EPTA

Education.... Theology.... Training .... Missions studies....

2010 Theme: Justice and Pentecostals!

Key speaker: Joel Edwards of the Micah Challege International. www.micahchallenge.org

We will print all papers in the spring 2011 issue of JEPTA. We are also publishing here a statement that the conference worked on.

 EPTA Statement on Pentecostals and Justice

Taken at the EPTA 2010 Conference held at Mattersey Hall College and Graduate School, England, July 9, 2010

On occasion of the 2010 conference of the European Pentecostal Theological Association the participants gathered at Mattersey Hall under the theme “Pentecostals and Justice”. Papers were presented and discussed after which the participants felt the need to produce the following statement.

We agree that our heritage as Pentecostals demonstrates a profound concern for works of mercy, justice and compassion for the poor and that the Full Gospel that we have historically proclaimed addresses the whole range of human need, be it spiritual, physical or social. However, we recognize that we have only of late rediscovered the implications of what that means in terms of our holistic mission to the world.

Historical perspectives

Although works of compassion have been a vital part of Pentecostal activities, we have historically been less vocal in addressing issues of justice for the oppressed and we have rarely championed the cause of the marginalized beyond giving them relief and immediate assistance. We are encouraged by reading early Pentecostal history to embrace a holistic mission of the church, in which evangelism and works of justice are inextricably linked.

Biblical foundations

We recognize that Scripture shows us that God is concerned for the welfare of humankind and that he has placed upon his people the responsibility to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Furthermore, we see that God requires us to advocate on behalf of those who have no voice and to “defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Prov. 31:8+9). We see the supreme expression of this concern of God in the proclamation of Jesus at the beginning of his ministry when he stated, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19). The early church continues this concern when it heeds the call to care for the poor (Gal. 2:10, 6:10), the widows (Acts 6:1ff.) and the orphans (James 1:27).

Theological considerations

It is in the very nature of God to be compassionate and just. Therefore, as human beings created in the likeness of God, we also have the capacity to show mercy and to defend the cause of the deprived.  In the life of Jesus this attitude is exemplified in his mission to the poor, the sick, the abandoned and the marginalised of his own day. The Holy Spirit empowers the church to realize this commission in word and deed, transforming people and communities to live with the vision of the inbreaking Kingdom of God and not to conform to the patterns of this world. We engage in this life style in order to advance the kingdom until Jesus comes to bring ultimate justice for all creation.

Thus we commit ourselves to speak up and act on behalf of the poor, to uphold human dignity, to stand against any form of discrimination, oppression, inequality and enslavement. Furthermore we are called to care for God’s creation, as it is a gift to all and not only to those who exercise power, oftentimes for their own interest.

We therefore wish to express our renewed commitment to the biblical call to justice, compassion and action for all of those who suffer under the yoke of poverty, injustice and exploitation.  

To this end we dedicate ourselves to transparency and accountability to God and our fellow human beings for the common good. We want to build bridges of communication and cooperation for the just cause, acknowledging the work that has already been done by others. It is our personal desire to be in step with the Spirit (Gal.5:25).

We want to encourage our churches and agencies to join in this mandate to learn to do right, to seek justice, to encourage the oppressed, to defend the cause of the fatherless, and plead the case of the widow (Isa 1:17). We look forward to the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, when God will wipe every tear and there will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away. (Rev. 21:1-4)

[so far by end July] Signed by

EPTA Executive 2010 = Rev. Dr Paul Alexander (Chair of EPTA & Principal of Mattersey Hall), Dr. Anne Dyer (Mattersey Hall, Mattersey UK), Rev. Dr. Carl Simpson (European Theological Seminary, Kniebis Germany), Rev. Dr. Ulrik & Carina Josefsson (Pentecostal Theological Seminary Sweden), Els Zegwaart (Vice Chair of EPTA, based at Azusa Theological Seminary), Dr. Carol Alexander (Mattersey Hall), Rev. Dr Kenneth J. Archer, PhD, Ordained Bishop, Church of God, Associate Professor of Theology, Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Cleveland TN.

Conferees and members of EPTA: John Cooke (Bjärka-Säby, Sweden), Karl Inge (Ph.d Associate prof. At HLT The Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology, Norway), Connie & John L. Karsten, Dr Jean-Daniel Plüss (Chair of EPCRA), Lorna Singh of Word Ministries (based in Birmingham UK with international links), Richard E. Waldrop, D.Miss. Missionary Educator, Church of God World Missions, Rev Gabriel Yidana (AoG UK &Ghana).

