Most of the early twentieth-century Pentecostal denominations were peace churches that encouraged a stance of conscientious objection. However, since the Second World War Pentecostals have largely abandoned their pacifist viewpoint as they have taken on a more literal Biblical hermeneutic from their interaction with Evangelical denominations. This book traces the history of nonviolence in Pentecostalism and suggests that a new hermeneutic of the Bible is needed by today's Pentecostals in order for them to rediscover their pacifist roots and effect positive social change. The book focuses on how Pentecostalism has manifested in South Africa during the twentieth century. Much of the available academic literature on hermeneutics and exegesis in the field of Pentecostal Studies is of an American or British-European origin. This book redresses this imbalance by exploring how the Bible has been used amongst African Pentecostals to teach on the apparent paradox of a simultaneously wrathful and loving God. It then goes onto suggest that how the Bible is read directly affects how Pentecostals view their role as potential reformers of society. So, it must be engaged seriously and thoughtfully. By bringing Pentecostalism's function in South African society to the fore, this book adds a fresh perspective on the issue of pacifism in world Christianity. As such it will be of great use to scholars of Pentecostal Studies, Theology, and Religion and Violence as well as those working in African Studies.

Let the Spirit live inside you Are you hungry for an encounter with Jesus? Do you want to make an impact on the world? In this power-packed book, Bill Johnson discusses how "you "can be a person who hosts the Presence of God. Though all believers obviously have the Spirit of God within them, there is "more" that enables you to be so full that you overflow His Spirit into your world. Take a journey and meet many great prophets and kings from the Old Testament who were known as people of the Presence--people who, in Johnson's words, "God wanted to be with." In this succinct and powerful book, Johnson encourages you toward a pursuit of the Presence of God above all else. In this book, you will discover: How to pay attention to the Holy Spirit and respond to Him. How the Holy Spirit manifests Himself. Biblical figures who were hungry for more of God's Spirit and learned to host Him. Stories of Presence-filled revivalists and personal encounters with the Presence Bill Johnson writes: "We are enabled to partner with the Kingdom of Heaven and see it released here on earth The Presence of God within us will bring reformation to the world around us--encountering a loving God " Host more of Him today

When you talk to God, do you ever feel as if you are not getting through? You're not alone. At some point, most believers find themselves grappling with difficult questions like Would God really talk to me personally? and How do I know it's truly God talking, and not my own thoughts? But here's the good news: Hearing God is simpler than you think. It's possible to have a relationship with God that involves both speaking and listening. In fact, it's God's desire; He wants to talk to you. In this revised and expanded edition of a classic work, author and teacher Steve Sampson shows you how to pray not just wishing you'd hear God's voice--but expecting to hear it. Sampson's uncomplicated, practical perspective will help you cultivate the two-way conversation with God you've always longed for. Before long, you'll hear Him speaking into your circumstances and relationships, expressing His love for you and showing you the next steps to take in your life. Don't settle for a one-sided conversation with God. Break through this barrier and develop a sensitive heart that hears--and responds to--God's still, small voice. "With clarity and humor, Steve takes you on a journey to the place of profound simplicity in Christ where hearing Him is as natural as breathing."--Bishop Mark J. Chironna, M.A., Ph.D., Church on the Living Edge, Orlando, Florida

Fear is a giant that shouts at us from the battle lines of our lives--a giant adorned in seemingly impenetrable armor. But God has given us supernatural weapons that even fear cannot outrun. Sharing stories from her own life and others', author and speaker Krissy Nelson uncovers a powerful truth: As children of God we are made to live fearlessly. Concealed within the familiar story of David and Goliath are three supernatural weapons David used to slay the giant of fear. These weapons are hidden in plain sight for us to discover--and also to learn to use, because what God gave David, he also gives us. Nelson dives into Scripture and explores how to position yourself to see fear for what it is: a giant that dares defy the army of the living God. It is time to run boldly toward freedom. You are equipped for battle, and you are not alone--God will fight for you!

