Friday, October 2, 2020

My Research Paper on David Du Plessis (AKA Mr. Pentecost)

David Du Plessis:

An Apostle of Reconciliation, Mr. Pentecost, and a Key Leader in the Charismatic Renewal.

Darrell Wolfe

The King’s University:

Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements BIBH 1301

October 4, 2020

Introduction

Division and discord were ripe between denominational bodies (a hotbed of controversies and theological/political landmines) when David Du Plessis softly sauntered onto the scene with a message about the simplicity of the Gospel. With that message, he brought leaders from all sides to a quiet reflection of their own ministries’ effectiveness. Within Ecumenical circles, Du Plessis was best known by his moniker, Mr. Pentecost. To church historians, he became known as one of the key influencers of the Pentecostal Movement, the Ecumenical Movement, and the Charismatic Renewal. In my estimation, David Du Plessis was an Apostle of Reconciliation. His impact was so broad, outside of the Pentecostal Movement itself, that he became the first non-Roman Catholic to receive the Benemerenti award (1983) on the Pope’s behalf.[1] Due to his unwavering dedication to unity and his quiet unassuming character, few men have exemplified the ministry of Jesus like David Du Plessis. To understand who he was, we will need to look at the environment he walked into, the character he came with, and the results of his presence.

The Old Gives Way to The New

   The scene upon which David Du Plessis arrives is relevant to understanding who he was and why his impact was so vital. The Pentecostal Movement in South Africa was kicked off by John G Lake between 1908-1913. Racial tensions were still high throughout the world and especially in South Africa. Influenced by Alexander Dowie of Zion City, IL, and William J Seymour of the Azusa Street Revival, John G Lake founded both the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) (white branch) and the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) (black branch) in South Africa.[2] Into this movement, David Du Plessis was raised as a child, and he notes that he “was a little white heathen saved by the life and ministry of black Christians”.[3]

   David Du Plessis was born in 1905, just one year before the Azusa Street Revival would begin to rock the world. In the early years, David’s father was a carpenter building a mission for the AFM. Having been kicked out of the Dutch Reform Church for his healing beliefs, the elder Du Plessis held firmly to the belief that nobody should use medicine or medical care but rely on God’s healing only. He ended up in prison briefly for not giving his cattle medicine to avoid the plague.[4] David’s father was so against education, that when David Du Plessis went to Grey University in Bloemfontein, his father voluntarily surrendered his lay preacher’s license because he felt like a parental failure.[5] Despite their disagreements, David recalled learning from his father how to work hard, do the right thing no matter what, and to obey quickly (which would come in handy when God started sending him on strange assignments). Out of that environment, he was saved at eleven years old, received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at thirteen, and at twenty-three David Du Plessis was himself ordained by the AFM. In 1935, at thirty years old, he became the general secretary of the AFM where he began to show the earliest signs of his passion for fostering unity.[6]

   It was during his formative years (1905-1948) that the Pentecostal Movement was spreading throughout the world yet being rejected by the old denominations. As Synan points out in his work on The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition, “One of the ironies of church history is that those responsible for the new religious movements often become hostile to the results of their own work”.[7] Such was the atmosphere in 1936 when Smith Wigglesworth came bursting into David Du Plessis’ office with a prophetic word about the old churches experiencing the greatest revival in history; and, that Du Plessis would be a major player in that revival. Du Plessis was so shocked he decided not to believe Wigglesworth but was careful to tell the Lord he would act when instructed (but not a moment earlier).

The Tension of Obeying God

   Throughout his life and ministry, Du Plessis followed The Lord’s direction even when it cost him his last dime, which it did on many occasions. In one such incident, he arrived home early from a trip to find his wife in tears because they had just eaten their last meal. The kids told her not to fear because Dad always said “when we used the last ten cents, the next hundred dollars is on the way.”[8] As David was still trying to coax the story out of his wife, the kids burst into the room with an open envelope and a check for $100 and they ate well the next day. Time and again, Du Plessis would be on his way to a destination, book a ticket, and have no idea how he would pay for it, all because the Lord told him to go. Yet the money, ride, ticket, or provision would show up (often at the last minute) nearly every time. He lived in the constant tension between wanting to obey God and having to depend on God for miracle provision at each step of his journey.

   During his work with the Pentecostal World Conference, he experienced constant tension between parties pushing for power and those being suspicious of his intentions. The second world conference nearly fell apart until he suggested a meeting with the leaders of the disruption. In his soft, prayerful, questions, they managed to resolve in minutes what they had not been able to resolve in days. Donald Gee, the co-founder of the meeting, called it Du Plessis’ greatest achievement, but Du Plessis saw it as only a steppingstone into his ultimate calling of uniting the Old Churches.[9] Although Gee was interested in the Pentecostals being involved in a wider unity with the Old Churches, he was afraid of any movement that might appear to be causing more division or power struggles.[10]

