The Azusa Street Revival

In 1906 at 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles a revival began that set in motion a global movement that has affected half a billion people. In The Azusa Street Revival and Its Legacy, twenty writers, representing the international scholarship of the Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Renewal communities, reflect on the significance of the movement now and for the future.

Serving as the “catalyst” of the Pentecostal movement in the twentieth century, William J. Seymour turned a tiny former horse stable in Los Angeles into an international center of revival. Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, was a major part of the meetings held there, and Seymour led the first organized movement that promoted this experience. At Azusa, blacks, whites, Hispanics, and Europeans all met and worshiped together, crossing formerly impossible cultural lines. “There is no Jew or Gentile, bond or free, in the Azusa Mission,” Seymour said. “No instrument that God can use is rejected on account of color or dress or lack of education. This is why God has built up the work.” Compiled by Roberts Liardon, author of the bestselling God’s Generals series, The Great Azusa Street Revival features historic accounts, eyewitness testimonies to the power of God, and photos capturing the multicultural, worldwide appeal of Seymour and his ministry. Included are many of Seymour’s stirring sermons and writings, which are still relevant to believers today. Although the revival was short-lived, it produced and exploded the Pentecostal movement around the world. Today, many denominations attribute their founding to the participants of the Azusa Street church, and countless others are linked to this revival.

In The Azusa Street Mission and Revival, Cecil M. Robeck, Jr. brings to bear expertise from decades of focused study in church history to reveal the captivating story of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Los Angeles, which became known as the Azusa Street Mission. Sometimes the largest blaze begins with the tiniest spark. At the dawn of the twentieth century, William J. Seymour, the son of Louisiana slaves, began meeting with a tiny congregation in a two-story wooden building in downtown Los Angeles. What began as a spontaneous gathering of believers quickly grew into a passionate revival and renewal of the work of the Holy Spirit. The movement spread at breathtaking speed. With little more than a printing press, a trolley stop, and a powerful message, the spiritual fire emanating from the Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street rapidly crossed strict cultural and national borders—into Mexico, Canada, Britain, Scandinavia, Africa, India, and China. Led by William J. Seymour, the revival became the catalyst for the modern Pentecostal movement. Today, the more than 500 million Christians who identify as Pentecostal or Charismatic can trace the roots of their faith to this humble beginning at Azusa Street. The Azusa Street Mission and Revival tells the full story of how this uniquely diverse and inclusive group grew into a powerful movement that forever changed the landscape of Christianity.

Pentecostal congregations are among the fastest-growing churches in the world, but modern-day Pentecostalism had an inconspicuous start. It began in a church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles in 1906, spawning the Pentecostal Movement. The first section is a pictorial history of many of the events and people who have been a part of the Pentecostal/Charismatic world. The Azusa Street Centennial will: -Chronicle Pentecostalism's growth, highlighting the events and people who have been a part of this movement -Look back at the Healing Revival and the Latter Rain Revival -Document the rise of the Charismatic Movement, highlighting important developments through the final decades of the twentieth century -Clearly outline the difference between Charismatic and Pentecostal churchesDestined to be a collector's item, this book is the definitive resource for a historical, pictorial, and chronological record of the Azusa Street Revival.

"Azusa Street is the disarming autobiography of Frank Bartleman, an evangelist who settled near the little congregation on Azusa Street that would ignite a spark that would set the world on fire in revival. His story is one of a hardscrabble life illuminated by sinple, steadfast faith and grace. god had plans for him to be part of the revival, and because he was willing to serve, God provided miracle after miracle, which Bartleman carefully chronicled with the innocence of a trusting child and the wornder of a man filled with awe"--Back cover

The most profound event in modern church history took place not in a cathedral but in a clapboard church in Los Angeles. A small congregation of mostly African American worshipers embraced the concept that New Testament signs and wonders were still available in the early twentieth century. Their dramatic spiritual revival, which became known as the Azusa Street Revival, attracted believers worldwide and launched the modern Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. This event forever changed Christian worship, music, and expression. In commemoration of Azusa Street's 100th anniversary, Jack Hayford tells the story, revealing how Christians are still experiencing its impact.