Jesus is Coming Soon: Toward Revisioning Pentecostal Eschatology for Postmodern Ministry and Mission

Abstract

Pentecostal spirituality cannot be rightly understood without properly placing eschatology at the center of its message and the true focus of the movement. The proposed essay will seek to explore early Pentecostal eschatology, seek to understand its role in shaping the movement’s spirituality and missional motivations by way of a historical-theological investigation. By tracing eschatological antecedents, examining the beliefs of its early leaders, and consulting early newsletters and secondary scholarly sources, this writer will then explore early Pentecostal eschatology and the implications of those eschatological beliefs. I will then propose a re-visioning of Pentecostal eschatology that may be more compatible with the ethos of Pentecostalism in missionally engaging a postmodern Western context and attempt to flesh out implications and applications for ministry and mission for today’s church. The research will conclude that early Pentecostal eschatology, influenced by premillennialism and the Latter Rain Covenant, fuelled fervent global missionary efforts. The adoption of fundamentalist dispensational occurring in the mid 20th century produced an escapism mentality rather than one of responsibility to society. However, that system presented a truncated gospel, incompatibility with Pentecostal theology, and is unsuitable for mission in a postmodern context. The proposal to embrace an eschatology of the inaugurated Kingdom of God as proleptic anticipation, was found to offer a more biblically faithful holistic gospel, compatibility with both a Pentecostal ethos, and with postmodern culture.