The major hallmark of Pentecostalism is -- tada! -- the prosperity gospel. Who'da thunk? Well, Ted Olson certainly does think so:
But for now, as the Pew Forum survey shows, Pentecostalized Christianity is nearly synonymous with the prosperity gospel. So while we listen to our brothers and sisters, we also need to proclaim biblical truths that counter the "health and wealth" message. The spiritual gift most needed in the 21st century is the gift of discernment 1 Cor. 12:10.
While I agree on the importance of discernment, I'm kind of missing it in this article. First of all, it seems hard to generalize the Pentecostal movement on a global scale. The article does admit that, but then, in conclusion, comes back to such a generalization. Second, I find it kind of hard to focus on one single aspect and declare this "the thing that really unites Pentecostals" -- especially when this is just the aspect that would exclude a lot of folks (including me) from the Pentecostal fold.
No, Mr. Olsen, I do not agree.
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