Apostolic networks link congregations together through personal relationships. They center around apostolic figures who have the ability to mobilize resources, make rapid decisions, and utilize charismatic gifts. Networks of churches organized in this way can respond to postmodernity and cultural innovation.This book takes the story of the emergence of apostolic networks in Britain from the visionary work of Arthur Wallis through the charismatic renewal into the full-fledged Restoration Movement of the 1980s. It covers the events of the 1990s, including the Toronto Blessing, and contains...

John Wesley claimed to be a man of one book and early Wesley scholarship accepted uncritically that the Bible was his supreme authority. In the late twentieth-century American Wesley scholars discussed what has been termed the Wesley Quadrilateral (the authority of the Bible, tradition, reason and experience) and this to some extent does help explain the method by which Wesley read and interpreted the Bible. However, modern biblical reader-response criticism has drawn attention to the central role of the reader in his/her interpretation of scriptural texts. Donald Bullen argues that Wesley...

Jesus's words in John 17 represent one of the church's highest values quot;May they all be one as you and I Father are one.quot; Yet divisions occur from the highest levels of the church to street level projects often neutralizing effectiveness and undercutting the credibility of Jesus's message. This book helps any believer turn the ideal of John 17 into reality. It provides solid grounding in the principles of partnership abundant case histories and empowering quot;how toquot; suggestions for lay person and ministry leader alike.

After John Wesley's death in 1791, schisms from Wesleyan Methodism occurred regularly. These events were not unexpected and the authorities often accepted them with little obvious regret, even if they did not actually encourage them. The first major split occurred in 1797 when the Methodist New Connexion was formed, and in the following twenty years further significant schisms led to the establishment of the Primitive Methodists and the Bible Christians. Other offshoots arose that lasted for shorter periods. One of these was the Tent Methodists, a group that has been largely ignored by...

Guest explores how evangelical congregations have appropriated the values and media of contemporary culture in the propagation of a Christian message and how this process has shaped evangelical identity. He builds on an ethnographic study of St MichaelleBelfrey Church in York, Englanda recognized leader in charismatic renewal and evangelical innovation since the 1960s. Guest shows how a persistent tradition of cultural engagement may generate growth, while at the same time bringing about significant changes in the structure and function of the evangelical congregation, and in the social...

This groundbreaking book challenges decades of misrepresentation of Christian Zionism and questionable theology, exploding the myth that J. N. Darby stole the doctrine of the pretribulation rapture from his contemporaries. By revealing the truth behind the man and his message, Paul Wilkinson vindicates Darby and spotlights the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ as the center piece of his theology.

Scholars continue to study the origins of fundamentalist religion in the twentiethcentury. The importance of this study is evident to all who would seek to understand the complex political and religious currents influencing the modern world. This study focuses on the emergence of Protestant fundamentalism in Los Angeles, beginning with late nineteenthcentury trends toward religious radicalism and culminating in the splitting of radical and moderate fundamentalist groups at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles in the late 1920s. Highlighted in this study are the complex tensions between mainline...

This volume of essays offers a detailed account of the impact of evangelical millennialism in nineteenth century Britain and Ireland and includes a comprehensive bibliography and essay charting recent trends in the study of millennialism.