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
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
In conducting my earlier research on Pentecostals and the Spanish Flu in 1918-1919 (that has since gone viral around the world through Influence Magazine ), I had wondered if there was anything about the epidemic tied to Tulsa. At that point, my searches had come up empty. However, I decided to look back on some … Continue reading Aimee Semple McPherson and the Spanish Influenza In Tulsa
(Note: This blog was also published in Influence Magazine and can be viewed on their website https://influencemagazine.com) Hear a podcast about this topic with Steve Strang of Charisma Magazine. Right now the whole world is feeling the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It seems like every institution in our society is closing down to protect … Continue reading How Pentecostals Responded to the 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic
Last May I completed a my journey through my PhD program. For 10 years I have immersed myself in the world of Assemblies of God history and doctrine in order to produce the first comprehensive study of AG eschatology that looks at 100 years of official, popular and scholarly expressions of the AG's position on … Continue reading The Origin, Development, and Future of Assemblies of God Eschatology: A PhD Thesis
For Christmas, Amonda bought me this shirt. It has a simple phrase: "Write On." This shirt was such a blessing to me because it has ably characterized this season of my life. My dissertation was finished nearly a year before I submitted it. In the mean time, I found it refreshing to write about other … Continue reading Write On
Recently I was asked to teach a series of classes at my church based on my dissertation on the development of Assemblies of God eschatology. This was the first opportunity for me to present some of the findings of my research. I did a week for each of the four AG eschatological statements in the … Continue reading The Spirit of The Millennium – Perspectives on Assemblies of God Eschatology
On May 16th I successfully defended my dissertation and was awarded the degree of PhD in Pentecostal Theology from Bangor University (Wales, UK). I was examined by Dr. Robert Pope of Westminster College (Cambridge, UK) and Dr. Andrew Davies of University of Birmingham (UK). The Viva (so called in the UK) took about an … Continue reading The Future of AG Eschatology
It is July and I haven't mentioned much lately about the progress on my PhD. I have had several people ask about my PhD and am I done yet. Well, the answer is yes and no. I finished writing my dissertation back in March and my supervisor has read it and given the OK for … Continue reading A Summer Update
This week I attended the annual meeting for the Society for Pentecostal Studies. It was a wonderful meeting. The theme this year was "Pentecostals and the Poor". This theme appealed to me because one of the questions my thesis attempts to answer is how Assemblies of God eschatology translated to how they engaged in social … Continue reading How Eschatology Shaped AG Social Ethics
