the written word” (54), citing some of the scholarly books and journals produced in the tradition.  Use of biblical narrative is widespread and Ma seems to side with the critical interpretative methods that emphasize the legitimacy of employing narrative for doctrine and practice, “Though the use of narrative for constructive theological work and doctrinal formulation has been criticized from both within and without, narratives are still viewed by Pentecostals, not only as an effective, but also as an authentic means of communicating traditions and truths” (62).

Professor Synan begins with a broad view of some of the positive press coverage the Pentecostal/charismatic movement has received in recent years. He mentions the 1998 Newsweek poll that 75 percent of evangelical Protestants have “personally experienced the Holy Spirit,” and the statement by religion writer Mary Rourke, “with almost no fanfare, the U.S. is experiencing its most dramatic religious transformation in this century.”

Vinson Synan

Synan then mentions these seven trends: (1). Great growth continues: Pentecostals have planted over a million churches worldwide in this century and are still growing. (2). Worship becomes more charismatic: the Pentecostal style of worship has entered the main stream of non-Pentecostal churches and especially among those open to the contemporary gifts of the Spirit but who do not call themselves Pentecostal. (3). Pentecostal preaching creates megachurches: The largest and fastest growing churches throughout the world are predominantly Pentecostal or independent charismatic. (4). Cultural accommodations?: “Are Pentecostals lowering their holiness standards just to attract even larger followings?” (p. 61). Synan says, “Although some churches and pastors in the United States and Europe may be softening their standards on such things as movies, tobacco and alcohol, almost all stand firmly for biblical standards on such questions as abortion, pornography, illegal drugs and homosexuality” (p. 62). Rather, Pentecostalism in the United States is taking historic steps to heal racial divides. (5). Convergence movement: Former Pentecostal and charismatic pastors joined together in the early 90’s to form a movement that attempts to combine evangelical preaching and the gifts of the Spirit with liturgy and sacramental expressions. Synan notes that while this is a notable trend, there are still many more leaving churches that are more liturgical and sacramental to join “enthusiastic, fast growing Pentecostal and charismatic churches” (p. 62). (6). The New Apostolic Church Movement: C. Peter Wagner believes the age of the “Post-denominational” church has dawned. Synan says that this new apostolic movement is made up almost completely of Pentecostal/charismatic churches and leaders even though Wagner himself downplays the experience of the Baptism in the Spirit and the teaching that the “initial evidence” of this baptism in praying in tongues. (7). Revival manifestations: Synan says that, “Since about 1992, waves of revival with distinctive manifestations” of the Spirit’s presence “have swept through the church world” (p. 64). He briefly contrasts the “Toronto Blessing” revival with the Pensacola outpouring.