On Pentecostal Theology: An Interview with Robert Menzies

1) In recent years, Pentecostal theology has gained the attention of the academic world. What do you attribute this to?

I believe there are two reasons for the growing influence of Pentecostal theology.  First, the rapid growth of Pentecostal churches, particularly in the Majority World, makes it difficult for the global Church to ignore this movement and its theology. Indeed, Pentecostal churches around the world have been growing with such rapidity that Philp Jenkins refers to the Pentecostal movement as “the most successful social movement of the past century (Next Christendom, 8).”  So, many want to know, “What is driving this movement?  What do they believe?”.…

Read More

Where we are currently:

Percentage of people groups that are unreached in Asia:
73%

 

Percentage of the population in Asia that are not professing Christians
92%

 

% of Asian pop living in unreached people groups
59%

More Information:

The Asian Center of Pentecostal Theology (ACPT) was started in 2015 by Robert Menzies (Kunming, China) in conjunction with four contributing editors: Dongsoo Kim of Korea; Gani Wiyono of Indonesia; Lim Yeu Chuen of Malaysia; and Timothy Yeung of Hong Kong.
 

 

The ACPT seeks to strengthen the church in Asia by promoting Pentecostal theology, ministry, and experience in the region.  The ACPT seeks to be: A meeting place for a community of pastors and scholars committed to Pentecostal values and ministry; a digital library of books, articles, book reviews, and blogs that seek to bring clarity to the Pentecostal message, encourage the Church in its mission, and edify the body of Christ; a catalyst for research, writing, and publication of books and articles in Asia that address Pentecostal themes; a forum for discussion of topics relevant to Pentecostal theology and praxis, and for posting news about related events.


ACPT STATEMENT OF FAITH:

  1. THERE IS ONE GOD, ETERNALLY EXISTING AS THREE PERSONS: FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.
  2. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD; THROUGH HIS SUBSTITUTIONARY, SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS, HE PROVIDES HUMANKIND ITS ONLY HOPE OF REDEMPTION.
  3. ALL BELIEVERS SHOULD SEEK THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH IMPARTS POWER FOR WITNESS AND SERVICE. THE BAPTISM OF BELIEVERS IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS EVIDENCED BY THE INITIAL, OBSERVABLE SIGN OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES AS THE SPIRIT ENABLES.
  4. THE BIBLE IS THE COMPLETE AND ONLY WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. IT IS TRUSTWORTHY AND RELIABLE.


The Pentecostal movement is recognized around the world as a powerful and dynamic force impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people.  It is changing the face of the Christian church.  And in many nations, such as Korea, it is hard to overestimate its impact on the larger society.  Yet, in spite of all of this, many still do not see Pentecostals as having much to offer theologically.  It is a movement of experience, we are told, not doctrine.  Through this website and its content, we seek to challenge this faulty assumption.  Pentecostals have an important theological contribution to make to the larger church world and we want to make this fact know.

Learn More