Christianity • Protestantism
118-467: Finished Work Pentecostalism is a major branch of Pentecostalism that holds that after conversion , the converted Christian progressively grows in grace . On the other hand, the other branch of Pentecostalism— Holiness Pentecostalism teaches the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification as an instantaneous, definite second work of grace , which is a necessary prerequisite to receive the baptism in
236-515: A Reformed background, including Pentecostal clerics William Howard Durham . The Finished Work doctrine became popular among those accepting a belief in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit who came from Reformed backgrounds; these adherents are known as Finished Work Pentecostals. While accepting a belief in a Baptism of the Holy Spirit accompanied with glossolalia, Finished Work Pentecostals reject
354-516: A congregational polity , whereas the COGIC and other Southern groups remained largely episcopal and rejected a Finished Work understanding of Sanctification. Thus, the creation of the Assemblies of God marked an official end of Pentecostal doctrinal unity and racial integration. Among these Finished Work Pentecostals, the new Assemblies of God would soon face a "new issue" which first emerged at
472-466: A 1913 camp meeting. During a baptism service, the speaker, R. E. McAlister, mentioned that the Apostles baptized converts once in the name of Jesus Christ, and the words "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" were never used in baptism. This inspired Frank Ewart who claimed to have received as a divine prophecy revealing a nontrinitarian conception of God. Ewart believed that there was only one personality in
590-438: A Sensitive Issues Consultative Group made up of professional counselors and caregivers as part of its response to the commission's recommendations. A publication on child safety and protection entitled Safe Place was produced, a child safety and protection policy for its international work introduced, and a revised Uniform Discipline, Restoration and Appeal policy implemented that mandates denomination-wide zero-tolerance when there
708-657: A Wesleyan-Holiness preacher, he taught that this was the third work of grace . The three-year-long Azusa Street Revival , founded and led by Seymour in Los Angeles , California , resulted in the growth of Pentecostalism throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Visitors carried the Pentecostal experience back to their home churches or felt called to the mission field . While virtually all Pentecostal denominations trace their origins to Azusa Street,
826-424: A compromise position unique for the time. Simpson believed that Pentecostal tongues speaking was a legitimate manifestation of the Holy Spirit, but he did not believe it was a necessary evidence of Spirit baptism. This view on speaking in tongues ultimately led to what became known as the "Alliance position" articulated by A. W. Tozer as "seek not—forbid not". The first Pentecostal converts were mainly derived from
944-658: A founder of British Pentecostalism. Other important converts of Barratt were German minister Jonathan Paul who founded the first German Pentecostal denomination (the Mülheim Association ) and Lewi Pethrus , the Swedish Baptist minister who founded the Swedish Pentecostal movement. Through Durham's ministry, Italian immigrant Luigi Francescon received the Pentecostal experience in 1907 and established Italian Pentecostal congregations in
1062-614: A four-year revival tour throughout Kansas and Missouri. He taught that the baptism with the Holy Spirit was a third experience, subsequent to conversion and sanctification. Sanctification cleansed the believer, but Spirit baptism empowered for service. At about the same time that Parham was spreading his doctrine of initial evidence in the Midwestern United States, news of the Welsh Revival of 1904–1905 ignited intense speculation among radical evangelicals around
1180-539: A group of 300 predominately white Pentecostal ministers and laymen from all regions of the United States gathered in Hot Springs, Arkansas , to create a new, national Pentecostal fellowship—the General Council of the Assemblies of God . By 1911, many of these white ministers were distancing themselves from an existing arrangement under an African-American leader. Many of these white ministers were licensed by
1298-527: A minority of Pentecostal churches continues to rely exclusively on prayer and divine healing. For example, doctors in the United Kingdom reported that a minority of Pentecostal HIV patients were encouraged to stop taking their medicines and parents were told to stop giving medicine to their children, trends that placed lives at risk. Christian and Missionary Alliance The Alliance World Fellowship (or The Alliance , also C&MA and CMA )
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#17327874140341416-597: A modified form of Keswickian theology , the Christian and Missionary Alliance, as with Simpson, differs from the Wesleyan-Holiness movement in that the Christian and Missionary Alliance does not see entire sanctification as cleansing one from original sin , whereas adherents of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement affirm this Methodistic teaching of John Wesley . Associated with the denomination
1534-454: A modified form of Wesleyan soteriology to accommodate their new understanding. Charles Fox Parham , an independent holiness evangelist who believed strongly in divine healing, was an important figure to the emergence of Pentecostalism as a distinct Christian movement. Parham, who was raised as a Methodist, started a spiritual school near Topeka, Kansas in 1900, which he named Bethel Bible School . There he taught that speaking in tongues
1652-540: A more effective prayer life, greater love for and insight into the Bible, and the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. Holiness Pentecostals, with their background in the Wesleyan-Holiness movement, historically teach that baptism with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by glossolalia, is the third work of grace , which follows the new birth (first work of grace) and entire sanctification (second work of grace). While
1770-448: A persistent faith in the knowledge that God will fulfill his promise. For Pentecostals, there is no prescribed manner in which a believer will be filled with the Spirit. It could be expected or unexpected, during public or private prayer. Pentecostals expect certain results following baptism with the Holy Spirit. Some of these are immediate while others are enduring or permanent. Most Pentecostal denominations teach that speaking in tongues
