Present Perspective on Pentecost
Present Perspective on Pentecost
By Ron Wood
For the last five or so years, I have been more involved in business than in ministry but I have found that the gifts and callings of God don’t go away. The pull to proclaim God’s word is strong in me. Yet my identity is in who I am in Christ, not in how I earn my living. And I’ve enjoyed a much-needed break as I have considered my own life and ministry in the light of changes and challenges I see all around.
When I was first called to preach as a teenager in Florida, a very vivid experience happened to me. It was powerful. Forty years later, I still know that I am called and that the anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon me.
First, let me offer a perspective on the history of the Pentecostal revival in America. The religious heritage we all enjoy as evangelicals today has been wonderfully colored and impacted in a significant way by anointed (albeit imperfect) forerunners for God.
Almost everyone knows of modern preachers who are charismatic ministers. By this, I mean they advocate or demonstrate various charismata, the New Testament Greek word for gifts of the Holy Spirit. On television, you may have seen James Robison, Benny Hinn, or Joyce Meyers. Oral Roberts impacted millions in previous decades. Spirit-filled Christians (Pentecostals, charismatics, or third-wave Christians) believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Nine of these spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve in your Bible.
I count myself among those who enjoy manifestations of the Holy Spirit, reckoning that these gifts of grace are still valid for believers today. In my own life at various times the gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophesying, healings, spiritual discernment, and faith have operated. Usually gifts appear in an atmosphere of belief and acceptance where folks practice much prayer and expectancy. If you make room for the gifts in your life or church, you’ll have them. If you don’t, you won’t.
I humorously say, “A charismatic is simply a Baptist who prayed too much.” (Or, an Episcopalian, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, independent, or whatever other label they might have.) While I have my own distinctive core values, I know and appreciate that the Body of Christ is larger than any denomination. God’s family is big.
In America at the turn of the century, a major outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred. Milestones were Topeka, Kansas and the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles. These outpourings were marked by manifestations of spiritual gifts, especially glossolalia, or tongues. Out of this revival, the Assemblies of God and other full-gospel denominations developed. Later, tremendous independent, Baptist, or Pentecostal evangelists went across the land preaching the Good News with great power and accompanied by startling miracles of healing. A lot of them used tents. Some of these early revivalists were Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith Wigglesworth, F. F. Bosworth, and William Branham. Others rose up in the re-ignition of revival fires after WWII: men such as A. A. Allen, T. L. Osborn, Raymond T. Richey, Richard Vinyard, and Oral Roberts. Billy Graham, although never identified as full-gospel, emerged about this same time. These deliverance ministries seemed strongest from 1947 to 1956, after which time they mostly peaked out and waned. Some of them fell due to scandals.
William Branham was unknown outside of Pentecostal circles but he was the spark that set scores of other budding evangelists on fire. Branham, perhaps best known for becoming eccentric in his doctrine in his later years, was early on a humble man who did not have an education or stage presence, but worked amazing miracles. He carried a remarkable anointing to discern the Spirit’s voice and to announce dramatic healings through words of knowledge. His preaching was not very good. He was at his best when he was accompanied by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Gordon Lindsey, or F. F. Bosworth. One of those who caught fire from Branham’s early ministry was pastor Richard Vinyard, which brings me back to my calling.
Richard Vinyard had a remarkable gift of faith. A one-eyed Missouri hillbilly who butchered the King’s English, he was a powerful personality on stage. I remember him dramatically declaring, “I’ll show you what a son of God can do!” He preached faith more boldly and more strongly than anyone else in the whole camp of faith healers like Kenneth Copeland or the late Kenneth Hagin. Richard fasted forty days every year and spent 3-4 hours per day in prayer during his preaching campaigns. As a result, visible miracles occurred in his revivals. Unlike some of his contemporaries during this healing movement, Richard never left local churches to hold crusades in big auditoriums. He always wanted to build up churches and leave them filled with new converts, so he kept his meetings inside their doors. (I also saw him heal the sick in small house meetings, which are a legitimate expression of the church as well.)
