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Celebrating Pentecost

Kudos for the April special commemorative issue on the Azusa Street Revival (“100 Years of Pentecost”). It was a terrific synopsis of the century of the Holy Spirit.
Thomas Byron
Midland, Michigan

Thank you for your special edition on the Azusa Street Revival, which changed our world. Charisma holds a pivotal place in our day not only because it reports on and influences the present and prophesies about the future, but also because it honors the past. I am grateful for your publication. May we bring forth “treasures old and new” (Matt. 13:52) and see the kingdom come to Earth!
Bessie Watson Rhoades
Acworth, Georgia

J. Lee Grady hit the nail on the head when he wrote about how our forefathers would have reacted to how we are portraying “the gospel” today (Fire in My Bones, April). Thank you again for not compromising the truth of God and for being bold about identifying sin and foolishness in the body of Christ.
Gayla Waitman
Goldsby, Oklahoma

Will Pentecost survive? Yes it will. Despite the phony baloney titles and degrees some have claimed for themselves, this move of the Holy Spirit will survive. There are Pentecostal people who know the difference between the fire of the Holy Ghost and the forms and traditions of men.
Eugene Pansler Jr.
Lakeland, Florida

Pentecostals, charismatics and many other Full Gospel organizations trace their roots back to Azusa Street. If you read the accounts of the revival that happened 100 years ago, you would have to conclude that they were very powerful and of God.

But I have a question. Is God going to do it again? The key is to be led by the Holy Spirit and to pray without ceasing.
Christopher Wehrenberg
Anna, Illinois

Why did Charisma publish a cover story about Pentecostal pioneers and exclude any mention of G.T. Haywood and other pioneers of the Oneness Pentecostal movement? Oneness Pentecostals are Pentecostal too, and history is history! Bishop Haywood’s life had a tremendous impact on the movement. I believe he should have been acknowledged.
Sara Hayes
Pomona, California

I read the article concerning the celebration of the Azusa Street Revival. I commend the author for standing up for women in ministry. Where would men (even Christ’s disciples) be without partnership with women? How would the disciples (who disappeared after the Crucifixion because of fear and terror) have known Jesus had risen from the dead if the women had not returned with the good news that “He is risen”?
Rev. Monica Parchia
via e-mail

Editor’s note: Our cover story by Larry Martin, Ph.D., should have noted that he has compiled several books including Azusa Street Sermons and The Life and Ministry of William J. Seymour. These are published by Christian Life Books and are available online at www.azusastreet.org.

Correction: Two short articles in April written by John Hurston should have noted that he has a Doctor of Divinity degree, not a Ph.D. Charisma regrets the error. His writings were taken from the book Divine Desperation, published by Creation House Press. It is available online at www.strangdirect.com.

Tongues Are Wagging

With regard to the Southern Baptists who are opposing speaking in tongues on the mission field, I couldn’t believe what I was reading (News, April). They need to read the book of Acts as well as 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 14:2.

If you have a problem with speaking in tongues, talk to Jesus, because He is the One who baptizes a person in the Holy Ghost (Matt. 3:11). I would question the salvation of people on that denominational board to make a statement like that.
Rev. Bill Reeves
Moreno Valley, California

Concerning the Southern Baptist pastor who faces removal for his belief about speaking in tongues, it’s a sad commentary on the state of denominational churches. As a former Southern Baptist, I was taught that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. But in the same breath I was taught that miracles ceased at the end of the apostolic age. Every born-again believer needs to have his or her own personal day of Pentecost.
Stan Taft
Spring, Texas

Editor’s note: Trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board voted in March to rescind their action to remove Oklahoma pastor and trustee Wade Burleson. See our May issue for details.

Getting Too Political?

I have enjoyed Charisma over the years. However, because of your support of the Republican Party I am discontinuing my subscription. I believe our current president has brought a curse upon our nation by using Christian men and women in our military in Iraq to help establish Islamic theocracies. I pray God will open your eyes to see that you cannot call yourself a pro-life party and mislead people into a war.
Al Steele
Columbus, Ohio

Thanks for your article (“The Bishop’s Campaign” by Valerie G. Lowe, February). Please also let your readers know about Len Munsil, a pro-life Christian who is running as a candidate for governor of Arizona. We Christians must stand together and support one another.
Jesse R. Bryant
Globe, Arizona

Stop Listening!

I was pleased to see your stirring article about the radical humility of Ukrainian pastor Sunday Adelaja (Fire in My Bones, May). What struck me was your final comment regarding an invitation for Pastor Sunday to come to the United States. You said, “We’re all ears.” I totally agree from a perspective of having ministered in various nations but not in the manner you suggested. We Americans are “all ears” but no hands and feet.

We Americans see nothing wrong with spending $30 million on a single church campus in the suburbs. Yet that amount would be sufficient to help bring 10 million people in India or China into the kingdom of heaven. We’re comfortable with listening to teachings and testimonies, but we are poor on action.
Tom Dooley
Birmingham, Alabama

A Lesson in History

Although David Barton has done an admirable job regarding American religious history, I wish Charisma would consider another point of view (News, February). We are in danger of suggesting that the United States is a “Christian nation” and misinterpreting facts to prove it. I’d like to see an interview of Christian historians who hold various positions.
Sara Frahm
Austin, Texas

I had the wonderful privilege of hearing David Barton speak at a recent conference. His wisdom and passion were inspiring. He awoke in me a desire to learn everything I can about our American forefather’s original intent.
Tami Donnally
Lake Worth, Florida

In Support of Hal Lindsey

I have respected Bible teacher Hal Lindsey for as long as I can remember. For him to be censored by the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) for comments he made about radical Islam is showing disrespect to a man of God (News, March).
I watch TBN every day and I have heard many speak out against radical Islam. They were not speaking about all Muslims but only about those who have killed innocent people, even other Muslims.
J.K. Creech
via e-mail