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WORD WEALTH
4:11 mystery, musterion (moos-tay-ree-on); Strong’s #3466: From mueo, “to initiate into the mysteries,” hence a secret known only to the initiated, something hidden requiring special revelation. In the NT the word denotes something that people could never know by their own understanding and that demands a revelation from God. The secret thoughts, plans, and dispensations of God remain hidden from unregenerate mankind, but are revealed to all believers. In nonbiblical Greek musterion is knowledge withheld, concealed, or silenced. In biblical Greek it is truth revealed (see Col. 1:26). NT musterion focuses on Christ’s sinless life, atoning death, powerful resurrection, and dynamic ascension.
Jack W. Hayford, ed., Spirit Filled Life Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1997), Mk 4:11.
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Verb: הָוָה (hāwâ), GK 2556 (S 2331), 173×. hāwâ essentially means “to bow down.” This action may be directed either to a human being or to a divine being. It may be a mere greeting, but it can also indicate submission or “worship.” It is the external action of an internal attitude.
(1) In terms of other humans, people bow down before others for various reasons: to greet strangers (Gen. 18:2), to acknowledge authority (1 Sam. 24:18), to pay honor or homage (2 Sam. 1:2; cf. Est. 3:2), and even to beg (1 Sam. 2:36). Bowing low to the ground can even take place within family circles (Gen. 33:3; 48:12; 50:18–20).
(2) But more important is the religious exercise of bowing down. hāwâ is used in this manner about 110×, of which more than half refer to bowing down before heathen gods (e.g., 2 Chr. 25:14; 33:3; Isa. 44:15; Jer. 16:11). God’s people, of course, are commanded not to worship and bow down to idol gods (Exod. 20:5; 34:14). Instead, the psalmist calls on them to “worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (Ps. 29:2; 96:9). He exhorts us, “Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord our God” (Ps. 95:6). We must “exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool/mountain” (99:5–6). True worship is often accompanied by praise (1 Chr. 29:20; 2 Chr. 29:28–30). Isaiah prophesies that the glorious day is coming when people from foreign nations “will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain of Jerusalem” (Isa. 27:13; cf. 66:23; Zeph. 2:11). We should note that in all these instances of true worship, the focus is on the Lord, never on the one leading in worship or any other human being; he is the only one worthy of true worship. See NIDOTTE, 2:42–44.
Verb: יָרֵא (yārēʾ), GK 3707 (S 3372), 317×. yārēʾ denotes both a sense of terror and a sense of awe and worship. It is commonly translated “fear, revere, worship.” See fear.
Verb: עָבַד (ʿābad), GK 6268 (S 5647), 290×. ʿābad means “to serve” and is used in both secular and religious contexts (see serve).
The act of serving takes on theological significance in the cult of Israel, where ʿābad often means “to worship.” At age fifty, a Levite could no longer perform cultic service (Num. 8:25), and Isaiah speaks of sacrificial worship to God as ʿābad (Isa. 19:21). Serving God and worshiping him overlap significantly in the OT (Exod. 3:12; Mal 3:18). It is in this light that the Israelites are commanded not to serve foreign gods (Deut. 4:19; 5:9). Worship belongs to God alone and is evidence of the Israelites’ covenantal faithfulness (Exod. 4:23; Deut. 6:13; 1 Sam. 7:3; Ps. 100:2; Jer. 2:20).
New Testament
Verb: λατρεύω (latreuō), GK 3302 (S 3000), 21×. latreuō refers to service or worship that is always religious in nature (Rom. 1:25; Acts 7:7, 42). See serve.
Verb: προσκυνέω (proskyneō), GK 4686 (S 4352), 60×. proskyneō means “to fall down and/or worship” someone or something. While it is most often used of people worshiping God, it does not limited bowing down before the God of the Bible.
In classical Greek and even in some NT passages, proskyneō was used of the adoration of idol gods, the falling down and prostration of oneself in reverence (see, e.g., Acts 7:43). It sometimes denotes specifically false worship, especially in Revelation. The recipients of pagan obesiance include the dragon (Rev. 13:4), demons (9:20), and the image of the beast (13:15). proskyneō can also be used for prostrating oneself before another human being, such as the servant in the parable of the unforgiving servant falling on his knees before his master, asking for more time to repay his debt (Mt. 18:26). Cornelius too, a man who revered God, fell at Peter’s feet in reverence; Peter objected.