In one of those protracted meetings in the early sixties, I sat on a pew in First Assembly of God, Lakeland, Florida, listening to Richard Vinyard preach. I was enthralled at this man and his bold declarations for God. Despite his boastfulness, it rang true because he not only said it, but he did it, time and time again. He had the goods to back up his claims. Like we used to say in Texas, “It ain’t braggin’ if you can do it.”
As I sat listening, suddenly I became aware of a very heavy cloak thrown over my shoulders. I turned and looked over my shoulder at the pew behind me to see who had done it. The seat was empty and there was nothing visible resting on my shoulders. But I had felt the weight of a heavy coat! What could it be? I turned back toward the front and looked up at Richard preaching from behind the pulpit. “His mantle has fallen on me!” I said to myself. Later that night, as was his custom, Richard invited folks to come down front and take a seat on the front pew to receive prayer for healing. Then he would say, “If you’ve never seen a miracle, then come and stand behind me so you can watch.” I had been going forward to watch every night, amazed at the healings I was seeing.
That night, as Richard went down the line ministering healing to sick or crippled people, he turned over his shoulder and looked up at me. “Here, you come pray for this one. You can do this!” Some voice inside me said, “Yes I can!” And I did. And they were healed.
That summer as I began preaching, I carried an anointing, a special gift of faith that felt like what I had first experienced in Richard’s meetings. It propelled me to pray for the sick, to cast out evil spirits that were afflicting people, and to encourage people to seek God for, “With God all things are possible!”
Now, forty years later, my wife and I have been pastors to Assembly of God, Freewill Baptist, Covenant, and non-denominational churches. I’ve started house churches, organized new churches, repaired hurt churches, and had a traveling ministry. We lived in South Africa for a year as missionaries. I have been in businesses such as oil and gas drilling, wireless telephone customer service, insurance sales, and radio broadcasting. Usually, I got into business because I couldn’t figure out how a prophet was supposed to make a living in the traditional church world, unless he was also a pastor. In my brief four decades of ministry, I have been through revival movements such as the Pentecostal movement, charismatic renewal, discipleship movement, prophetic movement, and apostolic teams. I’ve seen the beginnings of the house church movement, the back to Jerusalem movement, and the realization that Christ is anointing men and women in the marketplace: perhaps the start of the day of the saints.
I’ve seen the best and the worst. I’ve seen church leaders despise spiritual gifts and forbid their use due to fear or the need to control people. I’ve seen people choose church tradition over God’s Word. I’ve seen people focus on strange things and neglect the major work of salvation. I’ve seen people forsake sound doctrine for the sake of foolishness. I’ve seen young prophets and immature apostles make terrible mistakes due to pride or ignorance. I’ve seen ministers manipulate people with their charisma or authority. I’ve seen people try to merchandise their gifts. I’ve seen old wineskins resist God’s new wine. I’ve seen zealous believers get charged up and damage churches. I’ve seen carnal believers crucify dedicated pastors who deserved better treatment. I’ve seen Spirit-filled people get jealous or angry and destroy with their lack of character what had been built with great sacrifice and anointed gifts.
Through it all, Jesus is still Lord and he is Head over the Church which is his body on earth. We are, by faith through grace, members of his body.
I pray, Lord Jesus, Please show forth your grace and glory in the earth through your people. Cause the Church to grow up; to keep pace with the ripening of the harvest among the nations. Lord, please raise up laborers among us Gentiles. We especially need apostles, prophets, and evangelists. Please raise up laborers among the Arabs and Jews as well. Raise up (and make rich) anointed business owners, and give them grace to be generous, for the tithe by itself is insufficient to finish the Great Commission in our day. Lord, please help us all display the fruit of the Spirit in holiness and humility. May Christ appear in his church before he returns for his church. Make it so, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Present Perspective on Pentecost © 2007 by Ron Wood. Visit our website at http://www.touchedbygrace.org/.
