Introduction
The topic for this research paper is Oneness Pentecostalism. This paper will describe the beliefs of the Oneness Pentecostals and Triteraian. The research will be focused on the Oneness Pentecostals history, beliefs, spiritual movement, important insights and observations. I believe that Oneness Pentecostals began with Charles Parham’s Bethel Bible School and that it had the greatest impact and directly influenced the Pentecostal movement at the Azusa Street Revival. In my opinion, and beliefs “The Azusa Street Revival” were Oneness Pentecostals.
Beliefs
The Oneness Pentecostals beliefs are God the Father, Jesus the son of God, and the Holy Spirit are one single entity. Those that have the Triteraian beliefs, such as the Assembly of God, believe God the Father, Jesus the son of God, and the Holy Spirit are three different entities. The United Pentecostal church (UPC) is now the largest Oneness group in North America.
The Oneness teaching affirms that Jesus is fully God and not one divine being. They prefer to refer to Father, Son, and Spirit as modes or manifestations of God, all of which are present in the manifestation of each one. Oneness teaching on the dual nature of Christ tends towards a separation of the divine and the human. A prominent section of Oneness Pentecostalism teaches a threefold soteriology based on Acts 2:38: repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Spirit, all as essential to salvation. We also see Paul expressing this Oneness in Acts 19.
In Acts 19:1-7, Paul arrived at Ephesus he found several believers and asked if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed. The believers said they never heard there is a Holy Spirit. Paul then asked, ‘what baptism they received?’ and their answer was the baptism of John. He told the believers that John’s baptism was to demonstrate a desire to turn from sin and turn to God. John had told the people to believe in Jesus, the one John said would come later. As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
History
“Historians of Pentecostalism have often reflected a bias interpreting history from a predominantly white American perspective, neglecting, if not completely ignoring the vital and often more significant work of Asian, African American and Latino/a Pentecostal pioneers.”
From within North American Pentecostalism there have been noteworthy historians. One of the earliest is Frank Bartleman, a Chronicler of the Azusa Street Revival of 1925. As far as the Pentecostal movement, some of the early American Pentecostal historians believe it began with Charles Parham in Topeka, Kansas or the Azusa Street Revival led by William Seymore in Los Angeles in 1906. Most historians do agree that Seymore was the driving force behind the rapid spread of the movement.
The strengths of the early North American Pentecostalism included two things in particular. First, those that were displaced and disillusioned by poverty had hope after hearing the message offered by the Azusa Street mission. William Seymour’s message that this was the times to experience signs and wonders just as in the day of Acts. Secondly, as Frank Bartleman exclaimed, ‘The color line was washed away by the blood.’ Not only did blacks and whites mix freely at Azusa Street; so did Hispanics and other minorities.
History of Charles Fox Parham and William Joseph Seymour
Charles Parham, a Kansas preacher who resigned from the Methodist church after experiencing healing from rheumatic fever and ventured out and began a healing ministry. Within this healing ministry he introduced his views of healing in the atonement of Christ, premillennialism with the belief in a worldwide revival (the ‘latterain’) which would come before the second coming of Christ, and a third blessing beyond ‘entire sanctification’. He then later opened Bethel Gospel School where he gave his students an assignment to discover in the book of Acts ‘some evidence’ of the baptism with the Spirit. He had convinced his students that they had not received the full outpouring of a second Pentecost. After fasting and praying the students found that the biblical evidence of spirit baptism was speaking in tongues. On the last day of 1900, they held a watch-night service and prayed with great expectation for this experience. Throughout New Year’s Day they prayed and waited then around 11:00 pm Parham felt he was to lay hands on a student Agnes Ozman and it was then that she received the gift of the Spirit by speaking in the Chinese language. This followed with other students and Parham as receiving the gift of the Spirit where they spoke in other nationalities. At a later time, Parham went to Houston, Texas and began meetings along with a three-month Bible school teaching on speaking in tongues as being baptized in the Spirit. It was at the Bible school where African American Holiness preacher William Joseph Seymour, heard the doctrine of evidential tongues and took it far beyond what Parham had.
In 1906, Seymour was invited to Los Angeles to pastor a small African Holiness church but his sermon on tongues as a sign of spirit baptism caused the pastor to lock the building on him. Members of this church soon joined others with Seymour in prayer at a home he was staying at. It was there that Seymour laid hands on the host of the home where he fell to the floor and became unconscious and began speaking in tongues. Later, others at this meeting along with Seymour received the same experience. At these daily meetings that began around 10 a.m. and lasted until late at night they were spontaneous with no agenda, programs or speakers. There was people singing in tongues, falling to the ground ‘under the power’ or ‘slain in the Spirit’ was common phenomena.
