Saturday, April 29, 2006
From West to East
In L.A., It's not unusual to see a group of private security guards sweeping an area in preparation for the arrival of a V.I.P. However, I must confess, it's a little surreal when the burly guards are employees of a high-profile Pentecostal evangelist on his way from his car to the stage where he will speak to a crowd of 5,000-plus adoring fans at the Azusa Street Centennial. This sort of nonsense has become commonplace in the wild and wooly world of 21st-century Pentecostalism, and it sometimes distracts from authentic expressions of spiritual fervor that were unavoidable at the Centennial celebration last week. ... Sidewalks near the convention littered with Chick tracts, an attendee witnessing to a homeless man outside the venue, a spontaneous prayer meeting in the food court.
30,000 people gathered in Los Angeles April 24-29 to commemorate the 1906 renewal that gave birth to the modern-day Pentecostal movement. But the the present-day location of the Azusa Street mission (long since destroyed) is a vivid reminder of where the movement is going. Now nestled in the heart of Little Tokyo, all that remains of the little mission on Azusa Street is a sign noting the "birthplace of the Pentecostal movement." While North America may claim the birthplace of Pentecostalism, the fastest growing sectors of the movement are in Asia, Africa and Latin America. As the overwhelming international representation at the Centennial events would indicate, while the East moved in on Azusa Street, Azusa Street moved East. Now, a century later, the spiritual descendents of the 1906 revival came from nearly 110 countries to visit Azusa Street and listen to Pentecostal leaders from the West ... but maybe we should be listening to them.
To hear some comments from Azusa Street pioneer William Seymour's biographer, Craig Borlase, listen to the inaugural Ministry Today podcast.
Monday, April 24, 2006
June 6, 2006
Counting on the fact that 6/6/06 will not be the end of the world, marketers are planning to launch scary products on that momentous day, from Ann Coulter's new book Godless: The Church of Liberalism to Fox's The Omen (complete with a 66-second teaser-trailer). The "satanic" rock group Deicide is even planning to release a new single--"The Stench of Redemption." Too bad June 6 doesn't fall on a Sunday. In any case, what a great opportunity to talk about the one who was most likely the real bad guy behind the number ... at least from the perspective of the Apostle John's readers in Revelation 13:18: Nero. As many scholars have argued, when the numeric values of the Hebrew consonants in "Caesar Nero" are added together, they equal 666. Thus, 666 may have served as a code word among persecuted Christians of the first century--in much the same way the symbol of a fish scratched in the dirt led the way to fellow Christians without arousing the suspicion of pagan authorities. (The letters in the Greek word for "fish," ichthus, are an anagram for "Jesus Christ God Son Savior.")Thursday, April 20, 2006
Did We Need a Study for This?
A recent Gallup study revealed that evangelicals go to church more often than non-evangelicals. Seems to me a more interesting exploration would be why we go to church. ... Reminding me of PBS's Colonial House--a reality show based on life in the 18th century. In one jarring episode, contestants are penalized for skipping the community's 3-hour church services. In an age when it is not considered a social convention in most circles--and even some evangelicals are questioning the importance of church "attendance"--why go? It could be argued that earlier generations attended church out of commitment to maintain social cohesion. Some traditions emphasize the need for church (e.g. mass must be performed by a clerical professional in the context of a structured liturgy). Many contemporary churches emphasize the benefit of church attendance, as though appealing to the savvy consumer with a tangible product. But what happens when we remove these three factors? Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Strange Bedfellows
On the 100th anniversary of the Azusa Street revival, Patton Dodd explores "Who's Who in Pentecostalism" today ... resulting in what may be the only affinity-based list containing both John Ashcroft and Al Sharpton.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
What Is This?
The Ministry Report blog is an interactive online resource dedicated to extending the reach of Ministry Today magazine, a bi-monthly print journal published by Strang Communications for innovative pastors and church leaders. The Ministry Report contains opinion and editorial content intended to generate critical thought and creative action. The ideas expressed in the blog posts and reader comments do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or advertisers in the print magazine or on the Website. Unless otherwise indicated, the author of all blog entries, commentaries and reviews is Marcus Yoars, editor of Ministry Today magazine.
