9/4/07

NOEL BROOKS: AN OVERVIEW


THE REVEREND NOEL BROOKS (1914-2006)
A Life Shining and Burning

Noel Brooks was born in 1914 in the often harsh coal country of northwestern Yorkshire and Lancashire, England, to Absalom Brooks. Noel’s grandfather, according to writings by Noel, had been an alcoholic until God stepped in to miraculously transform his life and forever changed the destinies of his four sons: Edward, Solomon, Absalom, and Will Brooks.

The home of Absalom Brooks was said to have been the epitome of the phrase “Holiness Unto the Lord” (Out of a Horrible Pit, pg. 56). Although Noel worked in the same coal mines his father, uncles, and grandfather had labored in, he was being pulled to study and prepare himself for ministry. At the age of 20 years he entered into the ministry (ibid, cover).

Noel Brooks joined with the English Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1954. He served as pastor of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Bristol, then later served as director of evangelism of the English PHC, and then served as General Superintendent of the British Conference. He served as College President of the Christian View Bible College in Eastern Canada (founded September 7, 1971).

He founded the British Bible College which was located in the city of Bristol. Many noteworthy titled from their library collection now reside in the Noel Brooks Reading Room in the SCU Library.

A graduate of London University with a Bachelor of Divinity, he was later awarded an honorary doctorate from Holmes Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina.

During his long career he taught on the faculty of several institutions around the globe and served as guest speaker and lecturer in countless churches in England, North America, and Africa. In the mid 1970’s he taught Bible and Theology on the campus of Southwestern, then known as Oklahoma City Southwestern College.

He was noted for his “keen analytical insights” over the years and authored several books, some of which are considered to be classic treatments of the subject of holiness. In addition, he authored a long series of lessons for adults published in the Pentecostal Holiness Advocate. Many of his titles are located in the SCU Library’s Pentecostal Research Collection (PRC) or in the Noel Brooks Collection or in the IPHC Archives.

In his family memoir he noted that many books tell the story of the lives of great and influential men and women. His “little book”, as he called it, told the story of ordinary people who “shined and burned” in their efforts for God. He recalled the words of his uncle Edward Brooks:
“Do the best you can, be the best you are,Shine like a glow worm if you cannot be a star.”

Noel Brooks throughout his long career as a scholar and a devoted man of God has called people to remember the way of the Lord, to strive for holiness, and “to shine and burn” for the cause of Christ.

Major Works by Noel Brooks:
Pardon, Purity and Power: The Threefold Ministry of the Holy Spirit (1959).
Scriptural Holiness (1967).
Sickness, Health, and God (n.d.)
Studies in Christian Doctrine (n.d.)
Out of a Horrible Pit: A family memoir (1976).
Let there be life (1975).
The Biblical Basics of missions (1976).
Ephesians outlined and unfolded (1984).
Fingertip Holiness (studies in practical holiness) (1988).
[see updated listing for further titles]
---Compiled by M.A. Hudson, Director of Library Services, SCU

[Additional biographical information or corrections are welcome]

9/3/07

PENTECOSTAL RESEARCH 101

The SCU Library Commons has a small collection that was begun by past president Scott Muse in the late 1960's. The "Pentecostal Research Collection" is devoted to Pentecostal Studies relevant to the curriculum of the University. The academic focus of the university is in the areas of pastoral ministry, mission, music, English, and history and the collection will develop to reflect those areas.

At present, it contains general histories of several Pentecostal and Charismatic groups and individuals. Also in place are major works on Pentecostal doctrine, polity, history, and theology. All materials of historic nature have been donated to the IPHC Archives & Records Center (www.pctii.or/arc/archives.html) located near the University in Bethany, Oklahoma.

The following is a list of helpful links to research collections, bibliographies or helpful articles.
Religious Movements: Pentecostalism (quick introduction)http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/penta.html
Northwest Center for Pentecostal Researchhttp://www.northwestu.edu/cpr/
Church of Godhttp://faculty.leeu.edu/~drc/http://www.cogheritage.org/blog.cfm
General Listhttp://www.pctii.org/arc/research.html
IPHChttp://www.pctii.org/arc/archives.htmlhttp://arc.iphc.org/Pew Research Center: A Pentecostal Primerhttp://pewresearch.org/pubs/218/a-pentecostal-primer
10 Year Survey of World Wide Pentecostalismhttp://pewforum.org/surveys/pentecostal/?gclid=COvOiOe-hogCFQLTJAodZU8D4gHoly Spirit Center – ORUhttp://www.oru.edu/university/library/holyspirit/hsrcinfo.html
Canadian Center for Pentecostal Researchhttp://www.cokespill.com/project/index.html
Evangelical Archiveshttp://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/nonwarch.html
Global/Europeanhttp://www.hollenwegercenter.net/
Pentecostal/Charismatic Research – Regent University (Many additional links)http://www.regent.edu/general/library/subjects/divinity/pentecostal.cfmS
ociety for Pentecostal Studieshttp://sps-usa.org/
Women in Pentecostal-Charismatic leadershiphttp://www.regent.edu/acad/schdiv/news/events/colloquium/
Church of God of Prophecy Archiveshttp://www.cogop.org/
Center for Pentecostal Leadership & Carehttp://www.pentecostalleadership.org/xhtml/research_articles.htm
Global Pentecostal Fellowshipshttp://artsweb.bham.ac.uk/aanderson/Pentecost/pentec.htm
Wilson Institute – Vanguard, CAhttp://www.vanguard.edu/wilsoninstitute/
Wabash Center (Links)http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/result_browse.aspx?topic=696&pid=650
Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (Assemblies of God)http://ifphc.org/
Women in the Pentecostal Movementhttp://www.ag.org/wim/history/index.cfm
Pentecostal/Charismatic Resourceshttp://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~kbanner/pentec.html
Center for Women’s Studies – Vanguardhttp://www.vanguard.edu/cws/index.aspx?doc_id=3476
United Pentecostal History Centerhttp://www.upci.org/historical/index2.htm
Bibliography Lists for Pentecostalism Assembly of Godhttp://www.ag.org/top/about/bibliography.cfmP
entecostalism in Asiahttp://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=177
Bibliography of Women and religionshttp://www.nd.edu/~archives/LAU012.HTM
Northwestern Syllabus on Holiness-Pentecostal Studieshttp://acc.roberts.edu/NEmployees/Hamilton_Barry/Holiness-Pentecostal.syllabus.htm
Trinity Western University Bibliography on Pentecostalismhttp://www.twu.ca/sites/cprn/bibliography.aspx
Image of the SCU PRCwww.geocities.com/sculibrarycommons/scu.html

9/2/07

LEADERS OF THE PHC

The leaders of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church are listed with images on a page maintained by the IPHC Archives. Invaluable for research and for identification of photographs. Visit it at http://www.pctii.org/arc/bishops.html