Chapter 1: An Emergent Force within World Christianity
Within Christianity, there is an emerging church that is challenging the establishment of religion. The progressive Pentecostals make a part of this church that change the church’s organizational shape, redefine missions, and create new expressions of worship. People today hold many myths about Pentecostalism. Pentecostals nowadays strive to impact the world.
Chapter 2: Ministries, Beliefs, and Motivations
Progressive Pentecostals try to adopt a holistic ministry, which never divorces the needs of the whole individual. There are typically eight different types of such services that Pentecostals provide: mercy ministries, emergency services, education, counseling services, medical assistance, economic development, exposure to the arts, and policy change. What is most focused on is food distribution.
Chapter 3: Programs Serving Children and Youth
Pentecostals around the world have focused on children. Pentecostals make programs that try to intervene to prevent children from feeling unloved and educate them on values that are more than about individual needs. Children left alone in many parts of the world tend to engage in high-risk behaviors that make civil society impossible. These programs provide children with education, counseling, medical assistance, and art exposure.
Chapter 4: Transforming Individuals an Society
Pentecostal churches have traditionally seen the world as corrupt and that Christ would return soon to restore the world. As a result, they try hard to really devote their time to transforming social and political structures. Now there are different strains of Pentecostalism, some more devoted in working with the world than others. New Pentecostals are emerging as they emphasize both the power of the Holy Spirit and personal transformation and also engage the world around them.
Chapter 5: Meeting God in Worship and Prayer
Pentecostals worship to bring the kingdom of God to earth, and a starting point for this transformation was getting right with their own lives. Only then, were they equipped to fight the sin around them. During worship, prayer is emphasized with the occasional speaking in tongues.
While Pentecostals worship, they sing directly to God. They believe that God is omnipresent, desiring a direct relationship with all people.
Chapter 6: Democracy and Upward Social Mobility
Pentecostal theology does not emphasize Calvinistic principles but are more Armenian. Thus, unlike Puritans, predestination is not really emphasized. However, Pentecostals are still like Puritans in that Pentecostals converts do not waste money on alcohol, drugs, and partying. Rather, Pentecostals use their surplus capital to invest in their own business or the education of their family members. Pentecostal ethic is similar to Protestant ethic in that both produce people who are honest and disciplined with their money.
Chapter 7: Giving the Ministry to the People
Progressive Pentecostalism appears to be a social movement. Its organizational dynamics are new and cutting edge. They have new programs for youth, new innovative social programs, and life- giving worship and cell groups. All Pentecostals, whether from the classical denomination or of progressive roots, are likely to care about being involved in the world more.
Chapter 8: The Future of Progressive Pentecostalism
The main distinguishing factor of Pentecostalism is its energizing worship. While it has an innovative and working organizational structure, Pentecostals are quite exuberant in their experience of the Holy Spirit. While progressive Pentecostals focus on social ministries, they mainly focus on the sick and marginalized. Progressive Pentecostals strive to bring hope to these people. Progressive Pentecostals realize that through true worship, they can fuel themselves to bring others hope.
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