December 15, 2023 · 8:20 am

An Observation and Warning from 1973: Nine Trends in Pentecostal Churches

This Week in AG History — December 16, 1973

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 15 December 2023

British Pentecostal leader and theologian Percy Brewster, in a 1973 Pentecostal Evangel article, identified nine trends facing Pentecostals. While some of these trends were the natural result of the movement’s growth and maturation, others he ascertained as “extremely dangerous” or even Satanic in origin.

When Brewster wrote the article, there were only about 20 to 30 million Pentecostals worldwide. Over the past 50 years, that number has burgeoned to between 350 million and 700 million, depending upon how one defines Pentecostal. Today, Pentecostals would do well to heed Brewster’s advice to carefully reflect about the nine trends, which continue in many Pentecostal circles.

The first trend identified by Brewster is that Pentecostals have become “too sensitive to public opinion.” He encouraged believers to be more like early 20th century Pentecostals, who seemed “immune to criticism.” Rather than adapting to the world’s values, he asserted that Pentecostals should make the Bible their “blueprint for living,” seeking to please God in all they do.

The second trend is that some “accept the heritage of the past without a corresponding personal dedication.” This includes people who were reared in Pentecostal churches and who identify with the Pentecostal tradition, but whose spiritual life is far from where it should be. They have a form of godliness, but not the substance.

The third trend is a weakening in the area of evangelism. Brewster warned that a church which places a low priority on evangelism is committing “spiritual suicide.”

The fourth trend is to spend large amounts of money to build extravagant churches, rather than investing the money in evangelism and missions.

The fifth trend is the tendency to get caught up in the busyness of church work and committees, while neglecting the needs of spiritually hungry souls. Brewster encouraged readers to prioritize evangelism and discipleship.

The sixth trend, according to Brewster, “is an unhealthy move to segregate the young and the old.” In many churches, he witnessed that “the young people are taking over, and sometimes 90 percent of the church energy is expended on the young.” He refuted this as unbiblical, noting that “the older people need the zeal and energy of the young, and the young need the balance of the older people’s wisdom and maturity.”

The seventh trend is an overemphasis on demon power. Brewster cautioned against attributing every problem to demons, which gives undue recognition to the devil, who is “already a defeated foe.”

The eighth trend, and one of the most serious in Brewster’s estimation, is the tendency to tolerate and excuse sin. Pentecostals must clearly and resolutely proclaim truth, rather than shifting their opinions to accommodate human weakness.

The ninth trend, which Brewster also identified as very dangerous, is to think that education can be a substitute for the call of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

How should Pentecostals react to these trends? According to Brewster, theology trumps sociology — Pentecostals should continue to proclaim biblical truth regardless of trends. However, he encouraged them to “contend for the faith without being contentious.” 

When Brewster wrote the article in 1973, the charismatic movement was gaining strength in mainline Protestant and Catholic churches. This context helped shape many of the trends that Brewster identified. Many of the new charismatics either stayed in their old denominations or challenged traditional holiness standards if they joined Pentecostal churches. Instead of retreating or compromising in the face of these challenging trends, Brewster encouraged Pentecostals to continue to evangelize at home and abroad, and to fellowship with all who “recognized the Lordship of Jesus Christ” and who sought the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Read Percy Brewster’s article, “A Look at the Worldwide Pentecostal Movement,” on pages 9 to 11 of the Dec.16, 1973, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Anointed to Preach,” by Thomas F. Zimmerman

• “The Birth of a Church,” by David Leatherberry

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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December 8, 2023 · 11:34 am

From Azusa Street to Canada: Robert E. McAlister, Canadian Pentecostal Pioneer

This Week in AG History–December 6, 1941

By Ruthie Edgerly Oberg
Originally published on AG News, 07 December 2023

Robert Edward McAlister (1880-1953) is considered by many to be the father of Canadian Pentecostalism. He was a charter member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) and served as its General Secretary from its inception in 1919 through 1932. He oversaw the creation of The Pentecostal Testimony (now Testimony/Enrich) in 1920 and served as its editor until 1937.

Born to adherents of the Scottish Presbyterian Holiness movement in Ontario, McAlister experienced a personal conversion at the age of 21. Feeling a call to ministry, he enrolled in God’s Bible School (Cincinnati, Ohio), founded by leading Methodist Holiness minister Martin Wells Knapp. Although illness caused him to leave the school after only one year, he became an evangelist with the Holiness Movement Church, a small Canadian denomination that emphasized the importance of “entire sanctification.”

While preaching in western Canada, McAlister heard about a revival taking place in Los Angeles at the Azusa Street Mission. He arrived at the meetings on Dec. 11, 1906, and experienced his personal Pentecost. Within weeks, he was conducting meetings in Ontario and western Canada, teaching about the baptism in the Holy Spirit accompanied by tongues.

