a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

Indian Pentecostalism, Jesudas Athyal comments that ‘there is an unprecedented
emphasis on the reading and study of the Bible’ among Charismatics. 112 The
Statement of Faith of most churches as well as theological institutes of
Pentecostals in Rajasthan show the importance they place on the Bible. 113 As
McClung has rightly noted, the emphasis on Biblical authority for mission
theology and practice by Pentecostals prompted Pomerville to refer to them as
‘People of the Book.’ 114 According to Pomerville, ‘while some may question their
use of the Book, their hermeneutics, nevertheless Pentecostals seek to be led by
Scriptures as by the Spirit in their mission efforts. Their textbook for mission
strategy is invariably limited to the Book of Acts.’ 115 While proposing a
Pentecostal missiological paradigm for the twenty first century, McClung
emphasizes the inseparable nature of the Word and the Spirit. 116
As Pentecostals always explore the life of the early Christian community in the
Book of Acts to discover their continuity with it, biblical reflection is important.
There are a number of examples in the Book of Acts of how the Spirit experiences
of the early Christians play a role in their mission theology and practice.
According to Allen, Acts has a distinctive place in the New Testament in its
‘revelation of the Holy Spirit as a missionary Spirit.’ The missionary nature of the
Spirit is not hinted at but asserted as the prominent feature in Acts, and to treat
112 Jesudas M. Athyal, Relevant Patterns of Christian Witness in India: People as Agents of
Mission, Mission-Evangelism Studies, vol.1 (Thiruvalla, India: CSS, 2000), 209.
113 For example, see Prospectus 2006, 6.
114 For further details, see McClung, ‘Truth on Fire,’ 79-80.
115 Pomerville, Pentecostalism and Missions: Distortion or Correction? (Pasadena, California:
Fuller School of Intercultural Studies, 1982), 352, quoted in McClung, ‘Truth on Fire,’ 79.
Although, the exact wordings are not found, the same idea is expressed in Pomerville, Third
Force, 124-27.
116 For more details of the discussion, see McClung, ‘Try to Get People,’ 45-48.
294