Copyright © 2020 Tunde Abednego Samuel All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation, or instruction. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PRACTICE OF EVANGELISM AMONG NIGERIAN NEO-PENTECOSTALS __________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Missiology __________________ by Tunde Abednego Samuel December 2020 APPROVAL SHEET THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PRACTICE OF EVANGELISM AMONG NIGERIAN NEO-PENTECOSTALS Tunde Abednego Samuel Read and Approved by: ___________________________________________ John M. Klaassen (Chair) ___________________________________________ George H. Martin Date______________________________ For the glory of God TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... xii 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 Research Questions .............................................................................................2 Background .........................................................................................................3 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................8 Methodology .......................................................................................................9 Limitations and Delimitations ...........................................................................11 Definition of Terms ...........................................................................................12 Evangelism and Gospel ........................................................................... 12 Charismatic and Pentecostal .................................................................... 15 Neo-Pentecostal ....................................................................................... 17 Prosperity ................................................................................................. 18 Evaluation ................................................................................................ 18 Practice .................................................................................................... 19 2. A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE BIBLICAL IMPACT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN WITNESSING ...................................................................................20 The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament ...............................................................20 The Strategic Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Life and Witnessing of Christ.........................................................................................................22 The Holy Spirit and Evangelism in the Book of Acts .......................................24 The Book of Acts ..................................................................................... 25 Exegesis of Acts 1:8 ................................................................................ 26 iv Chapter Page The Promise of the Holy Spirit and the Pentecost ............................................33 The Necessity of Power of the Holy Spirit for Evangelism .................... 35 The Three Sources of Power for Witnessing ........................................... 38 The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Ministry of the Apostle Paul as Seen in Acts ..............................................................................................41 The Strategic Roles of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism ............................. 44 Three Waves of the Holy Spirit ........................................................................60 Establishing the Areas of Agreement and Disagreement ..................................65 The Holy Spirit and the Thrust of World Evangelism ............................. 69 The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Contemporary Evangelistic Mandate ........................................................................................... 70 3. THE PRACTICE OF EVANGELISM AND THE PLACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AMONG NIGERIAN NEO-PENTECOSTALS.........................76 The Emergence of Nigerian Pentecostalism .....................................................76 Nigerian Indigenous and Classical Pentecostalism ...........................................77 The Birth of Nigerian Neo-Pentecostals ...........................................................81 Classification of Nigerian Neo-Pentecostals .....................................................84 Survey’s Data Presentation ...............................................................................86 Background Information .......................................................................... 86 Age Range ............................................................................................... 87 Academic Qualifications ......................................................................... 87 Church Involvement ................................................................................ 88 Nationality and Present Country of Residence ........................................ 89 Nigerian Neo-Pentecostals and the Holy Spirit ................................................89 Factors Informing the NNPs’ Emphasis on the Holy Spirit ..............................92 Process of Getting Acquainted with the Holy Spirit among the NNPs.............95 NNPs’ Major Emphases in Evangelism ............................................................98 Possibility of Negative Resultant Effects ........................................................104 v Chapter Page Biblical Place of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism .............................................112 Other Questions ...............................................................................................116 Observation and Clarification ................................................................ 118 The Seduction of Nigerian Pentecostals ................................................ 120 The Danger of the NNPs’ Gospel .......................................................... 127 4. AN ANALYSIS OF THE GOSPEL-CONTENTS OF NIGERIAN NEO-PENTECOSTALS ....................................................................................130 The Theological Presuppositions of Nigerian Neo-Pentecostal Churches .................................................................................................131 Analysis of Theologies and Contents of Gospel Presentations .......................141 Health and Wealth Gospel ..................................................................... 141 The Place of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles in Gospel Presentations .................................................................................. 148 Deliverance-Focused Gospel ................................................................. 150 The Gospel That Focuses on Breakthroughs ......................................... 154 Emphasis on Speaking in Tongues ........................................................ 156 Anointing and Power ............................................................................. 160 Breaking Generational Curses ............................................................... 161 Victory over Enemies ............................................................................ 162 Proclaiming the Gospel as the Means to a Life of Earthly Success .......................................................................................... 164 The Practical Implications of the Neo-Pentecostals’ Gospel Proclamation in Nigeria ................................................................ 166 5. SUMMARY, RESEARCH FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSION .........................................................................................175 Summary .........................................................................................................175 Research Findings ...........................................................................................179 Recommendations ...........................................................................................181 Areas for Further Research .............................................................................183 vi Page Questionable Church Planting and Growth Movement ......................... 183 Occultism in the Nigerian Modern Christianity .................................... 188 Theology of the Third Cheek: A Response to Persecution and Terrorism ....................................................................................... 189 Conclusion ......................................................................................................193 Appendix 1. RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE ......................................................................195 2. INTERVIEW PROFILE .....................................................................................200 3. SURVEY DATA PRESENTATION OF EVANGELICAL RESPONDENTS ................................................................................................204 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................