This might sound odd coming from an educated man, but I am fully persuaded that if a Pentecostal minister is thoroughly acquainted with the works of early full-gospel authors PC Nelson and Myer Pearlman he or she has all the theology necessary to be a highly successful pastor or evangelist. With hardly a handful of trained seminarians among them our Pentecostal pioneers built denominations that changed the face of Christianity. Having never taken a course in missiology they crossed the oceans and pierced dark continents establishing lasting works that continue to grow until today. Without a single class, or in many cases not even a book on homiletics, they stood on street corners and in brush arbors and store fronts and preached so powerfully that the hearts of hardened men melted at the power of the gospel. Without a degree in evangelism they went street to street and door to door with Bibles under their arms pointing countless thousands to the cross of Christ. These men and women didn't study demonology; they cast our devils. Without even one of John Maxwell's seminars on leadership they led churches and formed the framework for strong denominations.
These were not ignorant men and women. Without formal education, yes. Ignorant? Not in a million years. They were wise in ways that textbooks don't teach and tests don't measure. They were wise enough to know that the pursuit of education for the sake of being educated has never advanced any church in anything other than dull and divisive debate.
Today, in contrast, "Pentecostal" universities prouldy produce educated ignorance. Many are like an assembly line, turning out cookie-cutter preachers more inclined to question the fundamental doctrines of our fathers than the falacies of faithless theologians. Academia is thier new god. Godless genius is celebrated while our godly founders are lampooned, pitied and even dismissed as relics from our unfortuane, unlearned past.
This new breed is prone to promote popular programs over prayer; compromise over commitment. They emulate churches that grow by selling a watered-down gospel to a congregation that worships at the altar of self-pleasure. They remove ancient landmarks.
Away with this nonsense!
God give us men and women cut from the same cloth as our Pentecostal fathers and we will again start a fire that will blow across continents setting them ablaze with the spirit of revival until Jesus returns.