International Pentecostal Holiness Church
Encyclopedia
The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) or simply Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination
founded in 1911 with the merger of two older denominations. Traditionally centered in the Southeastern United States
, particularly the Carolinas and Georgia
, the Pentecostal Holiness Church now has an international presence. In 2000, the church reported a worldwide membership of over one million—over three million including affiliates.
Heavily influenced by two major American revival movements—the holiness movement
of the late 19th century and the Pentecostal revival of the early 20th century—the church's theological roots derive from John Wesley
's teachings on sanctification.
Several ministers who were raised in the Pentecostal Holiness Church have come to have greater name recognition than the church itself, such as Oral Roberts
, an internationally known charismatic
evangelist
; Charles Stanley, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention
; and C.M. Ward, a former Assemblies of God
radio preacher.
adopted a statement which opposed the growing holiness movement in the church. Within a decade about 25 new holiness groups, including the Pentecostal Holiness Church, came into existence.
. The leader, Benjamin H. Irwin of Lincoln, Nebraska
, a former Baptist
preacher, organized the body into the national Fire-Baptized Holiness Church
at Anderson, South Carolina
, in August 1898. By this time, Irwin's group had organized churches in eight U. S. states and two Canadian provinces.
, North Carolina
, in 1898. This church was founded as a result of the evangelistic ministry of Abner Blackmon Crumpler, a Methodist evangelist. A year earlier, Crumpler had founded the inter-denominational North Carolina Holiness Association. After his trial and acquittal by a Methodist ecclesiastical court
for preaching holiness doctrines, Crumpler left the Methodist Church and with several followers began a knew denomination known as the Pentecostal Holiness Church.
The first convention was held at Fayetteville
, North Carolina, in 1900. The convention adopted a denominational discipline, and Crumpler was elected president. In 1901 at a meeting in Magnolia
, North Carolina, the word "Pentecostal" was dropped from the name to more fully associate the church with the holiness movement. For the next eight years, the church would be known as "The Holiness Church of North Carolina". The church had congregations outside of North Carolina as well, principally in South Carolina and Virginia.
Gaston B. Cashwell
, a minister of the Methodist Church, joined Crumpler's group in 1903. He became a leading figure in the church and the Pentecostal movement on the east coast. In 1906, he traveled to Los Angeles to visit the Pentecostal revival at the Azusa Street mission. While there he professed having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the evidence of speaking in tongues. Upon returning to Dunn
, North Carolina, in December 1906, Cashwell preached the Pentecost
experience in the local holiness church.
The influence of the Pentecostal renewal grew while, at the same time, the leader and founder of the church, Abner Crumpler, though willing to accept speaking in tongues, did not accept the idea that it was the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the annual conference of 1908, Crumpler was re-elected president of the body; however, with a majority of the delegates having experienced tongues, he permanently disaffiliated himself from the church. After Crumpler's departure, the conference added an article to the statement of faith, recognizing tongues as the initial evidence:
This is apparently the first official Pentecostal doctrinal statement adopted by a church in the United States. As a further sign of its new identity, the word "Pentecostal" was once again added to the denomination's name in 1909.
The PHC Foreign Mission Board was formed in 1904, and its members were all women. In 1907, Tom J. McIntosh, a PHC member, traveled to China and may have been the first Pentecostal missionary to reach that nation.
The recognition of the Pentecostal distinctive opened the way for the merger of the Pentecostal Holiness Church with the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church, which was already teaching this third blessing. This merger occurred on January 30, 1911, at the Falcon Tabernacle
in Falcon
, North Carolina. The new denomination took the name of the smaller of the two, Pentecostal Holiness Church. S.D. Page was elected the first General Superintendent.