Jesus didn't come to earth just to save us from hell. He suffered, died, and rose again for the complete deliverance and healing you long for. Soul wounds affect each of us and leave broken places in our lives that need healing. When we seek inner healing but don't also close demonic doorways to the enemy, we simply mask the issue temporarily and may find ourselves in more bondage than we experienced previously. A respected minister of deliverance, Kathy DeGraw will show you through biblical insights, real-life examples, and practical instruction how you can * discern and destroy the root of fear, anger, addictions, rejection, and other strongholds that just won't go away * use repentance, forgiveness, and robust spiritual warfare prayers and declarations to possess freedom * minister deliverance and inner healing to others * and more The Holy Spirit wants to open your eyes to the strongholds that have kept you stuck. It's time to be unshackled and free!

In this book, Dennis and Rita Bennett, tell simply and readably how you can experience the same outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your life that has been experienced in the lives of hundreds of thousand of others since it began in their church in 1960. Even in the middle of this increasingly frightening world and times, you can have the same peace, joy, and love that was such a part of the early Church. This book has been hailed as a key textbook on the Holy Spirit by leaders in groups as diverse as Roman Catholic and Assemblies of God.

The Bible teaches us that we are to be filled with God's Spirit and that God's presence and grace is manifested among his people as they serve, love, and minister to one another. Yet some of the gifts that God offers to his people aren't commonly seen in many churches today. Gifts of prophecy, healing, tongues, and other supernatural gifts of God seem to be absent, and many Christians are unsure how to cultivate an atmosphere where God's Spirit can work while remaining committed to the foundational truth of God's Word. How can Christians pursue and implement the miraculous gifts of the Spirit without falling into fanatical excess and splitting the church in the process? In Practicing the Power, pastor and author Sam Storms offers practical steps to understanding and exercising spiritual gifts in a way that remains grounded in the word and centered in the gospel. With examples drawn from his forty years of ministry as a pastor and teachers, Storms offers a guidebook that can help pastors, elders, and church members understand what changes are needed to see God move in supernatural power and to guard against excess and abuse of the spiritual gifts. If you long to see God's Spirit move in your church and life, and aren't sure why that isn't happening or where to begin, this book is for you.

Experience the Love of the Father every day!

Seasons of crisis, pain, and loss may impact the people we become, but our circumstances do not define who we are. Your identity is greater than your experiences.

The only experience that ought to define your identity, determine your self-worth, and shape your destiny is an encounter with the unconditional love of God. The eternal, unchanging love of a Perfect Father changes everything!

Experiencing the Father’s Love takes you beyond merely learning about God’s love to actually experiencing it for yourself. This devotional, compiled from the transformational writings of Jack Frost, will forever change you.

Written as personal invitations for you to experience the life-giving love of God, these daily encounters will fill you with joy, peace, identity, and comfort.

Get swept up in the Father’s loving embrace!

Pentecostalism is one of the fastest-growing religious movements in the world. Groups in the United States dominated early Pentecostal histories, but recent global manifestations have expanded and complicated the definition of Pentecostalism. This volume provides a nuanced overview of Pentecostalism's various manifestations and explores what it means to be Pentecostal from the perspectives of both insiders and outsiders. Leading scholars in the field use a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the historical, economic, political, anthropological, sociological, and theological aspects of the movement. They address controversies, such as the Oneness-Trinity controversy; introduce new theories; and chart trajectories for future research. The Cambridge Companion to Pentecostalism will enable beginners to familiarize themselves with the important issues and debates surrounding the global movement, while also offering experienced scholars a valuable handbook for reference.

