The Movement of the Spirit Around the World in Pentecostalism

Introduction

It is a great privilege to be part of the Second Global Gathering of the Global Christian Forum. In addition, it is an opportunity to share with you on the gathering’s theme ‘Life Together in Jesus Christ, Empowered by the Holy Spirit’, as I glean from my particular tradition of the Pentecostal Movement. I acknowledge the significant contribution of the Global Christian Forum in its endeavour to create a platform for Christians from all the traditions to ‘listen to what the spirit is saying to the churches’ in these times, so as to bring them to share together the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pentecostal movement in its various forms constitutes the fastest growing group within Christianity in the contemporary world. It is not only found in almost every country but also in every Christian tradition. The re-emergence of Pentecostalism did not come out of the blue, but through various revivals within Christian traditions that eventually gave birth to Pentecostalism in the 20th century. If Pentecostalism is found in all Christian traditions, it serves as a receptacle where all traditions can meet to celebrate our Lord.

This article attempts to present a brief background to the emergence of Pentecostalism, followed by a brief history of Pentecostalism across the globe. As a precursor to the Charismatic renewal, the Later Rain movement is introduced with reference to its importance in the Church of Pentecost and world Christianity. A discussion on the growth and contribution made by Pentecostalism to Christianity will be presented. Finally, a concluding reflection will be provided.

I approach this topic as a pastor of a Pentecostal church, thus as an insider, yet also as a critical theologian.

In this article, the term Pentecostal is used to describe all churches and movements that emphasize the working of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ¹ Classical Pentecost is used at times to distinguish the churches that sprang up in the early 20th century after the Azusa Street revival, or those who might have direct or remote relation with it. The term ‘Charismatic’ is used to identify the churches that sprang up in the second part of the 20th century after the Latter Rain revival and the Charismatic renewal.

Background to Pentecostalism

Modern Pentecostalism is a worldwide movement that is traceable to the events marking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Azusa Street revival led by William J. Seymour (1870–1922) in April 1906. ² Serving as a precursor to the Pentecostal movement was the Holiness movement, which was itself based on a particular interpretation of the teaching of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703–1791) and that of Wesley’s theologian John Fletcher. ³ Revivalists who contributed along Wesley’s position from varied angles included Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, Dwight Moody and Reuben Torrey. The Wesleyan position was that ‘entire sanctification’ or ‘perfect love’ was the ‘second blessing’ or ‘baptism with the Spirit’. The position was sharpened by Keswick Convention which began in 1875, with yearly meetings in the English Lake District. The Keswick position was that the baptism with the Spirit was an enduement with power for service. By the end of the 19th century, the baptism of the Spirit as an enduement for service was prominent in most of the ministry of the North American revival preachers. Consequently, a third position emerged, this is the ‘third blessing’; this held both the ‘second blessing of sanctification’ and a ‘third blessing of baptism with fire’, also as an enduement with power. ⁴ It was these preparations that set the ground for the birth of Pentecostalism.

However, the earliest German Pietism influenced both Wesley and Fletcher. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Pietist among Lutheranism stressed the importance of a personal experience of God or ‘new birth’ by the Holy Spirit, over and above what they thought as mere head-knowledge. Pietism itself drew inspiration from Catholic mysticism. It gave emphasis to the importance of emotion in Christian experience and encouraged a personal relationship with God. Pietism also encouraged a restoration of the Reformation’s doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and the working of the Spirit to bring about a changed, morally ascetic Christian life separated from the ‘world’. It was Pietism that activated Nicolaus von Zinzendorf’s (1700–1760) Moravian movement, whose continuous round-the-clock prayer meetings lasted for a hundred years thereafter. In turn, it was the Moravian Church that had a profound effect upon Wesley and the revival he led. ⁵ It can therefore be said that Pentecostalism draws its strength from the spiritual experiences of all the various traditions – Catholicism (both the church in the west and the eastern Orthodox), Protestantism and Evangelicalism.