But for the most part in the NT, proskyneō refers to worship addressed to God or to Jesus Christ. Jesus warns Satan, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” (Mt. 4:10). A part of the conversation Jesus has with the Samaritan woman in John 4 revolves around the right place and the correct way to “worship” God (4:20–24, where this verb is used nine times). Jesus insists that true worship only occurs in the inner attitude is appropriate: “in spirit and in truth” (4:24). The elders in the heavenly throne room fall down and worship God, who is sitting on the throne (Rev. 4:10; 5:14).
What these various meanings create, then, is ambiguity in some of the uses of proskyneō in the Gospels. When the wise men come and worship the baby Jesus (Mt. 2:2, 11), do they see themselves as falling down before Immanuel, God in human flesh, or as merely giving obesiance to a human “king of the Jews”? When sick people “kneel before” Jesus (e.g., Mt. 8:2; 9:18), do they see him as a human miracle-worker or as the great divine Healer? Yet regardless of how Jesus is viewed by those who come to him for help, there is no doubt that the gospel writers themselves see Jesus as the Son of God. Note especially the use of proskyneō as an outward expression of faith in Jn. 9:38, where the man born blind says, “Lord, I believe,” and he worships Jesus (Jn. 9:38). Worship is the appropriate response of a believing heart that adores God. See NIDNTT-A, 496–497.
Verb: σέβω (sebō), GK 4936 (S 4576), 10×. sebō means “to worship.” It is used twice in the gospels (Mt. 15:9; Mk. 7:7) where the OT is quoted; in these cases it refers straightforwardly to the worship of God. All other NT uses of the word are in Acts. In 18:13 it is used of the worship of God and in 19:27 of the worship of the pagan goddess Artemis. Elsewhere in Acts sebō describe Gentiles who “worship” or “fear” God of the Jews and who are thus affiliated with a synagogue (13:43, 50; 16:14; 17:4, 17; 18:7). These Gentiles are called “God-fearers.” Since these people appreciated the Jewish religion but did not want to undergo circumcision in order to become full-fledged Jews, they were a ripe mission field for the apostle Paul, who showed them how they could become members of God’s new covenant people through faith in Jesus Christ. See NIDNTT-A, 520–21.*
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What Is the Age of the Earth according to the Bible?
By Brian Miller
One of the issues that most divides Christians is the relationship between the book of Genesis and modern science. A central question is the age of the earth; closely related questions include the impact of the Fall of humanity on the world, as well as...
What Is the New Heaven and the New Earth? 8 Metaphors to Know
By Zach Keele
What, exactly, is the future Christian hope? What are we supposed to be looking forward to? We long for heaven, of course-and Scripture definitely exhorts us along these lines: Paul tells us to set our minds on things above (Col 3:2).
Pentecostal & Charismatic Bible Study: A Definitive Guide
By Timothy Berg
Pentecostals and charismatics represent more than one out of every four Christians worldwide. Philip Jenkins suggests that this movement is perhaps the most successful social movement of the past century, one which should surpass one billion members before...
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Verb: קָרָא (qārāʾ), GK 7924 (S 7121), 739×. qārāʾ is the most common verb in Heb. that means “to call, summon, proclaim.” The basic meaning of this verb is to draw attention to oneself by using one’s voice. It is often accompanied by a corresponding verb “to hear” or “to answer.”
(1) The first use of this verb in the OT means “to call, name.” “God called the light ‘day’ and the darkness ‘night’ ” (Gen 1:5). In Gen 2:19–20, Adam “names” the animals, and in 2:23, he “calls” Eve “woman.” And after Adam and Eve sin, “God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ ” (3:9). These uses illustrate some of the most common meanings of qārāʾ.
(2) One of the more important uses of qārāʾ is with God as the subject, calling various people into his service. God calls Abraham into his service (see Isa 51:2), Israel (41:9; 42:1), Cyrus (45:3), and Eliakim (22:20). And when he calls someone, he expects that person to answer to his call; anything less is disobedience. This use can be compared to the contemporary notion of a person being called by God to teach and preach his Word.