   In an article written for The Ecumenical Review, in July 2000, Walter Hollenweger observes that Gee and Du Plessis, much like Paul and Barnabas, were brought into tension by a disagreement in the vision for the future and style of the organization. In an excerpt from letters written by Gee to Du Plessis, Du Plessis is accused of using his signature (Secretary, World Fellowship) to create a position for himself that was not implied. Gee saw the position as being that of organizing a single conference once every three years, while Du Plessis saw the position as that of building unity between the bodies on an on-going basis. At the end of the dispute, Du Plessis resigned from his post as Secretary of the Pentecostal World Conference.[11]

The Winds of Change

   Psalms tell us “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.”.[12] In The Spirit Bade Me Go, David Du Plessis gives us the following insights into the steps that led to the opening of the first door into the Ecumenical Movement.[13]

   The story begins in 1948 (twelve years after the Wigglesworth prophecy) when Du Plessis was reading about the formation of the World Council of Churches (WCC). By this point, he had been working for years to unite the Pentecostals and had moved from South Africa to Switzerland to the United States. Some argued that the work must be an evil attempt to form a “super-church” which gave Pentecostals reminders of the top-down authority they had left behind when they were kicked out, but he reasoned that “any movement of unity between the various churches must be of God”. This moved him to begin praying about God’s purposes in the WCC. This demonstrated a willingness on his part to listen for God’s heart, rather than jumping to conclusions.

   In 1951, Du Plessis met with Dr. John A. Mackay (President of Princeton Theological Seminary and of the International Missionary Council) and established an instant kindred friendship.[14] A few days after that meeting, Du Plessis said the Lord spoke to him to go and witness to the WCC leaders. He resisted the Lord’s calling on this, having preached against the old churches for so long, but he felt strongly this is what he must do. Convicted to go, and inspired by his meeting with Mackay, Du Plessis took the train from his home in Connecticut to the WCC offices in New York. While on the train, still resisting, Du Plessis decided that he would be so blunt about the fact he was a Pentecostal (and worse, the world secretary) that they had to either accept him or kick him out; however, when he arrived the leadership liked him so much that they asked him to stay for lunch and speak with the rest of those onsite. This was David Du Plessis’ first official encounter with the WCC.

   As a result of those first meetings, he was invited to come to the 1952 International Missionary Council (IMC), Extended Assembly, in Willingen Germany. When he arrived, Dr. Mackay “took him by the arm and introduced him as a great Pentecostal friend”. The next day, the “speaker complained that Christianity had become so institutionalized that it would be a blessing if some of these institutions burned down”.[15] Dr. Mackay followed that message by asking Du Plessis to quickly give his reasons for the rapid spread of Pentecostalism in the world. The essence of his message was (1) Christians were never intended to go out into the world without The Power of God; and, (2) rather than send out highly-trained well-educated missionaries to preach doctrine, the Pentecostals allowed for a more organic person-to-person witnessing style. He said that witnesses did not need doctrine, only an experience to talk about. This led to an earlier rendition of the famous saying: Each One Reach One. During that first IMC conference, he met personally with 110 of the 210 delegates present that week.[16] From that meeting forward, Du Plessis was invited into more councils, meetings, assemblies, and conferences.

   The real breakthrough came in 1956 when Du Plessis was speaking at a retreat in Connecticut where he was asked to be “devastatingly frank” about his thoughts on the Pentecostal Movement.[17] He felt a heat wash over him and his critical heart was replaced with compassion for these church leaders. He then poured out his heart to them for seventy-five minutes. That meeting was the moment he changed from a passively resistant participant to an actively engaged participant in the Ecumenical Movement. He had God’s heart for the men and the churches they represented, and it carried him through his entire ecumenical ministry.

The Apostle of Reconciliation

The heart of Du Plessis can be seen on full display in an audio recording of a message entitled “Forgiveness”, which he delivered on June 30, 1967, at the Elim Campmeeting in Lima, New York. Du Plessis recounts an interaction in which a man asked him about his experiences in the ecumenical circles. The man asked, “You don’t tell them they’re sinners?” To which Du Plessis replied, “No sir. I never tell them they're sinners. I don't care how bad they are. I never suggest they're sinners… Jesus said it's better that I go because I will send the Holy Spirit. And HE will reprove the world of sin, and you don't have to do it.” [18]

As a result of his willingness to work with anybody and yet never compromise his standards, he was invited into the private meetings with the world’s most elite religious leaders. He worked with high-level leaders in multiple denominations and interdenominational counsels, as well as those within the Catholic Church. He went on to be noted by Time Magazine (Sept 9, 1974, Pg. 66) as one of the key shapers and shakers of Christianity.[19] He was given several prestigious awards and received an honorary doctorate from Bethany Bible College.[20]

Conclusion

A man of intrinsic power with no official office, David Du Plessis held titles, but he worked largely title-less. Although he held credentials, he worked mostly credential-less. David Du Plessis was all too willing to give up any title he obtained in the name of preserving peace. Yet he was willing to take a stand for his calling, even when the Assemblies of God (AG) revoked his credentials in 1962, leaving Du Plessis to work without them until they were restored many years later (1962-1980).[21] David Du Plessis died on February 2, 1987 (days shy of his 82 birthday) and the Los Angeles Times, in his Obituary, noted that Du Plessis was “…the only Pentecostal invited to the third session of the Second Vatican Council in Rome in 1964.”.[22] Faith, Hope, and Love were hallmarks of his ministry. Faith caused him to go before provision arrived. Hope fueled his vision for unity. Love was felt by everyone he encountered. As a result of his work, many church leaders that considered themselves enemies were made friends. David Du Plessis carried the spirit of an Apostle of Reconciliation wherever he went. Given the spirit of division evident in 2020, he stands as an example of unity for the body of Christ today.

