The July-August 2010 PNEUMA INFORMER
In this issue
What's New at www.PneumaFoundation.org
New Online Articles
- In Depth Book Review: Ivan Satyavrata, The Holy Spirit: Lord and Giver of Life, Christian Doctrine in Global Perspective Series (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2009). Reviewed by Timothy Lim Teck Ngern. Added June 16, 2010. On the In Depth Resources page: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/resources/in_depth.jsp
- Keener's Bible Interpretation course, now in Russian and Spanish. The Pneuma Foundation is pleased to make new translations of Craig Keener's course on how to read and interpret Scripture. Russian is available in Word 2007 format (docx) and PDF format. Spanish is available in Word 2000 format (.doc) and PDF. Also find the full English and French versions, as well as select chapters in Bulgarian, on the Download Resources page: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/resources/downloads.jsp
- From The Pneuma Review: Steve D. Eutsler, "Paradigm for Pentecostal Preaching" What are the marks of biblical and Spirit-filled preaching? From the Spring 2010 issue of the journal. Added June 29, 2010. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/resources/articles/SEutsler-ParadigmForPentecostalPreaching.pdf
- Book Review: David A. Livermore, Cultural Intelligence: Improving your CQ to Engage our Multicultural World. It is more necessary than ever for church leaders and lay believers to learn how to express "love and respect for people who look, think, believe, act and see differently than we do." Reviewed by Jonathan Downie. From the Winter 2010 issue of The Pneuma Review. Added August 10, 2010. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/article.jsp?article=/DLivermore-CQ-JDownie.xml
- Book Review: Dave Johnson, Led By The Spirit: The History of the American Assemblies of God Missionaries in the Philippines. Reviewed by Jonathan Downie. From the Summer 2010 issue of The Pneuma Review. Added August 17, 2010. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/article.jsp?article=/DJohnson-LedBySpirit-MBrubaker.xml
New Links and Content Worth Noticing
- The Pneuma Foundation is pleased to add content to our website as a resource to our members and friends around the world. We also add links to content that we are not able to republish ourselves, but may be of interest. Here are some examples of links added recently to "Links to Articles & Books" www.pneumafoundation.org/links_articles.jsp and from "Links to Study Resources" www.pneumafoundation.org/links_study.jsp
- The largest list of Pentecostal/charismatic Bible Schools available online anywhere. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/links_schools.jsp
Add your school: http://www.pneumafoundation.org/links.jsp#link
- Christian History: Troy Anderson, "Charismatic Renewal Marks 50 Years" On April 3, 1960, the late Father Dennis Bennett told his 2,600-member Episcopal congregation at St. Mark's church in Van Nuys, California, that he had experienced a "personal Pentecost." http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/component/content/article/1079/26550
- Kevin D. Hendricks, "Responding to Negative Coverage in the Media: Two church communications professionals offer tips" (Your Church Blog). http://blog.yourchurch.net/2010/02/responding_to_negative_coverag.html
- Christian History: Nicole Sparks and Darrin J. Rodgers, "John McConnell, Jr. and the Pentecostal Origins of Earth Day" Assemblies of God Heritage (2010). http://ifphc.org/Uploads/Heritage/2010_04.pdf
- Mark Batterson, "Bon Appetit: Refining the fine art of preaching, teaching and delicious storytelling" (MinistryToday). http://www.ministriestoday.com/index.php/ministry-leadership/preaching/13330-bon-appetit
- Church and Law: Richard R. Hammar, Preaching about Homosexuality: What pastors should know about the new Hate Crimes Act Church legal expert, Richard Hammar, discusses this controversial US legislation and undoes some of the unfounded claims by looking at the actual law instead of conjecture. "It is difficult to imagine what more the Act could say to make it clear that ministers who address homosexuality from the pulpit, even critically, are not committing a hate crime." http://www.christianitytoday.com/yc/2010/summer/preachingabouthomo.html
- Luanne Radecki Blackburn, "Why the Church Library Is Still Relevant: The right plan can deliver a helpful ministry in tough times" Your Church (Summer 2010). http://www.christianitytoday.com/yc/2010/summer/churchlibraryrelevant.html
- James Wright, "Profiles of Divine Healing: Third Wave Theology Compared with Classical Pentecostal Theology" Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies 5:2 (2002). http://www.bhd.bz/apts/aeimages//File/AJPS_PDF/02-2-JWright.pdf
- Allan Anderson and Edmond Tang, eds., Asian and Pentecostal: The Charismatic Face of Christianity in Asia, Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies Series 3 (Regnum, 2005). GoogleBooks Preview. http://books.google.com/books?id=LDZgKELq7AoC
Reports from Around the World
Pakistan: Christians evicted for standing up against injustice
Christian families are being evicted from their homes in the Khanewal District of Pakistan by their Muslim landlords. The reason? They stood up against the landlords and their sons raping their wives and daughters.
