Potential Impact

Realising there are noteworthy events globally highlighting the scholarship of Pentecostals, the Global Pentecostal Summit (GPS) was never intended to be the new standard for such events. Rather, the Global Pentecostal Summit was a catalytic initiative seeking to establish CHC to prophetically speak to its region and beyond. Given the historic centre of vibrant theological reflection being the local church, the initiative sought to reemphasize this as a central commitment. It sought to break the mould of scholarly symposiums being a small group of people who speak to themselves about Pentecostalism, thus creating self-definition as experts. The local church as the context for theological reflection was an intentional effort to replace the professional guild as the influential voice for Pentecostalism and offer an effective local church to be a key “influencer.”

The priority of local church as prime influencer is exemplified in the case study of Antioch as the initiator of the paradigmatic ecclesiastical model of establishing churches for “all the people” as seen in the case study of Acts 11:19-13:4. Additionally, the theologically informed strategy of Paul in his efforts at the hall of Tyrannus Ephesus (Acts 19:9-10) and the valuing of both prophets and teachers in the Antiochian leadership team (Acts 13:1) does provide biblical foundation for the vision that has emerged at City Harvest Church.

The stated goals of the GPS were:

  • Locate a significant Pentecostal scholarly event in the context of a vibrant Majority World church with global influence.
  • Offer a visible example of a local church that honours the gift of scholarship that is offered in service to the Church.
  • Demonstrate the powerful constructive collaboration generated when Western and Majority World Pentecostal scholars work together as equal partners.
  • Provide scholarly reflection on the contribution that Pentecostalism is making to the continuing vibrancy of Global Christianity.
  • Facilitate the necessary focus of Pentecostal scholarship that empowers the enduring effectiveness of the local church globally.
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gps day 3 004.1

Catalysing Impact

Far from being a singular event, that was a stand- alone effort yielding little enduring influence, the Global Pentecostal Summit (GPS) was just the beginning. Realising that the Lord had blessed the event with a fulfilment of stated goals of the GPS, there was now the establishment of a base line for an enduring initiative. Kong Hee and CHC began to discern next steps. Central to the future was the establishment of a more formal version of theological education. This led to the expansion of the highly successful one-year School of Theology (SOT) that City Harvest Church had held for decades. Academic offerings at SOT were expanded to include the Associate of Arts in Ministry program, a Bachelor of Theology program, and a Master of Arts program. Through a dynamic new partnership, all SOT degrees are now validated globally by Alphacrucis University College in Sydney, Australia.

In addition to the validation of the broadened educational efforts, CHC leadership also saw the GPS as an inaugural event that could regularly bring the finest Pentecostal scholars in the world into contact with the growing cadre of Asian Pentecostal scholars. CHC began to discern what might be next steps to use the catalysing impact of the GPS event to provide continuing theological synergy to strengthen Global Pentecostalism and undergird the theological foundations of Asian Pentecostalism, a vibrant movement in dire need of theological rootedness.

To that end CHC has created the Global Pentecostal Voices (GPV) initiative that will host two events in 2025. The proceedings of these events will be published in partnership with Regnum Books UK in both print and open access versions. The GPS: Voices Loud and Clear event proceedings that were published with Regnum in 2024 will now represent the first book in the Global Pentecostal Voices Book Series.

With each event in the GPV initiative, the leadership of the initiative will offer an official statement that summarizes the notable theological concepts offered by presenters. In the archiving of these resources in both print and digital forms, there is the potential of creating a rich source of theological foundations that can serve the continued vitality of the Pentecostal church in Asia.

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gps day 3 004.1

Results of Summit

From 3-6, November 2023, 16 global Pentecostal scholars met at City Harvest Church in Singapore for the inaugural event that would commence the Global Pentecostal Voices initiative. Representing six continents and fourteen nations, the scholars presented and responded to scholarly works focused on Pentecostal participation in the burgeoning reality that is global Christianity. As a product of the event, the following declaration is offered.