Following the 1911 merger, the Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, originally the Brewerton Presbyterian Church, merged with the Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1915. Having Presbyterian roots and located mostly in South Carolina, this group of around 15 congregations was affiliated with Nickles Holmes Bible College in Greenville
. After the mergers, the new denomination, which continued to go by the name Pentecostal Holiness Church, had about 200 churches with approximately 5,000 members. Property for the denomination's first headquarters was purchased in 1918 for $9,000 in Franklin Springs, Georgia.
In 1918, the Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church was begun by former PHC members who wanted stricter standards concerning dress, amusements, tobacco, and association between the sexes. In 1920, another schism
came into the Pentecostal Holiness Church over divine healing and the use of medicine. Some pastors believed Christians had the right to use medicine and doctors, while, at the time, the majority of the church believed in trusting God for healing without their use. The minority withdrew and formed the Congregational Holiness Church
in 1921.
in 1943 and joined the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America in 1948. At the general conference a year later an attempt at merging with the mostly black United Holy Church
failed when the United Holy Church asked if their members could attend the church's schools and colleges.
In the 1960s, the Pentecostal Holiness Church began to branch out beyond the United States by affiliating with sister Pentecostal bodies in other parts of the world. In 1967, an affiliation was formed with the Pentecostal Methodist Church of Chile
, one of the largest national Pentecostal churches in the world and the largest non-Catholic church in Chile. At the time, the Jotabeche Pentecostal Methodist congregation was the largest church in the world with over 60,000 members. With over 150,000 members, it ranks second to the Yoido Full Gospel Church
in Seoul
, South Korea
. This denomination claims 1.7 million adherents. A similar affiliation was forged in 1985 with the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Brazil
. A Neo-Pentecostal body with roots in the Brazilian Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church numbered some 50,000 members and adherents in 1995. The word International was added to the church's name in 1975.
, pastored by Tony Miller; Northwood Temple in Fayetteville
, North Carolina, pastored by John Hedgepeth; Evangelistic Temple in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, pastored by Norman Wilkie; Life Christian Center in Oklahoma City, pastored by Dwight Burchett; Christian Heritage Church
in Tallassee
, Florida
, pastored by Bob Shelley; Redemption World Outreach Center in Greenville, South Carolina, pastored by Ron Carpenter, Jr.; and World Agape Mission Church in Los Angeles, pastored by John Kim.
In 2000, the IPHC reported 10,463 churches and over a million members worldwide (over 3.4 million including affiliates). In 2006, membership in the United States was 308,510 in 1,965 churches. There were 28 regional conferences and missionaries in more than 90 nations. International offices were once located in Franklin Springs, Georgia, but are now located in Bethany
, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City.
In January 2011, the PHC celebrated the 1911 merger centennial with special events at Falcon, North Carolina.
and the Articles of Faith. The Articles were placed in their present form in 1945. The first four articles are essentially the same as the first four Articles of Religion
of the Methodist Church.
The IPHC believes in common evangelical
beliefs, including the Trinity
, the dual nature of Christ
, his crucifixion
for the forgiving of sin
s, his resurrection
and ascension to heaven
, the inerrancy
of the Bible
, a literal belief in heaven and hell
, and the responsibility of every believer to carry out the Great Commission
. The church holds water baptism
and communion
(open communion
observed quarterly) to be divine ordinances
. Though not considered an ordinance, some of the churches also engage in the practice of feet washing
. In baptism ceremonies, the church allows its members to "have the right of choice between the various modes as practised by the several evangelical denominations", including infant baptism.
by faith, entire sanctification, the baptism in the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues, Christ's atonement (including divine healing), and the premillennial second coming of Christ.
