Page 56 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

Many church history books have been written by non-Pentecostal
authors; however, as the author of this book, I affirm that modern
Pentecostals have an exciting and legitimate history that dates back to
the beginning of the church. Our link is more than an organizational
link; it is based on faith in Christ as Savior and Baptizer in the Holy Spirit,
and it is directly linked to the New Testament apostolic church.

Revival of New Testament Christianity

The word revival implies that something is being revived. I believe that
God has used an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in modern times to revive
what existed in the early church. Indeed, the modern Pentecostal (and
I’m including the term Charismatic) revival is orthodox Christianity and
is confirmed by the New Testament. The Pentecostal church began on
the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), and the baptism in the Holy Spirit was
given for a divine purpose. Pentecost and missions were inseparable in
the apostolic church, and they should be today.

The Book of Acts and Pentecost

The book of Acts is invaluable in studying church history. It is the
key that helps us understand the true historical beginnings of the
church, as opposed to historical narratives outside of the Bible that have
accumulated through the centuries. Some translations or commentaries
refer to the book of Acts as Acts
of the Apostles. However, only
in Acts 1:13 are most of the
Modern Pentecostals apostles listed by name. A better

have an exciting and name for the book would be Acts
of the Holy Spirit.
legitimate history

that dates back to the A careful study of the text
indicates that Luke is the
beginning of the church. author. The “we” passages
(Acts 16:9–18; 20:5–15; 21:1–18;
27:1–28:16) prove the author
was one of Paul’s companions. You may note that there are only three
references to Luke in the New Testament. Colossians 4:14 refers to him as
“Our dear friend Luke, the doctor.” This reference is important because it
explains why the writer uses medical terms in his writing. Furthermore,
he was the only Gentile author in the New Testament. A comparison of

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