  • Local churches should honour the Pentecostal scholar as a gift the Church. Pentecostal scholarship is a gift to the church when it is focused most specifically on the contemporary challenges facing the local church. (wherever it is located globally)
  • There is significant added value to a Pentecostal scholarly event when it is held in a vibrant local church, whose effective ministries strive to strengthen their commitment to the Word of God and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in a complex world.
  • City Harvest Church commits itself as a centre for ongoing scholarly initiative focused on scholarship that solidifies the Pentecostal church in Asia.
  • Regular events in the GPS model will forthcoming and serve to build strong Pentecostal theology in Asia and guide Pentecostal theology and ministry practices globally, from a Majority World vantage point.
  • The media available in a technologically maturing world must be used to network the scholarly resources that are presented in GPS events. These artifacts would include but not be limited to books, in both print and open access formats, archived video materials to support publications and all resources networked via social media. This multi-faceted strategy has its end goal, the placement of these materials in the hands of Pentecostal globally, who will never attend a GPS event but can access the resources resulting from the events.
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gps day 3 004.1

Summit’s Resolution

The Summit’s Resolutions in Response to the presentations offered by 16 Global Pentecostals scholars

In an effort to provide Global Pentecostals some potential action steps that operationalise the impact of the scholarly presentations, we offer the following resolutions as an expression of theological reflection upon content of the Global Pentecostal Summit.

With regard to Foundational Considerations for Global Pentecostals

  • We resolve to honour the diversity revealed in Christ sacrifice for all on the cross, aligned with the Spirit’s work at Pentecost. We commit to creating space for otherness, embracing each person’s God given uniqueness.
  • We resolve to embrace Spirit-empowered leadership in our churches that is divinely initiated, guided, sustained, and brought to fulfilment by the Spriit.
  • We resolve to embrace Sprit-empowered prayer, both individually and corporately, as the foundation of congregational life and the sustaining force behind the effective of global Christians
  • We resolve to embody a Spirit-empowered witness that builds bridges rather than walls, in a world of religious pluralism, faithfully guiding all people toward Christ.

With regard to Affirmations for Global Pentecostals

  • We resolve never to turn away from the mission entrusted to us by the Spirit. Even in the face of extreme challenges or violence, we will remain faithful agents of the gospel, allowing the Spirit to work through us.
  • We resolve to live out a Spirit-empowered faith this is experiential, miraculous, and transformative, embracing the Spirit’s active presence in every aspect of life to foster a vibrant and holistic Christianity.
  • We resolve to fully embrace women in ministry, affirming that they are Spirit-filled and that their Spirit-given gifts and leadership enrich and strengthen the global Church.
  • We resolve to cultivate cultural sensitivity and awareness as vital for reaching Unreached People Groups, equipping church leaders through Spirit-empowered cross-cultural ministry and disciple-making.
  • We resolve to acknowledge that the Spirit’s healing power reaches beyond individuals to transform the cosmos, and to honour the natural environment as a realm where the Spirit actively works.
  • We resolve to avoid divisive Christian activism and instead embody a Spirit-empowered witness that reaches all people reflecting the inclusive outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost.

With regard to Challenges facing Global Pentecostalism

  • We resolve to engage in thoughtful theological reflection on the new reality of Chinese Christianity, seeking the Spirit’s discernment as we look for signs of the Spirit’s work in the Church in China today.
  • We resolve to recognise the unique role women play in global Christianity, particularly within the Asian church context, affirming their ability to exercise their gifts, provide leadership and be active participants in the mission of the Spirit.
  • We resolve to create an environment for at-risk children, empowering them through the Spirit and providing a pathway to agency. We affirm every child’s potential to encounter and connect with the Spirit.
  • We resolve to recognise the positive social impact of megachurches and understand that the Spirit can work powerfully within these contexts, acknowledging their value as urban hubs of moral empowerment.
  • We resolve to explore the theological implications and opportunities for evangelism in the metaverse within global Pentecostalism, recognising that the Spirit’s presence and power transcend the physical boundaries and extend into the digital realm.
  • We resolve to embrace Gen Z as partners in mission, offering them leadership opportunities and emphasising the importance of Spirit-guided community life to engage them effectively.
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gps day 3 004.1

Affirmations of Summit

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gps day 3 004.1
gps day 3 004.1

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