Page 61 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Gospel Comes to Africa

Clearly, the church described in the book of Acts was Pentecostal. Luke
included many references to the supernatural phenomena that permeated
the life and ministry of those early believers. Speaking in tongues, prophecy,
healings, miracles, and all the other spiritual gifts were common (for example,
Acts 1:8; 3:1–10; 10:19; 12:1–19; 13:2). It was this dynamic activity of the Holy
Spirit in the personal life of the church rather than organizational structure
that provided the basis for its life, community, and mission.

According to Gordon Fee, “Paul saw the Spirit as the key to everything
in the Christian life” (607). Later, we will meet Martin Luther. He wrote a
famous hymn entitled “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” in which he states:
“The Spirit and the gifts are ours.” He could not have been more correct.
With the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts, the church is equipped for all
things related to life and ministry. The church began supernaturally, and
God desires for the supernatural signs and wonders to continue in His
church today. I choose to differ with F. F. Bruce who states:

The baptism of the Spirit, which it was our Lord’s prerogative to
bestow, was, strictly speaking, something that took place once for
all on the Day of Pentecost when He poured out the promised gift
on His disciples and thus constituted them the people of God in the
new age. (76)

Dr. George Wood, Bible expositor and teacher, responds to Bruce’s
interpretation by stating:

I readily grant there is a certain uniqueness to the initial Day
of Pentecost, yet the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not simply
bestowed once for all. The text of Acts itself shows the baptism
in the Spirit to be available to all believers who did not have the
good fortune of being one of the 120. Look over these verses: “As
the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled” (Acts 2:1). “In the last
days…I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” (2:17). “You will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your
children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our
God will call” (Acts 2:38–39). (1980, 40)

The book of Acts begins with Christ giving instructions to His disciples
and then ascending to heaven. It continues to relate the acts of the Holy

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