1888-647: A result, female participation was channeled into more supportive and traditionally accepted roles. Auxiliary women's organizations were created to focus women's talents on more traditional activities. Women also became much more likely to be evangelists and missionaries than pastors. When they were pastors, they often co-pastored with their husbands. The majority of early Pentecostal denominations taught Christian pacifism and adopted military service articles that advocated conscientious objection . Azusa participants returned to their homes carrying their new experience with them. In many cases, whole churches were converted to
2006-864: Is CAMA Services. "CAMA" stands for "Compassion and Mercy Associates". Services include a variety of relief and development efforts providing food, clothing, medical care, and job training to people in crisis situations around the globe in the name of Jesus. Begun in 1974 by Andy Bishop as an outreach to refugees fleeing the Indochina conflict , CAMA now works in refugee camps in Thailand , and has worked with refugees in Hong Kong , Lebanon , Jordan , and Guinea , and famine victims in Burkina Faso and Mali . CAMA Services worked together with local C&MA churches in 2005 to provide Hurricane Katrina relief in
2124-653: Is an evangelical Christian denomination It includes 6.2 million members throughout 88 countries within 22,000 churches. The Alliance has its origins in two organizations founded by Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887 in Old Orchard Beach, Maine , in the United States , The Christian Alliance, which concentrated on domestic missions, and The Evangelical Missionary Alliance, which focused on overseas missions. These two organizations merged in 1897 to form
2242-466: Is an immediate or initial physical evidence that one has received the experience. Some teach that any of the gifts of the Spirit can be evidence of having received Spirit baptism. Other immediate evidences include giving God praise, having joy, and desiring to testify about Jesus. Enduring or permanent results in the believer's life include Christ glorified and revealed in a greater way, a "deeper passion for souls", greater power to witness to nonbelievers,
2360-559: Is believed to be the fastest-growing religious movement in the world. Early Pentecostals have considered the movement a latter-day restoration of the church's apostolic power, and historians such as Cecil M. Robeck Jr. and Edith Blumhofer write that the movement emerged from late 19th-century radical evangelical revival movements in America and in Great Britain. Within this radical evangelicalism, expressed most strongly in
2478-485: Is caused by personal sin). Regarding healing and prayer Purdy states: On the other hand, it appears from Scripture that when we are sick we should be prayed for, and as we shall see later in this chapter, it appears that God's normal will is to heal. Instead of expecting that it is not God's will to heal us, we should pray with faith, trusting that God cares for us and that the provision He has made in Christ for our healing
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#17327874140342596-724: Is derived from Pentecost , an event that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks , as described in the Acts of the Apostles ( Acts 2 :1–31). Like other forms of evangelical Protestantism , Pentecostalism adheres to the inerrancy of the Bible and the necessity of
2714-587: Is highly decentralized. No central authority exists, but many denominations are affiliated with the Pentecostal World Fellowship . With over 279 million classical Pentecostals worldwide, the movement is growing in many parts of the world, especially the Global South and Third World countries. Since the 1960s, Pentecostalism has increasingly gained acceptance from other Christian traditions, and Pentecostal beliefs concerning
2832-423: Is necessary. Verses 14–16 supply the framework for congregational healing prayer. The sick person expresses their faith by calling for the elders of the church who pray over and anoint the sick with olive oil. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Besides prayer, there are other ways in which Pentecostals believe healing can be received. One way is based on Mark 16:17–18 and involves believers laying hands on
2950-451: Is sufficient. If He does not heal us, we will continue to trust Him. The victory many times will be procured in faith (see Heb. 10:35–36; 1 John 5:4–5). Pentecostals believe that prayer and faith are central in receiving healing. Pentecostals look to scriptures such as James 5:13–16 for direction regarding healing prayer. One can pray for one's own healing (verse 13) and for the healing of others (verse 16); no special gift or clerical status
3068-474: Is that through the death , burial , and resurrection of Jesus Christ , sins can be forgiven and humanity reconciled with God. This is the Gospel or "good news". The fundamental requirement of Pentecostalism is that one be born again . The new birth is received by the grace of God through faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. In being born again, the believer is regenerated , justified , adopted into
3186-534: Is ultimately the restoration of the fallen world. In the words of Pentecostal scholar Vernon L. Purdy, "Because sin leads to human suffering, it was only natural for the Early Church to understand the ministry of Christ as the alleviation of human suffering, since he was God's answer to sin ... The restoration of fellowship with God is the most important thing, but this restoration not only results in spiritual healing but many times in physical healing as well." In
3304-760: The Apostolic Faith Church —a Holiness Pentecostal denomination—by 1908. After 1907, Azusa participant William Howard Durham , pastor of the North Avenue Mission in Chicago, returned to the Midwest to lay the groundwork for the movement in that region. It was from Durham's church that future leaders of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada would hear the Pentecostal message. One of the most well known Pentecostal pioneers
3422-627: The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa and the Zion Christian Church . As a result of this missionary zeal, practically all Pentecostal denominations today trace their historical roots to the Azusa Street Revival. Eventually, the first missionaries realized that they definitely needed to learn the local language and culture, needed to raise financial support, and develop long-term strategies for
3540-773: The Assemblies of God , the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel , the Open Bible Churches , Elim Fellowship , and the Pentecostal Church of God . Pentecostalism Christianity • Protestantism Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit . The term Pentecostal
