Missions history of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church

The Simultaneous Principle: The History of IPHC World Missions, The First 100 Years, by Frank G. Tunstall. Franklin Springs, GA: LifeSprings Resources, 2005.

Dr. Frank G. Tunstall, World Missions Ministries board member and pastor of Northwest Christian Center in Oklahoma City, was selected to compose the 100 years of the history of missions, based in part on research and findings of writers from various regions of our mission fields. Dr. Tunstall has done a beautiful job of composing the information into a harmonious 100 years of history. In The Simultaneous Principle: The History of IPHC World Missions, The First 100 Years our rich history is conveyed by detailing the simultaneous movement of one gear, The Homeland, and the second gear, The Nations. Without the simultaneous movement of each gear, the stories and testimonies of the missionaries and people around the globe would not be possible. To catch the “Simultaneous Principle” of God’s Great Commission is to grasp His plan of discipling the nations, while at the same time ministering to people at home.

It is my hope that all who read this book will find it to be an inspiring account of the history of IPHC World Missions - a story worth telling.

–M. Donald Duncan, adapted from Introduction

Paperback, 455 pages, illustrated. $27.99 list price. Order from LifeSprings Resources.

Emmanuel College history

The Miracle Continues: A Personal History of Emmanuel College: 1969-2005, by David R. Hopkins. Franklin Springs, GA: LifeSprings Resources, 2007.

The Miracle Continues: A Personal History of Emmanuel College: 1969-2005 is one man’s heartfelt account of a life given to build a Christian college. Hopkins is honest, clear, detailed, inspirational, and informative in his personal recollections of 36 years spent as faculty member, academic dean, and president of a small Christian campus. Even if one is not an alumnus of Emmanuel College, he or she may gain a sense of the personal struggles, challenges, trials, and triumphs of an administrator working in a private college setting.

This book is “must” reading for anyone who attended Emmanuel College, any member of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, or any other person who desires a better understanding of the enormity of the task of operating a small, private, church-related college in the 21st century. The Miracle Continues: A Personal History of Emmanuel College: 1969-2005 is a singular volume documenting the real story of a unique institution of higher education. It will be a valuable reference for future generations to read.

–Adapted from cover

Paperback, 255 pages, illustrated. $20.00 list price. Order from LifeSprings Resources.

African-American Pentecostals in Washington, DC

…And They Yet Speak : Historical Survey of African American Pentecostal-Holiness Churches in the Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C., 1900-2006, by E. Myron Noble. Washington, DC: Middle Atlantic Regional Press, c2007.

Historians have long known that the character of American Pentecostalism has been deeply impacted by the African-American church. The storied interracial Azusa Street revival (1906-1909) in Los Angeles, one of the focal points of the emerging Pentecostal movement, was led by William Seymour, the mild-mannered black Holiness preacher. One of the earliest black Pentecostal organizations, the Church of God in Christ, has become one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States. Pentecostal spirituality, including its music, preaching style, and worship, reflect aspects of the African-American religious experience.

However, most histories of the Pentecostal movement pay only scant attention to the development of these African-American churches. Many histories purporting to tell the story of the broader movement in reality tell primarily the story of select white churches. The people, institutions, and themes of import in African-American Pentecostalism have been omitted from the history books, in part because historians have not had easy access to materials documenting these stories. Few archival collections of African-American Pentecostal materials exist, so the predominantly-white denominations that published histories and built archives figure most prominently in the historical record.

To remedy this historical bias, researchers must engage in the back-breaking work of reconstructing the grass-roots histories of African-American Pentecostalism. E. Myron Noble has done just that for the nation’s capital city. In his recently published book, …And They Yet Speak, he assembled histories of 90 African-American Pentecostal congregations in Washington, DC.

Noble’s work is organized chronologically, beginning with the earliest congregations and is divided into sections according to the decade that each congregation was formed. The breadth of the churches included in this work, both Trinitarian and Oneness, is impressive. The larger black denominations, such as the Church of God in Christ, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, the United Holy Church of America, the Apostolic Faith Church of God, and the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, are well-represented. But so are smaller denominations and independent congregations of all sizes. Surprising, perhaps, is the relatively strong presence of African-American churches affiliated with predominantly white organizations, such as the Assemblies of God, the Apostolic Faith Church (Portland, Oregon), and the Church of God of Prophecy.