Your diligent prayers are needed: "We need to be asking the Lord that justice would prevail in Pakistan."
Editor's note: Heavy flooding from heavy monsoon rains has severely affected the Khanewal District, after this report was made. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pakistan_floods
Source: Mission Network News, 1 July, 2010. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14426
Tanzanian Court Acquits Two Evangelists of 'Illegal Preaching'
A Tanzanian court yesterday acquitted two evangelists of "illegal preaching." After 10 months of hearings, a Kariakoo area court in Dar es Salaam closed the case against Anglican Christians Eleutery Kobelo and Cecil Simbaulanga, who were arrested in October 2009 after Muslims invited them to participate in a religious debate at which the opponents did not appear, but authorities did. The two evangelists maintained that no Muslims showed up to the neutral site of the supposed inter-faith debate until Islamists arrived with government security agents who charged them with "using religious sermons to incite Muslims and Christians into viewing each other with suspicion." The accusers had claimed that the Christians' message that Jesus is God had annoyed Muslims and therefore disrupted a peaceful coexistence between those of the two faiths. Kobelo told Compass Direct by telephone that the Muslims failed to show up in court to support their allegation of illegal preaching. After the verdict, Christians shouting for joy greeted the evangelists as they left the courtroom, he said. "We are grateful that that the court has done justice and made its ruling based on Tanzania's constitution that allows for freedom of religion and assembly," Kobelo said. "We thank the Christians worldwide for praying for us."
Source: Summary of http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/tanzania/24069/ by Crosswalk's Religion Today Summaries (Aug. 16, 2010).
India: Moment of justice
A high-profile defendant convicted in Orissa for his involvement in violence against Christians in 2008.
Source: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10060157.htm
One Hundred Years Later, Dowie's Church Corrects a Failed Legacy
As a result of holding to Christian beliefs mixed with witchcraft practices, the amaZioni people group of southern Africa are confused. Missionaries tried to reach them over the years, but Ross McCordic with TEAM says they wouldn't budge. "This resistance to the Gospel was not so much a resistance to teachings about Christ as it was a resistance to letting go [of] a religion that they held to very, very firmly and believed in the depths of their hearts was the truth." The Christian beliefs instilled in the amaZioni were brought to them by missionaries from Zion, Illinois over a century ago. The Christians of Zion, a city originally founded by John Alexander Dowie, had rejected modern conveniences and the emerging science of medicine that was distrusted by most Americans. Intrigued by the missionaries' rejection of modernity and their reliance on God alone for healing, many prominent tribesmen accepted the beliefs the missionaries taught. However, before long, internal and financial problems forced the Western missionaries to withdraw before the amaZioni were firmly grounded in the truth.
The amaZioni grew exponentially over the years, and so did their newfound religion. They began to spawn churches and raise up leaders but moved further away from any Biblical teaching they had known and moved further into folk belief. They mixed Christian practices with traditional African ones, including witchcraft.
One hundred years later and 18 million strong, the amaZioni seemed only to listen to people connected to the church in Zion, IL. Through the years, the church in Zion, IL became a strong, evangelical church. In the early 1980s, they became aware of the confused legacy they had left in southern Africa and consequently believed it was their personal responsibility to back go to the amaZioni and teach the truth. Now missionaries commissioned by the Zion church are able to teach at the four Bible colleges they've established across South Africa and Mozambique and to proclaim the truth of God's Word to the amaZioni. As the amaZioni come to understand the Gospel, they begin to change their own practices and habits to match those taught in God's Word. More and more amaZioni are coming to faith as a result, with the potential to change generations for Christ.
