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Kate Shellnut, “Ahead of 2019, Bulgaria Rejects Severe Church Restrictions: The new year brings new regulations—but thankfully not the worship and seminary bans evangelicals initially feared†ChristianityToday.com (December 26, 2018). Marian L. Tupy, “Globalization and Poverty’s Unprecedented Decline: The last forty years have seen a massive and historically unprecedented decline in global poverty†HumanProgress.org…
Richard R. Hammar, “Creating Sexual Harassment Policies for Church Workplaces: The growing numbers of allegations highlight the need for appropriate responses†Church Law & Tax Report (March/April 2018). Jim Linzey, “5 Valuable Leadership Principles from Psalm 37†Ministry Today (May 30, 2018). Brian Neil Peterson, “Does Genesis 2 Support Same-Sex Marriage? An Evangelical…
Roger E. Olson, “Remembering the Difference between Patriotism and Nationalism†Patheos (July 1, 2018). Mandy Smith, “When Your Calling Feels Like Death: Doing God’s will, even in ministry, isn’t always fun and flourishing†CT Pastors (June 2018). Cletus Hull, “My Church is a Mental Hospital†Fuller 11 (2018). An article from PneumaReview.com author…
Alexander Chow, “The Remarkable Story of China’s ‘Bible Women’: The history of Christianity in the world’s largest country can’t be told without acknowledging the female evangelists and pastors who built its church†Christianity Today (March 2018). Christian History: Roger E. Olson, “An Almost Forgotten 20th Century Christian Theologian: Christoph Blumhardt†Patheos (March 25, 2018)….
In this March 2016 paper, Kyle Smith notes important issues about how Christians, particularly Pentecostals, are influenced by social media and how churches are using it to increase their reach. Where has the center moved? The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of social media on the Pentecostal church. The history and…
Son of God: Their Empire, His Kingdom (20th Century Fox). Actors: Darwin Shaw, Sebastian Knapp, Paul Knops, and Darcie Lincoln. Directors: Christopher Spencer. Music by Hans Zimmer. From producers, Roma Downy and Mark Burnett comes the movie Son of God. Directed by Christopher Spencer (with additional scenes directed by Tony Mitchell and Crispin Reece),…
Cleophus J. LaRue, I Believe I’ll Testify: The Art of African American Preaching (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2011), 160 pages, ISBN 9780664236779. In American black churches the most important qualification for the pastor is the ability to preach, according to author Cleophus J. LaRue (p. 57). This skill, he says, has remained important to…
The first exclusively digital edition of The Pneuma Review, Winter 2014 (17:1). In this issue: Are Pentecostals offering Strange Fire? In this issue, Pneuma Review begins its response to John MacArthur’s new book, Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (Thomas Nelson, 2013). Find all of these articles individually in…
Gordon T. Smith, Transforming Conversion: Rethinking the Language and Contours of Christian Initiation (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010), 208 pages, ISBN 9780801032479. Gordon Smith’s book deals with a central piece of Pentecostal life: conversion. Thoughtfully read, it can deepen understanding and expectations of conversion, which in turn have evangelistic and pastoral implications. On the other…
James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy, eds., Justification: Five Views (Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2011), 308 pages, ISBN 9780830839445. The concept of justification carries eternity on its shoulders as many endeavor to understand, explain and experience the nature of salvation and how we need it. Justification is a term one would assume that scholars…
Timid at first, tentative as it were, he began the long journey down the aisle toward the altar rail. I, too, began to walk, slowly, watching each step as I descended the stairs that led from the chancel to the nave and down the aisle. He was large-framed, older, with a look that I took…
An excerpt from Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, by Craig S. Keener. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. From the introduction to Part 3, “Miracle Accounts beyond Antiquity†Pages 209-210 The principle of analogy once used to argue against all ancient miracles (either the occurrence of some sorts of extranormal phenomena or their…
An interview with Andrew Schmutzer about The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, and part 2 of his chapter, “A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse: Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem” as appearing in Pneuma Review Fall 2013. Note from the Editors: Beginning a conversation about…
An excerpt from Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, by Craig S. Keener. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. From Part 3, “Miracle Accounts beyond Antiquity†Chapter 7, “Majority World Perspectives†Pages 238-241 For these countries alone, and for Pentecostals and charismatics in these countries alone, the estimated total of people claiming to have…
An excerpt from Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, by Craig S. Keener. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. From Part 4, “Proposed Explanations†Chapter 15, “More Extranormal Cases†Page 721 Implications of and Prospects for Medical Documentation Gardner insists that modern comparative examples can chasten our excessive tendency to skepticism of all…
An excerpt from The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, edited by Andrew J. Schmutzer. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. The Long Journey Home A Theology of Sexuality and its Abuse Creation, Evil, and the Relational Ecosystem Part 2 Â by Andrew J. Schmutzer The Relational Ecosystem: Sexuality Amid Consequences Christian theology…
An excerpt from Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, by Craig S. Keener. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. From Part 3, “Miracle Accounts beyond Antiquity†Chapter 7, “Majority World Perspectives†Pages 214-219 A Multicultural Approach Social scientists have noted that, despite a variety of interpretations, “people from all cultures relate stories of spontaneous,…
The Fall 2013 issue (16:4) of The Pneuma Review features these articles: The Credibility of Miracles: Excerpts from Miracles by Craig S. Keener. New Order of the Latter Rain: A New Perspective by John R. Miller. Find all of these articles individually in an easy-to-read format on the archive page: Fall 2013
An excerpt from Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, by Craig S. Keener. From Pneuma Review Fall 2013. From Part 2, “Are Miracles Possible?†Chapter 5, “Hume and Philosophic Questions†Pages 161-167 The Circularity of Hume’s Approach Houston challenges at length Hume’s belief that the general improbability of events in a particular class…
In the on-going dialogue between cessationists and continuationists there is a passage that the former almost always mention. It is, in many instances, their go-to text, their trump card, so to speak. But a close look at Ephesians 2:20 will demonstrate that it fails to accomplish what the cessationist desires. Paul writes: “So then you…
John MacArthur, Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (Thomas Nelson, Nov 12, 2013) 9781400205172. While offering some very needed points, John MacArthur’s Strange Fire unfortunately extrapolates from those points to an entire “movement.†As I note below, I also believe that MacArthur suppresses some biblical truth on the basis…
John MacArthur, Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (Nashville, TN: Nelson Books, 2013), 333 pages, ISBN 9781400206414. As we shall see, John MacArthur’s abhorrence of “further revelation†via prophecy and related spiritual gifts derives, not from scripture, but from the frustration of Calvinists under Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) of watching…
Did tongues and the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit cease in the early church? John MacArthur says they did and that practicing them today is false worship—an abomination before God. Pneuma Review invites you to respond to these criticisms and to renew the biblical command to “desire spiritual gifts†(1 Cor 14:1). We’ve…
The Spirit and the Prophetic Church Building Ministry Coalitions for Urban Ministry Part 2 of 2 Editor’s Note: Read Part 1 in the Spring 2013 issue of The Pneuma Review The Situation of Post-Katrina New Orleans The situation of Cradock in Portsmouth is not an anomaly. This is important to note. The city of New…
Sexual abuse is a serious and uncomfortable subject that church leaders cannot afford to ignore. To introduce pastors and Christian leaders to one resource available to them, The Pneuma Review will be printing chapters from The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, edited by Andrew J. Schmutzer. Part 2 of Andrew…
Pastor, renewal leader, and scholar speaks with The Pneuma Review. Pneuma Review: Tell us about where you come from, what God has done in your life, and what he has called you to be doing. Randy Clark: I was raised in a Christian home as a Baptist, educated at a BaptistUniversity and Seminary, presently completing…
Richard S. Briggs, Reading the Bible Wisely: An Introduction to Taking Scripture Seriously, revised edition (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2011), 153 pages, ISBN 9781610972888. Richard Briggs offers a brief and accessible introduction to the Christian hermeneutical task of reading the Bible theologically. His experience as a teacher is evident throughout the work (he serves as…
Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years (New York: Penguin Books, 2010), 1187 pages, ISBN 9781101189993. I enjoyed reading this book so much that I read it over a second time and then read separate chapters that were of particular interest. You may want to do the same. The book will…
