Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism is a renewal movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit.^[1] The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, a Greek term describing the Jewish Feast of Weeks. For Christians, this event commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus Christ, as described in the second chapter of the Book of Acts,^[2] and Pentecostals tend to see their movement as reflecting the same kind of spiritual power, worship styles and teachings that were found in the early church. For this reason, some Pentecostals also use the term Apostolic or full gospel to describe their movement.

Pentecostalism is an umbrella term that includes a wide range of different theologies and cultures.^[3] For example, many Pentecostals are Trinitarian and others are Nontrinitarian.^[4] As a result, there is no single central organization or church that directs the movement. Many Pentecostal groups are affiliated with the Pentecostal World Conference.

Pentecostalism's emphasis on the charismata places it within Charismatic Christianity, a broad grouping of Christians which have accepted some Pentecostal teachings on Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts. Pentecostalism is theologically and historically close to the charismatic movement as it significantly influenced that movement, and sometimes the terms Pentecostal and charismatic are used interchangeably. Pentecostalism claims more than 250 million adherents worldwide.^[5] When charismatics are included with Pentecostals the number increases to nearly a quarter of the world's two billion Christians.^[1]

[edit] Beliefs and practices

Pentecostals emphasize 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.^[6] It is evangelical, emphasizing the reliability of the Bible and the need for the transformation of an individual's life through faith in Jesus.^[7]

Pentecostals generally adhere to the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, believing that the Bible has definitive authority in matters of faith and adopt a literalist approach to its interpretation. However, they differ from other evangelicals by rejecting cessationist teachings.^[8] Pentecostals believe that spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues and prophecy, did not cease after New Testament times and are still available for modern Christians.

[edit] Salvation

Reflecting its Methodist influences, Pentecostal soteriology is generally Arminian rather than Calvinist.^[9] Pentecostals believe that in order to receive salvation and enter Heaven, one must accept the teachings of Jesus Christ as described in the Bible. This includes being born again or being regenerated, and is the fundamental requirement of Pentecostalism. Most Pentecostals also believe that salvation is a gift received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and cannot be earned through good deeds alone.

Also, most do not believe that Spirit baptism or speaking in tongues is required for salvation; though believers are encouraged to seek these experiences. However, there are notable differences among them as to exactly how one is born again, especially between Oneness believers and other Pentecostals. For the Oneness Pentecostal perspective on salvation, see the Oneness Pentecostal section of this article below.

[edit] Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts

The beliefs and practices that distinguish Pentecostals from other Christians center on their understanding of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Most Pentecostals believe that at the moment a person is born again (regeneration), the new believer has the presence of the Holy Spirit, the "indwelling".^[10] While the Spirit dwells in every Christian, Pentecostals believe that Christ desires to fill the believer with the Holy Spirit. For Pentecostals, this "infilling" or the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience which happens after salvation and provides those who have been filled with power to serve and to witness and allows them to experience spiritual gifts which are described in the Bible.^[11][12] The Pentecostal position on Christians who have not had the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit can be summarized in this Assemblies of God USA statement:

the Spirit is at work in all Christians, whether they have been baptized in the Spirit or not. God can also use and does use Christians who for one reason or another have not received the Baptism experience. We must never depreciate their ministry. Yet we recognize the baptism in the Holy Spirit will make one’s life and ministry even more effective.^[13]

Traditionally, Pentecostals have taught that the "initial physical evidence" of Spirit baptism is speaking in tongues. While speaking in other tongues is an immediate and obvious sign that one has been filled with the Holy Spirit, it is not the only evidence. Most Pentecostal groups believe speaking in tongues "is to be followed by all the evidences of Christlikeness that mark a consistent Spirit-filled life".^[14]

While speaking in tongues frequently receives strong emphasis among Pentecostals, most also believe in the existence of other supernatural gifts that may be received from the Holy Spirit. Most Pentecostals believe that not all Christians necessarily receive all of these gifts. One frequently cited list is 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 which includes the following gifts: words of wisdom (the ability to provide supernatural guidance in decisions), words of knowledge (impartation of factual information from the Spirit), faith, healing, miracle-working, prophecy (the pronouncement of a message from God, not necessarily involving knowledge of the future), discerning of spirits (the ability to tell if evil spirits are at work), tongues, and interpretation of tongues.^[12]

[edit] Speaking in tongues

Speaking in tongues is a distinctive Pentecostal practice. A Pentecostal believer in a spiritual experience may vocalize fluent, unintelligible utterances (glossolalia), or articulate an alleged natural language previously unknown to them (xenoglossy).

