White Trinitarian Pentecostals

★626★

American Indian Evangelical Church

Current address not obtained for this edition.

During the early twentieth century, conditions forced many American Indians into the cities. By 1945, 8,000 had settled in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. In that year a group of Indians organized the American Indian Mission. In 1956, the Mission became the American Indian Evangelical Church, and Iver C. Grover (a Chippewa) was elected president. He was joined by seven others. In 1959, a committee on ordination was appointed to facilitate the development of an Indian ordained ministry, and four men were ordained.

Doctrine is in line with fundamental evangelicalism. The doctrinal statement of the church begins with the Apostles' Creed and moves on to affirm the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, and the conscious suffering of the wicked. Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are practiced. The polity is congregational, but the pastor is viewed as the spiritual overseer of the congregation.

Membership: Not reported.

★627★

Anchor Bay Evangelistic Association

PO Box 406
Maryville, IL 62062

Roy John Turner and his wife Blanche A. Turner became Pentecostals in 1916. Dr. Turner was a medical doctor and his wife a nurse, and they continued to function as medical professionals while leading prayer meetings. Following a revival campaign in 1918 by evangelist, Mrs. M. B. Woodworth-Etter, a church was formed in New Baltimore. In 1923, Dr. Turner was ordained and became pastor of the congregation. The old opera house in New Baltimore, Michigan, was purchased and remodeled as Bethel Temple. From 1938 to 1940, Turner served as an executive with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, the congregation in New Baltimore remained independent. Finally, in 1940, the Turners left the Foursquare Gospel and the Anchor Bay Evangelistic Association was formed and incorporated. After the Turners' deaths, they were succeeded by their daughter, Lucy Evelyn Turner.

The doctrine of the Anchor Bay Evangelistic Association is like that of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Mission work is conducted in Belize, Turkey, the Philippines, South India, West Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico. The church is a member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Anchor Bay Institute, New Baltimore, Michigan.

★628★

Apostolic Church

142 N. 17th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Alternate Address: California headquarters: 10841 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92640; Canadian headquarters: 27 Castlefield Ave., Toronto, On, Canada M4H 1G3.

The Apostolic Church grew out of the Apostolic Faith Church founded in England in 1908 by W. O. Hutchinson. The Apostolic Faith Church was one of the first Pentecostal bodies in England, and it had roots both in the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, and the Welsh Revival led by Evan Roberts that began in 1904. Distinctive of the Apostolic Faith Church was to give precedence to the Holy Spirit in everything, and an accompanying belief that one of the primary purposes for the exercise of spiritual gifts is to bring a revelation from God, through either prophecy or speakingin-tongues and the interpretation. Prophecy could then be used in matters such as the selection of church officers and the making of various decisions. To some people, the practice produced only fanaticism and intolerable excesses. Thus the Rev. Daniel Powell Williams led a group of members out of the Apostolic Faith Church to found what in 1916 became the Apostolic Church. From its headquarters in Wales, within a decade it had circled the globe, especially in British colonial lands.

The church came to North America in 1924 when a church was founded in Canada. From that original congregation, churches have been formed in Pennsylvania and California, which operate as two separate districts. The Canadian churches support missions in Brazil, Barbados, and Jamaica, but the North American churches remain part of the worldwide church headquartered in Wales.

Membership: Not reported.

★629★

Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada, Inc. (ACOP)

119-2341 Pegasus Way NE
Calgary, AB, Canada T27 8M5

The Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada was founded in 1921 by evangelist Franklin Small (1873¿?). As a young man, Small had been healed by the prayer of a visiting clergyman. Several years later, in Winnipeg, he heard Rev. A. H. Argue preach. Argue had just returned from Chicago where he had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Eventually Small was also baptized. In 1912, when Argue left for Los Angeles, Small took over his pulpit. Small went to Los Angeles in 1913 and was present at the famous camp meeting at Arreyo Seco at which the controversy over baptism in the name of Jesus (rather than the trinitarian formula of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) emerged. Initially unimpressed with the new teaching, Small did not consider and accept it until later that year when he heard R. E. McAleister preach the "Jesus Only" doctrine at a convention in Winnipeg. Two years later he was finally baptized in that manner.

In 1921 a conference was called by a number of those associated with the movement of the great Pentecostal revival, to establish an identity for fellowship and ministry. As a result of theological differences concerning the doctrine of the Godhead between the early leaders of the Pentecostal movement, Frank Small formed the Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada, with headquarters in Winnipeg. Small was elected as the first moderator.

In 1953 the Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada, Inc., and the Evangelical Churches of Pentecost, together with their colleges, amalgamated under the name of Apostolic Church of Pentecost. Amalgamation brought about an emphasis on local church autonomy and the Grace of God. The doctrinal statement of faith was changed to reflect the nature of ACOP in Canada, and conferences were held to debate such issues as oneness/trinity, Premillennialism, A-millennialism, and church government.

ACOP affirms the belief in the verbal Inspiration of the Bible, the Grace of God, Water Baptism by immersion, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the personal return of Jesus Christ for his church. The church exists to assist ministers, local churches, missionaries, and other evangelistic ministers at home and abroad. There is a strong belief in the autonomy of the local church along with a firm belief in accountability to leadership in the organization. ACOP recognizes the whole Body of Christ and that God has called its members to work together with those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior. ACOP has been primarily a force in Western Canada but has been growing in Central and Eastern Canada, with one of its largest districts in Atlantic Canada.

Membership: In 2002 ACOP reported approximately 24,000 members in Canada, with 450 ministers and 153 churches. A sister organization, Apostolic Church of Pentecost of the USA has begun to establish churches in the United States.

Educational Facilities: Full Gospel Bible Institute, Eston, Saskatchewan, Canada.

★630★

Apostolic Faith (Kansas)

1009 Lincoln Ave.
Baxter Springs, KS 66713

In 1898, the Rev. Charles Parham (1873-1929) left the Methodist Episcopal Church and established a home for divine healing in Topeka, Kansas. That same year he began to publish a periodical, Apostolic Faith, and two years later opened Bethel Bible College. It was at Bethel that Agnes Ozman had the initial experience of speaking in tongues, an event from which the modern Pentecostal movement is dated. After Mrs. Ozman's experience and its acceptance by others, Parham began to spread the word of modern Pentecostalism in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. In 1905, he established a Bible school in Houston, Texas. Among those who attended was William J. Seymour, a black holiness preacher affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), who related the experience at Azusa Street, Los Angeles, California.

Parham is hardly mentioned in pentecostal history after 1906. The split between he and the emerging leadership of the movement began toward the end of that year when he arrived in Los Angeles to observe firsthand the revival about which he had read. He did not like what he saw. He felt that the revival had taken on elements of fanaticism and was quick in his words of reproof. The disagreement led to his immediate split with Seymour and the leaders of the revival in southern California. Then early in 1907 he also resigned his role as "Projector of the Apostolic Faith Movement," as a means of opposing the spirit of leadership and the attempts to organize the movement.

Returning to the East and Midwest, he took up his ministry and continued to preach. However, he was soon faced with accusations of scandalous personal behavior which further ruined his reputation within the movement. Though he remained active until his death, his efforts were cut off from the movement as a whole. Those who received his ministry were eventually consolidated in a very loose fellowship centered on Baxter Springs, Kansas. The Apostolic Faith was not incorporated until 1976. No membership records have ever been kept, but there is a directory of churches and ministers.

In 1950, Baxter Springs also became the permanent site chosen for the group's Bible college. Following Parham's direction, the college charges no tuition, but operates on a freewill offering plan. No salary is paid to the faculty, who are also supported by freewill offerings.

Beliefs of the Apostolic Faith are similar to those of the Assemblies of God, and include a strong emphasis on spiritual healing. Footwashing, baptism, and the Lord's Supper are observed as ordinances. No collections are taken, the ministry being supported by tithes. Organization is informal and congregational. There is a seven-person board of trustees which oversees the Bible college.

Membership: No membership records are kept by the Apostolic Faith. These are an estimated 10,000 adherents. In 1988 there were 100 churches and 118 ministers.

Educational Facilities: Apostolic Faith Bible College, Baxter Springs, Kansas.

Periodicals: Apostolic Faith Report. Send orders to Box 653, Baxter Springs, KS 66713.