Historians owe a debt to Noble, whose research identified a number of themes important in Pentecostal scholarship. For instance, he documented instances of tongues-speech in Washington, DC beginning in about 1897 (p. 6-9). Noble’s research adds to the growing body of scholarship challenging the historiographical assumption that the modern Pentecostal movement began with the revivals in Topeka, Kansas (1901) and Los Angeles (1906-1909). This book also provides evidence of multiple interracial congregations that existed in the city and recounts several visits of William Seymour (including one in which his sermon on “holy kissing” reportedly stirred dissension among the faithful) (p. 19). Noble also noted that two bishops — Samuel Kelsey (Trinitarian) and Smallwood Williams (Oneness) — actively crossed the denominational and doctrinal barriers in their ministries.

…And They Yet Speak will evoke memories for those who lived the history, and it will be warmly welcomed by scholars and church leaders. Noble, through his decades of labor to document stories that might otherwise have been forgotten, has crafted an invaluable interpretive guide to the understanding of African-American Pentecostalism in Washington, DC. Hopefully, this volume will inspire intrepid researchers to do similar work in other cities and regions.

Reviewed by Darrin J. Rodgers

Paperback, 437 pages, illustrated. $24.99 list price. Order from Barnes and Noble.

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Pentecostals and Racial Reconciliation

We’ve Come This Far: Reflections on the Pentecostal Tradition and Racial Reconciliation, edited by Byron Klaus. Springfield, MO: Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, 2007.

The history of racial unity and division within the Pentecostal movement has been addressed in a recently-published book, We’ve Come This Far: Reflections on the Pentecostal Tradition and Racial Reconciliation, edited by Byron Klaus. The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary has been a leader within its denomination in its efforts to better include voices of ethnic and racial minorities. This has been evidenced by its increasingly multicultural and international student body, the dedication of the William J. Seymour Chapel, and — now — the publication of We’ve Come This Far.

We’ve Come This Far contains the proceedings of a 2006 lecture series at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary that encouraged reflection about the “missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential” for the Assemblies of God to be an agent of racial reconciliation. The volume notes that the Assemblies of God — like many predominantly-white Pentecostal denominations — “has experienced some challenges in acknowledging its multicultural roots,” as well as its “years of ambiguity about the inclusion of African-Americans in its ministerial ranks” (back cover).

We’ve Come This Far juxtaposes the lives of two notable 20th century American religious leaders — William J. Seymour and Martin Luther King, Jr. — while reflecting on the lessons that can be drawn from them concerning African-American preaching and leadership. The book also features a selection of historical materials — including an account of Assemblies of God minister Robert Harrison (who successfully challenged a policy denying ordination to African-Americans) and a history of the struggle to overcome racism within the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa.

Assemblies of God in New Zealand

Pentecost at the Ends of the Earth: The History of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand (1927-2003), by Ian G. Clark. Blenheim, New Zealand: Christian Road Ministries, 2007.

The Assemblies of God in New Zealand, the largest Pentecostal organization in that country, traces its origins to the ministry of legendary healing evangelist Smith Wigglesworth. Despite its storied past and significant growth (claiming 30,000 adherents in over 200 churches in 2007), a history of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand had not been written. That is, until now.

Ian G. Clark, a seasoned Assemblies of God pastor and educator, has authored Pentecost at the Ends of the Earth: The History of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand (1927-2003). This well-written volume consists of 274 pages covering 76 years in 50 chronological chapters, documented with 483 footnotes. The author scoured a variety of sources – most significantly the New Zealand Evangel, denominational records, written memoirs, personal recollections, written histories, and his own memories – in the production of this admirably-researched history.