Within Pentecostalism, there is usually a recognition that speaking in tongues serves two functions. One of the functions is being the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit; this is when a believer speaks in tongues for the first time.^[15] Most Pentecostal denominations consider this to be the sign of that believer being filled with the Holy Spirit.^[16] The other function speaking in tongues has is as the gift of tongues.^[15] This is when a person gives a "message in tongues", under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to a congregation. For the church to understand the message in tongues, a person with the gift of interpretation—whether that be another person or the same one who gives the tongue— must interpret the tongue into the common language of the gathered Christians, so that all can understand the message. Pentecostals base their understanding of the gift of tongues and its operation in the church on 1 Corinthians 14:13 and 14:27-28.

Speaking in tongues also forms an important part of many Pentecostals' personal daily devotions. When used in this way, it is referred to as a "prayer language". When exercised in this way, no interpretation is needed as the believer is speaking unknown languages (including that of angels) not for the purpose of communicating with others but for "communication between the soul and God".^[17]

Early in the 20th century, the majority of Pentecostal missionaries, along with prominent Pentecostal leaders, maintained that speaking in tongues was a form of xenoglossia in which the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak in other languages. It 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. However when missionaries, to their disappointment, learned that tongues speech was unintelligible on the mission field, Pentecostal leaders were forced to modify their understanding of tongues.^[18] While Pentecostals still maintain that God can bestow the ability of speaking an unlearned human language, speaking in tongues is understood to generally be supernatural or heavenly languages.

[edit] Healing

Members of the Pentecostal Church of God in Lejunior, Kentucky pray for a girl in 1946.

Prayer for the sick is an important practice in many Pentecostal churches. Practices vary but usually this prayer will include the pastor anointing the sick with olive oil and with the assistance of church elders, along with pastoral associates, laying hands on the person requesting prayer.^[19] Based on the account in Acts 19:11-12, some Pentecostals may anoint and pray over "prayer cloths" which can be placed near an afflicted body part and are believed to carry the prayers and divine healing to the ill person.^[5]

[edit] Manifestations of the Holy Spirit

Besides spiritual gifts, some Pentecostals believe they experience other manifestations (physical responses) of the Holy Spirit's presence. Common among some Pentecostal churches are dancing in the Spirit and, what has been described as,^[20] a form of prostration known as being "slain in the Spirit".^[21] Not all Pentecostals agree with the biblical legitimacy and appropriateness of certain or all forms of physical manifestations. The frequency and prominence of their occurrence in a Pentecostal worship service can vary, from being common in one local church to being nonexistent in another.

[edit] Ordinances

Like other Christian churches, Pentecostals believe that certain rituals or ceremonies were instituted as a pattern and command by Jesus in the New Testament. Some Pentecostals commonly call these ceremonies ordinances. Many Christians call these sacraments, however, this term is not used by some Pentecostals as they do not see ordinances as imparting grace.^[5] Instead the term sacerdotal ordinance is used to denote the distinctive belief that grace is received directly from God by the congregant with the officiant serving only to facilitate rather than acting as a conduit or vicar.

The ordinance of baptism is an outward symbol of an inner conversion that has already taken place. Therefore, most Pentecostal groups practice believer's baptism by immersion. The majority of Pentecostals do not view baptism as essential for salvation, and likewise, most Pentecostals are Trinitarian and use the traditional Trinitarian baptismal formula. However, Oneness Pentecostals view baptism as an essential and necessary part of the salvation experience and, as non-Trinitarians, reject the use of the traditional baptismal formula. For more information on Oneness Pentecostal baptismal beliefs, see the Oneness Pentecostal section below.

