I am excited that my dissertation on the history of Assemblies of God eschatology is now available from ORU Press. https://www.amazon.com/Imagining-Future-Development-Assemblies-Eschatology/dp/1950971082/ Since the Assemblies of God began in 1914, a great importance was placed on the belief in the second coming of Christ. However, in recent decades, a segment of AG ministers and educators have … Continue reading New Book: Imagining the Future.
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Pentecost and the End of the KKK in Bixby
When my family moved to Bixby, Oklahoma in 1985, it was a tiny town of only 5,000 people and didn't have a single fast food restaurant. Today it is over 20,000 people and it is hard to tell where Bixby ends and Tulsa begins. But in the early years, it was a small town on … Continue reading Pentecost and the End of the KKK in Bixby
Revising the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths
The Assemblies of God General Council is meeting next month and the hot topic for this year is a proposed revision to the Statement of Fundamental Truths. This document, created in 1916, has served as the theological basis for the fellowship. Its central tenets define the AG's beliefs on doctrinal matters such as salvation, baptism … Continue reading Revising the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths
New Book: Pentecost in Tulsa
I am excited to announce that my new book, Pentecost in Tulsa, is out today from Seymour Press. Tulsa has become an important epicenter of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in the United States. In its earliest days, revivals helped establish important churches. Later, well-known launched worldwide ministries from Tulsa that impacted millions around the globe. … Continue reading New Book: Pentecost in Tulsa
Pentecostals, Earth Day, and the Legacy of Secretary James Watt
Did you know that Earth Day was started by a Pentecostal? That's right! Earth day is a day established to recognize humanity's obligation to care for the earth for future generations. Although concern for the environment is often thought of as a progressive issue, its origins actually came from a man with a rich Pentecostal … Continue reading Pentecostals, Earth Day, and the Legacy of Secretary James Watt
“’Rescued Women’: Early Pentecostal Responses to Sex Trafficking”
This week I present at the annual Society for Pentecostal Studies meeting. The theme this year is "'This is My Body": Addressing Global Violence Against Women," a challenging topic for any scholar to address. Yet violence against women is a global phenomenon that is felt by people in virtually every community, including Pentecostals. I have … Continue reading “’Rescued Women’: Early Pentecostal Responses to Sex Trafficking”
Pentecostal Reception History
This week, my first edited volume, Receiving Scripture in the Pentecostal Tradition, was published with CPT Press (Centre for Pentecostal Theology). Together with my friends and co-editors, Rick Wadholm and Martin Mittelstadt, we assembled twelve essays on a topic that is emerging in popularity in Pentecostal scholarship: Reception History. Traditional biblical scholarship has often focused … Continue reading Pentecostal Reception History
Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher and the Pentecostal Origins of Desegregation
In 1954, the Supreme Court decided the famous Civil Rights case, Brown Vs. Board of Education, which argued that segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment. This led the way for the 1964 decision to permanently desegregate schools in America. What many people do not know is that a … Continue reading Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher and the Pentecostal Origins of Desegregation
2021: Hope vs. Optimism
I think we are all hoping for 2021 to be better than 2020. Not that God hasn't been good this year. He certainly has and I know I have a lot to be thankful for. But for most of us, we have been hanging on to just get through this year in hopes of a … Continue reading 2021: Hope vs. Optimism
The Architectural Inspiration for Oral Roberts University
One of the most common questions I have been asked in my role as a historian and archivist at Oral Roberts University is, “Why the futuristic look of the university?” Some architecture scholars have studied the campus trying to divine its secrets, noting it as a classic example of Mid-Century Modernist style.[1] But where did … Continue reading The Architectural Inspiration for Oral Roberts University
