Final answer:
Pentecostal missiology was needed to guide and articulate the mission work of the Pentecostal movement. It was necessary due to the emphasis on action over theory, the lack of explicit missions imperative in the Statement of Fundamental Truths, and the focus on making history through missionary work rather than documenting it.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pentecostal missiology refers to the study and understanding of the mission and purpose of the Pentecostal movement in spreading the Gospel. There continued to be a need for a clearly stated Pentecostal missiology for several reasons:
- Among Pentecostals, it was generally easier to go than to theorize, meaning that Pentecostals placed a greater emphasis on taking action and spreading the message of Christianity through missionary work rather than engaging in theoretical discussions or studies.
- The Statement of Fundamental Truths, a document outlining the core beliefs of the Assemblies of God fellowship, did not explicitly state a missions imperative. This lack of explicit emphasis on missions made it necessary to further articulate and define Pentecostal missiology.
- Missionaries were actively making history through their missionary work, rather than writing or documenting it. Their focus was on spreading Christianity and making converts, rather than documenting their experiences or developing theories of mission.
Therefore, it was important to have a clearly stated Pentecostal missiology to guide and articulate the mission work of the Pentecostal movement.