The ordinance of Holy Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is seen as a direct command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, to be done in remembrance of him. Some Pentecostal denominations reject the use of wine as part of communion, using grape juice instead.^[22][23] Foot washing is also held as an ordinance by some Pentecostals, particularly the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and the Church of God in Christ (COGIC).^[24][25] It is considered an "ordinance of humility" because Jesus showed humility when washing his disciples' feet in John 13:14-17.^[5] Other denominations, such as the Assemblies of God (AG) and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, do not hold this to be an ordinance but leave it to individual conscience.^[26][27]

[edit] Types

[edit] Classical Pentecostalism

Classical Pentecostalism is the earliest form of Pentecostalism and is divided into three major orientations/origins: Wesleyan-holiness, Reformed-Higher Life, and Oneness denominations.^[28] Examples of Wesleyan holiness denominations include the Church of God in Christ and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC). The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and the Assemblies of God are examples of the Reformed branch.^[28][29] The major Oneness churches include the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). With the exception of Oneness Pentecostals, classical Pentecostal churches share basic beliefs with the rest of evangelical Christianity.

The difference between Wesleyan and non-Wesleyan Pentecostals is largely over understanding of sanctification. Wesleyan Pentecostals believe that sanctification is an experience or crisis event that occurs after salvation and before Spirit baptism. This experience cleanses the believer, rooting out the sinful, fallen nature. Non-Wesleyan Pentecostals believe that sanctification is a life-long process. In addition to the Reformed and Higher Life labels, many non-Wesleyan Pentecostal groups are also classified as Finished Work or Baptistic Pentecostals.^[28]

[edit] Oneness Pentecostalism

The Oneness movement, which eventually arose from the Finished Work branch of classic pentecostals, differs from the rest of Pentecostalism in several significant ways. Oneness Pentecostals reject the doctrine of the Trinity. They do not describe God as three persons but rather as three manifestations of the one living God. Oneness Pentecostals practice Jesus' Name Baptism—water baptisms performed in the name of Jesus Christ, rather than that of the Trinity.

Oneness Pentecostal adherents believe repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and Spirit baptism are all essential elements of the conversion experience.^[30] Oneness Pentecostals hold that repentance is necessary before baptism to make the ordinance valid, and receipt of the Holy Spirit manifested by speaking in other tongues is necessary afterwards, to complete the work of baptism. This differs from other Pentecostals, along with evangelical Christians in general, who see only repentance and faith in Christ as essential to salvation. This has resulted in Oneness believers being accused by some (including other Pentecostals) of a "works-salvation" soteriology,^[31] a charge they vehemently deny. Oneness Pentecostals insist that salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, coupled with obedience to his command to be "born of water and of the Spirit"; hence, no good works or obedience to laws or rules can save anyone.^[32] For them, baptism is not seen as a "work" but rather the indispensable means that Jesus himself provided to come into his kingdom.

Oneness believers tend to emphasize strict "holiness standards" in dress, grooming and other areas of personal conduct that are not necessarily shared by other Pentecostal groups—at least not to the degree that is generally found in Oneness churches.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Independent groups

While the classical Pentecostal denominations form a major part of the movement over the years, many smaller independent groups not connected to the historical churches have developed. Often centered around a charismatic leader, these "latest move of God" groups are constantly emerging and dividing the movement, creating more variety but also schism and bitterness. Some of these indepedent movements include the followers of Charles Simpson in the Covenant churches movement, the followers of Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland in the Word of Faith movement, and the followers of Earl Paulk in the Kingdom Now theology.^[33] Some of these groups have been successful in utilizing the mass media, especially television and radio, to spread their message.

These new movements are often at odds with the classical Pentecostals over disagreements in doctrine and practice. Many classical Pentecostal leaders seek to distance themselves and their organizations from these newer movements.