New Zealand’s relatively isolated island locale – described in the title – suggests the reason why it took until the 1920s for Pentecostalism to find firm reception. This breakthrough came when English plumber-turned-evangelist Smith Wigglesworth made a splash upon his arrival in Wellington, New Zealand in May 1922. His meetings, the first large-scale Pentecostal campaign in the country, led to the establishment of Pentecostalism in New Zealand. While Wigglesworth was preceded by other Pentecostal evangelists and isolated groups,

Globalbeliever.com

Globalbeliever.com: Connecting to God’s Work in Your World [Rev. ed.], by Grant McClung. Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press, 2004.

Despite the fact that more than 75 percent of Church of God (Cleveland, TN) membership exists outside North America, Grant McClung still believes in a need to send missionaries overseas “until all have heard.” This conviction is what inspired the 2004 revised edition of Globalbeliever.com: Connecting to God’s Work in Your World, a local church missions resource written by Grant McClung, who serves as field director for the Church of God in Western Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Defining a Globalbeliever
The term globalbeliever comes from McClung’s concept of a follower of Jesus Christ who is active in his/her world through intercessory prayer, stewardship, evangelism and positive acts of Christian benevolence. Being a “globalbeliever” is another way of saying that one is a “world Christian”—a believer who is actively involved in ministry beyond the “four walls of the church,” both locally and internationally.

Encountering God at the Altar

Encountering God at the Altar: The Sacraments in Pentecostal Worship, by Daniel Tomberlin. Cleveland, TN: Center for Pentecostal Leadership and Care, 2006.

 

Since the beginning of the Pentecostal movement, experiencing the Spirit of God has been central to Pentecostals in both private and corporate worship. When it comes to congregational worship, Pentecostals have critiqued what they deem to be dead ritualism devoid of a personal experience of the Holy Spirit. As a result, Pentecostals have questioned many traditional practices relating to the sacraments (often viewed as theologically or historically suspect because of their relation to the Roman Catholic Church) and have opted for the term “ordinances” instead. The latter is often seen to be more of a faith-based means rather then a works-based means of experiencing the Spirit.

 

Daniel Tomberlin, pastor of Bainbridge Church of God (Bainbridge, GA) and chairman of Ministerial Development for the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) in South Georgia, has authored a book that will raise some eyebrows. In it, Tomberlin claims that Pentecostalism and sacramental worship are not mutually exclusive. Rather, he provides a stimulating discussion of how he believes Pentecostal worship is sacramental. This volume, which aims to provide an introduction to the subject for Pentecostal church leaders, is possibly one of the first educational resources of its kind published by a classical Pentecostal denomination.

 

Encountering God at the Altar touches on topics such as Pentecostal worship and spirituality. Tomberlin develops a Pentecostal theology of the sacraments and also explores the practice of the sacraments in Pentecostal worship. In following Church of God theologian Kenneth Archer, Tomberlin argues for the retrieval of the term sacrament over the term ordinance, claiming that the ordinances are sacramental — a “means of grace” where one encounters the Holy Spirit (p. 24). The author rightly points out that Pentecostal spirituality is centered on encountering the Holy Spirit. “Therefore,” Tomberlin states, “the center and focus of Pentecostal worship is the altar” (p. 19).

 

When addressing whether life in the church and the sacraments are essential to salvation, Tomberlin identifies the church and sacraments as “secondary salvific gifts,” compared to the Son and Spirit as “primary salvific gifts” from the Father. At the same time he ultimately admits “that participation in the sacramental life of the church may not be absolutely essential to salvation due to God’s prevenient grace” (p. 27).

Dictionary of Pentecostalism in Norway

Norsk pinsekristendom og karismatisk fornyelse: Ettbinds oppslagsverk (Norwegian Pentecostalism and Charismatic Renewal: One-Volume Dictionary), Geir Lie, editor. Oslo, Norway: REFLEKS-Publishing, 2007.

European Pentecostals are slated to gather in Oslo, Norway the week of September 18-23, 2007 to celebrate the centennial of the Pentecostal movement on that continent (see http://www.azusaeurope.etp.no).