Bibliography

Burgess, Stanley M., and Eduard M van der Maas. The New International Dictionary of the Pentecostal and Charismatic (NIDPCM). Revised and Expanded. Zondervan, 2002.

Dart, John. “OBITUARIES : David J. Du Plessis; Force in Pentecostal Movement - Los Angeles Times.” News Paper, Online. Los Angeles Times, February 5, 1987. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-05-mn-978-story.html.

“David Du Plessis.” In Wikipedia, December 31, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_du_Plessis&oldid=933332487.

Du Plessis, David. The Spirit Bade Me Go: The Astounding Move of God in the Denominational Churches. Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 1970.

Encyclodpedia.Com. “Du Plessis, David J(Ohannes) 1905-1987 | Encyclopedia.Com.” General Reference. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/du-plessis-david-johannes-1905-1987.

Du Plessis, David, and Bob Slosser. A Man Called Mr. Pentecost: David Du Plessis as Told to Bob Slosser. Plainfield, N.J.: Logos International, 1977.

Hearn, Jay. David DuPlessis - “Forgiveness” June 30, 1967 Pm. Audio Recording: Posted to YouTube by Jay Hearn, 1967. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afL_3rAM3yw.

Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights Into God’s Word. NKJV New King James Version. Genuine Black Leather. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2015.

Hollenweger, Walter. “Two Extraordinary Pentecostal Ecumenists: The Letters of Donald Gee and David Du Plessis.” The Ecumenical Review 52, no. 3 (July 2000): 391–402.

“Religion: Shapers and Shakers.” Time, September 9, 1974. http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,904121,00.html.

Robeck, Cecil M. “A Pentecostal Looks at the World Council of Churches.” The Ecumenical Review, January 1, 1995. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Pentecostal+looks+at+the+World+Council+of+Churches.-a016420085.

Synan, Vinson. The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971.

Footnotes

[1] Stanley M. Burgess and Eduard M van der Maas, The New International Dictionary of the Pentecostal and Charismatic (NIDPCM), Revised and Expanded (Zondervan, 2002).

[2] Vinson Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century, 2nd ed (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971).

[3] David Du Plessis, The Spirit Bade Me Go: The Astounding Move of God in the Denominational Churches (Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 1970).

[4] David Du Plessis and Bob Slosser, A Man Called Mr. Pentecost: David Du Plessis as Told to Bob Slosser (Plainfield, N.J.: Logos International, 1977).

[5] Burgess and van der Maas, NIDPCM.

[6] “David Du Plessis,” in Wikipedia, December 31, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_du_Plessis&oldid=933332487.

[7] Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition.

[8] Du Plessis and Slosser. Pg. 143

[9] Du Plessis and Slosser. Pg. 170

[10] Cecil M. Robeck, “A Pentecostal Looks at the World Council of Churches.,” The Ecumenical Review, January 1, 1995, https://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Pentecostal+looks+at+the+World+Council+of+Churches.-a016420085.

[11] Walter Hollenweger, “Two Extraordinary Pentecostal Ecumenists: The Letters of Donald Gee and David Du Plessis,” The Ecumenical Review 52, no. 3 (July 2000): 391–402.

[12] Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: Key Insights Into God’s Word. NKJV New King James Version, Genuine Black Leather (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2015). Psalms 37:23

[13] Du Plessis, Spirit Bade Me Go. Pgs. 6-13

[14] Du Plessis and Slosser. Pg. 172

[15] Du Plessis, Spirit Bade Me Go.

[16] Du Plessis.

[17] Du Plessis. Pg. 10

[18] Jay Hearn, David DuPlessis - “Forgiveness” June 30, 1967 Pm, Audio Recording: Posted to YouTube by Jay Hearn, 1967, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afL_3rAM3yw.

[19] “Religion: Shapers and Shakers,” Time, September 9, 1974, http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,904121,00.html.

[20] Burgess and van der Maas, NIDPCM. See also, 24.

[21] “Du Plessis, David J(Ohannes) 1905-1987 | Encyclopedia.Com,” General Reference, Encyclodpedia.Com, accessed October 2, 2020, https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/du-plessis-david-johannes-1905-1987.

[22] John Dart, “OBITUARIES : David J. Du Plessis; Force in Pentecostal Movement - Los Angeles Times,” News Paper, Online, Los Angeles Times, February 5, 1987, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-05-mn-978-story.html.

Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

Written October 02, 2020 by Darrell G Wolfe

Biblical Studies, Class Assignment No comments

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Notes: Final Exam: History of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements

History of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements

*The following are my personal notes taken from studying for the Final Exam for my class on the History of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Because these are final exam notes and not a formal paper, I have not bothered with citations. However, reference texts are below for anyone interested in studying further. Please note: These are only rough sketches. Details are left out for time-sake.

1. The Holiness Movement

Tracing their origins back to John Wesley and the Methodists, Wesleyan-Arminian in theology, the Holiness Movement dealt with the sin-life of the believer. Observing that "getting saved" wasn't enough to change the life of a person, they began to seek Christian Perfection. This lead to a belief in a second work of grace called "Sanctification". If sought this experience, they could be instantly transformed and become sinless. It would out of this movement that some within the Holiness Movement (late 1800s-1900) would begin to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, kicking off the Pentecostal Movement.

Although many examples of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues, can be found cited in previous moves and ministries, no doctrine around the experience had yet been debated in the halls of theological circles. That would come in 1901.

2. The Pentecostal Movement

Although most Pentecostals would trace their origins to Acts 2, the modern Pentecostal movement officially began on January 1, 1901, when Ages Ozman spoke in tongues at Charles Fox Parham's bible college. The movement was characterized by the following points:

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for today.
The evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in unknown tongues.

a. Charles Fox Parham was a preacher operating out of Topeka, Kansas. He led a team of students to begin praying, fasting, and studying the scriptures while they awaited the Holy Spirit like the original Apostles, leading to the first tongues-speaking by Agnes Ozman. Combined with his Faith Healing ministry, these events led to The Topeka Revival. The rest of the students were filled with the spirit and people began to flock to the meetings until a few years later when excitement lost its momentum. Then Parham lost funding for the school and had to close it down.

b. William Joseph Seymour studied under Parham in Texas and then took those teachings with him when he was asked to come to California to preach. He was asked to pastor a Holiness Church but was kicked out after two weeks for his teaching on tongues. He started a prayer meeting at the house in which he was staying (on Bonnie Brea Street). After laying hands on Edward Lee who then spoke in tongues, a revival broke out. Meeting became so large that the porch collapsed under the weight of all the people.

c. This break out of the Holy Spirit became known as The Azusa Street Revival. Before very long, they were forced to move from the house into a run-down building on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California. This resulted in the formation of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in that building (on Azusa Street).

Note: From these meetings, nearly all of the original founders of Pentecostal Denominations can be tied. The leaders of these churches either visited this revival or were directly affected by someone who had been there. John G Lake was among those who visited.

d. William H. Durham, and his Finished Work Theology (1910) saw sanctification as complete at salvation but worked out in the life of a believer as they gradually mature. Seymour was a devout "Second Blessing/Sanctification" believer. Durham was preaching for Seymour at Azusa Street, but when Durham began preaching "Finished Work" Seymour rushed home and locked him out. That became a permanent split between them.

This Finished Work doctrine replaced the Second Blessing Sanctification doctrine for many Pentecostals. Over 390 denominations adhere to this Finished Work, including Assemblies of God, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and the Open Bible Churches.

e. Aimee Semple McPherson was a preacher evangelist who rocked the world. She built a 5,300 seat church in Los Angeles (Angelus Temple), founded the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, founded the Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism (LIFE) Bible College. She held large meetings of thousands all over the country, she used creative means of theater and music productions. In an age when women were not involved in things outside of the home, Sister Aimee broke down every barrier.

f. Classical Pentecostals: The term "Classical" was added to the moniker around 1960 to separate the established Pentecostal Churches from the newly forming Neo-Pentecostal movement working its way through the older churches. These Neo-Pentecostals were eventually relabeled, Charismatics.

David Johannes Du Plessis, Mr. Pentecost, was a link between the Pentecostal Movement, Ecumenical Movement, and the resulting Charismatic Movement, operating from 1935-1987. He began in the Pentecostal Movement and always identified as a Pentecostal. His work began as attempts to bring the various Pentecostal Bodies into unity; however, he was then thrust into the work of bringing the Pentecostal Message to the old churches, paving the way for a fresh wave of the Holy Spirit that would become known as the Charismatic Movement, or Charismatic Renewal.

David's primary message was twofold:

Holy Spirit: You cannot (sustainably) grow a church with programs and organizations alone. You cannot grow without the power of the Holy Spirit. Unless you are empowered, your church remains cold and dead. In other words, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was required to be a healthy, vibrant, and growing church.

Missions: Sending missionaries and evangelists to preach doctrine is a dead lifeless activity. Rather, give men an experience with God that touches them, then send them out to witness to that experience. They need not be educated to be effective. It was the organic person-to-person style of the Pentecostals that allowed them the meteoric rise they enjoyed.

As a result of his work, Du Plessis was “…the only Pentecostal invited to the third session of the Second Vatican Council in Rome in 1964. ”. He went on to be noted by Time Magazine (Sept 9, 1974, 66) as one of the key shapers and shakers of Christianity. He was given several prestigious awards and received an honorary doctorate from Bethany Bible College.

