Pentecostalism

Additional Pentecostal theologians are listed in the article entitled, "Renewal Theologians". Not to be forgotten:. Source: Operation World by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, 2000, unless otherwise indicated. The Spurs have advanced to the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history, and currently are tied 2-2 in the series against the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. The Apostolic Church is the fastest growing church in the world. In the postseason thus far, the Spurs have defeated the Denver Nuggets 4-1, the Seattle Supersonics 4-2 and the Phoenix Suns 4-1. Founded and led by David Yonggi Cho since 1958, it had 780,000 members in 2003. With the acquisitions of Brent Barry from Seattle, Nazr Mohammed from New York, and veteran Glenn Robinson from free agency, alongside defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, international phenom Manu Ginobili, lightning quick Tony Parker, clutch shooter Robert Horry, and MVP candidate Tim Duncan, the Spurs finished the 2004-2005 season ranked number two in the Western Conference with a 59-23 record, finishing with the best record in the Southwest division.

The great majority of Pentecostals are to be found in Third World countries (see the Statistics subsection below), although much of their international leadership is still North American. Pentecostalism is sometimes referred to as the "third force of Christianity." The largest Christian church in the world is the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, a Pentecostal church. Duncan was named both the NBA Regular Season and Finals MVP for the season. Pentecostalism was conservatively estimated to number around 115 million followers worldwide in 2000; other estimates place the figure closer to 400 million. The Spurs won the series 4-2, giving them their second NBA Championship in franchise history. is estimated to be more than 20 million and also including approx 918,000 (4%) of the Hispanic-American population, counting all unaffiliated congregations, although exact numbers are hard to come by, in part because some tenets of Pentecostalism are held by members of non-Pentecostal denominations in what has been called the charismatic movement. The series against the Nets marked the first time two former ABA teams would play each other for the NBA Championship. The size of Pentecostalism in the U.S. In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Suns, Lakers and Dallas Mavericks en route to facing the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals.

According to a Spring 1998 article in Christian History, there are about 11,000 different pentecostal or charismatic denominations worldwide. Mixing the inside presences of Duncan and Robinson with the newer outside threats, the Spurs earned a 60-22 record. The largest Pentecostal denominations in the United States today are the United Pentecostal Church, the Church of God in Christ, Church of God (Cleveland) and the Assemblies of God. Second-year French star Tony Parker was now the starting point guard for the Spurs and the squad featured a variety of three-point shooters including Stephen Jackson, Danny Ferry, Bruce Bowen and Argentina product Manu Ginobili. The history of pentecostalism in Australia has been documented by Dr Barry Chant in Heart of Fire (1984, Adelaide: Tabor, 382 pages). The Spurs had remade their team in an attempt to dethrone the three-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. In Brazil, for example, churches founded by the Swedish Pentecostal mission claim several million members. This version of the Spurs was very different from the team that had won the title a few years earlier.

Swedish Pentecostals have been very missionary-minded and have established churches in many countries. Entering the 2002-2003 season, the team knew it would be memorable for at least two reasons, as David Robinson announced that it would be his last in the NBA and the Spurs would begin play at their new arena (approved in 1999 by County voters), the SBC Center, named after telecommunications giant SBC whose corporate headquarters were located in San Antonio. These congregations are all independent but cooperate on a large scale. The Spurs finished with 58-24 records for both the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons but found themselves suffering playoff ousters in both seasons from the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. As of 2005, the Swedish pentecostal movement has approximately 90,000 members in nearly 500 congregations. The longterm viability of the Spurs franchise in San Antonio was however achieved during the 1999-2000 season, as Bexar County voters approved increases on car rental and hotel taxes which would allow for the construction of a new arena to be constructed near Freeman Coliseum. Today this congregation has about 7000 members and is the biggest Pentecostal congregation in northern Europe. The Spurs were not able to capitalize on their success during the 1999-2000 season. Although they finished with an overall record of 53-29, the Spurs lost in the first round to the Suns primarily due to an injury to Duncan which kept him out of the playoff series.

Pastored by Lewi Pethrus, this congregation, originally Baptist, was expelled from the Baptist Union of Sweden in 1913 for doctrinal differences. The victory by the Spurs was not only the first NBA title to be won by a former ABA team, but also was the first Finals appearance by a team from the ABA. In Sweden, the first Pentecostal church was Filadelfiaförsamlingen in Stockholm. Duncan was named the Finals MVP. This was later followed by the Elim Church. They faced the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals and won the series and the franchise's first World Title four games to one on the Knicks' home court of Madison Square Garden. In the United Kingdom, the first Pentecostal church to be formed was the Apostolic Church. The team was just as dominant in the playoffs, rolling through the Western Conference with a record of 11-1.

