J. Dwight Pentecost

{{Infobox writer

| name = John Dwight Pentecost

| pseudonym = {{Cslist| Dwight Pentecost | J. Dwight Pentecost}}

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|4|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Pennsylvania, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2014|4|28|1915|4|24|mf=y}}

| death_place = Dallas, Texas

| education =

| alma_mater = {{Cslist| Hampden–Sydney College | Dallas Theological Seminary}}

| occupation = {{Cslist|Theologian|pastor|author}}

| nationality = American

| subjects = {{Cslist| Christian living | eschatology}}

| notable_works = Things to Come

| spouse = {{marriage| Dorothy Harrison Pentecost |1938|2000| end=d.}}

| parents =

| children = {{Cslist| Jane Pentecost Fenby | Gwendolyn Ann Pentecost Arnold}}

| years_active = 1941 – 2014

}}

John Dwight Pentecost (April 24, 1915 – April 28, 2014) was an American Christian theologian, best known for his book Things to Come.

Pentecost was born in Pennsylvania and died in Dallas, Texas. His wife was Dorothy Harrison Pentecost (June 17, 1915 – June 21, 2000). John and Dorothy had two daughters: Jane Pentecost Fenby{{cite web | last=Giesen |first=Karen G. | date=2006-07-07 | editor1-last=Smith |editor1-first=Steven | editor2-last=Glahn |editor2-first=Sandra | title=An Enduring Ministry: The Life and Times of J. Dwight Pentecost | url=https://voice.dts.edu/article/an-enduring-ministry-the-life-and-times-of-j-dwight-pentecost-karen-giesen/ | accessdate=2024-09-10 | website=Voice | publisher=Dallas Theological Seminary}} and Gwendolyn Ann Pentecost Arnold.

Career

Pentecost held a B.A. from Hampden–Sydney College (1937) and Th.M. (1941) and Th.D. (1956) degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary. During his academic career he taught biblical subjects for over 60 years (Philadelphia College of Bible, 1948–55; Dallas Theological Seminary, 1955–2014). He was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition at DTS, one of only two so honored.{{cite web |title=Pentecost, J. Dwight's biog. |url=http://www.tyndale.edu/dirn/bios/pentecost.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908080756/http://www.tyndale.edu/dirn/bios/pentecost.html |archivedate=2006-09-08 |accessdate=2006-09-05 |work=Dispensational International Research Network}}

Pentecost was ordained in 1941 at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, into the Presbyterian Church, serving as a pastor there from 1941 to 1946, and then at Saint John's Presbyterian Church in Devon, Pennsylvania, from 1946 to 1951.{{Cite web | last=Noll |first=Eva | orig-date=April 2015 | title=History of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Devon, Pennsylvania | url=https://www.stjohnsdevon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Church-History.pdf#page=6 | access-date=2024-09-07 | publisher=St. John’s Presbyterian Church | page=6 | format=PDF}} He was the senior pastor at Grace Bible Church in Dallas, Texas, from 1958 to 1976. Fellow DTS seminarian Charles R. Swindoll served under Pentecost at Grace Church from 1961 to 1965, including a two-year position as assistant pastor.{{Cite web | orig-date=August 2018 | editor-last=Swindell |editor-first=Gary S. | title=Fifty Years of Grace: A history of Grace Bible Church, Dallas, Texas | url=https://gracebiblechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/FiftyYearsofGrace.pdf#page=12 | access-date=2024-09-07 | publisher=Grace Bible Church | pages=12,14 | format=PDF}}

Pentecost wrote nearly twenty books, mostly for the general Christian audience.{{cite web |title=CV, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost |url=http://www.itmimg.org/images/Pentecost_bio.pdf#search=%22j%20dwight%20pentecost%22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020900/http://www.itmimg.org/images/Pentecost_bio.pdf#search=%22j%20dwight%20pentecost%22 |archivedate=2007-09-28 |accessdate=2006-09-05}} He spoke to audiences worldwide.J. Dwight Pentecost's speaking tours{{Better source needed | reason=The current source is merely a summary of the fact just stated (WP:NOTRS). | date=September 2024}} A Festschrift, Essays in Honor of J. Dwight Pentecost, was published by Moody Press in 1986.

