EARLY PENTECOSTAL REVIVALS: Azusa And Beyond (1906–1940)

EARLY PENTECOSTAL REVIVALS: Azusa And Beyond (1906–1940)

Through the testimonies and experiences of key figures like Frank J. Ewart, Andrew D. Urshan, and Leamon T. Reynolds, the narrative highlights the intense opposition and persecution adherents faced. This resistance often came from established denominations (Baptist, Methodist, Moody Church, Catholic referenced) and society at large, leading to imprisonment, mob violence, and social ostracization, mirroring the experiences of the early Christian church.

A significant focus of the book is the doctrinal developments and controversies that shaped the movement during this era. It delves into the emergence of the Oneness ("Jesus Only") doctrine, presenting it as a "great discovery" or "revelation" concerning the singular name of Jesus for water baptism and the nature of the Godhead, tracing its origins from the 1913 Arroyo Seco camp meeting and its spread through evangelists like Ewart and Glenn A. Cook. The book recounts the resulting divisions, particularly the split within the nascent Assemblies of God.

Furthermore, it addresses internal challenges framed as "Satan's attacks," notably the controversy sparked by F.F. Bosworth questioning tongues as the sole initial physical evidence of the Holy Spirit baptism, which the author presents as a damaging "virus of destruction." The reality of spiritual warfare, including encounters with demonic forces and the practice of deliverance, is also explored through personal accounts.

Written from a perspective sympathetic to the Apostolic/Jesus Name movement, the book portrays the struggles and triumphs of establishing Pentecostal faith and practice, emphasizing the importance of humility, the dangers of pride, and the spread of the gospel "in the Name of Jesus" amidst intense spiritual and social conflict in the foundational decades after Azusa Street.