AG History and Missions100 Years of God’s Goodness and Blessing

AG History: The Beginnings

I Cor. 1: 26-31For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Early Revivalists and the Spirit

John Wesley: 1766, Doctrine of Christian Perfection as a second experience following salvation.American Holiness Movement: 1830s, Built on Wesley– the “Double Cure”. Terms: “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” and “The Tongue of Fire.” Believers encouraged to Tarry (Luke 24:49). Legalism.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee; Let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.

Varied Definition of Spirit-Baptism

Reformed Calvinist: equated with salvationRevivalists: Second Work of Grace

Charles Finney (1792-1875): empowerment for ministry

Keswick Convention: 1875 in England rejected Wesleyan perfection for “full consecration” and the “fullness of the Spirit”

DL Moody: emphasized Spirit baptism for empowerment for service

Keswick ConventionW. E. Boardman, American Presbyterian: “The Higher Christian Life” in 1859Joined by Robert Persall-Smith in 1873 in EnglandKeswick meetings organized by Cannon T.D. Harford-Battersby and Robert Wilson- June 1875“All One in Christ Jesus” was the mottoDistanced itself from Wesleyan “entire sanctification”

The Healing Movement (Ja. 5:15)

Dorothea Trudel (1813-1862” in Switzerland: Divine Healing, Healing hospice called the “Faith Home.”John Alexander Dowie 1847-1907 and Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924) prayed for sick in their meetingsA.B. Simpson (1843-1919): Healing purchased in Christ’s redemption therefore healing from every diseaseA.J. Gordon (1836-1895): God is sovereign over healing

Civilizing vs Evangelizing

Emphasis on Christian Civilization from the early 1800s and onward: building schools and developing institutions to help civilize the savage heathen.Empire Building and CivilizationEdward Irving: 1824, London Missionary Society missionaries should follow Jesus’ command in Matthew 10:9-10.World War I. 1914 End of Great Century of MissionsThe Rise of Premillennialism

1865 - Present

A. T. Pierson (1837-1911)A Founding Father of Faith MissionsPresbyterian pastor strongly influenced by Moody and other revivalistsSpokesman for Foreign MissionsSupported the ministry of women and laityPremillennial expectation and MissionsThe “Watchword”Editor of The Missionary Review of the World

J. Hudson Taylor and the Beginning of Faith Missions

Arrived in Shanghai in Sept. 1853Trips up the YangtzeChinese costumeMarried Maria Dryer of on Jan. 20, 1858

“A million people a month are dying without God”

The Establishment of the CIM in 1865Structured upon the personality and experiences of Hudson TaylorCommitted to the interior provinces of China and the evangelism of her 400 billion soulsInterdenominational and headquartered in ChinaAppeal to the working class laity, thus opening the door for those not ordainedPersonal financial support based on FaithIdentification with the Chinese– including dress

(Fiedler: 32)

Charles Spurgeon, following the Taylors’ visit to

England:“China, China, China is now ringing in our ears

in that special, peculiar, musical, forcible, unique way in which Mr. Taylor utters it.”

(Tucker: 193)

Jonathan Goforth:A Missionary Innovator

Presbyterian missionary to China, Manchuria and KoreaSailed to China in 1888“China’s most outstanding evangelist”“Open-House” EvangelismReliance upon the Holy Spirit’s leading, power and demonstration

Hudson Taylor’s Advice to Goforth

Upon hearing that Goforth was assigned to Henan province in central China, he wrote the new

missionary a note:

Faith Missions: Born in Revival

The Revival of 1859/ 1873– emphasis on prayer and evangelismRevival Fires in Ulster and Wales: Spurgeon and MoodyThe Welsh Revival of 1904Prophetic, Brethren and Holiness MovementsTopeka in 1901 and Azusa Street in 1906

Reflections on Faith MissionsGeorge Müller, A. T. Pierson and

PremillennialismPierson 1886: "Our Lord's Second Coming a Motive for World-Wide Evangelization" Obedience to the Great CommissionThe spiritual yearnings of people like Pierson, Gordon, Palmer, Finney and others of the late 19th century set the stage and prepared hearts for the revivals leading up to and Pentecostal response from God in 1906.Early rejection became at least lukewarm acceptance in areas following the 1930s and the Shandong Revival.Radical Evangelicals (Gary McGee)

Characteristics of Faith Missions

Emphasis on eschatology and Premillennial urgencyProvidential ProvisionGuidance and power of the SpiritDivine Healing and MiraclesProphecyIncreased role for women, laity, students and BlacksVolunteer missionariesBible Schools and TrainingThe Baptism in the Holy Spirit and tongues