Source: Adapted from Mission Network News, 24 August, 2010. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14634
China: 3 million babies hidden every year
If there were 23 million births in 1990, how does the Chinese 2000 census record 26 million ten-year-olds? Are parents hiding their children like baby Moses?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7787661/Chinese-hiding-three-million-babies-a-year.html
Thanks to Web Evangelism Bulletin July 2010 for suggesting this article.
Trafficked: the only way out is up
The U.S. recently added several Asian countries to its human trafficking watch list, adding to the many that were already on it. Women are tricked into prostitution in Asia because of their poverty, and they find it nearly impossible to leave when given the opportunity. Pioneers missionary Ella Grere offers jobs at a jewelry business to victims of trafficking in East Asia, providing an alternative means to earn an income. However, she laments: "We've had our business going for two years now and really only three women have come out of the brothels to work for us full-time." The phenomenon has a lot to do with the emotional state of the victims as a result of being treated like slaves. Even when trust in the missionaries is gained, these women often are still too emotionally defeated to leave their situation. They won't leave because they don't believe they're worth it. This mindset blinds them to the Gospel, says Grere. "The thing I hear most often when I share the Gospel is, 'I could never face God--I'm too dirty and worthless.'" She adds, "They can never leave the brothel behind unless they can grasp the hand of Jesus." Grere asks for prayer that trafficked women "would actually have enough faith that when God calls their name, they can listen and believe that He could truly love them."
Source: Mission Network News, 13 July, 2010. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14461
Central Africa Republic: Strides towards a peaceful future
Demobilization and the election process bring the Central African Republic to a critical juncture.
Source: Mission Network News. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14425
News and HeadlinesVisit
links.jsp for Current News and Links
- Kyrgyzstan: Christian Groups Respond to Deadly Clashes At least hundreds dead, thousands injured, and as many as 200,000 fleeing (Christian Post). http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100615/christian-groups-respond-to-deadly-kyrgyzstan-clashes/index.html
- Researchers around the world receive funding to study Pentecostal/charismatic movement (CharismaNewsOnline). http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/26663-researchers-receive-millions-to-study-pentecostal-charismatic-movement
- USA: Christians arrested for having open theological discussion Alarming restriction of religious freedom in Dearborn, Michigan concerns many ministry leaders (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14385
- Morocco: Extremists using Facebook to target Christians Rising persecution in historically moderate Muslim nation (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14377 | See also: U.S. Pastors Praise Morocco As Christian Serves Jail Sentence For Evangelism Morocco recently expelled at least 100 Christian foreigners on charges of proselytizing (Christian Persecution Info), a violation of freedom about which the US State Department has done little (RNS). http://www.christianpersecution.info/index.php?view=8320 and http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnspremiumtext/expelled_us_christians_seek_help_in_returning_to_morocco
- Presecution Watch: Karnataka State, India: Case against ministry workers drags on (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14415
- Crisis in Afghanistan The Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance "calls on the worldwide church to pray for Afghanistan that there will be respect for the freedom of religion and that the government of Afghanistan will take a all necessary action to safeguard the lives and the rights of all Afghans and expatriates working in Afghanistan" (WEA). http://www.worldevangelicals.org/news/article.htm?id=2967
- UK: Street Preacher Charged for Saying Homosexuality a Sin (ChristianityTodayOnline). http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2010/05/street_preacher.html
- USA: Michigan Charismatic Pastor Says Muslims Open to Gospel "Muslims don't respond to angry confrontations over apologetics; they respond to grace and friendships" (CharismaNews). http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/28835-charismatic-pastor-says-michigan-muslims-open-to-gospel-
- India: human trafficking a major problem India's home secretary says that at least 100 million people are involved in human trafficking, others estimating that around 1.2 million children have been forced into prostitution (ASSIST News Service). http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10070022.htm