3658-711: The Calvary Holiness Association , Congregational Holiness Church , Church of God (Cleveland) , Church of God in Christ , Free Gospel Church and the Pentecostal Holiness Church ; these bodies are classed as Holiness Pentecostal denominations. The Finished Work, however, would ultimately gain ascendancy among Pentecostals, in denominations such as the Assemblies of God , which was the first Finished Work Pentecostal denomination. After 1911, most new Pentecostal denominations would adhere to Finished Work sanctification. In 1914,
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3776-709: The Godhead —Jesus Christ. The terms "Father" and "Holy Ghost" were titles designating different aspects of Christ. Those who had been baptized in the Trinitarian fashion needed to submit to rebaptism in Jesus' name. Furthermore, Ewart believed that Jesus' name baptism and the gift of tongues were essential for salvation. Ewart and those who adopted his belief, which is known as Oneness Pentecostalism , called themselves "oneness" or "Jesus' Name" Pentecostals, but their opponents called them "Jesus Only". Amid great controversy,
3894-540: The Higher Life movement and its Keswick Conventions . It is perhaps best exemplified by the writings of A. W. Tozer . Simpson, however, departed from traditional Keswickian teaching in his view of progressive sanctification and his rejection of suppressionism. The Alliance also emphasizes missionary work, and believes that the fulfillment of the Great Commission is the reason it exists. Espousing
4012-529: The Higher Life movement . A.B. Simpson articulated the Alliance's core theology as the Christological " Fourfold Gospel ": Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Soon Coming King. These are represented by a cross, laver, oil pitcher, and crown in the Alliance's logo. Sanctification is sometimes described as "the deeper Christian life". This teaching is that of other churches aligned with
4130-522: The New Birth : an individual repenting of their sin and "accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior". It is distinguished by belief in both the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" and baptism by water, that enables a Christian to "live a Spirit-filled and empowered life". This empowerment includes the use of spiritual gifts : such as speaking in tongues and divine healing . Because of their commitment to biblical authority , spiritual gifts, and
4248-604: The Wesleyan–holiness and Higher Life movements, themes of restorationism , premillennialism , faith healing , and greater attention on the person and work of the Holy Spirit were central to emerging Pentecostalism. Believing that the second coming of Christ was imminent, these Christians expected an endtime revival of apostolic power, spiritual gifts, and miracle-working. Figures such as Dwight L. Moody and R. A. Torrey began to speak of an experience available to all Christians which would empower believers to evangelize
4366-662: The early Pentecostal revivals in the United States . The term finished work arises from the aphorism "It's a finished work at Calvary", referring to both salvation and sanctification. Finished Work Pentecostals and Holiness Pentecostal are the two main branches of classical, trinitarian Pentecostalism. The dispute surrounding it was called the Finished Work Controversy which split the Pentecostal movement into Wesleyan and non-Wesleyan doctrinal orientations, known respectively as Holiness Pentecostals and Finished Work Pentecostals . When Holiness Pentecostalism,
4484-505: The prohibition of dancing , abstinence from alcohol and other drugs such as tobacco, as well as restrictions on dress and appearance following the doctrine of outward holiness , initiated an identity crisis for classical Pentecostals, who were forced to reexamine long held assumptions about what it meant to be Spirit filled. The liberalizing influence of the Charismatic Movement on classical Pentecostalism can be seen in
4602-588: The 1920s. These groups, especially in the Jim Crow South were under great pressure to conform to segregation. Ultimately, North American Pentecostalism would divide into white and African-American branches. Though it never entirely disappeared, interracial worship within Pentecostalism would not reemerge as a widespread practice until after the civil rights movement . Women were vital to the early Pentecostal movement. Believing that whoever received
4720-575: The 1940s, the previous decade was widely viewed as a time of spiritual dryness, when healings and other miraculous phenomena were perceived as being less prevalent than in earlier decades of the movement. It was in this environment that the Latter Rain Movement , the most important controversy to affect Pentecostalism since World War II , began in North America and spread around the world in the late 1940s. Latter Rain leaders taught
4838-743: The 1942 National Association of Evangelicals . Pentecostal denominations also began to interact with each other both on national levels and international levels through the Pentecostal World Fellowship , which was founded in 1947. Some Pentecostal churches in Europe, especially in Italy and Germany, during the war were also victims of the Holocaust. Because of their tongues speaking their members were considered mentally ill, and many pastors were sent either to confinement or to concentration camps. Though Pentecostals began to find acceptance among evangelicals in
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4956-576: The 1950s. International visitors and Pentecostal missionaries would eventually export the revival to other nations. The first foreign Pentecostal missionaries were Alfred G. Garr and his wife, who were Spirit baptized at Azusa and traveled to India and later Hong Kong. On being Spirit baptized, Garr spoke in Bengali, a language he did not know, and becoming convinced of his call to serve in India came to Calcutta with his wife Lilian and began ministering at
5074-538: The African-American, C. H. Mason under the auspices of the Church of God in Christ, one of the few legally chartered Pentecostal organizations at the time credentialing and licensing ordained Pentecostal clergy. To further such distance, Bishop Mason and other African-American Pentecostal leaders were not invited to the initial 1914 fellowship of Pentecostal ministers. These predominately white ministers adopted
5192-536: The Assemblies of God rejected the Oneness teaching, and many of its churches and pastors were forced to withdraw from the denomination in 1916. They organized their own Oneness groups. Most of these joined Garfield T. Haywood , an African-American preacher from Indianapolis, to form the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World . This church maintained an interracial identity until 1924 when the white ministers withdrew to form
5310-529: The Book of Acts where believers were Spirit baptized before they were baptized with water, most Pentecostals believe a Christian need not have been baptized in water to receive Spirit baptism. However, Pentecostals do believe that the biblical pattern is "repentance, regeneration, water baptism, and then the baptism with the Holy Ghost". There are Pentecostal believers who have claimed to receive their baptism with