In 1913, McAlister was invited by R.J. Scott to be a speaker, along with Maria Woodworth-Etter, at the Worldwide Apostolic Faith Camp Meeting at the Arroyo Seco campground in Los Angeles in an effort to unite Pentecostal groups. At the end of his sermon, he mentioned an observation that the apostles baptized “in the name of Jesus,” rather than using the Trinitarian formula of “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” While McAlister always embraced Trinitarian doctrine, interestingly, it was this brief observation at the camp meeting that helped to the spark the Oneness Pentecostal movement, which rejected traditional Trinitarian formulations.

Although he lacked much formal theological education, McAlister was respected as a pastor, evangelist, publisher, author, administrator, and preacher over his 50 years of Pentecostal ministry. At that time, any preacher who did not make full use of the entire platform during a vigorous sermon was looked upon with some suspicion, yet McAlister rarely moved about in his presentation. His strength was not in delivery but in content. PAOC historian Gordon Atter said of him, “He never went into the pulpit but what he was completely prepared … when he was through, you would remember that sermon, and his altar calls were tremendous.”

McAlister addressed the 1941 General Council Assemblies of God, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His sermon was printed in the Dec. 6, 1941, issue of The Pentecostal Evangel.

Robert C. Cunningham, in his Oct. 4, 1941, summary of the General Council meetings described the service: “Once again our hearts were thrilled at the music in the opening part of the service. Loren Fox placed ‘The Holy City’ on the organ and it so stirred the heart of R.E. McAlister of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who was the evening speaker, that before the message he gave a wonderful description of heaven. The message which followed on ‘The Threefold Ministry of Christ’ was much anointed and will not soon be forgotten by the large numbers attending that service.”

After his retirement in 1937, McAlister was succeeded by A.G. Ward (father of Revivaltime speaker C.M. Ward) as the new secretary-treasurer of the PAOC and editor of The Pentecostal Testimony. He remained an in-demand speaker and many pastors continued to consult his God-given wisdom in their own ministries until his death in 1953.

Read the full sermon, “The Threefold Ministry of Christ,” on page 1 of the Dec. 6, 1941, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Praying for Worldwide Revival,” by Stanley H. Frodsham

• “Echoes of Victory,” by H.C. Ball

• “The Secret of True Success,” by E. Hodgson

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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November 30, 2023 · 9:30 am

J. Philip Hogan: From Rural Colorado to Assemblies of God World Missions Leader

This Week in AG History–November 27, 1960

By Ruthie Edgerly Oberg
Originally published on AG News, 30 November 2023

James Philip Hogan (1915-2002) was deeply committed to fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus Christ under the power of the Holy Spirit. He brought leadership to the world missions efforts of the Assemblies of God that generated explosive growth through strategic planning coupled with Pentecostal dependence on the Spirit. His initiative and influence over 30 years as World Missions director led to growth from 788 missionaries in 69 nations to more than 1,500 missionaries in 120 countries and a cohesive relationship between national churches.

Born on a small ranch in Colorado in 1915, Hogan knew hard work from childhood. Coming of age during the Great Depression and entering adulthood during a time of world war gave him a perspective that valued ingenuity and sharpened a sense of responsibility when facing seemingly impossible tasks.

When two traveling evangelists, Bessie Bell and Eva Edith Morton, brought Pentecostal teaching to the part of Colorado where the Hogan family lived in 1920, they quickly responded to the message and soon a small group were meeting in their home. At the age of 7, Philip surrendered his life to Christ and at age 9 was filled with the Holy Spirit. In 1933 the family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where Hogan attended Central Bible Institute (CBI, now Evangel University).

While at CBI, Hogan pastored a small church in Republic, Missouri, and became acquainted with Virginia Lewis. Virginia felt a call to missions from her youth and Hogan feared that her call would take her away from him. Showing a persistence that would mark his entire life, he proposed marriage and the two were wed in 1937.

After pastorates in Missouri and Ohio, the couple moved to River Rouge, Michigan, and in 1944 hosted a missions convention with Leonard Bolton of China and Willis Long of India. After one of the services a kind woman in the congregation sensed that her pastor’s wife needed to spend time at the altar and offered to take the Hogan children to the nursery. Weeping with the burden for souls that had been hers for many years, Virginia felt the Lord say, “This (China) is the place.” She replied that God would have to call her husband to missions work as she could not.

Meanwhile, Hogan spent late hours talking to Bolton and found himself stirred toward the need of the nations of the world, as well. He began going to the Detroit Public Library and reading every book he could find on China. He also attended a Chinese mission in downtown Detroit on Sunday afternoons. In 1945, on a Christmas visit to their families in Springfield, J. Philip and Virginia Hogan met with Noel Perkin to see how they might be able to help in missions efforts. After a 30-minute meeting, they found themselves tentatively appointed to China. Returning home, they resigned their church and began taking classes in Mandarin at the University of California, Berkeley. In February 1947, they sailed for China.

Their arrival in China coincided with the beginning of the Communist Revolution. They worked tirelessly to support the church, orphanage, and Bible school that was started by Christian Missionary Alliance worker, Nettie Nichols, but by 1948 threats against Chinese Christians who worked with Western missionaries were such that the Hogans felt that their presence caused danger. Encouraging the church workers to rely fully on Chinese leadership and to trust the Holy Spirit, they moved to Taiwan and began a small work there. Within a year, the situation in Taiwan worsened to the point that the U.S. Consul advised all Americans to leave the island. Hogan sent Virginia and the children back to the United States and stayed for another six months to train and prepare his young church to be self-supporting. When he left, there were 70 committed Christians in the church.