(3) Conversely, qārāʾ is also often used of people calling on the Lord. About the time of the birth of Seth, people “began to call on the name of the Lord” (Gen 4:26). When Abraham left his home country, traveled to Canaan, and built an altar, he “called on the name of the Lord” (12:8). A frequent comment in the Psalms is “I call(ed) on you, O God” (e.g., Ps 17:6; 18:3, 6; 30:8; 55:16). For the most part, the Lord responds to these verbal requests, though at times a psalmist may feel silence from the Lord (e.g., 22:2). When people do not call on the name of the Lord, it concerns him deeply (e.g., Isa 43:22).
(4) In the prophets, qārāʾ is an expression used for a servant of God who “proclaims” his will (e.g., 1 Ki. 13:32; Isa 40:2; 58:1; Jer 2:2; 11:6; Zech 1:14). Jonah, for example, was called by God to “go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it” (Jon 1:2). After his attempt to run away, this is precisely what Jonah does do (3:2). See NIDOTTE, 3:971–74.
New Testament
Verb: βοάω (boaō), GK 1066 (S 994), 12×. boaō means “to cry out, call loudly.” Each of the gospels quotes at least part of Isa 40:3 to describe John: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him.” (Mt 3:3; Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23). These uses recall the idea of a herald making an announcement (also Acts 17:6; possibly 25:24). In Gal 4:27, in a quote from Isa 54:1, boaō heralds good news, but the verb also includes the idea of shouting in joyful exuberance. A similar use but with fear instead of joy is the account of Philip in Samaria, when evil spirits “shrieked” as they came out of many people (Acts 8:3).
While the previous occurrences describe a general announcement or cry, the following uses of boaō have a specific audience in mind. Twice citizens “call out” or “complain” to a public official (Acts 17:6; 25:24). Elsewhere boaō denotes begging or pleading. The object of the pleading is God or Jesus in four of these occurrences. For example, Jesus “cries out” to God on the cross, saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Mk 15:34, a quote from Ps 22:1). In Lk 9:38 and 18:38 Jesus hears the cry of a person and performs a miracle for them. Similarly, in Lk 18:7 Jesus says that God will listen to his chosen ones who “cry out” to him. The common thread in these examples is that God listens when people cry out to him. Christians need not offer up expertly composed and theologically insightful prayers in order to be heard; rather, we simply need to cry out to our Father. As the psalmist says of God, “O you who hears prayer” (Ps 65:2). See NIDNTT-A, 96–97.
Verb: ἐπικαλέω (epikaleō), GK 2126 (S 1941), 30×. epikaleō is a compound verb formed from the preposition epi (“on, upon”) and the verb kaleō (“to call”). The resulting verb means “to call on someone” or even “to appeal to someone for help.” The majority of occurrences fall within this range.
Peter in his Pentecost message quotes from the prophet Joel: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21; see also 9:14, 21; 22:16; Rom 10:12; 2 Tim. 2:22). Some NT books use this verb to express the idea of calling on Jesus with the idiomatic phrase “call(s) on the name of the Lord” (Rom 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:12). Jesus is the addressee when epikaleō is used in the sense of praying (Acts 7:59). This verb is also used of Paul calling on God as his witness (2 Cor. 1:23) and the act of Christians calling on God the Father (1 Pet. 1:17). When Paul appeals his imprisonment to Caesar, he uses this verb (Acts 25:11, 12, 21, 25; 26:32; 28:19).
A special use of epikaleō in the passive is to identify someone: “Joseph called Barsabbas” (Acts 1:23); “John also called Mark” (12:12). This is the case in Hebrews, which states that “God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Heb 11:16), and also, “my name [the Lord] is called on them” (i.e., “they are called by my name”; Acts 15:17; also Jas 2:7). See NIDNTT-A, 285–86.
Verb: καλέω (kaleō), GK 2813 (S 2564), 148×. kaleō means “to call, invite, summon.” It is used mainly in three ways in the NT. (1) kaleō can express the ordinary idea of an audible call to someone to get their attention or invite a person to join a group. This usage is particularly prevalent in narrative literature. Herod “called” the Magi to himself (Mt 2:7). Mark writes that Jesus’ mother and brothers “called him” to meet with them (Mk 3:31). Luke writes of a Pharisee who “invited” Jesus to dine with him (Lk 7:39). In the parable of the dinner guests, kaleō is used in its participial form to denote the dinner guests, “those who were called” (Lk. 14:7ff.).