Michael Card, A Better Freedom: Finding Life as Slaves of Christ (Downer’s Grove: IVP, 2009), 166 pages, ISBN 9780830837144. As would be expected from a Christian musician who combines depth of experience with theological training, Michael Card balances devotional and scholarly insights. Motivated by his experiences among African American churches and their moving tendency to…
An excerpt from The Long Journey Home: Understanding and Ministering to the Sexually Abused, edited by Andrew J. Schmutzer. Several terms, prompted by an asterisk (*) in the chapters appearing in Pneuma Review, have been defined by pastors, therapists, and theologians that contributed to the book and are included in a select glossary. Please also…
The American journalist and satirist, H. L. Mencken, most famously quipped that Puritanism was “the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy.†In many quarters of American life the Puritans are still dismissed as prudes and killjoys that have nothing to teach the modern world. Very often, the infamous Salem witch trials are…
Stanley Hauerwas, Working with Words: On Learning to Speak Christian (Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2011), 322 pages, ISBN 9781608999682. I recommend this book to all Christians, and especially to those in pastoral and the theological vocations. Like his other publications, the Duke Divinity School professor of ethics and theology asks poignant hermeneutical and theological questions…
As appearing in the Pneuma Review Spring 2013.  The Spirit and the Prophetic Church Building Ministry Coalitions for Urban Ministry Part 1 of 2 Thesis and Introduction Scholars from disciplines other than the theological guild have observed the value that congregations play in their members’ everyday lives. When churches engage in the affairs of the…
So which is the best Bible translation? Well, we may never know in this life, though we will all have our preferences. But we are fortunate in having some very good ones. Make sure you regularly read at least one of them and encourage others to do so. My Journey with the Bible Like…
Included in this issue: “Following Jesus’ Example: Empowering Leaders in Global Missions” By Victor H. Cuartas. “The Ghost Of Alexander Severus: Third Century Religious Pluralism as a Foretaste of Postmodernity” By Woodrow E. Walton. “The Quest for a Pentecostal Theology” By Keith Warrington. “Chronicling the Works of God: An Interview with Darren Wilson.” “Bible Versions:…
How Shall We Lead the Church? In this Pneuma Review conversation, church planter Victor Cuartas asks, what do Spirit-empowered leaders look like? There is an urgent need for equipping leaders in global missions. Leadership is about service and influence. We found in Jesus the best example to follow in global missions. This article will…
With so many English versions of the Bible available, why do some still use the King James Version exclusively? Introduction We live in an age in which there are many English language translations of the Bible, too many, in fact. There are very good versions and others which are not so good. But which one…
The Pneuma Review: For any of our readers who may not be familiar with your films Finger of God, Furious Love, and Father of Lights please give a brief description of each. Darren Wilson: Well, put quite simply, they are documentaries that detail my six year search for the more of Christianity. I grew…
Robert L. Calhoun, Scripture, Creed, Theology: Lectures on the History of Christian Doctrine in the First Centuries (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2011), 508 pages, ISBN 9781556354946. Robert Calhoun was a well beloved lecturer at Yale Divinity School until his retirement in 1965. Before he retired, he planned to have his lectures in the area of historical…
Todd D. Hunter, Giving Church Another Chance: Finding New Meaning in Spiritual Practices (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2010), 167 pages, ISBN 9780830837489. Formerly national director of the Association of Vineyard Churches, USA, Todd Hunter is now a Bishop in the Anglican Communion of North America with the responsibility of church planting. Giving Church Another…
Beth Snodderly and A. Scott Moreau, eds., Evangelical and Frontier Mission: Perspectives on the Global Progress of the Gospel (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2011), 312 pages, ISBN 9781870345989. To the Pentecostal/charismatic readers of The Pneuma Review this work’s title may not seem all that relevant. However, here are some reasons why this collection of…
Randy Clark, “The Revivalists: Fanning the Flames of the Holy Spirit,†Charisma (March 2012), pages 34-38. Randy Clark is fairly well known in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles. He first rose to prominence in 1994 because of his involvement in the Toronto Airport Vineyard Revival, also known as “The Toronto Blessing.†Today he continues to minister…
Willie James Jennings, The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2010). x + 366 pp. Jennings, former academic dean and now theology and black church studies professor at Duke Divinity School, tells the story of how our contemporary Christian imagination has become so deeply shaped by…
This chapter is from Paul L. King’s book Only Believe: Examining the Origins and Development of Classic and Contemporary Word of Faith Theologies. Classic and Modern Word of Faith Views Compared and Contrasted The classic faith leaders affirmed the reality of the supernatural, not just in the Bible and the early New Testament church, but…
Veteran missionary, Dennis Balcombe, talks to PneumaReview.com about the Acts of the Holy Spirit in modern-day China. Pneuma Review: Please tell our readers how you were called to China. Dennis Balcombe: I was brought up in a traditional Methodist church that only preached the “Social Gospel.†At 16 years old, a friend invited me to…
Amos Yong and Estrelda Alexander, eds., Afro-Pentecostalism: Black Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in History and Culture (New York: New York University Press, 2011), 261 pages, ISBN 9780814797310.         Black pentecostal and charismatic Christianity has long been one of the most neglected topics of North American religious history and culture. Estrelda Alexander, an African American professor of…
This chapter is from John P. Lathrop’s book Answer the Prayer of Jesus: A Call for Biblical Unity. The Prayer of Jesus In John 17 we find the longest recorded prayer of Jesus; the apostle John, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, included it in his gospel. In fact, it is preserved for us…
Calvin L. Smith, ed., Pentecostal Power: Expressions, Impact and Faith of Latin American Pentecostalism (Leiden: Brill, 2011), 284 pages, ISBN 9789004192492. I had the good fortune to be the Ecumenical Studies Interest Group Leader for the Society for Pentecostal Studies (2012) when Calvin Smith’s Pentecostal Power was part of a panel discussion. Jeff Gros, Carmelo…
Neil Cole, Organic Leadership: Leading Naturally Right Where You Are (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009), 314 pages, ISBN 9780801072383. Organic Leadership presents a way for ordinary Christians to emerge as leaders both inside and outside the church. Cole argues that church leaders often get in the way of members participating fully in the life and…
Gary Tyra, The Holy Spirit in Mission: Prophetic Speech and Action in Christian Witness (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 206 pages, ISBN 9780830839490. Tyra, an experienced Assemblies of God pastor and Christian college teacher, has written a biblically based, academically conversant, and culturally informed appeal for Western evangelicals to seek for and exercise a…
British Pentecostal Keith Warrington takes us on “The Quest for A Pentecostal Theology†in a chapter from his 2008 book, Pentecostal Theology. Some reviews to look for in the Winter 2013 issue: Malcolm Brubaker reviews Evangelical and Frontier Mission Perspectives on the Global Progress of the Gospel (Wipf and Stock, 2011), edited by Beth…
Edmund J. Rybarczyk, The Spirit Unfettered: Protestant Views of the Holy Spirit (Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2010), 162 pages, ISBN 9781557256546. Edmund Rybarczyk, Professor of Historic and Systematic Theology at Vanguard University, introduces eleven significant theologians, starting with Luther and sixteenth century Protestant theologians, and ending with Welker in the twenty-first century. Each of the…
Jonathan T. Pennington, Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 416 pages, ISBN 9780801037283. This book is a more affordable edition of a book published by E. J. Brill in 2007. The Gospel of Matthew is the only gospel to use the term “kingdom of heaven†in place of…
The digital edition of The Pneuma Review, Summer 2012 (15:3), taken from the original print edition. Find these articles individually in an easy-to-read format on the archive page: Summer 2012
An Interview with Craig S. Keener on the Miraculous and his Recent Book, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. The Pneuma Review: As a New Testament scholar you have a great interest in the meaning of the biblical text but you also seem to have a great interest in miracles. Could you tell…
William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, third edition (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), 416 pages, ISBN 9781433501159. A third edition of what has become something a classic work in the field of Christian apologetics since its original (1984) and second (1994) versions is well worth the reading (or re-reading). The author insists it…
If we want to live our lives according to the Bible, how we approach Scripture means everything. What differences in interpretation can we see between the contemporary Word of Faith movement and the classic Faith movement?