3. Charismatic Movement

On Easter Sunday, 1960, Dennis Joseph Bennett of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California announced he had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Bennett resigned to avoid controversy and was handed a struggling church (St. Luke's Episcopal) in Seattle. They hoped to hide him away in a church that would soon be closing its doors; however, a revival struck that facility and with Bennett's leadership it became a thriving center of life.

This Neo-Pentecostal movement worked its way into all the old church denominations throughout the 1960-1970s. They adopted much of the flavor of Pentecostalism but avoided the label. They adopted the name Charismatic instead as it was more theologically and culturally appealing.

Prior to the 1960s, people who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit either kept it private or left their church to join a Pentecostal Church. As a result of this renewal, many stayed within their original churches.

3.1 The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR)

Pope John XIII prayed that the Second Vatican Council might be a "New Pentecost" for the Catholic Church. Among those involved in the Vatican II was David Du Plessis, Mr. Pentecost himself. In 1967, several Catholic faculty at Duquesne University had been reading David Wilkerson's book The Cross and the Switchblade (1963) and John Sheeill's book The Speak with Other Tongues (1964). The faculty and students went on to attend a prayer meeting attended by those from the Protestant Charismatic Movement (Neo-Pentecostal Movement), and several students received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at that meeting. This kicked off the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

4. The Third Wave Revival was birthed into the churches that did not hold strict "denominational" ties. These are churches that remained independent and largely Evangelical in their beliefs. The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit worked its way into these independent and sometimes denomination-life organizations. Calvary Chapel, The Vineyard, and the British New Church Movement were all birthed out of this wave. A point of divergence among this movement was that they made room for all the gifts of the spirit but did not generally hold that the gift of tongues was "the" sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; but rather "a' sign.

5. Healing Revival: Simultaneous and Overlapping with the Pentecostal Movement was the Healing Revival. Healing was part of the Pentecostal Movement from its inception. Charles Parham, a faith healer from his Holiness days, kicked off the Pentecostal Revival in Topeka Kansas with Faith healing.

At the root of the Healing Revival was the fact that the men involved attracted Non-Pentecostal followings. The movement influenced the Charismatic Renewal of the 1960-1970s.

William Marrion Branham (1909-1965) was the initiator of the post-WWII Healing Revival. He claimed that as a result of a visiation of an angel, he was given the power to heal and even discern people's illnesses and thoughts. Walter Hollenweger, who interpreted for him in Zurich, "is not aware of any case in which he was mistaken in the detailed statements he made". He also lived and dressed moderately which made the common people big fans. In his day, his meetings were the largest ever held in some cities, and he preached throughout the world.

Granville Oral Roberts, known as Oral Roberts publicly, was "America's Premier Healing Evangelist". Roberts, a Pentecostal himself, launched his healing ministry in 1947 at a campaign in Enid, OK. Throughout his life and ministry, Oral Roberts conducted Healing Crusades and meetings around the United States and world. He was the first Pentecostal to take advantage of the Television as a means of spreading the Gospel. By the 1970s, he was the best known preacher in the USA and held a strong loyalty among his followers. Although his active role in the lime-light faded in later decades , he was still influential and active in ministry until his death in 2009.

6. Three Additional Movements: Although far more questionable, there were three additional movements that warranted further discussion. As with previous movements, each came with its own controversy.

The Shepherding Movement, AKA the Discipleship Movement, came about in 1974. "The Shepherding Movement taught that every believer needed to submit to a "Shepherd" or pastoral leader". Pastors and leaders should also submit one to another. Key leaders of this moment were: Bernard (Bob) Mumford, DOC; Derek Prince, Philosopher; Charles Simon, Southern Baptist; among others. Several influential leaders, such as Pat Robertson and Kathryn Kuhlman, denounced this movement as a cult. The movement took a turn for the worse when a doctrine developed asking people to devote themselves to their leaders in Covenant Relationships, often considered lifelong. Eventually, all but Simson left the movement and renounced it. Charles Simson held firmly to the ideals and preferred the term: Covenant Movement; and formed the Fellowship of Covenant Ministers and Churches. As of the time of the article Charles Simson pastored Covenant Church, Mobile AL.

Although not entirely wrong in its initial premise, this movement went so far off the reservation that they became an abusive cult…

((( Holy Cow! This is the root of the Spiritual Abuse I witnessed and experienced in two separate churches in Southern California. Wow, just realized that! Is it good and right to submit to authority? Yes. But just like Jesus earned the right for our submission to Him, you have to die to yourself and become a servant if you want people to follow your leadership. I swear, if I hear the word "armor bearer" in a church, I'm out! ))

The Toronto Blessing, AKA Father's Blessing, was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the Toronto Airport Vineyard (TAV) in Jan 1994 led by Pastor John Arnott. In addition to those hallmarks that Pentecostals were used to (speaking in tongues, being laid out in the spirit, even shaking at times), this outpouring resulted in some odd behaviors that made some uncomfortable, including making barnyard animal sounds. These more odd behaviors led John Wimber of Vineyard (who himself was kicked out of Calvary Chapel for manifestations of the Holy Spirit) to kick out John Arnott. Thus, the name was changed to the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. Arnott wrote a book on the experience called The Father's Blessing. Thousands were affected by the movement directly and many more as the movement spread throughout the world into various congregations. It could not have been all bad, as people were saved, healed, and brought closer to Christ as a result. But John Arnott himself was not clear on some of the odder manifestations, reasoning that it was God's business not his.

