The Holy Spirit in Relation to Mission and World Christianity: A Reformed Perspective

Abstract

Despite perceptions to the contrary, the Reformed tradition has historically emphasized the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The  significance of the Holy Spirit with respect to mission has not always, however, been highlighted. While the remarkable growth of the  Church in the Majority World, and particularly of “Pentecostal/Charismatic/neoPentecostal” churches, has become evident recently, there has been relatively little engagement with these trends in the writings of Reformed theologians. In this paper, I argue that (a) the  doctrine of the Holy Spirit is a key aspect of Reformed Theology; (b) while some Reformed authors have been paying greater attention in  recent years to the relationship between the Holy Spirit, mission, and World Christianity, these topics demand greater emphasis; (c) the  remarkable growth of Pentecostal/Charismatic/neo-Pentecostal churches is a phenomenon that demands attention from Reformed authors; and (d) Reformed Christians form a significant proportion of World Christianity, which should be recognized.