A Brief History of Pentecostalism: North American Origins

Charles Fox Parham (1879–1929), a former Methodist minister, ignited the flame at the Bethel Bible School, Topeka, which he established in 1898. Right on the threshold of the 20th century, on 31 December 1900, on a request for hands to be laid on her, one Agnes Ozman received the baptism of the Holy Spirit marked by speaking in tongues. ⁶ But this Pentecostal experience was to be dwindled, only to be spread through the revival that broke out at Azusa Street in 1906, through the leadership of William Seymour, an African American, and a former student of Parham. Many groups sprang out of the revival that broke out during this period. ⁷ Some traced their origins to Parham, others to John Alexander Dowie, ⁸ but the majority to the Azusa Street revival. There was no coordinating body and thus nobody to check the extremisms or excesses that came along with the revival, as is often the case. There was the need for a denomination, but some felt that organizations stifled inspiration. Eventually, some denominations were formed. Many of them began as associations but later turned to denominations. In 1914, the Assemblies of God was formed by independent Pentecostal Churches, as an attempt to create some order, at least in ordaining ministers, supporting missions, and regulating finances.

Other denominations included the Church of God in Christ, originally formed in 1885 by Charles H. Mason and C. P. Jones; the Church of God (Cleveland, 1886); the International Church of Foursquare Gospel (1927); the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (three Holiness organizations in the 1890s that finally merged in 1915); the United Pentecostal Church (1931, oneness and Jesus only in their Godhead and baptism formula); and the Pentecostal Church of God (1919). The fire that was at Azusa Street was to spread to the rest of the world.

In Europe

Pentecostalism got to Europe soon after the Azusa Street Revival. By this time, the Welsh revival had prepared the ground for the Pentecostal Movement in Europe. The Welsh revival brought repentance of sin, sanctification and the presence of God in people’s lives. Thomas Ball Barrat (1862–1940), a pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Oslo, Norway, went to the Azusa Street meeting and ‘caught the fire’. He conducted meetings at his church and other parts of Europe. Most Pentecostal churches in Europe have their origin in the revival associated with Barrat.

In the UK, Alexander Boddy, an Anglican minister, invited Barrat to conduct meetings at his church and in other parts of UK. Among others who had the taste of Pentecostal fire were Daniel Powell Williams, who established the Apostolic Church in 1910; George Jeffreys (and his brother Stephen), who established the Elim Pentecostal Church; and Donald Gee of the Assemblies of God. All these individuals had been influenced by a revival that broke out in Wales; they had converted through the ministry of Evans Robert and his associate.

In Sweden, Lewi Pethrus (1884–1974) was a Baptist pastor who visited Barrat and had the Pentecostal experience. For allowing a non-Baptist to take part in communion, Pethrus and his entire congregation were expelled from the Baptist Church. He established the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm, which until the 1960s, when overtaken by Korea and Chile, was the largest congregation in the world. Pentecostals in Sweden, Norway and Finland soon became the biggest churches outside the Lutheran state churches. Barrat made several visits to Sweden. ⁹

In Asia

In Asia, Hwa Yung established that the Pentecostal phenomena existed long before the arrival of modern Pentecostalism, beginning from the 20th century. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, the Azusa Street revival had great impact on some Asian countries, such as India, China, Indonesia, Philippines and Korea. ¹¹ Significantly now is Pentecostalism in Korea, which hosts the Yoido Full Gospel Church, an Assemblies of God church, led by Pastor Dr David Yonggi Cho, which is the largest single church in the world. The chair of global Pentecostalism, Allan Anderson, has observed that the liturgy of this church is greatly influenced by the Presbyterian churches in Korea. He also observed that the Presbyterian churches have been influenced by the ‘Korean Pentecost’ and the Korean Revivals of 1903–1910. He adds that hymns born in the revivals and the USA Holiness movements of the 19th century are easily recognized in their Korean translations used by all Protestant and Pentecostal churches.

In Latin America

Pentecostalism in Latin America has been phenomenal. It is claimed that half of Pentecostals in the world are found on this continent. The first recorded Pentecostals in Latin America were the Chileans. Pentecostalism in Chile has its origin in the revival associated with Willis Collins Hoover (1858–1938), an American, a former medical doctor, and the then pastor of the largest Methodist church in Chile. Along the line, he was removed as a district superintendent and eventually led a separate church which was later named as the Methodist Pentecostal Church. It is said that this Pentecostal church has maintained its Methodist doctrines and practices including infant baptism. ¹²

Other countries such as Brazil and Argentina (and Chile) have the largest Pentecostal churches on this continent. Most of these were directly or indirectly linked with the revival that broke out at Azusa Street. For example, as Luigi Francescon, who had already caught the fire in William Durham’s ministry in Chicago in 1907, ¹³ went to Sao Paulo to preach the baptism of the Holy Spirit to Italian Presbyterians, he was expelled from the church. He began the first Pentecostal denomination in Brazil, called the Christian Congregation (Congegacao Crista). Nevertheless, the Assemblies of God, which was later to begin by two Swedes, is said to be the largest Pentecostal church in Brazil. Brazil has one of the highest numbers of Pentecostals in the world.