On a personal note: I've met a man who was in these meetings who testified to the truth of these manifestations. Being an intellectual man, he's not phone to exaggeration.

The Brownsville Revival, began on purpose, so to speak. Reverend John Kilpatrick, of the Brownsville Church in Pensacola, Florida, had been praying with his congregation for some time to ask God for a revival. For several years, they held a Sunday Evening Prayer Service. No sermon or alter calls, jut prayer and communion; asking God for revival. On Father's Day, 1995 (Sunday, June 18, 1995); Evangelist Steve Hill was invited to speak and the Holy Spirit fell during that service. Steve Hill canceled his future engagements and held revival services there at Brownsville from 1995-2000. In some cases, there were people waiting 14 hours or more to gain entrance into the services. The Movement became broiled in controversies under alleged financial mishandling, including non-payment of state taxes on merchandise sold at the meetings. There were also claims that leaders took huge salaries and put pressure on the people to give large amounts. Steve Hill officially ended his involvement on Father's Day 2000, exactly five years later.

Side Note: The Assemblies of God (AG) had a fairly sketchy past. Although primarily Theological and not Racial in origin, in 1914, a largely white majority of 300 Pentecostal Ministries and laymen split from the African-American led Church of God In Christ (COGIC), under Bishop Charles Mason. They didn't even invite him to the assembly where they began the process. The creation of the AG officially ended the racial integration and unity that had become the hallmark of the Pentecostal Movement to that point. The finer point of the separation was over Sanctification as a "Finished Work" vs a "Second Grace". Although the Theological Reason for the separation was sound, the racial lines leave open questions about how it was handled. The AG made another terrible blunder when they revoked David Du Plessis' AG Preaching credentials. Having been birthed out of a church split, it's understandable that they would be wary of his active work with the old churches that treated them so harshly; however, they were clearly wrong in hindsight. Luckily, they corrected this error returning his credentials 20 years later (1962-1980).

References

NIDPCM. "DU PLESSIS, DAVID JOHANNES." In The New International Dictionary of the Pentecostal and Charismatic (NIDPCM), by Stanley M. Burgess, & Eduard M. van der Maas, 589-592. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.

Cauchi, Tony. David du Plessis 1905 - 1987. 2004. http://www.revival-library.org/index.php/pensketches-menu/american-pentecostal-pioneers/david-du-plessis (accessed 9 28, 2020).

Dart, John. "OBITUARIES: David J. du Plessis; Force in Pentecostal Movement." Los Angeles Times. 2 5, 1987. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-05-mn-978-story.html (accessed 9 28, 2020).

Du Plessis, David. "David DuPlessis - "Forgiveness" June 30, 1967 pm." Elim Campmeeting. Lima, NY.: YouTube; Hearn, Jay, 1967. Audio Recording Posted to YouTube.

Du Plessis, David, The Spirit Bade Me Go : The Astounding Move of God in the Denominational Churches. Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 1970, 2004.

Du Plessis, David, and Bob Slosser. A Man Called Mr. Pentecost: David Du Plessis as Told to Bob Slosser. Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1977.

Encyclodpedia.com. Encyclodpedia.com. 9 18, 2020. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/du-plessis-david-johannes-1905-1987 (accessed 9 28, 2020).

Hollenweger, Walter. "Two extraordinary Pentecostal ecumenists: the letters of Donald Gee and David Du Plessis." The Ecumenical Review, 52 no 3, 7 2000: 391-402.

NKJV. Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible: New King James Version. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers; Thomas Nelson, 1984.

Robeck, Cecil M. "A Pentecostal looks at the World Council of Churches." The Free Library. 1 1, 1995. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Pentecostal+looks+at+the+World+Council+of+Churches.-a016420085 (accessed 9 28, 2020).

Synan, Vinson. The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971, 1997.

Wikipedia. David du Plessis. 12 31, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_du_Plessis (accessed 9 28, 2020).

***

Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

Written September 30, 2020 by Darrell G Wolfe

Armchair Theology, Studies No comments

Saturday, September 26, 2020

An Aspirational Vision: The Next Revival 2020 and Beyond

Aspirational Dream:

On Thursday 09/24/2020, at approximately 1:28 PM PST, I woke from a nap with these images and thoughts swirling around in my head. I am not so bold as to say they are prophetic or that they will happen this exact way. I see them more as an Aspirational Vision. Something we could each aspire to see happen in our own lives and communities if we begin to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our generation. I could even see him doing this type of thing simultaneously all over the world so that there is no one epicenter? I felt led to share this to inspire you to begin to dream for your community.

***

An Aspirational Vision: The Next Revival 2020 and Beyond:

In 2024, a small group of believers had been gathering for some time in a manufactured home on a half-acre in North Pole, Idaho, near Coeur d'Alene.

