International Pentecostal Church of Christ
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ is a Pentecostal denomination that originated because of a merger between two Pentecostal organizations in 1976. The merger was between the International Pentecostal Assemblies and the Pentecostal Church of Christ to become the International Pentecostal Church of Christ.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ hold to four ordinances which consist of water Baptism by immersion, the dedication of their children, Holy Communion, and foot washing. They are Trinitarian, meaning they believe in the Trinity as well as speaking in tongues as the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The headquarters of the International Pentecostal Church of Christ is located in London, Ohio. The International Pentecostal Church of Christ operates the Beulah Heights Bible College located in Atlanta, Georgia. They operate the oldest Pentecostal magazine called the Bridegroom’s Messenger as well as a training magazine called The Pentecostal Leader. The headquarters of the International Pentecostal Church of Christ is affiliated with the Pentecostal/Charismatic Church of North America, the Pentecostal World Conference and they are a charter member of the National Association of Evangelicals, and the World Evangelical Fellowship.
History
The International Pentecostal Assemblies is the successor to the Association of Pentecostal Assemblies that was founded in 1921 and the National and International Pentecostal Union that was founded in 1919. The Association of Pentecostal Assemblies was the result of the Azusa Street Revival by Gaston Barnibus Cashwell in 1906. G.B. Cashwell was an evangelist with the Pentecostal Holiness Church of North Carolina. He confronted his racial prejudices and asked William Seymour to lay hands on him and pray that he would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In December 1906 G.B. Cashwell led a revival that lasted three weeks and introduced Pentecost to the whole region. Hundreds were led into the Pentecost movement. The International Pentecostal Assemblies came out of this Azusa Street revival.
Gaston Barnibus Cashwell was called the Apostle of Pentecost in the South. He founded The Bridegroom’s Messenger, a periodical in Atlanta, Georgia. Paul and Hattie Barth were editors of the periodical and then in 1918 they started Beulah Heights Bible School in Atlanta and in 1921 helped organize the International Pentecostal Assemblies.
John Stroup also received the baptism of the Holy Ghost from the 1906 Azusa Street revival. John Stroup was an elder of the Methodist Protestant Church in South Solon, Ohio. John Stroup organized a body of believers into a Holiness Pentecostal denomination that on May 10, 1917 became the Pentecostal Church of Christ in Flatwoods, Kentucky. The Pentecostal Church of Christ originally had their headquarters in Ashland, Kentucky then was chartered as an Ohio corporation March 1927 with their international headquarters in London, Ohio.
The International Pentecostal Assembly and the Pentecostal Church of Christ joined at a Joint General Conference that was held at London, Ohio on August 10, 1976. This formed the International Pentecostal Church of Christ. The constitution and by-laws were set up. The international headquarters was set up in London, Ohio.
Belief
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believes the Bible is the revealed Word of God to man. They believe the Bible is inspired and the New Testament is their sole rule for discipline and government.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe in the Triune God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Ghost as the third person of the God head. They believe the Triune God created the universe without any evolutionary process.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe Jesus Christ is Lord, the virgin birth, the sinless life of Jesus and his miracles, atoning death through the shedding of His blood, and his bodily resurrection and ascension. They believe Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father. They believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe man was created in the image of God and voluntarily fell into sin and now is experiencing both a physical and a spiritual death, and is separated from God. They believe the only hope of redemption is through the blood that was shed by Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. They believe salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They believe it takes the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, to be justified by grace through faith. They believe man can become heirs of God and can hope for eternal life through this faith. They believe the inward evidence of salvation is the witness of the Spirit. They believe the outward evidence to all men is a life that is righteous and holy.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe sanctification is the act of separation from everything that is evil and a life that is dedicated to God. They believe sanctification is obtainable by works of grace, and faith in the blood of Christ. They believe sanctification is recognized be the believer with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They believe the believer must dedicate all their faculties to the dominion of the Holy Spirit.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe all believers must be Baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the command of Jesus Christ. They believe the Holy Ghost Baptism is witnessed by the physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance. They believe Baptism is an ordinance by full immersion in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. They believe all who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. They believe they die with Christ and they then are also raised with Jesus Christ and must walk in the newness of life. They believe Baptism is an outward expression of an inward work of grace. They do not believe in practicing infant Baptism. They do, however, encourage presenting their children to God for a dedication and a blessing.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believes the Lord’s Supper consists of the elements of bread and fruit of the vine and it is the expression of sharing the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ. They believe the Lord’s Supper is to be for a memorial of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and is a prophecy of the second coming of Jesus Christ.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe in washing the saint’s feet as the Scriptures express. They also believe in divine healing as an integral part of the gospel.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe in the blessed hope and the resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ. They believe in the transformation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord as the Blessed Hope. They believe in the millennial reign of Christ and that the Word of God promises that there is the catching away of the prepared and waiting saints. They believe this will be followed by the great tribulation and the return of Jesus Christ with His saints and holy angels in power and glory to reign on earth for a thousand years. They believe this millennial reign will be the salvation of the nation of Israel and the universal peace.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe there will be a final judgment where the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. They believe if they are not written in the Book of Life, they will have everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone along with the devil and his angel, the beast and the false prophet. They believe this is the second death.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe God created all men equal in value and in the image of God. They oppose any attempts to lesson any member of the human race and consider it a blasphemous affront to the Creator. They believe racism is a sin in all forms. They believe self-indulgent pride in race is to be regarded as idolatry.
The International Pentecostal Church of Christ believe satan was originally created as a perfect being. They believe satan rebelled against God and became depraved. They believe that “satan and the devil” are adversaries of God and His people. They also believe satan is the leader of a host of fallen angels. They believe he has been judged and defeated at the cross and is awaiting the ultimate doom at the conclusion of the millennial reign. They believe the millennial reign will take place after the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “International Pentecostal Church of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2753,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “International Pentecostal Church of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2753,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “International Pentecostal Church of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2753, (accessed).