In Africa

Before classical Pentecostalism came to Africa, the manifestation of the Spirit had been prominent in the lives of some persons, often referred to as ‘prophets’, and churches that sprang up from the historic churches. Those prophets often emerged from the lower strata of society with little or no formal education, whose experiences of the Christian faith might be different from the mainline churches. ¹⁴ Sometimes, some of them had been former traditional priests or priestesses who had accepted Christ. Prominent among these prophets were William Wade Harris of Liberia, ¹⁵ Joseph Babalola of Nigeria, ¹⁶ Simon Kimbangu of Congo ¹⁷ and Joseph Appiah of Ghana. ¹⁸ The inevitable result of the prophetic movements was the establishment of the Africa Initiated Churches (AIC). ¹⁹ The name given to these churches in Ghana, ‘Spiritual Churches’, indicates the type of ministry that they were engaged in – prophecies, healing and casting out of demons.

A good deal of discussion has been made on the interest in and causes of the proliferation of these churches in the whole of Africa. These include historical, political, economical, sociological, ethnic, non-religious, religious and theological. ²⁰ Nevertheless, if investigated further it can be recognized that the claim of the Holy Spirit by these people to have power to heal the sick, prophesy, reveal hidden things and solve deep-seated human problems was the attraction to these churches. Some practices in the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s work follow those of traditional religions. Allan Anderson argues that because of their ‘Spirit’ manifestations, and pneumatic emphases and experiences, many earlier studies of these churches misunderstood, or generalized about them and branded them ‘syncretistic’ or ‘post-Christian’. For Anderson, ‘The Spirit Churches have much in common with the classical Pentecostals and their history is inextricably tied up with them’. ²¹ It was in the midst of the struggle to settle down in structure and theology by the AICs that classical Pentecostalism got to Africa.

In South Africa, it was Dowie’s Christian Catholic Apostolic Church that was the first to be established. The Rev. Pieter (P. L.) le Roux (1865–1965), of the Dutch Reformed missionary in South Africa, together with some 400 Africans, who had heard of Dowie’s ministry through his periodical Leaves of Healing, joined Dowie’s church. Later several independent Pentecostal missionaries who had been touched by the Azusa Street revival including John Lake, a former elder of Dowie’s ministry, took over the church in Johannesburg, calling it Apostolic Faith Missions (AFM). Many churches in the Southern part of Africa came out of this Church. David du Plessis (1905–1987) who became the pioneer Pentecostal minister in ecumenism was the General Secretary of AFM from 1936 to 1947. ²²

The Assemblies of God started a rural ministry in Sierra Leone in 1914, Burkina Faso in 1920, northern Ghana in 1931 and Benin in 1947. Other Pentecostal denominations that followed included Church of God in Christ, International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Although many Pentecostal brands of denominations were established in various parts of Africa, the Nigerian Church historian Ogbu Kalu assessed that the Assemblies of God was the one that started with rural evangelism from the onset. ²³

One factor that contributed to the spread of Pentecostalism in Africa, especially in the West, was the Faith Tabernacle periodical of Sword of the Spirit. Peter Newman Anim who was a Presbyterian, came into contact with the Sword of the Spirit of the Faith Tabernacle church in Philadelphia, USA in 1917. Through this publication, he claimed to have received healing from a stomach ailment in 1921. He resigned from the Presbyterian Church and became a healing preacher, who had some following. In 1922, he adopted the name Faith Tabernacle. Through this literature, he got to know that there was a similar Faith Tabernacle church started by a Nigerian, David Odubanjo. Recognition was given to both Anim and Odubanjo by the Church in Philadelphia without any visit to these churches in West Africa. The leader of the Faith Tabernacle church was dismissed for misconduct. When Anim heard of the dismissal of the leader of the Faith Tabernacle, he broke connection with them and changed the name of his group to Apostolic Faith, after the name of a periodical from Portland, Oregon. The Nigerian leader Odubanjo made contact with the Apostolic Church in UK. Anim and two of his leaders travelled to Lagos to meet their representative in 1932.

