McGee - People of the Spirit

People of the Spirit

THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD

Gary B. McGee

Foreword byThomas E. Trask

Afterword byGeorge O. Wood

Gospel Publishing House

Springfield, Missouri

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

A special thanks to KY3, Inc., in Springfield, Missouri, for permission to use the video entitled The Ambassador Airplane: The Heavenly Highway ( 1998).

Every effort has been made to secure permission from copyright owners to publish photographs, illustrations, and sidebar materials in this work. The publisher will be happy to correct any omissions or inaccuracies in the next printing.

2004 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, Missouri 65802. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the copyright owner, except brief quotations used in connection with reviews in magazines or newspapers.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2003113851

Dedication

In honor of Robert and Lois Graber, faithful pastors of

Bethel Temple Assembly of God, Canton, Ohio (19591999), whose stories of

Pentecostal power and blessing became my own.

At the close of World War II, the Assemblies of God planned a major new thrust in global evangelization. Since commercial air flights were not readily available, the missions department took the extraordinary step of purchasing an army surplus C-46 airplane to transport missionaries overseas. Christs command to go and make disciples of all nations now required wings. Such daring and resourcefulness has been the story of the Assemblies of God.

Contents

by Thomas E. Trask

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

by George O. Wood

We stand at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Will, if Jesus tarries, this Pentecostal revival continue with full force?

Church history is replete with examples of revivals in which fire and passion for Jesus and for the lost waned over the course of time. The Assemblies of God was birthed in revival, and for nearly nine decades now this revival Movement has been the means for multiplied millions to come to Christ. Will our Assemblies of God fellowship go the way of all other revivals, or will there be a new birth of Pentecost so that the years to come will far surpass in fruitfulness the years that have preceded?

In his new history of the Assemblies of God, Gary McGee eloquently tells the stories of people of the Spirit. This work is not an ordinary church history focusing on organization or structure. Instead, this book focuses upon the people the Holy Spirit used in bringing us to where we are today.

Of course, such a history excludes the stories of more people than the ones who are included. However, the stories of people in this work present a representative sampling of the kinds of men and women the Lord used in weaving together the fabric of the Assemblies of God.

Most of Gods workers are anonymous. This book reflects that. You will be introduced to many people you were not aware of. Yet, it is these unknown saintsas well as ones more visiblewhom God used in writing the incredible chapter of the Assemblies of God through the twentieth century.

Some of them, as you will see, were not perfect. But neither was the New Testament church perfect. It struggled against those who would make salvation a matter of works and, on the opposite side, those who sought to live as libertines. There have also been seasons in the Assemblies of God where we struggled with those who advanced false doctrine, or sought to compromise our biblical understanding of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, or who brought discredit to the work of Christ through their sinful choices. An honest history tells the whole story.

As you read this story of the Assemblies of God in the twentieth century, my fervent hope is that the stories of the overwhelming number of men and women who prayed, sacrificed, exercised faith, pioneered churches and ministries, braved overwhelming adversity, and made spiritual oases in desert places will inspire all of us now living in the twenty-first century to match the splendor of their commitment to Jesus Christ.

This Pentecostal revival is only just getting started if we will maintain the fervor of the men and women whose stories are told in this wonderful new history of the Assemblies of God, People of the Spirit.

Thomas E. Trask General

General Superintendent

(19892007)

In the past, the General Council has been well served by historians such as Carl Brumback (Suddenly from Heaven: A History of the Assemblies of God), Klaude Kendrick (The Promise Fulfilled: A History of the Modern Pentecostal Movement), William W. Menzies (Anointed to Serve: The Story of the Assemblies of God), Victor De Leon (The Silent Pentecostals), and Edith L. Blumhofer (The Assemblies of God: A Chapter in the Story of American Pentecostalism). I am grateful for their contributions and the myriad of other writers who have also told some of the story. For the inspiration to write a biographical history, I am indebted to the distinguished historian Ruth A. Tucker of Calvin Theological Seminary, author of the highly acclaimed biographical history of Christian missions, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya.

(Standing l to r) Glenn Gohr, Wayne Warner, Brett Pavia; (Seated l to r) Gloria Robinett, Joyce Lee

Wayne E. Warner, another respected historian, who directs the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center, reviewed the manuscript and gave insightful recommendations. Glenn Gohr of the Center assisted in the selection of pictures, Joyce Lee came to my rescue on many occasions with needed information, and Brett Pavia coordinated digital projects. I also appreciate the permission of Warner and Gohr to allow me to reprint and add to the General Council time line that appeared in the July 20, 1997, issue of the Pentecostal Evangel. In the publications department of Assemblies of God World Missions, Gloria Robinett has been a constant source of help in rounding up information on missionaries. This book also introduces the work of four graduates of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, all budding historians. I am proud of the research capabilities and creative talents of Robert C. Phraner, Darrin J. Rodgers, Kenneth A. Worthley, and Annette Newberry, who each wrote sidebar articles.

I express my thanks to Byron D. Klaus, president of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, former president Del Tarr, and senior professor Edgar Lee, for their encouragement in this project. Veteran missionaries Warren and Annette Newberry rendered valuable assistance at a crucial time in the books development. Longtime friend and retired missionary Leota Morar cheered me on in the writing. George O. Wood, general secretary, and James K. Bridges, general treasurer of the Assemblies of God, read the manuscript and offered many helpful suggestions. To the book editors of Gospel Publishing House, I tip my hat once more in gratitude and respect, especially to senior book editor Glen Ellard, who improved on the manuscript and spared me many embarrassments. Also, thanks to Rebekah Clute, Leta Sapp, Martha Stokes, and Alyssa Medlin.