Six Observation from One of the Biggest Movements in History

This is total plagarism from Steve Addison, but this summary jumped off the page for me.

Last month marked 100 years since the Asuza Street revival that launched Pentecostalism as a movement (and loads of controversy since). Towards a Pentecostal Missiology for the Majority World by Allan Anderson does a great job of unpacking what happened in the Pentocoastal movement of Christianity that makes it so diversified, rapid and prolific. Addison points out that this is perhaps the 20th Century’s most successful movement of any kind.


Addison's summary is worth the read. Here are the main observations from this movement.

1. Pneumatocentric Mission (Spirit Directed)
2. Dynamic Mission Praxis (Spirit can and will operate in power - signs and wonders)
3. Evangelism: Central Missiological Thrust (sow broadly and rapidly)
4. Contextualization of Leadership (expecting quick transition)
5. Mobilization in Mission (democratization of Christianity - everyone plays)
6. Contextual Missiology (uh . . . the style of “freedom in the Spirit” that characterizes Pentecostal liturgy has contributed to the appeal of the movement in many different contexts)

-----
I really like this, but I have always been somewhat resistant to #2. A few strange experiences and it became easy for me to write off the whole category. What is striking to me is the emphasis on the spirit and how that sounds very much like the history of campus crusade. However, I think many of us would agree that this does not necessarily characterize us today. I think there are at least three reasons why - Moving away from teaching on the Spirit, an intellectual / thinking based theology and an uncomfortableness with the chaotic operation that the Spirit often brings to things He leads.

But now I feel convicted.