Ragoonath’s “Pentecostal Preaching” has been written to explain how the distinctive nature of Pentecostal preaching is that it is anointed and is accompanied by signs, wonders, and miracles, following the example of Jesus and the apostles. He also compares Pentecostal preaching with Roman Catholic and Protestant preaching, highlighting their differences and similarities. His motivation for writing this paper is his concern that there are fewer signs, wonders, and miracles in some Pentecostal churches in the West. He wants to address this by offering some suggestions on how to pray for the sick, the demonised, and the needy. He also emphasises the importance of prayer and fasting before engaging in this type of ministry.

He is clearly moved to help, particularly Pentecostal preachers, teachers, and leaders, to bring the Pentecostal disincentive to their ministry. His hope is to help by outlining some principles that guide Pentecostal preaching, such as seeing all of Scripture as the Word of God, operating from a Spirit worldview, re-experiencing the text and its symbolic meaning, moving the audience to re-experience the presence of God, preaching to the needs of the audience, using a variety of sermon types and modes of communication, and using blocks of thoughts for sermon outlines. Ragoonath provides insights and recommendations based on his research and experience. He also invites Pentecostal preachers to redefine their preaching and take steps to change their ministry according to the biblical model. It seems that his audienxe is as much Pentecostal scholars and students, engaging with the writings of Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal homileticians, theologians, and exegetes, presenting his theory of Pentecostal preaching in dialogue with contemporary Protestant homiletics. In addition, but with lesser emphasis, Ragoonath is reaching seekers and church members in both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal contexts. His explanation of the Pentecostal distinctive and benefits therein invites all readers to experience God’s power and presence through Pentecostal preaching and the ministry of the Spirit. Ragoonath shares his personal testimony as another tool to contend for the restoration of and passion for Pentecostal preaching.

Ragoonath approaches ideas in this article that are also fleshed out by other scholars, including Kenneth J. Archer, Roger Stonstad and Amos Yong. The concept of Pentecostal preaching, being that it is followed by signs, wonders, and miracles, is a similar contention proposed by Kenneth J. Archer, who argues that Pentecostal preaching is a Spirit-inspired event that involves the proclamation of the gospel and the demonstration of the Spirit’s power through healing, deliverance, and prophecy. ^[1] Pentecostal preaching, such as the emphasis on the experiential, the symbolic, the pneumatic, the eschatological, and the pragmatic aspects of biblical interpretation, are all characteristics explored by other Pentecostal scholars, such as Roger Stronstad, who advocates for a Spirit-oriented hermeneutic that takes seriously the role of the Holy Spirit in the inspiration, illumination, and application of Scripture.^[2] Ragoonath’s identification of the challenges and potential pitfalls of Pentecostal preaching, such as the bent toward individualism, subjectivism, and misinterpretation of text, is also acknowledged by other Pentecostal scholars, such as Amos Yong, who calls for a dialogical and ecumenical approach to Pentecostal hermeneutics that engages with other Christian traditions and disciplines.^[3]

Ragoonath, supports the ideas he is contending for in this paper with thorough evidence from a variety of sources. The author cites several biblical passages to support his claim that Pentecostal preaching is anointed preaching with signs, wonders, and miracles. He refers to the examples of Jesus and the apostles in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and shows how they preached the gospel with power and authority, accompanied by healings, deliverances, and prophecies. He also quotes from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians, demonstrating how Paul validated his apostolic ministry through the signs and wonders God performed through him. He cites authors such as Thomas G. Long, David Buttrick, Fred B. Craddock, Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Gordon D. Fee, Craig S. Keener, and Steven J. Land, among others, to provide different perspectives and insights on the nature and purpose of preaching. He also refers to his previous publications and research on Pentecostal preaching, such as his doctoral dissertation and book, Preaching with Power. He also uses personal anecdotes and testimonies to support his suggestions for the practical applications of Pentecostal preaching. He shares his own experiences and observations of Pentecostal preaching in various contexts and cultures, such as India, Canada, and the Caribbean. Finally, he relates some stories of people who were healed, delivered, or transformed by the power of God through Pentecostal preaching. 

Ragoonath has been somewhat effective in his arguments, where he used relevant and reliable evidence to support his assertions. He has drawn from various sources to illustrate and validate his theory and practice of Pentecostal preaching. He has lent, possibly too heavily on, persuasive and provocative language to communicate his passion and conviction for Pentecostal preaching. You can see this in his word choices, such as ‘anointed’, ‘powerful’, ‘dynamic’, ‘life-changing’, ‘miraculous’, and ‘transformative’ to describe the nature and impact of Pentecostal preaching. He has also used rhetorical questions, exclamations, imperatives, and invitations to challenge and motivate the readers to rethink and re-experience Pentecostal preaching. There was a balance to this paper where Ragoonath, at times, not only celebrated the positive aspects and benefits of Pentecostal preaching but also acknowledged some of its challenges and limitations. He concedes the potential for individualism, subjectivism, and misinterpretation of texts. He has also suggested ways to overcome these challenges and improve Pentecostal preaching, such as prayer, fasting, and ecumenism.

As effective as Ragoonath has been in constructing his argument, there are shortfalls.  He has used a vague and ambiguous definition of Pentecostal preaching. He defines Pentecostal preaching as “anointed preaching with signs, wonders, and miracles” but does not explicitly define “anointing” as it might apply in a modern context. This is also true for “signs”, “wonders”, and “miracles”. He also does not provide any biblical or theological basis for his definition or address the possible objections or criticisms that his definition may raise. He mainly cites authors who agree with his perspective and does not engage meaningfully with authors who challenge or critique his perspective and approach. He does not engage with the diversity and complexity of Pentecostal scholarship and practice, nor does he adequately acknowledge the historical and cultural contexts and influences that shape Pentecostal preaching. He also does not cite any empirical or statistical data to support his claims and assertions, such as the number, frequency, and impact of signs, wonders, and miracles in Pentecostal preaching.

Aldwin Ragoonath offers a definition of Pentecostal preaching as biblical preaching with signs, wonders, and miracles. The article supports his argument with biblical exegesis, some historical analysis, a small number of interviews, and some personal anecdotes. The article has some strengths, such as acknowledging the diversity of Pentecostal preaching. However, the article also has some weaknesses, such as relying on a small and biased sample, using a simplistic and dichotomous understanding of worldviews, failing to address some challenges and criticisms, and not providing concrete quantitative data. The article is a passionate and persuasive attempt to promote Pentecostal preaching, but it lacks some methodological and logical rigour.

cal Hermeneutics in Trinitarian Perspective (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2002).