The Apostolic Church believed in the restoration of the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They also believed that the laying-on of hands by apostles and prophets follows the baptism of the Spirit and manifestation of spiritual gifts and other supernatural occurrences. It was the Apostolic Church which re-introduced the five-fold ministry to the Church in the 20th century, ²⁴ although it must be mentioned that in the 19th century, Edward Irving and his Catholic Apostolic Church had interpreted Ephesians 4:11–12 in a similar way; their movement could not have much impact on their generation.

These beliefs and practices attracted Anim. Consequently, he affiliated with the Apostolic Church and requested the Mission Office in Bradford to send a missionary in 1935. In 1937, James and Sophia McKeown were sent to the Gold Coast, now Ghana.

The Church of Pentecost and the Latter Rain Movement

Due to a misunderstanding based on divine healing between Anim and McKeown, the group split into two in 1939. Anim named his church the Christ Apostolic Church, while McKeown maintained the Apostolic Church, Gold Coast. In 1953, the visit of the Latter Rain to Ghana eventually led to a crisis which ended with another split in the Apostolic Church. McKeown led one group calling itself the Gold Coast Apostolic Church, which adopted a new name, The Church of Pentecost, in August 1962. ²⁵ McKeown associated himself with the Latter Rain’s ministers. The Latter Rain movement was to make a great impact on world Christianity.

The Latter Rain movement originated from Sharon Orphanage and Schools in North Battleford, Saskatchewan in Canada in 1947/1948. They perceived dryness of the Pentecostal faith. It was thought that the Pentecostal fire had dwindled. Healing and miracles were not taking place as anticipated. The president of Global Mission was George Hawtin, who had been the pastor of Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and had founded the Bethel Bible Institute in Star City, Saskatchewan. The institute had become the property of the Church. Disputes between Hawtin and the leadership of his church caused him to resign. Another teacher called P. G. Hunt, who aligned himself with Hawtin, also resigned in sympathy. Then they moved to North Battleford to join Herrick Holt of the Foursquare Gospel, in an independent work he had started. Others who joined them were Milford Kirkpatrick (as secretary) and Ern Hawkin as a member of faculty.

As people became aware of what was going on in Battleford, they came in from all parts of North America and other parts of the world to their camp meeting conventions. People began to invite them to their churches to preach. Among such ministers was Thomas Wyatt of Portland in the USA, who invited them in February 1949 to minister to 90 preachers who had gathered in his church.

The Latter Rain movement was characterized by the restoration of the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They also believed that the laying-on of hands by apostles and prophets followed the baptism of the Spirit and manifestation of spiritual gifts and other supernatural occurrences. Moreover, in connection with the laying-on-hand, the Latter Rain believed that the Lord would reveal his will with regard to ministry, calling and placement of members of the corporate body of Christ. The Latter Rain movement laid emphasis on deliverance. The movement was also opposed to the establishment of human organizations, or denominations. No denomination was said to have come out of the Latter Rain Movement directly. They taught that every born-again, spirit-filled member in the Body of Christ has a ministry gift, though the person may not be an ordained minister. Thus, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were within the local church. All saints were given the opportunity to minister. There was an emphasis on the use and the difference between prophecy as forth telling and foretelling. The Latter Rain movement also showed practical demonstration of faith in receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. There was no need to tarry as the classical Pentecostal had been emphasizing. ²⁶

Although unknown to the movement, the stand of the Latter Rain not to establish a church was in preparation for another move of God. The Charismatic renewal was on the way.

The majority of Pentecostal ministers could not accept the practices of the Latter Rain movement. Those who accepted the new order of the Latter Rain movement had to leave their churches to practice it. In the UK, Pastor Cecil Cousen (and Pastor James McKeown of the Gold Coast) from the Apostolic Church were dismissed due to some misunderstanding that occurred on the ministration of the Latter Rain movement. ²⁷ Pastor Cecil Cousen started a house fellowship in Bradford, called Dean House Fellowship, and sent out Newsletters, which later became a magazine, A Voice of Faith. It was intended for teaching. The group did not want to call themselves Pentecostals. Meanwhile, one David G. Lillie of Brethren background led another group of Christians, in Devon, who had been baptized in the Holy Spirit but refused to be called ‘Pentecostals’. He was baptized in the Spirit through the ministry of Pastor George Jeffreys. Lillie met Arthur Wallis, who was also from the Brethren background, and teamed up with him. Together they were introduced to Cecil Cousen around 1953/1954. They started organizing conferences together, which had impact on British Christianity.