[edit] Denominations and adherents

Hillsong Church, a Pentecostal mega church in Sydney, Australia.

A Pentecostal church in Ravensburg, Germany.

Estimated to number around 115 million followers worldwide in 2000, Pentecostalism is sometimes referred to as the "third force of Christianity", the first two being Catholicism and Protestantism.^[34] Pentecostal and Charismatic church growth is rapid in many parts of the world.^[35][36] The great majority of Pentecostals are to be found in developing countries although much of their international leadership is still in North America. The movement is enjoying its greatest surge today in the global South, which includes Africa, Latin America, and most of Asia.^[37][38] One reason for this growth is Pentecostalism's appeal to the poor.^[39] According to a United Nations report, the movement has "been the most successful at recruiting its members from the poorest of the poor."^[40]

In 1998, there were about 11,000 different Pentecostal or charismatic denominations worldwide.^{[citation needed]} The largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, the Assemblies of God, claims approximately 57 million adherents worldwide.^[41] It has a significant presence in many countries including Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia and Nigeria.^[42] The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has a membership of over 6 million,^[43] the Church of God in Christ has a membership of 5.5 million,^[2] the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel has 5 million members, the United Pentecostal Church International has a membership of over 4 million,^[44] and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church has over 3 million members.^[45]

The largest single Pentecostal church in the world is the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea. Founded and led by David Yonggi Cho since 1958, it had 780,000 members in 2003.^[46] Australia's largest church, Hillsong, is an Assemblies of God in Australia church with a membership exceeding 19,000.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

The charismatic experiences found in Pentecostalism have precedents in earlier movements in Christianity.^[47] Some adhere to successionism of the Pentecostal Church. Church historian Dr. Curtis Ward proposes the existence of an unbroken Pentecostal lineage from the early church to the present, with glossolalia and gifts following.^[48] However most historians of modern Pentecostalism write that the movement emerged from late 19th century radical evangelical revival movements in America and Great Britain.

Within this radical evangelicalism, expressed most strongly in the 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. Evangelicals felt that modern Christianity was missing the power and authority of the New Testament church. Believing that the second coming of Christ was imminent, many evangelicals expected an endtime revival that would bring many people to Christ. Many leaders began to speak of an experience available to all Christians which would empower believers to evangelize the world, often termed baptism with the Holy Spirit.^[49]

Certain Christian leaders and movements had important influences on early Pentecostals. Albert Benjamin Simpson and his Christian and Missionary Alliance 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 and his Christian Catholic Apostolic Church. The teachings of Simpson, Dowie, Adoniram Judson Gordon and Maria Woodworth-Etter, who would later join the Pentecostal movement, on healing were embraced by Pentecostals.^[50]

While predating modern Pentecostalism, movements such as John Alexander Dowie's Christian Catholic Apostolic Church and the Catholic Apostolic Church shared many characteristics which would later be found in the Pentecostal revival. Another important precursor to the Pentecostal revival was the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival which ignited intense speculation among radical evangelicals around the world and particularly in the United States of a coming move of the Spirit which would renew the entire Christian Church.

[edit] Early Pentecostalism: 1901-1920

There was no one founder of modern Pentecostalism. Instead, isolated Christian groups were experiencing charismatic phenemenon such as speaking in tongues. The Wesleyan holiness movement provided a theological explanation for what was happening to these Christians. They adapted the Wesleyan two stage soteriology to accommodate their three stage understanding: 1) saved by grace, 2) emptied or sanctified, 3) filled with the Spirit.^[7][51][52]

The earliest date given for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement is January 1, 1901, the date Charles Parham began teaching that speaking in tongues was the biblical sign of the Holy Spirit's baptism at his Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas.^[53] Charles Parham later moved to Houston, Texas. In spite of racial segregation in Houston, William J. Seymour, a one-eyed African-American preacher, was allowed to attend Parham's Bible classes there. Seymour traveled to Los Angeles, where his preaching sparked the Azusa Street Revival in 1906. 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 United States is generally considered to have begun with Seymour's Azusa Street Revival.^[54]

The Azusa revival was the first Pentecostal revival to receive significant attention, and many people from around the world became drawn to it.^{[citation needed]} The Los Angeles Press gave close attention to Seymour's revival, which helped fuel its growth.^[55] A number of new, smaller, groups started up, inspired by the events of this revival. International visitors and Pentecostal missionaries would eventually bring these teachings to other nations, so that practically all classic Pentecostal denominations today trace their historical roots to the Azusa Street Revival.

