The PAOC has published another booklet: His Witnesses: Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World (2013). It would be too much to discuss all thirteen essays here, so I offer only a few reflections and highlights. David Wells (the PAOC general superintendent) expresses the impetus for this timely book: church life has many aspects that can […]
Does sin separate us from God? How could one be separated from an omnipresent God? If you try to think of a scripture that states “sin separates you from God” (or something like it), you will have a hard time. If sin separated us from God, wouldn’t that mean that there isn’t much hope? We would have been stuck in […]
We should update the PAOC statement of faith. I’m sure other people have thought this. However, I haven’t heard too many people talk about the fact that our statement of faith contains much gender exclusive language. Gender exclusive language uses terms like “mankind” and “policemen.” Gender inclusive language uses terms like “people” or “police officers” […]
Back in the “good old days” of pentecostalism, testimonies were common (i.e., an autobiographical story of how God had worked in a person’s life). At the Azusa Street revival testimonies were not only shared regularly by people in attendance, but they would also sometimes read letters during their meetings from people who had been inspired […]
Reflections from a journal article (see below for full information): 1/ The church should be a “fellowship in the Spirit” (p. 156ff.). This means that the church is not just gathered together by the Spirit (a fellowship created by the Spirit), but that, “In the Pentecostal model of church, the key and defining thing is […]
I am not totally anti-four spiritual laws (although I prefer to call them, “spiritual truths”), especially if they include a call to repentance (and not just “belief” in God—Mark 1:15). Nevertheless, I am among those who wonder if there is perhaps a better way to approach evangelism than starting with “you’re a sinner” (that sure […]
Speaking in tongues is not the only sign that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit. When Jesus told the disciples that he was going to baptize them in the Holy Spirit he didn’t even mention tongues. Instead, he focused on the fact that this was preparation for their ministry. He said that […]
To say there is ‘senseless’ evil presumes you have a basis to say it is senseless. However, saying something is ‘senseless’ just means you can’t make sense of it. That is, it means that you can’t figure out why God would allow it. However, calling some evil ‘senseless’ doesn’t prove there is no reason (just that […]
I read an interview with Eastern Orthodox bishop Kallistos Ware. If you are familiar with the Orthodox Church, you will know that the liturgy is pivotal for their faith. In the interview, Ware talked about his view of evangelism in relation to the liturgy: “To those who show an interest in Orthodoxy, I say, ‘Come […]
An article of mine just came out in Enrich: The Leadership Magazine of the PAOC called “Passion for God?”. You can also view the whole magazine.