Learning from Pentecostalism

While the Baptists and Presbyterians were embattled in the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy, the fire of modern Pentecostalism began to burn wildly on the west coast. In 1906 at an abandoned Methodist Church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles a birth took place, the birth of a new movement. The Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission on Azusa Street, led by black pastor William J. Seymour, grew from a local sensation into a world wide phenomenon. Among the various emphases of the new movement were the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, the special sign of tongues, and a strong emphasis upon the gift of healing. Eventually, in 1914, the Assemblies of God denomination emerged.

In a time when main line denominations avoided Black and Women's issues, this new church granted full participation of women, and blacks joined equally with whites in the meetings. Today, many Baptists are quick to condemn this movement as total emotionalism. Yet, Baptists could learn from this group in many areas. Women deserve an important place in the ministry of the church, not just in the W.M.U. And indeed, the color of skin has no bearing upon the freedom in Christ granted to all believers. Finally, we could every once and a while loosen up and celebrate our faith. These may be trivial, but they have helped make Pentecostalism the fastest growing movement in the Christian world. Maybe it could help to observe and learn, rather than blindly condemn.