William Seymour, leader of the Azusa Street Revival

[edit] Characteristics

Early Pentecostals were fueled by their understanding that they were living in the last days before Christ’s second coming. They saw themselves living in prophetic times, looking to biblical passages such as the prophecy of Joel 2:28, quoted by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:17, "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams". Thus, as the experience of speaking in tongues spread among the men and women of Azusa Street, 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.^[56][57]

For many Pentecostals, the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit was liberating. The experience of Spirit baptism was an equalizing force in early Pentecostalism—laity, African Americans, and women who were Spirit baptized felt a sense of empowerment and justification to engage in activities traditionally denied them. Given that the baptism of the Holy Spirit led to speaking in tongues, whoever was blessed with this gift would have the responsibility to use it towards the preparation for Christ’s second coming.^[58][59] Due to this responsibility, any restrictions that culture or other denominations placed on women were often disregarded during the early part of the movement. Joel 2:28 also specifically included females, saying that both sons and daughters and male and female servants would receive the Holy Spirit, and prophecy in the end times. Thus, the focus on spiritual gifts, the nature of the worship environment, and dispensationalist thinking all encouraged women to participate in all areas of worship.

Women were the catalyst of the early Pentecostal movement.^[60] Agnes Ozman was the first person at Parham’s Bible college to speak in tongues.^[58][61][62] Florence Crawford was active in the Azusa Street Mission's The Apostolic Faith newspaper and later founded the Apostolic Faith Church. Women wrote religious songs, edited Pentecostal papers, and taught and ran Bible schools.^[63] In addition, evidence from three of the oldest Pentecostal groups—Assemblies of God, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel—shows a number of women serving as clergy and missionaries.^[64] The unconventionally intense and emotional environment generated in Pentecostal meetings dually promoted, and 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.^[65]

While the immediacy and the fervor of the initial revival atmosphere were subsiding, questions of authority and the organization of churches arose. Institutionalism took root. While it was clear that both men and women spoke in tongues, many started to see this gift as a non-intellectual one,^[66] holding that more intellectual acts, such as preaching, should be undertaken by women only in conditions controlled by male leaders. The subsiding of the early Pentecostal movement allowed a socially more conservative approach to women to settle in, and as a result female participation was channeled into more supportive and traditionally more accepted roles. Institutionalism brought gender segregation, and the Assemblies of God along with other Pentecostal groups created auxiliary women’s organizations. At this time, women became much more likely to be evangelists and missionaries than pastors; when they were pastors, they often co-pastored with their husbands. It also became the norm for men to hold all official positions: board members, college presidents, and national administrators. While the early movement eschewed denominationalism because of the dead spirituality they saw in other Protestant sects, later Pentecostal churches began to mirror the more-traditional evangelical community. However, while the number of female pastors declined, most Pentecostal denominations continued to ordain women.

The first decade of Pentecostalism was marked by interracial assemblies, "...Whites and blacks mix in a religious frenzy," noted a local newspaper account, at a time when government facilities were racially separate and Jim Crow laws were about to be codified.^{[citation needed]} While the interracial assemblies that characterized Azusa Street would continue for a number of years even in the segregated South, the enthusiasm and support for such assemblies eventually waned.^{[citation needed]} After a while, interracial assemblies were nearly non-existent in most Pentecostal churches. However, this trend is starting to be reversed in many Pentecostal churches today.

