Miracles, Missions, and American Pentecostalism 1570758549, 9781570758546

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MIRACLES, MISSIONS, & AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM g i jb

^ A m e ric a n S o c ie ty o f M issiology Series, No. 4 5

Gary B. McGee

,

No. American Society of o f Missiology Series, Series N o. 45

MIRACLES, MISSIONS, AND AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM

Gary B. McGee

ORBISOB□DKS □ RBI S

B OOKS

Maryknoll, New York 10545

Founded in 1970, Orbis Books endeavors to publish works that enlighten the mind, nournour­ ish the spirit, and challenge the conscience. The publishing arm of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Orbis seeks to explore the global dimensions of the Christian faith and mission, to invite dialogue with diverse cultures and religious traditions, and to serve the cause of reconciliation and peace. The books published reflect the opinions of their authors and are not meant to represent the official position of the Maryknoll Society. To obtain more information about Maryknoll and Orbis Books, please visit our website at www.maryknollsociety.org.

Copyright © 2010 by Alice McGee. The photo on p. v is used with the permission of The Kingdom Archives. Published by Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, U.S.A. Ali All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. For permissions, write to Orbis Books, P. O. Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302, U.S.A.

Manufactured in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data McGee, Gary B., 1945-2008 Miracles, missions, and American Pentecostalism //Gary B. McGee ; foreword by Byron Klaus. p. cm. -— (American Society of Missiology series ; # 45) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 978-1-57075-854-6 (pbk.) churches— Missions— History. 2. Missions, American-History. American— History. 1. Pentecostal churches-Missions-History. I. Title. BV2565.M38 2010 266’.994— dc22 266' .994-dcll 2009034310

T

Rev. Walter and Frances Black and Jennie ]ennie Glassey

ln memory In m em ory of o f Jennie Glassey of o f Cuha, C uba, Missouri, missionary to Palestine who w ho stayed the course

vi VI

Contents

Praying for the Sick 52 Confronting the Devil 55 Piously Headstrong Missionaries

59

4.

The Shortcut to Language Preparation Expectancy of Mark 16:17 62 Irving Revisited 65 65 The Severe Logic 67 Astonishing Claims 69 Pentecost on Beulah Hill, 1900 73 Missional Influence 76

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5.

Diverging Currents of the Spiriťs Spirit’s Work Decade of Revivals 79 The Indian Pentecost 81 The Larger Scene in Missions 84 Edinburgh 1910 87 87 Pentecostalism 89 Early Pentecostal Missions, 1906-1908 The Wind of God 97

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PART 2 PART2 APOSTOLIC POWER AND MISSIONS

6.

The Source of Missional Power Reception of Spirit Baptism 102 102 Empowered through Love 106 106 The Gift or the Giver? 109 109 The Gift of Interpretation 111 111 New World of Realities 113 Thus Saith the Lord? 114

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7.

The Search for Order No Collections Taken 120 120 Apostolic Faith Association 123 123 Interior Mission, Liberia 127 Pentecostal Missionary Unions 128 Pentecostal Mission in South and Central Africa 131 United Free Gospel and Missionary Society 133 Bezaleel Evangelistic Mission 133 National and Internatonal Pentecostal Missionary Union Denominational Missions 139 Faith and Mutual Effort 143

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137

Contents

8.

9.

Missionaries and Strategies Miracles and Challenges 146 146 Faith and Money 149 149 Preparation for the Harvest 153 153 Threat of Universalism 156 156 The Pentecostal Standard 159 159 The Indigenous Church 163 Advocates of the Indigenous Church Triumph of the Standard 170

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145

165

Healing Movements and Misgivings

174

The Strain of the Incarnation 176 Healing and the Fundamentalists 179 181 The Gospel of Healing 181 184 The Anglican Communion 184 190 The Miracle Gate 190 Challenges to Healing 192 Post-World War II Healing Movement 194 10. Apostolic Faith at the Third Millennium Charismatically Inclined Christianity 200 Alliance with Evangelicals 203 206 Crisis and Reaction 206 Crosscurrents in Evangelism 209 Limits of Restoration 211 The Challenge of Roman Catholicism 212 212 215 Pentecostal and Charismatic Missions 215 The lntruding 218 Intruding Presence Miracles and Mission in Retrospect 221 The Apostolic Faith 222 222

