Pentecostal Lecture

Last worked on: 11/8/95

PENTECOSTALISM

Soc 257

New Religious Movements

Lecture Outline

Part I
The Feast of Pentecost

Pentecost is Feast of Weeks
in Old Testament

For Christians of the early church, Pentecost commemorates the day the Holy Spirit decended in fulfillment of the promise of Jesus [Acts 2: 1-4]

Acts 2: 1-4

"Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus' death and ressurection, and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived. As the believers met together that day, suddenly there was a sound like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues, for the Holy Spirit gave them the ability."

Doctrine of the Trinity

This event marks the origin of the theological doctrine of the trinity:

Birth of the Church

Pentecost is also traditionally recognized as the date of the founding of the institutional church.

Part II
Development of the Pentecostal Movement

Death and Rebirth of the
Gifts of Pentecost

While there is evidence of early Christins being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, conventional wisdom holds that this came to an end in the third century.

January 1, 1902
Dateline: Topeka, Kansas

Charles F. Parham founded Bethel Bible School in Topeka and with a samll group of students consciously sought to recover the give of speaking in tongues.

Azusa Street Mission

At the Azusa Street Mission in a run down section of Los Angles, a revival commenced that would last several years and spread around the world.

Distinctive Features of Pentecostalism

Growth and Institutionalization of the Movement

Pentacostal Church Growth in US

CHRUCH 1960s 1990s CHANGE

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Assemblies of God 543,003 2,257,846 +416%

Church of God (And.) 144,145 214,743 +149%

Church of God (Clev.) 197,464 672,008 +340%

Church of God in Christ 413,000 5,499,875 +1,332%

Four Square Gospel 89,215 207,455 +232%

Pent. Assoc. of the World 42,000 500,000 +1,190%

United Pent. Int'l 150,000 550,000 +367%

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TOTAL 1,578,827 9,901,927 +627%

Phenomenal Success in Latin America

Evangelical Estimated

% of total pop %

1960 1985 2010

Brazil 4.4% 15.9% 57.4%

Chile 11.7% 21.6% 38.8%

Costa Rica 1.3% 6.5% 32.4%

El Salvador 2.5% 12.8% 66.5%

Guatamala 2.8% 18.9% 126.8%

Puerto Rico 5.8% 20.9% 75.1%

Part III
Charismatic Renewal

Outpouring of Holy Spirit
Goes Mainstream

More than a half century after its lowly beginnings, the gifts of the Holy Spirit spread to the mainstream of American religious life.

Then, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, it overtook Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and quickly spread to Notre Dame.

Distinctive qualities of Charismatic Renewal

Part IV
Holy Laughter as the Fourth Blessing

Toronto Life Magazine bills
"Toronto Blessing" the top tourist attraction of 1994!

Asusa Revisited?

Many say yes.