Even as Paul writes words that would become Holy Scripture in the Epistle to the Romans, he still burns to be present, “that I may impart to you some spiritual gift (charisma pneumatikon)” (Rom 1:11).
Charisma pneumatikon is not neutral language. It refers to a Spirit-produced grace gift, not mere information, but real spiritual impartation.
Scripture itself shows us that God’s ministry is more than written words alone. It gives us divine truth in written form, and reveals a consistent pattern: the Spirit powerfully works through His people by means of impartation.
There are over 600 million Pentecostal and Charismatic believers across the world, walking in the reality of the gospel and forming one of the fastest-growing movements in Christian history.
And this is not a new phenomenon. It is rooted in the testimony of Scripture, seen in the book of Acts, affirmed in the life of the early Church, and carried in the writings and witness of the early Church fathers. What we are seeing today is not innovation, it is reformation and continuation.
So do not let your cultural environment make you feel like an exception. You are not the anomaly, you are part of a global and historic move of God.
From the early Church to today, from Jerusalem to Antioch, from Africa to Asia, the same gospel, the same Spirit, and the same power continues to work.
The gospel is not shrinking, it is advancing.
And His mission will not fail.
Pentecostalism at its best has always been a movement of Word and Spirit together. When we lose theological accountability we don’t get more freedom. We get less. We get captivity to the latest trend dressed in spiritual language.
@RediTlhabi Unless of course you do secretly hate them. Then have a spine and be a proud racist and bigot, but much like racism in all spheres, this does not come from the kids, rather adults who indoctrinate them with hate. That's the real tragedy.
@RediTlhabi How do you explain and defend protesting against other teenage kids, based on their faith.
This is called bigotry, how do you defend that. I'll wait.
These kids, their school and their faith has absolutely nothing to do with your political opinion on the Jewish government.
@govanwhittles It's never been a crazy idea, and anyone who thinks it is should have a serious internal dialogue about their thinking process on all matters.
Just got back from China today, and I largely agree with this analysis. China is clearly ahead in scale, coordination, and output, and Western frameworks struggle to grasp how far that lead has already extended.
I also agree that the U.S. and the West will increasingly try to catch up. My concern is that China’s growing strength is already enticing the West toward the use of force as well, though expressed differently. China relies on internal coercion to secure order and results. Force is not absent from the system, it is embedded within the ideology itself and exercised upon its own population, constraining freedom and shaping the will. Western powers, by contrast, are more prone to project coercion outward in an effort to preserve influence.
Different expressions, same impulse.
Both approaches can produce results and even restrain certain evils in the short term. But both carry the same deeper human cost. Coercion may generate output, but it cannot heal the will or form virtue, whether force is turned inward or outward.
From a Christian perspective, this matters because people are not merely instruments of productivity or power. They bear the Imago Dei. When strength, dominance, and output become the primary measures of success, the human person is inevitably diminished.
A society can be highly ordered and yet deeply deformed.
The question is not whether results matter, they do of course, but whether they are achieved without sacrificing the spiritual formation of a people. In both west and east, it seems this formation is being pushed to the margins.
"'Those are later theologically developments'.... according to my much later ,much less credible theological development."
I will read the text as it was always read, and as Ignatius (who actually knew John) believed it.
This reach for controversy would be comical if it were not so heartbreaking, and deeply demonically inspired.
John 1:1 clearly and irrefutably claims Jesus is God.
You need an academic to misread what the Bible states clear.
The New Testament repeatedly presents personal distinction within the one divine identity, without philosophical speculation, but with remarkable consistency. Scripture never explains away this tension, rather always asserts it.
Matthew 28:19; John 1:1; John 5:18; John 8:58; John 10:30; John 17:5 ;John 20:28; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4–6; Philippians 2:9–11; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:2–3, 6; Acts 5:3–4; Revelation 1:17–18; Revelation 5:12–14; Revelation 22:3–4, 13
This is deception. Just as in Genesis 3, it relies not on denial but on redefinition. The serpent does not contradict God, he narrows meaning until truth is hollowed out. “Did God really say…?” becomes What did God really mean? That is the move being used here.
“Divinity” is affirmed, then quietly redefined so its natural conclusion is stripped of force.