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Notes

224

Index

318

Preface to the American Society of o f Missiology Series

The purpose of the American Society of Missiology Series is to publishpublish— without regard for disciplinary, national, or denominational boundariesboundaries— scholarly works of high quality and wide interest on missiological themes from the entire spectrum of scholarly pursuits relevant to Christian mission, which is always the focus of books in the Series. By mission is meant the effort to effect passage over the boundary between faith in Jesus Christ and its absence. In this understanding of mission, the basic functions of Christian proclamation, dialogue, witness, service, worship, liberalibera­ tion, and nurture are of special concern. And in that context questions arise, influ­ including, How does the transition from one cultural context to another influence the shape and interaction between these dynamic functions, especially in regard to the cultural and religious plurality that comprises the global context of Christian life and mission? The promotion of scholarly dialogue among missiologists, and among missiologists and scholars in other fields of inquiry, may involve the publication of views that some missiologists cannot accept, and with which members of the Editorial Committee themselves do not agree. Manuscripts published in the Series, accordingly, reflect the opinions of their authors and are not understood to represent the position of the American Society of Missiology or of the EditoEdito­ rial Committee. Selection is guided by such criteria as intrinsic worth, readabilreadabil­ ity, coherence, and accessibility to a range of interested persons and not merely to experts or specialists. The ASM Series, in collaboration with Orbis Books, seeks to publish scholarly works of high merit and wide interest on numerous aspects of missiology-the missiology— the scholarly study of mission. Able presentations on new and creative approaches to the practice and understanding of mission will receive close attention. The ASM Series Committee Jonathan J. Bonk Angelyn Dries, O.S.F. Scott W. Sunquist

Foreword Byron Klaus

The publishing of Miracles, Missions, and American Pentecostalism allows the late Dr. Gary B. McGee a final "download" “download” of keen insights to those of us who have come to revere his life and legacy. While the scholarship that is offered in this volume will easily provide us with seminal knowledge about the essence of incipient Pentecostal missionary efforts, readers would miss a fullorbed experience if they did not at least have a brief awareness of the essence of who Gary B. McGee was. In the memorial service for Gary McGee at the Assemblies of God TheologiTheologi­ cal Seminary, I offered my remarks as president through the Jens Teslens of an Old Tes­ tament text that I had actually used at my own father's father’s funeral. Second Samuel 3:38 records the lament of David at the death of a man named Abner. In response to Abner's Abner’s death, David queries to all who would listen, "Do “Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? And today, though I am an anointed king, I am weak." weak.” Thaťs That’s the way I felt that day as I presided over a memorial service of a bereaved community. A "prince" “prince” had fallen in the land, and frankly it left me weak. The stature of this man was evident in his scholarscholar­ ship, but became most clear in human encounters that revealed the purity of a self-less character shaped by a Jong long obedience to Christ that showed most clearly in the shadow of death that was Gary's Gary’s experience in the Iast last month of his life. I actually gained my greatest insight into Gary McGee during that last month of life. When he fell ilI ill and was hospitalized, we realized that there were literliter­ ally hundreds, even thousands of people globally who would want to have a regular update on Dr. McGee’s McGee's health. Our seminary Web site became a focal point for daily updates on his health and the welfare of his family. We created an opportunity on the Web site for people to leave a message for Dr. McGee and the family. During the month that he lingered before passing into the presence of our Lord, we received over 11,000 hits on the McGee Web link and people left over 800 messages. We printed these messages and gave them to the famfam­ ily. Many of these poignant words were read to Gary as he lay unconscious in the hospital. Invariably, they recalled an incident or encounter that was brought to the writer's writer’s remembrance to reveal the truest essence of Gary McGee as a person. Descriptors like encourager or Iistener listener were frequent; stories that were Jong long forgotten by Gary were indelibly imprinted on the person who brought the XI xi

Gary’s remembrance to the light of day. I was reminded, with each account, that Gary's “forever” reminders of a influence was deep and wide, broad and varied; leaving "forever" man whom we would all miss. “clan” came into the Pentecostal movement through Gary's Gary’s The McGee "clan" matemal grandmother, who was introduced to the Pentecostal message through maternal an evangelistic campaign in Canton, Ohio, led by Aimee Semple McPherson. The family became faithful members at Bethel Temple Assembly of God in CanCan­ McGee's life calling ton where Gary, the second oldest of five children, grew up. McGee’s as a historian began to emerge early in life. He actually met many of the people he wrote about throughout his career. They were not just historical figures and subjects of research, but people who had influenced his family. McGee’s reputation as a teacher developed over the years. He began his Gary McGee's Iowa, in 1967. He concon­ career teaching at the Open Bible College in Des Moines, lowa, tinued at his alma mater, Centra) Central Bible College, in Springfield, Missouri, from 1970 to 1984 when he joined the faculty of the Assemblies of God Theological Profes­ Seminary (AGTS). At the time of his death, he was the Distinguished Professor of Church History and Pentecostal Studies and was approved as professor emeritus (posthumously) in October 2009 by the AGTS board of directors. stern taskmaster, with their research papers tumed turned His students saw him as a stem be" verbs circled and connected back looking like a Christmas tree with "to “to be” G ary’s young daughters to talk to through their papers. Students even begged Gary's stern measures in grading papers. While he admitted to their father about his stem being technologically challenged, his content needed little help to be clear and profound. Though the student grapevine would forever describe McGee as a hard grader whose expectations were exceedingly high, the fear of his red pen gave way to the recognition that Dr. McGee was connected to his Lord in a profound way. His personal piety was not on display for admiration, but as a humble expression of a life lived with Christ at its center. He strategically and intentionally desired that encounters with students would be filled with the