5428-671: The Bow Bazar Baptist Church. The Norwegian Methodist pastor T. B. Barratt was influenced by Seymour during a tour of the United States. By December 1906, he had returned to Europe, and he is credited with beginning the Pentecostal movement in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France and England. A notable convert of Barratt was Alexander Boddy , the Anglican vicar of All Saints' in Sunderland, England , who became
5546-650: The C&;MA for an investigation and restitution. They reported systemic abuse including psychological abuse, excessive beating, sadistic dental practices performed without novocaine, sexual molestation, and rape. The following year an independent commission of inquiry (ICI) was formed and 80 testimonies were heard. In April 1998 the ICI released a report which found the denomination negligent in monitoring Mamou and in training teachers. The report identified nine offenders, of whom four were retired, three deceased and two no longer with
5664-624: The C&MA. The US C&MA Board of Directors issued an open letter to the victims of abuse asking for "forgiveness for the pain and trauma that you suffered while under the care of C&MA dorm parents, teachers and missionaries." Since these abuses occurred, the Alliance changed its policies and practices. Fetherlin said that the Alliance tried "to keep families together as much as possible, as opposed to asking parents to commit to sending their elementary children off to 'missionary kid' boarding schools", and supported homeschooling , which they had previously opposed. The Alliance also established
5782-399: The Christian and Missionary Alliance of the United States approved women being ordained as pastors, but only if the women's local church leadership approves, and never as senior or lead pastors. According to a census published by the association in 2022, it has 22,000 churches, 6,200,000 members in 88 countries. The denomination has an evangelical theology , and is largely aligned with
5900-552: The Christian and Missionary Alliance. In 1887, in a series of sermons called The Fourfold Gospel in New York , United States, which will characterize his teaching, Simpson summarizes the Gospel in four aspects; Jesus Christ Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Soon Coming King. The Missionary Training Institute (later including Alliance Theological Seminary ), founded in 1882 by Simpson in Nyack , near New York , contributed to
6018-604: The Heritage Bible College) retain a belief in the doctrine of entire sanctification—the second work of grace. Despite the resistance of Wesleyan Pentecostals, however, finished work adherents were successful in persuading many Pentecostals of the validity of their view. As a result, most of the Pentecostal denominations founded after 1911 adhered to the finished work doctrine. This can be seen in Finished Work Pentecostal denominations such as
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#17327874140346136-544: The Holiness movement and adhered to a Wesleyan understanding of entire sanctification as a definite, instantaneous experience and second work of grace . Problems with this view arose when large numbers of converts entered the movement from non-Wesleyan backgrounds, especially from Baptist churches. In 1910, William Durham of Chicago first articulated the Finished Work , a doctrine which located sanctification at
6254-415: The Holy Spirit . Finished Work Pentecostals are generally known to have retained the doctrine of progressive sanctification from their earlier Reformed roots, while Holiness Pentecostals retained their doctrine of entire sanctification from their earlier Wesleyan roots. William Howard Durham is considered to be the founder of Finished Work Pentecostalism. The doctrine arose as one of the "new issues" in
6372-540: The Holy Spirit through these ministries. The Latter Rain and the Healing Revival influenced many leaders of the charismatic movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Before the 1960s, most non-Pentecostal Christians who experienced the Pentecostal baptism in the Holy Spirit typically kept their experience a private matter or joined a Pentecostal church afterward. The 1960s saw a new pattern develop where large numbers of Spirit baptized Christians from mainline churches in
6490-468: The Holy Spirit while being water baptized. It is received by having faith in God's promise to fill the believer and in yielding the entire being to Christ. Certain conditions, if present in a believer's life, could cause delay in receiving Spirit baptism, such as "weak faith, unholy living, imperfect consecration, and egocentric motives". In the absence of these, Pentecostals teach that seekers should maintain
6608-494: The Holy Spirit, and instead focused on the deeper Christian life . By 1930, most local branches of the Alliance functioned as churches, but still did not view themselves as such. By 1965, the churches adopted a denominational function and established a formal statement of faith. In 1975, the Alliance World Fellowship (AWF) was officially organized. In 2010, it was present in 50 countries. In June 2023,
6726-498: The Holy Spirit. While the Spirit dwells in every Christian, Pentecostals believe that all Christians should seek to be filled with him. The Spirit's "filling", "falling upon", "coming upon", or being "poured out upon" believers is called the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Pentecostals define it as a definite experience occurring after salvation whereby the Holy Spirit comes upon the believer to anoint and empower them for special service. It has also been described as "a baptism into
6844-644: The Pentecostal Church, Incorporated. This church later merged with another group forming the United Pentecostal Church International . This controversy among the Finished Work Pentecostals caused Holiness Pentecostals to further distance themselves from Finished Work Pentecostals, who they viewed as heretical . While Pentecostals shared many basic assumptions with conservative Protestants,
6962-778: The Pentecostal experience had the responsibility to use it towards the preparation for Christ's second coming, Pentecostal women held that the baptism in the Holy Spirit gave them empowerment and justification to engage in activities traditionally denied to them. The first person at Parham's Bible college to receive Spirit baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues was a woman, Agnes Ozman . Women such as Florence Crawford, Ida Robinson , and Aimee Semple McPherson founded new denominations, and many women served as pastors, co-pastors, and missionaries. Women wrote religious songs, edited Pentecostal papers, and taught and ran Bible schools. The unconventionally intense and emotional environment generated in Pentecostal meetings dually promoted, and
