By: Marc Andresen on December 1, 2016
“The major engine driving this transformation [of the demographics of Christendom] is Pentecostalism…The engine of Pentecostalism is its worship.” This is the bold claim of Drs. Donald Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori in their book, Global Pentecostalism: The new Face of Christian Social Engagement. [1] In a well documented and readable volume these two men present…
By: Jason Kennedy on December 1, 2016
The Pentecostal movement has been growing radically around the world, and many seemed surprise that this may be the new face of Christianity. For those of us who are in that tribe, it does not come as a shock. Donald Miller’s book, Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement, highlights what many of…
By: Pablo Morales on December 1, 2016
Summary What happens when two Christian scholars decide to research growing churches in the developing world that are significantly engaged in social ministry? Answer: They discover that 85% of those churches are charismatic or progressive Pentecostals. What happens next? Answer: They write a book with their findings entitled Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian…
By: Aaron Peterson on December 1, 2016
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…
By: Phil Goldsberry on December 1, 2016
Introduction Pentecostals and charismatics are viewed as a unique breed of Christianity that can be either tolerated, dismissed or embraced by other Christians. Anyone from these two groups would trace their roots back a couple thousand years to Acts 2. A “purist” from a Pentecostal or Charismatic background, would see their mission and foundation equivalent…
By: Aaron Cole on December 1, 2016
Summary: Global Pentecostalism, The New Face of Christian Social Engagement by Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori is a look at the Pentecostal movement in the 21st century. Miller and Yamamori take an in depth look at how the Pentecostal work has changed and developed since it’s modern day inception in 1901 in Topeka,…
By: Garfield Harvey on December 1, 2016
Within the Southern Hemisphere, researchers (including myself) are witnessing a rise of Pentecostalism, which leaves us to consider whether there’s a social impact that’s influencing this movement in our urban and social context. With more than 600 million people in membership, there’s no doubt the Pentecostal Movement is experiencing extraordinary growth in its worldwide impact.…
By: Rose Anding on November 28, 2016
Introduction Understanding the Pentecostals is what changes the lives of the Christian community. It makes them spiritually sound and they are able to live their faith as part of the spirit of love towards people and not their own love. If no one has had an opportunity to go to such a service he…
By: Claire Appiah on November 28, 2016
Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori—Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement Introduction In this work, Donald E Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, sociology of religion scholars, discuss Pentecostalism’s beginnings and typologies to the impact of its current global reach in social ministry. This book is the product of the authors’ four-year research…
By: Pablo Morales on November 11, 2016
The book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind paints a congruent evolutionist worldview, interpreting the events of history and the possibilities of the future from a strictly Darwinian perspective. The book was a struggle to read, not only because it argues for a worldview completely opposite to mine, but also because it makes many unsustained claims with the appereance of…
By: Claire Appiah on November 11, 2016
At the close of one year of the Doctor of Ministry, Leadership Global Perspective studies, I think back to how elated I was when I got accepted into George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Since I don’t fit the usual profile of the candidates for this program, I am especially grateful to the faculty for affording me…
By: Garfield Harvey on November 11, 2016
Since we have used our imagination to create supply and demand, what if we removed the imagery of an ape evolving into a man, would we find human collectiveness growing into greed or consumerism? I never forgot taking one of my cultural class in grad school with Alan Hirsch. We had some intense dialogue during…
By: Kevin Norwood on November 10, 2016
Yuval Noah Harari in his novel Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind presents a modern take on the Big Bang theory. He starts at the very beginning of the book weaving a story that should have started with the words “once upon a time.” The context for the opening is creatively constructed with no references. …
By: Aaron Cole on November 10, 2016
Summary Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari is a narrative of origin of the human race. Harari begins with the origin of life and humanity, when life was at its best. Then journeys through changes, not necessarily the advancement, of humanity from the Agricultural revolution. It is here that a series…
By: Phil Goldsberry on November 10, 2016
Introduction I believe that there is truth, absolute truth. Reading, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari is a love/hate relationship with scholarship and the gross error of manipulating the idea of absolute truth. The title implies the word “brief” and Harari claims to go back 13.5 billion years to the…
By: Aaron Peterson on November 10, 2016
Where are we headed as a __________? This question is being asked over and over in almost every aspect of my life. “Where are we headed as a school?” “Where are we headed as a church?” “Where are we headed as a family?” “Where are we headed as a country?” By building a 13.5 billion…
By: Rose Anding on November 10, 2016
A Brief History of Humankind from the Collections of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem Introduction This blog presents a book review of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Sapiens belongs to the species of great syntheses, written in a playful tone and overflowing with information while developing a point of view. Drawing from all disciplines, Israeli historian…
By: Marc Andresen on November 10, 2016
Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion: it considers the nature of “knowing.” Dr. Yuval Harari would have done us a favor if he had begun Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind with this definition. How do we know? Anything to which we are not an eye witness we “know” and…
By: Claire Appiah on November 10, 2016
Yuval Noah Harari – Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Early on I developed an aversion for the content in this book due to the following representative statements and more: P5—“Like it or not, we are members of a large and particularly noisy family called the great apes. Just 6 million years ago, a single…
By: Garfield Harvey on November 10, 2016
Introduction One of the outcomes of our program is to “gain an advanced understanding and integration of ministry in relation to the dynamics of globalization and leadership.” Culture helps to define situations, attitudes, values and sometimes our careers. When we look at culture, it helps us to identify how we fit in based on our…