The Pentecostal Holiness Church distinguishes the initial evidence of Spirit baptism which all believers experience when Spirit baptized from the gift of tongues, which is not given to every Spirit-filled believer. Speaking in tongues is only the first sign of Spirit baptism. Other evidence that will follow Spirit baptism include: the fruit of the Spirit, power to witness for Christ, power to endure the testings of faith and the oppositions of the world. Besides speaking in tongues, other spiritual gifts recorded in the Bible (specifically in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14) are encouraged to operate in Pentecostal Holiness congregations for the edification of the Body of Christ
.
will lay hands on
and anoint
the person being prayed over. While in its early years the Pentecostal Holiness were against receiving medical care, emphasizing divine healing, that is not the case today. The church teaches that Christians should believe in divine healing, but also teaches that medical knowledge comes to humanity through God's grace.
of the saints before the Tribulation
and the second stage will be at the end of the Tribulation when Christ will return to defeat the Antichrist
, judge the nations of the world, and begin his millennial reign
.
, a mixed system of episcopal
and congregational polity. Authority in the church is shared between local churches, quadrennial conferences, and the General Conference.
Pentecostal Holiness congregations are self governing in local affairs and are led by pastors. The pastor preaches, administers the ordinances, and promotes the "spiritual welfare" of congregants. Furthermore, the pastor is the chairman of the church board. Other than the pastor, the church board consists of deacon
s and a secretary/treasurer elected by the church members. The board is accountable to the pastor and church members, and pastors are accountable to the quadrennial conferences.
Geographically, churches are organized into conferences led by conference superintendents. In their spiritual roles, superintendents function as bishop
s, and in their administrative roles they act as chief executive officers of their conference. All conference leaders are elected by their local conference but are accountable to the General Superintendent.
The General Conference is the highest administrative body in the church. Under it are regional, annual, district, and missionary conferences. When the General Conference is out of session, the General Board of Administration acts as the church's governing body. In the IPHC, the terms "bishop" and "superintendent" are used interchangeably. The church recognizes the biblical office of bishop but does not believe in an historical episcopate
or adhere to the doctrine of apostolic succession
. The General Superintendent and Presiding Bishop
, Dr. Ronald Carpenter Sr., was elected in 2009.
in Franklin Springs, Georgia; Holmes Bible College in Greenville, South Carolina; Southwestern Christian University
in Bethany, Oklahoma; and Advantage College in San Jose, California. Charitable organizations include the Falcon Children's Home, Alternative to Abortion Ministries, New Life Adoption Agency, and The Children's Center.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
founded in 1911 with the merger of two older denominations. Traditionally centered in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, particularly the Carolinas and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, the Pentecostal Holiness Church now has an international presence. In 2000, the church reported a worldwide membership of over one million—over three million including affiliates.
Heavily influenced by two major American revival movements—the holiness movement
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
of the late 19th century and the Pentecostal revival of the early 20th century—the church's theological roots derive from John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
's teachings on sanctification.
Several ministers who were raised in the Pentecostal Holiness Church have come to have greater name recognition than the church itself, such as Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
, an internationally known charismatic
Charismatic Christianity
Charismatic Christianity is a Christian doctrine that maintains that modern-day believers experience miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and other spiritual gifts as described in of the Bible...
evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
; Charles Stanley, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
; and C.M. Ward, a former Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
radio preacher.
Origins
In 1894, the Methodist Episcopal Church, SouthMethodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
adopted a statement which opposed the growing holiness movement in the church. Within a decade about 25 new holiness groups, including the Pentecostal Holiness Church, came into existence.
Fire-Baptized Holiness
The oldest group that is part of the foundation of the Pentecostal Holiness Church originated in 1895 as the Fire-Baptized Holiness Association in Olmitz, IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The leader, Benjamin H. Irwin of Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, a former Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
preacher, organized the body into the national Fire-Baptized Holiness Church
Fire-Baptized Holiness Church
The Fire-Baptized Holiness Church was a radical holiness Christian denomination in North America and was involved in the early formation of Pentecostalism. Founded in 1895, it merged with the Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1911, forming a new denomination now known as the International Pentecostal...
at Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson, South Carolina
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...
, in August 1898. By this time, Irwin's group had organized churches in eight U. S. states and two Canadian provinces.
