A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

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A History of Christian Doctrine 5,353 adherents in 1916 to 1,653 churches and 157,163 adherents in 1996. In addition to the reported worldwide constituency, it has two large indigenous churches as its affiliates—the Pentecostal Methodist Church of Chile and the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Brazil. Over the years, the IPHC has moderated its Holiness and Pentecostal distinctives and identified closely with the Evangelical movement. Many members have transferred to non-Pentecostal denominations while not renouncing their Pentecostal identity. The most notable example is Oral Roberts, who became a Methodist minister. In many cases, upward social mobility or a job transfer was the catalyst for the change. As of 1988, researcher David Barrett estimated that there were 150,000 IPHC adherents in the U.S. but another 450,000 former adherents in other denominations. 160 A small black Holiness organization founded in 1886, the United Holy Church of America (50,000), also accepted the Pentecostal experience. It teaches that speaking in tongues is one of the spiritual gifts but not necessarily the initial evidence of the Holy Spirit baptism. There are a number of smaller groups in this branch of Pentecostalism, mostly offshoots of the groups we have already discussed. Also in this category are the Apostolic Faith (Baxter Springs, KS) (4,000), founded by Charles Parham, and the Apostolic Faith Mission (Portland, OR) (4,100), founded by Frances Crawford. Finished Work Trinitarian Pentecostals The second branch of Pentecostalism accepted William Durham’s doctrine that sanctification was not a second work of grace but a process that began at conver- 132

Trinitarian Pentecostal Organizations sion. The Oneness movement arose within this branch, but the groups we will discuss rejected that doctrine and remained trinitarian. The largest Pentecostal denomination in the world is the Assemblies of God (AG) (30,000,000). It was founded in 1914 as the first Finished Work group. (See chapter 3.) The AG did not explicitly exclude those who believed in sanctification as a second work, however. The Assemblies of God is the first or second largest Protestant church in about thirty countries of the world. Its total constituency includes 16,000,000 in Brazil. The church there is actually an indigenous church founded in 1911 that later affiliated with the AG but retained its own government. In the U.S. the AG had 118 churches and 6,703 adherents in 1916. For 1996 the AG reported 11,823 churches, 32,314 ministers, 1,573,108 in Sunday morning attendance, 1,407,941 members, and an estimated 2,467,588 constituents (“persons of all ages who identify with an A/G church”). Of the total churches, 14.7 percent identified themselves as Hispanic and 1.4 percent as black. Average annual water baptisms per reporting church were 15.2, and average annual Spirit baptisms were 12.2. 161 In 1916, in response to the Oneness controversy, the AG adopted a Statement of Fundamental Truths. The preamble explained: 162 This Statement of Fundamental Truths is not intended as a creed for the Church, nor as a basis of fellowship among Christians, but only as a basis of unity for the ministry alone. . . . The human phraseology employed 133

A <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Christian</strong> <strong>Doctrine</strong><br />

5,353 adherents in 1916 to 1,653 churches and 157,163<br />

adherents in 1996. In addition to the reported worldwide<br />

constituency, it has two large indigenous churches as its<br />

affiliates—the Pentecostal Methodist Church <strong>of</strong> Chile and<br />

the Wesleyan Methodist Church <strong>of</strong> Brazil.<br />

Over the years, the IPHC has moderated its Holiness<br />

and Pentecostal distinctives and identified closely with<br />

the Evangelical movement. Many members have transferred<br />

to non-Pentecostal denominations while not<br />

renouncing their Pentecostal identity. The most notable<br />

example is Oral Roberts, who became a Methodist minister.<br />

In many cases, upward social mobility or a job transfer<br />

was the catalyst for the change. As <strong>of</strong> 1988,<br />

researcher David Barrett estimated that there were<br />

150,000 IPHC adherents in the U.S. but another 450,000<br />

former adherents in other denominations. 160<br />

A small black Holiness organization founded in 1886,<br />

the United Holy Church <strong>of</strong> America (50,000), also<br />

accepted the Pentecostal experience. It teaches that<br />

speaking in tongues is one <strong>of</strong> the spiritual gifts but not<br />

necessarily the initial evidence <strong>of</strong> the Holy Spirit baptism.<br />

There are a number <strong>of</strong> smaller groups in this branch<br />

<strong>of</strong> Pentecostalism, mostly <strong>of</strong>fshoots <strong>of</strong> the groups we have<br />

already discussed. Also in this category are the Apostolic<br />

Faith (Baxter Springs, KS) (4,000), founded by Charles<br />

Parham, and the Apostolic Faith Mission (Portland, OR)<br />

(4,100), founded by Frances Crawford.<br />

Finished Work Trinitarian Pentecostals<br />

The second branch <strong>of</strong> Pentecostalism accepted<br />

William Durham’s doctrine that sanctification was not a<br />

second work <strong>of</strong> grace but a process that began at conver-<br />

132

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