have a coffee

During my research for establishing the criteria for a truly Pentecostal approach to theology, I ran into one important element that I had so far neglected in my own developing model: early Pentecostalism organized its theological thinking around the fourfold (fivefold in some cases) perspective on Jesus Christ as savior, healer, baptizer, and coming king (Holiness-Pentecostals would add "sanctifier" as fifth element). This central framework constitutes the fundamental Pentecostal approach to the question of valid loci in systematic theology -- which should be retained, I think, in a new approach that takes into account our Pentecostal tradition. So Christocentrism becomes the organizing principle of Pentecostal dogmatics.

Read more »

Defining Pentecostalism is a task that is yet before me in my dissertation research. Already in the first part of the dissertation, I will need to define a set of criteria that any proposed methodology will have to meet in order to be acceptable to both Pentecostals and a Post-modern world. So what is it that really makes someone or something “Pentecostalâ€� With the enormous size and the multiple contexts of the Pentecostal movement of today, this answer is not easy. However, a number of criteria do emerge on a closer look:

Read more »

I just read the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark – an impressive witness of Jesus’ ministry. His teaching was specifically noticed for its authority, which, of course, was further proven by the accompanying miracles. Thinking ahead to the final chapter of Mark, the famous, disputed long ending has Jesus’ promise that the same kind of authoritative signs would accompany the preaching of his disciples (which, we remember from Acts, they did throughout the first generations). But what about today? Where are the signs and wonders? As a Pentecostal, I need to ask myself this question even louder than my brethren in the other denominations, who simply might not believe in the possibility of something like this happening at all in our age. But I do. And I expect it. What has happened so that nothing happens?

Read more »

Last week, in our church leaders council (something like a board of deacons), I conducted a survey of important themes people would like to talk about in future sessions. We then rated these themes by means of points given by each participant. Interestingly, the topic that got by far the most points was the question of the exact place and method of teaching within the church. So here are some random thoughts on this topic out of my daily writing.

Read more »

It's amazing how many good Christian resources you can find on the web these days. One site that I've been looking into for quite a while is bibleserver.com, a cooperation of different bible societies, which allows you to browse a number of different modern translations online. Now, most of these translations, I already have in my BibleWorks, where they can be used a lot more comfortably. The most important ones, I even have on my palm, which I always carry in my pocket. But then again, some I don't have and I didn't even know they existed in a digital form anywhere.

Read more »