THE MISSING LINKS IN PENTECOSTAL PRACTICE Creeds, Councils, and the Call to Holistic Discipleship

The Missing Links in Pentecostal Practice

Creeds, Councils, and the Call to Holistic Discipleship

Rev. Wisdom O. Akinpelu

After nearly three decades defending Pentecostal ministry against accusations of shallowness and materialism, Rev. Wisdom O. Akinpelu went to study theology in the United Kingdom expecting confirmation of what he already believed. Instead, he found the missing pieces.

The Missing Links in Pentecostal Practice is the result of that decade-long reckoning—an honest, insider's examination of what global Pentecostalism does exceptionally well and what it has too often left out. Drawing on his own journey through disillusionment and awakening, alongside historical and theological study across church traditions, Akinpelu identifies the gap responsible for much of the criticism aimed at Pentecostal churches: the absence of whole-life discipleship and sustained social action alongside evangelism.

Across twelve chapters, this book traces the structural and theological roots of the problem—from ministry autonomy without oversight to the neglected role of creeds and councils in guarding orthodoxy—and points toward a renewed, historically grounded Pentecostal practice. It closes with a bold proposal: a global Pentecostal council to prevent abuse and restore credibility to a movement the author loves and has given his life to.

This is not a takedown. It is a call to strengthen a tradition from within—written for pastors, denominational leaders, and any believer who has felt the tension between a movement's passion and its blind spots.

Inside, you'll explore:

Why autonomy without accountability leads to abuse and doctrinal drift

What creeds, confessions, and councils were always meant to protect

How to build a New Testament church that unites evangelism, discipleship, and social action

A concrete proposal for renewed Pentecostal accountability and credibility worldwide.