In this blog, I want to share some advice for those considering a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree. I have taught in the D.Min. program at Oral Roberts University for several years. During this time I gained some valuable insights into the purpose of the degree and the keys to success for students. If you … Continue reading Practical Advice Before you Pursue a Doctor of Ministry Degree
Author: Daniel D. Isgrigg, Ph.D.
The Ascendancy of Black, Female Pentecostal Scholars
There has been an interesting development in several prominent U.S. seminaries in 2023. Religion News Service reporter, Rebekah Barber, notes that a number of Black, female, scholars have ascended to places of leadership in a male and white dominated field of theological education. This is certainly of note because Black women in the academy are … Continue reading The Ascendancy of Black, Female Pentecostal Scholars
Thoughts on the Lion of Judah.
Recently I have noticed the use of the image of Jesus as a lion in a number of Spirit-filled worship songs. Most of the time, these lyrics depict God or Jesus as the lion with the idea of conveying strength, victory, and warfare. Consider the following examples. In "Lion" by Elevation Worship featuring Chris Brown … Continue reading Thoughts on the Lion of Judah.
Five Surprising Facts About Assemblies of God Eschatology
During my doctoral research about the history of Assemblies of God beliefs about eschatology, I made several interesting discoveries. While most know Pentecostals have historically followed premillennial, dispensational, and pretribulational forms of eschatology, I have to admit that many of my assumptions about those beliefs were challenged and/or corrected by what I found articulated in … Continue reading Five Surprising Facts About Assemblies of God Eschatology
Oral Roberts’ Tribute to Howard Ervin
Its been 15 years since I published my theological biography of Howard M. Ervin called Pilgrimage into Pentecost. But this weekend I was looking back through some of my archival documents on Ervin and came across a tribute Oral Roberts wrote about Ervin for his funeral in 2009. Howard Ervin's relationship with Oral Roberts stretched … Continue reading Oral Roberts’ Tribute to Howard Ervin
Notable COGIC Women from the Tulsa Area
Tulsa's Black Pentecostal community has a rich history. As Tulsa's black population thrived along side the development of the Greenwood District known as "Black Wall Street," Pentecost also took hold with at least two Church of God in Christ Churches by 1921 with over 100 members each. In doing research for my book, Pentecost in … Continue reading Notable COGIC Women from the Tulsa Area
Who Will Be Left Behind?
I have heard there is a new Left Behind movie out in theaters. It has been several decades since Tim LaHaye's series fictionalizing the return of Christ captured the evangelical imagination. This latest movie focusing on the antichrist seems to be following the pattern of trying to dramatize teachings about the end times for the … Continue reading Who Will Be Left Behind?
Russell Spittler’s 1983 Predictions for Pentecostal Studies and Their Fulfillment
This week we received the news that pioneering Pentecostal scholar, Dr. Russell Spittler (Ph.D. Harvard, 1971) had passed away. Spittler had a long and distinguished career as a Pentecostal scholar and educator serving at Central Bible College, Vanguard University, and Fuller Theological Seminary. He was also very involved in the Society for Pentecostal Studies where … Continue reading Russell Spittler’s 1983 Predictions for Pentecostal Studies and Their Fulfillment
How Early Pentecostals Rescued Women from Human Trafficking
The month of January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. This terrible social evil has been more prominent in our social consciousness in recent decades, but early Pentecostals were at the forefront of bringing attention to this issue as early as 1907. During my research on Assemblies of God history, I found stories of homes set … Continue reading How Early Pentecostals Rescued Women from Human Trafficking
Advice for Preparing a PhD Research Proposal
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com In a previous blog, I shared some practical advice before starting a PhD program in Theology from my experience teaching research methods for the ORU PhD Program. Preparing to enter a PhD program is a daunting task. But if your goal is to become an expert in the … Continue reading Advice for Preparing a PhD Research Proposal