An outpouring struck that group unlike any that came before. The Holy Spirit moved in them with all the signs of the New Testament church. While no one sign was more present than another, they were all present: Signs included miracles, healing, tongues (both known and unknown), interpretation of tongues, words of knowledge to answer questions and words of wisdom to solve problems, Prophecy, and discerning of spirits all poured out in huge waves. Even in the relatively quiet hammock of North Idaho, demons presented themselves and were cast out by anyone standing by without waiting for "leaders" to direct them.

Messages were taught and songs were sung, as the Spirit gave utterance, but no formal church services were ever announced. The meetings were only ever held as weekday prayer meetings only throughout the revival, allowing all the churches in the region to participate equally.

At its apex, 10,000s were directly affected and present in these meetings. Millions were affected by people who left the meetings and brought the revival with them. The results were such that the small property wasn't big enough to contain the meetings. A larger piece of land was purchased, which eventually became their headquarters. People left this revival and went back into their own towns carrying the revival with them.

All the previous signs of other revival were present. Gifts of the spirit. Unity between races, sexes, and even sexual orientations. Love was a hallmark sign. The fruit of the spirit was evident.

As the movement matured, semi-formal parachurch organizations were created to help give unity to the message and provide a resource to other local churches for the duplication of its intent (but not style) in other areas.

Two characteristics set this movement apart from previous movements.

1. No formal Sunday church services were started by the original group. The intent remained, throughout the revival, to bring the community together and revive life within the existing churches. The group never formally started their own.

2. They remained home-prayer based extensions of the churches they affected. Although some new churches were planted around the world as a side effect of fresh evangelism and growth, no new churches or denominations were formed to represent this movement as being separated from its founding church. Although (as always happens) some leaders recoiled from the movement, most Pastors and Leaders from churches affected became leaders and participants of the meetings, rather than rejectors of them.

Those hosting the prayer meetings also recognized that the point of any revival or movement of the Holy Spirit is to bring a new fresh perspective and life to HIS people. As such, once the wave had done its job of spreading this new phenomenon around the world, the intensity of the move crests and fresh waves come forward, and they were pleased with that arch. Thus, as predicted by the hosts, the flocking of millions to North Idaho lasted approximately 10 years, and the revival officially ended in 2034.

However, today, some 50 years later, a consistent remnant of approximately 200-500 meet on a weekly basis in homes throughout the North Idaho region, including visitors.

Most of the founding hosts are still faithful members of their original home churches, except for those who have passed on or gone to other works.

The Kingdom of God, LLC (KOGLLC), a parachurch organization built to support existing churches. The KOGLLC still produces free content from and for churches around the globe, holds regular prayer meetings on its 100-acre campus, hosts leadership training, hosts a spirit-filled counseling center, and homeless outreach, among other activities. All of the activities are dedicated to helping support local churches; therefore, no Sunday church services are ever held on campus. Rather, any of the students or clients living on-site as part of the recovery or school programs, are bussed to any of the local churches they would like to attend.

***

Who knows… but it's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

Written September 26, 2020 by Darrell G Wolfe

Musings No comments

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Who am I? Clarify Your Calling

Who am I?

Clarify Your Calling: Your Sweet Spot!

Over the years, I have made a point of self-study, so I can learn more about who I am and why I am the way I am. Who am I called to serve? What would be the best use of my skills? Etc. In that time, I've coached and worked with others through those same questions. There is one key lesson you must learn to make the process of self-discovery more effective.

In Clifton Strengths Finder 2.0, the book, there is a powerful lesson that everyone would be best learning early in the self-discovery process and it runs contrary to the mythology many are taught in our society:

You CANNOT be anything you want in life; but you CAN be a lot more of who you already are.

The essence of the lesson is that you can expend a lot of effort doing something you are passionate about but not good at, resulting in few results; OR, you can expend far less effort doing something you are passionate about and good at and see exponentially more results. Your best self, the self that does the most good in this world, is in that second category.

I've broken down these concepts more in previous posts (Discovery) and (The Hedgehog). The bottom line can be summarized by what Ken Coleman referred to "The Sweet Spot":

"You find your sweet spot by finding the intersection of your greatest strength and your greatest passion."

The following is a series of exercises you can do to hone your calling and find your sweet spot.

These exercises will not tell you that you should become "a doctor" or a "a writer". What they will do, is help you identify your giftings, callings, passions, and themes. As you begin to refine these, they will help you define a Vision, Mission, Life Theme, Characteristics, and Guides (bottom of this post). Once you have a handle on these, you will use them throughout life to know what opportunities to take advantage of and which to take a pass on.

NOTE: You are always evolving. These will not remain stationary. You should revisit these periodically as you mature. Your Vision or Mission doesn't have to lifelong. They can be seasonal and are subject to change as you grow. Use them as guides, not hard rules.

I hope you enjoy this exercise. Write or comment if you'd like to get in touch.

*** I will be updating this post periodically, so please feel free to re-visit for updates.***

DISCOVERY PROCESS

Discover your personality themes by taking a variety of personality tests, and personal evaluations, each designed to help you see aspects of your personality, gifting(s), and personal themes.