Karl W. Giberson and Francis S. Collins, The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 250 pages, ISBN 9780830838295. The “conflict†between science and faith within North American evangelicalism continues to rage, unfortunately. This book will no doubt further fan the flames, even if it is intended…
Estrelda Y. Alexander, Black Fire: One Hundred Years of African American Pentecostalism (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011), 406 pages, ISBN 9780830825858. At a time where books on the first one hundred years of modern-day Pentecostalism are published with frequency, Alexander reminds us of the important heritage of African American Pentecostals. African and African American…
Vern Sheridan Poythress, In the Beginning Was the Word: Language-Α God-Centered Approach (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009) 415 pages, ISBN 9781433501791. In the Beginning Was the Word: Language—A God-Centered Approach, authored by Vern Sheridan Poythress, intends to articulate a Christian understanding of language and demonstrate how language reflects God’s character (9). In the Beginning is organized…
In another excerpt from his book Only Believe, Paul King presents “Claiming God’s Promises Today: Classic and Modern Word of Faith Views Compared and Contrasted.†Some reviews to look for in the Fall 2012 issue: Professor Malcolm Brubaker reviews Gary Tyra, The Holy Spirit in Mission: Prophetic Speech and Action in Christian Witness (InterVarsity…
Joe Carter and John Coleman, How to Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion from History’s Greatest Communicator (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2009), 174 pages, ISBN 9781433502712. Ever since Augustine said, “For since by means of the art of rhetoric both truth and falsehood are urged, who would dare to say that truth should stand in the person…
Tim J. R. Trumper, Preaching and Politics: Engagement without Compromise (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2009), 97 pages, ISBN 9781606080085. How do you avoid extremes in the pulpit on controversial affairs of state? As a Reformed Calvinist pastor, Trumper writes for conservative and Reformed evangelicals. He advocates for a middle position between not preaching on…
Toby Jones, The Way of Jesus: Re-forming Spiritual Communities in a Post-Church Age (Eugene: Resource Publications, 2010), 133 pages, ISBN 9781608991525. Toby Jones is a former Moderator of the Presbytery of Mackinac, who parted ways with the Presbyterian denomination in order to found Living Vision, a community attempting to offer an “authentic path to those…
Martyn Percy, Shaping the Church: The Promise of Implicit Theology, Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology Series (Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2010), 193 pages, ISBN 9780754666004. Martyn Percy, Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon and professor at King’s College and Heythrop College London, and the Church of England’s Oxford Ministry Course (for equipping ordinands), adds to…
Editor’s Note: In part two of this excerpt from Theology with Spirit, Dr. Lederle continues his examination of the major streams of the Third Wave, what he has renamed New Independent Charismatic Churches. The Pneuma Review editorial committee hopes you will be encouraged as you read this chapter and will purchase this excellent book for…
John Lathrop interviews Eddie Hyatt about revival and his book Revival Fire. John Lathrop: The word “revival†means different things to different people. How would you define “revival?†Eddie Hyatt: Revival is a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in response to the prayers of God’s people, breathing new life into His people and…
Nicholas Perrin and Richard B. Hays, eds., Jesus, Paul and the People of God: A Theological Dialogue with N. T. Wright (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 294 pages. Every time I read N. T. Wright I come away edified, instructed, inspired, and even transformed. This book is no exception. As in much if not all…
John Stott, The Radical Disciple: Some Neglected Aspects of Our Calling (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2010), 144 pages, ISBN 9780830838479. The name of John Stott is widely known in the evangelical world. He was one of the most respected leaders in Christianity. For many years he served as pastor of All Souls Church in London,…
John W. Wyckoff, Pneuma and Logos: The Role of Spirit in Biblical Hermeneutics (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2010), 168 pages, ISBN 9781608994830. John Wyckoff’s 1990 Ph.D. dissertation has finally come to print and is long overdue. In fact, it is perplexing how a scholarly treatise on such an intriguing topic was not snatched up…
Alister McGrath, The Passionate Intellect: Christian Faith and the Discipleship of the Mind (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP, 2010), 210 pages, ISBN 9780830838431. Alister McGrath, an Anglican priest, theologian, and Christian apologist, is currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture. He was…
Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 352 pages, ISBN 9780801037931. Across the Spectrum contains seventeen short chapters which give a good introduction to a variety of debates spanning across the topics of systematic theology including: biblical inerrancy, divine…
Eddie Gibbs, Churchmorph: how megatrends are reshaping Christian Communities (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 222 pages, ISBN 9780801037627. This work is the product of a teacher and scholar’s lifetime experience. Eddie Gibbs has taught at Fuller for many years, and before that had extensive experience in England. He has intimate knowledge of the development of…
Bradley Jersak, Her Gates Will Never Be Shut: Hope, Hell, and the New Jerusalem (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2009), 220 pages. If you’ll pardon a somewhat tacky pun, the subject of Hell has been hot lately. First, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by…
Historian Paul King invites us to look at the “Hermeneutics in Modern and Classic Faith Movements†in an excerpt from his book, Only Believe. Craig S. Keener speaks with us about his new book, Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. Some reviews to look for in the Summer 2012 issue:…
Editorial Introduction Rolland and Heidi Baker founded IRIS Global (then known as IRIS Ministries) in 1980, the year they were married, spending the next twelve years ministering in Asia, first by leading evangelistic dance and drama teams and then transitioning to work one by one with the poor and forgotten. In 1992, they moved to…
On Tuesday, June 28, 2011 the news became public that an important, and in some ways, unprecedented, document on Christian witness and mission has been finalized and published. In the interest of full disclosure, along with several others, I helped write it. That doesn’t mean that what follows is a defense. Although some of us…
How Shall We Lead the Church? In this Pneuma Review conversation, Pastor John Lathrop says that New Testament leadership should be scripturally based, marked by servanthood, Spirit-empowered, and equipping everyone for ministry. Jesus Christ has a very real relationship with the church. He described the church as His and said that He would build…
Editor’s Note: In this excerpt from his latest book, Professor Lederle says the “third wave†should perhaps be called the rise of the new independent charismatic churches. The Pneuma Review editorial committee hopes you will be encouraged as you read this chapter and will purchase this excellent book for yourself. The third major movement of…
Michael F. Bird, Are You the One Who Is to Come?: The Historical Jesus and the Messianic Question (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 208 pages, ISBN 9780801036385 . Michael Bird’s ever expanding catalog now includes a volume on messianic expectations in the time of Jesus, and how the historical Jesus fits within that field…
Diogenes Allen, Theology for a Troubled Believer: An Introduction to the Christian Faith (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 223 pages, ISBN 9780664223229. When I was first offered the opportunity to review Diogenes Allen’s new book, Theology for a Troubled Believer, I immediately welcomed the opportunity. While in graduate school, I had the great…
George M. Flattery, A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit, vol. 1, The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, James E. Richardson, ed. (Springfield, MO: Global University, 2009), xxxii + 226 pages. George M. Flattery, A Biblical Theology of the Holy Spirit, vol. 2, Luke and Acts, James E. Richardson, ed. (Springfield, MO: Global University,…
Lynn H. Cohick, Women in the World of the Earliest Christians: Illuminating Ancient Ways of Life (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 350 pages, ISBN 9780801031724. Lynn H. Cohick, associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, illuminates the cultural, religious, and social roles of Greco-Roman women in the second temple period. She has examined…
Collin Hansen, “The Son And the Crescent: Bible translations that avoid the phrase ‘Son of God’ are bearing dramatic fruit among Muslims. But that translation has some missionaries and scholars dismayed†Christianity Today (February 2011), pages 18-23. Translation choices continue to be a major issue for the church. While preparing this review, news showed that…
The Spring 2012 issue will continue with Part 2 of “Forming a Community of the Spirit: Hospitality, Fellowship, and Nurture,†from Steven M. Fettke, God’s Empowered People: A Pentecostal Theology of the Laity (Wipf & Stock 2011). The second part of “The Third Wave†from Henry I. Lederle’s latest book, Theology with Spirit: The Future…
