Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." NIV
One hundred years ago this year in Los Angeles California, a one-eyed, uneducated, African American son of former slaves was used by God to launch the fastest growing movement in the history of Christianity. William Seymour prayed for and preached a new Pentecost and the results have been about 580 million adherents worldwide and the most effective missions enterprise ever to be undertaken.
Of course I am referring to the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement that has been the source of great power and provocation throughout Christendom for most of the last century. As an Evangelical/Charismatic/Mostly Reformed pastor of an Interdenominational church in Eastern Washington State, I am both thankful and proud of my heritage and concerned for the future of this growing global movement. Somehow I know we must preserve the power missions approach to the gospel while continuing to strive to maintain sound theological underpinnings.
Christianity Today Magazine is devoting a significant amount of print to this story which I really appreciate. I would encourage all disciples of Jesus Christ to take the time to read these articles with an open heart and mind while realizing that much of what you see on some Christian TV is not truly representative of most of Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity.
At the root of our theology is the simple concept that the Holy Spirit is still actively working to confirm His Word with signs following and to edify His church. We just believe and live as if the book of the Acts of the Apostles would be more aptly called the Acts of the Holy Spirit and that He is still at work in the earth to promote The gospel of the Kingdom with POWER!
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