Kingdom Now: A Pentecostal Paradigm of Mission

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assist the efforts of North American Pentecostalism by uncovering a theological paradigm of mission that is at once theologically authentic to historic Pentecostalism, as well as missionally effective in engaging a Postmodern culture. To aid with this endeavour certain voices within the Missional movement will be considered to assist in constructing a theological paradigm of mission from which Pentecostalism can engage Western culture. This paradigm will explore the role of three key areas needed to establish an effective missiology: eschatology, epistemology, and community. It will become apparent that the role of eschatology will play a significant role in producing a missionally effective epistemological and communal approach. Chapter three will explore whether Pentecostalism's current eschatological state is compatible with the eschatological perspective embedded in the theological paradigm of mission espoused in chapter two, while chapter four will move to establish Pentecostalism as appropriately suited eschatologically, epistemologically, and communally for that paradigm. This work will first argue that early Pentecostal eschatology was focused on the Kingdom of God as presently available to believers through the pneumatological inauguration of Pentecost. Second, it will be argued that this produced within Pentecostalism an experiential epistemology driven by narrative and is, therefore, missionally compatible with Postmodern culture. Last, this work will argue that the Pentecostal experience of the Kingdom of God led to a community that embraced the ideals of the Kingdom, thus producing koinonia fellowship. Chapter five will make a concluding case for Pentecostalism to adopt the theological paradigm of mission outlined in chapter two, followed by a praxiological approach that will produce an effective Pentecostal ecclesiology that can missionally engage a Western Postmodern context.