How should we lead the church? In this Pneuma Review conversation, Christian counselor, Dr. Eric Scalise answers this question by saying that ministry leaders need to recognize how pastoral ministry causes stress and how they need to develop a plan for self-care. Pastors and ministry leaders, much like those who work in the caregiving professions,…
N. T. Wright, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009), 279 pages, ISBN 9780830838639. Justification is N. T. Wright’s response to John Piper’s critique of several of Wright’s earlier writings. If those earlier writings from Wright are installments in a program, Justification is the program’s hub—the point at which…
James K. A. Smith, Thinking in Tongues: Pentecostal Contributions to Christian Philosophy (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 155 pages, ISBN 978-080286184. James K. A. Smith, associate professor of philosophy at Calvin College and executive director of the Society of Christian Philosophers, engages the subject of hermeneutical philosophy and presses the boundaries outward to make room for…
Mark J. Cartledge, Testimony in the Spirit: Rescripting Ordinary Pentecostal Theology. Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology (Surrey, England: Ashgate, 2010), 219 pages, ISBN: 9780754663522. At least three aspects reward the reader of Testimony in the Spirit: the book is testimonial, methodological, and interdisciplinary. Cartledge explores the everyday beliefs and practices of a classical…
Craig A. Evans and N. T. Wright, Jesus, the Final Days: What Really Happened (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2009), 128 pages, ISBN 9780664233594. This slim book collects two papers by Craig Evans and one by N. T. Wright, edited by Troy A. Miller. The papers were delivered at Crichton College in Memphis in 2003 (Wright)…
Keith Ward, God and the Philosophers (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2009), 224 pages, ISBN 9780800663513. Keith Ward’s God and the Philosophers offers a close look at a handful of philosophers whose work impacted theological matters in one way or another. Ward takes on certain aspects of the thought of Plato, Aquinas, Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer,…
P. W. Baker, Doomed Edifice: The Eclipse of the Prophetic Ministry and the Spiritual Captivity of the Church (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2010), 137 pages, ISBN 9781608990405. Doomed Edifice is a brief historical survey of the first three centuries of ecclesial organizational and worship practices which seek to trace the development of the…
Lisa D. Maugans Driver, Christ At The Center: The Early Christian Era (Louisville: WJK, 2009), 242 pages, ISBN 9780664228972. Driver offers the reader a fast-moving, panoramic view of the context and subsequent development of Christian doctrine as it progressed in the first five centuries of the Church. The work presents a wonderfully helpful, but brief…
Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007), 206 pages, ISBN 9781581349092. Challies, editor of Discerning Reader, a book review website and host of the Christian blog Challies.com: Informing the Reforming, premises his book on the stated intent to present a thoroughly bibliocentric approach in teaching principles of spiritual discernment that equip believers…
The Winter 2012 issue will feature part 1 of Chapter Five from Steven M. Fettke, God’s Empowered People: A Pentecostal Theology of the Laity (Wipf & Stock 2011), “Forming a Community of the Spirit: Hospitality, Fellowship, and Nurture.†John Lathrop continues our conversation about church leadership with his article, “Principles of Church Leadership.†…
  Introduction “Nondiscipleship is the elephant in the church.†So Dallas Willard1 pictures the obviousness and enormity of the problem. Richard Foster agrees, “Perhaps the greatest malady in the Church today is converts to Christ who are not disciples of Christ—a clear contradiction in terms. This malady affects everything in church life….â€2 Brian McLaren asks,…
Wolfgang Vondey, ed., Pentecostalism and Christian Unity: Ecumenical Documents and Critical Assessments (Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2010), 277 pages, ISBN 9781608990771. This book is a collection of critical essays that addresses issues of ecumenism from a variety of Pentecostal perspectives. It is primarily the outcome of papers contributed to meetings for the ecumenism interest groups of…
Graham Ward, The Politics of Discipleship: Becoming Postmaterial Citizens, The Church and Postmodern Culture Series (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 317 pages, ISBN 9780801031588. For most readers of The Pneuma Review, this will not be an easy book to read. Graham Ward, professor of contextual theology and ethics at the University of Manchester in the…
 Timothy Ward, Words of Life: Scripture As the Living and Active Word of God (IVP Academic, Downers Grove, 2009), 184 pages, ISBN 9781433501302. This book is full of contemporary appreciation of the dynamic power of Scripture and invites a reappraisal by the reader of what we really think about the Bible. There are sections…
 Walter Brueggemann, Journey to the Common Good (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 125 pages, ISBN 9780664235161. This excellent little book presents three addresses given by the author. This, together with the narrative theology represented, makes this work eminently readable and engaging. Brueggemann, a pre-eminent Old Testament scholar, is deliberately provocative whilst thoroughly rooted…
 Amanda Porterfield, Healing in the History of Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2005), 218 pages, ISBN 0195157184. Healing has played an important role throughout the history of Christianity, according to Amanda Porterfield. In her new book, Healing in the History of Christianity, she traces the belief in healing back to the ministry of Christ and…
The Pneuma Review interviews Loren Sandford, asking him about growing up under his parents’ ministry, how God prepares people for prophetic ministry and what he sees in today’s prophetic movement. Join the continuing conversation asking, “How should we lead the church?†The Summer 2011 issue will feature an article by Aldwin Ragoonath. Stressing…
 Marvin Olasky, The Tragedy of American Compassion (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008), 299 pages, ISBN 9781433501104. Under review is the second unrevised edition of The Tragedy of American Compassion originally published in 1992. There is good reason for a second unrevised edition. The circumstances described by Olasky in this history of social work and…
 Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament: A Guide for the Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 222 pages, ISBN 9780801026102. How do you preach a lament? A proverb? A law? Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., former president of Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, answers these questions and more in this book….
Editor’s Preface: When The Pneuma Review asked seasoned missionary Jim Harries to explain what “vulnerable mission†is, he wrote an article showing us how one aspect of understanding the host culture can change everything for a foreign missionary. Introduction Can there be appropriate deliverance ministry in Africa? The viability of deliverance ministry in sub-Saharan Africa…
Cindy Jacobs, The Reformation Manifesto: Your Part in God’s Plan to Change the Nations Today (Bloomington, Minnesota: Bethany House, 2008), 238 pages, ISBN 9780764205026. Texan Cindy Jacobs is an international leader in the modern prayer movement. With her husband, Mike, she founded Generals International which works to achieve social transformation through intercession and prophetic…
  James D.G. Dunn, The Living Word, second edition (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2009), 224 pages, ISBN 9780800663551. James Dunn, professor of Divinity at the University of Durham and noteworthy New Testament scholar, advances the conversation between fundamental and liberal viewpoints on the authority, infallibility, and the inspiration of the Bible. As a second edition, Dunn…
Michael F. Bird, Introducing Paul: The Man, His Mission and His Message (Dowers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008), 192 pages, ISBN 9780830828975. Periodically, Biblical scholars emerge on the Christian scene who can communicate profound truths to the busy pastor in a way that he can understand. One of a new generation of such is the…
Stephen Lim says there is an elephant in the church: the lack of real discipleship. Dr. Lim leads us into an examination of the problem and gives us strategies for ousting nondiscipleship. Join the continuing conversation asking, “How should we lead the church?†Woodrow Walton makes “The Case for Anonymous Leadership.†In “Theological…
John P. Lathrop, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers: Then and Now (Xulon, 2008), 152 pages, 9781606474594 John Lathrop has written an excellent survey of what is commonly called the “five-fold ministry gifts†of Ephesians 4:11, giving special attention to the ministries of the “apostle†and “prophet†since these are the most controversial in the…
J. Lee Grady, The Holy Spirit is Not For Sale: Rekindling the Power of God in an Age of Compromise (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2010), 235 pages, ISBN 9780800794873. The name J. Lee Grady should be familiar to those who have been part of the Pentecostal or charismatic Movements for any length of time. For…
Dave Johnson, Led By The Spirit: The History of the American Assemblies of God Missionaries in the Philippines (Pasig City, Philippines: ICI Ministries, 2009), 676 pages, ISBN 9789715033145. Over twenty years ago Gary B. McGee wrote a comprehensive survey of Assemblies of God (AG) missions, “This Gospel Shall Be Preached.” In it he called for…
