September 2009 PNEUMA INFORMER

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The September 2009 PNEUMA INFORMER

In this issue

What's New at www.PneumaFoundation.org

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65545

     Did you hear back from us?

     New Links and Content Worth Noticing

Reports from Around the World

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65582

     China: Officials return money to leader of Chinese House Church Alliance

     Iran: No death penalty for "Apostasy" from Islam

     War is over in Sri Lanka, Christians are reaching out

     Kazakhstan: "Such preaching is prohibited by our law"

     The Gambia: Response to JESUS Film is like 2,000 years ago

     Former Prime Minister Now Professes Christ

     Canada: religious freedom setback

     Cambodia: Ministry launches preventative program against the sex trade in Asia

     News and Headlines

     Report the News

Conversations with Readers

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65778

Resources You Can Use

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65793

     Church Planting Training Booklets

     More from a PNEUMA REVIEW writer

     Help the Families of Persecuted Christians

     Chinese and Spanish Marriage and Family Resources Added

     Use Your Blog and Website to Point People to the Bible

Excerpts from THE PNEUMA REVIEW

“Power Evangelism and the New Testament Evidence”

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65883

Book Review: The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65899

Daniel D. Isgrigg, "Pilgrimage Into Pentecost: The Pneumatological Legacy of Howard M. Ervin"

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65915

Upcoming Conferences

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65932

Prayer Requests

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N65948

Praise Reports

     http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pi.jsp?pi=/2009/pi_09_2009.xml#N66038



What's New at www.PneumaFoundation.org

Did you hear back from us?
  • The volunteer staff recently learned that our outgoing email server failed to deliver responses to numerous members and friends that were in contact with us. A software update is the culprit and has been corrected. But if you expected to hear back from us and have not, please contact us and let us know how we can help or what you might still be waiting for. Thank you for your patience. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/contactus.jsp
New Links and Content Worth Noticing



Reports from Around the World

China: Officials return money to leader of Chinese House Church Alliance
China Aid says international pressure has caused Chinese officials to return significant funds to Pastor "Bike" Mingxuan. Pastor Bike leads the Chinese House Church Alliance, with over 200,000 members. On March 21, money and personal items were taken from him after he was arrested in Beijing. China Aid released information soon after the arrest and now reports that the international response held the Chinese government accountable. China Aid thanks believers worldwide for speaking out.
Source: Mission Network News, 22 April, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/12572

Iran: No death penalty for "Apostasy" from Islam
Yielding to international and internal pressure, the mandatory death penalty clause for those that leave Islam has been stricken from the proposal for an amended penal code. But there are still many Christians facing intense persecution and the potential for a heavy-handed backlash from the recent popular uprising that started about the election results.
Source: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/22439-iran-scraps-mandatory-death-penalty-for-apostates-

War is over in Sri Lanka, Christians are reaching out
With the 30 year civil war in Sri Lanka over, Christians may be the key to seeing peace come to a divided nation. The bloody civil war ended as the Liberation Tamil Tiger leader and his son were killed. The Tamils are a minority group there. The Tigers were fighting for secession. The hurt runs deep, says KP Yohannan with Gospel for Asia, and "unless we preach the Gospel and somehow bring Christ into the picture, and the church moves very aggressively, cares for the suffering in the poor and does the work of God, we may have more problems." More than 70,000 people died in the fighting as Tigers used civilians as human shields. Thousands more remain homeless and need aid. Yohannan says many are hopeless. "When people are hurting and in despair, hopelessness sinks in, and that's when the Gospel is presented and they cry out to God." Christians have been invited to help.
Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/12709
See also: September 2, "Displaced war victims in Sri Lanka suffering" http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13171
Source: Mission Network News, 22 May, 2009.

Kazakhstan: "Such preaching is prohibited by our law"
Within hours of arriving in the town of Uspen to visit a local Christian and set up a local congregation, police broke into the house where members of the Pavlodar Grace Church were staying, church members told Forum 18 News Service. One visitor was questioned and a local woman the visitors had prayed with was beaten by police until she signed a statement saying she had been forced to submit to a religious ritual. Two of the visitors face administrative trial on 31 August. Asked why the Police targeted the group, Inspector Nurserik Aytzhanov told Forum 18: "They were imposing their religion on the residents of the town by saying that 'Jesus Christ is the only God and you must believe in him'." Asked what was wrong with sharing one's beliefs with others, he said: "Such preaching is prohibited by our law." He denied that police beat anyone. Police in Jambeyt likewise denied to Forum 18 that they beat one of ten visiting Baptists they detained.
Read the full story: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1342
Source: F18News Summary, 27 August 2009.

