Empowered Evangelicals: Bringing Together the Best of the Evangelical and Charimatic Worlds [Paperback]

Rich Nathan (Author), Ken Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995

After years of witnessing the sometimes rancorous controversy between the Evangelical and Pentecostal camps, authors Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson suggest it's way past time to recognize that there's really only one camp. It is unnecessary to choose between the biblical emphasis of the great Evangelical tradition and the spiritual vitality of the Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions, insist the authors. In fact, a new breed of believers called "Empowered Evangelicals" has arisen to combine the best elements of both traditions. Empowered Evangelicals examines the teaching and practice of empowered Evangelical churches and shows both Pentecostals and Evangelicals how to combine the best elements of both congregations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Vine Books (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830734163
• ISBN-13: 978-0830734160
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,945,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD AGREE, April 3, 2000

By 

Gary D. Harwood - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empowered Evangelicals: Bringing Together the Best of the Evangelical and Charismatic Worlds (Paperback)

Within Evangelicalism exists many branches. In this book, the authors contrast Pentecostal Evangelicalism with classical Evangelicalism, looking for common ground for the future. Often these two groups are at loggerheads. The authors are trying to get beyond the various "straw man" cariacutures that overgeneralize and stereotype each others' camps. They appeal for fresh reasessments of thorny theological issues like spirit-baptism, healing, Christian scholarship, and supernatural manifestations. The most interesting part of the book is when the authors discuss paradigm shifts. A paradigm is an accepted assumption, a relatively unchallenged "given". Our reading of scripture, our management of emotions, our theological assumptions are so firmly entrenched that we often cannot see an issue clearly. Think how much paradigm shifting was done to in Acts to blow away cherished theological constructs. Saul was struck down by Jesus on his way to persecute Christians(and becomes Christianity's chief spokesman!). Peter finally gets the message that the gospel is for Gentiles also(but only after much supernatural intervention by God!). Are we immune from such a state? Do we have no blind spots? Admittedly, there is already some cross-pollination betweeen these two groups. The future for the church may well be a sort of hybrid betweeen classical Pentecostalism and classical Evangelicalism. If the issues are approached in humility, perhaps Nathan and Wilson are right: we could have the best of both worlds. Perhaps God still has some paradigm blasting to do in our age!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help for the Cautious Evangelical, October 31, 2001

By 

Brenda David (Sioux Falls, SD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empowered Evangelicals: Bringing Together the Best of the Evangelical and Charismatic Worlds (Paperback)

Empowered Evangelicals serves as an excellent resource to help dispell fear in seeking MORE of God's presence and power in a more experiential way in church life. Coming from a conservative evangelical background, the book helped me feel more comfortable with the new wave of renewal and the resulting manifestations. A satisfying discussion of two worlds that need not clash but merge to be one burning church on fire to reach the lost and heal wounded people.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, Biblical, Practical, December 7, 2001

By 

Brett Maragni (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empowered Evangelicals: Bringing Together the Best of the Evangelical and Charismatic Worlds (Paperback)

Nathan and Wilson score on this collaboration! Great for pastors and church leaders looking for guidance in how to have a church that is both strong in Word and strong in Spirit. This book, along with Doug Banister's Word and Power Church, argues convincingly that the best of the Evangelical and Charismatic worlds can be mutually embraced. The authors write carefully and thoughtfully as they strike a balance between the often characterized two extremes: mind and emotion.

The only weakness of this book is that it is difficult to keep up with who wrote what. I frequently found myself thumbing back several pages to try to place who exactly was sharing a personal story (Nathan or Wilson?).

If you are extremely Pentecostal or extremely anti-charismatic, you will probably disagree with the conclusions drawn in this book, but if you have an open mind, "Take up and read!"