In the contemporary global Christianity, there are diverse opinions on whether a revival of the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit can happen once again. Regarding this matter, this study aims to illuminate the pivotal role of prayer in sustaining the effectiveness of global Christianity, with cognizance that the recovery and revival of individual and communal spirituality after the COVID-19 pandemic depend on prayer. When we examine the Bible and church history, we come to realize that prayer has consistently served as a foundation for the revival of the global church beyond regional and temporal boundaries. Particularly, the Pentecostal Movement that spreads at the beginning of the 20th century from Topeka to worldwide, had a strong foundation of prayer. The world’s largest church, Yoido Full Gospel Church, also initiated a Pentecostal movement centered on prayer, leading to remarkable revival. Regardless of ages and countries, prayer is a characteristic of revival happening in the global church, and it will undoubtedly continue to be the key to future Christian revival.
The history of the Jesus Movement is a story of ongoing encounter with pre-existent religious traditions as it spread over time across various geographical regions and people groups across the globe. Life in the twenty-first century is marked by multiculturalism and religious plurality, and as various religions passionately assert the supremacy of their own truth claims, it heightens the potential for communal conflict. Sharing Jesus in a way that affirms his absolute and universal lordship and yet shows sensitivity and respect for people of other faiths is thus today a burning existential concern. Pentecostals are uniquely endowed with the spiritual resources to respond effectively to this need to clarify and amplify the ‘Voice’ of Truth, God’s Word in Christ, amidst the confusing cacophony of religious sounds in our world today.
In recent years Global Christianity has seen its greatest growth in the Majority World where the highest concentration of the one billion multi-dimensionally poor children live. Poverty is the greatest commonality among children who are at risk of not fulfilling their God given potential. This presentation will take a look at how spirit empowerment can be transformational for the development of children at risk by providing a pathway to agency or the capacity to make decisions about one’s future and carry them out. We will hear the children’s voices telling of how the Spirit empowers them to change the trajectory of their lives, achieve their potential, and fulfill God’s purpose.
GenZ are people born in 1997-2012. Their current ages are 11-26. The focus of this paper is the younger Gen Zs (11-19) with consideration of older Gen Zs (20-26). There are global similarities while there are regional and ethnic nuances worthy of note. This essay addresses four crucial concerns that emerge in this generation: 1) spiritual, 2) technological, and 3) social-psychological and 4) family relational. To lay out the issues, I will draw heavily upon findings at Pew Research Center, One Hope Global, the Barna Group and Black Millennial Café. I will then engage in critical theological analysis to offer constructive proposals for revised ministry practices with concern for the future of the Christian church. The findings reveal that a renewed vision of faith for this generation necessitates recalibration of religious language, technological embrace, smaller communities of meaning, and diligent prayer and vigilant strategy for the restitution of family.
Executive Director,
Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
(UK)
Paul Bendor-Samuel is a medical doctor. He was formerly the international director of Interserve and the executive director of L’Association de Coopération en Tunisie. He also served as a primary healthcare practitioner in southern Tunisia and a medical general practitioner in South Wales. In 2000, he was conferred the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
In 2016, Dr Paul was appointed the executive director of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies in UK. A published author, Dr Paul is passionate about contextualised discipleship, kingdom collaboration, and the renewal of cross-cultural mission. His personal values include oneness in the body of Christ, service, humility, collaboration, perseverance, and integrity.
Senior Pastor,
Yoido Full Gospel Church
(South Korea)
Younghoon Lee joined the Full Gospel Central Church (now Yoido Full Gospel Church) in Seoul in April 1964. He studied theology at Yonsei University, the Full Gospel Theological Seminary (now Hansei University), and the United Graduate School of Theology at Yonsei University, graduating with a ThM. In 1977, Dr Lee began his ministry at Yoido Full Gospel Church as the editor-in-chief for Youngsan Publishers (now Seoul Logos) and was the first editor of the Full Gospel Newspaper. After his ordination in 1982, Dr Lee went to the US where he completed his ThM course work at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and received his MA and PhD in Philosophy of Religion at Temple University. During this period of study, he served as the senior pastor of Full Gospel First Church of Washington.
He was one of the founding members of the Institute for Full Gospel Education (now International Theological Institute). As its executive director, he systematised and theologised Dr David Yonggi Cho’s pastoral principles. He has served in a number of positions over the years: senior pastor of Full Gospel Tokyo Church; professor at Hansei University; president of Bethesda Christian University in California; president of Japan Full Gospel Bible College; chairman of the Theological Committee for the National Council of Churches in Korea; committee member of Asia Pacific Theological Association; senior pastor of Full Gospel Los Angeles Church; vice-chairman of the Council of Korean Churches in Southern California; and president of the National Council of Churches in Korea. Today, Dr Lee is the senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church and currently serves as the president of the United Christian Churches of Korea.
Chairman,
World Vision International
(India)
Ivan Satyavrata was a member of the World Vision India Board before being elected as chairman of World Vision International in November 2022. He was also the senior pastor of Assembly of God Church Kolkata for 16 years.
