Overview

Pentecostals are often portrayed as emotional people who are driven largely by experience. In Christ-Centered, Menzies argues that this caricature misses the fact that Pentecostals are fundamentally ""people of the book."" Although Pentecostals encourage spiritual experience, they do so with a constant eye to Scripture. The Bible, and particularly the book of Acts, fosters and shapes pentecostal experience. Additionally, Pentecostals are defined by their emphasis on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. At its heart, the pentecostal movement is not Spirit-centered, but rather Christ-centered. The work of the Spirit, as Pentecostals understand it, centers on exalting and bearing witness to the Lordship of Christ. Menzies develops these themes by examining the origins, biblical foundations, and missional orientation of the modern pentecostal movement. He concludes that, in spite of contradictory messages from some in fundamentalist pews and the pentecostal academy, Pentecostals are and have always been solidly evangelical.

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9781725267824

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Menzies rightly reminds us that Pentecostals are people of both word and Spirit, all the more evangelical in mission because we are pentecostal in experience. That is our history and our grassroots identity, from which we are severed only at our own peril. This book's message is crucial at a time like this, when both some evangelicals and some Pentecostals seem reluctant to embrace our shared heritage and mission. --Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary Here, a notable pentecostal scribe . . . cuts a mediating path between extremes of fundamentalism and ecumenism to substantiate the essential evangelical nature of Pentecostalism ever since its origin. The book augments Menzies' earlier publications, firmly establishing him among leading pentecostal theologians. . . . A pentecostal missionary-author, you could say, after the order of Lesslie Newbigin. --Russell P. Spittler, Fuller Theological Seminary In Korea, Pentecostals have been at odds with evangelicals, particularly with regard to the work of the Spirit. Both groups are largely unaware of the close ties that unite them in their basic Christian beliefs. I am confident that Christ-Centered will help both parties better understand each other and how much they have in common. --Dongsoo Kim, Pyeongtaek University Robert Menzies provides a convincing reminder of the relationship between evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. These overlapping Christ-centered movements, although shaped and reshaped by their cultural environments, remain the most vital force within global Christianity because of their powerful message of redemptive transformation and continuous concern for restoration of the dynamic dimension of the biblical faith in which the living God is active through the church for the renewal of society. --Peter Kuzmic, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Pentecostals are often described as 'people of the Spirit' because of our theology and practice of Spirit baptism. But baptism in the Holy Spirit itself is a ministry of Jesus. We are Spirit people, then, because we are Jesus people first. In this book, Robert P. Menzies argues that Pentecostalism's Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered perspective is rooted in evangelical soil, and he asks whether Pentecostals will continue reaping a gospel harvest if we try to plant on other theological grounds. --George P. Wood, Influence magazine

"""Menzies rightly reminds us that Pentecostals are people of both word and Spirit, all the more evangelical in mission because we are pentecostal in experience. That is our history and our grassroots identity, from which we are severed only at our own peril. This book's message is crucial at a time like this, when both some evangelicals and some Pentecostals seem reluctant to embrace our shared heritage and mission."" --Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary ""Here, a notable pentecostal scribe . . . cuts a mediating path between extremes of fundamentalism and ecumenism to substantiate the essential evangelical nature of Pentecostalism ever since its origin. The book augments Menzies' earlier publications, firmly establishing him among leading pentecostal theologians. . . . A pentecostal missionary-author, you could say, after the order of Lesslie Newbigin."" --Russell P. Spittler, Fuller Theological Seminary ""In Korea, Pentecostals have been at odds with evangelicals, particularly with regard to the work of the Spirit. Both groups are largely unaware of the close ties that unite them in their basic Christian beliefs. I am confident that Christ-Centered will help both parties better understand each other and how much they have in common."" --Dongsoo Kim, Pyeongtaek University ""Robert Menzies provides a convincing reminder of the relationship between evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. These overlapping Christ-centered movements, although shaped and reshaped by their cultural environments, remain the most vital force within global Christianity because of their powerful message of redemptive transformation and continuous concern for restoration of the dynamic dimension of the biblical faith in which the living God is active through the church for the renewal of society."" --Peter Kuzmic, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary ""Pentecostals are often described as 'people of the Spirit' because of our theology and practice of Spirit baptism. But baptism in the Holy Spirit itself is a ministry of Jesus. We are Spirit people, then, because we are Jesus people first. In this book, Robert P. Menzies argues that Pentecostalism's Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered perspective is rooted in evangelical soil, and he asks whether Pentecostals will continue reaping a gospel harvest if we try to plant on other theological grounds."" --George P. Wood, Influence magazine"

Author Information

Robert P. Menzies (PhD) is the Director of the Asian Center for Pentecostal Theology (www.pentecost.asia) and the author of numerous books, including Spirit and Power: Foundations of Pentecostal Experience (2000) and Pentecost: This Story is Our Story (2013).

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