How to make a humble, biblical case for the charismata and allow the Holy Spirit to do the convincing. In one sense, charismatics have finally achieved a certain level of respectability within the Evangelical movement. Today, we have academic societies and publications1 dedicated to the study of charismatic and Pentecostal issues in which even…
David A. Livermore, Cultural Intelligence: Improving your CQ to Engage our Multicultural World (Baker Academic, 2009), 288 pages, ISBN 9780801035890. What is ‘cultural intelligence’ and why is it important? In today’s multicultural and multilingual world, it is more necessary than ever for church leaders and lay believers to learn how to express “love and…
The Kingdom and the Power. The Pneuma Review has received permission to reprint chapters from this important work that asks: “Are Healing and the Spiritual Gifts Used by Jesus and the Early Church Meant for the Church Today?†The Spring 2010 issue will continue this series with Kingdom and the Power editors Gray Greig and…
Jeffrey J. Niehaus, Ancient Near Eastern Themes in Biblical Theology (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2008), 203 pages, ISBN 9780825433603. Jeffrey J. Niehaus (PhD, Harvard University) is professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His previous publications include God at Sinai: Covenant and Theophany in the Bible and Ancient Near East (Zondervan, 1995) as well as…
George Whitefield was an Englishman of the 18th century and one of the greatest evangelists of all times. Today’s “signs and wonders†would seem mild in comparison to the Spirit’s astonishing demonstrations that occurred in his ministry. My request of the Lord is that He will anoint me with the same Holy Spirit’s power that…
Daniel J. Treier, Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a Christian Practice (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), ISBN 9780801031786. Daniel J. Treier, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College, has written a timely and definitive introduction to the latest theological craze among evangelical theologians and scholars—the so-called “theological interpretation of scripture†movement. Although the…
Andrew J. Schmutzer, “A Theology of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection on Creation and Devastation” JETS 51:4 (Dec 2008). In what follows I plan to intersperse a review of Andrew J. Schmutzer’s “A Theology of Sexual Abuse: A Reflection on Creation and Devastation,†with my own reflections as both a survivor of sexual abuse and…
Estrelda Alexander and Amos Yong, eds., Philip’s Daughters: Women in Pentecostal-Charismatic Leadership, Princeton Theological Monograph Series (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2009), 251 pages, ISBN 9781556358326. Looking for a historical, biblical, theological, and even philosophical discussion about Pentecostal Charismatic (PC) women in ministry? This collection of twelve essays that resulted from a series of colloquia in…
Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (Dutton Adult, 2008), 160 pages, ISBN 9780525950790. The Prodigal God is based on the passage of Scripture we typically call the Parable of the Prodigal Son that is found in chapter 15 of Luke’s gospel; this book is largely an exposition of that…
E. Myron Noble, And They Yet Speak: Historical Survey of African American Pentecostal-Holiness Churches in the Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C., 1900-2006 (Middle Atlantic Regional Press, 2006), 437 pages, ISBN 9781877971280. I have been a history buff for much of my life with a particular emphasis on the history of the Holiness Pentecostal Tradition. I remember…
Paul King, Only Believe: Examining the Origin and Development of Classic and Contemporary Word of Faith Theologies (Word & Spirit Press, 2009), 408 pages, ISBN 9780981952604. Paul King is a scholar at Oral Roberts University and an ordained minister of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. In this volume of some 400 pages, beautifully published…
F. LeRon Shults and Andrea Hollingsworth, The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008), 150 pages, ISBN 9780802824646. This book makes a significant contribution to the “Eerdmans Guides to Theology†series and helps us understand the place of the Holy Spirit in the faith and practice of the church over the centuries and today. This…
Introduction For church leaders, preachers and even ordinary Christians, choosing a Bible translation can be a difficult task. This is made even more difficult for those who study translation in order to make an informed decision. It is unfortunate that discussions of Bible translations tend to be centred on personal opinions (for example Taylor 2007)…
Graham H. Twelftree, In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism among Early Christians (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 352 pages, ISBN 9780801027451. 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…
The Fall 2008 (Volume 11, Number 4) issue of The Pneuma Review.
Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, revised and expanded edition (New York: Oxford, 2007), 316 pages, ISBN 9780195183078. Philip Jenkins’ award winning study of developments in Christianity outside of the Western hemisphere should be riveting reading for anyone interested in the future of Christianity and of Christian ministry. It particularly informs…
Paul Rhodes Eddy and Gregory A. Boyd, The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Tradition (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 479 pages, ISBN 9780801031144. Paul Rhodes Eddy (Ph.D. Marquette University) is professor of biblical and theological studies at Bethel University, and Gregory A. Boyd (Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary) is the…
Terry L. Cross, Answering the Call in the Spirit: Pentecostal Reflections on a Theology of Vocation, Work and Life (Cleveland, TN: Lee University Press, 2007), 164 pages, ISBN 9781596843301. The author’s stated purpose is “expanding the definition of calling†(p. 6) as understood in traditional Pentecostal theology and to “show that a theology of calling…
Carolyn Osiek and Margaret Y. MacDonald with Janet M. Tulloch, A Woman’s Place: House Churches in the Earliest Christianity (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005), vi+ 345 pages, ISBN 9780800637774. Carolyn Osiek, Charles Fischer Catholic Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University, and Margaret Y. MacDonald, Professor of Religious Studies at St. Francis…
Philip Jenkins, The New Faces of Christianity: Reading the Bible in the Global South (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006). x + 252 pages, ISBN 0195300653. Philip Jenkins, God’s Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe’s Religious Crisis (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007). ix + 340 pages, ISBN 0195313956. The two books under review are part of what…
Martin Robinson & Dwight Smith, Invading Secular Space: Strategies for Tomorrow’s Church (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2003), 221 pages, ISBN 9780825460500. This book assesses the crisis of the Western church and proposes strategies for recovering the missional character of the church. According to Robinson and Smith, the mission of the church in the apostolic period…
Sean S. O’Neal, Bridges To People: Communicating Jesus to People and Growing Missional Churches in a Multi-Ethnic World (Xulon Press, 2007), 288 pages, ISBN 9781602662681. My longtime friend, mentor and colleague, Sean O’Neal, who serves as the Director of Evangelism and Youth Ministries for the Church of God California/Nevada State Executive Office, has published…
Brian D. McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I am a missional +evangelical +post/protestant +liberal/conservative +mystical/poetic +biblical +charismatic/contemplative +fundamentalist/calvinist +anabaptist/anglican +methodist +catholic +green +international +depressed-yet-hopeful +emergent +unfinished Christian (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2004), 297 pages, ISBN 0310257476 No reader of this book will finish it unaffected. Critics of McLaren or the emergent conversation will have more disdain and…
William Lane Craig and Paul M. Gould, eds., The Two Tasks of the Christian Scholar: Redeeming the Soul, Redeeming the Mind (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007), 199 pages, ISBN 9781581349399. Written in honor of the late Charles Malik (1987), this short volume of eight essays celebrates his belief that the two tasks of Christian scholars in…
The modern era has past us by. Modernism stood in stark contradiction to the Christian faith. It asserted that man’s scientific and objective knowledge could save the problems of the world. God wasn’t necessary. In fact, according to the tenants of modernism, God didn’t even exist. Why? Because modernism arrogantly taught that only…
A review essay by pastor, scholar Tony Richie about the new perspective on Paul. Simon Gathercole, “What Did Paul Really Mean?: ‘New perspective’ scholars argue that we need, well, a new perspective on justification by faith” Christianity Today (August 2007), pages 22-28. Simon Gathercole is a NT scholar and former Senior Lecturer in New Testament…
The Pneuma Review editorial committee is excited about a new book by J. P. Moreland called Kingdom Triangle: Recover the Christian Mind, Renovate the Soul, Restore the Spirit’s Power. After Dr. Moreland agreed to interview with us, we wrote to him: The mission of the Foundation is “to lead Pentecostal/charismatic believers to a greater understanding…
A fresh reminder from Chas Carrin about how amazing the Bible is and how the Spirit speaks through it today. Pentecost exploded onto the ancient world with such power that it forever altered the work of scribes and the production of books. The overwhelming demand for the written account of Jesus had no precedent in…
