Pentecostal Movement

After the Civil War, African Amerians organized their own churches and religious denominations. “The church was integral to the lives of most black people. It fulfilled spiritual needs through sermons and music” (pg. 319). These churches would also help the sick, the bereaved, and those in need when they didn’t even have the money to spare. “The church service itself was the most important aspect of religious life for most black congregations” (319).

Black religion was no longer regarded as exemplary or special. During a time of growing segregation and violence, some black leaders attempted to counter this perspective seen by whites by embracing the romantic racialist notions that “blacks possessed peculiar gifts.” These gifts being directly connected to the importance of black churches in a time of direct exclusion of blacks from other pieces of society.

We now come to the section devoted to the major pioneers in the beginning of Pentecostalism in America. The first person we want to discuss is Charles Fox Parham. “He is the man generally recognized as the formulation of Pentecostal doctrine and the theological founder of the movement.” Parham held to the theological argument that tongues are always the initial evidence of a person receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He also taught the necessity of being baptized with the Holy Spirit as the only way to escape the great tribulation.

Bell and H.A. Goss issued a call to convene a general council of “all Pentecostal saints and Church Of God In Christ followers,” to meet the following April at Hot Springs, Arkansas. This invitation went only to the white saints.

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was started in December 1973 and their origin can be traced to John Calvin. The theological distinction of PCA is conservative reformed and the ecclesiology is Presbyterian. “This church was first known as the National Presbyterian Church but changed its name in 1974 to Presbyterian Church in America.” The PCA became a separate denomination from the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA) due to the “opposition of long-developing theological liberalism which denied the deity of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy and authority of Scripture.” The Evangelical Synod and the Reformed Presbyterian Church joined the PCA in 1982. The belief system of the PCA is based on

Modern Pentecostalism can find its roots in the early 20th century revivals of the practices of Spirit-infilling, ecstatic worship, and a strict adherence to the literal interpretation of the Bible. Some consider one of the appeals of the Pentecostal movement in its early years, as well as today, to be an inclusive, "whosoever may" attitude of multiculturalism and evangelism (Longman, 2012). Though Pentecostal organizations exist that are predominantly Caucasian, Black, or Hispanic, a growing trend of incorporating all ethnicities within one congregation has led to a dramatic increase in multicultural congregations within several of the established

Peter Randolph, too, presented the durable linkage between African-Americans, especially during slavery. Their alliance was characterized by creating the so called, “plantation churches” whenever they could not attend the actual church services. By doing so, they could simply gather together, remember their traditions, dance, sing, recite their prayers, sorrows or play banjo. All those familiar activities were helping them hold on to their culture, refine their identity and avoid the “Social Death” or “Cultural Genocide” they were subjected to. Similarly, creating the AME Church, along with following churches, such as the Ethiopian Church of Jesus Christ, was a method of showing to the society that the African history and beliefs are not forgotten.

Spiritual Gifts are special divine empowerments given to us through the Holy Spirit. These Gifts however are not for our own personal benefit, instead the main purpose is to equip us to be able to serve and glorify the Lord while Jesus continues His ministry though us. When we use our Spiritual Gifts to glorify the Lord we are contributing to the overall heath and growth of the church. 1 Peter 4:10-11 shows us that we have each been given a Gift by the Holy Spirit and when we use that Gift we find the strength we need to build up the Church. The Gifts of the Spirit are messages of wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy,

“The number of blacks who received religious instruction in antebellum white churches is significant because the church was the only institution other than the plantation which played a major role in acculturating the slave “(Blassingame, The Slave Community, p. 98). African Americans found their strength in the church, because they secretly met outside of the church in invisible churches to discuss freedom, liberty, and how god is judging against the slave-owners. The church offered a sanctuary against the harsh realities of the plantation and allowed them to connect with one another and gain

Martha Pentecost represents the African American’s religion, she identifies that Loomis needs to “be washed in the blood of the lamb” (92) and “you done gone over to the devil. (91) Through class lessons I learned that African American slaves compared themselves with stories in the bible to instill hope of a life free from oppression, violence, and bondage. Jesus according to the bible was innocent of sin and yet he was beaten, bruised and crucified for the sins of the world. The hope of reigning in heave with Jesus is considered the ultimate reward for suffering life’s trials and tribulations. It is the faith of the African Americans who accepted

Richard Allen started the African Methodist-Episcopal church in a response to the treatment of black congregants in white churches (Gates, 2014). For instance, Richard Allen was invited to preach at a white church, but he noticed that the Black congregants were unable to sit in the same pews with the White congregants (Gates, 2014). As a result of this Allen with some friends staged Americas first sit in by going into a White church and sitting in the “white” congregants pews to pray (Gates, 2014). The white preachers approached Allen and his friends and told them that they could not sit and that area and that they needed to leave the church (Gates, 2014). On account of this Allen started the African American Episcopal Church in Philadelphia,

However one key point in the pentecostal church, is the believe that after the Holy Spirit gives Christ’s forgiveness to the sinner he enables the sinner to speak in tongues. “Tongues” in English language is known as “charisma,”. Charisma is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. however Catholicism believe that speaking in “tongues” is when one is unfamiliar with the language of the speaker but can understand what is being spoken. However the Pentecostal church are of the belief that "tongues" is talking in a languages unknown to anyone. Adult baptism, the bible is interpreted literally (fundamentalist), the way in which people of the Pentecostal faith pray is through clapping, emotion, music and preaching, forgiveness of sins can be done through talking to god individual as opposed to the Catholic church that believes that reconciliation must be done with a priest. Pentecostals have known grown through migration as opposed to other types of Christianity. Pentecostal church was developed and started within Australia. It was first founded in 1909 and has grown ever since. Pentecostalism has grown and become a major faith not only in Australia but

Since America’s founding, Christianity has become widespread and influential; Protestants dominate much of the Christian culture and play a leading role in establishing the majority of religious factions throughout the nation. These schisms have developed into numerous well-known denominations, including Pentecostals and Baptists, specifically throughout the Bible belt; Christianity contains numerous factions that all have multiple differences. In addition, Baptists and Pentecostals are two sects that have deeply divided the protestant religion based off different viewpoints, however, they both believe one truth, Jesus is God’s son and He sacrificed his life to save each individual from eternal damnation. Pentecostals believe spiritual

You may have also heard of words such as dedication or believer’s baptism language in which some of our Baptist or Pentecostal brothers and sisters may use.

His teaching received considerable attention around the world. In 1906, William J. Seymour caused worldwide attention with his Pentecostal teaching, since he amalgamated the gospel of baptism by fire, and campaign against racial discrimination, and gender inequality (Heaton 50). He organized historic meetings known as Aziza Street revivals, which had more than 50,000 supporters by 1606 (Alexander 78). Seymour’s mission concentrated preaching about speaking in tongues, baptism by fire, soul winning, and unity in Christ (Espinosa 82). This formed ‘Azusa pilgrim’ as Christians from all over the world travel to the revivals, got anointed, and went back to impact their churches.