Because Pentecostalism is a Spirit movement, Pentecostals favor worship in which the Spirit moves. Pentecostal worship means experiencing the Holy Spirit in the fellowship of the Church. This worship experience includes anointed singing, inspired preaching, and observance of the holy sacraments. However, the goal of worship is to encounter the Holy Spirit at the altar. It is in the altar that souls are "gloriously saved," converts are sanctified, the sick are healed, and seekers are baptized in the Holy Spirit. These altar calls may be noisy and chaotic events, or they may be somber and tearful events, but those who witness and participate in this Spiritual worship walk away from the altar deeply moved and inwardly transformed. Pentecostal worship is not simply enthusiasm, nor is it entertainment - it is an evangelistic encounter with God's holy presence.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a sacramental encounter. The embodied spirituality of Pentecostalism, expressed in the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, suggests that Pentecostalism is essentially sacramental. Sacraments are spiritual graces and those who participate in faith encounter the "real presence" of Christ through the Holy Spirit. As we approach the altar to participate in sacramental worship, we do so "in the Spirit." The Holy Spirit makes us aware of heavenly realities, and we experience heavenly mysteries. The primary Pentecostal sacraments are Water Baptism, The Lord's Supper, Footwashing, and the Anointed Touch - Laying on hands. These sacred actions are not mere symbols, but acts of worship in which Christ is present and the Holy Spirit is active. This revised edition includes more than 50 pages of new material derived from the Pentecostal Worship Assessment which included over 300 participants. The assessment demonstrates that Pentecostals are intuitively sacramental and that the celebration of sacraments enriches Pentecostal worship. "Daniel Tomberlin . . . dares to say that Baptism, the Lord's Supper, Feet Washing and Anointing with oil are all sacramental means of grace enabling us to remember, experience and anticipate the mysteries of salvation. Together they symbolize the Christian's journey from initiation to glorification and our need for continual cleansing along the way. Drawing from ecumenical dialogues, scholarly research, devotional reflections and 30 years of pastoral experience, Tomberlin adds valuable insights to the discussion on what it means to be Pentecostal and how Spirit filled believers view the practices Christ instituted." Dr. Mark Williams Church of God, Cleveland, TN ." . . a book that takes a new direction in commending the sacraments to a Pentecostal audience . . . It is hard to covey the richness of the tapestry that Tomberlin brings together, that inspires both the mind and heart, the scholar and the practitioner, the teacher and the worshipper. Deeply rooted in the Church of God tradition and yet ecumenical in engagement. From my charismatic-catholic-evangelical Anglican background I found it quite a wonderful stimulus to prayer and further thought." Rev. Andy Lord, Ph.D. Church of England Nottingham, United Kingdom "This is the most academically sound and instructive work in popular theology I have ever read . . . Daniel Tomberlin encourages Pentecostal ministers to forsake their frequently minimalist sacramental devotion and adopt a comprehensive theology of the sacraments-specifically, water baptism, Lord's Supper, footwashing, and anointing with oil/laying on of hands. He exposes non-specialists to some major theoretical questions surrounding sacraments, just as he raises some important practical questions that professional theologians should also consider. His investigations are historically informed, balanced with numerous accounts from thinkers in early Christianity and early Pentecostalism . . . In light of its potential to transform worship in local churches when critically appropriated, it will have been worth his effort if only ten Pentecostal pastors read it and learn from it. May 10,000 do so." Christopher Stephenson, Ph.D. Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee Pneuma: The Journal for the Society for Pentecostal Studies (33:3)
For most Pentecostal churches, the altar call is the central event of the worship service. Sinners are encouraged to come forward to the altar to "pray through" to salvation. Believers are encouraged to come to the altar to pray for sanctification, or to "pray through" to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. During the altar service, those who are sick, or otherwise in need, are encouraged to come to the altar. There the church elders will anoint with oil, lay their hands upon the sick, and pray for healing. The celebration of the sacraments in Pentecostal worship is an opportunity to invite the saints of God once again to the altar to encounter the Holy Spirit in the celebration of water baptism, the Lord's Supper, footwashing, and the laying on of hands. The sacraments are an ongoing altar call in which the believer encounters God in Christ and through the Holy Spirit. This book is an abridged version of Pentecostal Sacraments: Encountering God at the Altar (2015). Pentecostal Sacraments was written as a theological introduction to Pentecostal sacramental worship for an academic audience. The book has been well received, and I am grateful. However, many pastors have suggested that I prepare an edition for the general reader that could be used in the local church as a small group study. With that in mind I have prepared Encountering God at the Altar. This book is much shorter in length. I have excluded the academic footnotes, theological language, and references to Greek words. Also, I have removed the supporting writings of the ancient and medieval theologians. I have kept the writings of early Pentecostals because their words are essential in understanding Pentecostal spirituality. When referencing these writers I have used parenthetical documentation and abbreviated the sources. I have rewritten portions of the manuscript for a general audience. I am hopeful that by providing an edition for the general reader many Pentecostal worshipers will discover a new appreciation for the sacred acts of worship. Chapters: 1 - Encountering God at the Altar 2 - The Spirit of Grace 3 - The Anointed Touch 4 - Water Baptism 5 - The Lord's Supper 6 - Foot Washing 7 - Recovering Lost Treasures
