The GCF is a follow-up to the first forum, held in 2007 at Limuru, Kenya. The goal for both events is : To create an open space wherein representatives from a broad range of Christian churches and inter-church organaisations, which confess the triune God and Jesus Christ as perfect in his divinity and humanity, can gather to foster mutual respect, to explore and address together common challenges.

Purpose of the second global gathering

The question that will be at the heart of the second global gathering is how the Global Christian Forum should continue and what its focus should be.

In order to address that question the GCF Committee is suggesting it is necessary to direct attention to the changes at work in world Christianity today, and to try to discern what God is doing in the churches and in the world.

The two movements that have profoundly marked the life of the churches in the past century, the ecumenical movement on the one hand and the evangelical / pentecostal / charismatic movement on the other hand, must be looked at in the context of the transformations that are already taking place and will shape the church of the 21st century. The centre of gravity of the church is shifting away from the old heartland of Europe to the gobal South.

Pentecostalism continues to grow and is affecting many of the churches belonging to the historic traditions, especially in the South. Charismatic spiritual experience is replacing doctrine, teaching and confession. New, non-denominational forms of being church are emerging. God is at work through the old and the new, in the heartland and on the frontier, inside and outside the church.

The GCF Committee believes that exploring together these changes, and listening to one another and to the Spirit, will enable all to see with more clarity the way forward to strengthen the unity and common witness of the world's Christian community. The committee has therefore stated the purpose of the second gathering as follows :
• to discern and understand the changes and trends that are at work in world Christianity in our time and to consider what these mean for the unity and common witness of the churches;
• to listen together to what the Spirit is saying to the churches today;
• to give guidance for future direction and activities of the Global Christian Forum.

Glyn Carpenter says Pentecostal readers and others interested in the Pentecostal stream may be particularly interested in the comments (below) of theologian and Pentecostal minister Dr. Cecil Robeck, Jr., presented in a paper on Pentecostalism at a meeting of the Global Christian Forum in January.

One of the major changes in the life of the church across the planet since the early 1900s has been the Pentecostal movement. But that movement is itself diverse and "constantly evolving", according to a leading theologian who is himself a Pentecostal Minister.

In a major paper, Cecil Robeck, Jr., examined the current status of ‘Global Pentecostalism'. "If I were to summarize the current status of Pentecostalism in a word, it would have to be the word ‘diversity'.

"For the last 35 years it has not been possible to speak of this movement as though it is represented by a singular noun, ‘Pentecostalism, with a singular definition," Dr. Robeck said.

He suggests it is necessary today to "think of plurality of Pentecostalisms". Or, it could be described with a singular noun, "Pentecostal' only with a "series of adjectives" added; leading to such combinations as ‘Holiness Pentecostalism', ‘Oneness Pentecostalism', and ‘Classical Pentecostalism' and so on. He said, he could add ‘Neo, Catholic, Progressive, or Global' to the list of Pentecostalisms.

Such diversity - reflected in the movement's history, theology, ethnicity and geography - raised issues such as definition, legitimacy to the name and indeed, "What is it that makes one a Pentecostal?" In spite of such questions, he insisted "Pentecostals "are remarkably similar at their core.

He points out that according to the Atlas of Global Christianity, today some 614 million "renewalist" - or Pentecostals populate the planet, but of them "no more than 20 per cent looks or sounds exactly the same". He says, "Pentecostals form a diverse movement perhaps better described in terms of a medley, a mosaic, or even a musical theme with variations."

"There is a good deal of harmony between many of them. But there are substantial differences...which provide them with unique qualities or voices, emphases such as apostolicity, holiness, deliverance, healing, prosperity, ethnicity and the like." Wherever it takes root, he says Pentecostalism "has found ways to permeate virtually all parts of the Christian family".

Today he sees the Movement becoming "more politically active" and "more ecumenically aware". As a movement, Dr. Robeck says it "needs leaders who are better equipped theologically" with many younger people being educated to a higher level than that of their pastors.

South American Pentecostalism and GCF Developments

One of the regions where Pentecostalism has flourished and where many of its diverse expressions are found is Latin America.

The two meetings on the Global Christian Forum that have taken place in Latin America (Santiago, Chile in 2007 and San José, Costa Rica) in 2010, have not really succeeded in achieving a good representation of the Pentecostal movement in the region. Only some of the smaller, more ecumenically open Pentecostal churches participated.

With the second gathering in Indonesia coming up, plans are now underway for a small consultation with Pentecostal leaders from Latin America, next August. This encouraging initiative was taken by two Pentecostal participants at the November meeting in San José, who formed a small team with others, and started visiting and contacting the leaders of the larger Pentecostal groups in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.

The forum will be held in October at Manado, Indonesia, under the theme Life Together in Jesus Christ, Empowered by the Holy Spirit. It will assemble about 300 leaders and representatives of churches and organisations of all the main Christian traditions from all parts of the world.

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