The activities of this new Pentecostal wave became well known through the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), which was brought to birth by Demos Shakarian, and launched in 1951. During its first convention, held in 1953, it was conceived to witness to non-Pentecostals. Accordingly, through its prayer breakfast and conventions, it was able to introduce non-Pentecostals to charismatic-type fellowship and interaction. Often, Latter Rain ministers were invited to speak at their meetings. Part of their success was dependent on the fact that they did not intend to make their converts become members of Pentecostal churches. ²⁸

The FGBMFI did not, however, have a clear vision of the Holy Spirit’s intent to renew the mainline churches. This revelation came to people’s mind through the vision and ministry of Pastor David John du Plessis, who was originally an Apostolic Faith Mission minister in South Africa. In 1941, he moved to North America and eventually affiliated with the Assemblies of God in 1955; he obtained their ministerial credential. Although du Plessis had some initial problem with his church, his obedience to the Holy Spirit opened the door for him to meet other leaders of the mainline churches, both in the World Council of Churches and the Catholic Church. ²⁹ It is said that by 1960, du Plessis was reporting of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the mainline churches.

The works of the Latter Rain movement, the FGBMFI, and David du Plessis helped a lot to prepare the mainline churches for the Charismatic renewal. Thus the Latter Rain had great impact on world Christianity.

The Latter Rain movement had great impact on McKeown and the Church of Pentecost. The freedom in Spirit adopted by McKeown helped the church to set on the path of rapid growth. The Church of Pentecost has grown to become the largest Protestant Church in Ghana. ³⁰ The Ghana Evangelism Committee survey reported that it had the largest church attendance as of 1989. ³¹ It has established a University, built hospitals and schools, all from local resources. The Chairman’s State of the Church Address at the end of December 2010 indicated that the Church of Pentecost was operating in 84 countries across the globe, with its headquarters in Ghana. ³² The Masai people of Kenya had been a stronghold in Christian evangelistic activities. In December 2010, the Church of Pentecost had planted 48 churches among the 72 Masai towns in Kenya.

The effect of Pentecostal growth is not only in Ghana, but the whole of Africa can now be said to have been Pentecostalized. Nigeria has strong churches such as the Redeemed Christian Churches of God, Deeper Life Churches, and the Apostolic Churches who are also mission conscious. Charismatic renewal has affected African churches positively. This is clearly the picture, when a visit is paid to any of the major cities in Africa such as Lagos, Ibadan, Accra, Kumasi, Nairobi, Soweto, Monrovia and Harare. Pentecostals and Charismatics are almost everywhere. In some cases they are regarded as a nuisance to the public. They preach in the open air, market places, lorry stations, university campuses, hospitals and prisons. They pray everywhere, ‘all night’, in church buildings, stadiums, open parks and classrooms. They have taken up the media; when tuned to any station, you would find Pentecostals ‘bombarding the air’ with the gospel. This is not only limited to Africa, but as has been shown by Anderson, it is also common in other continents as he cited examples in Korea (Asia), and Argentina and Brazil (Latin America). ³³ Find any vibrant Christianity within all traditions, Pentecostals and Charismatics will be dominant. This type of faith cannot remain within one’s own confines. Pentecostalism was to appear among the Christians who were in the Diaspora.

Pentecostalism among the Diasporic Communities

The people of God have often responded to the ever changing circumstances and play a significant role in the spiritual and socio-political survival of constructing and re-constructing cultural and national identities. One of the strengths of Pentecostalism is its utmost participation at the levels of worship, prayer, giving of testimonies, preaching, and decision-making. The obvious result of this is that every disciple is supposed to know its liturgy. In view of this, the African, Asian and Latin American Christians in the Diaspora with ‘Missions and evangelization’ in mind have responded to the call of reaching out to these new settlers and others with the gospel. They have established churches for them. Most of them did not have to go to Bible Schools; they already knew the liturgy. Emmanuel Owusu Bediako, a Ghanaian ‘apostle’ in the Diaspora observes that this new trend has forever changed the Christian landscapes of the Northern Hemisphere. ³⁴ Africans, Asians and Latin Americans have their own churches in the West.

The varieties of the diasporic churches cut across faith traditions, among Africans, Asians, Latin Americans and the Caribbean. For example, there are African/Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Pentecostal Churches, African/Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Baptist Churches, Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Catholic Churches, Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Methodist Churches, Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Presbyterian Churches, Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated Anglican Churches and Asian/Latin American/Caribbean Initiated SDA Churches.