Joel Edwards & Marijke Hoek (both Micah Challenge International)

Other EPTA members: Rev. Dr. Corneliu Constantineanu (Institutul Teologic Penticostal in Bucharest, Romania), Paul Elbert, (Adjunct Professor, Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Cleveland, Tennessee, USA). Dr. Samuel Lee, Foundation University in the Netherlands

Rev Dr Ken Chant (M.R.E., Ph.D) (Principal Emeritus, Vision Christian College Inc); Stan E. DeKoven, (Ph.D., MFT) (Founder and President, Vision International University: College and Graduate School, Vision International Education Network, Ramona, CA  92065 www.vision.edu)

Nico Horn Professor in Public Law, University of Namibia, Pentecostals  for Peace, Namibia.

We request that all Pentecostal denominations institutions and other groups  read it and if you agree with it, join in signing it [by sending an email to the secretary -see the contact page] and acting on it in your own areas! Let us know what you are doing in terms of Prophetic advocacy where you are!

What about joining the forum and blog conversation on this subject? Go to those pages and read on...!

• To promote excellence and effectiveness in Pentecostal and Charismatic theological, historical, missional... scholarship,
  
• To promote excellence in ministerial education
  
• To promote excellence in the production of theological literature in our journal and members' publications.
• To foster exchange, fellowship and co-operation between member institutions and individuals.
• To foster exchange and fellowship between the Association and other associations with similar objectives and commitments.
• To strengthen the testimony of Jesus Christ and His Church in Europe and to bring glory to God in all actions and concerns.

Lincoln Cathedral entrance. NB This does not include the Mattersey Staff!

 Find out more about our members through our member institution links.

To become a member please go to the Individual Member Application page or for Institutions the Institutional Application page. Signing on the website page does not mean you are a member of EPTA. Payment of subscription /member fees does that!

To be a non member but subscriber to the journal articles please fill in the Individual Application page and after the address tick 'subscriber' choice (instead of member).

Fees may vary each year so please  fill in the form, send it, and the Secretary Anne Dyer - will contact you with those details. adyer@matterseyhall.com

We do have articles from JEPTA - our JOURNAL - on this site.  We provide links to all articles 1981-2009 (or year prior to the immediate publications) for members by password on a page on this website.  This is because we still produce a paper version of the journal and members pay for it and their advantage is paying for the online subscription in that. If you wish to register for subscription please see that page and fill in the online form.  We will reply to you as soon as the executive have perused the application. Then you will be sent the subscription form and requested to send payment. Once received we will register you for that years' issues in print and online.

To write for JEPTA please see the 'submit an article' page to contact us and give an outline of your proposed topic. You will soon be able to download a template, style sheet and instructions on what we expect; meanwhile see contact details for the Secretary above. Any manuscripts need to be kept to 5000 words (including footnotes and a short abstract and short bibliography), sent in MS Word, using our template.

The European Pentecostal Theological Association was founded in 1979 as a Fellowship of those actively engaged in Pentecostal education of ministerial training in Europe. Membership is open both to individuals and institutions who agree with EPTA's purposes and share its convictions. Many of Europe's finest Bible Colleges are members of EPTA.

Paul Alexander has been Chair of EPTA since the conference of 2006 in Finland. His duties lie in coordinating the conferences and facilitating the various members- both institutions and individuals - in any way that enhances the purposes of EPTA and its members.

He has a wide experience of global Christianity. After training as a young man at Mattersey Hall he managed, with his wife Carol, to travel the whole world for a year preaching before taking on a pastoral role at a church in Rotherham UK.  From there they returned to his native South Africa where Paul served in the chaplaincy of the armed forces for a required time and then took on the pastorate of Fairhavens Church in Johannesburg. Sensing there was more to his destiny than this he was led by God's Spirit to found the Africa School of World Mission in White River, near the northern borders of South Africa. Training people for global ministry has become his lifework and he has pursued it in Australia and America and now Europe. Still travelling widely to preach, encourage and promote mission, he has recently pioneered courses through Mattersey and the University of Bangor, North Wales so undergraduates can train for practical mission away from the college and for postgraduate students to do a masters degree in Missional Leadership.

For Europe he trusts that he can facilitate other ministerial and mission training colleges to ensure that the increasingly secular European nations have opportunity to hear the Good News of God in relevant communication. He wishes to pioneer the development of innovative training, scholarly understanding and accessible learning in order to prepare people to plant churches, enter cross-cultural ministry or the workplace in such a way as to build churches and communities that truly show the life changing power of Jesus Christ.