Pentecostalism is not a church in itself, but it is a movement that includes many different churches incorporating the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a normal part of the “Full Gospel”. The Pentacostal movement began around 1901, a time when church officials declared that the church had gotten way from the bible being understood in a literal sense and started believing the Word of God to be taken in a figurative sense, instead. Freeonlinebible.org states that upon its emerging in the early twentieth century, Pentecostal beliefs represented an attempt to return to literal biblical Christianity as some believed it was practiced in the primitive church. The core belief is that the hallmark of normative Christianity must be a modern experience of
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Methodist preacher turned healer and revivalist, Charles Parham; the formulator of the “initial evidence” theology and William Seymour; the pastor of the Azusa Street Mission were the pioneers who spread the movement to the nations of the World. Non-Methodist pastors such as Charles Mason, from Memphis, Tennessee, also were impacted by the theology of Holiness. They believe that a person had to be baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to speak in tongues. Pentecostalism did not achieve world-wide recognition until 1906; through a revival led by African-American preacher, William Seymour. Seymour heard about “speaking in tongues” and invited Parham to the Azusa Street Revival, so that this new experience can be shared. The revival took place during a time of interracial segregation and onlookers were astonished at the fellowship between blacks and whites. Synan states “the interracial aspects of the movement in Los Angeles were a striking exception to the racism and segregation of the times. The phenomenon of blacks and whites worshipping together under a black pastor seemed incredible to many observers. The ethos of the meeting was captured by Frank Bartleman, a white Azusa participant, when he said of Azusa Street, “The color line was washed away in the blood” (n.d.). The Pentecostal movement blurred the lines of color, making it known that the race of an individual did not take precedence over the coming together and exploring the outpour of the Holy
Methodist preacher turned healer and revivalist, Charles Parham; the formulator of the “initial evidence” theology and William Seymour; the pastor of the Azusa Street Mission were the pioneers who spread the movement to the nations of the World. Non-Methodist pastors such as Charles Mason, from Memphis, Tennessee, also were impacted by the theology of Holiness. They believe that a person had to be baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to speak in tongues. Pentecostalism did not achieve world-wide recognition until 1906; through a revival led by African-American preacher, William Seymour. Seymour heard about “speaking in tongues” and invited Parham to the Azusa Street Revival, so that this new experience can be shared. The revival took place during a time of interracial segregation and onlookers were astonished at the fellowship between blacks and whites. Synan states “the interracial aspects of the movement in Los Angeles were a striking exception to the racism and segregation of the times. The phenomenon of blacks and whites worshipping together under a black pastor seemed incredible to many observers. The ethos of the meeting was captured by Frank Bartleman, a white Azusa participant, when he said of Azusa Street, “The color line was washed away in the blood” (n.d.). The Pentecostal movement blurred the lines of color, making it known that the race of an individual did not take precedence over the coming together and exploring the outpour of the Holy