For some time, I have struggled with the narrow pneumatological focus within Classical Pentecostalism. It’s as though we have defined the work of the Spirit almost exclusively in reference to Spirit baptism (with tongues as the initial evidence). While we may also include spiritual gifts in an attempt to round out the package, our current […]

I want to begin by asking each of us to reflect on this simple question – what is a Christian? If we were in a position where someone asked us to provide a definition of what it means to be a Christian, what would we say? What words, phrases, and images would we reference in […]

Soon after I became a Christian, I moved from the Anglican church I had been raised in to a Pentecostal church. This was a good move for me. I naturally lean toward an intellectual faith and I needed the push to experience God. I am so thankful for my experience within the Pentecostal church. It […]

Hey Everyone! July 2012 proved to be the best month to date for the blog. There were 4,376 total reads, plus a significant increase in comments and shares. The new Pentecostal-Charismatic series did very well and I will continue to publish new items in this series over the coming months. If there is a specific […]

This is a guest post from a friend of mine, Dr. Brad Noel. Bradley Truman Noel serves as Director of Pentecostal Studies for Tyndale University College and Seminary. He is ordained with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland and Labrador. When not at Tyndale, he and his wife Melinda make their home in Springdale, Newfoundland. He […]

Do contemporary expressions of Pentecostalism share the same focus as those on the Day of Pentecost? As the primary reference point for all major forms of Pentecostalism, do our gatherings reflect the same emphasis of those who experienced the first outpouring of the Spirit in Acts, the account we claim to follow and seek to […]

I wanted to share a snapshot of my Christian journey over the past 15 years or so because I’ve experienced a number of significant changes along the way. You may be thinking, ‘this could take a while,’ but believe me, it won’t. I’ll reduce the details and highlight only the major shifts in my theological […]

1. Could Pentecostalism be catering to the contemporary cultural quest for a spiritual experience by promoting extravagant divine encounters as the normative trajectory of Christianity? For example, are we simply giving them what they want when our slogans invite people to come for a worship experience? 2. Have we perhaps unintentionally restricted the work of […]

I’ve been reading Michael Hyatt’s new book Platform lately and came across a quote that made me think. Even though the context of the statement centered on website construction, I began to reflect on it in another light. Specifically, contemporary church design and the loss of symbolism. Here is the quote, Never let the design […]