I recently read The New Canadian Pentecostals by Adam Stewart. I loved this book, so much so that I devoured it. As the title suggests, it describes changes in Pentecostal churches in Canada, specifically in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC). The book was a joy to read. One of the final chapters was my […]
Some famous preachers make this their regular mantra, “God is for you, not against you.” Whenever I hear such encouragement, however, I wonder how someone can make such a blanket statement to all people who might be listening.
If you run in charismatic circles to any extent, you’ve probably heard that something “big” is going to happen this fall, because the last of the “four blood moons” will take place. And I’m here to tell you, something BIG will take place. First, a few important observations about the “prophecy” and the Bible: What […]
Following up on the October 2014 survey of PAOC credential holders, Adam Stewart and I had an article called “Spiritual Vitality Among PAOC Credential Holders” appear in the Summer 2015 issue of Enrich: The Leadership Magazine of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, p. 26-29. Click on the picture or here to view the article. *Posted here with permission.
I was away from home, so I took the opportunity to attend two historic and liturgical churches. One of them was very traditional, while the other church was a little more contemporary, even including a familiar Chris Tomlin song in their worship. As I participated in the liturgies of these services, I took note of […]
Dr. Adam Stewart and I published an article on “Spiritual Vitality among PAOC Credential Holders” in Enrich. One thing we didn’t comment on in the article is an interesting shift regarding the spiritual practices of PAOC credential holders according to their education levels. Back in 1985/86 Carl Verge concluded that “those clergy of the PAOC […]
Following up on the October 2014 survey of PAOC credential holders, Adam Stewart and I had an article called “Theological Vitality in the PAOC Today” appear in the Spring 2015 issue of Enrich: The Leadership Magazine of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, p. 12-15. Click on the picture or here to view the article. *Posted here with permission.
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8). For some Christians, this text is all that defines Pentecost. However, Pentecost was a fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies. Hence, to properly understand the significance of Pentecost, one must begin with the Old Testament expectations of the future coming of the […]
SPIRIT AS LOVE Jonathan Edwards’s can assist Pentecostals to further develop their understanding of the Holy Spirit. Edwards believes that Scripture confirms his view that the Spirit is the love of God. 1 John 4:8 states that “God is love,” which implies, for Edwards, that “the divine nature and essence does subsist in love.” […]
The majority of Christians have no problem with most of the Old Testament—Psalm 23 is a favorite for many—but the violence in the Old Testament (=OT) causes concern for both Christians and non-Christians who read the Bible. The problem is not just that violence and war are prominent in some OT books, but that God is often […]