Pentecostalism has become the fastest growing Christian movement, particularly outside Europe, and Allan Heaton Anderson is one of the foremost scholars of this phenomenon. His innovative interpretation of Pentecostalism focuses on the serious contribution made by both western and Majority World participants in its development. In this second edition of his leading introductory course book, Anderson presents an updated global history of the movement, which addresses significant events and changes in recent years, and surveys important theoretical issues such as gender and society, as well as politics and economics. The book also offers a comprehensive explanation of the significance of Charismatic Christianity throughout the world, plus its effect upon the globalisation of religion and its transformation in the present century. This new edition will be an important resource for those studying Pentecostalism, Charismatic Christianity, theology and sociology of religion.

Revised and expanded version of the best seller.

Deception, witchcraft, and occult practices reign worldwideem dashand these evils have even infiltrated the Christian church! So, fasten your seatbelt as you read the most provocative book of our time, in which you will learn to recognize:

• Ministers who use intimidation and fear
• Controlling power in families
• Spiritual discernment and its many uses
• Manipulative media techniques
• Distractions coming from Satan

It's time to take a stand and engage in spiritual warfare. Bishop Bloomer shows how to prevent others from unfairly taking advantage of you.

Practical Keys to Transforming the World around You In a world where evil dominates the headlines, we are often left wondering, Will good really triumph over evil? Or are we hurtling toward oblivion? It's here, during this very hour--when political chaos seems to reign and the media persecutes anyone who disagrees with them--that God is searching for men and women who long for an infusion of boldness that possesses their souls, who will take a stand and be a voice for the Kingdom. His vision for the future is not bleak, and he is readying a heavy rain of transformation and revival. Here is the guidance and inspiration you need to become a vessel that catches the downpour of the Spirit's rain--and helps release God's Kingdom like a flood.

Begin Your Supernatural Journey into the Courts of Heaven

What does it mean to make your case in the “courts of Heaven?” In recent years, God has raised up Robert Henderson as a prophetic voice, calling Christians to pursue breakthrough by using the courts of Heaven prayer blueprint.

God is more willing to answer our prayers than we will ever know! The problem is that we face a legalistic accuser and adversary—the devil—who wants to prevent these prayers from coming to pass. Your victory against him is not fought on a battlefield; it’s won in the courtroom.

When your prayers are answered, God’s purposes are fulfilled on the Earth.

In this all-new message, Henderson gives you practical keys that will enable you to boldly access the courts of Heaven and state your prayer cases with confidence.
 
You will:

• Understand the three dimensions of prayer
• Discover the 3 keys to unlocking your breakthrough in the courts of Heaven
• Learn the 6 prophetic declarations that Jesus’ blood makes on your behalf
• Cancel the devil’s accusations by releasing the supernatural power of your testimony

This book explores the interconnections between Christianity, sexuality and citizenship in sub-Saharan Africa, chronicling the ways in which citizenship in the region has undergone profound changes in recent decades as a result of growing interaction between Christianity and politics, the impact of the HIV epidemic, debates about women's reproductive rights, and the growing visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. Case studies examine the emergence of Christianity, especially in its Pentecostal-Charismatic forms, as a public religion, and how this emergence has meant that Christian actors, beliefs and practices have increasingly come to manifest themselves in the public sphere. The contributors assess how many political and religious leaders are invested in a popular ideology of the heterosexual family as the basis of nation-building, and how this defines narratives of nationhood and shapes notions of citizenship. Additional case studies focus on the emergence of sexuality as a critical site of citizenship and nationhood in postcolonial Africa, and address the difficulties that LGBT communities face in claiming recognition from the state. Offering case studies from across sub-Saharan Africa and spanning several academic disciplines and critical perspectives, this book will be of interest to researchers seeking to understand the complex intersections of religion, sexuality, politics and citizenship across the region. This book was originally published as a special issue of Citizenship Studies.

Co-authored by three anthropologists with long-term expertise studying Pentecostalism in Vanuatu, Angola, and Papua New Guinea/the Trobriand Islands respectively, Going to Pentecost offers a comparative study of Pentecostalism in Africa and Melanesia, focusing on key issues as economy, urban sociality, and healing. More than an ordinary comparative book, it recognizes the changing nature of religion in the contemporary world - in particular the emergence of "non-territorial" religion (which is no longer specific to places or cultures) - and represents an experimental approach to the study of global religious movements in general and Pentecostalism in particular.