The Gambia: Response to JESUS Film is like 2,000 years ago
A lone cameraman came back with landmark footage from his trip to The Gambia. He captured the shock and excitement of first-time viewers of The JESUS Film. Some viewers responded, "No man speaks as this Man speaks." It reflects the same awe that new believers had when Jesus first came to Earth. Ninety-seven percent of The Gambia is non-Christian. But the footage proves that people are ready for the message of the Gospel. Because the film is in their heart language, entire audiences are learning that Jesus has power over demons, can heal the sick, and that He really did rise from the dead.
Source: Adapted from Mission Network News, 26 August, 2009 and http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13122

Former Prime Minister Now Professes Christ
A former prime minister of Ethiopia who spent years as a freedom fighter says he's on a new mission: to help his nation find freedom through Christ. "I believe that the gospel is the only solution for my country," said Tamrat Layne, 54, who served as prime minister of Ethiopia's transitional government from 1991-1995. "For development, democracy, for politics, for economic development - the only way out, the only key is the gospel."
Read the full story: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/22290-former-prime-minister-now-professes-christ

Canada: religious freedom setback
A court decision in western Canada reveals the tenuous state of religious liberty in Canada. Adele Konyndyk with Voice of the Martyrs Canada explains: "Saskatchewan's Court of Queen's Bench upheld the ruling that said marriage commissioner Orville Nichols did not have the right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple in April 2004 on the basis of his Christian beliefs." The ruling sets a chilling precedent for evangelical Christians. "Essentially the message that this sends is that his religious beliefs are to be kept private and that he cannot make a decision in line with his religious beliefs." Could it be a legal precedent under hate crimes? Konyndyk says it's the beginning of a slippery slope. "There is a concern that Christians could be forced to stay silent and not be able to share publicly their beliefs on Scripture and their religious convictions." It's a wake-up call. Konyndyk says, "Pray that Christians in Canada will recognize when their religious rights are being violated and rely on the Lord to guide them as to how to respond to such challenges."
Source: Mission Network News, 10 August, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13045

Cambodia: Ministry launches preventative program against the sex trade in Asia
International organizations say tens of thousands of women and children are involved in sex trade in Cambodia and Thailand. Poverty drives an industry where a pedophile can buy a child for a bag of rice. Rob Hoskins with OneHope says they've launched a prevention campaign in the "green harvest" areas. "Pimps from the cities--the mafia, the crime lords--go out into the rural areas, and they recruit children and young people from farmers who are very ignorant and very poor; promises are made, and the poor sell their children so that they can get money. That's where the war is really being fought; that's the front line." OneHope is in the rural schools sharing the Gospel and raising a harvest of a different kind. "I think by us going to the grass roots areas where the recruitment is taking place and sharing the love of Jesus--it's the most powerful weapon this church has to combat this 'green harvest' and to be able to stem the tide of boys and girls being drawn into this horrible sex trade."
Source: From Mission Network News, 1 September, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13166

News and Headlines
Visit links.jsp for Current News and Links

See other news to pray and praise God about in the Prayer Requests department below.

Report the News
We are looking for stories about what God is doing in the world, reports about the persecution of Christians, and information about significant trends and ministry opportunities. If you have a news item to report, please send an email to the PNEUMA INFORMER. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/contactus.jsp



Conversations with Readers


Greetings to you in Jesus Name! I am a Bible teacher who likes to teach in all the churches where ever there is an opportunity to preach the word. I saw your site and it is very impressive to see all the people of God connected through such a media.
— Pastor Abraham

Thanks for all you do in helping make us smarter.
Peace,
— Richard

I really appreciate what you do with Pneuma Review and am happy to send our library patrons to issues for good articles. Blessings,
— MR

Hello Raul,
I received this email yesterday from Dr. Eddie Hyatt and thought you might be interested in this piece of Pentecostal history.
Grace,
John

Dear Friends,
Below is a link to a 5-page, personal letter written by John G. Lake to Charles F. Parham dated March 24, 1927. I have had this letter in my archives for some time, and decided it would be a blessing to many. Lake was 57 at the time of its composition and Parham was 54. Because it is a personal letter there are things expressed you will not find in any of Lake's books and sermons. The letter has been retyped so it will be picked up by the search engines; however, you can see and read the original letter by clicking on the page number on each page.
Click on the link below and then click on the 1st article in the list. www.eddiehyatt.com/articles.html
Greetings, John.
I believe I was sent an electronic copy of this letter a few years ago. I do know that Dr. Hyatt did a good deal of research regarding Parham and his spiritual heritage within the Pentecostal movement. He shared some of that research in the article he did for the Fall 2004 issue of The Pneuma Review, "Across the Lines: Charles Parham's Contribution to the Inter-Racial Character of Early Pentecostalism." You can find that full article here: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/article.jsp?article=EHyatt-AcrossTheLines.xml
In the love of the Father,
Raul Mock
Pneuma Foundation

