I am writing a series on my blog called called “Questions People Ask about the Holy Spirit” (#HSQuestions). You can see current posts in the series here. Can you help me out by submitting your questions below? Thanks! (Feel free to share a link to this form with other people as well!)
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) is in a process of reviewing and refreshing its Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths (SOFET). You can find a copy of the most recent, 2014, statement here. The PAOC’s SOFET has seen many changes. Some of these changes reflect reaffirmations of previous beliefs, while some reflect changing beliefs […]
Some people claim that the devil or demons have “legal rights” over people. For example, Derek Prince claims that if we (including Christians) have any unconfessed sin, then “in that area we do not have the full legal rights of redemption. Satan still has a legal claim in that area…. He has a legal right […]
Classical Pentecostals typically affirm that “the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.”[1] I frequently encounter Christians, including those from Pentecostal churches, who misunderstand the intent of the “initial evidence” doctrine. Some people object to the initial evidence doctrine by saying that there […]
Yesterday I had a journal article published: “Changing Conceptions of Speaking in Tongues and Spirit Baptism Among Canadian Pentecostal Clergy,” with Adam Stewart and Kevin Shanahan. Canadian Journal of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity 7 (2016): 1-24. In the same volume, you can find responses to my article from PAOC General Superintendent David Wells, Randy Holm, and Van Johnson, […]
“What do I need to do to become a Christian?” I asked my theology class this question today. Thankfully, no one said “invite Jesus into your heart.” Nevertheless, I was struck that their answers largely assumed that Christians have to say something to be saved—for example, say a prayer where you confess your sin, […]
Over the summer Roger Olson has posted a 10-part blog series called, “Why I am an ‘Evangelical Arminian Christian.” Among many other books, Olson is the author of: Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (IVP Academic, 2006) Against Calvinism (Zondervan, 2011) Olson’s 10-part series begins with 6 principles (see the first one here), then in posts 7-10 […]
In response to my post “Why are Some People Not Healed?”, someone inquired regarding Jesus’s references to “great faith.” This entry addresses that comment. The Bible only records two instances when Jesus commends people for their “great faith.” In one story, a Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant, who was “suffering terribly” (Matthew 8:6). […]
Why do some people get healed immediately after prayer, but others never get healed, even after praying for a long time? The short answer is, we don’t know why God chooses to heal some, but not others—at least not for each individual case. Hence, I’m hesitant to ever answer the question beyond this. While there […]
On a couple occasions I’ve been asked about where one might read good theology online. Roger Olson’s Blog: This is the (only) blog that I read most regularly. He is an evangelical Baptist, a former Pentecostal, and a significant voice for Arminian theology in the evangelical world. He writes on theological topics like, John Piper’s Christian Hedonism, […]