By Ron Wood
For the last five or so years, I have been more involved in business than in ministry but I have found that the gifts and callings of God don’t go away. The pull to proclaim God’s word is strong in me. Yet my identity is in who I am in Christ, not in how I earn my living. And I’ve enjoyed a much-needed break as I have considered my own life and ministry in the light of changes and challenges I see all around.
When I was first called to preach as a teenager in Florida, a very vivid experience happened to me. It was powerful. Forty years later, I still know that I am called and that the anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon me.
First, let me offer a perspective on the history of the Pentecostal revival in America. The religious heritage we all enjoy as evangelicals today has been wonderfully colored and impacted in a significant way by anointed (albeit imperfect) forerunners for God.
Almost everyone knows of modern preachers who are charismatic ministers. By this, I mean they advocate or demonstrate various charismata, the New Testament Greek word for gifts of the Holy Spirit. On television, you may have seen James Robison, Benny Hinn, or Joyce Meyers. Oral Roberts impacted millions in previous decades. Spirit-filled Christians (Pentecostals, charismatics, or third-wave Christians) believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Nine of these spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve in your Bible.
I count myself among those who enjoy manifestations of the Holy Spirit, reckoning that these gifts of grace are still valid for believers today. In my own life at various times the gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophesying, healings, spiritual discernment, and faith have operated. Usually gifts appear in an atmosphere of belief and acceptance where folks practice much prayer and expectancy. If you make room for the gifts in your life or church, you’ll have them. If you don’t, you won’t.
I humorously say, “A charismatic is simply a Baptist who prayed too much.” (Or, an Episcopalian, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, independent, or whatever other label they might have.) While I have my own distinctive core values, I know and appreciate that the Body of Christ is larger than any denomination. God’s family is big.
In America at the turn of the century, a major outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred. Milestones were Topeka, Kansas and the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles. These outpourings were marked by manifestations of spiritual gifts, especially glossolalia, or tongues. Out of this revival, the Assemblies of God and other full-gospel denominations developed. Later, tremendous independent, Baptist, or Pentecostal evangelists went across the land preaching the Good News with great power and accompanied by startling miracles of healing. A lot of them used tents. Some of these early revivalists were Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith Wigglesworth, F. F. Bosworth, and William Branham. Others rose up in the re-ignition of revival fires after WWII: men such as A. A. Allen, T. L. Osborn, Raymond T. Richey, Richard Vinyard, and Oral Roberts. Billy Graham, although never identified as full-gospel, emerged about this same time. These deliverance ministries seemed strongest from 1947 to 1956, after which time they mostly peaked out and waned. Some of them fell due to scandals.
William Branham was unknown outside of Pentecostal circles but he was the spark that set scores of other budding evangelists on fire. Branham, perhaps best known for becoming eccentric in his doctrine in his later years, was early on a humble man who did not have an education or stage presence, but worked amazing miracles. He carried a remarkable anointing to discern the Spirit’s voice and to announce dramatic healings through words of knowledge. His preaching was not very good. He was at his best when he was accompanied by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Gordon Lindsey, or F. F. Bosworth. One of those who caught fire from Branham’s early ministry was pastor Richard Vinyard, which brings me back to my calling.
Richard Vinyard had a remarkable gift of faith. A one-eyed Missouri hillbilly who butchered the King’s English, he was a powerful personality on stage. I remember him dramatically declaring, “I’ll show you what a son of God can do!” He preached faith more boldly and more strongly than anyone else in the whole camp of faith healers like Kenneth Copeland or the late Kenneth Hagin. Richard fasted forty days every year and spent 3-4 hours per day in prayer during his preaching campaigns. As a result, visible miracles occurred in his revivals. Unlike some of his contemporaries during this healing movement, Richard never left local churches to hold crusades in big auditoriums. He always wanted to build up churches and leave them filled with new converts, so he kept his meetings inside their doors. (I also saw him heal the sick in small house meetings, which are a legitimate expression of the church as well.)
