The Assemblies of God - 85 Years and Going Strong
This issue of Enrichment examines the past 100 years of Pentecostal and Assemblies of God history. We have presented our grand history with inspiring text and aa wide photo selection from the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center. The attractive 166-page print edition will certainly become a collector's issue.
When the Assemblies of God was formed 85 years ago, it is doubtful that any of the 300 people who assembled in the Opera House at Hot Springs, Arkansas, had any idea what the future held for the fledgling organization. The concept of a denomination of nearly 12,000 churches, 2.5 million adherents in the United States and over 29 million overseas far exceeded the faith of these humble people—some who could count no more than 2 dozen followers in their local churches.
As American churches and districts grew, they sent more missionaries around the globe. Soon churches on mission fields surpassed the stateside churches in size. Around the world Bible schools were built to train believers to reach their own people.
Persecution and other hardships also came. But our ancestors took their calling seriously. They were willing to lay down their lives if necessary. Some left for the mission field with this farewell, “We'll meet you in heaven.” They thought they would either die on foreign soil or Jesus would return to earth before it was time for them to return from the lands of their calling. And their greatest gift was to see the next generation at home and abroad pick up the torch and take the same redeeming gospel to the regions beyond.
Congregations expanded, districts planted new churches, and leaders kept pace with society and technology. Schools of higher education began meeting the needs of ministers and laypersons. Huge national Sunday school conventions began in the 1940s. On the heels of this excitement came the birth of national and district youth programs that provided missionary equipment through Speed-the-Light. Younger boys and girls were not forgotten as Missionettes and Royal Rangers—with their sponsoring Women's Ministries and Men's Ministries—came on the scene.
Another outreach that touched hurting people was Teen Challenge, with an excellent 40-year record for rescuing drug addicts. The Revivaltime radio program sent its ministry through the airways around the world, helping to put local assemblies on the map. Urban ministries that moved into blighted neighborhoods gained respect from citizens and social workers. Added to these ministries are huge printing presses producing curriculum and a media center producing audiovisual materials to meet the needs of the churches.
Today, just as in 1914, there is no typical Assemblies of God congregation. The name Assemblies of God may be on the building, but each church has its own personality with varying worship and preaching styles that attract different types of people. Churches are reaching the various cultures that have come to America.
Methods used to reach the unsaved will change as we move toward the 21st century, but men and women—laypersons and credentialed ministers alike—will continue relying on the power of the Holy Spirit.
This issue of Enrichment examines the past 100 years of Pentecostal and Assemblies of God history. We have presented our grand history with inspiring text and a wide photo selection from the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center. This attractive 166-page issue (the largest we have ever done) will certainly become a collector's issue.
But as big and comprehensive as this issue is, the editors can only present representative Pentecostal subjects and narrative highpoints beginning in 1901. We'll reflect on the rest of the story “on the other side.”
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