Rev. J. Richard Pennington, BA, MDIVBL
14 September ©2001
I read Michael’s work on a recent trip to Minnesota. On our way back to Chicago we noticed the harvest moon, and I couldn’t help but think of the prophecy in Joel that is fulfilled and applied in Acts chapter two that serves as a basis for much of Michael’s argument. Michael’s work has already been of great help in my ministry that often faces the spiritual realities of urban post-modernism. Michael gives a beautiful and biblical balance between the extremes of totally denying as “automatically wrong” anything supernatural, so prevalent in modernist evangelicalism, and blindly affirming all supernatural events as good, a clear tendency in post-modern Christianity (18, 19).
The entire work in many ways is a work of healthy balance. Michael avoids dusty academia yet also treats fairly and intelligently the Scriptural evidence he presents. It is rare to see someone so effectively examine such a broad Biblical topic and yet remain faithful to the text and sound hermeneutical exegesis. It would be tempting for an author on such a topic to exercise tergiversation in order to defend his own biases and prejudices. Michael, however, was fair, objective, and honest in his treatment of the Scriptures.
Michael also balances well intellectual defense and practical application. He provides serious intellectual consideration of important passages, and is careful to include a vast number of passages considered in their context in his treatment of this theological topic. He also, however provides interesting and pragmatic examples and suggestions that immediately apply to both personal life and the life of the church.
His style is also an exercise in balance. He is simple and direct, yet also very careful in his semantics. The work does not appear to be trite or simplistic. It also is not overly complex or dull. He clearly put a great deal of thought not only into what he was saying, but also into how he was expressing it. It is intellectual enough to be valuable for seminary students, and simple enough to be understood by lay people.
Beyond all of this, the topic he has selected both is one that is central to the world of the Scriptures, and incredibly important in our world today. Contemporary Christians need to know that “All the intimacy with God that the prophets of old had, we can have” (13). They also need to know the “Imperative to Test” what each prophet is saying to see “whether a message agrees with scripture” (33, 32). Michael has brilliantly discussed a biblical doctrine that all Christians and church leaders today need to more carefully consider.
Thus, Michael objectively treats a vital topic and provides immediate pragmatic suggestions for the application of this knowledge. This scriptural study will reward careful examination with a great deal of wisdom on hearing God’s voice in today’s noisy world. Indeed, what could be more important or interesting than learning how to accurately and effectively listen to God’s Spirit.