Upon returning to the States, he found that there were many churches that wanted to hear about the “Bamboo Curtain” that was descending across the East. For six months, he traveled tirelessly promoting missions to Assemblies of God churches. His anointed eloquence in expressing the need of world missions made him a much sought after speaker at missions conventions and District Councils. Seeing his potential, Noel Perkin invited Hogan to become the World Missions promotional director in 1952.

Hogan immediately identified three needs: the many countries without a Pentecostal missionary, the necessity of more men and women to serve in these countries, and the thousands of Assemblies of God churches who were not involved in supporting world missions.

At the 1959 General Council, Hogan presented a three-prong approach to world missions, named “Global Conquest.” At this same council, Noel Perkin retired as World Missions director after serving faithfully for 32 years. At only 43, and with only three years of service on the field, the Assemblies of God voted in Hogan as his replacement.

One of Hogan’s first initiatives was to target large population areas with mass evangelism. Seoul, Korea, was chosen as the pilot effort. In 1962, evangelist Sam Todd conducted a tent crusade and many Koreans accepted Christ as Savior. A young Korean Bible school student, Paul Yonggi Cho, was chosen to lead the new church. After the success of the Korean effort, “Good News Crusades” were then held in other large cities around the world.

In 1966, Hogan commissioned missionary George Flattery to develop a curriculum to train pastors worldwide who could not attend a formal Bible school. With Hogan’s unwavering support, Flattery founded International Correspondence Institute (now Global University).

Under Hogan’s leadership, the Center for Ministry to Muslims, International Media Ministries, and HealthCare Ministries of the Assemblies of God were also formed, along with theological seminaries in West Africa, the Philippines, and Belgium. At the end of the 1980s, Hogan’s vision for a “Decade of Harvest” led to the formation of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship to coordinate the efforts of national churches for world evangelism.

Hogan retired as World Missions director in 1989, after serving for 30 years in the position. He continued to serve as chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship until 1992 when he passed the baton to the young Korean Bible school student he met so many years before, David (Paul) Yonggi Cho. As much as any Pentecostal leader, he exemplified a life that sought to balance strategic planning with a conviction of the necessity of following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. J. Philip Hogan passed away in 2002 at the age of 86 still believing that “we will advance on our knees or we will not advance at all.”

Read J. Philip Hogan’s “Call to Action” column on page 8 of the Nov. 27, 1960, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Back from Siberia,” by Ruth Demetrus

• “Stairway to the Stars,” by Charlotte Schumitsch

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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November 23, 2023 · 7:14 pm

J. W. Tucker, Assemblies of God Martyr: How a Thanksgiving Tragedy Sparked Revival in Congo

This Week in AG History — November 21, 1965

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG News, 22 November 2023

Thanksgiving 1964 was a day of mourning for Angeline Tucker. The previous day, she learned that her husband, J.W. (Jay) Tucker, had been killed by Congolese rebels. The Tuckers had served as Assemblies of God missionaries to Congo since 1939. After a furlough in America, they returned to Congo in August 1964. Less than two weeks later, J.W., Angeline, and their children were captured and placed under house arrest by rebel forces. The drama that unfolded over the next three months captured the attention of Assemblies of God members worldwide.

The tragedy came in the midst of a civil war which broke out in 1960, following the power vacuum that developed after Belgium granted independence to Belgian Congo. One group of rebels, the “Simbas,” eventually took control of the town of Paulis, where the Tucker family ministered. The rebels took Jay into custody and held him, along with other hostages, in a Catholic mission.

Fearing an attack by American and Belgian paratroopers, the insurgents hardened their attitudes toward the prisoners, and several were murdered. After days had passed with no word of her husband, Angeline was able to telephone the mission to inquire about his welfare. “How is my husband?” In guarded words, the Mother Superior hesitated, and then answered in French: “He is in heaven.”

Those words became the title of a popular book written in 1965 by his widow. He Is In Heaven shared J.W. Tucker’s story and helped him to become the best-known martyr in Assemblies of God history.

Reflecting back on her husband’s martyrdom, Angeline wrote an article, “Congo: One Year After,” which was published in the Nov. 21, 1965, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel. She described, in painful detail, the events that changed her life forever:

“It was Thanksgiving morning, 1964. The sun was shining beautifully in Paulis, Congo, when I awakened. I looked at the clock; it was 6:10. I lay there a moment wondering what the day might bring forth. I had slept well in spite of the tenseness of the situation…. The previous morning when I had called the Catholic mission to inquire about my husband’s welfare, I had been totally unprepared for the reply of the Mother Superior, ‘He is in heaven.'”

Angeline Tucker was devastated. She knew that she, her three children, her coworkers Gail Winters and Lillian Hogan, and all foreigners were in grave danger. Not knowing what was ahead, she prayed for protection, and God answered. Later that day, a combined Belgian and American rescue operation brought the Tuckers and their coworkers to safety in the town of Leopoldville.