I'd like to join your prayer team. I attend Times Square Church in N.Y.
I strongly believe that absolutely nothing is impossible for God.
God bless you,
— JG

I appreciate all you do and what Pneuma stands for as there is always a need for scholarly pentecostal/charismatic literature to inform and inspire. God bless you as you go about our Lord's service.
— RM

Thank you very much for keeping me posted.
— Pastor Jose in the Philippines

I am a frequent reader of The Pneuma Review and I appreciate the work you are doing. It is very informative.
— MW in Kenya

God Bless you for the outreach in prayer!
— Shane

From a prayer team volunteer:

I am glad to be of service to people around the world.
Thank you for this honor to serve Jesus through this door!!!
Blessings,
Tim
For more information about how you join us to pray for specific requests sent to the Foundation, write to Member Services. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/contactus.jsp

Thank you for great web site. It has blessed me so much as I continue to visit it. I believe that this is the right time. God is giving us biblical balance and encouraging us with the gifts of the Spirit. Thank you for these materials to assist us as we help and equip others for the work of the ministry.
— PW in Kenya

Thank you for your Pneuma Informer. I will be happy to hear how the Pneuma Foundation is doing and to pray for the requests that you receive. God bless you,
— MJ

Whenever I read the Pneuma Informer you send to me I get encouraged in the Lord. Thank you for your kindness and loving us in Africa.
— DM

It looks like you have a tremendous ministry and have put a ton of work into it.
Thank you very much.
— JL

God bless the wonderful work you are doing through the Pneuma Foundation. God bless the work of your hands.
— CAM

I am grate full to you for your concern which gave me lots of encouragement.
— Pastor in Pakistan, Reference Number: 90037739

 


Resources You Can Use

Church Planting Training Booklets
"Whoa... This looks really good. Here are five practical training manuals which each offer 26 hours of instruction, sharing a vision for saturation church planting as well as practical principles and priorities for accomplishing local church plants. They're designed for modular instruction in a working seminar format. The training schedule can be adapted for work/ministry realities of your trainees. The price? Free. Hard to believe? Check it out."
Overview: http://www.alliancescp.org/resources/omegaoverview.htm
Digital copies of the course: http://www.alliancescp.org/resources/omegacourse.html
Mentoring guidebook: http://www.alliancescp.org/resources/mentoringmanual.html
Source: Brigada Today 2009/06/07 issue

More from a PNEUMA REVIEW writer
Jonathan Downie, author of "Using the Right Bible Translation?: A professional translator's perspective on translation choice" that appeared in the Summer 2009 issue of The Pneuma Review, has a new teaching resource.
Breaking the Barriers is a blog dedicated to helping to break the barriers that hold people back from hearing a relevant, heart-changing gospel and living it out every day. Articles cover such diverse topics and the use of interpreting and translation in church, living with purpose and overcoming apathy. Links to other resources on similar topics will also be posted regularly. http://no-more-barriers.blogspot.com
One recent article: "Why you should never preach THROUGH an interpreter ... but you should always preach with one." Of particular interest to those who regularly preach in countries where English is not the first language. http://no-more-barriers.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-you-should-never-preach-through.html

Help the Families of Persecuted Christians
WorldServe Ministries is helping persecuted and imprisoned pastors and their families around the globe. Pastors imprisoned for preaching the Gospel in persecuted areas cannot support their families. They often worry more about their families than what will happen to them. WorldServe provides the families with food and necessities and travel expenses if they need to go underground. You can learn more about how to help care for these families by visiting http://worldserve.domain7.com.
Source: Mission Network News, 27 July, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/12983

Chinese and Spanish Marriage and Family Resources Added
Intermin.org is completely rebuilt. Its many articles on marriage, parenting, choosing a life partner, and a chronological study of the Life of Jesus are available now in English, Simplified and Traditional Mandarin. The marriage articles are also available in Spanish. These resources are easy to download and print for free distribution. http://intermin.org
Source: Brigada Today 2008/10/19