Pentecostal Holiness of North Carolina
The first congregation to carry the name Pentecostal Holiness Church was formed in GoldsboroGoldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, in 1898. This church was founded as a result of the evangelistic ministry of Abner Blackmon Crumpler, a Methodist evangelist. A year earlier, Crumpler had founded the inter-denominational North Carolina Holiness Association. After his trial and acquittal by a Methodist ecclesiastical court
Ecclesiastical court
An ecclesiastical court is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states...
for preaching holiness doctrines, Crumpler left the Methodist Church and with several followers began a knew denomination known as the Pentecostal Holiness Church.
The first convention was held at Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, North Carolina, in 1900. The convention adopted a denominational discipline, and Crumpler was elected president. In 1901 at a meeting in Magnolia
Magnolia, North Carolina
Magnolia is a town in Duplin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 932 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Magnolia is located at ....
, North Carolina, the word "Pentecostal" was dropped from the name to more fully associate the church with the holiness movement. For the next eight years, the church would be known as "The Holiness Church of North Carolina". The church had congregations outside of North Carolina as well, principally in South Carolina and Virginia.
Gaston B. Cashwell
Gaston B. Cashwell
Gaston Barnibus Cashwell was an early Pentecostal leader in the southern United States. He was born in Sampson County, North Carolina. His importance lies in bringing several Holiness movements into the Pentecostal camp....
, a minister of the Methodist Church, joined Crumpler's group in 1903. He became a leading figure in the church and the Pentecostal movement on the east coast. In 1906, he traveled to Los Angeles to visit the Pentecostal revival at the Azusa Street mission. While there he professed having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the evidence of speaking in tongues. Upon returning to Dunn
Dunn, North Carolina
Dunn is a city in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,196 at the 2000 census.It is the birthplace of early an rock and roll guitar player, Link Wray, and General William C. Lee, father of the American Army Airborne. The city's slogan is "It's all right here." The...
, North Carolina, in December 1906, Cashwell preached the Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
experience in the local holiness church.
The influence of the Pentecostal renewal grew while, at the same time, the leader and founder of the church, Abner Crumpler, though willing to accept speaking in tongues, did not accept the idea that it was the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the annual conference of 1908, Crumpler was re-elected president of the body; however, with a majority of the delegates having experienced tongues, he permanently disaffiliated himself from the church. After Crumpler's departure, the conference added an article to the statement of faith, recognizing tongues as the initial evidence:
This is apparently the first official Pentecostal doctrinal statement adopted by a church in the United States. As a further sign of its new identity, the word "Pentecostal" was once again added to the denomination's name in 1909.
The PHC Foreign Mission Board was formed in 1904, and its members were all women. In 1907, Tom J. McIntosh, a PHC member, traveled to China and may have been the first Pentecostal missionary to reach that nation.
Mergers and schisms
Falcon Tabernacle
The Falcon Tabernacle, also known as the Octagon Tabernacle and the Little Tabernacle, is an historic octagon-shaped Pentecostal Holiness church building in Falcon, North Carolina. Built in 1898, it was designed by Julius A. Culbreth for prayer meetings and was built using wood from trees that had...
in Falcon
Falcon, North Carolina
Falcon is a town in Cumberland and Sampson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 328 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Falcon is located at ....
, North Carolina. The new denomination took the name of the smaller of the two, Pentecostal Holiness Church. S.D. Page was elected the first General Superintendent.
Following the 1911 merger, the Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, originally the Brewerton Presbyterian Church, merged with the Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1915. Having Presbyterian roots and located mostly in South Carolina, this group of around 15 congregations was affiliated with Nickles Holmes Bible College in Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
. After the mergers, the new denomination, which continued to go by the name Pentecostal Holiness Church, had about 200 churches with approximately 5,000 members. Property for the denomination's first headquarters was purchased in 1918 for $9,000 in Franklin Springs, Georgia.