It's important to realize that your "type" in each test is less relevant than what you resonated with in the results. It's what you gained from knowing your type and how that helps you identify who you are that matters most.

From each test, your goal is to identify two things:

Aha! Moments. Any moments where you felt like you were suddenly able to understand yourself better or you felt the test “got you”.
Recurrent Themes, did you notice the same ideas present in multiple test results, and each of them resonating strongly with you? Pay attention to these.

In the following sections, don’t be too organized. Just throw it all out onto the pages. Anything you see, any themes, any key words, any insights, anything that stands out.

The goal is discovery first, then we can sift through that data and make sense of it. Then compile the results here in the tables below. Also, any other tests you are aware of, not included in this list, use those too! The more you data you have the more you can use to identify themes and Aha! moments.

***

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) at 16Personalities

*Take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) at 16Personalities, you will be assigned a four letter designation, a theme name, and a summary of the theme. For example, mine is INFJ/Advocate.

Type: ______ (Ex: INFJ)

Theme Name: _______ (Ex: Advocate)

Discoveries:

______________________________________________________

Key Words of Theme:

__________
__________
__________
__________
__________

***

CliftonStrengths

*Take the Gallup CliftonStrengths, either Top 5 or all 34. Write down your top five, and read about them, including your unique combination of strengths.

Top Five Strengths:

________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________

Discoveries:

______________________________________________________

Key Themes:

______________________________________________________

***

DISC Profile Type

*Take the DISC Profile Type: (2 good options: 123Test.com or Tony Robbins). You will be assigned one major type: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. Read about your type and brainstorm your findings.

DISC Type: __________________________________

Discoveries:

______________________________________________________

Key Themes:

______________________________________________________

***

Enneagram

*Take the Enneagram (by Truity). You will have one of the nine numbers score highest, also pay attention to the two next highest, these are considered your Wings. Brainstorm your discoveries.

Enneagram Type: __________________________________

Wing 1: __________________________________

Wing 2: __________________________________

Discoveries:

______________________________________________________

Key Themes:

______________________________________________________

***

Spiritual Giftings

*Take the Spiritual Giftings (by Team Ministry Gifted to Serve).

Spiritual Giftings:

______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

Discoveries:

______________________________________________________

Key Themes:

______________________________________________________

Putting it all together

THEME

*Based on your personality tests, what is your theme?

Theme:_________________________________________

Key Words of Theme:

________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________

CHARACTERISTICS

About Your Who

*Three traits/themes, unique to you, that make you authentically you. These are traits you possess, they are about you (You can use more than three if you'd like).

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

GUIDES

About You

*Three principles, unique to you, to help guide you in every opportunity. When to say Yes/No. These are traits, patterns, themes, in your “who”, the people, market, niche, types you are drawn to (You can use more than three if you'd like).

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

VISION

*Problem that hurts you. Your solution. The transformation someone experiences from being with you.

This is the line you give everyone you meet. See Donald Miller or Michael Hyatt for more on this. Here's a video on Donald Miller's One Liner.

https://youtu.be/HFergI0UOAs

When you meet someone in the elevator or at a party, they say "tell me about yourself, what do you do... etc". Don't reply "My name is Darrell. I'm father, I work a a call center..." Reply with your vision.

Framework: You know how sometimes (describe the problem people have that you solve in life). I help __(my who)__ do (see, understand, get)__(my unique value added/solution)_, so that _(the transformation they experience/benefits not features).

Example Professional:

You know how there are people who walk around frustrated with Religion but still desperately wish they could know God?

I use a philosophy called NO HIDING to help disillusioned or de-churched Christians reconnect with the Heart of Daddy-God, heal from old wounds, and discover new purpose.

So that they can experience: Radical Authenticity, Healthy Connection, and Identity Rooted in God's Love.

Example Personal: You know how some moms are exhausted and lonely? I connect with isolated moms, take them out to coffee, and let them know they're loved. Helping moms is my biggest passion. What's yours?

Your Vision Statement:

______________________________________________________

MISSION

*Can be temporary, must be specific outcome based, but focused on daily actions that vote for this outcome.

This mission is to be as specific as possible. Temporary or short term is fine. It must be actionable, measurable, and specific.

Framework: I am the kind of person who ____(your theme, can be lifelong or temporary)__, and I am on a mission to _(as specific as possible, clean the house by spring)_. To do that, I (we) will _(specific actions that cumulatively will create that result, clean out one room or closet every Saturday)_.

Example: We are the type of family who loves each other. We know that being connected makes that love grow stronger. To do that, we will play board games 3-times each month this summer and turn of the screens while we do. We'll talk to each other during the game and find ways to honor each other in the process by asking questions without over speaking or arguing.

Your Mission Statement:

______________________________________________________

Other helpful tests:

Use these same types of exercises on any other tests you can find or want to use. Here are a few others I and others found helpful:

Thank you for reading today,

Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

Clifton StrengthsFinder: Intellection, Learner, Ideation, Achiever, Input
16Personalities (Myers-Briggs Type): INFJ

Written September 22, 2020 by Darrell G Wolfe

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