Use Your Blog and Website to Point People to the Bible
Websites and blogs are tremendous tools for ministry. In order to help webmasters and bloggers point people to the Bible, Logos Bible Software has released a free site plugin called RefTagger http://www.reftagger.com that will convert any Bible reference on your website into a link that, when hovered over, will display the actual text of scripture. Scriptures can be displayed in the Bible version of your choosing and the plugin can be used on church websites, forums, ministry sites, blogs, and just about any site on the internet.
Source: Brigada Today 2008/10/19

 


Excerpts from the PNEUMA REVIEW

THE PNEUMA REVIEW is a quarterly printed journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and charismatic ministries and leaders. For more information about the PNEUMA REVIEW, and to learn how to subscribe, please visit: Introducing THE PNEUMA REVIEW. www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

For a full index of the contents of all Pneuma Review issues, visit: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/pr_archive.jsp.




Power Evangelism and the New Testament Evidence

From the Summer 2009 issue

Part 1 of 2. By Gary S. Greig and Kevin N. Springer

. . .

A Limited Role for Miracles in Bringing People to Faith?

One recent handbook of theology seems to suggest that the role of miracle is limited in bringing people to faith in the New Testament: "After Jesus' ascension, there were few miracles recorded in Scripture, and those involved a very few disciples."[12] Others make similar claims: "The fact is that few who were healed [by Jesus, the apostles, and the Early Church] became disciples";[13] "Peter and John healed the lame man at the temple gate, and Stephen, full of grace and power, did many signs and wonders among the people. These demonstrations, however, were not followed by mass conversions."[14]

It is noteworthy that none of these statements are substantiated with biblical references. The fact is that such claims cannot be substantiated in Scripture, because they flatly contradict the New Testament evidence. Acts chapters 3-5 make it clear that the preaching and healing signs and wonders of Peter and the apostles led to explosive growth in the Jerusalem church. People "came running to [Peter and John] in the place called Solomon's Colonnade" (Acts 3:11) not because Peter was a good preacher but because the paralytic had just been healed. The healing of the man became the opening theme of Peter's sermon about the resurrected Jesus whom God glorified by healing the paralytic. The healing of the man demonstrated the presence and power of the risen Lord Jesus to "wipe out" their sins (Acts 3:19):

Acts 3:12-13, 15-16—"When Peter saw this, he said to them: 'Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus... . You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you all can see... . This is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out... ."

As Professor Bruce has noted, the result of only the one healing and Peter's preaching was that at least two thousand men put their faith in Christ (Acts 4:4).[15]

The fact that the Jerusalem believers were "highly regarded by the people" (Acts 5:13) and that "more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number" (Acts 5:14) is couched between accounts of the miraculous signs and wonders which accompanied the apostles' preaching:

Acts 5:12-16—"The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed."

Again, Bruce notes the connection between the preaching and healing of the apostles and the growth of the Church:

Again we are told of the "signs and wonders" performed through the agency of the apostles; the general atmosphere is like that of the earlier days of our Lord's Galilaean ministry (Mark 1:32-34 par. Luke 4:40-41)... . No wonder that ... the number of believers increased.[16]

Similarly, Acts 9:35 states that when Peter healed Aeneas, the paralytic in Lydda, "all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord." Passages like these hardly show that "these demonstrations ... were not followed by mass conversions." Why else would preaching and healing be the normal pattern of evangelism practiced by the apostles and the Early Church: Acts 3:6, 12; 4:29-30; 5:12-16, 20-21, 28, 42; 6:8, 10; 8:4-7, 12; 9:17-18 (cf. 22:13), 34-35; 14:3, 8-10, 15ff.; 15:12, 36; 18:5, 11(cf. II Cor. 12:12; I Cor. 2:4-5); 19:8-12. Rom. 15:18-19; I Cor. 2:4-5; 11:1; 12:1-11, 28-31; 14:24-25; II Cor. 12:12; Gal. 3:5; Phil. 4:9; I Thes. 1:5-6; Heb. 2:3-4?

One gets precisely the same impression of the passages describing Jesus' preaching and healing: Mat. 4:23; 9:35-36; 10:1, 7-8; 11:5; 12:15, 18; 15:30; 19:2 (cf. Mk. 10:1); 21:14 (cf. Lk. 21:37); Mk. 1: 38-39; 2:2, 11; 3:14-15; 6:12-13; 10:1 (cf. Mat. 19:2); Lk. 4:18; 5:17, 24; 6:6-11, 17-18; 7:22; 9:1-2; 10:9, 13; 13:10-13, 22, 32; 14:4, 7ff.; 21:37 (cf. Mat. 21:14); 16:15-18, 20; Jn. 3:2; 7:14-15, 21-23, 31, 38; 10:25, 32, 38; 12:37, 49; 14:10, 12; Acts 1:1; 2:22; 10:38. Passages like John 7:31 explicitly state that "many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, 'When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?'" And the lament of the Jewish leaders in John 11:47-48 also suggests that Jesus' miraculous signs were causing great numbers of people to believe in Him:

John 11:47-48—"'Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.'"