7080-427: The Pentecostal faith, but many times Pentecostals were forced to establish new religious communities when their experience was rejected by the established churches. One of the first areas of involvement was the African continent, where, by 1907, American missionaries were established in Liberia, as well as in South Africa by 1908. Because speaking in tongues was initially believed to always be actual foreign languages, it
7198-428: The Pentecostal movement) on healing. Edward Irving 's Catholic Apostolic Church (founded c. 1831) also displayed many characteristics later found in the Pentecostal revival. Isolated Christian groups were experiencing charismatic phenomena such as divine healing and speaking in tongues. The Holiness Pentecostal movement provided a theological explanation for what was happening to these Christians, and they adapted
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#17327874140347316-403: The Reformed tradition differed from their Wesleyan counterparts in that they rejected the holiness concept of a "second blessing" instead focusing on an "overcoming" life. Keswickian theology is most notable in the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. Though distinct from Keswickian (Higher Life) theology, the Finished Work Pentecostal doctrine was also propagated through ministers of
7434-506: The US , Argentina (Christian Assembly in Argentina), and Brazil ( Christian Congregation of Brazil ). In 1908, Giacomo Lombardi led the first Pentecostal services in Italy. In November 1910, two Swedish Pentecostal missionaries arrived in Belem, Brazil and established what would become the Assembleias de Deus (Assemblies of God of Brazil). In 1908, John G. Lake , a follower of Alexander Dowie who had experienced Pentecostal Spirit baptism, traveled to South Africa and founded what would become
7552-434: The US, Europe, and other parts of the world chose to remain and work for spiritual renewal within their traditional churches. This initially became known as New or Neo-Pentecostalism (in contrast to the older classical Pentecostalism) but eventually became known as the Charismatic Movement . While cautiously supportive of the Charismatic Movement, the failure of Charismatics to embrace traditional Pentecostal teachings, such as
7670-527: The United States. It had 90 theological colleges. In the 1980s, alumni of Mamou Alliance Academy in Guinea, West Africa, began to write letters to C&MA headquarters informing leadership of systemic child abuse that occurred at the school. Phone calls and letter writing of this nature to the C&MA continued for ten years. The alumni reported that the C&MA response was evasive, deceptive, and employed "stonewalling" tactics. Alumni were reportedly told that they should forgive, and that they would "hurt
7788-455: The advancement of the gospel . In contrast, the state of partial sanctification was said to turn the believer's attention to the interior spiritual struggle for holiness which in turn limited his or her usefulness to the church and society. Though the holiness movement arose primarily within Methodism, it made an impact on the Quaker tradition, as well as in certain Anabaptist, Baptist and Restorationist denominations. Another movement stressing
7906-492: The baptism of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts have been embraced by non-Pentecostal Christians in Protestant and Catholic churches through their adherence to the Charismatic movement. Together, worldwide Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity numbers over 644 million adherents. While the movement originally attracted mostly lower classes in the global South, there is a new appeal to middle classes. Middle-class congregations tend to have fewer members. Pentecostalism
8024-416: The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience in a believer's life, Pentecostals view it as just the beginning of living a Spirit-filled life. Pentecostal teaching stresses the importance of continually being filled with the Spirit. There is only one baptism with the Spirit, but there should be many infillings with the Spirit throughout the believer's life. Pentecostalism is a holistic faith, and
8142-408: The belief that Jesus is Healer is one quarter of the full gospel. Pentecostals cite four major reasons for believing in divine healing: 1) it is reported in the Bible, 2) Jesus' healing ministry is included in his atonement (thus divine healing is part of salvation), 3) "the whole gospel is for the whole person"—spirit, soul , and body , 4) sickness is a consequence of the Fall of Man and salvation
8260-407: The book In Pursuit of Wholeness: Experiencing God's Salvation for the Total Person , Pentecostal writer and Church historian Wilfred Graves Jr. describes the healing of the body as a physical expression of salvation . For Pentecostals, spiritual and physical healing serves as a reminder and testimony to Christ's future return when his people will be completely delivered from all the consequences of
8378-439: The character of global Christianity. Pentecostalism is an evangelical faith, emphasizing the reliability of the Bible and the need for the transformation of an individual's life through faith in Jesus. Like other evangelicals, Pentecostals generally adhere to the Bible's divine inspiration and inerrancy —the belief that the Bible, in the original manuscripts in which it was written, is without error. Pentecostals emphasize
8496-468: The conflict with the denominations was the sectarianism of Latter Rain adherents. Many autonomous churches were birthed out of the revival. A simultaneous development within Pentecostalism was the postwar Healing Revival . Led by healing evangelists William Branham , Oral Roberts , Gordon Lindsay , and T. L. Osborn , the Healing Revival developed a following among non-Pentecostals as well as Pentecostals. Many of these non-Pentecostals were baptized in
8614-410: The controversy that divided the Pentecostal movement into a three-stage (Holiness Pentecostalism), which was the original Pentecostal view, and Durham's two-stage Pentecostalism (Finished Work Pentecostalism). Three-stage Pentecostalism (Holiness Pentecostalism) held the view that there are three distinct experiences of grace—conversion, sanctification, and baptism in the Holy Spirit; the third stage
8732-730: The controversy was that the young Pentecostal movement was split between Wesleyan-holiness and non-Wesleyan Reformed evangelicals. The finished work gained the greatest support from the independent and unorganized urban churches and missions. The Pentecostal denominations centered in the American South were the most resistant to the new doctrine. Today, these Holiness Pentecostal denominations ( Apostolic Faith Church , Calvary Holiness Association , Church of God (Cleveland) , Church of God in Christ , Congregational Holiness Church , Free Gospel Church , Pentecostal Holiness Church , and The (Original) Church of God ) and their seminaries (such as