A. B. Simpson (1843-1919) and the CMA

1877: Expressed a desire to be a missionary to China1882: Founder of New York Gospel Tabernacle1883: New York Missionary Training College1887: Founding of CMA (CIM Pattern)Contributions:

United Bible School training, the fellowship movement and missions; adding independent congregations

Impacted Pentecostal Missions

William W. SimpsonPioneer Missionary of the CMA to Tibet from 1892Served as Dean for the AG missionary training school: Bethel Bible Training School in Newark, NJReturned to China in 1918 with the AG MissionGave the AG its Chinese name: 神教会

The Beginning of Pentecostal Missions

Charles Parham and Topeka 1901

“More than anyone else, he forged the movement which has mushroomed in the second half of the twentieth century . . . [and] infused the movement with a zeal of missions” (Goff: 163-164).

Division of Sanctification

Reformed Tradition: Sanctification began at conversionHoliness: Wesleyan Second BlessingParham (Defacto leader 1901-1906)

Salvation by Grace AloneSeparate from Conversion: SanctificationBaptism in the Holy Spirit

William J. Seymour and Los Angeles 1906

Seymour (con’t.)The Apostolic Faith: “The world seems ripe for Pentecost in all lands and God is sending it.”

The Outpouring of the Spirit and the Latter Rain: Spirit Baptism and the End-Time Harvest

Xenolalia or Glossilalia

Synan: Azusa Street: “the birthplace of global Pentecostalism”

Becoming an Apostolic Faith Missionary

1. Identify the language

“given” at Spirit

Baptism

2. Call toMissions?

3.Ready To Go?

4. Funded andSent

The First Pentecostal Missionaries to China

Mr. and Mrs. T. J. McIntosh– Hong Kong 1907Alfred and Lillian Garr– Hong Kong 1907Rosa Pittman and May Law– Hong Kong with the GarrsPaul and Nellie Bettex– GuangzhouAntionette Moomau– Shanghai 1907Bernt and Magna Berntsen (Scandinavia)– Shangdong 1908The Assemblies of God

Church in Mukden, Manchuria (Shenyang) 1935

Mok Lai ChiGarr’s TranslatorReceived Baptism and left American BoardFounded China’s first Pentecostal newspaper: Pentecostal Truths

Key PeopleA. B. Simpson (1843-1919): Closer walk with Christ and Evangelize world in power of Spirit. CMA FounderJohn Alexander Dowie (1847-1907): Return of Apostolic Christianity, Healing and End TimesMaria B. Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924): Modeled Women in Ministry, Slain in the SpiritFrank W. Sanford (1862-1948): Restoration of NT Church, Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit, Evangelization

Other Pentecostal Leaders

Ivey G. Campbell (1874-1918): The American Mid-westElizabeth V. Baker (1849-1915): Founded Rochester Bible Training School in NY. Students became leaders in the AG. Received Baptism in 1907.Gaston B. Cashwell (1862-1916): Borrowed money to get to Los Angeles. Troubled by blacks, but asked Seymour to pray for him. Great revival in NC.

“The Finished Work of Calvary”

William H. Durham (1873-1912), ChicagoOpposed Sanctification as a Second Work of Grace believing it to be a part of salvationSermon: The Finished Work of CalvaryGreat Impact on the AG First General Council in Hot Springs, Arkansas in April 1914

Faith-Life MissionariesFirst Pentecostal Missionaries: Mary Johnson and Ida Andersson– South Africa in 19044 Types of Missionaries among 200 who served by 1910:

Ill-preparedHardy SoulsVeteran MissionariesBible Institute Graduates

Indigenous ChurchHenry Venn (Anglican, Church Missionary Society) (1796-1873) and Rufus Anderson (Congregationalist, American Board) (1796-1880). In reaction to mission’s paternalism.

Self GoverningSelf SupportingSelf Propagating

John Nevius (1829-1893) Presbyterian 40-

years in ChinaChristians should continue to live in their neighborhoods and pursue their occupations, being self-supporting and witnessing to their co-workers and neighbors.Missions should only develop programs and institutions that the national church desired and could support.The national churches should call out and support their own pastors.Churches should be built in the native style with money and materials given by the church members.Intensive biblical and doctrinal instruction should be provided for church leaders every year.

Cooperation and NotComity (Working together in cooperation across denominational and doctrinal barriers)Bible Translation, Educational endeavors, ReliefConferences in 1860, 1885, 19001910 World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh ScotlandWorld Council of Churches and Division