Tag: Holy Spirit

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Reflecting on the Christian Forum

Recently (Jan 19-20, 2023), I was honored to participate in the Christian Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. The gathering consisted of about forty pastors and other clergy from Roman Catholic, Baptist, and Pentecostal churches. We came together holding to a simple theological commitment – belief in the Triune God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The agenda was likewise simple: “to build bridges of unity through the sharing of faith stories or testimonies.”

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The Virgin Mary: The First Lady of Pentecost

My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed (Luke 1:46-48).

Every year as we approach the 4th Sunday of Advent the gospel reading provokes us to reflect upon the Virgin Mary. As a protesting Pentecostal, there are certain presumptions that I bring to the task. The greatest presumption is to ignore any honor bestowed upon the Virgin, to make her a footnote in the Christmas story. But if I desire to hear the Spirit in the written word of God, then I must be willing to put my presumptions aside and take a fresh look at Mary, the mother of my Lord Jesus Christ.

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A Dialogue about being Baptized in the Holy Spirit

I recently engaged in a dialogue about baptism in the Holy Spirit via social media with a friend who is a minister in a mainline denomination. I thought it might be good to share (with minor editing).

Friend: I want to begin a longer conversation with you – so I am starting it here and will come back to it from time to time. I don’t expect instant responses to my questions. I want to talk to you about the gift of tongues. My understanding of scripture is that tongues are not a gift that all people might be expected to receive and I know you believe differently. So, I want to know . . . your testimony of be “baptized in the Spirit” and, I would assume, speaking in an unknown tongue for the first time.

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What does the Church of God have in common with the Churches of Christ?

Recently (June 6, 2018), I had the privilege to spend the day with a wonderful group of theologians and scholars representing the Churches of Christ. My friend, Tony Richie, and I were invited to attend the Christian Scholars Conference hosted by Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. We were participants in an ecumenical dialogue. So, does the Church of God have anything in common with the Churches of Christ?

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On this Pentecost Sunday…

On this Pentecost Sunday, I am thinking about terrorism. The news of the morning was about another Islamist terror attack in London. I am reminded that God has not given us “a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV). Just as the earliest Christians boldly proclaimed the gospel in the midst of persecution, so too must we be bold in our gospel witness in the midst of terrorism.

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Why are Young Pentecostals Minimizing Tongues-Speech?

I believe in speaking in other tongues (here and here). In a recent Facebook conversation I noted that many young Pentecostals are minimizing tongues-speech as a sign of the Spirit. I was asked, “In your opinion are the young Pentecostals minimizing tongues or are they pushing back on the position that without tongues there is no Holy Spirit indwelling?

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I Still Believe in Speaking in Tongues

I often read stories of believers who “flirted” with Pentecostalism only to “marry” a different Christian tradition. Some of these people were reared in Pentecostalism, only to defect later in life. To be fair, I understand their stories. But, I am disappointed. After a lifetime of ministry in the Pentecostal movement I have many criticisms. But I remain an unrehabilitated Pentecostal.

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