J. P. Moreland, Kingdom Triangle: Recover the Christian Mind, Renovate the Soul, Restore the Spirit’s Power (Zondervan, 2007), 237 pages, ISBN 9780310274322. I want to foment a revolution in Evangelical life… My purpose is to mobilize, inspire, envision, and instruct an army of men and women for a revolution on behalf of the cause of…
Christians need God’s power in order to live the way he intended. It is clear from the New Testament that the power of God is meant to accompany the gospel, and to find expression through its messengers and in the lives of those to whom the message comes. Each December, Time magazine produces a set…
Mark Galli, interviewer, “Glocal Church Ministry: Bob Roberts has an idea that may change American congregations, if not the world” Christianity Today (July 2007), pages 42-46. I have often thought of the concept of glocalzation and questioned myself, “In what ways does a local church become global?” On one hand, the local church does not…
Don Garlington, In Defense of the New Perspective on Paul: Essays and Reviews (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2005), viii + 245 pages. Garlington earned his MDiv and ThM degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), and his PhD in New Testament at the University of Durham under James D. G. Dunn. He taught from 1987-2002…
Now in his eighties, Dr. Francis MacNutt has been one of the giants of the Christian healing ministry for almost four decades. His books Healing (1974), Deliverance from Evil Spirits (1995), and Overcome by the Spirit (1990) are, I believe, still the best introductions to healing, deliverance, and manifestations of the Spirit. His writings have…
David: What is your first memory of knowing God? Francis: As far back as I can remember I believed in God. I went with my dad to church every Sunday. I was always serious about God and very intent on wanting to do His will. David: How did that evolve into a call to…
Roc Bottomly, The Promised Power: Experiencing The Union Of Word and Spirit (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2005), 205 pages. This book bears wonderful testimony to what God is doing in the world today. The author, Roc Bottomly, graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a master’s degree in theology. During the course of his pastoral ministry he…
David J. Hesselgrave, Paradigms in Conflict: 10 Key Questions in Christian Missions Today (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2005), 368 pages, ISBN 9780825427701. It is rare to find a very readable and theologically sound volume that examines current missiological issues perceptively with historical backgrounds, biblical exegesis, and practical insight by a recognized giant in the field. David…
The final chapter in this unique commentary on the Gospel to the Hebrews. Messianic teacher Kevin Williams discusses the Roman execution of Messiah, the forsakenness of the sacrifice, changing the Sabbath, the Great Commission and other insights in this closing chapter. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the…
St. Symeon the New Theologian, On the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses Vol. 1 The Church and the Last Things (Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1995) Vol. 2 On Virtue and Christian Life (Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1996) Vol. 3 Life, Times and Theology (Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1997) I first heard of…
An examination of Messiah’s night-time trial before the Sanhedrin, pointing to the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy and the travesty of justice that took place. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock…
Part 1 of 2 Introduction In 1985 Dave Hunt, a lay cult watcher, published one of the most influential books of the 1980s, The Seduction of Christianity.1 In that work he lambasted much of the leadership of the charismatic renewal for “seducing†the American Christianity with ideas and practices derived from occult sources. He attacked…
Messiah celebrates his final Passover on earth, teaching us much about His own identity as the Paschal Lamb. And it came about that when Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming …†(Matthew 26:1-2a).1 Passover: the overriding event in Israel at…
Mark A. Noll, The Rise of Evangelicalism: The age of the Edwards, Whitefield, and the Wesleys, A History of Evangelicalism, People, Movements and Ideas in the English-Speaking World I (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 2003). This is a splendid book that I found to be very rewarding reading. It is well thought out and…
Does Messiah pay taxes? Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams and find out. Â The Olivet Discourse can be compared to a fine painting by one of the masters. That might sound odd, but everyone can look at the same piece of artwork from very different perspectives with opinions that range…
Were Pharisees opposed to anything supernatural? [Author’s Note: The following text is neither an endorsement nor a censure of Jewish mysticism as practiced today or during the biblical era. Rather, it is an attempt to present the facts of a multi-faceted and ancient religious philosophy in a short, manageable format for the Pneuma Review.] …
In this guest editorial, Eddie Hyatt points us to Jesus as antidote to wayward spirituality. While driving to class a few days ago I asked God for a theme for that day. I was teaching from the book of Colossians and had a vague idea where I was going, but desired more clarity about a…
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Engaging God’s World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002), 145 pages. This book was written to fill a need that concerned the leadership at Calvin College–wanting to keep Calvin a college that is Christian. Though presented to a wider Christian audience, Plantinga…
Andrew Perriman, Faith, Health and Prosperity (UK: Paternoster, 2003 / USA: Gabriel Resources, 2004), 214 pages. It is not difficult finding faults with the modern faith movement. For many people, in fact, it seems to have become something of an obsession. One does not need a theology degree to demonstrate how scriptures have been taken…
In this installment of this unique commentary on the Gospel to the Hebrews, Yeshua asks His examiners a question, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?†Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?†They…
Howard M. Ervin, Healing: Sign of the Kingdom (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002), 116 pages. This is a wonderful little book on the significance of healing in the earthly ministry of Jesus. Howard Ervin rightly notes that the focal point of Jesus’ ministry was the Kingdom of God that is coming and was already…
Ian Stackhouse, The Gospel-Driven Church: Retrieving Classical Ministry for Contemporary Revivalism (Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster Press, 2004), 291 pages. This, in the words of the Foreword, “is the first in a series of books that reflect the work of an ecumenical conversation,†where Stackhouse reflects from his own, earlier Restorationist roots, on his own…
 The Gospel of John (Visual Bible, 2004). The Visual Bible, with productions of The Gospel of Matthew and Acts, continues their quality retelling of biblical stories in The Gospel of John. In this word-for-word drama using the Good News Bible translation, the viewer it taken on a tour of the Messiah’s life as told…
Does Messiah pay taxes? Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams and find out. And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared …†(Matthew 22:1-2). One consistent theme to Yeshua’s (Jesus’) ministry in the book of Matthew is the reality of the…
Stanley J. Grenz, “We Dare Not Fall: Dealing With the Peril of Clergy Sexual Misconduct.†Enrichment (Fall 2004), pages 38-47, 51. Sexual misconduct on the part of the clergy is fast becoming a national problem of epidemic proportions. In an over-sexed society, bombarded by sexual themes and images on all sides, increasing sexual misconduct on…
Norma Cook Everist, ed. The Difficult but Indispensable Church (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002), 262 pages. This book is a collaboration of members of the Wartburg Theological Seminary and includes 21 individual authors. Their goal is not to develop a cohesive, monolithic work, but to examine the (local) church from many different personal viewpoints and…
Does Messiah pay taxes? Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams and find out. And when they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied…
Craig S. Keener, Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001), 224 pages. Craig Keener, a New Testament professor at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, has already made a name for himself in the world of biblical studies. The present work on the Holy Spirit will undoubtedly introduce his name also…
With comments by Pauline Parham, daughter-in-law of Charles Parham, who passed away at the age of 94 on December 22, 2003 He has been called a “rabid racist†and a “white supremacist.†He has been vilified as the progenitor of racial prejudice in the Pentecostal movement. Some believe that any traces of racism among modern…
Forgiveness. Fidelity. Laying on of hands. Kevin Williams puts these and other teachings of Jesus in their context, pulling back the veil of history and culture that is now far removed from us. Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive men? Up to…
Part of the Rightly Understanding God’s Word series by Craig S. Keener. As appearing in Pneuma Review Fall 2004. Bible Background (Part 1 of 2) In any communication, some matters are stated but others can be left assumed. For instance, I am writing in English, on the assumption that I and my readers both know…