What are the origins of Pentecostalism in Norway? The Azusa Street revival was one of the most prominent roots of European Pentecostalism. Word quickly spread around the world of the revival that began in 1906 at the small African-American gospel mission on Azusa Street in Los Angeles. Thomas Ball Barratt, a Norwegian Methodist minister of British descent, received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on November 15, 1906 while visiting New York. He returned to Norway, where he became that country’s leading Pentecostal expositor. The Pentecostal movement experienced burgeoning growth and, within several years, congregations had sprung up throughout the length of Norway. Barratt and his Filadelfia Church in Oslo were responsible for the spread of the Pentecostal movement to many regions of Europe. Barratt’s missiology — he viewed Pentecostalism as a global movement whose raison d’etre was missions — led hundreds of Norwegian missionaries to launch out across the globe. Today, Norway is home to approximately 300 Pentecostal congregations with 50,000 adherents and Europe has an estimated 4 million Pentecostal believers.

Just in time for the European Pentecostal centennial celebration, a historical dictionary of Pentecostalism in Norway has been published. Norsk pinsekristendom og karismatisk fornyelse, which has been years in the making, is an important achievement for several reasons.

Congregational Holiness Church

We Believe [2nd ed.]. Griffin, GA: Congregational Holiness Church, 2003.

The Life Story of Rev. B. F. Duncan, 1874-1949 [rev. ed.]. Griffin, GA: Congregational Holiness Church, 2004.

My Earthly Pilgrimage, by Cullen L. Hicks. Augusta, GA: Augusta Printing Center, 2004.

Vision Caster: The Story of Hugh B. Skelton, by E. Amelia Billingsley. Cleveland, TN: Pathway Press, 2000.

The Congregational Holiness Church (CHC) (www.CHChurch.com) made its entrance onto the Pentecostal scene in 1921, resulting from a disagreement within the Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC) over the role of medicine in divine healing. Many early Pentecostals, including PHC leaders, eschewed human remedies (such as physicians or medicine) and instead encouraged believers to seek divine healing, which they taught was provided for in Christ’s atonement. This rejection of modern medicine was not universally held in the PHC. When evangelist Watson Sorrow and Hugh Bowling disagreed with the PHC on this and other issues, they were forced to leave the PHC in 1920. They — along with a handful of other ministers and churches — organized the CHC in High Shoals, Georgia in 1921. The CHC was organized along congregational lines, differing from the PHC’s episcopal polity, in an attempt to democratize church governance.

The CHC has grown from 12 churches in 1921 to over 5,200 churches in 12 states and 19 countries in 2007. The CHC’s growth reflects the growing importance of the emerging Pentecostal movement in non-Western contexts. Like the Assemblies of God, fewer than five percent of CHC churches and members are located in the United States. The CHC claims 25,000 adherents in 225 churches in the U.S. and almost one million adherents in about 5,000 churches outside the U.S. (primarily in Central and South America).

Lithuanian Pentecostal History

Lietuvos Sekmininkų Bažnyčia: Istorine Apybraiza (The Pentecostal Church of Lithuania: Historical Sketch), edited by Rimantas Kupstys, et al. Vilnius, Lithuania: Apyausris, 2002.

Lietuvos Sekmininkų Bažnyčia: Istorine Apybraiza, published in 2002 upon the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Pentecostal church in Lithuania, provides a detailed grassroots account in the Lithuanian language of the development of Pentecostalism across the Baltic nation. The volume was assembled by an editorial committee headed by Rimantas Kupstys, Bishop of the Union of Pentecostal Churches of Lithuania.

The publisher notes the volume is not an exhaustive scientific study. However, this historical sketch is a valuable written account of a national history that, until now, was largely available only in scattered documents or in oral form. The work was based on archival materials, memories of eyewitnesses, published articles, and government documents.

Lietuvos Sekmininkų Bažnyčia begins by tracing Pentecostalism’s roots in the trans-Atlantic revivals of the 18th and 19th centuries, resulting in a significant evangelical and Holiness movement in England and America. The traditional version of Pentecostal origins is retold, identifying Charles Parham and the Azusa Street revival as central to the emerging movement. Thomas Ball Barratt, the Methodist minister from Oslo who received the Pentecostal message while visiting New York in 1906, is commended for, upon his return to Norway, helping to nurture Pentecostal leaders across Europe.