As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of 2020 and seeks a new normal into 2021, we are proud to say that the World Alliance for Pentecostal Theological Education (WAPTE) has continued to be active in its work toward the advancement of God’s mission! Below you will see a few highlights both from WAPTE’s activities, as well as some upcoming conference information from our partner organizations.

As mentioned in our previous correspondence, WAPTE was invited this year to collaborate with the World Missions Commission (WMC) at the Pentecostal Development Partner’s Global Summit to give a scholarly response to a position paper on a Biblical Basis for Understanding Human Poverty and Holistic Mission. WAPTE is privileged to operate alongside of the global network of the Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF) as its Theological and Educational arm, occasionally being called upon by a member organization within PWF (such as WMC) to contribute to such an ongoing project.

WAPTE’s Vice Chair, Ulrik Josefsson has drawn on WAPTE’s constituency over the first half of 2021 to pull together an impressive consortium of scholars tasked with formulating a response to this paper, which finds roots in WAPTE’s 2019 Pentecostal World Conference presentations centered around The Role of Pentecostal Theological Education in Community Transformation. This consortium has met twice in 2021 and has included (in alphabetical order):

• Miguel Alvarez, Missiology (Latin America)
• Cheryl B. Johns, Practical Theology (US)
• Ulrik Josefsson, Practical Theology (Sweden)
• Chammah Kaunda, Zambian scholar (currently professor at Yonsei University, South Korea)
• Wonsuk Ma, Missiology and Global Pentecostalism (US and Korea)
• Kayama Mugambi, Pastor and researcher (Africa)
• Martina Prosén, Missiology (Sweden)
• Mikael Steinhammar, Systematic Theology (Sweden)
• Amos Yong, Missiology (US)

A sampling of the research presented for this project will be available in the upcoming fall 2021 volume of Pentecostal Education, a thematic issue on “Pentecostal Mission”.

UPCOMING WAPTE PARTNER CONFERENCES:

European Pentecostal Theological Association (EPTA)
“Pentecostal Ministries: Cultures, Genders, and Roles”
July 6-7, 2021, Online
Register here

Alphacrucis College
“Beyond the Divide: Global Online Research Conference”
Featuring Prof. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen
July 7-8, 2021, Online
RSVP here

Asia Pacific Theological Association (APTA)
“Equipping Churches for a Changing World”
Featuring Dr. David Lim
September 7-10, 2021, Online

PWF World Missions Commission
The Pentecostal Development Partner’s Global Summit
September 7-10, 2021, Helsinki, Finland

2021 Scholars’ Consultation of Empowered 21
“The Response of the Global Spirit-Empowered Church to the COVID-19 Pandemic”
October 12-15, 2021, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

From WAPTE’S Executive Director:

Thank you to all who have contributed to WAPTE’s vision and mission. I am encouraged by the engagement and possibilities emerging within the Pentecostal scholarly community. If you are a partner organization with WAPTE and have conference information (as above) that you would like shared in this correspondence, please do not hesitate to email with information. We continue to pray for all in our Pentecostal community navigating previously unforeseen circumstances in their ministries and institutions.