![]() Many of the leadership assumed that such a blessing naturally heralded the immanent Day of the Lord. Those caught up in the renewal of this ancient practice could hardly keep from noticing the seeming providence that what had been such a source of power for the 1st century church had been restored within a few decades of the close of the 20th. Sadly this is far from accurate but it is true that time often reveals much. While there were reports of extremely isolated and sporadic cases of individuals speaking in an unknown language or manner, Azusa Street was without question the point of singularity for the modern charismatic movement. Other issues that bare notice included the apparent restoration of the spiritual gift of tongues on a massive scale. So much so that it would be fifty years after the revival appeared before the Civil Rights movement in America could begin in earnest. Wounds were raw and opinions slow to change. ![]() Seymour, a child of former slaves, the Azusa Street Revival was born during racially charged times. Sparked and led by the African American William J. Chief among these were the people involved and the time period in which they found themselves. Several factors combined to make the study of what would grow to become an unprecedented charismatic outpouring an important and compelling study. The author continues his extremely detailed and researched story of the underpinnings and inner workings of the Azusa Street revival, that would forever change the face of Pentecostal and much of modern Christianity. The audio version is read by the perfect artist and is written in such a way as to provide proactive insights into turn of the 20th Century life in the major areas of America. The latter is one the most informative reads I can recommend. " Both are available for purchase and the later can be read at Google books online by clicking here. has published a scholarly historical rendition entitled, " The Azusa Street Mission and Revival. Chief among the literary works would be Frank Bartleman's first hand accounts compiled in the book entitled, " Azusa Street. Considered the birthplace of modern Pentecostalism, a handful of diligent seekers meeting day and night in a rustic church and previously burnt out livery stable have grown into a global movement over half a billion strong.Ī myriad of resources published by a variety of sources, including newspaper articles and public records, books and tracks, even today we have an excellent chronicle of the events taking place at the beginning of the 20th century. Charismatic or not, lessons abound concerning this well documented move of God that spread like wildfire throughout America and the world. Researching the history of revival would be remiss without serious consideration of the reported outpouring of the Spirit in 1906 at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, CA. Note: Those concerned with the unprecedented international and nation challenges arising in 2020 and beyond, including the implications and aftermath of COVID-19, may want to review the update at the end of this article before proceeding. While then and now opinions differ as to the purity of their message and methods, the Holy fire that fell on such humble and sincere God seekers offers hope that with equal levels of commitment and endurance we might repent of our worldliness and sin to the point of experiencing genuine power evangelism and even our own Pentecost. Effecting the thinking of every denomination and billions of Christians across the globe, the participants of the Azusa experience evidenced a passion and hunger for the restoration of the genuine gifts of the Spirit that is sorely needed today, even among the movement it spawned. The birthplace of what would become the Charismatic movement, its influence even then, and far more so now, has been felt worldwide. Simply put, the 1906 Azusa Street revival may well have had more impact on Christianity than any single event since the Protestant Reformation. The Apostolic Faith Mission picture above reveals just how different a place Los Angeles, and the entire world were, at the beginning of the 20th Century.
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