The Azusa Street Revival placed emphasis on the need of having three definite, separate spiritual experiences wrought out in the heart and life; Justification, Sanctification, The Baptism of the Holy Ghost. These doctrines concerning spiritual experience, together with the teachings on Divine Healing, the imminent Second Coming of Jesus – premillennial…provide the solid, scriptural foundation on which the church stands. But I believe Aimee Semple MccPherson had an even clearer expression of Oneness Pentecostalism whose basic message summarized as follows:
Jesus saves us according to John 3:16. He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4. He heals our bodies according to James 5:14-15. And Jesus is coming again to receive us unto Himself according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
It was in 1906, at an African-American Baptist church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California that the Pentecostal experience of "speaking in tongues" revival began. This revival went on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and would last for three years. It was around 1913, that R.E. McAlister of Toronto, Ontario began the teaching that water baptism should be done in Jesus’ name only.
In Acts 2:38-39, Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles – all who have been called by the Lord our God.
By 1916, Some ministers within the Assemblies of God denomination were proposing Oneness views but they were rejected by the denomination's council that year and adopted a Trinitarian position in its statement of faith.
Listed below is information from the North American Mission Board on Oneness Pentecostalism.
Official Pentecostal Oneness Names and Memberships
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God (AOHCG) 13,000
Assemblies of the Lord Jesus, Inc. (ALJI) 50,000
Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World Wide, Inc. (Bible Way) 250,000
Church of Our Lord Jesus of the Apostolic Faith (COLJF) 30,000
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) 1,000,000 reported
Pentecostal Church of Apostolic Faith (PCAF) 25,000
United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic) (UCJC-A) 100,000
United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) 500,000 (1.5 million worldwide)
Other Oneness Names
Include the Jesus Only churches, Apostolic Pentecostals, The Oneness Movement, and the Jesus Name Movement.
Pentecostal Oneness Publications
Pentecostal Herald (UPCI)
The Global Witness (UPCI)
The Bible Way News Voice (Bible Way)
The People's Mouthpiece (AOHCG)
The Contender for the Faith (COLJF)
Christian Outlook (PAW)
Pentecostal Oneness Educational Institutions
AOHCG: Berean Christian Bible College-Birmingham, Alabama
PAW: Aenon Bible School-Indianapolis, Indiana
UCJC: Institute of Biblical Studies-Baltimore, Maryland
UPCI: Apostolic Bible Institute-St. Paul, Minnesota
Apostolic Missionary Institute-Oshawa, Ontario
Christian Life College-Stockton, California
Indiana Bible College-Seymour, Indiana
Texas Bible College-Houston, Texas
Doctrinal Beliefs
All branches of Oneness Pentecostals affirm the authority of the Bible for doctrine and many utilize the King James version to proof text their unique doctrines. Many Oneness advocates rely on the unbiblical revelations received by Oneness leaders whom they regard as divinely inspired or anointed interpreters of the Bible. For instance, many United Pentecostal Church International consider the writings of Frank Ewart and John G. Scheppe as authoritative.
The following points of doctrine are generally held to by the Oneness Pentecostal groups:
Within Orthodoxy
1. There is only one God in all existence.
2. The Bible is God's inerrant word.
3. Jesus was born of a virgin.
4. Jesus had two natures.
5. Justification by faith.
6. Baptism must be by immersion.
7. The elements of communion are bread and wine and are only for believers.
8. Foot-washing is a divine institution to be practiced by church members.
9. Abstain from joining secret societies.
10. There will be a future rapture of the Church where the Christians will be transformed.
Outside of Orthodoxy
1. Denies the doctrine of the Trinity.
2. Denies justification by faith alone by stating that baptism is also required for salvation.
3. Jesus is God the Father.
4. Jesus is the Holy Spirit.
5. The name of God is "Jesus."
6. Baptism is necessary for salvation.
7. Denies pre-existence of the Word as the Son, and teaches that He existed as the Father.
8. Being born again means repentance, baptism, and speaking in tongues.
9. Baptism must be administered by an ordained Oneness minister to be valid.
10. Baptism must be administered with the phrase, "In the name of Jesus" instead of the phrase, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
11. Speaking in tongues is a necessary requirement to demonstrate that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit and is, therefore, saved.