Some have cited the fact that Jesus did not entrust himself to those who believed in him through his miraculous signs in Jn. 2:23-24 in order to suggest that the faith of those who believe in Christ through His miraculous works is spurious or inferior.[17] But nothing in the language of John 2:23-24 suggests that the faith of the crowds is not true faith. That Jesus did not entrust Himself to people with such faith demonstrates nothing more than that their faith was uninformed, as shown by the parallel passage Jn. 6:14-15, and, therefore, that their faith was not yet capable of enduring (Jn. 6:60-66) or bearing fruit by "holding to [Jesus'] teaching" (Jn. 8:31).

However, these facts do not demonstrate that the faith of the crowds in John 2:23-24 was spurious or false. Their faith was, on the contrary, true saving faith, since the phrase pisteuein eis ("to believe in"), which is used to describe the faith of the crowds in Jn. 2:23, is used elsewhere in John of saving faith—Jn. 1:12; 3:15, 16, 18, 36; 4:39 [cf. 4:42]; 6:29, 35, 40, 47; 7:38, 39; 8:30; 10:42; 11:25, 26; 12:42, 44, 46; 14:1, 12; 17:20—saving faith that often comes precisely from witnessing Jesus' miraculous works—Jn. 2:11; 7:31; 9:16, 35, 36, 38 [cf. 9:30-32]; 11:45, 47-48; 12:10-11.

After all, one of the greatest examples of faith Jesus pointed to was the faith of the centurion in Mat. 8:5-13 and Lk. 7:1-10. The centurion believed in Jesus' miraculous power by virtue of believing in Jesus' person and authority (Mat. 8:8-9; Lk. 7:7-8). And to such faith Jesus replied "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Mat. 8:10-11; Lk. 7:9). Such words make it clear that Jesus considered faith in His miraculous power and in His person and identity like that of the centurion to be saving faith.[18]

These facts along with the preaching and healing pattern of the ministry of Jesus, the apostles, and the Early Church suggest that miraculous healing was used regularly and fruitfully alongside preaching to bring people to saving faith in Christ.

. . .

__________

Footnotes appear in the printed version of this article excerpt.
This chapter is from Gary S. Greig and Kevin N. Springer, eds., The Kingdom and the Power: Are Healing and the Spiritual Gifts Used by Jesus and the Early Church Meant for the Church Today? A Biblical Look at How to Bring the Gospel to the World with Power (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1993). Used with permission.
Some Scripture quotations are direct translations by the authors and contributors. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers). All italicized words and phrases in Scripture quotations are added by the authors for emphasis and clarification.

Read the rest of this article and many other articles in the Summer 2009 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

 


Book Review: The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

From the Summer 2009 issue

Mark E. Dever, The Gospel & Personal Evangelism (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007) 124 pages, ISBN 9781581348460.

Mark E. Dever believes that personal evangelism is the duty of every Christian. Although some may be more gifted for evangelism than others, he believes that all Christians have a responsibility to share the Gospel with unbelievers. This responsibility includes having a sound knowledge of the Gospel and a clear presentation that is supported by prayer and a life of faithfulness.

In his book, The Gospel & Personal Evangelism, Dever offers readers a number of reasons for sharing the Gospel on a personal level. He also includes some practical ways to conduct such a ministry. He supports his views with numerous Scriptures from the Gospels, Acts and other New Testament passages. He also draws on his personal experiences.

Dever serves as senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. A prolific writer, he is the author of several books by Crossway, including Promises Kept, Promises Made, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, and The Deliberate Church. He holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and a Th.M. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also is the executive director of 9Marks (www.9marks.org).

In The Gospel & Personal Evangelism, Dever attempts to answer some of the most common questions people have about the Gospel and personal evangelism. He focuses on "the best news that there has ever been, and how we should share that news" (p. 17). His goal is that readers find they "can be more understanding and obedient in evangelism" (p. 17). His desire is to help the church to develop a culture of evangelism. He defines this culture as "an expectation that Christians will share the gospel with others, talk about doing that, pray about it, and regularly plan and work together to help each other evangelize" (p. 17). In short, he wants evangelism to be normal in the Christian life.