Pneuma Review: How do you feel the Pentecostal/charismatic church today is doing at understanding and effectively communicating the teachings of the Bible? What can leaders do to improve? French Arrington: Generally speaking Pentecostal/charismatic preaching and teaching is not substantive in biblical content. In making this observation I must ask, however, what sector is being…
Does Messiah pay taxes? Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams and find out. And when they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter, and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax? (Matthew 17:24). Throughout this series, the basic premise has been that the…
What does the coming of Elijah and the casting out of demons have to do with showing Jesus as Messiah? Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams and find out. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?†And He answered and said,…
Pneuma Review: What is the biblical role of the prophet today? Allow me to begin by stating that I define “prophetic” in a simple and broad way. It has generally to do with direct divine communication by the Holy Spirit to and/or through human beings. “Prophetic” then serves as an umbrella term that has…
The Resurrection of Jesus, A Jewish Perspective. Pinchas Lapide. Wipf and Stock Publishers (Eugene, OR: 2002). I first encountered Rabbi Lapide in the mid-1980s in a televised debate with noted Christian theologian Walter Kaiser, Jr. I was dumbfounded to hear this Orthodox rabbi state that Jesus “might be the Messiah†but that the Jewish community…
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…
Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams as he unveils rich Hebraisms and prophetic Messianic insights. From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on…
The seventh chapter from Professor Williams’ book, The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today, about the greatest reality of our time. Chapter Seven: Context The matter before us next is that of the context in which the Holy Spirit is given. Already we have emphasized that the gift of the Holy Spirit comes to…
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Him asked Him to show them a sign from heaven (Matthew 16:1). This section of Matthew can be troublesome. Who among us has not, at some time or another, asked for a sign from God? Yet the intent behind Yeshua’s (Jesus’) words here may help put…
Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread†(Matthew 15:1-2).1 The Pharisees we encounter here seem to be challenging Yeshua (Jesus)2 once again. Certainly, given our studies so far, we may…
 “Three Temptations of Spiritual Formation†Evan Howard. Christianity Today (Dec. 9, 2002), pages 46-49. The spiritual formation movement is growing in significance and impact among Christians of all traditions. Numerous influences are shaping this movement, most of them positive, but there are real dangers lurking. Author Evan Howard writes that when we seek to…
In this section of our study on Matthew 13, we take a look at the parables. This investigation will not likely be the same as many other examinations of Yeshua’s (Jesus’1) parables. From the outset, our purpose has been to demonstrate the “Jewishness†of this gospel and this section will be no different. The use…
The Summer 2003 issue continues the study of Biblical interpretation with Professor Craig Keener. Chapter Two: “Learning Context†is a lesson in reading the Scriptures for what they were intended to say instead of reading them according to our preconceived ideas. Messianic teacher Kevin Williams continues his Messianic Foundations Series with the tenth…
Apart from bringing some Hebraic elements to light in the life of Yeshua1 and His ministry, this series has been unveiling the theme “Yeshua is the long awaited Messiah of Israel.†We have repeatedly demonstrated from the text how the teaching and deeds of Yeshua made their own messianic proclamations, without requiring direct confirmation from…
Christian History 74 (Vol XXI No 2). “Christians & Muslims: Confronting fourteen centuries of ambition, sorrow, and bad faith.†Perhaps no other Christian magazine is as poised to offer as complete a picture of the historical conflict between Islam and Christianity as Christian History. In a few brief and readable articles this issue summarizes the…
Some scholars believe that when Yeshua (Jesus) and his disciples were walking the earth, messianic expectations were extremely high. There were those Hebrew scholars of the day who were well acquainted with Daniel chapter nine, and according to the “weeks†and “sevens,†they knew the Messiah’s arrival was imminent. As a result there were…
Fred Heeren, “Home Alone in the Universe?†First Things (Mar 2002, No 121), pages 38-46. I always enjoy reading contemporary articles that offer fresh evidence for faith in the God of the Bible, even if such “evidence†is somewhat indirect. I found this recently in a well-written summary and critique of another “faith,†the predominantly…
Part Five of the series examined Yeshua’s1 proclamation, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill†(Matthew 5:17). We examined that this statement has, over the centuries, given many believers the impression that Yeshua did away with or annulled the…
Gene L. Green, “‘As For Prophecies, They Will Come to and End’: 2 Peter, Paul and Plutarch on ‘The Obsolescence of Oracles,’†Journal for the Study of the New Testament 82 (2001), pages 107-122. Any Pentecostal/charismatic that has encountered a cessationist—those who believe the “supernatural†gifts of the Holy Spirit have ceased—has heard 1 Cor…
Half of the Churches in America are growing have fewer than 100 participating adults (25% have less than 50) are located in a rural or small town setting Less than 10% of all churches in America have more than 1000 in attendance. Keys to Growth Growing churches report that they: welcome change have cultural affinity—finding…
After the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10), there does not appear to be any break in the chronology of Matthew’s narrative. It seems that Yeshua1 (Jesus) continues teaching on this mountain in Galilee (see Matt. 7:28-29). There is however, a break in the context. If the assertions made in the last edition of the Pneuma Review were…
From Pneuma Review Spring 2002. John Rea, Charisma’s Bible Handbook on the Holy Spirit (Creation House, 1998), 346 pages, ISBN 9780884195665. For the pastor and Bible student that have been looking for a handbook on the Holy Spirit from a Pentecostal/charismatic perspective here is an all-in-one reference not to be missed. Dr. Rea introduces this…
Introduction Cessationists,1 those who argue that certain gifts of the Spirit have ceased, are increasingly using an argument-from-analogy from Paul’s epistle to the believers in Ephesus. This paper offers a biblical rebuttal to the cessationist use of Ephesians 2:20 as an argument for the cessation of prophecy, and, by extension, the other so-called “miraculous†gifts…
Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is. V. Pentecostalism and Ecumenism: Future Prospects and Tasks My conclusion is that Pentecostals need the larger Church even as the larger Church needs Pentecostalism. Thus, the quest for a biblically based and Spirit inspired Christian unity must include both movements. In this last section…
“Now when He heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee†(Matthew 4:12). This verse is not, as some might think, God incarnate fleeing danger. Rather, it is possible that this was in fulfillment of John’s words about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease†(John 3:30). John understood, as…
From the Worship Leader Series Here’s a quiz: The service is ended. People are milling around and you are putting your equipment away. Suddenly a face appears in front of you with a look of total elation. “Worship was a-a-a-w-e-s-o-m-e!” they exclaim. Your answer? a) “Yes, I knew that the worship was awesome. But did…
Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is. IV. Pentecostal Ecumenism: A Survey If it is true to say that Pentecostalism has always been ecumenical, it is also true to say that in certain respects, the ecumenical movement has always been “pentecostal.†In what follows, I want to tease out three elements…
Part 3 and conclusion of Professor Grudem’s exegetical study of 1 Corinthians 13. The Duration of Prophecy: How Long Will Prophecy Be Used in the Church? The Relationship between the Gift of Prophecy and Scripture In addition to the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, there is one other area of concern to the question of…
Journey through the Gospel to the Hebrews with Kevin Williams as he unveils rich Hebraisms and prophetic Messianic insights. In the first two parts of our series on the gospel of Matthew, we have looked into the apostle’s claims that Jesus is the promised Messiah. We have examined some rather subtle ways Matthew managed…
Interview with Charisma editor, J. Lee Grady: Special to the Pneuma Review Pneuma Review: Many in the Pentecostal/charismatic movement have said that the church is experiencing renewal. Do you agree, and if so, how has it touched you? Lee Grady: There is no question that the charismatic church has experienced a level of renewal since…
Editor’s Introduction to Worldviews in Conflict Welcome to the Dialogue It is my privilege to introduce this paper by Larry Taylor and a dialogue about a practice many have embraced without first weighing the theological consequences. Our subject is the teaching of spiritual mapping, identifying and expelling territorial demonic forces. This teaching has…
“Muslims Tell ‘Why I Chose Jesus’†by J. Dudley Woodberry and Russell G. Shubin. Mission Frontiers (March 2001). Pp. 28-33. Woodberry and Shubin have compiled a number of testimonies of Muslims coming to faith in Jesus as Messiah, thereby reminding all of us of the life-changing power of the gospel. It is no secret that…