Unlike "Classical Pentecostals," who formed strictly Pentecostal congregations or denominations, Charismatics adopted as their motto, "Bloom where God planted you.". Playing a shortened 50-game season, the Spurs ended up with a 37-13 record. From the late 1950s onwards, the Charismatic Movement, which was to a large extent inspired and influenced by Pentecostalism, began to flourish in the mainline Protestant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholic church. The season was delayed over three months until resolution on a new labor agreement was reached in January 1999. This influence included evangelistic emphasis, C&MA doctrine, Simpson's hymns and books, and the use of the term 'Gospel Tabernacle,' which evolved into Pentecostal churches being known as 'Full Gospel Tabernacles.'. Prior to the beginning of training camps however, the NBA owners led by commissioner David Stern locked out the players in order to force a new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA Players Association (NBAPA). Because of this, Simpson and the C&MA (an evangelistic movement that Simpson founded) had a great influence on Pentecostalism, in particular the Assemblies of God and the FourSquare Church. With a healthy Robinson and Duncan and the additions of playoff veterans such as Mario Elie and Jerome Kersey, the Spurs looked forward to the 1998-1999 season.

It was common for Pentecostal pastors and missionaries to receive their training at the Missionary Training Institute that Simpson founded. While both Duncan and Robinson played low-post roles, the two seamlessly meshed on the court. During the beginning of the twentieth century, Albert Benjamin Simpson became closely involved with the growing Pentecostal movement. He was named First Team All-NBA while winning Rookie of the Year honors. The team ended up at 56-26 but once again lost to the Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals. The unification of white and black movements led to the restructing of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America to become the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America. Duncan quickly emerged as a force in the NBA during the 1997-1998 season, averaging 21.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as a power forward. This unification occurred in 1998, again in Memphis, Tennessee. The Spurs used their pick to select Wake Forest University product and consensus All-American Tim Duncan.

In 1994, Pentecostals returned to their roots of racial reconciliation and proposed formal unification of the major white and black branches of the Pentecostal Church, in a meeting subsequently known as the Memphis Miracle. With the third-worst record in the league, the Spurs won the NBA's draft lottery which gave them the top pick in the 1997 draft. When the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America was formed in 1948, it was made up entirely of Anglo-American Pentecostal denominations. Although the 1996-1997 season was not successful on the court for the Spurs, the offseason proved to be the opposite. This lasted until 1924, when the church split along racial lines (see Apostolic Faith Mission). Hill only lasted 18 games that season, eventually being replaced by Gregg Popovich, who had once been an assistant for the Spurs during Larry Brown's coaching turn. The first decade of Pentecostalism was marked by interracial assemblies, "...Whites and blacks mix in a religious frenzy,..." according to a local newspaper account. After an injury that limited Robinson to six games during the season, the Spurs wound up with a 20-62 record, the worst in franchise history.

By the third week in April, 1906, the small but growing congregation had rented an abandoned African Methodist Episcopal Church at 312 Azusa Street and organized as the Apostolic Faith Mission. Few observers could have predicted how far the Spurs would fall during the 1996-1997 season. On April 18, 1906, the Los Angeles Times ran a front page story on the movement. The Spurs finished the next season (1995-1996) under Hill at 59-23 and lost in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Jazz. The attending pastor, William J. Seymour, also claimed that he was overcome with the Holy Spirit on April 12, 1906. Throughout the season and particularly in the playoffs there appeared to be friction developing between Rodman and several Spurs' teammates, most notably Robinson, and Rodman was traded after the season to the Chicago Bulls. The expansion of the movement started with the Azusa Street Revival, beginning April 9, 1906 at the Los Angeles home of Edward Lee, who experienced what he felt to be an infilling of the Holy Spirit during a prayer session. The Spurs reached the Western Conference Finals, but lost to the eventual NBA Champion Houston Rockets.