Dever covers his topic in seven chapters, each of which addresses an important question on evangelism. He begins with, "Why Don't We Evangelize?" This is followed with, "What is the Gospel?" He then proceeds with, "Who Should Evangelize?," "How Should We Evangelize?," "What Isn't Evangelism?," "What Should We Do After We Evangelize?," and finally, "Why Should We Evangelize?"

In Dever's view, there are five basic excuses that Christians have for failing to evangelize. Three of them are: "Evangelism could cause problems," "Other things are more urgent," and "I don't know non-Christians." To address these and other excuses, he offers a 12-step program in which he advises the Christian to pray, plan, accept, understand, be faithful, risk, prepare, look, love, fear, stop, and consider.

On the subject of the "Good News," Dever explains some of the popular misconceptions and poor definitions of what the Good News is. He writes, for example, that it is not simply that we are okay, it is not simply that God is love, and it is not simply that Jesus wants to be our friend. He states emphatically that the Gospel is about the sin problem that all people have, and what God did through Christ to address the problem. He writes that God is holy and He hates sin, and the only way a person can be saved is through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Using the Gospels and Acts as examples, he writes that the true, biblical message of salvation is that people should repent and believe the Gospel.

As there are misunderstandings about the Gospel message, Dever argues that misunderstandings exist with the method of evangelism. In addition to being clear, he writes, the message must have balance. As such, it should include mentions of sin, judgment and repentance, along with grace, love and eternal life. In his discussion of "What Isn't Evangelism," Dever contends that personal testimonies, social action, and apologetics are good and useful, but they alone are not a clear presentation of the Gospel.

He ends the book with a Conclusion titled, "Closing the Sale," and provides list of recommended books on evangelism. An Appendix is included as "A Word to Pastors."

For the most part, Dever is clear with his instructions and in defining the Gospel. He takes on the tough questions and common excuses surrounding personal evangelism, and addresses them from a biblical standpoint. His approach is friendly and practical, and yet firm. His argument is convincing and his examples are easy to understand. He mentions his own shortcomings to show that he wrestles with the same evangelistic challenges as others.

Dever argues for personal evangelism as a divine mandate, but not without encouragement. He urges faithfulness and reminds readers to see both the importance and rewards of personal soul-winning.

Readers familiar with the "lordship versus free grace" debate might place Dever in the "lordship" category because of his emphasis on repentance and "turning away from sin" as being essential to salvation. Interestingly enough, the book is endorsed by John MacArthur, one of the most vocal proponents of lordship theology.

The Gospel & Personal Evangelism is a helpful guide with much potential. It is a book, undoubtedly, that can lead to church growth. On an individual level, it can help readers to realize and appreciate the impact they can have on the people they see every day.

Preview this book: http://books.google.com/books?id=Ypf0P9mr3bsC

Reviewed by Roscoe Barnes III

__________

Roscoe Barnes III is a Ph.D. student in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is the author of numerous books, including The Guide to Effective Gospel Tract Ministry (Church Growth Institute, 2004) and Off to War (White Mane Publishing, 1996). His articles have appeared in Refleks Journal and The Journal of the European Pentecostal Association, and in scores of newspapers and trade magazines.

Read more reviews and other articles in the Summer 2009 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

 


Daniel D. Isgrigg, "Pilgrimage Into Pentecost: The Pneumatological Legacy of Howard M. Ervin"

From the Fall 2009 issue

Pilgrimage Into Pentecost: The Pneumatological Legacy of Howard M. Ervin
By Daniel D. Isgrigg

Introduction

Howard M. Ervin, a Baptist and Pentecostal scholar, paved the way for other scholars to defend the Pentecostal faith in the academic world. During the last half of the twentieth century, charismatics, evangelicals and Pentecostals scholars have debated the nature and function of Spirit baptism. Early in the debate, Howard Ervin offered a view of Spirit baptism that centered on Luke's unique pneumatology in Luke-Acts and meaning of the term "filled with the Spirit." Ervin's work, These Are Not Drunken as Ye Suppose (1968), was one of the first books to enter the scholarly debate from the Pentecostal position. Some of the leading Evangelical scholars, such as Anthony Hoekema and James D. G. Dunn, would offer a critique of Ervin and the growing Pentecostal position in the early 70's. In response, Ervin offered his own rebuttal against renowned New Testament scholar James Dunn's treatment of the Pentecostal position in Conversion-Initiation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit.[1] Today scholars are still debating the nature of Spirit baptism and what it means to be filled with the Spirit. But since that time, Pentecostals views have been more readily accepted in the academic arena. The Society for Pentecostal Studies is a demonstration of the broad level of interest in Pentecostal areas of study. With the explosion of new perspectives on Pentecostal issues, there can be a tendency to focus on the latest ideas. For variety of reasons, Pentecostal scholarship has moved beyond the theology and exegesis offered by Howard Ervin. As the dialogue continues and new insights are brought forth, fewer scholars are integrating Ervin's ideas. Though his works were written in a different time, Howard Ervin's pneumatology can speak to the theological issues of today.