In one of those protracted meetings in the early sixties, I sat on a pew in First Assembly of God, Lakeland, Florida, listening to Richard Vinyard preach. I was enthralled at this man and his bold declarations for God. Despite his boastfulness, it rang true because he not only said it, but he did it, time and time again. He had the goods to back up his claims. Like we used to say in Texas, “It ain’t braggin’ if you can do it.”
As I sat listening, suddenly I became aware of a very heavy cloak thrown over my shoulders. I turned and looked over my shoulder at the pew behind me to see who had done it. The seat was empty and there was nothing visible resting on my shoulders. But I had felt the weight of a heavy coat! What could it be? I turned back toward the front and looked up at Richard preaching from behind the pulpit. “His mantle has fallen on me!” I said to myself. Later that night, as was his custom, Richard invited folks to come down front and take a seat on the front pew to receive prayer for healing. Then he would say, “If you’ve never seen a miracle, then come and stand behind me so you can watch.” I had been going forward to watch every night, amazed at the healings I was seeing.
That night, as Richard went down the line ministering healing to sick or crippled people, he turned over his shoulder and looked up at me. “Here, you come pray for this one. You can do this!” Some voice inside me said, “Yes I can!” And I did. And they were healed.
That summer as I began preaching, I carried an anointing, a special gift of faith that felt like what I had first experienced in Richard’s meetings. It propelled me to pray for the sick, to cast out evil spirits that were afflicting people, and to encourage people to seek God for, “With God all things are possible!”
Now, forty years later, my wife and I have been pastors to Assembly of God, Freewill Baptist, Covenant, and non-denominational churches. I’ve started house churches, organized new churches, repaired hurt churches, and had a traveling ministry. We lived in South Africa for a year as missionaries. I have been in businesses such as oil and gas drilling, wireless telephone customer service, insurance sales, and radio broadcasting. Usually, I got into business because I couldn’t figure out how a prophet was supposed to make a living in the traditional church world, unless he was also a pastor. In my brief four decades of ministry, I have been through revival movements such as the Pentecostal movement, charismatic renewal, discipleship movement, prophetic movement, and apostolic teams. I’ve seen the beginnings of the house church movement, the back to Jerusalem movement, and the realization that Christ is anointing men and women in the marketplace: perhaps the start of the day of the saints.
I’ve seen the best and the worst. I’ve seen church leaders despise spiritual gifts and forbid their use due to fear or the need to control people. I’ve seen people choose church tradition over God’s Word. I’ve seen people focus on strange things and neglect the major work of salvation. I’ve seen people forsake sound doctrine for the sake of foolishness. I’ve seen young prophets and immature apostles make terrible mistakes due to pride or ignorance. I’ve seen ministers manipulate people with their charisma or authority. I’ve seen people try to merchandise their gifts. I’ve seen old wineskins resist God’s new wine. I’ve seen zealous believers get charged up and damage churches. I’ve seen carnal believers crucify dedicated pastors who deserved better treatment. I’ve seen Spirit-filled people get jealous or angry and destroy with their lack of character what had been built with great sacrifice and anointed gifts.
Through it all, Jesus is still Lord and he is Head over the Church which is his body on earth. We are, by faith through grace, members of his body.
I pray, Lord Jesus, Please show forth your grace and glory in the earth through your people. Cause the Church to grow up; to keep pace with the ripening of the harvest among the nations. Lord, please raise up laborers among us Gentiles. We especially need apostles, prophets, and evangelists. Please raise up laborers among the Arabs and Jews as well. Raise up (and make rich) anointed business owners, and give them grace to be generous, for the tithe by itself is insufficient to finish the Great Commission in our day. Lord, please help us all display the fruit of the Spirit in holiness and humility. May Christ appear in his church before he returns for his church. Make it so, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Present Perspective on Pentecost © 2007 by Ron Wood. Visit our website at http://www.touchedbygrace.org/.
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