Prayer is not a practice or a ritual. It is a place.

A secret place in the Spirit. A place of divine encounters with our heavenly Father where we express our love for Him and enter the dimensions of His glory and power. Where we welcome His presence, receive His revelation and guidance for our life, and are empowered to serve His purposes on earth while experiencing the outpouring of His grace through miracles, healings, deliverances, and salvations. With a scriptural foundation, the conviction of personal experience, and the evidence of many testimonies, Guillermo Maldonado passionately reveals how to enter this place in the Spirit so we, as the body of Christ, can become “a house of prayer.” Discover the joy of two-way communication with the Father. Learn not only to hear His voice but to listen and act on what He is saying to you. See how to build momentum in your prayer life, creating a spiritual atmosphere in which God moves powerfully on behalf of His people. Discover essential keys for breakthrough--and how to have all your prayers answered according to God's will and Word. There has never been a more vital time to find our place in prayer. We are in a period of increased opposition from the enemy as we draw closer to the day of Christ’s return. This requires us to attain a higher level of spiritual power and authority, which can only come through breakthrough prayer that ushers us into God’s presence. Nothing else will prepare us to meet the challenges that are coming our way. Nothing else will prepare us for the second coming of Christ. Now is the time to be spiritually vigilant! Now is the time to watch and pray!

This book examines the complex and multifaceted nature of African Pentecostal engagements with genders and sexualities. In the last three decades, African Pentecostalism has emerged as one the most visible and profound aspects of religious change on the continent, and is a social force that straddles cultural, economic, and political spheres. Its conventional and selective literal interpretations of the Bible with respect to gender and sexualities are increasingly perceived as exhibiting a strong influence on many aspects of social and public institutions and their moral orientations. This collection features articles which examine sexualities and genders in African Pentecostalism using interdisciplinary methodological and theoretical approaches grounded within traditional African thought systems, with the goal of enabling a broader understanding of Pentecostalism and sexualities in Africa.

Bestselling Author and Missionary Rolland Baker Reveals the Heart of True, Lasting Revival "There has been much talk in recent years of revival," says bestselling author and missionary Rolland Baker, "so much so that I wonder at times whether revival itself has become the object of devotion." Too often believers seek out revival, not the Reviver. When unchecked, they often pursue an emotional or physical experience or focus on how many came to Christ, rather than worship Jesus himself. Yet the heart of true, lasting revival is Christ--of falling in love with him so deeply that you can't help but tell others about him. And that, says Baker, is what has fueled him, his wife, Heidi, and all of Iris Ministries over the last thirty years. "This book is about sustaining revival over decades," says Baker. "By that I mean it is a book about falling in love and staying in love with the person of Jesus Christ. Revival is about the Reviver, nothing more and nothing less. My prayer is that you will fall in love with him with all your heart as you read these pages, and that you will not be able to resist giving that love away, wherever you place your feet."

This book studies the politics of Pentecostal conversion and anti-Christian violence in India. It asks: why has India been experiencing increasing incidents of anti-Christian violence since the 1990s? Why are the Bhil Adivasis increasingly converting to Pentecostalism? And, what are the implications of conversion for religion within indigenous communities on the one hand and broader issues of secularism, religious freedom and democratic rights on the other? Drawing on extended ethnographic fieldwork amongst the Bhils of Northern India since 2006, this book asserts that ideological incompatibility and antagonism between Christian missionaries and Hindu nationalists provide only a partial explanation for anti-Christian violence in India. It unravels the complex interactions between different actors/ agents in the production of anti-Christian violence and provides detailed ethnographic narratives on Pentecostal conversion, Hindu nationalist politics and anti-Christian violence in the largest state of India that has hitherto been dominated by upper caste Rajput Hindu(tva) ideology.