(2) The second notion is that of God or Jesus doing the calling. This moves from the simple idea of inviting or summoning to a more theological meaning of kaleō. This idea is first seen when Matthew quotes Hos 11:1, where God says, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Mt 2:15). When Jesus began his ministry, he “called” his disciples (4:21; Mk 1:20). This was a call to physically come to Jesus, but the more important element was a spiritual call, which the disciples heeded. The spiritual sense of calling is clear in Jesus’ statement, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk 2:17; Lk 5:32). While the idea of spiritual calling is not prevalent in the gospels and Acts, it is highly developed in Paul’s writings. When God calls, it is a call that roots in predestination and ends in glorification (Rom 8:29–30; 1 Pet. 5:10). God calls us by his grace (Gal 1:6) into his fellowship (1 Cor. 1:9). But his calling is not only to salvation; it is also to a life of serving him and our fellow believers (7:15; Eph 4:1, 4; 1 Thess. 2:12; 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:9).
(3) An additional, relatively frequent use of kaleō is to express the idea of naming something, e.g., the angel of Lord told Zechariah that his son would be “called” John, and he told Joseph that Mary’s baby would be “called” Jesus (Lk 1:13, 31). See NIDNTT-A, 285–86.
Verb: λέγω (legō), GK 3306 (S 3004, 2036, 2046), 2353×. Usually translated as “say,” legō sometimes has the notion of “to call” someone by some specific name or attribute. See say.
Verb: φονέω (phoneō), GK 5888 (S 5455), 43×. phoneō means “to call out, call to, make a noise.” Several times in the NT it is used for calling out a question (Acts 10:18) or, more commonly, a statement or command. For example, Jesus “cried out” on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” (Mt 27:47), and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Lk 23:46). Paul “called out” to the jailer, “Don’t harm yourself, we are all here” (Acts 16:28). Luke uses it when Jesus “called out” to a crowd, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Lk 8:8). These last two examples are somewhere between an interjection and a command. Elsewhere phoneō occurs in the context of more clear-cut commands, as when Jesus commands a dead girl to rise (Lk 8:54) and an angel commands the one with the sickle to reap the earth’s harvest (Rev 14:18).
An additional nuance of phoneō is to “summon, invite” others. This meaning occurs frequently in the NT; e.g., “do not invite” (Lk 14:12), he “called the bridegroom” aside (Jn 2:9), and Cornelius “called/summoned” two of his servants and a devout soldier (Acts 10:7; cf. also Mk 9:35; 10:49; Lk 16:2; 19:15).
Lastly, the meaning of phoneō is so broad that in addition to its use with human subjects, it is also used of a cock “crowing” (Mt 26:34, 74, 75; Mk 14:30, 72; Lk 22:34, 60, 61; Jn 13:38) and of an evil spirit “shrieking” as it comes out of a person (Mk 1:26). See NIDNTT-A, 597.
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Pink explains this title as follows: "The Godhood of God! What is meant by the expression? This: the omnipotency of God, the absolute sovereignty of God. When we speak of the Godhood of God we affirm that God is God. We affirm that God is something more than an empty title: that God is something more than a mere figure-head: that God is something more than a far-distant Spectator, looking helplessly on at the suffering which sin has wrought. When we speak of the Godhood of God we affirm that He is 'King of kings and Lord of lords.' "
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The words “Here am I! Send me” (Is. 6:8) are the volunteer’s motto. The book of Nehemiah may be considered the volunteer’s handbook. In rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah demonstrates these principles of divinely inspired and highly effective volunteerism:
1. Recognize a project and make it your own (Neh. 1:3, 4).
2. Pray about the project (1:4–11).
3. Determine how you are uniquely positioned to participate in the project (1:11).
4. Bring the project to the attention of those in authority and gain their permission to pursue it (2:1–10).
5. Gather information about the project (vv. 11–16).
6. Report your findings to maintain accountability and arouse interest (vv. 17–20).
7. Inspire others to join your cause (vv. 17, 18).
8. Organize others to help you do the work (Neh. 3:1–32).
9. Confront opposition directly and turn to God when discouraged (4:1–23).
10. Celebrate what is accomplished and give God the glory (12:27–47).
To offer ourselves freely to the kingdom’s work provides great joy and needful service (Matt. 10:8; Gal. 5:13).
