A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

Christianity Today
in a positive way through the deliberate planting of
daughter churches.
7. “Local Institutional Factors.” Here Wagner listed
eight additional factors: “conservative evangelical theology,”
“strong pastoral leadership,” “prayer,” “openness to
the person and work of the Holy Spirit,” “abundant financial
support,” “worship [as] a central feature of church
life,” “participation in lay ministry . . . expected of all
church members,” and “extensive Bible-teaching ministry
. . . focused on the felt need of church members.”
Wagner also warned about three factors that could
stunt the growth of Pentecostals: 334
1. “The Dark Side of Respectability.” When churches
receive wide social acceptance, they tend to minimize
or abandon some of the factors that caused them to grow.
Social status and cultural approval become more important
to them, so they moderate their distinctive elements,
which are their primary reasons for existence and
growth.
2. “St. John’s Syndrome . . . losing their first love.”
The initial zeal and commitment are not always passed
down to subsequent generations. As children grow up in
middle-class society and comfortable churches, they can
become social Pentecostals, no longer fully committed to
strong doctrinal preaching and teaching, godly disciplines,
fervent worship, or zealous evangelism. The constant
influx of new converts helps to counteract this
trend, however.
3. “Ministerial elitism”—making the technical or
academic standards for the ministry too strict. Instead, the
primary goal should be to find ministers who are called of
God and anointed by the Spirit. The system should foster
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