8850-411: The council and becoming more ecclesiastical . To ensure the survival of the Alliance in the face of division, Simpson put all property in the name of the Alliance. In the event of separation, all property would revert to Alliance. After Simpson's death in 1919, the C&MA distanced itself from Pentecostalism, rejecting the premise that speaking in tongues is a necessary indicator of being filled with
8968-768: The development of indigenous churches. The first generation of Pentecostal believers faced immense criticism and ostracism from other Christians, most vehemently from the Holiness movement from which they originated. Alma White , leader of the Pillar of Fire Church —a Holiness Methodist denomination, wrote a book against the movement titled Demons and Tongues in 1910. She called Pentecostal tongues "satanic gibberish" and Pentecostal services "the climax of demon worship". Famous Holiness Methodist preacher W. B. Godbey characterized those at Azusa Street as "Satan's preachers, jugglers, necromancers, enchanters, magicians, and all sorts of mendicants". To Dr. G. Campbell Morgan , Pentecostalism
9086-441: The development of the union. In the 21st century, the school moved again to New York City and changed its name to Alliance University. After losing its accreditation, Alliance University ceased operations in 2023, with its records transferred to Houghton College. A.B. Simpson was influenced by Keswickian cleric W.E. Boardman in his view of sanctification. During the start of the 20th century, Simpson became closely involved with
9204-526: The disappearance of many of these taboos since the 1960s, apart from certain Holiness Pentecostal denominations, such as the Apostolic Faith Church , which maintain these standards of outward holiness . Because of this, the cultural differences between classical Pentecostals and charismatics have lessened over time. The global renewal movements manifest many of these tensions as inherent characteristics of Pentecostalism and as representative of
9322-510: The earliest Pentecostals were rejected by Fundamentalist Christians who adhered to cessationism . In 1928, the World Christian Fundamentals Association labeled Pentecostalism "fanatical" and "unscriptural". By the early 1940s, this rejection of Pentecostals was giving way to a new cooperation between them and leaders of the "new evangelicalism", and American Pentecostals were involved in the founding of
9440-559: The earliest form of Pentecostalism, emerged as a distinct movement within American Protestantism , it was through ministers with a Wesleyan-Holiness (Methodistic) background such as Charles Parham and William J. Seymour . John Wesley , the founder of Methodism, advocated Christian perfection that held that entire sanctification was indeed a definite work that was to follow conversion (the New Birth). Wesley drew on
9558-416: The edification of the church, etc.). Pentecostals believe that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is available to all Christians. Repentance from sin and being born again are fundamental requirements to receive it. There must also be in the believer a deep conviction of needing more of God in their life, and a measure of consecration by which the believer yields themself to the will of God. Citing instances in
9676-480: The experience of speaking in tongues spread, a sense of the immediacy of Christ's return took hold, and that energy would be directed into missionary and evangelistic activity. Early Pentecostals saw themselves as outsiders from mainstream society, dedicated solely to preparing the way for Christ's return. An associate of Seymour's, Florence Crawford, brought the message to the Northwest , forming what would become
9794-431: The fall. However, not everyone receives healing when they pray. It is God in his sovereign wisdom who either grants or withholds healing. Common reasons that are given in answer to the question as to why all are not healed include: God teaches through suffering, healing is not always immediate, lack of faith on the part of the person needing healing, and personal sin in one's life (however, this does not mean that all illness
9912-451: The family of God, and the Holy Spirit's work of sanctification is initiated. Classical Pentecostal soteriology is generally Arminian rather than Calvinist . The security of the believer is a doctrine held within Pentecostalism; nevertheless, this security is conditional upon continual faith and repentance . Pentecostals believe in both a literal heaven and hell , the former for those who have accepted God's gift of salvation and
10030-533: The growing Pentecostal movement . It became common for Pentecostal pastors and missionaries to receive their training at the Missionary Training Institute that Simpson founded. Consequently, Simpson and the Alliance had a great influence on Pentecostalism, in particular the Assemblies of God and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel . This influence included evangelical emphasis, Alliance doctrine, Simpson's hymns and books, and
10148-440: The holiness movement, in accordance with Methodist theology, taught that sanctification had both instantaneous and progressive dimensions. They taught the availability of entire sanctification, which was a post-conversion experience. In this "second definite work of grace", the inclination to sin was removed and replaced by perfect love. The state of entire sanctification allowed the believer to turn his or her attention outward toward
10266-539: The idea of theosis to suggest that sanctification would cause a change in motivation that if nurtured would lead to a gradual perfecting of the believer. Thus while it was physically possible for a sanctified believer to sin , he or she would be empowered to choose to avoid sin. Wesley's teachings and Methodism gave birth to the holiness movement , which sought to propagate the Methodistic doctrine of entire sanctification (Christian perfection). Most advocates within
10384-558: The imminent Second Coming of Christ . Believing that they were living in the end times , they expected God to spiritually renew the Christian Church and bring to pass the restoration of spiritual gifts and the evangelization of the world. In 1900, Charles Parham , an American evangelist and faith healer , began teaching that speaking in tongues was the Biblical evidence of Spirit baptism. Along with William J. Seymour ,