Why Pentecostalism?

Emphasis on Encounter with the Spirit

What is the Spirit saying to his church? It was apparent that over the years, Christians did separate emotions and experience from doctrine. Christianity became so dried that it was no longer attracting people. Pentecostalism can be seen as the official recognition or welcome of the activities of the Holy Spirit in the Church. This is what the American sociologist Harvey Cox calls ‘primal spirituality’, which he explains as the ‘largely unprocessed nucleus of the psyche in which the unending struggles for a sense of purpose and significance goes on’. ³⁸ Cox rightly observes that this is found in Pentecostalism worldwide and also underlies original biblical spirituality. ³⁹ A nuance of Cox’s assertion, ‘the sacred self’, is what Thomas Csordas proposes as the centre of charismatic healing and deliverance ministry in North America. ⁴⁰ Thus Csordas sees an inquiry into the sacred and the search for meaning as the underlying factors of charismatic healing and deliverance ministry. What attracted the attention of these sociologists, which they tried to explain to Christians, is the working of the Spirit in his church, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, discerning of spirits, healing and performing of miracles. These works of the Spirit, Christians know, underpin major Christian revivals that have taken place in Church history.

Thus Pentecostalism has moved beyond just doctrine to focus on the realm of personal experience of the Holy Spirit. This preoccupation with ‘encounter’ rather than doctrinal formulations makes Pentecostalism more of a ‘heart’ than a ‘head’ religion. The doyen of Pentecostal studies, Walter Hollenweger, rightly argues that the renewal force of the movement did not depend on ‘a new argument for heads but a new experience for hearts’. ⁴¹ Pentecostal spirituality triggers affections which enable one to respond to spiritual encounters with all the human faculties. Due to this, the appeal of the movement cuts across all the dimensions of society, embracing the poor and the marginalized as well as the wealthy and intelligentsia. Pentecostal spirituality on the one hand empowers those in the Western world to overcome the pressures of an extremely materialistic culture, while on the other hand provides the Africans and others with the necessary spiritual armoury to overcome the fear in their existential spirit world. Accordingly, the Ghanaian theologian Kwabena Asamoah Gyadu argues, ‘the varied responses to the presence of the Spirit within different socio-religious contexts and cultures have given rise to an equally varied and diverse multiplicity of churches and movements that respond to the designation Pentecostal/Charismatic’. ⁴²

The story of the Pentecostal movement has caused a revival across the globe. The movement began in a multi-racial environment, so that from 1906–1908, the Azusa Street mission drew persons from several races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities together in worship. It stood for the restoration of the faith once delivered unto the saints – the old time religion, camp meetings, revivals, missions, street and prison work and Christian unity everywhere. ⁴³ Unfortunately, the ecumenical miracle of Azusa Street did not last, to the disappointment of many. ⁴⁴ The Pentecostal movement initially discouraged denominations, yet there are thousands of Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations. Pentecostalism has many different shapes and sizes all over the world and in all faith traditions. The history is full of schism, moral weaknesses and inner fighting. It has been observed that there has been more strife and confusion as more and more denominations are formed, thus defeating Christ’s ultimate desire for the church, unity and not divisions. ⁴⁵ Yet these do not stop the move of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is Taking Ownership of the Church

The Holy Spirit seems to be permeating every Christian organization or church that calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as its master and saviour. During the latter part of the 20th century, activities organized under the Holy Spirit had brought believers in Christ from all denominations with one desire, that is, to see the power of God work among his people in the church and salvation to the lost, as Christ’s coming becomes eminent day after day. Through Pentecostalism within the various denominations, the Holy Spirit is reviving dead rituals and bringing its meaning to relevance.

How do we embrace this move of the Spirit in Pentecostalism across the globe? For example, the Asian/Latin American/Caribbean diasporic churches are made up of about 99% of people of their own descent, and they are mostly reaching out to their own migrants. The fact that there have been some exceptions – such as Blessed Embassy of the Kingdom of God for all Nations in Kiev, Ukraine, by the Pastor Sunday Adelaja of Nigerian origin, which has over 90% ‘white’ congregants – means that it is possible for the diasporic churches to win the ‘white’. If these Christians in the Diaspora feel ‘called’ to world missions and evangelization, then why are they not reaching out to people of all races? How is the church in the Diaspora responding to this? How can the church in the West help these churches?