- USA: Supreme Court decision about beliefs of campus group concerns ministry leaders Jay Sekulow says, "This is an extremely disappointing decision that significantly damages the constitutional rights of religious organizations" (CharismaNews). http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/28842-prayer-leader-supreme-court-decision-may-signal-onset-of-church-persecution
- "Somali Islamists Execute Christian Convert" (Assist News Service). http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10070036.htm
- Kenya: Vote could end Muslim courts Is allowing Islamic Courts the same as state-sponsored religion? (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14457
- India: Extremists Use Anti-Conversion Laws to Victimize Pastors (ASSIST News Service). http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10070026.htm
- Pakistan: No justice for Christian policeman whose family was murdered by Muslim mob (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14462
- Dagestan, Russia: Public murder of pastor has distressing overtones (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14491
- Pakistan: Christian aid groups respond as flooding kills over 1,000 (Christian Today). http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christian.aid.groups.respond.as.pakistan.flood.kills.over.1000/26407.htm
- Belarus: Officials claim playground grass on church property damages enviornment The continuing saga of presecution against Pentecostal church in Minsk takes ridiculous new turn (Forum18). http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1471
- Burma: 900 Karen Civilians Flee after Burmese Army Attack Human rights organization calls for Burma's crimes against humanity to be investigated (ASSIST News Service). Burma is also known as Myanmar. http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2010/s10070163.htm
See also: Genocidal campaign against tribal peoples continues (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14452
- Pakistan: UN says the number of people affected by flooding in northwestern Pakistan exceeds those of the 2004 tsunami and the quakes of 2005 in Kashmir and 2010 in Haiti Nearly 14 million people have already been affected and monsoon season is only half over (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14577
- Indonesia: Hundreds of Muslim protestors break through police barricade and injure church members Police chief blames the church (Compass Direct News). http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/indonesia/23795
- North Korea: Church leaders executed (MNN). http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14605
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
Tony Richie, "Is it Full Partnership or Partial?"
Is it Full Partnership or Partial? The Church of God Struggles with the Role of Women
By Tony Richie
This essay is now available at PneumaReview.com: pneumareview.com/is-it-full-partnership-or-partial-the-church-of-god-struggles-with-the-role-of-women.
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Tony Richie, D.Min, D.Th. (candidate), a bishop in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN), is pastor of New Harvest in Knoxville, TN and does adjunct teaching at Church of God Theological Seminary (Cleveland, TN) and Church of God South American Seminary (Quito, Ecuador). He also serves the Society for Pentecostal Studies as liaison to the Interfaith Relations Committee of the National Council of Churches. His articles that have appeared in numerous Christian academic journals. www.pentecostalambassador.com
Resources You Can Use
Christian Resources International
Give your unused printed resources to encourage and help equip the church around the world.
Imagine what God can do with the Bibles and Christian books that are sitting on your shelves, in boxes in the attic and in countless other places. By working together, we can reclaim those resources and get them sent around the globe to bless believers!
www.cribooks.org
WEA Offering Numerous Missions Books
The World Evangelical Alliance website is currently offering, without cost or obligation, about 30 missions books from their Resources page. Some of the titles offered: Too Valuable to Lose, Women as Risk-Takers for God, Doing Member Care Well, and Global Missiology for the 21st Century.
See them all at: http://www.theimtn.org/resources/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=73_68&sort=20a&page=1
Source: Adapted from Brigada Today 2010/05/16
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.
Bernie A. Van De Walle, "Cautious Co-belligerence?"From the Summer 2010 issue
Cautious Co-belligerence? The Late Nineteenth-Century American Divine Healing Movement and the Promise of Medical Science
By Bernie A. Van De Walle
Read the full article at PneumaReview.com: Cautious Co-belligerence? The Late Nineteenth-Century American Divine Healing Movement and the Promise of Medical Science
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Bernie A. Van De Walle, B.Th. (Canadian Bible College), M.Div. (Canadian Theological Seminary), M.Phil. (Drew University), Ph.D. (Drew University), is Associate Professor of Theology at Ambrose University College in Calgary, AB, Canada.