Writings

Pentecost is possibly best known for his published writings, which are predominantly focused on issues of Christian living and eschatology. Pentecost was a Dispensationalist, taking a Premillennial and Pretribulational view of the prophetic and apocalyptic biblical passages. His Things to Come (1958) includes a comprehensive review of almost every view on the biblical prophetic subject matter that has any level of prominence.Prophetic writing elements{{Better source needed | reason=The current source is merely a summary of the fact just stated (WP:NOTRS). | date=September 2024}}

Bibliography

Things to Come, Zondervan, 1958, {{ISBN|0-310-30890-9}}
Prophecy for Today : God's Purpose and Plan for Our Future, Zondervan, 1961, {{ISBN|0-929239-11-3}}
Will Man Survive?
The Parables of the Kingdom
Pattern for Maturity (since retitled Designed to Be Like Him)
The Joy of Intimacy with God : A Bible Study Guide to 1 John, Discovery House
Faith That Endures : A Practical Commentary on the Book of Hebrews, 2000 rev. ed.
The Divine Comforter : The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit, Kregel, 1963, {{ISBN|0-8254-3456-4}}
Designed to be Like Him : Understanding God's Plan for Fellowship, Conduct, Conflict, and Maturity, 1966
Your Adversary, the Devil, 1969
Life’s Problems-God’s Solutions : Answers to 15 of Life's most Perplexing Problems, 1971
The Joy of Living : Study of Philippians, Kregel, 1973, {{ISBN|0-310-30871-2}}
Design for Living : Lessons on Holiness from the Sermon on the Mount, Kregel, 1975, {{ISBN|0-8254-3457-2}}
The Sermon on the Mount : Contemporary Insights for a Christian Lifestyle, Multnomah Press, Portland, 1980
The Words and Works of Jesus Christ : A Study of the Life of Christ, Zondervan, 1981, {{ISBN|0-310-30940-9}}
A Harmony of the Words & Works of Jesus Christ, Zondervan, 1981, {{ISBN|0-310-30951-4}}
The Parables of Jesus : Lessons in Life from the Master Teacher, 1982
Thy Kingdom Come : Tracing God's Kingdom Program and Covenant Promises Throughout History, Kregel, 1995, {{ISBN|0-8254-3450-5}}
Things Which become Sound Doctrine : Doctrinal Studies of Fourteen Crucial Words of Faith, Kregel, 1996, {{ISBN|0-8254-3452-1}}
Design for Discipleship : Discovering God's Blueprint for the Christian Life, Kregel, 1996, {{ISBN|0-8254-3451-3}}
New Wine: A Study of Transition in the Book of Acts, Kregel, 2010, {{ISBN|0-8254-3597-8}}

Notes

References

{{cite web | title=Pentecost, J. Dwight | publisher=Dispensational International Research Network | url=http://www.tyndale.edu/dirn/bios/pentecost.html | accessdate=2006-09-05 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060908080756/http://www.tyndale.edu/dirn/bios/pentecost.html |archivedate = 2006-09-08}}
{{cite book | title=Dictionary of Premillennial Theology | last=Couch | first=Mal | year=1997 | publisher=Kregel Academic & Professional | isbn=0-8254-2410-0}}
{{cite web | title=CV, Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost | url=http://www.itmimg.org/images/Pentecost_bio.pdf#search=%22j%20dwight%20pentecost%22 | accessdate=2006-09-05 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020900/http://www.itmimg.org/images/Pentecost_bio.pdf#search=%22j%20dwight%20pentecost%22 | archivedate=2007-09-28}}

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20130122075840/http://www.dts.edu/about/faculty/jpentecost/ Archived page], Dallas Theological Seminary. Includes photo and booklist.
[https://voice.dts.edu/contributor/j-dwight-pentecost/#:~:text=J.,Dwight%20Pentecost%20%2D%20DTS%20Voice Voice], Dallas Theological Seminary. Books and videos.

Category:1915 births

Category:2014 deaths

Category:20th-century American male writers

Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers

Category:20th-century American theologians

Category:20th-century evangelicals

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers

Category:21st-century American theologians

Category:21st-century evangelicals

Category:American Evangelical writers

Category:American male non-fiction writers