The majority of early Pentecostal denominations taught nonviolence and adopted military service articles that advocated conscientious objection.^[67] As the Azusa Revival began to wane, however, doctrinal differences began to surface as pressure from social, cultural and political developments from the time began to affect the church. As a result, major divisions, isolationism, sectarianism and even the increase of extremism were apparent.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Early controversies

In the first decade of the 20th century, controversy arose over a new doctrine, Finished Work, that differs from Wesleyan-holiness and Higher Life Pentecostalism. The Finished Work doctrine professes a two-fold experience of conversion and Spirit baptism, as sanctification is viewed as progressive rather than instantaneous.

The Pentecostal movement split over the "New Issue" or "New Revelation" which Frank Ewart, an Australian Baptist preacher, claimed to have received as a divine prophecy in 1913.^[68] The Oneness Pentecostals separated from the wider Pentecostal movement during this time.

[edit] Latter Rain Movement

This section requires expansion.

The Latter Rain Movement began out of an independent Bible school in Saskatchewan, Canada, and spread among many Pentecostal groups in the 1940s. Latter Rain leaders taught "an extreme congregationalism" where local authority was exercised by a restored fivefold ministry, led by apostles who through the laying on of hands could impart spiritual gifts.^[69] Many traditional Pentecostal bodies, such as the Assemblies of God and the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, were critical of the movement and condemned many of its practices as unscriptural. One reason for the conflict between the traditional denominations and the "New Order", as the movement was also called, was the tendency of Latter Rain leaders to label existing groups as "apostasized [sic]" and "the old apostate Church of England".^[69] The Latter Rain Movement was the most important controversy to affect Pentecostalism since World War II.

[edit] Charismatic movement

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Christians from mainline churches in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world began to accept the Pentecostal idea that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is available for Christians today, even if they did not accept other tenets of formal Pentecostalism. Charismatic movements began to grow in mainline denominations. Charismatic Episcopalians, Lutherans, Catholics, and Methodists emerged, and during that time period, Charismatic was used to refer to similar movements that existed within mainline denominations. Pentecostal, on the other hand, was used to refer to those who were a part of the churches and denominations that grew out of the earlier Azusa Street revival. Unlike classic Pentecostals, who formed strictly Pentecostal congregations or denominations, charismatics adopted as their motto, "Bloom where God planted you."^{[citation needed]}

In recent decades many independent charismatic churches and ministries have formed, or have developed their own denominations and church associations, such as the Vineyard Movement. In the 1960s and still today, many Pentecostal churches were still strict with dress codes and forbidding certain forms of entertainment, creating a cultural distinction between Charismatics and Pentecostals.^{[citation needed]} There is a great deal of overlap now between the charismatic and Pentecostal movements, though some Pentecostals still retain a strict understanding of "holiness living" principles.

[edit] Neo-charismatic movement

The "neocharismatic" movement is a broad collection of post-denominational and independent charismatic groups. It is the most recent movement of charismatic Christianity, and also the most numerous.^[70]

This movement incorporates what has been called the "third wave", a term coined by C. Peter Wagner. Wagner described Pentecostalism as the "first wave", and the charismatic movement as the "second wave". The editors of the 2002 work The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements "broadened and relabeled" the term "third wave" to "neocharismatic".^[71] "Third wave" has more of a Western focus.

[edit] People

[edit] Forerunners

• William Boardman
• John Alexander Dowie (1848–1907)
• Edward Irving
• Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843–1919)