Ervin has also been on the cutting edge of the ecumenical movement. In a tradition that has a history of exclusion; Ervin was able to effectively bring the Pentecostal experience to thousands of believers from traditional denominations. Through a tradition of scholarship and a legacy of ecumenism, Howard Ervin's "Pilgrimage into Pentecost" can continue to inform and inspire the next generation of Pentecostals.

. . .

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Daniel Isgrigg, B.A. and M.A. in Theological and Historical Studies (Oral Roberts University), is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Bangor University in Wales working on the origins of Assemblies of God eschatology. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, a member of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, and serves as Associate Pastor of Christian Chapel in Tulsa, OK. Daniel is also the author of Why I Want To Be Left Behind (Word & Spirit Press, 2008).

Footnotes appear in the printed version of this article excerpt.

Read the rest of this article and many other articles in the Fall 2009 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

 


Upcoming Conferences

Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements Consultation sessions this November at the American Academy of Religion
The 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, November 7-10, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements Consultation and World Christianity Group
Saturday - 9:00 am-11:30 am
Location: Palais des Congres-524B
Peter C. Phan, Georgetown University, Presiding
Theme: Shifting Perspectives on World Pentecostalism
Katherine Attanasi, Regent University
The Influence of United States Televangelism and Revivalism in South African Christianity
Ryan R. Gladwin, University of Edinburgh
Latin American Evangelicalism and the Neo-Pentecostal Challenge: A Case Study of Argentine Baptists
Joerg Haustein, University of Heidelberg
Writing Pentecostal History. The Historiography of Ethiopian Pentecostalism
Leah Payne, Vanderbilt University
The Life and Times of Angelus Temple
Responding: David Bundy, Fuller Theological Seminary

Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements Consultation
Monday - 4:00 pm-6:30 pm
Location: Palais des Congres-510C
Bernie A. Van De Walle, Ambrose University College, Presiding
Theme: Origins and Identity of Canadian Pentecostalism
Michael Wilkinson, Trinity Western University
Charles Chawner and the Missionary Impulse of the Hebden Mission
Adam Stewart, University of Waterloo
A Canadian Azusa? The Implications of the Hebden Mission for Pentecostal Historiography
Peter Althouse, Southeastern University
The Ecumenical Significance of Canadian Pentecostalism
Responding: Steven Studebaker, McMaster Divinity College

Also, there will be a Society for Pentecostal Studies and the Wesleyan Theological Society Reception on Saturday - 7:00 pm-8:30 pm at Sheraton-Salon B
For more information: http://www.aarweb.org/meetings/annual_meeting/Current_Meeting/default.asp

 