One year later, as she was looking back on the Congo situation, Angeline reported that the national army had regained control of Paulis and other towns in the Congo and that “the political situation seems to be fairly stable.” It was safe for missionaries to return.

One might expect that Angeline, overwhelmed from the loss of her husband, would want nothing to do with Congo. But she worked tirelessly to ensure that her loss would be Congo’s gain. She declared, “If Jesus tarries, there should be a wonderful harvest of souls in all of northeast Congo: for we truly believe that the ‘blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.'”

The Tuckers’ efforts, before and after J.W.’s martyrdom, paid off. The Mangbetu tribe had been resistant to the gospel when Jay Tucker ministered in the Congo. However, his death became the catalyst for many of them to accept the gospel. Missionary Derrill Sturgeon later reported that one of Tucker’s converts eventually became the police chief of Nganga, which was the homeland of the Mangbetus.

The police chief told the people about Tucker’s murder and that his body was thrown into “their river.” The Mangbetu culture considered the land and rivers where they lived to be theirs personally. Since Tucker’s blood had flowed through their waters, they believed they must listen to the message that he carried.

As a result of J.W. Tucker’s martyrdom, a great revival swept through the region. Thousands decided to follow Christ, and hundreds experienced divine healing. It was even reported some were raised from the dead. The Assemblies of God reported 4,710 adult members and other believers in 1964 in Congo. By 2023, this tally had risen to 1,168,367 adherents in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At least part of this incredible growth was due to the sacrifice of J.W. Tucker, who gave his life for the people of the Congo.

Read the entire article, “Congo: One Year After,” in the Nov. 21, 1965, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Songs in the Night,” by Emil A. Balliet

• “A Beachhead in Hong Kong,” by A. Walker Hall

• “Are We Loyal Americans?” by Gail P. Winters

• “Moments of Inspiration for Thanksgiving”

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Pictured: Missionary J. W. Tucker standing at the airport gate in Little Rock, Arkansas, preparing to leave on his final trip to the Belgian Congo, 1964. Photo courtesy of Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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November 16, 2023 · 3:56 pm

Clement H. Austin: From the Saloons to Assemblies of God Railroad Evangelist

This Week in AG History — November 16, 1929

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 16 November 2023

Clement Henderson Austin (1889-1973) knew railroads almost as well as he knew the gospel. He spent decades working as a train engineer, but he became mired in a lifestyle of drunkenness, gambling, violence, and addictions to alcohol and tobacco.

After a dramatic conversion, Austin became an Assemblies of God evangelist. He spent the rest of his life sharing the gospel and his testimony. Austin’s story was published in a tract, which was republished in the Nov. 16, 1929, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Austin’s testimony began when he was 8 years old. His life began to unravel when his mother died. For years he carried this sorrow deep inside his soul, crying himself to sleep at night. He wondered why he could not have a mother, like other boys.

As a young teenager, Austin ventured onto the streets of Fort Worth, Texas, where he quickly adapted to the ways of the world. He started firing train engines at age 16, soon becoming a train engineer. A large young man, he learned how to fend for himself.

Saloons became a second home to young Austin. He started drinking and smoking, then gambling and stealing. He prided himself on his coarse speech, later calling himself “one of the ringleaders in oaths and smutty jokes.”

Austin recalled that he was “young and tender” when he started living on the streets. But as the years progressed, he noted, “my heart became more cold and hard.” He could feel “the enemy’s fangs” as they “sank into my soul and body.”

The coarse engineer married a young woman and they had a son. Austin tried to cover up his drunken and thieving ways by lying to his wife. But he knew that his life was spinning out of control, and he felt incredible guilt over the injustice he was committing against his family. He did not want his son to follow in his footsteps.

Austin had not been to church in 12 years. While Austin had tried to ignore God, he realized he needed to turn his life around, and he knew he could not do it alone. One night, while looking into the stars, he said aloud, “O God, help me to quit gambling.” Starting at that moment, Austin’s faith — birthed out of desperation — took root.

God seemed to chase after Austin. Two weeks before his conversion, Austin was running through a dark tunnel and heard a voice say, “Throw away your tobacco.” He did, and he never tasted it again.

In the meantime, Austin’s wife began attending revival services at a Pentecostal church in San Diego, California. At first, she did not tell Austin, afraid that he might mock her. But she could not keep quiet, and she told him about the miracles she witnessed. Cripples were leaving their crutches, and deaf people could hear again. He agreed to go hear the evangelist.

The revival services were being held in a small hall, which was packed with people. Austin recalled that “people sang as if they meant it,” and he could tell they had something that he was missing. A young sailor sat next to Austin, and when the evangelist called people to the altar, he tried to pull Austin forward for prayer. Austin knew that he needed to go forward, but he did not want to publicly admit that he needed God.

An intense battle ensued between Austin’s ears. He recalled hearing a voice tell him that he was “too big a sinner” to be on his knees in church. This voice, who Austin recognized as the devil, taunted him, telling him that his drinking buddies would laugh at him. But Austin looked past his suffering, had faith in God, and cried out, “O Lord, have mercy on me.”

