I’ve been studying the history of Pentecostalism and the Assemblies of God all week. My professor, Gary McGee, is a tremendous historian and seems to know everything and everyone ever associated with the Pentecostal movement.
As someone associated with the A/G this week has been fascinating, discouraging, inspiring, and embarrassing all at the same time. It has been amazing to see how the Holy Spirit has moved in some truly miraculous ways despite some of his ‘earthly vessels.’
Our history is filled with a lot of the stereotypical fanatical evangelists, but also with people like Lilian Trasher in Egypt and Mark Buntain in India who moved halfway around the world to start orphanages for street kids.
Studying history does so much to explain the present. Some people study history and then try to replicate it (“Remember the good old days?”). This never works, and after studying some of these characters this week, I have no idea why you would want it to.
On the other hand, I don’t think we can ever really progress into the future until we truly understand the where we have come from. History is the key to unlocking the future.
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