Inspirational Pentecostal Research
As we wrap up this Fall Term and frantically write our Academic Essays, Global Pentecostalism by Miller and Yamamori is a help to me in two ways and also brings up one question for consideration. The thesis of the study that Pentecostals are increasingly engaged in holistic community-based ministries inspires me!
First, this study proves that Pentecostals are not one monolithic group of people around the world. As the authors traveled around the world they discovered that there are many types of Pentecostals. To properly communicate their new discoveries, the authors had to actually create a new term, Progressive Pentecostalism. Perfect! Progressive Pentecostals are “Christians who claim to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and the life of Jesus and see to holistically address the spiritual, physical, and social needs of the people in their community” (212). In my research this term I’ve learned that bivocational pastors in the Vineyard are also not a monolithic group of people. Some bivocational pastors are who I call Classic Tentmakers. These are pastors who plant churches and hold a second job. Their goal is to grow their church large enough to be able to quit their second job and pastor their church full time. This strategy is a fruit of the Church Growth Movement championed by Peter Wagner and others. Another group of bivocational pastors in the Vineyard hold an outside job as part of their strategy to holistically reach their city. Like Miller and Yamamori’s, Progressive Pentecostals, these Vineyard pastors do not fit into traditional bivocational categories. Consequently, I have decided to label this group, Working Priests.
Second, the way that Global Pentecostalism is researched and written causes me to get excited about researching and writing myself. Not only do I find it fascinating that the authors traveled around the world to study (Much like we do in this program!), but they also incorporated some of the experiences and books we have encountered thus far on our doctoral journey. I loved reading about Jack Pullinger! What made it even more meaningful for me was to mentally and emotionally recall our time with her and all those saints at St. Stephens. What a great day!
I also appreciate chapter 6 where the authors engage with Max Weber and his The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. For me, especially with church planting in Uganda for over ten years, one of the most destructive “falsisms” of Pentecostalism is the so-called Health and Wealth Gospel. I can’t tell you how many Ugandan leaders I’ve met with, and even cried with, over this hurtful neo-colonialist teaching. I find the interplay between Progressive Pentecostals and their upward social mobility to be more in line with Weber and solid research than some made-up doctrine (Thank you Grenz for teaching us about Folk Theology last year!).
Even though the authors set out parameters of who they would and would not research, and it indeed gladdened my heart to read that they refused to study any pentecostal church who aligned itself with repressive right wing politics, not only am I wondering what the authors would say about this year’s spectrum of evangelical and pentecostal political endorsements, I would have liked to read about some Progressive Pentecostal Churches pastored by women. I just don’t understand why in 2016 so many denominations refuse to let women lead churches. In Oxford we listened to Emma Percy lecture on the need for pastors to have a more feminine theology. As a professor at USC (Go Trojans!), Miller was financed by Howard Ahmanson Jr. who is a conservative evangelical philanthropist. Did this effect the churches studied? I understand the Progressive Pentecostalism is not to be combined with Liberation Theology, but for me it is not enough to write about great women like Jackie Pullinger and Amiee Semple McPherson. I find it sadly ironic that a pentecostal strand like the Foursquare Church could be founded by a woman, but has never had a woman president. When half the population is disqualified from leading a church, the term “holistic ministry” takes a hit. It becomes more “half-holistic.” A more indigenous holistic ministry would reach out to the young girls and say to them, “You too could be called by God to pastor a church!”
Even with the absence of women pastors, the churches highlighted in this book represent a huge piece of the answer to some of the questions posed to our cohort during our last Zoom. How do we live in a Harari Sapiens-infused world? What should our tone and strategy be as leaders in a globalized world? I would assert that we should strive to be indigenous leaders who are inspired by the Holy Spirit and the life of Jesus who seek to holistically address the spiritual, physical, and social needs of people in our community. This book shows us how to do that.
About the Author
Aaron Peterson
I am a working priest which means that I am a husband(to Lisa), dad(to four wonderful children), senior pastor and church planter(The Hub Vineyard Church), and high school social studies teacher(Verdugo Hills High School LAUSD). I am currently working towards a DMIN in Leadership & Global Perspectives @George Fox Seminary.4 responses to “Inspirational Pentecostal Research”
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Aaron,
Thanks for a very insightful blog. I have tracked your use of “Working Priest” and I love the fact that you are introducing new language to your “tribe.”
Interesting that our experience in Hong Kong mirrors what the authors experienced. I love authenticity.
In our tribe of the AG, we say to a young girl, “you too could be a pastor of a church one day.” Maybe that is part of our progressiveness. How does your organization approach women in ministry?
Kevin
Aaron P,
You have called yourself a “working priest,” and now that you have defined that term I better understand why you are teaching school and pastoring. I want to commend you for your commitment to this philosophy of ministry.
Since you are working at the high school as a part of your missional philosophy and strategy, can you relate any results from this two-pronged approach? How have you found this kind of holistic ministry to be fruitful?
Aaron,
Great blog. I’ve often gotten in trouble for being a radical because I agree that we can’t disqualify women if we teach equality. I went to a Southern Baptist school for graduate studies and it was difficult for me to accept that women had speak from a separate podium…off the platform on ground level. They loved their wives but believe they were better fits for Sunday School classes.
It was always amazing that some of the guys I know refuse to be led by women but have no problem buying a leadership book written by one. These authors did a great job of showing us how to have a holistic approach in fulfilling the mission of Christ. As a working priest, you’ve definitely showed that each person has a missional calling that might look different from the norm.
Garfield
Thanks Aaron P for a great semester of learning together!
The time has fully come for the ending of a semester, it was great reading your last blogs, and learning of the impact the semester reading has influence you and your decisions in ministering to the “spiritual, physical, and social needs of people in the community”.
It is great being in the cohort with you, thanks for impacting my learning experience. I look forward to continue the journey with you next semester.
Thank You! Rose Maria