After an emotional spiritual battle, Austin found himself lying on the floor. He felt spiritual oppression flee, and he felt a sweet peace sweep through his soul. Austin set his heart on Christ and never looked back.

Austin told his family, friends, and coworkers about his conversion. He returned money he had stolen and asked for forgiveness from those he had offended. “There is now no more drinking, no more gambling, no more taking the name of our Lord in vain, no more tobacco,” he wrote. Instead, “old things have passed away and all things have become new.”

Austin studied for the ministry at Berean Bible Institute, an Assemblies of God school in San Diego. He graduated in 1925 and was ordained as an Assemblies of God evangelist in 1926. He continued working as an engineer on the Rock Island, Southern Pacific, and San Diego and Arizona railroads, but he viewed his secular employment as a vehicle for his higher calling — to preach the gospel across the American Southwest. During the next half century, this large, gentle, earnest railroad engineer, armed with his testimony and a Bible, touched countless lives.

Read Clement H. Austin’s testimony, “Saved and Called to Preach,” on pages 12-13 of the Nov. 16, 1929, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Ten Reasons Why I Believe in Divine Healing,” by Thomas G. Atteberry

• “The Extra Portion,” by Mrs. Robert (Marie) Brown

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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November 9, 2023 · 5:00 pm

Percy S. Brewster: Visionary British Pentecostal Leader

This Week in AG History — November 11, 1973

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG News, 09 November 2023

Percy Stanley Brewster (1908-1980) was an influential British Pentecostal leader, an active leader in the Pentecostal World Fellowship, and a much sought-after conference speaker. Fifty years ago, he spoke at the 1973 General Council of the Assemblies of God U.S.A.

Born in London, Brewster was not raised in church. The first evangelist he ever heard was Stephen Jeffreys at a revival service held at the public hall in Barking in the East End of London in 1928. Brewster’s grandmother, parents, sisters, and other relatives all had been attending these services and were converted. Their involvement gained Brewster’s attention, so he attended and was moved by the preaching and the prayers for the sick. Later he went to a meeting at the Ilford Town Hall and made a public surrender to Jesus Christ.

Brewster had always been enthusiastic and optimistic, and these qualities followed him into his newfound faith. He soon became a youth leader, Sunday School teacher, and leader of hospital and other visitation groups connected with the Elim Pentecostal Church, which was founded by George Jeffreys (the brother of Stephen Jeffreys). The Elim Pentecostal Church was one of the largest Pentecostal church bodies in England and Wales.

Brewster’s enthusiasm for ministry seemed to know no bounds. He also became a youth leader in the East Ham suburb of London and was asked to assist in the follow-up after George Jeffreys’ successful crusade in Birmingham in 1930. He spent a short time at the Elim Bible College in London before being asked to help out as an assistant for a local congregation in Cardiff, Wales. About this same time, he met and married Doris Bracey who helped and encouraged him in ministry.

Brewster’s developing gifts found expression in evangelistic outreach. After having a vision in which he saw a hall packed with people, he led a large evangelistic crusade in Neath, Wales. The hall he booked was the same one he had seen in the vision. The meeting was a great success. This was the first of 40 evangelistic thrusts that helped to establish new churches.

In 1939, Brewster became minister of Cardiff City Temple in Wales, where he served until 1974. During this period, he left Cardiff twice a year to conduct crusades and helped establish churches all over Britain. He became Elim superintendent in Wales and continued to pioneer new churches.

A man of vision and boundless energy, Brewster was a gifted evangelist with a particular skill for gathering in converts. He preached with power and simplicity. He combined this with a caring pastoral ministry. He was elected to serve in various positions in national church leadership and in the Pentecostal World Conference (PWC), of which the Assemblies of God was a member. He also served as editor of the PWC publication, World Pentecost, from 1971 to 1978.

Known affectionately as “P.S.” by his friends, and “Mr. Brewster” by younger ministers, he was “Pastor Brewster” to his loving congregation. He also traveled extensively in the interests of the worldwide Pentecostal movement, visiting New Zealand, Europe, the U.S., and Korea.

Read Percy Brewster’s sermon, “God-opened Doors,” on page 4 of the Nov. 11, 1973, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Let’s Save the Foundation,” by Kenneth D. Barney

• “Prison Chaplains for NYC,” by Joe D. Wilmoth

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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November 3, 2023 · 10:18 am

George Jeffreys: How a Boy Overcame a Speech Impediment to Become a Prominent British Pentecostal Evangelist

This Week in AG History — October 30, 1920

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG News, 02 November 2023

George Jeffreys (1889-1962) was possibly the most gifted preacher that the British Pentecostal Movement ever produced. He had a bold resonant voice and a magnetic personality. He had a solid background in the Bible and loved to share the gospel message. But this was not always the case.

