Bok reported that evangelical agencies rose from around in the s to a peak of over in the s, around the time Pentecostal agencies spiked to around Groups that were neither numbered somewhere in between evangelicals and Pentecostals. Pentecostals and charismatics have been more likely to engage in evangelism and publishing abroad, while evangelical agencies are more likely to evangelize over TV and radio. Generally, sociological research sorts Protestants into subgroups: mainline, evangelical, and black Protestant.
In certain countries, government regulations around religious activities can target foreign workers and agencies, in some cases forcing Christians to conclude their work, leave, or find new ways to evangelize. Although both Pentecostals and evangelicals tend to minister in countries where Protestants are underrepresented, Bok found, as he suspected, that evangelical agencies operate more frequently in countries with unreached people.
He tentatively concluded that Pentecostal and charismatic agencies have seen more success in deepening the faith of active Protestants or igniting a new practice in those who were Christian in name only. Geographically, the new research adds to understanding of the greater share of global Christians who belong to Pentecostal or charismatic churches.
In Latin America, Pentecostal and charismatic mission agencies had a larger presence, while in sub-Saharan Africa, organizations that identified as neither Pentecostal nor evangelical had a larger presence. Others have also documented the popularity of Pentecostalism among the middle class.
The data did not support the idea that Pentecostal agencies were more interested in low-income countries. But the answer could be beyond the scope of his examination of organizations—Bok again suggests that more personal, community-level evangelism among those in poverty may be at play in those countries.
His study also found the role of denominations in US missions work abroad has shifted. In the s, over 70 percent of Pentecostal agencies were denominationally affiliated, while evangelical organizations were mostly not denominationally affiliated.
By the 21st century, Pentecostals resembled evangelicals in that regard, and only about 25 percent of Pentecostal mission agencies were denominationally affiliated. What we did not expect Courtesy of Rev. Gary Mason. Listen to it at KALW. Nichol, who researched original Pentecostal sources, asserts that the work of Lombardi and his associates, Ottolini and Arena, had resulted in Assemblies by Nichol We may assume that were over 5, Pentecostals at the beginning of Fascist repression.
In two decades the Pentecostals had attained a size similar to that of the various other denominations with the exception of the Waldenses. During the persecution membership fell off. Approximately 29 churches were lost, but were reopened in In the Assemblies reported groups, "of which were in Southern Italy" Latourette Another writer from this period reports that the 60, members of the " Pentecostal Assemblies" make it the largest evangelical community in Italy Steiner Reports are sometimes contradictory, but several sources seem to show that in there were churches.
It seems likely too that these churches had 50, members. In other words, membership doubled when the number of churches doubled: this took place in only seven years. By there were Assembly of God churches in Italy. Very exact membership records are not kept. However, an Assembly missionary at the Rome headquarters, who may be regarded as a reliable source, states, "We are very safe in saying that the total membership of the Italian Assemblies of God is well over ," Perm The Pentecostals are now more than twice the size of all other Protestants combined.
This amazing achievement has taken place all within a half century. Pentecostals are the bright spot in Italy in terms of evangelism and church growth. This denomination is tied to the sister organization in the United States, but "with the ties of fellowship only" Winehouse The Italian Assemblies of God form an autonomous denomination in Italy.
I would conservatively estimate , members in their churches, or an average of members per congregation. How is it that Pentecostals have done so much better than the missionary-oriented groups? This is complex, but perhaps the following may be given:. The Pentecostals are Italian rather than foreign, even though they carry many foreign characteristics. They are distinctive. Everyone knows a Pentecostal is a Pentecostal. There is a hard-nosed quality that gives them an identity, that sets them apart.
They are not "Protestants" who are looked down upon , but evangeliste— and there is something exciting about that designation. Mission oriented groups tend to identify with more traditional Protestants or, worse, with British and American Protestantism which, at best, is suspect in Italy.
They are aggressive. True to their nickname, these people are evangelists. Witnessing is an obligation. Therefore, the Pentecostals make themselves and their faith known. Mission oriented groups try to stress this obligation too, but by and large have not succeeded to a very great extent-possibly because of the imposition of foreign molds such as door to door calling, American-style evangelistic crusades, tracts with an ABC approach to salvation, etc.
Though good in themselves, these are better geared to Americans and do not fit the Italian context so well. Growth among Pentecostals follows family lines. Stress on witnessing compels the convert to share his faith, and his most natural contacts are members of his family. Italian family closeness is reinforced by the utilization of house churches.
This is in contrast to the missionary approach, which tends to go after strangers and isolated individuals "isolated" in the sense that the important cultural setting of the family is overlooked. Instead of the house church, the missionary tends to stress central meeting places and the role of clergy. We must not, however, overlook the fact that bigness is itself conducive to growth.
The Pentecostal movement has become large, relatively speaking, and even in Italy it is probably true that success promotes success. The snowball effect is at work: the bigger it gets, the more it attracts. This may well be true now, but it does not explain how the Pentecostals got to the present point.
Nor does it account for years, most mission groups would be hard put to account for baptized converts in churches started since World War II Hedlund Pentecostal emphasis on the Holy Spirit-including the charismatic element-certainly has not been detrimental to numerical increase, even though a lack of balance may sometimes be detrimental to growth in depth. This is a controversial paint, and it is not my scope to discuss either doctrinal issues or the element of spiritual maturity.
It is difficult to isolate any one element as the key to Pentecostal victory. Rather, it is probably a combination of the previous elements plus many more.
This statement by a Catholic observer in Latin America seems applicable to Italy as well. The life of the Spirit is communicated in community. A few essential points are concentrated upon in song and sermon One need not be a theologian to be a Pentecostal.
But then one need not be a theologian to be a Christian either. A simplicity of approach is no doubt one important reason for Pentecostal success. Christianity is not dogma so much as spiritual experience. It is therefore a living reality, and as such brings meaning to life and victory over unseen powers which is important in spiritistic Southern Italy. Pentecostalism brings, therefore, newness of life and a new dignity to the individual. It does so within the context of a church.
Missions have perhaps failed to establish a relevant church because of an over-emphasis on the individual and personal salvation to the exclusion of concern for the group. Pentecostalism avoids this error by stressing the community of faith. Above all else, Pentecostalism does this within the framework of the Italian family. The result is a relevant church.
Melvin Hodges provides a Pentecostal view of the church. A local church is defined as wherever two or three are gathered in the name of Christ. This is surely the simplest form of a church spoken of in Scripture; it is simpler than the formulations of most theologians. But Pentecostals recognize the dynamic of this basic, Spirit-called unit. The function of this unit is to become a living cell of the Body of Christ, the agent of God for bringing the message of redemption to its community.
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