Prayer Requests
  • International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church 2009. Godfrey Yogarajah, Executive director of the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance, has sent a special reminder about the approach of The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) - an initiative of the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance. Every November, Christians around the world join together in prayer to remember our Christian brothers and sisters suffering persecution simply because they confess Jesus Christ as Lord. To find out more about IDOP 2009 and special resources designed to help you get involved, please visit the IDOP-international website at www.idop.org.
    Prayer points: Pray for the organizers of this massive event at global, regional and national level. Pray for the Spirit of God to mobilize continuously unceasing prayer for the persecuted Church around the globe today, making us ever mindful for the suffering of our brothers and sisters in regions of oppression. Join in prayer with the special IDOP prayer points, available at http://idop.org/pages/resources.php.
    Source: Adapted from WEA Religious Liberty Prayer News, September 1st, 2009.
  • Vietnam: Hopes for more religious freedom fading. A flare-up of church harassment has Vietnamese pastors on their toes. According to Open Doors, one congregation in Hanoi was threatened with death when police officers raided their Sunday morning service. Their initial application for registration had been denied. Upon a second attempt, officials sent the pastor away, stating that there are no Christians in that commune. Hopes are fading that the newer laws will result in more freedom. Pray for protection for persecuted believers.
    Source: Mission Network News, 11 August, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13052
  • A friend of the ministry writes: "My name is Luke and I am a fellow brother in Christ. I am e-mailing you because my brother is in desperate need of prayer. His name is John and he is also a Christian. He is suffering persecution for standing on the truth of God's Word. The situation is serious. We need a miracle. Time is of the essence. Please pray. Thank you, and may God bless you continually. In Christ, Luke." Reference Number: 90037604
  • Iraq: More bloodshed, Christians cry out for help. After a period of relative peace, the situation in Iraq is gotten worse again. There have been explosions, and many people - Christians and Muslims - have been killed in the attacks. One recent attack claimed the lives of 95 people, while injuring more than 500 in the heart of Baghdad. Carl Moeller with Open Doors says while many Christians have left Iraq, many remain. "There are numbers of Christians that have chosen - because they love their country and love the Lord - to stay in a place where He has planted His church. Some of the most dedicated co-workers that we have there are suffering from depression over the hopelessness that is pervading." While violence mounts, Moeller says, "The church is growing. And one of the great testimonies to the power of the Holy Spirit and the witness of Jesus Christ is that He is actually appearing to many 'seeking Muslims' in dreams and visions. This is happening all over Iraq." Please remember Iraqi believers in prayer.
    Source: Mission Network News, 28 August, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13152
  • Pakistan: Islamist violence against Christians. Since the end of July 2009 the world has been witnessing new horrific incidents of Islamist violence against Christians in Gojra town in Punjab province in Pakistan. Under the spurious accusation of blasphemy and desecration of Qur'an against Christians, a mob of violent Islamists attacked the Christian community on July 30. On August 1 another attack against the Christian community in Gojra occurred. The homes of over 50 Christians were destroyed in the attack and seven Christians were killed in a burning house. The outbursts of Muslim violence, additionally incited by announcement of the local Mosques, have been out of the control of the local police. Most Christian and human rights organizations around the globe, as well as prominent Christians in Pakistan, have criticized police and Pakistani government for their slow response to the violence and for failing to prevent the attacks in Gojra.
    Prayer points: Pray for our brothers and sisters in Pakistan who have suffered the loss of loved ones as well as for the entire homes, affected by the incidents. Pray for God's protection over Christians in the affected areas from further outbursts of violence. Pray for the Pakistani government to be able to take adequate measures of protecting Christian minorities and granting their rights in the country.
    Source: Adapted from WEA Religious Liberty Prayer News, September 1st, 2009.
  • Somalia: Muslim fanatics execute more Somali believers. Darkness grows in Somalia, and prayers is desperately needed. Words of Hope reports more brutal deaths of Somali believers at the hands of Muslim extremists. Words of Hope broadcasts the Gospel into Somalia via radio, shining a light into extreme darkness. Join with fellow believers and intercede earnestly for Somali Christians. They face many trials for their faith and could use your support and prayers.
    Source: Mission Network News, 2 September, 2009. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13170
  • A Pastor in India writes: "Prayer Request: I am doing ministry in India, Tamil Nadu from past 10 years in rural areas. Please pray for Pastors, Old Age People, Orphan Children as we are planning to help them. So that we can bring them under the control and love of our Lord. (Psalms 146 :7-8) to praise and glorify the name of Lord Jesus Christ. God Bless You." Reference Number: 90037622
  • Myanmar: Karen flee genocide. To escape genocide, a minority group is fleeing across the border from Myanmar to Thailand. Thailand says the refugees have to go back to Myanmar, but Patrick Klein with Vision Beyond Borders says if they do, they'll die. "The military has been trying to annihilate these Karen people for about 60 years, and it's just escalated in the last probably couple years. Recently we've heard that they've really increased the attacks against the Karen people. We had heard that they were talking about wiping the people off the face of the earth by the year 2010." Sixty percent of the people are Christians. They are trying to rebuild their churches and continue ministry, but they need help. You can support them financially, and you can petition government leaders to do something about the situation. "The ones in the refugee camps seem really discouraged because they feel like the world has forgotten about them. And here they are suffering. The government is really harassing them and trying to kill all these people."
    Source: Mission Network News, 24 August, 2009. "Minority group flees genocide" http://www.mnnonline.org/article/13106

 


Praise Reports

  • Pneuma Foundation Financial Need. Thank you for joining the volunteer staff of the Pneuma Foundation in praying about a recent financial shortfall. A unexpected expense took monies budgeted for regular operations, but the generous gifts of our members and friends allowed this needs to be resolved quickly. We thank God for those that stand with us. Please keep praying with us that we will continue to be able to publish the excellent materials that have been made available to us, as we seek to make them available to church leaders around the world.

 

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 http://www.pneumafoundation.org/supporting.jsp

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