Doubt is produced without argument, ambiguity without honesty. Meaning is destabilized first, then authority is asserted through dismissal, “Good grief you’re bad at this.” Substance is avoided, posture replaces engagement.
And a reminder to all: Christian faith is not governed by academic consensus, but by Spirit-filled and God-called witness. One may claim authority in academic discourse and yet possess none in the Kingdom. Dan may wear a crown in that realm if he chooses. I would rather stand under the King, as a servant.
When we surrender our divine connection, the enemy is emboldened and begins imitating the voice of God.
“The LORD himself told me to march against this land” (2 Kgs 18:25).
Intimidation reaches its peak when fear convinces you that the threat is God, that destruction is inevitable, that hope is gone.
Hezekiah finally resists.
He turns fully to God and spreads the letter before the LORD (2 Kgs 19:14).
God deals with the matter swiftly.
The voice of intimidation is silenced, and the true word of the LORD returns through the prophet (2 Kgs 19:20).
The enemy condemns. God corrects.
The enemy decrees defeat. God releases deliverance.
Bring your letters to Him.
Bullies flee when believers stand.
Been stuck on Hezekiah & Sennacherib (2 Kings 18–19).
A textbook exposition of the enemy’s blueprint.
Consistent intimidation, threats, and reputation-building.
“Messengers” sent again and again, often in the dark, many voices meant to instil fear (1 Pet 5:8).
His strategy is manipulation through intimidation.
Hezekiah refuses to ponder the threats. Instead, he lays them out before God and exposes intimidation to the presence of truth (2 Kgs 19:14).
God answers overnight, not slightly, 185,000 struck down in one night (2 Kgs 19:35).
May God respond swiftly and powerfully against every force of evil that seeks to intimidate.
Fear speaks loudly, but truth placed before God is never ignored.
Backtracking for a moment. Hezekiah’s first mistake was appeasement.
He gave in to the bully, paying him to make the threat go away (2 Kgs 18:15–16).But it wasn’t just money.
He stripped gold from the temple doors, things set apart for God.And sometimes we do the same.
Under pressure, we give up divine calling, divine conviction, divine pursuit, just to quiet the threat.Intimidators are never satisfied with concession.
Appeasement doesn’t end intimidation, it teaches it.
It invites the enemy back for more.
Scripture is clear: “Resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).
Under pressure, we sometimes surrender what was consecrated just to gain temporary peace.
Scripture does not call for bread analysts, but for bread eaters. Analysis has value only insofar as it deepens our eating. Bread admired but never eaten leaves us unchanged. (Matt 4:4; John 6:35; Ezek 3:1–3)
#TembisaHospitalCapture| The SIU is currently probing allegations related to Tembisa Hospital and has to date identified three major syndicates that have misappropriated R2 billion meant for healthcare at the Tembisa Hospital.
Maumela’s identified assets amount to around R520,000,000, including luxury vehicles and properties valued at R293,434,000. Notable properties include a R75,000,000 property in Bantry Bay and various others in Gauteng. The SIU has assisted the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit to identify assets linked to Maumela, which has resulted in the NPA’s asset forfeiture unit preserving some of Maumela’s assets. This includes the following assets:
@VusiThembekwayo Most South Africans are too busy being angry at the ghosts their cultural and political affiliations tell them to be angry at, on all sides, and miss the real and obvious enemies to our future dancing around in clear daylight.
We have a common fight.
If we approach from an academic standpoint:
"Look at the Asbury folks 3 years out from their last shindig" - Provide the accounts and research from those at Asbury that prove Christ has not indeed done a great work in those that were there. Measuring the exponential fruit of ministries and faith that might have flowed from it. Without this, scrutiny is mere biased speculation.
I choose to err towards faith.
When 3,000 came to Christ in Acts 2, the Church did not hold back until the years proved their fruit, they celebrated the clear work of God. Faith does not stand back with arms folded to analyze; it trusts that Christ is still the head of His Church, and moving people to Him.
From Stephen’s martyrdom that scattered the saints, to revival in Samaria, to the new believers in Antioch, the pattern is the same, when people turn to Him, it is to be celebrated, not critiqued. To constantly dissect every move risks quenching the Spirit.