Parham left Topeka and began a revival ministry which led to a link to the Azusa Street Revival through William J. Seymour whom he taught in his school in Houston, although because Seymour was African American, he was only allowed to sit outside the room to listen. Elliott returned to the team after an uneventful season with the Pistons and the team finished with the best record at 62-20 while David Robinson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player. Parham, a minister of Methodist background, formulated the doctrine that tongues was the "Bible evidence" of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lucas was replaced by former Pacers coach Bob Hill for the 1994-1995 season which would turn out to be the Spurs' most successful season to date. Although the 1896 Shearer Schoolhouse Revival in Cherokee County, North Carolina might be regarded as a precursor to the modern Pentecostal movement, the commonly accepted origin dates from when Agnes Ozman received the gift of tongues (glossolalia) at Charles Fox Parham's Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas in 1901. Prior to the season the Spurs traded fan-favorite Elliott to the Detroit Pistons in return for rebounding star Dennis Rodman. Modern Pentecostalism began around 1901. The following season, the Spurs first in the newly built Alamodome, Lucas led the Spurs to a 55-27 record but the team suffered a loss in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz which led to the immediate firing of Lucas as head coach.

This same holds true for the Oneness Pentecostal towards trinitarian churches. The 1992-1993 season also marked the last that the Spurs would play in Hemisfair Arena. The major trinitarian Pentecostal organizations, however, including the Pentecostal World Conference and the Fellowship of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America, have condemned Oneness Theology as a heresy and refuse membership to churches holding this belief. His coaching propelled the team to a 39-22 finish over the rest of the regular season and the team reached the Western Conference semifinals, losing to the Phoenix Suns. They also believe that God has revealed Himself in different roles rather than three distinct persons. The Lucas era started out successfully. This is for their belief that the original Apostles baptized converts in the name of Jesus. It was Lucas' first NBA coaching assignment although he had gained recognition in league circles for his success in helping NBA players rehab from drug abuse.

Oneness Pentecostals, are sometimes known as Jesus-Name, "Apostolics", or by their detractors as "Jesus only" Pentecostals. After Rex Hughes filled the coaching shoes for one game, NBA veteran John Lucas was named head coach. The largest Pentecostal Oneness denomination in the United States is the United Pentecostal Church. The Tarkanian experiment proved a flop, as the coach was fired 20 games into the 1992-1993 season with the Spurs record at 9-11. Some Pentecostal churches hold to "Oneness theology", which decries the traditional doctrine of the Trinity as unbiblical. McCombs made national headlines during the summer of 1992 with the hiring of former UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian. The idea that one is not saved unless one speaks in tongues is rejected by most major Pentecostal denominations. The team became a perennial playoff presence although were never able to advance further then the second round of the NBA Playoffs under Brown's tutelage. Late in the 1991-1992 season, McCombs fired Brown and replaced him with Bob Bass who finished the season as interim head coach.

Advocates say that the Pentecostal position aligns closely with Luke's emphasis in the book of Acts and reflects a more sophisticated use of hermeneutics. The Spurs began the 1990's with great optimism. Critics charge that this doctrine does not mesh well with what they believe to be Paul's criticism of the early Corinthian church for their obsession with speaking in tongues (see 1 Corinthians, chapters 12-14 in the New Testament). Robinson had one of the most successful rookie seasons for a center in NBA history, finishing the season as Rookie of the Year while averaging 24.3 points and 12.0 rebounds. This, however, would be a minority perspective. The Spurs eventually lost in the Western Conference semifinals after losing a seven-game series to the eventual Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers. This would be the only case where a believer would be filled with the Holy Spirit, but not exhibit the so-called "initial physical evidence" of speaking in tongues. Led by Robinson along with the newly added Terry Cummings and 1989 draftee Sean Elliott, the Spurs achieved the biggest one-season turnaround in NBA History, finishing with a record of 56-26.

Some ministers and members admit that a believer might be able to speak in tongues, but for various personal reasons (such as a lack of understanding) might not. As the 1980's ended, the 1989-1990 season proved to be the rebirth of the Spurs franchise. Most major Pentecostal churches also accept the corollary that those who don't speak in tongues have not received the blessing that they call "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit" (this claim is uniquely Pentecostal and is one of the few consistent differences from Charismatic theology). Additionally, the 1988-1989 season featured the debut of Larry Brown as the Spurs head coach who moved to San Antonio after winning the NCAA National Championship with the University of Kansas in 1988. Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is the normative proof of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It was the first season of full ownership for Red McCombs, who was an original investor in the team and helped solidify local ownership for the team. One of the most prominent distinguishing characteristics of Pentecostalism that separates it from Evangelicalism is its emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Although the 1988-1989 season was the worst in Spurs history at 21-61, it was notable for several reasons.

