Other Pentecostal Pioneers

Pentecostal historians have a tendency to focus on Azusa Street and those pioneers who were associated with that glorious work. The British counterparts connected to Sunderland and the early British Pentecostal denominations also enjoy a high profile.

While this may be understandable, as most other places in the world were in some way influenced by early Anglo-American Pentecostal people and groups, it is not the whole picture.

There were hundreds of lesser known servants of God who may have caught the fire from western hands but who became apostolic leaders in their own nations, with mighty signs and wonders following their ministry, resulting in countless conversions and the planting of innumerable churches.

It is these that we intend to introduce in this section.

Many of them lived lives of great hardship and sacrifice.

Some were cruelly persecuted by fellow Christians.

Most of them led exemplary lives depending on God’s power to break open new ground for the Gospel.

They were men and women of faith who stormed heaven and brought untold blessing to multitudes.

Pandita Ramabai in India, Lewi Petrus in Sweden, Willis. C. Hoover in Chile, and Pastor Paul of Berlin, Germany were among a new wave of Pentecostal enthusiasts who blazed a trail for their new movement across the world. South America, China, Russia and Africa all had their own unique ministers who laid the foundation for the church to grow across the world.

Their stories are faith-building as well as provoking and challenging. May God raise up men and women like them again in our day!

Tony Cauchi
March 2009