In 1918, the Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church was begun by former PHC members who wanted stricter standards concerning dress, amusements, tobacco, and association between the sexes. In 1920, another schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
came into the Pentecostal Holiness Church over divine healing and the use of medicine. Some pastors believed Christians had the right to use medicine and doctors, while, at the time, the majority of the church believed in trusting God for healing without their use. The minority withdrew and formed the Congregational Holiness Church
Congregational Holiness Church
The Congregational Holiness Church is a Pentecostal Church that was formed in 1921.-History:The Congregational Holiness Church shares the early history of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, from which it withdrew. In 1920 a schism came into the Pentecostal Holiness Church over the...
in 1921.
Further development
The Pentecostal Holiness Church was a charter member of the National Association of EvangelicalsNational Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
in 1943 and joined the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America in 1948. At the general conference a year later an attempt at merging with the mostly black United Holy Church
United Holy Church of America
The United Holy Church of America, Inc. is a predominantly Black Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination. International headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The UHC of A consists of 516 churches, 17 districts, and 8 territories...
failed when the United Holy Church asked if their members could attend the church's schools and colleges.
In the 1960s, the Pentecostal Holiness Church began to branch out beyond the United States by affiliating with sister Pentecostal bodies in other parts of the world. In 1967, an affiliation was formed with the Pentecostal Methodist Church of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, one of the largest national Pentecostal churches in the world and the largest non-Catholic church in Chile. At the time, the Jotabeche Pentecostal Methodist congregation was the largest church in the world with over 60,000 members. With over 150,000 members, it ranks second to the Yoido Full Gospel Church
Yoido Full Gospel Church
Yoido Full Gospel Church is a Pentecostal church on Yeouido in Seoul, South Korea. With about 1,000,000 members , it is the largest Pentecostal Christian congregation in South Korea, and the world...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. This denomination claims 1.7 million adherents. A similar affiliation was forged in 1985 with the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. A Neo-Pentecostal body with roots in the Brazilian Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church numbered some 50,000 members and adherents in 1995. The word International was added to the church's name in 1975.
Recent history
The largest Pentecostal Holiness churches in the United States include Cathedral of Praise World Outreach Center in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, pastored by Tony Miller; Northwood Temple in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, North Carolina, pastored by John Hedgepeth; Evangelistic Temple in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, pastored by Norman Wilkie; Life Christian Center in Oklahoma City, pastored by Dwight Burchett; Christian Heritage Church
Christian Heritage Church
Christian Heritage Church or CHC is a church in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a member of the International Pentecostal Holiness denomination and is a charismatic church under the leadership of Senior Pastor Ron McCants...
in Tallassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, pastored by Bob Shelley; Redemption World Outreach Center in Greenville, South Carolina, pastored by Ron Carpenter, Jr.; and World Agape Mission Church in Los Angeles, pastored by John Kim.
In 2000, the IPHC reported 10,463 churches and over a million members worldwide (over 3.4 million including affiliates). In 2006, membership in the United States was 308,510 in 1,965 churches. There were 28 regional conferences and missionaries in more than 90 nations. International offices were once located in Franklin Springs, Georgia, but are now located in Bethany
Bethany, Oklahoma
Bethany is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 20,307 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bethany is located at ....
, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City.
In January 2011, the PHC celebrated the 1911 merger centennial with special events at Falcon, North Carolina.
Doctrine
The doctrine of the Pentecostal Holiness Church is articulated in the Apostles' CreedApostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
and the Articles of Faith. The Articles were placed in their present form in 1945. The first four articles are essentially the same as the first four Articles of Religion
Articles of Religion (Methodist)
The Articles of Religion are an official doctrinal statement of American Methodism. John Wesley abridged for the American Methodists the Thirty-Nine Articles of Anglicanism, removing the Calvinistic parts among others. The Articles were adopted at a conference in 1784 and are found in paragraph 103...
of the Methodist Church.