For the Pentecostal, the Scriptures are a primary reference point for communion with God and a template for reading the world. Although drafted in 1987, the Spurs would have to wait until the 1989-1990 season to see Robinson actually play due to a two-year commitment he had to serve with the United States Navy. Jackie David Johns, in his work on Pentecostal formational leadership, states that the Scriptures hold a special place in the Pentecostal worldview in that the Bible is held as a book in which the Holy Spirit is always active; to encounter the Scriptures is to encounter God. The Spurs used this selection on United States Naval Academy standout David Robinson. Dr. The lone bright spot during this period was the Spurs' being awarded the top pick in the 1987 NBA draft through NBA Draft Lottery. Reason is esteemed as a valid conduit of truth, but Pentecostals do not limit truth to the realm of reason. The next four seasons were a dark time in Spurs' history, with the team having a combined record of 115-215 from 1985-1986 till 1988-1989. The losing seasons and dwindling attendance caused the Spurs to often be mentioned as a potential candidate for relocation to another city.

Although Pentecostals are concerned with orthodoxy ("correct belief"), they are also concerned with orthopathy ("right affections") and orthopraxy ("right reflection or action"). After the 1984-1985 season, Gervin, who arguably had been the Spurs' biggest star, was traded to the Chicago Bulls in what effectively signaled the end of the era that began when the Spurs first moved to San Antonio. Pentecostals embrace a transrational worldview. Despite their regular season success, the Spurs were unable to win any NBA championships, losing in the Western Conference playoffs to the Houston Rockets in 1981 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and 1983. While there is cross pollination with other movements, Pentecostals differ from Fundamentalists by placing more emphasis on personal spiritual experience and, in most cases, by allowing women in ministry. For the first few seasons of the decade, the Spurs continued their success of the 1970's with records of 52-30 in 1980-1981, 48-34 in 1981-1982, and 53-29 in 1982-1983. Theologically, most Pentecostal denominations are aligned with Evangelicalism in that they emphasize the reliability of the Bible and the need for conversion to faith in Jesus. The decade of the 1980's marked both highs, then lows, and an eventual high.

Charismatic Christians, at least in the early days of the movement, tended to remain in their respective denominations. The Spurs would go on to capture 5 division titles in their first 7 years in the NBA and became a perennial playoff participant. Pentecostalism is similar to the Charismatic movement, but developed earlier and separated from the mainstream church. Although there was some initial skepticism in league circles regarding the potential success and talent levels of the incoming ABA teams, the Spurs would prove worthy of NBA inclusion during the 1975-1976 season with a record of 44-38, good for a tie for fourth place overall in the Eastern Conference. The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The NBA however decided to admit four ABA teams into the league, with the Spurs being one of them along with the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and the New York Nets. Al Sharpton - American politician, civil rights activist, and Pentecostal minister. Even though playoff success would elude the team in the ABA, the Spurs had suddenly found themselves among the top teams in the ABA. In 1976, the ABA folded, threatening the future of San Antonio's sole professional sports franchise.

Andrea Mason - leader of the Family First Party of Australia in the Federal Election of 2004. The early Spurs were led by ABA veteran James Silas and bolstered by the acquisition in early-1974 of future NBA Hall-of-Famer George Gervin from the Virginia Squires. Steve Fielding - Family First Party Leader and Senator from Victoria. The team quickly made themselves at home at San Antonio's HemisFair Arena playing to increasingly large and raucous crowds. Andrew Evans - Founder and most influential member of the Family First Party and Member of the South Australian Legislative Council. The team's primary colors were changed from the red, white, and blue of the Chapparrals to the now familiar silver and black motif of the Spurs. Stockwell Day - prominent Canadian politician. The team was acquired by a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Angelo Drossos and Red McCombs who actually leased the team from the original Dallas ownership group, relocated the team to San Antonio, Texas and renamed them the Spurs.

Frederick Chiluba - former President of Zambia. After missing the playoffs for the first time in their existence in 1972-1973, the team was put up for sale. John Ashcroft - former Attorney-General of the United States. In fact, during the 1970-1971 season, the name "Dallas" was dropped in favor of "Texas" and an attempt was made to make the team a regional one, playing games in Fort Worth, Texas as well as Lubbock, Texas but this proved a failure and the team returned full-time to Dallas in time for the 1971-1972 season. Luis & Aileen Torres - Pastors of Centro De Adoracion Nuevos Comienzos, Passaic, New Jersey, US. The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas. Rev Mohan - Pastor New Life Assemblies Of God Church, chennai, India. The San Antonio Spurs started out as the Dallas Chaparrals of the original version of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967.