10502-613: The importance of sanctification arose called the Higher Life movement , which centered around the Keswick Convention ; the theology of the Higher Life movement is thus known as Keswickian theology. Keswickian theology differs from Wesleyan-Arminian (Methodist) theology. In time, significant Irvingite and Calvinist leaders became thoroughly embedded in the Higher Life movement. These included Charles Finney , William Boardman and Dwight L. Moody . These evangelicals of
10620-489: The latter for those who have rejected it. For most Pentecostals there is no other requirement to receive salvation. Baptism with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are not generally required, though Pentecostal converts are usually encouraged to seek these experiences. A notable exception is Jesus' Name Pentecostalism , most adherents of which believe both water baptism and Spirit baptism are integral components of salvation. Pentecostals identify three distinct uses of
10738-468: The love of God". The main purpose of the experience is to grant power for Christian service. Other purposes include power for spiritual warfare (the Christian struggles against spiritual enemies and thus requires spiritual power), power for overflow (the believer's experience of the presence and power of God in their life flows out into the lives of others), and power for ability (to follow divine direction, to face persecution, to exercise spiritual gifts for
10856-584: The miraculous, Pentecostals see their movement as reflecting the same kind of spiritual power and teachings that were found in the Apostolic Age of the Early Church . For this reason, some Pentecostals also use the term "Apostolic" or " Full Gospel " to describe their movement. Holiness Pentecostalism emerged in the early 20th century among adherents of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement , who were energized by Christian revivalism and expectation of
10974-451: The mission, carrying the "fire" back to their home churches. Despite the work of various Wesleyan groups such as Parham's and D. L. Moody 's revivals, the beginning of the widespread Pentecostal movement in the US is generally considered to have begun with Seymour's Azusa Street Revival. The crowds of African-Americans and whites worshiping together at William Seymour's Azusa Street Mission set
11092-482: The moment of salvation and held that after conversion the Christian would progressively grow in grace in a lifelong process. This teaching polarized the Pentecostal movement into two factions: Holiness Pentecostalism and Finished Work Pentecostalism. The Wesleyan doctrine was strongest in the Apostolic Faith Church , which views itself as being the successor of the Azusa Street Revival , as well as in
11210-595: The movement has had several divisions and controversies. Early disputes centered on challenges to the doctrine of entire sanctification , and later on, the Holy Trinity . As a result, the Pentecostal movement is divided between Holiness Pentecostals who affirm three definite works of grace, and Finished Work Pentecostals who are partitioned into trinitarian and non-trinitarian branches, the latter giving rise to Oneness Pentecostalism . Comprising over 700 denominations and many independent churches, Pentecostalism
11328-564: The name of Jesus" by coming forward. One alumnus said that "the only way that we could get the Alliance to do anything was through the media. It was only through shaming them by putting the truth out there". Robert Fetherlin, vice president for International Ministries for the C&MA, said "We heard as far back as the 1980s that there were some questionable events that took place at Mamou. That there may have been mistreatment of children, however, we were slower than we should have been in responding to that." In 1995, 30 alumni from Mamou approached
11446-476: The nature of sin at conversion. I deny that a man who is converted or born again is outwardly washed and cleansed but that his heart is left unclean with enmity against God in it... This would not be Salvation. Salvation ... means a change of nature... It means that all the old man or old nature, which was sinful and depraved and which was the very thing in us that was condemned, is crucified with Christ. Converts began to share their beliefs in meetings and councils in
11564-612: The point of dividing families. The dispute grew more heated in February 1911 when Durham went to Los Angeles where he was prohibited from preaching at the Upper Room and Azusa Street Missions. He was able to hold services at the Kohler Street Mission where he attracted 1000 people on Sundays and around 400 on weekdays. Durham died that same year, but the controversy surrounding finished work persisted. The effect of
11682-479: The restoration of the fivefold ministry led by apostles. These apostles were believed capable of imparting spiritual gifts through the laying on of hands . There were prominent participants of the early Pentecostal revivals, such as Stanley Frodsham and Lewi Pethrus , who endorsed the movement citing similarities to early Pentecostalism. However, Pentecostal denominations were critical of the movement and condemned many of its practices as unscriptural. One reason for
11800-756: The sick . This is done in imitation of Jesus who often healed in this manner. Another method that is found in some Pentecostal churches is based on the account in Acts 19:11–12 where people were healed when given handkerchiefs or aprons worn by the Apostle Paul . This practice is described by Duffield and Van Cleave in Foundations of Pentecostal Theology : Many Churches have followed a similar pattern and have given out small pieces of cloth over which prayer has been made, and sometimes they have been anointed with oil. Some most remarkable miracles have been reported from
11918-475: The teaching of entire sanctification (the second work of grace in Methodism). In 1910, William Howard Durham preached a sermon entitled "The Finished Work of Calvary" at a midwestern Pentecostal convention. His finished work teaching "sought to 'nullify' the understanding of sanctification as wholly realized in the believer by a crisis experience subsequent to and distinct from conversion." This teaching began
12036-411: The teaching of the "full gospel" or "foursquare gospel". The term foursquare refers to the four fundamental beliefs of Pentecostalism: Jesus saves according to John 3:16 ; baptizes with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4; heals bodily according to James 5:15; and is coming again to receive those who are saved according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17. The central belief of classical Pentecostalism
12154-510: The three-year-long Azusa Street Revival in 1906. The revival first broke out on Monday April 9, 1906 at 214 Bonnie Brae Street and then moved to 312 Azusa Street on Friday, April 14, 1906. Worship at the racially integrated Azusa Mission featured an absence of any order of service. People preached and testified as moved by the Spirit, spoke and sung in tongues, and fell (were slain) in the Spirit. The revival attracted both religious and secular media attention, and thousands of visitors flocked to