[edit] Leaders

• A. A. Allen (1911–70) Healing Tent Evangelist of the 1950s and 1960s
• Joseph Ayo Babalola (1904–59) Oke - Ooye, Ilesa revivalist in 1930. Also, spiritual founder of Christ Apostolic Church
• William M. Branham (1909–65) Healing Evangelists of the mid 20th century
• Jack Coe (1918–56) Healing Tent Evangelist of the 1950s
• Rex Humbard (1919–2007) The first successful TV evangelist of the mid 1950s, 1960s, and the 1970s and at one time had the largest television audience of any televangelist in the United States
• George Jeffreys (1889–1962) Founder of the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance and the Bible-Pattern Church Fellowship in the UK
• Bishop R.A.R. Johnson (1876–1940) Founder of the House of God, Holy Church of the Living God, The Pillar and the Ground of the Truth, The House of Prayer for All People. A Commandment (Sabbath) keeping Pentecostal organization.
• Kathryn Kuhlman (1907–76) American female evangelist who brought Pentecostalism into the mainstream denominations
• Charles Harrison Mason (1866–1961) The Founder of the Church of God In Christ
• Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944) American Female Evangelist, pastor, and organizer of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
• Charles Fox Parham (1873–1929) Father of Modern Pentecostalism
• David du Plessis (1905–87) South-African Pentecostal church leader, one of the founders of the Charismatic movement
• Oral Roberts (1918–2009) Healing Tent Evangelist who made the transition to televangelism
• William J. Seymour (1870–1922) Azusa Street Mission Founder (Azusa Street Revival)
• Mary Magdalena Lewis Tate (1871–1930)^[72] - Mother of Holiness. Founder of the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Inc. and its dominion churches.^[73]
• Smith Wigglesworth (1859–1947)
• Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844–1924)

[edit] See also

[edit] By country

• Pentecostalism in China
• Pentecostalism in Norway
• Pentecostalism in Romania

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Alexander, Paul. Peace to War: Shifting Allegiances in the Assemblies of God. Telford, Pennsylvania: Cascadia Publishing/Herald Press, 2009.
• Alexander, Paul. Signs and Wonders: Why Pentecostalism is the World's Fastest Growing Faith. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass, 2009.
• Clifton, Shane Jack. "An Analysis of the Developing Ecclesiology of the Assemblies of God in Australia". PhD thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2005.
• Cruz, Samuel. Masked Africanisms: Puerto Rican Pentecostalism. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2005. ISBN 0-7575-2181-9.
• Hollenweger, Walter. The Pentecostals: The Charismatic Movement in the Churches. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972. ISBN 0-8066-1210-X.
• Hollenweger, Walter. Pentecostalism : Origins and Developments Worldwide. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997. ISBN 0-943575-36-2.
• Lewis, Meharry H. Mary Lena Lewis Tate: Vision!, A Biography of the Founder and History of the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Inc. Nashville, Tennessee: The New and Living Way Publishing Company, 2005. ISBN 0-910003-08-4.
• Malcomson, Keith. Pentecostal Pioneers Remembered: British and Irish Pioneers of Pentecost. 2008.
• Mendiola, Kelly Willis. OCLC 56818195 The Hand of a Woman: Four Holiness-Pentecostal Evangelists and American Culture, 1840-1930. PhD thesis, University of Texas at Austin, 2002.
• Olowe, Abi Olowe. Great Revivals, Great Revivalist - Joseph Ayo Babalola. Omega Publishers, 2007.
• Steel, Matthew. "Pentecostalism in Zambia: Power, Authority and the Overcomers". MSc dissertation, University of Wales, 2005.
• Wacker, Grant. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001.
• Woodberry, Robert. "Pentecostalism and Economic Development", in Markets, Morals and Religion, ed. Jonathan B. Imber, 157–177. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 2008.
• Miller, Donald E. and Tetsunao Yamamori. Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Australasian Pentecostal Studies journal
• Cyberjournal for Pentecostal Charismatic Research
• European Research Network on Global Pentecostalism (GloPent)
• Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
• Hollenweger Center
• Journal of Pentecostal Theology
• Map showing Percentage of Pentecostal Population in USA by county from Valparaiso University
• Pentecostal Pioneers
• PentecoStudies
• Pew Religious Forum Pentecostal Hub
• Search Engine for Pentecostal Studies
• REFLEKS journal
• "The Rise of Pentecostalism", Christian History 58 (1998) special issue. As of 1998, two special issues of this magazine had addressed Pentecostalism's roots: "Spiritual Awakenings in North America" (issue 23, 1989) and "Camp Meetings & Circuit Riders: Frontier Revivals" (issue 45, 1995)