George was the son of a miner, Thomas Jeffreys, of Nantyffylon, Maesteg, Wales. His family belonged to the Welsh Independent (Congregational) church. In his youth, George suffered from a speech impediment and showed the beginnings of facial paralysis. His life was about to change. Together with his older brother, Stephen, George was converted in the revival at Shiloh Independent Chapel in Nantyfyllon, Wales on Nov. 20, 1904, under the evangelistic ministry of Glassnant Jones. This was during the Welsh Revival.

When the Pentecostal movement was introduced to Wales early in 1908, George and Stephen were both opposed to the new revival. But after Stephen’s son, Edward, was baptized in the Spirit, the two Jeffreys brothers sought this experience for themselves. In 1911, George was baptized in the Spirit and received healing of his speech.

George was mentored by Cecil Polhill, who helped him to receive specialized Bible training under Thomas Myerscough at the Pentecostal Missionary Union Bible School at Preston, England, and then he went into evangelistic work. He held crusades in Northern Ireland during World War I and started the Elim Evangelistic Band, which later became the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance in Great Britain.

George and Stephen began traveling together and were known as the Jeffreys Brothers. Soon they gained the reputation of being England’s greatest evangelists since Wesley and Whitefield. From the 1920s to the 1940s, the Jeffreys Brothers conducted revival meetings throughout England and Europe, with thousands converted and others receiving healing.

As one of England’s premier evangelists, George Jeffreys’ views on revival are worth reading. The Oct. 30, 1920, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel published a message titled, “How to Get a Revival.” Using the story of King Ahaz and his son, King Hezekiah, as background, Jeffreys described a spiritual revival in Israel. He outlined these points when seeking for revival: 1) recognize the need of a revival, 2) pray and ask God for revival, 3) turn from sin and pray for forgiveness, and 4) let Christ be exalted.

According to Jeffreys, repentance and turning from sin are key factors of revival. Jeffreys referred to the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905: He said that when the “mighty power of God began to sweep through the church” that all sin had to leave, for “God cannot live where sin is.”

How long should revival last? Jeffreys responded to that question: “Thank God, a revival started in my heart 30 years ago, and it has never stopped; it will never end.” He continued by saying, “As long as Jesus is kept in the front, and made the center of fellowship and blessing and unity, the revival will never end.”

Jeffreys also pointed out that the revival under King Hezekiah included a missionary spirit as letters were written to neighboring parts of Israel for people to repent and return to the ways of God. Jeffreys closed his address with this statement: “If you want a revival, ask God to give you a vision of this old world, with its sin like a troubled sea …” Then after seeing the lost around us, he said we need to pray and ask God for revival, and then confess Jesus as Lord. These simple acts of faith can lay the foundation for revival in our personal lives, in the church, and in our communities.

Read George Jeffreys’ address, “How to Get a Revival,” on pages 6-8 of the Oct. 30, 1920, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Back to Pentecost”

• “Politics from the Pentecostal Perspective,” by Stanley H. Frodsham

• “Greatest Missionary Opportunity in All North Africa”

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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October 26, 2023 · 5:26 pm

Dr. Charles S. Price: From Skeptic to Pentecostal Evangelist

This Week in AG History — October 24, 1931

By Darrin J. Rodgers
Originally published on AG-News, 26 October 2023

Charles S. Price (1887-1947), pastor of the theologically liberal First Congregational Church in Lodi, California, ventured into a Pentecostal revival service in 1921. His purpose was to expose the evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson, as a fraud. He was so confident that he would achieve this mission that he even placed an advertisement in the local newspaper, promoting the title of his next sermon — “Divine Healing Bubble Explodes.”

Some of Price’s church members had attended the revival services in San Jose and reported large numbers of conversions and miracles. He scoffed and replied, “I can explain it all. It is metaphysical, psychological, nothing tangible.” Price arrived at the revival with a pen and paper, ready to take notes. He had difficulty finding a seat, as the revival tent was packed with 6,000 people, but finally was seated in the section reserved for people with infirmities who desired healing.

He was shocked to discover that the revival was being sponsored by William Keeney Towner, pastor of the prestigious First Baptist Church in Oakland. Price and Towner had been friends when Price had served as a pastor in Oakland. Towner came over to Price and told him, “Charlie, this is real. This little woman is right. This is the real gospel. I have been baptized with the Holy Ghost. It’s genuine, I tell you. It is what you need.”

At the time, McPherson was an Assemblies of God evangelist. She later formed her own denomination, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. While Price expected McPherson’s sermon to be rife with fanaticism, he was surprised to discover that her message was thoroughly biblical and compelling. Hundreds responded to an invitation to go to the altar and accept Christ. He returned that evening and, although still skeptical, was seated on the platform with the other ministers. He quickly became a believer, however, once he began witnessing numerous healings, including a blind person regaining sight and a lame person being able to walk.

When McPherson invited people to raise their hands if they wanted to accept Christ, Price raised his hand. A fellow minister leaned over and whispered, “Charlie, don’t you know she is calling for sinners?” Price responded, “I know who she is calling for.” He quickly went down to the altar, recommitted himself to Christ, and later would state that he left that tent “a new man.”

Price continued to go back to the nightly revival meetings. He felt conviction about his pride and ambition and lack of integrity. After four nights praying at the altar, Price was baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Price shared his experience with his congregation, and soon 500 of his church members also were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The once-liberal congregation became a center for revival in the community and began holding evangelistic street meetings in nearby towns. Price ultimately became one of the best-known Pentecostal evangelists of the 20th century. While Price did not join a denomination, he regularly preached at Assemblies of God churches and district and national events. Price went from skeptic to believer because he witnessed the reality of God’s healing power.

Charles S. Price preached a message, “Meet for the Master’s Use,” at the 1931 General Council of the Assemblies of God. Read his sermon on pages 2, 3, and 16 of the Oct. 24, 1931, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “Inspiration and Revelation,” by E.S. Williams

• “How We Built a Church,” by Martha E. Thorkildson

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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October 19, 2023 · 3:51 pm

Adele Flower Dalton: Pioneer Assemblies of God Writer, Editor, Teacher, Missionary and Archivist

This Week in AG History–October 17, 1954

By Ruthie Edgerly Oberg
Originally published on AG News, 19 October 2023

Alice Adele Flower Dalton (1915-2006) was born into the hustle and bustle of the formative years of the Assemblies of God. Never one to wait on opportunities to present themselves, she created them – finding work to be done, stories to be written, and people to teach about the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Flower’s birth came less than one year after the birth of the Assemblies of God. Her parents, J. Roswell and Alice Reynolds Flower, were instrumental in the early leadership of the new Movement. When Adele was 3 years old, they made the move to Springfield, Missouri. Their home was full of the excitement of ministers coming and going, bringing reports of all that God was doing through the Pentecostal churches and missions stations that were springing up both in the United States and around the world.

A few years later, Flower’s father took a pastorate in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and then became superintendent of the Eastern District. She graduated from high school in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and soon enrolled at Central Bible Institute back in Springfield, finishing the three-year program in 1936. While there, she worked in the editorial department of Gospel Publishing House, writing Sunday School lessons that were being taught across the country.

During these years, Flower learned to be ready to respond to whatever need would present itself and to tackle it without reservation. In her time between classes and editorial work, she assisted in prison outreach at the Missouri State Penitentiary, where the leader would often call on her to teach with no advance preparation.

At the 1943 General Council, held in Springfield, Missouri, it happened that the scheduled speaker for the Friday afternoon session was not in attendance. Not knowing what else to do, the leader of the meeting called on Adele Flower and three other young women from the editorial staff to give an impromptu address on the various phases of the Sunday School work. Notes from the General Council reported that “this was of great interest to the whole congregation, who were happy to make acquaintance with these earnest young workers who are ministering to them week by week through our Sunday School quarterlies.”

Later that year, Flower offered herself to the foreign missions department and was sent to Los Angeles and then Mexico City to study Spanish. In 1945, she and Marjorie Trulin ministered in Guatemala, establishing Sunday Schools and teaching women and children. In 1948, Flower was tasked to serve as Sunday School director for all Latin America. This led her to work with establishing conferences and training centers for teachers in numerous countries.

To aid in the accomplishment of the huge task before her, Flower returned to Central Bible Institute for the recently added fourth year of studies in 1949. Given the opportunity to speak in the Feb. 4th chapel service, she spoke on the power of the transformed mind. It was reported that after she spoke “a spirit of prayer and worship seized the students. The pressure of the Spirit of God upon everyone was so great that the routine of school life was gloriously interrupted. All classes were merged into one large class in the chapel, with the Holy Spirit Himself as Teacher and hours slipped by as if they were minutes.”

The Oct. 17, 1954, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel stated that Flower was continuing her work in Latin America, spending time “in Sunday School conventions and C.A. rallies in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. She has now gone to Venezuela, South America, where she will spend this term teaching in the Bible School.” Flower’s schedule often had her teaching 30 or more meetings a month – all in Spanish.

In 1956, Flower was scheduled to teach at the Bible Institute in Puerto Rico. While there she enrolled for a summer term at the University of Rio Piedras, to learn more about Spanish history and literature. Her heart was captured with the history of Spain and its influence around the world. After she finished these courses, a crisis on the field caused her to return to the United States.

Flower was completely unaware that another missionary, Roy Dalton, was also planning to be in the United States at the same time. The two had briefly corresponded several years earlier but had not made contact for more than five years. Dalton, serving alone in Spain, had reached his own crisis. He was the first American Assemblies of God missionary in the country and had managed to convert not only many Spaniards, but also a chicken shed into a small church. However, he found the task overwhelming and did not feel that he could face another term in Spain alone.

Upon finding that both he and Flower were in Springfield at the same time, he decided to place a “fleece” before the Lord: “I’ll call her on the phone. If she invites me to go to see her, I’ll accept it as a sign that there is some hope for our future together. Otherwise, I’ll accept the matter as finished.” When Flower answered the phone and said, “Roy, I’d like to see you. Can’t you come over to the house?,” he was there within five minutes.

Less than three weeks later, in the crowded hallway of a hotel at the 1957 General Council in Cleveland, Ohio, Dalton asked Flower if she realized what God had done in bringing them both to Springfield at the same time. When she nodded yes, he asked the question, “Will you return with me to Spain?”

Dalton and Flower were married in December 1957 and the next January arrived at the small house Dalton lived in next to the converted chicken shed. While Flower had to adjust to the Spanish dialect of her new home in Ronda, Spain, she quickly adapted and soon their ministry together began to flourish as Flower’s gift for teaching and discipleship blended with Dalton’s gift for friendship evangelism.

In God’s providence, just 10 years later, Dalton was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Together they continued to lead the church in Ronda, but Roy passed into the presence of Jesus in June of 1968. After his death, Adele Flower Dalton remained in Spain, serving as director of the nation’s International Correspondence Institute (now Global University), until she returned to Springfield in 1976. There she served as a researcher and writer for Assemblies of God World Missions. She also established the AGWM archives, a repository of materials relating to the AG USA’s missions work around the world.

When the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, also located in the AG national office, dedicated its new research facilities in 1999, it was only fitting to name its research room in her honor, recognizing her dedicated work that would benefit researchers for many years. Flower-Dalton passed away in 2006 and is buried in Springfield, Missouri where her family first moved to serve the Assemblies of God in 1919.

Read a brief report of Flower-Dalton’s work on page 7 of the Oct. 17, 1954, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue

• “Afire in the Sky” by Chaplain Neville E. Carlson

• “Let Us Not Lose Heart” by Thomas F. Zimmerman

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

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October 13, 2023 · 7:10 am

Charles T. Crabtree: Assemblies of God Pastor, National Church Leader, and College President

This Week in AG History — October 14, 1973

By Glenn W. Gohr
Originally published on AG News, 12 October 2023

Charles Talmage Crabtree (1937-2020) wore many hats of ministry during his lifetime. He was a preacher’s kid, a pastor, evangelist, director of the Decade of Harvest, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, and president of Zion Bible College (now Northpoint Bible College). He is also remembered for his powerfully anointed preaching, his sterling reputation, and his unforgettable sense of humor.

Charles Crabtree possessed a solid Pentecostal pedigree. His father, Clifford Crabtree, was converted in an Aimee Semple McPherson meeting in the early 1920s. Clifford honed his preaching skills in Georgia and became an assistant pastor, earning a dollar a week. Later he went to Canada where he led a series of historic revivals. During his long career as a minister, he was associated with Rufus Moseley, Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, and British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth.

Charles Crabtree, one of four children, was born on Oct. 20, 1937, to Clifford and Helen Crabtree in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was raised in Bangor, Maine, where his father served as a pastor. After graduating from high school, he attended Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri, where he received theological training and met his wife, Ramona Hudgins, who was attending Evangel College (now Evangel University) in Springfield.

Charles and Ramona were married on Nov. 1, 1958, and they formed a capable ministry team. Charles excelled at preaching, and Ramona was a talented pianist. They first served as associate pastors and traveling evangelists. They later served as lead pastors of First Assembly of God, Des Moines, Iowa (1963-1974) and Bethel Church, San Jose, California (1974-1988). In addition, Charles was the national director for the Assemblies of God’s Decade of Harvest (1988-1993), assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (1993-2007), and president of Zion Bible College (2007-2013) prior to his retirement in 2013.

During his retirement years, Charles enjoyed preaching, writing, traveling, and spending time with his family. He and Ramona, traveled extensively around the globe speaking at various events. Crabtree authored eight books on subjects in theology, pastoral ministry, church development, and discipleship. Interspersed with his preaching and in his daily life, Crabtree often would share a few timely jokes. He also could do an amazing voice impersonation of Revivaltime speaker C.M. Ward.

Fifty years ago, at the 35th General Council, held in Miami Beach, Florida, Crabtree preached a rousing message at the “Call to America” rally at the Friday night service. He exhorted the listeners to “Look across America tonight and you will observe brokenness — broken relationships, broken hearts, broken bodies — but the Spirit of the Lord is upon us and has anointed us to make men whole.” He continued by saying, “If we are to call America to Christ, they must see Christ in us.” He closed out the message by saying, “Let’s call America to Christ. It’s the best news she’ll ever hear.”

Read Charles Crabtree’s sermon, “Calling America to Christ,” on page 3 of the Oct. 14, 1973, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.

Also featured in this issue:

• “New Spiritual Vitality Encouraged” (Report of the Spiritual Life Committee)

• “Increasing in the Knowledge of God,” by George Holmes

• “A Call to America,” by Joe D. Wilmoth

And many more!

Click here to read this issue now.

Pentecostal Evangel archived editions courtesy of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.

Do you have Pentecostal historical materials that should be preserved? Please consider depositing these materials at the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (FPHC). The FPHC, located in the Assemblies of God national offices, is the largest Pentecostal archive in the world. We would like to preserve and make your treasures accessible to those who write the history books.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
1445 North Boonville Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Phone: 417.862.1447 ext. 4400
Toll Free: 877.840.5200
Email: archives@ag.org
Website: www.iFPHC.org

Leave a comment

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