International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel is an evangelical Pentecostal Christian denomination. The name was derived from a revival in Oakland, California, July 1922. The evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson was the speaker who described a vision she claimed God had given her with reference to the vision of Ezekiel recorded in Ezekiel 1.
Sister McPherson explained the four faces of the man, lion, ox and eagle that Ezekiel saw, as the four phases of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She said the face of man was the face of Jesus Christ, who is the man of sorrows according to (Isaiah 53:3). The face of the lion she said was Jesus the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire. The face of the ox she said was Jesus the burden bearer since it was Jesus who Himself took our infirmities and carried our sicknesses. The face of the eagle she said was the face of the Coming King Jesus the Bridegroom, who is returning in power for His bride, the church. She concluded by saying this vision was the complete gospel with the body, soul, spirit and eternity. These faces were believed to be facing in every direction at the same time which is how the Foursquare got its name.
Aimee Semple McPherson was a controversial and charismatic Evangelist. In 1927, she founded the Foursquare Church and Los Angeles as the center of her operations after using the Angelus Temple as her base from 1923. She had public events like parades every Sundays through the streets of Los Angeles and brought them to the Angelus Temple. Next to the temple, McPherson built the L.I.F.E. Bible College in the middle of the city.
She traveled from coast to coast, preaching her views of the Words of the Lord and practicing miraculous healings. These healings were usually diseases of the immune systems or those exhibiting the characteristics of hysteria. There were still many controversial and personal tragedies, but she continued to preach and spread her legacy to the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.
Rolf K. McPherson the son of Aimee Semple McPherson became the president and leader of the church after her death in 1944. The denomination grew under his leadership. One of the most famous of the Foursquare ministers was Pastor Jack W. Hayford, Founder and President of the Church on the Way and Living Way Ministries in Van Nuys, California.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel is referred to as the Foursquare Church. The corporate headquarters is located in Los Angeles, California. It is divided into districts and local congregations. There are General Supervisors that oversee the national offices and district supervisors.
There are many educational institutions affiliated with the Foursquare Church. The Life Pacific College, which was the L.I.F.E. Bible College, is in San Dimas, California and the Pacific Life Bible College is in Surrey, British Columbia.
History
Aimee Semple McPherson was born October 9, 1890. She was born on a small farm at Salford near Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. Aimee was an only child.
Aimee Semple McPherson had her first religious experience when she was seventeen. She declared she was an atheist and questioned her Methodist upbringing. She would challenge and argue with the preachers and members of the congregation on the validity of sermons and on the contents of the Bible. She attended a Holy Ghost Revival with her father and heard Robert Semple and Irish Evangelist Pentecostal preacher. She fell in love with this Pentecostal Preacher.
The religious conversion of Aimee Semple McPherson happened close to Christmas after hearing Robert Sempler for the third time. She claimed to have experienced a darkness which passed into an entrance of light. Discounting her family’s traditional church belief, she turned to the preaching of Robert Sempler. They were married August 12, 1908. Robert Sempler died two years later while on a missionary trip to China. Aimee returned to the United States with her one month old daughter.
Four years later she married Harold McPherson. She divorced him because he wanted a traditional wife and a normal home life and she could not devote herself to him. While married to Harold McPherson, Aimee suffered through depression, many psychosomatic ailments and surgeries. She promised the Lord she would evangelize and hold tent revivals and travel where ever the Lord wanted her to do if only the Lord would heal her. Aimee Semple McPherson kept her promise and held tent revivals all over the eastern part of the United States, and then spread out to the rest of the world.
Aimee Semple McPherson had a charismatic personality and became a pioneer of women in her religion after her divorce from Harold McPherson. She began preaching across the United States and in 1918 settled in Los Angeles, California.
She held a revival in Oakland, California July 1922. She established the Angelus Temple in 1923 which became the center of her revivals, healings and benevolent ministries.
She was one of the first women to receive a FCC radio license and was a pioneer in religious broadcasting. She established Kall Foursquare Gospel which was radio station. She incorporated her sermons to go out over the radio. She always centered her messages on the four major points the cross, the crown, the dove and the cut. These symbols Aimee represented The Regeneration of the church, The Second Coming, The Baptism in the Spirit and Divine Healing. These became known as the Foursquare Gospel. Aimee Semple McPherson opened the L.I.F.E. Bible College in 1923.
Aimee Semple McPherson married for the third time in 1931 to an actor named David Hutton. There was a great controversy which arose because her church prohibited remarriage while a former spouse was alive. The marriage lasted only a couple of months. She continued to preach and spread her legacy to the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Aimee Semple McPherson died September 27, 1944.
Belief
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel worships the writings in the Bible. They believe the Bible is inspired of God.
The prophet Ezekiel had a big influence of the four main beliefs of The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believes. They believe the vision of Ezekiel saw the man, lion, an ox, and an eagle were representative. They see Jesus Christ as the man, the Savior of the World as the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Holy Spirit as the ox and the Great Burden Bearer or Healer as the Eagle and the represents the Coming of Jesus Christ the King of Kings. The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel holds their church has a Bible based foundation for their faith, as well as a Holy Spirit anointed to walk in faithfulness.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believes in God as the Triune Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They believe man was created in the image of God but has voluntary been disobedient and fallen from innocence and purity.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believe Christ died for believers while they were still sinners and signed the pardon of all who believe on Jesus Christ. They believe no one has righteousness and all must come to God through the righteousness of Christ. They believe upon repentance, and full acceptance of Christ a person is justified before God. They believe that there is a change which takes place in the heart and the life at conversion. They believe that it is the will of God that people are sanctified and must grow daily in the faith.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believes in Baptism by full immersion and with the Holy Spirit. They believe that Baptism by immersion is an outward sign of an inward work. They believe the Holy Spirit gives the believer the ability to gain power and that the coming of the Holy Spirit is after the same manner as it was in Biblical days.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believe in the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper by the symbolic use of the bread and juice of the vine. They believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are imparted upon the Christian and that Christian should show spiritual fruit as evidence of a Spirit filled life. They believe in Divine Healing and that it is the power of Christ to heal the physically sick in answer to the prayer of the faithful.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believe in the Second Coming of Christ as personal and imminent. They believe all shall stand some day before the judgment seat of God, and will receive either eternal life or death. They believe Heaven is the glorious eternal home of born again believers. They believe Hell is a place of eternal torment for all who reject Christ as the Savior.
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel believes they have the responsibility as a Church to win souls.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “International Church of the Foursquare Gospel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2723,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “International Church of the Foursquare Gospel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2723,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “International Church of the Foursquare Gospel:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2723, (accessed).
