INSIGHT

On Religion, History & Society

Publications

One of the original reasons for founding the Assemblies of God was in order to form its own distinctive educational institutions, along with funding foreign missions and establishing doctrinal standards.¹   However, the nature and purpose of these educational institutions has been the subject of some debate.

The development of Bible institutes seemed a natural for the young Assemblies of God, an extension of the old short-term Bible schools upon which the Pentecostal Movement was founded. The institutes were private, incurring little state interference or control. But how much further should educational efforts in the Assemblies extend? Should training for secular careers be provided for those not called to preach? Should schools seek affiliation with accrediting agencies or any other groups? Should the Assemblies provide seminary-level instruction? These and other hard questions have faced the Assemblies of God throughout its history, and might continue to affect its course in the future.

The remainder of this article is now included in:

Christ in Us:  The Exalted Christ and the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit How does the Holy Spirit indwell the believer, and why should one seek that experience?  In this collection of articles based on over twenty years' personal experience as well as academic study, the author relates Spirit Baptism and spiritual gifts to their source, the exalted Jesus Christ.  He describes this Exaltation of Christ and constructs a theory of how the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, drawing from psychology and medical science as well as Scripture.  Finally, he proposes a new Theology of Exaltation that sees the whole sweep of church history as the ongoing glorification of Christ and Redemption of the world. ISBN 978-0-6151-3840-4 paperback, 192 pp., 6 x 9 in., with index and appendices.

God's Trombone Books by Paul Hughes

Outline of Article

1. Early Pentecostal Education

2. Establishment of Senior Colleges

3. Founding a Pentecostal Seminary

4. Support of Assemblies of God Schools

5. Summary

Subjects and Keywords

Bethel Bible School

Topeka, Kansas

Holiness Movement

Pentecostal Movement

Azusa Street Mission

John Alexander Dowie

Zion City, Illinois

Rochester Bible Training School

Elim

T. K. Leonard

J. Roswell Flower

E. N. Bell

P. C. Nelson

Assemblies of God

Central Bible Institute

Joseph R. Flower

G. Raymond Carlson

Southwestern Bible Institute

Evangel College

Darwinism

Tubingen School

Albert Schweitzer's work on the "historical Jesus"

Documentary Hypothesis ("JEDP")

Source Criticism

demythologizing by Rudolf Bultmann

Stetson University

Baptist Seminary in Louisville

University of Chicago Divinity School

Rochester Theological Seminary

Eric Lund's great book on hermeneutics

Myer Pearlman

chaplains for the military

Assemblies of God Theological Seminary

Thomas F. Zimmerman

Sources

1. Irwin Winehouse, The Assemblies of God, A Popular Survey (NY: Vantage Press, 1959)

2. Kenneth O. Gangel, Christian Education:  Its History and Philosophy (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983)

3. Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974)

4. Gerhard Hasel, Old Testament Theology, 3d ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972)

5. Robert M. Grant and David Tracy, A Short History of the Interpretation of the Bible, 2d ed. (Phila.: Fortress Press, 1973)

6. Everett F. Harrison, Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1971)

7. William W. Menzies, Anointed to Serve (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1971)

8. Don P. Gray, “A Critical Analysis of the Academic Evolutionary Development within the Assemblies of God Higher Education Movement, 1914-1974” (D.Ed. Thesis, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1976)

9. Charlotte Luckey, “History and Development of Assemblies of God Education,” Assemblies of God Educator 10 (Nov.-Dec. 1965)

10. Donald F. Johns, “A Philosophy of Religious Education for the Assemblies of God” (Ph.D. dissertation, New York University, 1962)

11. Joseph R. Flower, personal letter to Carolyn D. Baker, Springfield, Missouri, Nov. 15, 1983, appended to Carolyn D. Baker, “The Stunted Growth of the Assemblies of God Formal Education Between 1914 and 1973 with Reasons and Suggestions for Future Leaders and Educators” (term paper, Assemblies of God Graduate School, 1983).

12. Minutes of the General Council

13. G. Raymond Carlson, personal letter to Carolyn Baker, Oct. 12, 1983

14. Betty Chase, “The Pentecostal Pardox” Assemblies of God Educator 3 (Sept.-Oct. 1958)

15. Hardy Steinberg, personal letter to Carolyn Baker, Oct. 13, 1983, Springfield, MO, appended to Baker, “Stunted Growth.”