The IPHC believes in common evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
beliefs, including the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, the dual nature of Christ
Hypostatic union
Hypostatic union is a technical term in Christian theology employed in mainstream Christology to describe the union of Christ's humanity and divinity in one hypostasis.The First Council of Ephesus recognised this doctrine and affirmed its importance, stating that the...
, his crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
for the forgiving of sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
s, his resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
and ascension to heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, the inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position that the Bible is accurate and totally free of error, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact." Some equate inerrancy with infallibility; others do not.Conservative Christians generally believe that...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, a literal belief in heaven and hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and the responsibility of every believer to carry out the Great Commission
Great Commission
The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
. The church holds water baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
(open communion
Open communion
Open communion is the practice of Christian churches that allow individuals other than members of that church to receive Holy Communion...
observed quarterly) to be divine ordinances
Ordinance (Christian)
Ordinance is a Protestant Christian term for baptism, communion and other religious rituals. Some Protestants, like the Mennonites, do not call them "sacraments" because they believe these rituals are outward expressions of faith, rather than impartations of God's grace.While a sacrament is seen...
. Though not considered an ordinance, some of the churches also engage in the practice of feet washing
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
. In baptism ceremonies, the church allows its members to "have the right of choice between the various modes as practised by the several evangelical denominations", including infant baptism.
Cardinal doctrines
Since the adoption of the article of faith on the baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1908, the Pentecostal Holiness Church has taught the following beliefs as their five cardinal doctrines: justificationJustification (theology)
Rising out of the Protestant Reformation, Justification is the chief article of faith describing God's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous through Christ's atoning sacrifice....
by faith, entire sanctification, the baptism in the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues, Christ's atonement (including divine healing), and the premillennial second coming of Christ.
Justification by faith
The Pentecostal Holiness Church believes that no amount of good works can achieve justification or salvation. This is achieved only "on the basis of our faith in the shed blood, the resurrection, and the justifying righteousness" of Christ. Good works, however, are a product of salvation. "When we believe on Jesus Christ as our Savior, our sins are pardoned, we are justified, and we enter a state of righteousness, not our own, but His, both imputed and imparted".Sanctification
As a holiness church, the PHC believes that for the Christian there is not only justification and forgiveness for actual transgressions but also "complete cleansing of the justified believer from all indwelling sin and from its pollution". This cleansing is not "maturity" but a "crisis experience" and a "definite, instantaneous work of grace, obtainable by faith". The church recognizes that there is maturity and growth in the life of the believer, but states that "we must get into this grace before we can grow in it". The sanctified life is described as "one of separation from the world, a selfless life, a life of devotion to all the will of God, a life of holiness ... a life controlled by 'perfect love' which 'casteth out fear'". The Pentecostal Holiness Church specifically rejects absolute perfection, angelic perfection, and sinless perfection—terms that imply that it is impossible for a sanctified believer to commit sin.Baptism with the Holy Spirit
As a Pentecostal church, the PHC believes the "baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire is obtainable by a definite act of appropriating faith on the part of the fully cleansed believer". Spirit baptism is available to all believers and provides empowerment to witness for Christ. To receive the baptism, a person must have a "clean heart and life" and to "live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit's power and possession, one must continue to live a clean and consecrated life, free from sin, strife, worldliness, and pride, and must avoid attitudes and actions that tend to 'grieve' or 'quench' the Holy Spirit".The Pentecostal Holiness Church distinguishes the initial evidence of Spirit baptism which all believers experience when Spirit baptized from the gift of tongues, which is not given to every Spirit-filled believer. Speaking in tongues is only the first sign of Spirit baptism. Other evidence that will follow Spirit baptism include: the fruit of the Spirit, power to witness for Christ, power to endure the testings of faith and the oppositions of the world. Besides speaking in tongues, other spiritual gifts recorded in the Bible (specifically in 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14) are encouraged to operate in Pentecostal Holiness congregations for the edification of the Body of Christ
Body of Christ
In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the...