Dr Ivan holds a BTh from Southern Asia Bible College in India, BDiv from Union Biblical Seminary in India, ThM from Regent College in Canada, and PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. He taught full-time for 21 years and served as president at the Southern Asia Bible College (now Centre for Global Leadership Development) in Bangalore. His key publications include Holy Spirit, Lord, and Life Giver (2009), God Has Not Left Himself Without Witness (2011), and Pentecostalism and the Poor (2017).
President & Executive Director,
ChildHope
(Costa Rica)
Mary Mahon is the executive director and president of ChildHope (formerly known as Latin America Childcare), a ministry that has provided life-transforming education to children for more than 50 years. Today ChildHope is found in 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, providing education, food, and medical programmes to 100,000 children in 300 schools. Children are also given opportunities to know and experience the love of Jesus Christ. Dr Mary served with the Assemblies of God World Missions for almost 30 years. Throughout her extensive missionary career, she has served in both Costa Rica and Venezuela. In Venezuela, she established a ChildHope school in El Pauji, a notoriously dangerous barrio in the capital city of Caracas.
Dr Mary also founded Chicas de Promesa (Girls of Promise), an empowerment programme designed to help adolescent girls in ChildHope schools overcome the obstacles they face in their communities. She is currently developing a parallel ministry, the Chicos Project (Champions for Change) for boys who live in these same communities.
Dr Mary received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Vanguard University in California. She also holds a PhD in intercultural education from Biola University in California. She is an ordained Assemblies of God minister with the Southern California Network and has over 30 years of cross-cultural experience as a missionary.
Past President,
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
(USA)
Byron Klaus was formerly the president of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS). Prior to that, he served for 20 years on the faculty and administration of Vanguard University in California. During that time, he was the vice president of Latin America Childcare (currently known as ChildHope), a child development ministry which, at that time, helped over 80,000 children in 21 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. He has also served in the churches of California, Texas, and Illinois.
Prof Byron received his BSc from Bethany Bible College, MRE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary. His commitment to leadership development in growing churches around the world has taken him to over 50 nations in the world, where he preaches and develops leaders. Among his wide spectrum of scholarly works are Called and Empowered: Pentecostal Mission in Global Perspective (1991) and The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel (1999), which he co-edited.
After his retirement from the presidency of AGTS, Prof Byron continued to teach courses at seminary and returned to ChildHope to be its vice president. He received the Distinguished Educator Award from the Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education in 2009, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for Pentecostal Studies in 2016.
Margaret S. Smith Distinguished Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies, Vanguard University
(USA)
Douglas Petersen is the Margaret S. Smith Distinguished Professor of world missions and intercultural studies at Vanguard University in California. He is one of the foremost ethicists and Pentecostal leaders in the world today. Prof Doug and his wife Myrna founded non-profit organisation Latin America Childcare (currently known as ChildHope) to give hope and a future to poverty-stricken children. Under his leadership, ChildHope has since expanded to 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, providing education, food, and medical programmes to 100,000 children in 300 schools.
Prof Doug received his PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. As a Pentecostal thought leader, he has written books, published many journal articles and book reviews, and given lectures and public addresses in seminaries, Bible colleges and conferences, including the World Vision Leadership Symposium.
In 2022, Prof Doug was honoured for 50 years in ministry by the SoCal Network of the Assemblies of God in San Diego. In 2016, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Society for Pentecostal Studies. His book Not By Might Nor By Power: A Pentecostal Theology of Social Concern (1996) was selected as one of the Outstanding Books of 1996, as well as the Outstanding Book of the Decade (1990 to 2000). He also received Outstanding Book of the Year in 1999 for The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel (1999).
Prof Doug’s recent teachings include theological themes in the New Testament, the Corinthian letters, organisational business ethics, current issues in mission studies, leadership and global issues, mission and culture in theological perspective, contemporary moral issues, research methodology/leadership studies, entrepreneurship, as well as conflict and change.
Founder/President,
Urban Renewal Center
(USA)
Antipas Harris is a public theologian who earned his BA from LaGrange College, MDiv from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, STM from Yale Divinity School, DMin from Boston University, and PhD from St Thomas University. He is the founder and president of the Urban Renewal Center in Virginia, which focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), youth empowerment, the problem of homelessness, and offers research-based education, DEI consulting, and hands-on opportunities for community engagement.
Dr Antipas is an ordained minister, a theological educator, and a musician. He has ministered across the US and Canada, as well as in Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, Angola, and South Africa. In his 30 years of ministry, Dr Antipas has mentored ministers in leadership, and regularly speaks on topics related to leadership, spirituality, theology, biblical studies, community engagement, and social justice. He has held public classes and panel discussions on politics and faith, gentrification, and immigration. He has served as a faculty staff of Regent University, Vanguard University, Sacred Heart University, George Fox University, and Old Dominion University, where he currently teaches courses in the Philosophy and Religious Studies department. He is also the former founding president of Jakes Divinity School in Texas. Dr Antipas is an established scholar with several books and articles in refereed journals.
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