Spring 2004
A Revival of Compassion

Theme Articles

Ask The Superintendent
A Revival of compassion
Interview with Thomas E. Trask
How does the story of the Good Samaritan apply to today’s understanding of meeting community needs? The answer to this question and many others is at the heart of this interview with Thomas E. Trask, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (1993-2007).

Compassion Rooted In The Gospel That Transforms
By Byron Klaus
Can evangelism be continually effective without attention to present social dilemmas people are facing? The question of antiquity (and the apparent answer) voiced by Cain is still poignant: "Am I my brother’s keeper?"

God Cares About People: A Pentecostal Perspective From Luke/Acts
By Craig S. Keener
We can best understand the first Pentecostal church’s radical lifestyle of compassionate service and what ours should be by examining the Gospel’s teaching which led up to it.

Pentecostals As A Church Community In A Civil Community
By Greg Mundis
Can Pentecostals find their place in meeting society’s felt needs while maintaining their biblical faithfulness?

Widespread Poverty In The Richest Nation In Human History
By Ronald J. Sider
Consider this multisector strategy for spiritual and social transformation.

Loving Our Neighbor’s Welfare
By Amy L. Sherman
Here are six blessings that come to us when we entangle our lives with people in need.

Holistic Ministry — Bringing The Whole Gospel To The Whole Person
Interview with Jesse Miranda, Jr., George D. McKinney, and George W. Westlake, Jr.
Find out how three prominent Pentecostal leaders are modeling holistic ministry and how they are bringing the transforming, compassionate love of Christ to their churches and communities.

Getting There From Here: Starting Compassion Ministry In Your Congregation
By Heidi Rolland Unruh And Philip N. Olson
What kind of compassion ministry should your church do, and will your congregation support it? While there are no simple steps to compassion ministry, this practical article should point you in the right direction.

Let My Pastors Go — Building And Equipping Churches For Compassion Ministries
By Brad Smith
After having studied hundreds of effective equipping churches, three principles emerge in every one that was equipping and deploying people into compassion-type ministries.

Faith-Based Initiative: Alive And Thriving
By Stanley Carlson-Thies
What are ministry leaders to do when government officials change overly restrictive policies and ask faith-based organizations to become partners in fighting social ills?

Grant Development — The Role And Process
By David W. Mills
Grant writing should involve people who have both gifting and passion for their work. This article offers help in understanding the role and process of grant development.

A/G Charities: Where Compassion And Ministry Meet
By John Bongiorno
Before turning thumbs down on public funding for your compassion ministry, consider this carefully planned five-fold strategy for acquiring public resources for Christian ministries.

Led By Compassion — Ministries That Are Making A Difference
By Miriam Testasecca
Find out what is being done worldwide to meet physical as well as spiritual needs and how your church can get involved.

Editorials

Ministry Matters
By Gary R. Allen

In Closing
By Hal Donaldson

Columns

Preaching That Connects
The Preacher’s Delightful Inheritance
By Craig Brian Larson

The Church And The Chosen People
Jews and Christians Pray Together at the Dismantled "Wall"
By Ray Gannon

Worship In The Church
Four Symptoms of a Worship War
By Thomas McDonald

History Is His Story
Old Ironsides — Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan Revolution
By William P. Farley

Financial Concepts
The Gift of Giving in Your Church
By Randall K. Barton

A View From The Pew
Volunteerism
By J. Diane Awbrey

College Corner
Where Do We Go From Here?
By Robert H. Spence

Let’s Talk About Islam
Islam — A Brief History
By Sobhi Malek

For Women In Ministry
Three Sacrifices a Pastor’s Wife Should Never Make
By Gail D. Johnsen

Departments

• sermon seeds
• ministry ideas
• illustrate it
• book reviews
• news & resource
• marketplace
• advertising index
• with Christ