Winner of the Pneuma Book Award 2018, from The Society for Pentecostal Studies. Pentecostalism is the most rapidly growing branch of Christianity since the 20th century, yet it does not lend itself well to a singular doctrine and there is, therefore, no single comprehensive account of Pentecostal theology worldwide. In this volume, Wolfgang Vondey suggests an account of Pentecostal theology that is genuine to Pentecostals worldwide while allowing for different adaptation and explication among the various Pentecostal groups. He argues that Pentecostal theology is fundamentally concerned with the renewal of the Christian life identified by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and directed toward the kingdom of God. The book unfolds in two main parts illustrating the full gospel story and theology. Eleven chapters identify the spiritual underpinnings and motivations for Pentecostal theology, formulate a Pentecostal theology of action, translate, apply, and exemplify Pentecostal practices and experiences, and integrate Pentecostal theology in the wider Christian tradition.
What does a Christian life lived "by the Spirit" look like? Bringing together Protestant scholars and practitioners of spiritual formation, this volume offers a distinctly evangelical consideration of the benefits of contemplation. Drawing on historical examples from the church—including John Calvin, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley—this book considers how contemplative prayer can shape Christian living today.
Pentecostal Theology and Ecumenical Theology: Interpretations, Intersections, and Inspirations brings together globally recognized and newer scholars to address the complex relationship between Pentecostalism and the Ecumenical Movement. Historical essays address topics such as early Pentecostal responses to and participation in ecumenism, explicit convergences between Pentecostal and ecumenical initiatives, and the particular contributions of Pentecostals and ecumenists outside North America and Europe. Constructive theological essays address intersections between ecumenical theology and systematic loci in Pentecostal perspective, in the hope that mutual exchange and criticism will lead to ways to improve both. Never before have this many scholars of Pentecostalism combined their efforts in order to focus on the relationship between Pentecostal theology and ecumenical theology past, present, and future.
Bryan Spinks is one of the world’s leading scholars in the field of liturgy and to have a comprehensive work by him on the Eucharist is a major catch for SCM. Like the author’s previous work on Baptism, this will become a standard work about the Eucharist and Eucharistic theology worldwide. The book, a study of the history and theology of the Eucharist, is the fifth volume in the SCM Studies in Worship and Liturgy series and will help to establish the series as a place for landmark books of liturgical scholarship.
Should a Christian doctrine of salvation be concerned with this life or the life to come? With forgiveness of sins or deliverance of sinners? With the saving of the soul or the healing of the body? Should it focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ or on the presence and power of Holy Spirit? To all these questions (and more), Tony Richie’s Saved, Delivered, and Healed: Introducing a Pentecostal Doctrine of Salvation answers “Yes!” Then it proceeds to present from the Scriptures, from Pentecostal theology and spirituality, and from decades of pastoral and personal experiences and academic insights an energetic and holistic view of salvation grounded in the wisdom, goodness, and power of God. Its constant focus is God’s ultimate redemptive purpose in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit for the lives of real human beings living in the real world. If you have ever wondered what Christian salvation actually means and how it actually works, then this book is for you.
Pentecostal and charismatic renewal movements have seen great growth over the last century and have engaged with many Christian traditions. Yet there are signs that all is not well, and there is a need to develop theologies of renewal that engage with practice and across the traditions if the movements are to continue to grow. In particular, this book seeks an ecumenical engagement between David Watson and Thomas Merton, leaders in the charismatic and monastic renewal movements. The aim is to reflect on the theological roots of these renewal movements through a study of particular people who lived them in practice and sought to help others understand how the triune God was at work. This is done against the wider background of contemporary renewalist theology to develop constructive proposals for renewal theology in the future. Receptive ecumenism provides the method for bringing the different voices into conversation in ways that also point forward in approaches to ecumenical dialogue. It is thus a studyrelevant to those seeking new ways in theology, those involved in renewal and ecumenical movements, students of Thomas Merton, and all who seek to better understand the Christian renewal movements that have swept the world.