I served as a mediator the other day. I have mediated many disputes over the past ten or fifteen years, but the last one was different than all the others. It involved a dispute between four Christian businessmen who had dissolved their partnership and in so doing had become deeply divided. To their credit, they…
From the Worship Leader series. “All the earth shall worship at the throne of the …BZZZZZ!†What in the world was that? All eyes turn to the previously unnoticed sound guy sitting sheepishly at the back of the church. Feedback, the wah-wahs, boominess in the lead vocalist—these sound distortions rivet everyone’s attention on the sound…
 Reviewed by the Editors “The Genesis of our Woes†by Martin Hengel. Christianity Today (June 11, 2001). Pp. 78-80. Hengel relates the current state of human progress with the first chapters of Genesis. Excellent sermon starter material. “In the Beginning…†Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies (Vol 4, No 1, January 2001). Pp. 73-148 In this…
Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is. III. Ecumenical Pentecostalism: A Historical Overview I hope to have shown that Pentecostal anti-ecumenism stems in part from theological convictions imported into rather than derived from the Pentecostal experience of the Spirit. Such importations have inhibited Pentecostals from a genuine understanding of what the…
Matthew 1:18-2:12 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows …†(Matt. 1:18). We could likely spend a lot of time debating the season of the Messiah’s birth, but we are not going to. We will not even try. Christian tradition holds to the 25th of December, a date that parallels the celebration of…
Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is. II. Classical Pentecostal Objections to Ecumenism Given this biblically defined ecumenism [Editor’s note: please see part 1 in the Winter 2001 issue], then, why is it that most Pentecostals remain staunchly anti-ecumenical? While many reasons have been given, three stand out as representing a…
Forward: As a preparatory note, at times I will mention an “Israeli believer.†The distinction is, these are Jewish believers in Messiah Jesus who are also citizens of national Israel. The political situation in the Holy Land is one that, being recognized as a believer in Jesus can mean losing your job, your home,…
Amos Yong challenges classical Pentecostals to re-examine what ecumenism really is. Editor’s Introduction to “Pentecostalism and Ecumenism: Past, Present, and Future†I am pleased to present this important series by Professor Amos Yong. The subject of what ecumenism truly is and what it means to the Pentecostal/charismatic is an important one today. This article has…
22. Doesn’t the Bible teach that the Holy Spirit will never call attention to Himself, but will always direct our attention to Christ? Then how can it be right to place so much emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit today? This objection is based on trying to force a false alternative, one not…
Maureen D. Eha, “They Shall Cast Out Demons†Charisma (May 2000, Vol 25, No 10), pages 52-60, 120. Can believers be possessed, or demonized, by evil spirits? According to the article “They Shall Cast Out Demons†by Maureen Eha in the May 2000 issue of Charisma, the answer is yes. The article begins with the…
By D. William Faupel As appearing the Summer 2000 issue of The Pneuma Review My mother met me at the door, her face bursting with excitement. “You will never guess what has happened,†she exclaimed. Before I could respond, she continued, “Pentecost has come to the Episcopalians!†The year was 1961. I was a senior…
Should we expect the Holy Spirit to work in powerful, miraculous ways in connection with the preaching of the gospel and the life of the Church today? Part 2 of 4.
In the preceding article, we left our friend, George, the novice charismatic whose excited testimony ran into a wall of biblical-sounding arguments from his pastor, a cessationist.1 This article offered a kind of pocket guide of “pro†charismatic arguments which George (or you, gentle reader) can photocopy and send to your cessationist friends for comment….
Vinson Synan, “Pentecostal Trends of the 90’s†Ministries Today (May/June 1999, Vol. 17, No. 3), pages 60-64, 77. Leading church historian and theologian Vinson Synan gives an overview of the trends and directions the Pentecostal/charismatic movement have taken is the final decade of the Second Millennium. Professor Synan begins with a broad view of some…
“From Luther to Carey: Pietism and the Modern Missionary Movement,†Kenneth Mulholland. Bibliotheca Sacra 156 (Jan-Mar 1999), pp. 85-95. This article in Bibliotheca Sacra, the quarterly theological journal of the predominately cessationist school Dallas Theological Seminary, takes an historical look at the modern missions movement. Professor Kenneth Mulholland describes how the hyper-Calvinism and conversely the…
Chayim Mayim: The Living Waters by Kevin Williams will continue his Messianic Foundations Series. Expect a powerful message about the incorruptible life of Messiah dwelling in every believer. The Praying in the Spirit Series by Robert W. Graves continues with Just What Is the Nature of the Prayer Language? Author Robert Graves presents a…
John Pester, “Jesus Christ: Last Adam, Life-giving Spirit,†Affirmation and Critique, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Oct. 1998). Affirmation and Critique is a quarterly which addresses theological subjects in a continuum. Through a variety of articles by numerous authors, the last seven issues have focused on the person and work of Christ in a weighty…
The Internet You probably already know that the Internet has become a tremendous resource to many pastors, professors and Bible students. It can be a seamless tool for research of all kinds, from locating a Bible school to looking up ancient sources. In this issue, just a few of the countless internet resources that…
The Full Picture of Passover by Kevin Williams will continue his Messianic Foundations Series. The Praying in the Spirit Series by Robert W. Graves continues with The Focus of the Charismatic Experience: Tongues, the Holy Spirit, or Christ? Baptism with the Spirit: Is it Normal to Receive at or after Conversion? by Michael…
Gary W. Derickson, “The Cessation of Healing Miracles in Paul’s Ministryâ€, Bibliotheca Sacra, Issue 155 (July-September 1998), p. 299-315. This article by the Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Western Baptist College attempts to show that Paul’s ability to heal diminished towards the end of his ministry and finally ceased. Professor Derickson gives an introduction…
David D. Daniels, “They Had a Dream: Racial harmony broke down, but the hope did not,†Christian History, Issue 58, Vol. 17, No. 2, p. 19. David D. Daniels provides an insightful look at the uniquely interracial roots of early Pentecostals and some of the problems they encountered. He begins with a brief look at…
John Bevere, Breaking Intimidation (Creation House, 1995), 205 pages, ISBN 9781591858812. Like their worldly counterparts, Christian bookstores today seem to be laden with self-help or, if you will, “spiritual†pop psychology books. Breaking Intimidation is no such book. Author John Bevere confronts head on a spiritual problem most of us encounter at one time or…
William De Arteaga, Quenching the Spirit: Discover the REAL Spirit behind the Charismatic Controversy (Orlando: Creation House, 1992, 1996), 358 pages, ISBN 9780884194323. William De Arteaga defines pharisaism as a religious attitude and heresy that so affirms the role of tradition that a new move of the Holy Spirit is often identified as demonic (p.335)….
Messianic Pictures in the Temple Sacrificial System by Kevin Williams will continue his Messianic Foundations Series. The Praying in the Spirit Series by Robert W. Graves continues with Some Marvelous Effects of Praying in the Spirit. The Kingdom and the Spirit by Gene L. Green takes a look at the dynamic of the…
Pastor, scholar, businessman Larry Taylor shows that there is no need to fear theology and answers that there is a great need for a Biblical theology today.
Have you got Jesus All Wrong? As a writer, I have the wonderful privilege of researching and meditating on one topic for months at a time. My latest project allowed me to focus on the grandest subject of all: Jesus. Growing up in the church, I learned his name as soon as I learned the…
Special Thanks The editors, staff, and directors of the Pneuma Foundation would like to express our gratitude to a number of individuals who have made this journal possible. Special thanks to Christian Life College in Mount Prospect, Illinois (Chicago area) for their generous permission to reprint articles that originally appeared in their journal Basileia. Their…
Have more effective Prison Ministry follow-up by utilizing this Institute devoted to training inmates in God’s Word. Ask anyone who has been involved in prison ministry what the biggest difficulty is and they will tell you: Follow-up. Nothing is a greater obstacle to effective ministry to the incarcerated than the inability to establish relationships with…
“20 of the Most Significant events in the history of 20th Century Pentecost†Pentecostal Evangel (May 31, 1998). The Pentecost Sunday (1998) edition of the Pentecostal Evangel (Assemblies of God weekly publication) is indeed a special edition. Laid out in a concise and easy-to-read chronological format, this Evangel can be read in order or…
Introduction to the Pneuma Review Welcome to the premiere issue of the Pneuma Review, the quarterly journal of the Pneuma Foundation. Allow me to introduce you to this journal and organization. Pneuma. Spirit. The Pneuma Foundation exists to provide resources for Spirit-empowered ministry. Those of us who make up the Pneuma Foundation, the founders, writers,…