Vincent Leoh [1957- ]- General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God of Malaysia; Senior Pastor of Glad Tidings Assembly of God, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The San Antonio Spurs are a National Basketball Association team based in San Antonio, Texas. Sophia Tan Luang Keng - Founding and Senior Pastor of Living Spring Fellowship, based in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. 50 - David Robinson. Larry Schoonover is also Senior editor of the Apostolic Herald (http://apostolicherald.com). 44 - George Gervin. Larry Schoonover - Senior Pastor of New Life Pentecostal Church (http://newlife-apostolic.com) in Puyallup, Washington. 32 - Sean Elliott.

Ouriel de Jesus - Senior Pastor of World Revival Church (http://www.godsrevival.com), the center of the revival in Boston, MA, and the president of the 70 some odd congregations planted by his ministry around the world. 13 - James Silas. Brian Houston - Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. 00 - Johnny Moore. Wayne Hughes - Senior Pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God, New Zealand. Chuck "The Rifleman" Person. In 2002, he conducted the largest known evangelistic crusade in history, in Lagos, Nigeria, attended by six million people. Malik Rose.

Reinhard Bonnke (1941-) - German evangelist known for his huge crusades, mostly in Africa but also elsewhere. Terry Cummings. Luis Cabral (1965-) - Portuguese evangelist, now based in New Zealand. Steve Kerr. Jack Hayford - Founding Pastor of Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California. Avery "The Little General" Johnson. David Yonggi Cho (1936-) - Senior Pastor of the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, Korea. Sean "Ninja" Elliott.

Currently Associate Pastor of Times Square Church, New York. Willie Anderson. David Wilkerson (1931-) - author of The Cross and the Switchblade and numerous other books. Alvin Robertson. Ward. Johnny Moore. M. Artis "The A-Train" Gilmore.

C. James "Captain Late" Silas. Jimmy Swaggart. David "The Admiral" Robinson. Pat Robertson. Moses Malone - 2001. Oral Roberts. George "The Iceman" Gervin - 1996.

Kathryn Kuhlman. G-#11 Mike Wilks (Rice). Kenneth Hagin Sr. G-#14 Beno Udrih (Slovenia). Kenneth Copeland. F-#3 Glenn Robinson (Purdue). Morris Cerullo. C-#8 Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic (Slovenia).

Dan Betzer. F/C-#34 Tony Massenburg (Maryland). Jim Bakker. F/C-#4 Sean Marks (California). Gordon Fee - New Testament Scholar. F-#43 Linton Johnson III (Tulane). Rufus Hollis Gause (born 1925). F/C-#5 Robert Horry (Alabama).

Derek Prince (1915-2003) - probably the world's best-known Pentecostal theologian. G-#23 Devin Brown (Texas-San Antonio). Donald Gee (1891-1966). G-#17 Brent Barry (Oregon State). Rex Humbard (b.1919) The first successful TV evangelist of the mid 1950s, 1960s, and the 1970s and at one time had the largest television audience of any televangelist in the U.S. PG-#9 Tony Parker (France). Oral Roberts (b.1918) Healing Tent Evangelist who made the transition to televangelism. SG-#20 Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili (Argentina).

Allen (1911-1970) Healing Tent Evangelist of the 1950s and 1960s. C-#2 Nazr Mohammed (Kentucky). A. SF-#12 Bruce Bowen (Cal State-Fullerton). A. PF-#21 Tim Duncan (Wake Forest). Jack Coe (1918-1956) Healing Tent Evangelist of the 1950s.

Branham (1909-1965) Healing Evangelists of the mid 20th century. William M. Kathryn Kuhlman (1907-1976) American female evangelist who brought Pentecostalism into the mainstream denominations. Aimee Semple McPherson(1890-1944) American Female Evangelist and organizer of the Four Square Gospel Church.

Seymour (1870-1922) Azusa Street Mission Founder. William J. Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929) Father of Modern Pentecostalism. David du Plessis.

Smith Wigglesworth. John Alexander Dowie (1848-1907). Australia: 0.4 million. Papua New Guinea: 0.4 million.

Oceania: 3.3 million