12272-467: The tone for much of the early Pentecostal movement. During the period of 1906–1924, Pentecostals defied social, cultural and political norms of the time that called for racial segregation and the enactment of Jim Crow laws . The Church of God in Christ , the Church of God (Cleveland) , the Pentecostal Holiness Church , and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World were all interracial denominations before
12390-431: The use of the term 'Gospel Tabernacle,' which led to many Pentecostal churches being known as 'Full Gospel Tabernacles.' Eventually, there developed severe division within the Alliance over issues surrounding Pentecostalism (such as speaking in tongues and charismatic worship styles). By 1912, this crisis was a catalyst for the emergence of the Alliance as an organized Christian denomination , shifting more authority to
12508-534: The use of this method. It is understood that the prayer cloth has no virtue in itself, but provides an act of faith by which one's attention is directed to the Lord, who is the Great Physician. During the initial decades of the movement, Pentecostals thought it was sinful to take medicine or receive care from doctors. Over time, Pentecostals moderated their views concerning medicine and doctor visits; however,
12626-570: The western United States where the Azusa Movement and its emphasis on sanctification as a definite experience was seen as orthodoxy , and any deviation was viewed with suspicion. This took the form of family members and friends who frequented various revival and camp meetings in the eastern US returning home to the Northwest and attempting to share their understanding of the “new doctrine.” The popularist version suggested that sanctification
12744-466: The word " baptism " in the New Testament : While the figure of Jesus Christ and his redemptive work are at the center of Pentecostal theology, that redemptive work is believed to provide for a fullness of the Holy Spirit of which believers in Christ may take advantage. The majority of Pentecostals believe that at the moment a person is born again, the new believer has the presence (indwelling) of
12862-414: The world and particularly in the US of a coming move of the Spirit which would renew the entire Christian Church. This revival saw thousands of conversions and also exhibited speaking in tongues. Parham moved to Houston, Texas in 1905, where he started a Bible training school. One of his students was William J. Seymour , a one-eyed black preacher. Seymour traveled to Los Angeles where his preaching sparked
12980-502: The world, often termed baptism with the Holy Spirit . Certain Christian leaders and movements had important influences on early Pentecostals. The essentially universal belief in the continuation of all the spiritual gifts in the Keswick and Higher Life movements constituted a crucial historical background for the rise of Pentecostalism. Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843–1919) and his Christian and Missionary Alliance (founded in 1887)
13098-506: Was Gaston B. Cashwell (the "Apostle of Pentecost" to the South ), whose evangelistic work led three Southeastern holiness denominations into the new movement. The Pentecostal movement, especially in its early stages, was typically associated with the impoverished and marginalized of America, especially African Americans and Southern Whites. With the help of many healing evangelists such as Oral Roberts, Pentecostalism spread across America by
13216-490: Was "the last vomit of Satan", while Dr. R. A. Torrey thought it was "emphatically not of God, and founded by a Sodomite". The Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, one of the largest holiness groups, was strongly opposed to the new Pentecostal movement. To avoid confusion, the church changed its name in 1919 to the Church of the Nazarene . A. B. Simpson's Christian and Missionary Alliance—a Keswickian denomination—negotiated
13334-512: Was added to the two traditional Wesleyan Methodist works of grace: conversion (New Birth) and entire sanctification (Christian perfection). In contrast, two-stage Pentecostalism (Finished Work Pentecostalism), which was the non-Wesleyan view held by Durham, held that sanctification was a lifelong process that began at conversion, thus this view only professed two stages—conversion and Spirit baptism. Durham wrote in his magazine, The Pentecostal Testimony : I ... deny that God does not deal with
13452-399: Was believed that missionaries would no longer have to learn the languages of the peoples they evangelized because the Holy Spirit would provide whatever foreign language was required. (When the majority of missionaries, to their disappointment, learned that tongues speech was unintelligible on the mission field, Pentecostal leaders were forced to modify their understanding of tongues.) Thus, as
13570-465: Was itself created by, other forms of participation such as personal testimony and spontaneous prayer and singing. Women did not shy away from engaging in this forum, and in the early movement the majority of converts and church-goers were female. Nevertheless, there was considerable ambiguity surrounding the role of women in the church. The subsiding of the early Pentecostal movement allowed a socially more conservative approach to women to settle in, and, as
13688-485: Was not a requirement for Spirit Baptism. This was viewed as a dangerous and fallacious polemic by the majority who assumed that anyone who had received the Pentecostal Blessing had in fact been sanctified and as an outright heresy by those who had slipped into the entire sanctification camp. In either case, proponents of the finished work were seen as contentious and were in many cases officially shunned to
13806-503: Was the scriptural evidence for the reception of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. On January 1, 1901, after a watch night service, the students prayed for and received the baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Parham received this same experience sometime later and began preaching it in all his services. Parham believed this was xenoglossia and that missionaries would no longer need to study foreign languages. Parham closed his Topeka school after 1901 and began
13924-409: Was very influential in the early years of Pentecostalism, especially on the development of the Assemblies of God . Another early influence on Pentecostals was John Alexander Dowie (1847–1907) and his Christian Catholic Apostolic Church (founded in 1896). Pentecostals embraced the teachings of Simpson, Dowie, Adoniram Judson Gordon (1836–1895) and Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844–1924; she later joined
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