★631★

Association of Vineyard Churches

PO Box 2089
Stafford, TX 77497

The Association of Vineyard Churches was formed in 1986 but dates to an earlier Bible study group in Yorba Linda, California, formed in 1978 by John Wimber (d. 1997). The original group of approximately 150 affiliated with Calvary Chapel Church, an evangelical church in Costa Mesa, California, which had developed a number of affiliates throughout the United States. After a brief period of association, Wimber felt that his work, which included an emphasis upon the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit to all age groups, was distinct from that of Calvary Chapel.

Closely approaching Wimber's perspective was the Vineyard Christian Fellowship, a congregation which had originated from a Bible study group formed by Kenn Gullikson in 1974. In 1982 Wimber changed his congregation's name to Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Yorba Linda. The following year he moved it to Anaheim, California, and within a short time over 4,000 were attending Sunday services. By 1992 over 6,000 attended regularly. Several other congregations merged with the two Vineyard fellowships, and Vineyard Ministries International was created to direct the outreach of the movement (John Wimber's international and interdenominational outreach). Wimber became the object of much media attention, especially after his being asked to teach a course at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, concerning divine healing. In the wake of the publicity, the movement grew rapidly as both independent pastors and congregations, at first mostly in southern California, affiliated. However, the movement lacked a structure to deal with the increased size and geographic spread of the movement. The church needed a means to ordain pastors and credential churches and ministers. In 1986 leaders in the movement organized the Association of Vineyard Churches.

The churches affiliated with the association are Evangelical in Theology, with a distinct emphasis upon the ministry of the gifts of the Spirit and a strong focus on church growth and evangelism. Regional Overseers and Area Pastoral Coordinators, designated from among the ministers who are leading stable Vineyard congregations, oversee its church government. It is their task to guide emerging fellowships and to foster a collegiate relationship between the churches in the association. Berten Wayyine now serves as the national director of the Association of Vineyard Churches.

Membership: Not reported.

★632★

Bethel Temple

2033 Second Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121

The Bethel Temple was formed in 1914 as the first Pentecostal congregation in the state of Washington. Its doctrine is like that of the Assemblies of God. Loosely affiliated with the temple are eight congregations, seven in the state of Washington, and one in Alaska. There are also 10 congregations in Holland and missions are conducted in Japan and Indonesia. The Indonesian Pentecostal churches, the Gereja Pantekosta de Indonesia, look to Bethel Temple as their founder. A Bible school opened in 1952 was discontinued in 1987.

Membership: In 1987 there were approximately 300 members in eight congregations in the United States.

Periodicals: Pentecostal Power.

★633★

Bible Church of Christ

1358 Morris Ave.
Bronx, NY 10456

The Bible Church of Christ is a small Pentecostal body founded on March 1, 1961, by Bishop Roy Bryant, Sr. The church is trinitarian and accepts the authority of the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Members receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and deliverance and miracles of healing are frequently experienced. Congregations are reported in the West Indies, India, and Africa.

Membership: In 1993 the church reported 3,768 members, six churches, and 52 ministers. Congregations are located in New York, Delaware, and North Carolina.

Periodicals: The Voice.

★634★

California Evangelistic Association

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The California Evangelistic Association began in 1933 (incorporated, 1934) as the Colonial Tabernacle of Long Beach, California. The tabernacle had been established by Oscar C. Harms, a former pastor in the Advent Christian Church. Additional assemblies became associated with it, and in 1939, it assumed its present name. It is in essential doctrinal agreement with the Assemblies of God, except that it is amillennial. Polity of the Association is congregational, with affiliated congregations remaining autonomous. Churches are found along the West Coast. The California Evangelistic Association supports missionaries in Italy, Zambia, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

Membership: Not reported. In the 1970s there were 62 associated congregations and approximately 4,700 members.

★635★

Calvary Chapel

3800 S. Fairview Rd.
Santa Ana, CA 92704

In 1965, Chuck Smith, an independent minister, who was the pastor of a fairly large and growing congregation in Corona, California, accepted a call to pastor a very small congregation (25 adults), Calvary Chapel, in Costa Mesa, California. At that particular time, many "hippies" populated the ocean front near Costa Mesa. His outreach to these people lead to the conversion of thousands of young people. He instituted a series of discipleship homes where they received training. Services were held every night of the week at a small building in Costa Mesa. This church became known as a center of the "Jesus People Revival" that moved across the United States in the early 1970s. As membership and fame grew, other Calvary Churches began to be established in different communities and individuals who had visited the church began congregations model that follow the Calvary. At present there are more than 1,000 Calvary Chapel Churches worldwide with several of the congregations numbering some 10,000 members.

A simple statement of belief has been developed that emphasizes the nondenominational character of Calvary Chapel. The church refuses to overemphasize those doctrinal differences that have divided Christians in the past. Agape (God's Divine Love) is held as the only true basis of Christian fellowship. Emphasis is placed upon a "verse by verse" expository type of biblical teaching. The church believes in the validity of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for today, but there is no emphasis placed upon speaking-intongues as the necessary sign of baptism of the Holy Spirit. Prophesy in the scripture is one of the focal points and many of Pastor Smith's books that relate the expectation of seeing some of the predicted events take place in this generation.

Calvary Chapel has developed a variety of outreach ministries. The most notable is "The Word For Today," which includes cassettes, video tapes, books, and other literature, radio shows, and other communicative sources for teaching the Bible.

Calvary Chapel has established a network of satellite radio stations throughout the United States known as CSN, they number over 400 at the present time. The stations feature worship music and Bible studies by a variety of ministers. The Bible College, with the main campus at Murrieta Hot Springs, has extension campuses throughout the U.S. and overseas in York, England, Millstat, Austria, Kiev, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Lima, Peru, and the Philippines, with a present enrollment of 5,000 students. Calvary Chapel presently has more than 25,000 families recorded on its rolls. It operates two conference centers and a state of the art youth camp.

Membership: The present membership of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa is well over 20,000 formal members with more than 35,000 constituents who claim Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa as their home church.

Educational Facilities: Day School, (K-12), Costa Mesa, CA.

Calvary Bible College, Murrieta, California.
Calvary Chapel School of Ministry, Costa Mesa, California.

★636★

Calvary Ministries, Inc., International

Box 365
4450 N 50W
Angola, IN 46703

Calvary Ministries, Inc., International (CMI) was founded in 1971 as an umbrella organization for those congregations and ministries developed from the work of Calvary Temple, an independent Pentecostal church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Calvary Temple was begun in 1956 by Dr. Paul E. Paino, a graduate of the Assemblies of Gods Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri. Under his leadership, CMI's membership grew to 5,000. In 1978 a new building complex was erected to house the expanding program.

In 1969 six men approached Paino for training in the ministry and ordination. The next year several more came for the same reason. In 1972 a more permanent means of training was established with the Christian Training Center and the Paul and Timothy Internship program. Among the early graduates of the center were those ready to begin pastoral ministry and plant new congregations. In part, Calvary Ministries, Inc., International was created to facilitate these students' ordinations and credentialing as well as provide structure for the planting and establishing of new congregations.

CMI follows a blending of episcopal and presbyterian polity with each member church completely selfgoverning and autonomous.

During the early years of the Jesus People Revival–a national interdenominational revival movement among young adults that began on the west coast in the late 1960s–the church in Fort Wayne sponsored a Jesus People coffee house ministry called Adams Apple. The Apple produced quality music ministry among whom were Nancy Honeytree, Petra, and Jeoff Benward. In addition, a number of CMIs early church planters came from the ranks of Adams Apple members. The Apple no longer exists, but, in its place are several thriving youth ministries around the tri-state area.

Calvary Ministries statement of faith is very close to that of the Assemblies of God, from which Paino came, and differs only in that it does not include the additional statements on ministry adopted by the Assemblies of God in 1969.

CMI has now expanded from Indiana to 15 other states. Regional offices now exist in New Castle, Pennsylvania (Northeast); Dayton, Ohio (Ohio Valley); Fort Wayne, Indiana (Great Lakes); and Clearwater, Florida (Southeast). In 1991 CMI departmentalized in order to facilitate the membership, offering Home, Training and Development, Missions, and Camp (Oakhill) departments, with full-time directors in the Home and Training departments. Oakhill Conference and Retreat Center in Angola, Indiana, situated on a 220-acre site, houses the four departments of CMI as well as hosting summer camps for all ages, spring and fall retreats, and other year-round conferences for CMI and other denominational and non-denominational groups.

Membership: In 1997 CMI reported more than 124 affiliated congregations and 250 ministers in the United States, Japan, South Africa, United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, and the Dominican Republic.

Educational Facilities: Christian Training Center, Fort Wayne Indiana; Clearwater, Florida; Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Periodicals: Together.

★637★

Calvary Pentecostal Church

(Defunct)

The Calvary Pentecostal Church was formed in 1931 by a group of Pentecostal ministers in the northwestern United States who were dissatisfied by what they regarded as "a sad departure from the entire dependence on the power of God that had brought the Pentecostal revival." They formed a ministerial fellowship in Olympia, Washington, which was the following year named the Calvary Pentecostal Church. What was originally intended as an interdenominational fellowship became a denomination as churches began to affiliate.

The doctrine was like that of the Assemblies of God. Healing was emphasized. Adult baptism by immersion was practiced, but when parents requested it, infants were dedicated to God (not baptized). The literal second coming was awaited. The church was governed in a loose presbyterial system headed by a presbyterial board and the general superintendent. A general meeting of all ministers and local church delegates was held annually. The local churches were governed by the minister, elders, and deacons. The church supported a home for the aged in Seattle and foreign work in Brazil and India.

By the early 1970s, there were 22 churches and 8,000 members, however, internal problems disrupted the church and led to its disbanding.

★638★

Christ Gospel Churches International

Oakwood Dr.
Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Christ Gospel Churches International is a conservative Pentecostal association founded in the 1950s by Rev. B. R. Hicks. It shares its major beliefs with other Pentecostal bodies especially as they are set forth in the Apostles' Creed. The churches teach the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Worship is celebrative with members singing, shouting, dancing, and worshipping in an exuberant manner.

The uniqueness of the church lies not so much in its core teachings as in the way that Hicks tied together the spiritual themes and Biblical principles. Hicks believed that the Old Testament tabernacle was laid out in the form of a cross and that it serves as a metaphor useful by Christians in their spiritual experience as they grow to maturity in Christ. In addition, Hicks authored and published more than a hundred books and booklets that laid out his teachings on the Old Testament tabernacle and other themes.

Church members are taught to follow standards of holiness. These include the admonition for women not to wear makeup nor cut their hair. Everyone dresses modestly. While holding a Biblecentered belief and conservative behavior standards, the churches do not believe that they are the only Christian group attaining salvation and teach that "Christians everywhere should rejoice whenever the name of Christ is upheld." Believing that people being united in the love of Christ is of great importance, the churches came early to the idea of racially integrated congregations.

The churches support a radio broadcast ministry.

Membership: Not reported. More than 70 congregations are affiliated with Christ Gospel in the United States. Christ India has more than 400 Christ Gospel congregations. There are also affiliated churches in New Zealand, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, South Africa, England, Germany, Japan, and Mexico.

★640★

Congregational Bible Churches International

PO Box 165
Hutchinson, KS 67501

Congregational Bible Churches International is a full gospel pentecostal body founded in 1977 by the merger of the Way Open Door Church and the Independent Holiness Church. Formerly known as the Congregational Bible Holiness Church, it adopted its present name in 1988. The Independent Holiness Church began in 1922. The Way Open Door Church–formerly affiliated with the General Council of Congregational Christian Churches– included congregations that had severed ties with that organization when it merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to become the United Church of Christ. Dr. M. L. Webber, president of the Open Door Church at the time of the 1977 merger, has continued to serve as international president of the Congregational Bible Churches since its formation.

The Churches' doctrine is similar to that of the Assemblies of God and asserts a faith in the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the sanctification of Christians by the Holy Spirit. Members believe in the future rapture of the church, in which Christians will be taken from the earth before the period of Great Tribulation, and the eventual resurrection of all to heaven or eternal punishment.

The church is headed by a national and an international board over which the president of the church sits as chairman.

Membership: In 1990 the church had approximately 100,000 members in 500 churches worldwide, of which 10,000 members and 60 churches served by 100 ministers were in the United States. Missionary work is pursued in Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Singapore, India, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia.

Periodicals: Congregational Bible Revival News.

★641★

Elim Fellowship

7245 College St.
Lima, NY 14485

In 1924, the Rev. and Mrs. Ivan Q. Spencer opened a pentecostal Bible institute in Endicott, New York, to train young men and women for full-time revival ministry. Graduates of the Elim Bible Institute formed the Elim Ministerial Fellowship in 1932, which eventually became the Elim Fellowship in 1972. In 1951, the school moved to Lima, New York, where it occupies the campus of the former Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded in the nineteenth century by the Methodist Church.

The doctrine of the Fellowship is similar to that of the Assemblies of God, with a strong emphasis upon the Holy Spirit-filled and sanctified life of the believer. Spencer was strongly affected by the Latter Rain revival which began in Canada in 1948. He and others brought the revival to the school, publicized it in the Elim Herald, and took a leadership role in spreading the renewed emphasis upon the gifts of the Spirit being poured out on God's people in the last days.

The fellowship is governed congregationally. An annual meeting is held each spring at Lima. Elim Fellowship-sponsored missionaries are currently at work around the world, on all continents. The founder's son, I. Carlton Spencer succeeded his father in the leadership of the fellowship, overseeing it from 1947 to 1985. Rev. Bernard Evans is the current general chairman. The fellowship holds membership in the Pentecostal and the Charismatic Churches of North America, and on the North American Renewal Service Committee.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Elim Bible Institute, Lima, New York.

Nairobi Pentecostal Bible College, Nairobi, Kenya.

Periodicals: Elim Herald.• The Elim Bell Tower.

★642★

Fellowship of Christian Assemblies (FCA)

℅ Henry Jauhiainen, Chair, Heritage Committee
520 N. 34th Ave. E.
Duluth, MN 55804

The Fellowship of Christian Assemblies (FCA) began in 1922 as an unincorporated association of evangelical Pentecostal churches, when three small Scandinavian-oriented groups joined ranks under the banner Independent Assemblies of God. The current name was adopted in 1973.

Several of the founding key figures had Scandinavian Baptist heritage, with its strong stress on local church autonomy and voluntary inter-church cooperation. The first period of IAG/FCA history emphasized autonomy, with conferences and other interchurch ministries spearheaded by area "leadership churches." Its more recent history has seen a steady quest for intentional, cooperative ministries planned and led on a broad associational basis.

The fellowship was incorporated in 2001. Its present process includes national and regional committees, with emphases in the areas of Missions, Ministry, and Congregational Life. Initiatives may arise locally (area clusters), regionally, or nationally. Extensive information flow is emphasized. A national coordinator serves an information and motivation channel.

National Conferences, which include the FCA of Canada, are planned by annually selected committees. Fellowship Press, a society with membership open to any FCA congregation, publishes the monthly FCA Leadership, FCA church bulletin inserts, and other informational material.

Regional conferences and area ministerial clusters give attention to mutual concerns and projects. New ministers and churches seeking formal recognition in the fellowship directory generally develop contacts with area FCA churches and pastors, leading to recommendation by two currently listed pastors (the "Barnabas Plan"). Ministers and missionaries are credentialed by their local churches.

Membership: In 2002 the fellowship listed approximately 110 churches in the United States and 90 in Canada. A number of churches cooperating with the FCA are unlisted. Listed ministers and missionaries include about 215 in the United States and 280 in Canada. Churches of FCA/USA and Canada support missionary work in approximately 70 countries.

Educational Facilities: Christian Life College, Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Seattle Bible College, Seattle, Washington.
Southwest Bible College, Moreno Valley, California.
Living Faith Bible College, Caroline, Alberta, Canada.

Periodicals: FCA Leadership.

★643★

Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International

PO Box 2165
Reidsville, GA 30453

The Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International is an association of Pentecostal/charismatic churches formed in the late 1980s. Member churches are located primarily in Georgia and neighboring states.

The fellowship emphasizes the autonomy of the local church, though member churches agree to a statement of doctrine that is in agreement with mainline trinitarian Pentecostalism. It affirms that the baptism in the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues is for all believers, that a believer can be baptized contemporaneous with regeneration or any time subsequent to a regenerating experience, and that the baptism experience is separate and distinct from regeneration. In addition, the fellowship expects that the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12), especially divine healing, will operate today as in ancient times. The fellowship expects members to tithe, and to live a life separated from the world in behavior standards.

It is primarily for the association of independent ministers and churches, but provides charters for congregations and credentials for ministers. The fellowship does not license or ordain–actions left to the local churches–but it does recognize such status for ministerial members, and issues annual credentials to all ministerial members in good standing.

The group is led by its executive board that includes the fellowship's founders and its officers. The board is elected at the fellowship's annual meeting. The executive board and several presbyters (elders who serve as district coordinators) constitute the Presbytery.

Membership: Not reported. In 2002 there were 24 congregations associated with the fellowship. There are also two African congregations, one in Zimbabwe and one in South Africa.

★644★

Filipino Assemblies of the First Born

1229 Glenwood
Delano, CA 93215

The Filipino Assemblies of the First Born was founded at Stockton, California, by the Rev. Julian Barnabe, an immigrant to the United States. The organization took place at a convention which met June 26 to July 4, 1933. Headquarters was established in Fresno and moved to San Francisco in 1942 and to Delano, California, in 1943. Doctrine and practice are like those of the Assemblies of God; the group is primarily an ethnic church with preaching often done in the Filipino language.

Membership: Not reported. In 1969 there were 15 churches in California and 17 in Hawaii.

★645★

Free Gospel Church

℅ Chester H. Heath
Box 477
Export, PA 15632

The Free Gospel Church was founded in 1916 as the United Free Gospel and Missionary Society by two brothers, the Reverends Frank Casley and William Casley. It adopted its present name in 1958. An early emphasis upon missions led to initial efforts in Guatemala, though the work was lost to the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and China, closed after the communists come to power in 1948. In doctrine, it is similar to the Assemblies of God. Missions are conducted in Sierra Leone, India, and the Philippines.

Membership: Not reported. In the early 1970s there were approximately 25 churches and 2,000 members.

Educational Facilities: Free Gospel Institute, Export, Pennsylvania.

Free Gospel Bible Institute, The Philippines.
Free Gospel Bible Institute, Sierra Leone.

★646★

Full Gospel Evangelistic Association

PO Box 1122
Cleveland, TN 77327-0122

In the late 1940s a controversy developed in the Apostolic Faith Church over issues of taking offerings in church, visiting churches not in fellowship, foreign mission work, and using doctors. Some who supported these activities formed the Ministerial and Missionary Alliance of the Original Trinity Apostolic Faith, Inc., for which they were disfellowshipped. In 1952, they formed the Full Gospel Evangelistic Association. Except for the points at issue, the doctrine is like that of the Apostolic Faith.

Headquarters, established at Kuty, Texas, were moved to Webb City, Missouri, in 1967. The association supports missions in Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and Taiwan. Annual camp meetings are held in Oklahoma and Texas.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Midwest Bible Institute, Houston, Texas.

Periodicals: Full Gospel News.

★647★

Full Gospel Truth, Inc.

613 4th St.
East Jordan, MI 49727

Full Gospel Truth, Inc., is a Pentecostal church founded in 1951 in Michigan by Harley R. Barber, a Pentecostal minister. Full Gospel Truth was formed after Barber withdrew from his previous denominational affiliation. It quickly spread to neighboring states and by the mid-1950s was functioning in California.

Full Gospel Truth is a Trinitarian Pentecostal church whose doctrine is very similar to that of the Assemblies of God. It teaches the practice of baptism by immersion, footwashing, divine healing, and tithing. It advises members to become conscientious objectors to war. It teaches that persons of both sexes should have the privilege of ministering to the fullest, except in those areas of church life that call for the exercise of authority. Women should not exercise authority over men. The church expects the imminent return of Christ.

The church follows what it sees as a biblical organization following Rom. 12:4, Eph. 4:11, and I Cor. 12:28. It thus recognizes seven offices to be filled: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, governments, and helps. Nationally the church is organized theocratically under the guidance of a national superintendent. The national officers meet annually in conference.

Membership: Not reported.

Periodicals: Yours and Mine Share Paper.

★648★

General Assemblies and Church of the First Born

200 N. Lawrence Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832

The General Assembly and Church of the First Born, formed in 1907, is a small Pentecostal body without church headquarters or paid clergy. It has about 30 congregations across the country. Congregations are concentrated in Oklahoma and California, with individual congregations at Montrose and Pleasant View, Colorado, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Members believe in the Trinity, deny original sin, believing that we will be punished only for our own sin, and assert that man can be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. There are four ordinances– faith in Jesus Christ, repentence, baptism by immersion, and laying-on-of-hands for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The group makes use of all of the gifts of the Spirit and holds the Lord's Supper in conjunction with footwashing, but does not seek the help of doctors.

Elders oversee the local congregations, which are organized very informally. Some elders are ordained and serve as preachers. No membership rolls are kept. The Indianapolis church has published a hymnal. There is an annual campmeeting in Oklahoma each summer.

Membership: Not reported.

Remarks: In 1976 the Church of the First Born was involved in a controversy following the death of a member's child after medical treatment was withheld. A district court in Oklahoma made a second child a ward of the court, ruling that the state had a right to intervene when religious beliefs might lead to harm of a minor.

★649★

General Council of Christian Church of North America

Rte. 18 & Rutledge Rd.
Box 141-A, R.D. 1
Transfer, PA 16154

The Christian Church of North America traces it origins to the spread of the revival that started at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles and moved to Chicago in 1907. There it found some response in the Italian community, and among those who began a ministry soon afterward were some who gathered in 1927 in Niagara, New York, to formally organize the Christian Church of North America. The church places evangelism and especially mission work (including efforts to evangelize its homeland) as its top priority, a fact that is vividly illustrated in its finally incorporating in 1948 as "The Missionary Society of the Christian Church of North America."

By 1963, in recognition that the original movement had transcended its roots representing a single ethnic group and had become a multiethnic church, the movement was renamed, as the "General Council" of the Christian Church of North America. The church resembles the Assemblies of God in its doctrinal stance.

Membership: Not reported. In 1998, it had work in more than 40 countries of the world.

Periodicals: Vista.

★650★

General Council of the Assemblies of God

1445 Boonville Ave.
Springfield, MO 65802

The General Council of the Assemblies of God was formed in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in April 1914 at a convention of Pentecostal ministers and churches. The poeple came together to adopt a common body of doctrinal standards and to consolidate missionary, ministerial, educational, and publishing efforts. The Word and Witness, edited by E. N. Bell, was the first official periodical of the denomination; a forerunner of today's weekly Pentecostal Evangel.

The church's governmental structure is congregational on the local church level and presbyterial at the national level, where the General Council has centralized control over missionary, educational, ministerial, and publishing concerns. A 17-member Executive Presbytery serves as the church's board of directors and meets every other month. The church has over 1,800 missionaries serving in 186 nations of the world. At home, the Division of Home Missions oversees ministries to intercultural groups, military personnel, secular college campuses, Teen Challenge (a program for those with life-controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol), and the opening of new churches. The Gospel Publishing House, the printing arm of the church, is one of the major publishers of Christian literature in the United States.

The church's cardinal doctrines include the Bible as the Word of God, the fall of humanity, and God's provision of salvation only through the death of His Son Jesus Christ, water baptism by immersion, divine healing, and the imminent return of Jesus for those who have accepted Him as Savior. The church's distinctive doctrine is the belief in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, an experience following salvation which is accomplished by speaking in other languages. The Assemblies of God has more than 2 1/2 million members and adherents in the United States and over 40 million worldwide.

The assemblies is in fellowship with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. It is a member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America and cooperates with the Pentecostal World Conference.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, Missouri.

American Indian College of the Assemblies of God, Phoenix, Arizona.
Berean University of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri.
Bethany College of the Assemblies of God, Scotts Valley, California.
Central Bible College, Springfield, Missouri.
Central Indian Bible College, Mobridge, South Dakota.
Evangel College, Springfield, Missouri.
Latin American Bible Institute, San Antonio, Texas.
Latin American Bible Institute of California, La Puente, California.
North Central Bible College, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Northwest College of the Assemblies of God, Kirkland, Washington.
Southeastern College of the Assemblies of God, Lakeland, Florida.
Southern California College, Costa Mesa, California.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Waxahachie, Texas.
Trinity Bible College, Ellendale, North Dakota.
Valley Forge Christian College, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
Western Bible Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.

Periodicals: Pentecostal Evangel. • Assemblies of God Heritage. • Enrichment Journal Christian Education Counselor.

★651★

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

1910 W. Sunset Blvd., Ste. 200
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Alternate Address: Canadian headquarters: Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada, 7895 Welsley Dr., Burnaby, BC V5E 3X4.

History. The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was founded by Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944), the flamboyant and controversial pastor of Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, California. Aimee's mother, a member of the Salvation Army, had promised God to dedicate her daughter to the ministry. At the age of 17, the teenage Aimee was converted, baptized with the Holy Spirit, and soon married to evangelist Robert James Semple. In 1910, the couple traveled to China as missionaries, and while serving there, Robert Semple died of malaria, just one month before the birth of their daughter, Roberta. With her daughter, Aimee returned to the United States where she later married Harold S. McPherson and to them was born a son, Rolf Kennedy McPherson. Together the McPhersons began to conduct independent itinerant pentecostal evangelistic meetings. Following her divorce from McPherson, Aimee continued the ministry which had already begun. In 1917, she began a periodical, Bridal Call, which served her ministry for many years.

Unsupported and berated by other ministers who did not believe in women speaking from a pulpit, Aimee won success through her oratorical abilities, her charisma, her expounding the teaching of the Foursquare Gospel, and her use of unusual and heretofore untried methods which brought widespread publicity. During her early ministry, she spent much time with T. K. Leonard and William H. Durham, both early pentecostal leaders. In 1918, Aimee settled in Los Angeles and with the help of those who had responded to her ministry, built and dedicated Angelus Temple in 1923. Throughout the remainder of her ministry, the temple became the focus of numerous spiritual extravaganzas, including religious drama, illustrated messages, and oratorios, which brought Sister Aimee, as she was affectionately called, a reputation for the unconventional. In 1926, Aimee disappeared for more than a month and upon her return, she said that she had been kidnapped. A major controversy developed, with critics claiming that she had disappeared of her own volition, yet no proof was substantiated to disprove her claim.

An evangelistic and training institute was opened even before the temple was dedicated and it began to educate leaders who went on to found numerous Foursquare churches. The creation of some 32 churches in southern California by 1921 spurred the formation of the Echo Park Evangelistic Association, and in 1927, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was incorporated. The church also built and began operation of KFSG, the third oldest radio station in Los Angeles. It currently operates 24 hours daily in southern California.

Work expanded to Canada; first to Vancouver and then eastward to Ontario. The Western Canada District was set off from the Northwest District in 1964. The Church of the Foursquare Gospel of Western Canada was established as a provincial society in 1976. A federal corporation was created in 1981 and the Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada emerged as a autonomous sister church.

Beliefs. The church has adopted a lengthy declaration of faith which affirms the authority of scripture and the traditional beliefs of protestant evangelical Christianity. There are two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is emphasized, but along with an equal emphasis upon the Spiritfilled life and the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. Tithing is acknowledged as the method ordained of God for the support of the ministry.

Organization. The organization of the church is vested in the president, a position held by Aimee until her death in 1944. She was succeeded by her son who held the post until his retirement in 1988. The fifth president is Dr. Paul C. Risser. A board of directors, which includes the president and other appointed or elected members, serves as the highest administrative body for the denomination's business affairs. The Foursquare cabinet and executive council advise the board of directors and the president. The convention body has the sole power to make or amend the bylaws of the "ICFG" in keeping with the Articles of Incorporation. The convention body is comprised of representatives from Foursquare Churches and the credentialed ministers of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Throughout the United States, the church is divided into 24 districts with each area overseen by a district supervisor.

Membership: In 2000, the church reported 242,616 members, 1,793 churches, and 5,644 ministers in the United States. The affiliated Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada reported 2,760 members, 51 churches, and 98 ministers. Worldwide membership in the church was approximately 3,402,307 million in 27,222 churches in 108 countries.

Educational Facilities: L.I.F.E. (Lighthouse of International Foursquare Evangelism) Bible College, Los Angeles, California.

L.I.F.E. Bible College East, Christiansberg, Virginia.

The Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada sponsors:

L.I.F.E. Bible College of Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia.
There are also more than 247 Bible colleges and institutes in foreign mission fields around the world.

Periodicals: The Foursquare World Advance Magazine.

★652★

Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada

6724 Fabre St.
Montreal, PQ, Canada H2G 2Z6

Italian Presbyterians were the first of the Italian-Canadians to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and experience speaking-intongues. Though some Italians in Chicago became Pentecostals as early as 1907 and began missionary work in the United States, the Canadian work had an entirely independent origin, beginning in 1913 in Hamilton, Ontario, with the ministry of a Christian-Jewish missionary named Cohen. In 1914, two of the men who had received the baptism, Charles Pavia and Frank Rispoli, took the experience to Toronto, where they visited door-to-door in the Italian community. By 1920, the fervor spread to Montreal and other Italian-Canadian communities. Among the early leaders of the movement were Luigi Ippolito and Ferdinand Zaffuto.

Upon his return to the United States, evangelist Cohen informed the Italian Pentecostals in Chicago of the Canadian group, and a delegation visited the Hamilton and Toronto churches. The doctrine and practice of the Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada is similiar to that of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, with whom they share fraternal relations. A missionary program is supported in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland.

Membership: In 1997, the church reported 23 congregations and 40 ministers in Canada. There were 5,000 members worldwide, of which approximately 3,300 were in Canada.

Educational Facilities: Eastern Pentecostal Bible College, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

Italian Bible Institute.

Periodicals: Voce Evanglica(Evangel Voice).

★653★

Lamb of God Church

612 Isenburg St.
Honolulu, HI 96817

The Lamb of God Church was founded in 1942 by Rev. RoseH. Kwan. It is a small church with its several congregations located on Oahu, and Nolokai, Hawaii. The faith and practice are Pentecostal. The churches primarily serve native Hawaiians.

Membership: In 1997 there were four congregations, seven minister, and approximately 300 members.

Educational Facilities: Lamb of God Bible School, Honolulu, Hawaii.

★654★

Logos Christian Fellowship

8839 CR 44 E.
Leesburg, FL 34748

In the Spring of 1989, Christopher Brian Ward (a hippie who had been saved at Calvary Chapel in Riverside, California) started a Bible study in his home in Leesburg, Florida. The following year it was incorporated as Calvary Chapel Leesburg. In May 1996, the congregation opened a webpage, http:/www.logoschristian.org, dedicated to deliverance (from demonic possession), hippies, and Ufologists. 1998, we changed our name to Logos Christian Fellowship of Leesburg. Following the 1999 purchase of new facilities, a Messianic congregation, Beth El Elyon under the leadership of Rabbi Joe Carpenter, moved into the building and shared use of the space on Saturday mornings.

The congregation anticipated that the every different web ministry might lead to a break with Calvary Chapel. Such finally came in February 2001, when Calvary Chapel ejected them from the fellowship. Founder Chuck Smith had become concerned about the ministry to ufologists.

However, Ward wished to continue his outreach to those who believed in UFOs and especially those who claimed abduction experiences. Since the break with Calvary Chapel, while continuing its main activity in Leesburg, Logos Christian Fellowship has launched a nationwide ministry directed toward the hippies, ufologists, needy, homeless, and spiritually oppressed people today. In April 2001, Brian Cronin and Ward wrote the Phat News of Mark, a Hippie Bible and Commentary Adapted from the Kings James Version. The distribution of copies in mass has become a major tool for reaching what is perceived to be the lost generation. Their ministry has taken them annually to the Rainbow Gatherings, a large national event held by the continuing counter culture community in the United States. The fellowship envisions the establishment of additional Logos centers with a laundry, food bank, clothing bank, and other services established in the various needy areas around the world.

Also, to pursue their ministry, the fellowship has offered to take under its shelter any parallel ministries and ordain people engaged in efforts to reach the people of the hippie culture. An initial ordination of 27 ministers occurred on March 5, 2000. These ministers came from locations across the United States. An application for ordination is now posted on the Logos website.

Doctrinally, the church continues as a charismatic fellowship, similar in doctrine to its parent body, as doctrine was not at issue in the split.

Membership: Not reported.

★655★

Mt. Zion Sanctuary

21 Dayton St.
Elizabeth, NJ 07202

The Mt. Zion Sanctuary was formed in 1882 by Mrs. Antoinette Jackson, a member of the Baptist Church. Rejecting the idea that she was suffering as an invalid for the glory of God, she sought healing by prayer and fasting, and was instantly cured on July 14,1880. She became blessed with the gifts of the Spirit, particularly healing, and others who were blessed by her ministry gathered around her.

Mt. Zion Sanctuary members believe in the Trinity as God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit who is the executive power of God. Humans find deliverance from sin and sickness in the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus. Believers are sanctified as they obey the truth. Baptism by immersion is practiced and the sabbath is kept. The church is considered to be the society of born-again believers who live a holy life. Church members believe in Christ's premillennial second coming, i.e., Christ will return to find Satan prior to His 1,000-year reign on earth with His saints.

Mrs. Jackson was succeeded by Pastor Ithamar Quigley, who was healed under her ministrations. The current President is Pastor Theodore Jordan.

Membership: In 1992 the sanctuary reported 100 members in two centers led by two ministers in the United States. Internationally, there were 10 churches in Nigeria and 11 in Jamaica. Two formerly affiliated congregations in England have become independent.

★656★

Music Square Church

PO Box 398
Alma, AK 72921

History. Music Square Church (also known as the Holy Alamo Christian Church Consecrated) began in 1969 as a street ministry in Hollywood, California, by Susan Alamo (born Edith Opal Horn)(d. 1982), an independent Pentecostal minister, and Tony Alamo (born Bernie Lazar Hoffman), her husband, whom she had converted. They began a ministry in Hollywood in the mid-1960s and opened a church there in 1969 where their first converts gathered. The church was originally known as the Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation, but in 1981 Music Square Church was incorporated and in 1982 superceded the foundation.

During its formative years, the church became known as one segment of the Jesus People movement, however, it remained separate organizationally. As much of the larger movement was incorporated into various Baptist and Pentecostal churches, it survived as an independent organization heavily committed to an evangelistic street ministry. In the early 1970s, the church became quite controversial and was heavily criticized because of the format its ministry had developed. Church members (associates of the foundation's ministry) generally worked the streets of Hollywood inviting potential converts to evening services at the church which had, by that time, been established at Saugus (a rural community approximately an hour's distance). The mostly young recruits were taken by bus to Saugus for an evangelistic meeting and meal. Many of those who did convert remained in Saugus to be taught the Bible and become lay ministers.

In 1976, as the foundation grew, it purchased land at Alma and Dyer, Arkansas, where Susan Alamo grew up and where it transferred its headquarters. There it developed a community of several hundred foundation associates and established printing facilities, a school, and a large tabernacle. As part of its rehabilitation program it began to develop several businesses in which associates (many of whom were former drug addicts) could begin a process of reintegration into society. As the organization expanded further, churches (evangelistic centers) were opened in cities around the country (including Nashville, Tennessee; Chicago, Illinois; Brooklyn, New York; Miami Beach, Florida.) Associated with the church in Nashville, a retail clothing store was opened.

Beliefs. Music Square Church is a Pentecostal church with doctrine similar to the Assemblies of God. It accepts the authority of the Bible (using only the King James Version) and places its emphasis upon the preaching of Jesus Christ as the son of the Living God who died for humanity. The church adheres to a strict moral code, and members condemn drugs, homosexuality, adultery, and abortions. Both Susan and Tony Alamo were Jewish and they developed a special interest in evangelism of Jews.

Organization. Music Square Church has developed as an ordered community of people dedicated to evangelism. Converts who wish to remain associated with the church (i.e., to receive its training and participate in its ministry) take a vow of poverty agreeing to turn over all their real property to the church. In return the church agrees to provide the necessities of life (housing, clothes, food, medical assistance), including the education of children through high school. The church is headed by a three-person board presided over by Tony Alamo, the church's pastor. Alamo and the board set the policy and direction for the ministry.

Approximately half of the associates of the church reside on church property near Alma. Others reside at the several church centers around the United States. The headquarters complex includes housing units for the associates, a Christian school for grades one through 12, a large community dining hall, and offices. Periodically associates are sent out on evangelistic tours around the United States, frequently using the established church centers as bases of operation. Services are held daily at each of the church centers and generally free meals are served.

The church publishes a variety of evangelistic tracts which are passed out in the street witnessing and are mailed around the country and to a number of foreign countries as requested. The church also distributes numerous tapes of sermons by former pastor Susan Alamo and present pastor Tony Alamo. Among those associated with the church are a number of talented musicians and the church had produced a set of records and tapes featuring Tony Alamo and other members. A national television ministry begun in the 1970s has been largely discontinued.

Membership: Not reported. Church centers are located in Alma, Arkansas and Saugus, California.

Remarks: In 1985 a series of actions taken against the church severely disrupted its life. To suppport itself, the communal-style church had developed a number of businesses. Some former members who had aligned themselves with the anti-cult movement filed a complaint that they should be paid led to a series of lawsuits. That same year, the Internal Revenue Service stripped the church of its tax-exempt status. The church went to court to fight the IRS action. As the cases proceeded, Alamo was accused of beating an eleven-year-old boy. Charges were filed against him and he disappeared.

During the next three years, Alamo remained a fugitive from justice. During this time, he moved around the country and frequently called radio talk shows for interviews. He was finally arrested in 1991. While most of the charges, including the one of child abuse, were withdrawn, he was eventually tried and convicted in 1994 on charges arising from the church's loss of tax exemption. The church continues to function in his absence and he is expected to resume his former leadership role as soon as he is released.

★657★

Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc.

2020 Bell Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50315-1096

The Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc., was founded in 1935 by the merger of two evangelistic movements, both of which had their roots in the Azusa Street Mission, in Los Angeles and the spreading Pentecostal revival–the Open Bible Evangelistic Association and Bible Standard, Inc.. The former body had been founded by John R. Richey in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1932 and the latter in Eugene, Oregon, by Fred Hornshuh in 1919. At the time of the merger there were 210 ministers.

Doctrinally, the churches affirm the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and the believers experience of the holiness, healing, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues. The church is governed by a biennial representative convention which elects a national board of directors. It is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals and the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, and supports the Pentecostal World Conference. Missions are conducted in 36 countries around the world.

Membership: In 2002 the churches reported 41,00 constituents, 371 congregations, and 1,035 ministers. There were also 1,000 members in Canada and 45,00 members overseas in over 700 international congregations.

Educational Facilities: Eugene Bible College, Eugene, Oregon.

Periodicals: Message of the Open Bible.

★658★

Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

6745 Century Ave.
Mississauga, ON, Canada L5N 6P7

Among the people drawn to Los Angeles by the news of the Pentecostal revival which had broken out at the little mission on Azusa Street in 1906 were several Canadians, most prominently Robert McAleister. McAlister brought the revival to Ottawa. In addition, A. H. Argue encountered the first wave of the revival which swept Chicago, and he returned to Winnipeg with its message. In 1907 he began a magazine, The Apostolic Messenger, to spread the word. Within a few years Pentecostal assemblies had been established across Canada.

Organization proceeded slowly, though as early as 1909 a Pentecostal Missionary Union was formed. In 1917 ministers from the eastern part of Canada met at Montreal and formed the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Two years later, ministers in the west formed the Western Canada District of the Assemblies of God, attached to the United States group headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. In 1921 the eastern group also affiliated with the Assemblies of God. In 1922 the government charter was finalized.

Soon after the affiliation with the American Pentecostals, the Canadians began to see that they were at a disadvantage and gradually they moved to separate themselves and assume the original name of the eastern organization. Headquarters were reestablished in Ottawa and later moved to Toronto. Several reasons for the organizational split (which implied no break in fraternal relations) are generally given. First, the Canadians placed less emphasis upon doctrine and were thus open to more latitude of belief. Second, there was a greater ethnic diversity, with one out of ten congregations not speaking English. Third, there was the influence of such Canadian voices as James Eustace Purdie, who argued for Canadian autonomy.

Doctrinally, the Canadian assemblies largely agree with the Assemblies of God. They advocate tithing and have strict rules about divorce, especially among ministers. They are also fraternally related to the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland, with whom they share the same doctrinal statement.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Berea Bible Institute, Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada.

Canadian Pentecostal Correspondence College, Clayburn, British Columbia, Canada.
Central Pentecostal College, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

College Biblique Quebec: Formation Timothee, Charlesbourg Quest, Quebec, Canada.

Eastern Pentecostal Bible College, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Northwest Bible College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Western Pentecostal Bible College, Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Periodicals: The Pentecostal Testimony.

★659★

Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland

57 Thorburn Rd.
PO Box 8895, Sta. "A"
St. John's, NF, Canada A1B 3T2

Pentecostalism spread to Newfoundland in 1910 and on Easter Sunday, 1911, the first assembly, Bethesda Mission, opened at St. John's. The work was incorporated in 1925 as the Bethesda Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland, the name by which it was known until it assumed its present name in 1930. That same year, using a ship, The Gospel Messenger, the assemblies moved intotowns in Laborador.

The assemblies are separate from the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, but maintain close fraternal ties and hold to the same doctrinal position.

Membership: In 1998 the assemblies reported 142 churches, 40,000 members, and 425 ministries.

Periodicals: Good Tidings.

★660★

Pentecostal Church of God

4901 Pennsylvania
Joplin, MO 64802

History. The Pentecostal Church of God was formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1919 by a group of pentecostal leaders. They chose the Rev. John C. Sinclair as their first chairman and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the USA as their name. That name was changed to the Pentecostal Church of God in 1922. The words "of America" were added in 1936 and then dropped in 1979. The church enjoyed a steady growth over the years. It moved its headquarters to Ottumwa, Iowa, in 1927. The following year the department of youth ministries was organized. The expansion was further manifested in the issuance of the first Sunday school material published by the church in 1937. Missionary support began as early as 1919 and was formalized in a church department in 1929.

Beliefs. The church's beliefs follow the central affirmation of evangelical Pentecostal Christianity. It affirms the authority of scripture, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and humanity's need of salvation in Christ. The ordinances of the Lord's Supper and baptism by immersion are practiced. The church affirms the baptism of the Holy Spirit received subsequent to the new birth (faith in Christ) which is evidenced by the initial sign of speaking-intongues. Foot washing is observed at the discretion of local congregations. Prayer for divine healing of bodily ills is a regular part of church life. The church is not pacifist, but supports conscientious objectors in their search for alternative service. Tithing is advocated.

Organization. The church is headed by the general superintendent, assisted by the general secretary, business manager, director of world missions, director of Indian missions, director of home missions, director of youth ministries, director of Christian education, and the director of the women's ministries. The church is divided into districts headed by district superintendents, district presbyters, and district secretary-treasurers. The general convention meets biennially with most district conventions meeting annually.

Membership: In 2000, the church reported 46,000 members, 1,212 congregations, and 3,313 ministers. There was a reported constitutency of 102,000 in the United States. There were 600,000 members worldwide in 53 countries.

Educational Facilities: Messenger College, Joplin, Missouri.

In the mission field, there are 15 resident Bible schools and 29 extension training centers.

Periodicals: The Pentecostal Messenger. • The Missionary Voice. Send orders for any of the above to Box 850, Joplin, MO64802.

★662★

Pentecostal Church of Zion

℅ Zion College of Theology
Box 110
French Lick, IN 47432

As a youth in Kentucky, Luther S. Howard was converted by an independent Pentecostal minister and, in 1920, was ordained a minister of the Holy Bible Mission at Louisville. He served as a minister and then vice-president. Upon the death of its founder, Mrs. C. L. Pennington, the Mission was dissolved. Its ministers felt the need to continue their work and, in 1954, formed a new organization, the Pentecostal Church of Zion, Inc. Elder Howard was elected president and, in 1964, bishop. Since most of the work of the Holy Bible Mission was in Indiana, the new organization was headquartered at French Lick, Indiana.

The Pentecostal Church of Zion is like the Assemblies of God in most of its doctrine but differs from it on some points. The group keeps the ten commandments, including the Saturday Sabbath, and the Mosaic law concerning clean and unclean meats. (Cows and sheep are clean and may be eaten; pigs and other animals with cloven hooves may not be eaten because they are considered unclean). Most important, the group does not have a closed creed, but believes that members continue to grow in grace and knowledge. Anyone who feels that he has new light on the Word of God is invited to bring his ideas to the annual convention, where they can be discussed by the executive committee. By such a process, a decision was made in the 1960s to drop the Lord's Supper as an ordinance. The church now believes in the celebration of Passover by daily communion with the Holy Ghost.

Polity is episcopal. There is one bishop with life tenure and an assistant bishop elected for a three-year term. An annual meeting with lay delegates is held at the headquarters.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: Zion College of Theology, French Lick, Indiana.

Periodicals: Zion's Echoes of Truth.

★663★

Pentecostal Evangelical Church

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Pentecostal Evangelical Church was founded in 1936. Its first bishop, G. F. C. Fons, had been the moderator of the Pentecostal Church of God of America in the period directly preceeding the formation of the new body. Its doctrine is similar to that of the Pentecostal Church of God of America, and its polity is a mixture of congregationalism and episcopal forms. Each local church is autonomous. The general conference meets every two years and elects a general bishop (for a four-year term), a vice-president (for two years), and a district superintendent (as an assistant bishop). Missions are supported in the Philippines, Bolivia, India and Guyana.

Membership: Not reported.

Periodicals: Gospel Tidings.

★664★

Pentecostal Evangelical Church of God, National and International

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The Pentecostal Evangelical Church of God, National and International was founded at Riddle, Oregon in 1960. It holds to beliefs similar to those of the Assemblies of God. It ordains women to the ministry. A General Convocation meets annually.

Membership: Not reported. In 1967 there were 4 congregations and 14 ministers.

Periodicals: Ingathering. • Golden Leaves.

★665★

Seventh-Day Pentecostal Church of the Living God

1443 S. Euclid
Washington, DC 20009

The Seventh-Day Pentecostal Church of the Living God was founded by Bishop Charles Gamble, a Pentecostal who had adopted some of the Old Testament practices including the seventh-day Sabbath. Gamble was a Roman Catholic and Baptist before becoming a Pentecostal. The church follows the Jesus-Only nonTrinitarian theology of the Apostolic churches.

Membership: Not reported. In the early 1970s there were 4 congregations with an estimated membership of less than 1,000.

★666★

United Apostolic Faith Church

2 Delbert Dr.
Scarborough, ON, Canada M1P 1X1

The United Apostolic Faith Church is one of several churches that grew out of the early Pentecostal movement in the British Isles. In 1908 the Apostolic Faith Church had been founded under the leadership of W. O. Hutchinson. During the next decade, the church spread across Great Britain, but experienced a major schism just as World War I was beginning. In 1916 the congregations in Wales broke away and reorganized as the Apostolic Church. The original organization, which included churches in Scotland and England, reorganized as the United Apostolic Faith Church.

In 1912, prior to the schism, a congregation of the Apostolic Faith Church had been established in Toronto, Ontario. It existed as a vital congregation for many years, but all but died out during World War II. Revived in 1947, the congregation associated itself with the United Apostolic Faith Church.

The United Apostolic Faith Church is a trinitarian pentecostal body whose doctrine is similar to that of the Assemblies of God.

It affirms the free salvation of Christ and the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues for all believers. It practices baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. Members believe strongly in divine healing, deliverance, and the casting out of demons. They tithe and attempt to manifest both the gifts and fruits of the Spirit in their daily life.

The original Apostolic Church had emphasized the centrality of the activity of the Holy Spirit who manifested God's will through the gifts of the Spirit. The leaders tended to seek direction from either prophecy or interpretation and speaking in tongues, especially in the appointment of church leaders and in making decisions about the guidance of the church. That practice led to some degree of fanaticism and underlay the schism of 1916.U.A.F.C. attempted to respond to its critics over the years and developed a biblical form of ministerial leadership based upon the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11. The local church is led by a presbytery of a pastor and elders. The church in Toronto is known as Dayspring Christian Fellowship.

Membership: In 1997 there were two congregations of the United Apostolic Faith Church in Canada, both in Ontario, with approximately 300 members.

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United Full Gospel Ministers and Churches

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The United Full Gospel Ministers and Churches was incorporated May 16, 1951. Arthur H. Collins was the first chairman. Within a few years it had grown to include more than fifty clergy and a number of congregations. The church is governed by four executive officers, one of whom faces election at each annual meeting. The group has an affiliate in India–the Open Bible Church of God, founded by Willis M. Clay, who at one time also served as treasurer of the United Full Gospel Ministers and Churches.

Membership: Not reported.

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United Fundamentalist Church

Current address not obtained for this edition.

The United Fundamentalist Church was organized in 1939 by the Rev. Leroy M. Kopp of Los Angeles. It was at one time a member of the National Association of Evangelicals and accepts the Association's doctrinal position. In addition, it is Pentecostal, and prophecy and healing are emphasized. Members are expected to believe that "The divine healing of the sick is not only to honor the prayer of faith (James 5:14, 15) but is to be a sign to confirm the word as it is preached at home and abroad (Mark 16:15-20)." Signs are given until the end of this age, when they will no longer be needed.

The general officers of the United Fundamentalist Church, together with the territorial supervisors and state district superintendents, constitute a council which settles all doctrinal disputes. Zion Christian Mission is sponsored in Jerusalem. Proselyting other Christian denominations is not practiced. A radio ministry was begun in 1940 by Kopp and still continues. The Rev. E. Paul Kopp has succeeded his father as head of the group.

Membership: Not reported. In 1967 there were approximately 250 ministers and missionaries.

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Victory Churches International

Box 65077, North Hill
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4T6

Victory Churches International is a charismatic Pentecostal fellowship of churches that dates to the founding of Victory Christian Church in Lethbridge, Alberta, in 1979 by Dr. George Hill and his wife, Dr. Hazel Hill. By 1988 there were five churches that had grown out of the Hills ministry, which led to the creation of Victory Churches of Canada. Through the 1990s, the association experienced rapid growth with the founding of almost 50 additional congregations across Canada and the opening of ministries around the world. Victory churches have adopted an organization based upon the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 that includes apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists, and teachers.

The ideal is to found new churches around the world and provide them with apostolic oversight. The immediate goal is to form apostolic teams that found new congregations in new cities and to identify a key apostolic leader in each country. After congregations are founded it is their job to found new congregations in nearby communities. The fellowship has developed a variety of models for developing new congregations depending upon immediate resources.

The fellowship follows a mainline Pentecostal theology. It affirms the authority of the Bible as the inspired revelation of God and faith in the Triune God. New believers are invited to make a public declaration of their faith with water baptism. The ordinance of the Lord's supper is also celebrated. Common to all Pentecostal churches, the fellowship affirms the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience distinct from and following the new birth, evidenced initially by speaking in tongues, as a second work of God subsequent to faith in Christ that leads to the believer manifesting spiritual power in public testimony and Christian service. The evangelistic thrust of the fellowship is undergirded in part by a belief that those who have not accepted God's redemptive work will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead.

Congregations and associated ministries are now found in India, Thailand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Poland, Romania, and in Africa in Burundi, Malawi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Membership: Not reported. In 2002 there were some 60 churches in Canada and almost 400 around the world. Congregations are found in nine state of the United States.

Educational Facilities: Victory Bible Colleges International, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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World Evangelism Fellowship

PO Box 262550
Baton Rouge, LA 79826-2550

World Evangelism Fellowship was founded as a result of the break between the Assemblies of God and televangelist Jimmy Swaggart (b. 1935), who in 1988 had experienced a scandal involving himself and a prostitute. Swaggart had had a spectacular rise to fame beginning in 1969 with his first radio broadcast and the taping of his first television show in 1973. When the scandal erupted in 1988, a major crisis emerged as Swaggart headed not only the expansive and international Jimmy Swaggart Ministries with its far-flung broadcast presence, but oversaw a Bible college training leaders for the Assemblies of God and was contributing a million dollars per month to the assemblies' missionary budget. The assemblies imposed a two-year suspension on Swaggart, including a one-year absence from any television shows. Swaggart rejected the penalty and was defrocked by the Assemblies of God. He reorganized his ministry and began anew.

World Evangelism Fellowship emerged as the new structure to bring together the various elements of Swaggart's continuing activities. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries oversees the television telecast that as of 2002 was broadcast across the United States and in some 30 countries; the Bible college and seminary where missionaries and ministers were trained; and the family worship center, the large congregation Swaggart pastors in Baton Rouge. Swaggart continues to conduct revival meetings both in the United States and overseas.

World Evangelism Fellowship offers credentials for lay Christian workers and licensed ministers, the latter defined as "persons actively involved in ministry who demonstrate clear evidence of a divine call on their life and who are purposed to devote their time to preaching the gospel." It also provides for ordination of ministers who previously have held a license to preach and has been engaged in some active ministry long enough to demonstrate proof of a calling and proficiency. Licenses and ordination, as well as charters for local churches, are provided by the fellowship's credentials committee.

The fellowship oversees three national programs: Powerhouse, the children's ministry; Christian cadet Corps for boys and young men; and Crossfire, for youth 12-22.

Through his many years of ministry, Swaggart has written numerous books and booklets, and has made many recordings. Those that remain in print, and a continuous stream of new items, are available through Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, as well as cassette tapes and videos of sermons and Bible studies.

Membership: Not reported.

Educational Facilities: World Evangelism Bible College and Seminary, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Periodicals: The Evangelist.

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Worldwide Missionary Evangelism (WME)

28521 Walker S. Rd.
Walker, LA 70785

Worldwide Missionary Evangelism (WME) was founded in 1956 by prominent African missionary Morris Plotts (1906-1997) of the Assemblies of God. The organization operated as a missionary sending agency for many years, but in 1971 Plotts suggested that WME broaden its program and become active in home ministries and, most importantly, provide charters for churches and credentials for ministers in the United States, quite apart from the Assemblies of God. That step led to WME becoming, in effect, a new Pentecostal denomination. Active in the transformation were the Revs. W. S. McMasters, Howard Holton, and Kemp C. Holden, Jr. McMasters currently serves as chairman of WME.

WME is a Pentecostal body whose statement of faith is almost identical to that of the Assemblies of God. It affirms belief in "the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the present ministry of the Spirit in and through the believer as manifested in the five ministries (Ephesians 4:11) as they are being restored in end-time revival, the gifts of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit."

WME provides licenses for lay Christian workers and ministers, and members in good standing for one year may apply for status as an ordained minister. The organization meets annually for a fall conference and hosts an annual missionary conference. Its work is carried out through three committees that oversee coordination, missions, and credentials. The organization sponsors missionary projects both in the United States and aboard. The credentials committee oversees the work of the ministry and ensures that all who hold WME licenses abide by the group's code of ethics.

Membership: Not reported. Churches and ministers associated with WME are scattered across the United States. Missionary activity is supported in Guatemala, Ecuador, Jamaica, Italy, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mexico, Israel, and Egypt.

White Trinitarian Pentecostals

American Indian Evangelical Church

Anchor Bay Evangelistic Association

Apostolic Church

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Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada, Inc. (ACOP)

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Apostolic Faith (Kansas)

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Association of Vineyard Churches

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Bethel Temple

Bible Church of Christ

California Evangelistic Association

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Calvary Chapel

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Calvary Ministries, Inc., International

Calvary Pentecostal Church

Christ Gospel Churches International

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Churches of the Kingdom of God

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Congregational Bible Churches International

Elim Fellowship

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Fellowship of Christian Assemblies (FCA)

Fellowship of Churches and Ministers International

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Filipino Assemblies of the First Born

Free Gospel Church

Full Gospel Evangelistic Association

Full Gospel Truth, Inc.

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General Assemblies and Church of the First Born

General Council of Christian Church of North America

General Council of the Assemblies of God

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International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

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Italian Pentecostal Church of Canada

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Lamb of God Church

Logos Christian Fellowship

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Mt. Zion Sanctuary

Music Square Church

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Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc.

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Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

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Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland

Pentecostal Church of God

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Pentecostal Church of New Antioch

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Pentecostal Church of Zion

Pentecostal Evangelical Church

Pentecostal Evangelical Church of God, National and International

Seventh-Day Pentecostal Church of the Living God

United Apostolic Faith Church

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United Full Gospel Ministers and Churches

United Fundamentalist Church

Victory Churches International

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World Evangelism Fellowship

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Worldwide Missionary Evangelism (WME)

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