See also Judg. 7:2–7; notes on Sacrificial Living (Mic. 7); Servanthood (Mark 10); Spiritual Gifts (Rom. 12); Time Management (Ps. 31); Women’s Ministries (John 4; Acts 2; 1 Cor. 11; Eph. 2; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 2)
Thomas Nelson, The Woman’s Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995).
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During the first three days of July, 1863, in the midst of America’s great Civil War, the armies of the North and South clashed decisively at Gettysburg. For the first three days of the battle, the fighting was inconclusive, but then the tide began to turn against General Lee and the Confederate forces. The northern troops under General G. G. Meade were winning. Lee began to retreat southward on the night of July 4, while storm clouds drenched the East Coast with rain. When Lee reached the Potomac, he found that the river was swollen with rain. He could not cross it. Behind him was the victorious Union army. Before him was the river. He was trapped. Here was the great, golden opportunity for General Meade to end the battle. Meade could have attacked immediately, destroying Lee’s army and, in effect, ending the Civil War. President Lincoln actually ordered him to attack. However, instead of attacking, Meade delayed. He held a council, then delayed again. Eventually the water of the river receded, and Lee escaped over the Potomac. The war was extended two more years. Meade never regained his lost opportunity, and it was to General Grant that Lee eventually surrendered on April 9, 1865. This story shows us the tragedy of having missed a great opportunity. But if this principle is true in the physical realm, as we realize, it is certainly more true spiritually. The Bible recognizes this when it says, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Or again, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:15).
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Pentecostals and charismatics represent more than one out of every four Christians worldwide.1 Philip Jenkins suggests that this movement is perhaps “the most successful social movement of the past century,” one which “should surpass [one billion members] before 2050.”2
This article explains Pentecostal and charismatic (P&C) beliefs, answers common questions, and shares the best resources for P&C Bible studies.
What do Pentecostals and charismatics believe?
What are some frequently asked questions about charismatic and Pentecostal Bible studies?
What are the best resources to study the Bible as a Pentecostal or charismatic?
What do Pentecostals and charismatics believe?
Pentecostal, charismatic, and “continuationist” movements are often treated as the first, second, and third waves of Spirit renewal. We will look at each in turn.
What do Pentecostals believe?
A classic Pentecostal—and I will use here the language of the Assemblies of God—is one who accepts that:
Baptism in the Spirit is “distinct from and subsequent to” conversion
Speaking in tongues is “the initial physical sign” of Spirit-baptism
Pentecostalism began in the early twentieth century. Frank Bartleman recounts the fascinating Azusa Street Revival in How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles. Pentecostalism birthed denominations like the Assemblies of God and the Church of God.
What does “Pentecostal” mean?
The term “Pentecostal” references the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, accompanied by a manifestation of tongues. This is seen as a pattern for all believers, a pattern repeated elsewhere in Acts (Acts 8:14–24; 10:17–48; 19:1–7). Some Pentecostals have backed away from the idea that tongues is the initial evidence of Spirit-baptism.
What do charismatics believe?
The charismatic renewal movement began in the 1960s. While classical Pentecostalism birthed new churches, the charismatic movement entered already existing denominations with broadly Pentecostal theology. Charismatics are now found in virtually every Christian denomination in the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions.
What does “charismatic” mean?
The term “charismatic” comes from the Greek word for “gifts,” charisma, a term found in passages such as 1 Corinthians 12–14, Romans 12:6–8, and 1 Peter 4:10–11.
What do continuationists believe?
A third renewal movement began in the 1980s as evangelicals accepted some elements of charismatic faith while rejecting some of the distinctive beliefs of Pentecostals and charismatics. Sometimes called the “Third Wave,”3 “Third-Wave Evangelicalism,”4 or more broadly, and perhaps more commonly today, “continuationists,” this third wave of renewal struggles to find an agreed upon title but usually dislikes the terms Pentecostal and charismatic.5 This group has typically distanced itself from the Word of Faith movement and other forms of the so-called “Health and Wealth” or “Prosperity” gospel.6 Emphasizing signs and wonders and prominently associated with the John Wimber Vineyard movement, this group of independent charismatics, once termed “neocharismatics,” is now larger than all Pentecostals or charismatics combined.7
What does “continuationist” mean?
The word “continuationist” stresses the belief of this movement that all the spiritual gifts continue today. The word is also sometimes used as a broad term to describe anyone who holds that the miraculous gifts in operation in Acts continue into the present day.