.
Divine healing
The PHC believes that "provision was made in the atonement for the healing of our bodies". Congregations will pray for the healing of sick people and church eldersElder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
will lay hands on
Laying on of hands
The laying on of hands is a religious ritual that accompanies certain religious practices, which are found throughout the world in varying forms....
and anoint
Anointing of the Sick
Anointing of the Sick, known also by other names, is distinguished from other forms of religious anointing or "unction" in that it is intended, as its name indicates, for the benefit of a sick person...
the person being prayed over. While in its early years the Pentecostal Holiness were against receiving medical care, emphasizing divine healing, that is not the case today. The church teaches that Christians should believe in divine healing, but also teaches that medical knowledge comes to humanity through God's grace.
Second Coming
The PHC believes in the imminent, personal, premillennial second coming of Jesus Christ. It will occur in two stages: the first stage will be the raptureRapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
of the saints before the Tribulation
Tribulation
The Great Tribulation refers to tumultuous events that are described during the "signs of the times", first mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet discourse...
and the second stage will be at the end of the Tribulation when Christ will return to defeat the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
, judge the nations of the world, and begin his millennial reign
Millennialism
Millennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state...
.
Structure
Reflecting its Methodist heritage, the IPHC is governed under the principles of connectionalismConnectionalism
The term Connexionalism is today most commonly used to describe the theological understanding and foundation of Methodist polity, as practised in the British Methodist Church and the American United Methodist Church...
, a mixed system of episcopal
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
and congregational polity. Authority in the church is shared between local churches, quadrennial conferences, and the General Conference.
Pentecostal Holiness congregations are self governing in local affairs and are led by pastors. The pastor preaches, administers the ordinances, and promotes the "spiritual welfare" of congregants. Furthermore, the pastor is the chairman of the church board. Other than the pastor, the church board consists of deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s and a secretary/treasurer elected by the church members. The board is accountable to the pastor and church members, and pastors are accountable to the quadrennial conferences.
Geographically, churches are organized into conferences led by conference superintendents. In their spiritual roles, superintendents function as bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s, and in their administrative roles they act as chief executive officers of their conference. All conference leaders are elected by their local conference but are accountable to the General Superintendent.
The General Conference is the highest administrative body in the church. Under it are regional, annual, district, and missionary conferences. When the General Conference is out of session, the General Board of Administration acts as the church's governing body. In the IPHC, the terms "bishop" and "superintendent" are used interchangeably. The church recognizes the biblical office of bishop but does not believe in an historical episcopate
Historical episcopate
The episcopate is the collective body of all bishops of a church. In the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Rite Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Old-Catholic, Moravian Church, and Independent Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East, it is held that only a...
or adhere to the doctrine of apostolic succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
. The General Superintendent and Presiding Bishop
Presiding Bishop
The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America :The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the...
, Dr. Ronald Carpenter Sr., was elected in 2009.
Educational and charitable institutions
The IPHC has five affiliated institutions of higher education and operates several charitable organizations. The IPHC colleges are Emmanuel CollegeEmmanuel College, Georgia
Emmanuel College is located in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Emmanuel is a private, Christian, liberal arts college and is affiliated with the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. The school averages between 700 to 800 students.-History:...
in Franklin Springs, Georgia; Holmes Bible College in Greenville, South Carolina; Southwestern Christian University
Southwestern Christian University
Southwestern Christian University was founded in 1946 as an educational institution based on the Bible and the first Pentecostal educational institution in the state. As first a Bible college, for the training of Christian church leaders within the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, the...
in Bethany, Oklahoma; and Advantage College in San Jose, California. Charitable organizations include the Falcon Children's Home, Alternative to Abortion Ministries, New Life Adoption Agency, and The Children's Center.
Further reading
- Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor
- Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood