IPHC Church Manual - Extension Loan Fund

Introduction
HISTORY
One of the most significant developments in Christianity during
the past century was the appearance of many Pentecostal
fellowships throughout the world. Beginning in the United States
and spreading rapidly to most nations of the world, these groups
now comprise a major “third force” in Christendom whose
phenomenal growth has commanded the attention of the world.
The Pentecostal Holiness Church was one of the first groups
to designate itself officially as a member of the Pentecostal
Movement. With roots in the midwestern and southeastern United
States, the Pentecostal Holiness Church has played a significant
role in the movement from the beginning.
The character of the church is seen in its name, which places
it astride two major revival streams: the Holiness revival of the late
nineteenth century, and the Pentecostal revival of the twentieth
century. As its distinctive contribution to contemporary Christianity,
this church has attempted to preserve the Wesleyan tradition
while perpetuating the Pentecostal tradition.
The church’s fundamental faith is that God’s power to redeem
man and society is resident in Jesus Christ, Son of the Father,
who sent the Holy Spirit into the world as the Agent of salvation. It
is this faith – that God’s power is directly available to everyone to
save, cleanse, empower, and heal – that gave the Pentecostal
Holiness Church its birth.
Spiritual Heritage
The theology and heritage of the Pentecostal Holiness Church
flow from many sources. Basically, its people look to the Day of
Pentecost as the beginning of the early Christian church that
ultimately produced the movement. The atmosphere of the Upper
Room (Acts 2), with the “sound of a rushing mighty wind,” the
“cloven tongues as of fire,” the speaking forth in “other tongues as
the Spirit gave utterance,” and the dynamic public witness that
followed, has inspired the church to perpetuate the power of
Pentecost in this generation.
In its statement of faith, the International Pentecostal Holiness
Church distills and preserves the three great spiritual reforms of
recent Christianity – Lutheran, Wesleyan, and Pentecostal. Each
of these revival movements brought to light and reemphasized
truths concerning the Christian experience that apparently had
been lost since the times of the early church.
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