Is there a difference between charismatics and Pentecostals?
The terms charismatic and Pentecostal are sometimes used interchangeably and “even for the expert it is frequently difficult to draw a dividing line,”8 but they can be helpfully distinguished in three ways:
Historically, Pentecostalism came first and inspired the later charismatic movements (though historical precursors of both may be found in earlier Spirit movements).
Ecclesiastically, Pentecostalism birthed new denominations while charismatic movements influenced pre-existing ones.
Theologically, while both groups believe miraculous gifts continue today, charismatics often reject the two doctrines of: (1) “subsequence” (that Spirit-baptism is separate from and subsequent to conversion), and (2) tongues as the initial physical evidence of Spirit-baptism. That is, many charismatics reject the first two distinctive beliefs of classical Pentecostalism listed above.
FAQs about Pentecostal and charismatic Bible study
Now that we know what Pentecostal and charismatic mean, we can address some common questions about them. Three questions about P&C Bible study are commonly asked.
1. Do Pentecostals study the Bible?
Early Pentecostalism prioritized global missions work and an eschatological urgency that left little time for formal training. Amateur workers assumed that the Spirit had equipped them fully for service by Spirit-baptism alone, without other means. Some were concerned that a detached intellectualism might suppress the work of the Spirit. This created an anti-intellectualism in the early movement.9
However, the notion of anti-intellectual Pentecostalism is a worn-out stereotype today. It doesn’t represent the modern Spirit-empowered movement.
2. Are there Pentecostal scholars?
Fifty years ago, Pentecostal scholarship was sparse, but no longer. Pentecostal scholarship has ripened as its scholars have entered and contributed widely to virtually every academic discipline. Spirit-empowered scholarship is ably represented by respected systematic and biblical theologians, historians, philosophers, exegetes, scientists, artists, and more.
3. Who are some well-known charismatic or Pentecostal scholars?
What are the best resources to study the Bible as a Pentecostal or charismatic?
Having answered common questions, we now want to identify the best resources for P&C Bible study. Logos provides an impressive collection of resources for P&C Bible study. Get the tools you need to help you hear the Spirit’s voice and live in obedience to his word.
Charismatic beliefs and Bible study
A good place to begin is with the single bestselling introduction to hermeneutics in any evangelical tradition. Co-authored by Gordon Fee, who was a widely respected NT scholar and ordained minister of the Assemblies of God, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth explains the how-to of Bible study in clear, simple language. Want more? Read the rest of the series. Or watch the other author, Douglas Stuart, lecture through the book with Mark L. Strauss.
For the diligent pastor or seminary student, Fee’s handbook expertly walks you through all the steps of NT exegesis.
For me, buying a package on Logos is about stewarding God’s money well (Luke 16:9–11). Doing so strikes that perfect balance between getting the best resources to equip me for ministry and maximizing my personal savings.
What do I recommend? If you’re serious about P&C Bible study, you should consider at least Logos 10 P&C Bronze.
Also included are all twenty-two New Testament volumes of the Bible Speaks Today commentary. I’ve used this set repeatedly over the last decade when I want straightforward biblical exposition from trusted pastor–scholars. Morris Proctor presents benefits of the set here.
God uses means
God uses means to equip us, especially through his Word. Our task is the diligent labor of interpreting it accurately (2 Tim 2:14–17) using the best tools possible.
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Wayne A. Grudem, “Preface,” in Stanley N. Gundry and Wayne A. Grudem, eds., Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?: Four Views, Zondervan Counterpoints Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 11–12.
Stanley M. Burgess cites Barrett’s conclusion that “neocharismatics actually outnumber all pentecostals and charismatics combined.” Stanley M. Burgess, ed., The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003), xviii. The term “continuationist” was not yet in vogue when Burgess wrote, but I suspect he would use it instead were he writing today, as “neocharismatic” has become almost extinct as a title.
I included in the above list mostly Pentecostals, as they sadly face the anti-intellectualism stereotype most commonly. I also include a few charismatics and continuationists who reject distinctly Pentecostal beliefs.
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Jesus Christ is alive and living in the hearts and lives of billions of Christians. I am interested in what He is saying and doing in the lives of those who know and love Him and interested in being a familiar and trusted blogger about Him
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