Footnotes appear in the printed version of this article excerpt.
Read the rest of this article and many other articles in the Summer 2010 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp
Clarke's A PAULINE THEOLOGY OF CHURCH LEADERSHIP, Reviewed by Jim PurvesFrom the Summer 2010 issue
Andrew D. Clarke, A Pauline Theology of Church Leadership (New York: T & T Clark, 2008), 189 pages, ISBN 9780567045607.
This review is now available at PneumaReview.com: pneumareview.com/andrew-clarke-a-pauline-theology-of-church-leadership.
Reviewed by Jim Purves
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Jim Purves, Ph.D. (University of Aberdeen, Scotland), B.D. (Hons) Christian Dogmatics (University of Edinburgh, Scotland), L.L.B. (Hons) Law (University of Edinburgh, Scotland), is pastor of Bristo Baptist Church, Edinburgh, and adjunct lecturer and research tutor at the International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, Czech Republic. He is the author of The Triune God and the Charismatic Movement (Paternoster, 2004). www.bristobaptist.org
Read more reviews and other articles in the Summer 2010 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp
Prayer Requests
- Pastor assassinated in Dagestan, Russia. Compass Direct News Service report that Artur Suleimanov, 49, pastor of Hosanna Christian Church in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, Russia, was shot on the evening of 15th July 2010 while leaving his church building. Pastor Suleimanov's church was known as the biggest Protestant church in the region, successfully reaching out to Muslims and comprised mostly by former Muslims. As an ethnic Avar, Suleimanov was considered by many Muslims to be an apostate and therefore deserving of death.
Pastor Suleimanov is survived by his wife, Zina, and five children. Pray for God's comfort and protection over the grieving family. Pray that the Lord will encourage and strengthen believers from Hosanna Christian Church in spite of the fear and the pain after their pastor's assassination. Pray for protection over the Church in Dagestan, and pray that the Christians will not be intimidated by this act of violence.
Source: WEA Religious Liberty Prayer News, 1 August 2010
- A pastor asks for prayer: "My name is Daniel B. and I pastor a Native American mission church ... It is located just outside the Turtle Mountain Reservation of North Dakota. We are in a dire need of a ministry van or similar type of vehicle to keep our ministry going. Our people depend solely on us for transportation to and from our church for any ministry activities."
- Threats increase against followers of Christ in Indonesia. Voice of the Martyrs Canada joins their concerns with reports coming out of Indonesia from Compass Direct and AsiaNews. Christians in Bekasi, West Java have faced growing opposition in recent months from Muslims opposed to "Christianization." Church services throughout the city have been interrupted and Christians threatened. There is also a push for sharia law in the region. Pray that the authorities will protect the Christians against opposition from militant Islamic groups.
Source: Mission Network News, 14 July, 2010. http://www.mnnonline.org/article/14468
- Pastor JP writes: "Please pray for our Gospel work and church shelter and house construction in Ponnur." Reference Number: 90042164
- Continuous attacks against Christian in Nigeria. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, UK reports about renewed latest violence in Jos North, Nigeria, where on 16th July 2010 Mazah village came under attack by armed Fulani Muslims, leaving at least eight people dead, including children, many injured and homes burnt to the ground. It is further reported that the attackers targeted key members of the community, the village head and a pastor. Although security forces were called and arrived in time, they did nothing to prevent the violence. Plateau State is reported to be tensed following the burial of the victims. Christians have continued to come under attack in 2010 as tensions and violence continue in Jos, northern Nigeria. Outbursts of violence against Christians in Nigeria in July 2010 were reported by other sources as well.
Pray that God will comfort those who are suffering and mourning after the loss of their close ones. Pray against further violence and unrest in Nigeria. Pray that the Lord will give wisdom to local authorities in Nigeria to deal with the violence and the unrest in the country.
Source: WEA Religious Liberty Prayer News, 1 August 2010
Praise Reports
- C.B. reports that she has returned safely from China (see the June 2010 prayer requests) and thanks us for what our "prayers made possible."