How is the church in the West ready to support the move of the Spirit this way? Ironically, William Kay has produced a very good work on the Apostlolic Networks of Britain, a work that discusses the new way of doing church by Pentecostal and Charismatic movements in Britain. However, he fails to mention the Kingsway International Christian Center (KICC), led by Mathew Ashimolowo, of Nigerian origin, which is one of the largest churches and ministries in London. ⁴⁶ Admittedly, Kay’s emphasis was not on the diasporic churches, but considering the sort of apostolic work that Ashimolowo does, mentioning him might have added colour to his work.

Emmanuel Bediako posed some questions to the participants of the African Conference in September 2011 that may be relevant here. ‘Ironically, should there be a Nigerian Anglican Church in Britain [where the Anglican Church began]?’ How can the Anglican Church respond to this? How can the Christian churches bury the racial differences to wholeheartedly embrace such a move? Is such a move a sign of the spiritual and liturgical poverty of worship life in these mainline churches in the North? Can we just settle on some provisional answers supplied by some scholars that these churches sprang up because the new settlers wanted to create religious space in their new environment? What does the Spirit say to us in this situation?

Conclusion and Reflections

This article has shown that no one tradition can claim ownership of the Pentecostal movement. The Pentecostal Movement emerged as the various traditions could not accommodate the move of the Spirit within their structures. Often such moves were seen as breaking institutional structures and doctrines. Yet the Holy Spirit broke such barriers and moved across the globe.

Is the church not in danger if all structures are broken down and doctrinal errors overlooked? Are the weaknesses in the Pentecostal movement not a sign that the church needs such structures to maintain its survival?

How then can the church deal with the divergent doctrines and practices that brought about controversies and schisms in the early Church? In dealing with such issues does the church not stand the danger of exulting human institutions far above the leading of the Spirit who is to teach us all things and to lead us into all truth? In the attempts to debate on doctrinal issues, will history not repeat itself with the church losing some gains and being overrun by other religious forces? Must the church therefore compromise and allow some form of syncretism in its worship and activities?

How can the church break down ethnocentrism and rather promote mutual respect within the unity of the Spirit? Do all have an equal voice in dealing with challenges?

Are these challenges raised beyond the ability of the Holy Spirit? Has not the Lord given us a light at the end of the tunnel? For now there is one significant characteristic associated with all of Christian traditions – Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic. This is the Pentecostal experience of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit accompanied by different kinds of manifestations of the Spirit. Today, the Pentecostal experience, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, is a global one, thus providing once again the opportunity to build the kingdom of the Lord in love and unity. Will the church listen to the voice of the Spirit?

It appears that currently the Lord Jesus Christ is no more just standing and knocking but penetrating his Church to do his will. It is thus important that we all look out for his next move and follow him. For the church to listen to him, the following suggestions are put forward for consideration.

Every church will have to realize that no church tradition is indispensable and that any group that seeks to stand in the way of the Lord is often set aside and another used. Indeed our God is able to ask ‘stones’ to praise him if persons designated for such purpose refuse to do so.

Denominations may need to set aside their ‘pride’ and doctrinal formulations which divide the Christian community and strengthen those parts that unite the body of Christ. Generally, the issues and doctrines that divide Christians are the non-essentials and must not be allowed to stand in the way of the move of the spirit.

Pentecostals everywhere need to acknowledge that indeed God is using the ‘different tongues’ to glorify his name. The Pentecostal theologian Amos Yong shares some insights from the Pentecost event in Acts 2, which can be paraphrased to give us a good conclusion. Equating the many tongues at Pentecost to the diverse cultures and subsequently the different religious traditions of the Mediterranean region, he explained that the outpouring of the Spirit did not negate the cultures. Instead, it enabled each of the traditions to testify of the goodness of God in their own special way. Thus, just as God was able to use each of the diverse languages to his glory, so is he able to redeem the diverse traditions of the world to his glory through his Spirit. He, however, cautions that to be faithful and successful, the ‘tongues’ should be heard on their own terms. He further counsels that Pentecostals can employ this principle and apply it in its attempt to establish what I called ‘Christian unity’. Yong adds that in analysing the other people’s traditions, ‘hermeneutic charity’, which means seeking to empathize with the other traditions from their own perspective, should be utilized. ⁴⁷