12. Restitution of all things though the devil and the angels will not be restored.
13. Women may not be pastors.
14. Only Oneness people will go to heaven.
Beliefs and Doctrine of “The United Pentecostal Church International”
Oneness Pentecostals believe it is important to be led by the Spirit but they hold a high view of the Bible as the primary source for truth. In order for lives to be transformed it is important to read, study, and listen to the Bible. Listen for God speaks to us during this time which sets a strong foundation that leads to eternal life.
Oneness Pentecostals believe that Scripture is the message that came from our Creator and he is also our Savior. God loved us so much that he became to us in human form in order to save us. He did not send someone else but gave of Himself. Our Creator/Savior is the indwelling Spirit who came amongst us in the form of man to show us how to live according to His will.
In Colossians 2:9-10, For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.
As we respond to the gospel and believe in Jesus Christ we will repent of our sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as shown in Acts 2, 8, 10, 19. It is important to not reject those who have not received the complete New Testament experience but instead we should encourage them to receive all that God has for them.
We are accountable to God for our response of faith as the Bible is the sole authority for salvation; the basis of salvation is Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection; salvation comes only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; and the application of grace and the expression of faith come as a person obeys Acts 2:38, thereby receiving the new birth promised by Jesus.
God’s intent for humanity is to live a holiness life. Through God’s grace we can have a glorious life filled with freedom, power and this is part of salvation. Those who love God and is a Spirit filled believer, holiness is the normal and the only way to live.
God calls us to worship Him passionately and in every area of our life. We should worship Him through our actions and attitudes, in all we do it should bring honor to God. Worship is the rule and not the exception and the question is not will they worship but who and how will they worship. Jesus still calls us today to authentic worship and this is regardless of their backgrounds.
Ephesians 3:20, “Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask of hope.” As Spirit-filled believers, we can exercise faith to receive God’s miraculous gifts and to stir up the gifts He has already placed in our midst.
“Around the world and across racial, ethnic, and socio-economic barriers, people are embracing Pentecostalism. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that people are encountering the power of the Holy Spirit. Access the Church and Ministry Locator at the bottom of this page to find a church near you that celebrates the experience of Pentecost.”
Almost all Oneness groups hold to the Pentecostal doctrine that receiving the Holy Spirit is evidenced initially by speaking in tongues. Oneness Pentecostal theology affirms that there is only one God in all the universe and the deity of Jesus and the Holy spirit. Oneness theology believe that baptism is a necessary part of salvation in order to be saved. This baptism must be administered by a duly ordained minister of a church that maintains Oneness theology and be baptized by immersion “in Jesus name.”
The term Oneness comes from a “Modalism” view of the Godhead; that is, that the Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit are “modes” or “manifestations” of God in various activities. In creation, God is in the “Father” mode; in activities. In creation, God is in the "Father" mode; in the incarnation, God is the “Son” mode; and when working in people, God is in the “Holy Spirit” mode
Oneness Pentecostals declare that the Godhead consists of only one Person and deny the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. They maintain that the only real “person” in the Godhead is Jesus. Thus, they are often referred to as the “Jesus Only” Movement. They maintain that God exists in two modes, as the Father in heaven and as Jesus the Son on earth. Nevertheless, they are the same person, not two separate persons. The Holy Spirit is not regarded as a person at all, merely a manifestation of Jesus’ power or a synonym for Him. Colossians 2:9, “For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body, and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.”
Jesus is said to have two natures: human and divine. So when He died, only His human nature died. Also, when Jesus prayed, it was His human nature praying to His divine nature and not to a separate Father in heaven.
The main points of “Oneness” doctrine are as follows: The Father is God, Jesus is God, The Holy Spirit is God. However, Jesus Christ is also the Father and the Father is the Holy Spirit. In other words, there is one God the Father, who came in a body (the son) and who is the Eternal Spirit (the Holy Spirit). So they teach that the Father came in the flesh as Jesus.
that water can come in three states, liquid, steam and ice is similar to how they see God being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Salvation
Oneness Pentecostal movements teach that to receive and maintain salvation, a person must adhere to four essential requirements.
First, faith in Jesus only and is the totality of the Godhead, who died on the cross as an atonement for sin, and who rose again from the dead.
Second, repentance and Baptism in the "Name of Jesus" Acts 2:38, is used as evidence that the early church baptized only in the name of Jesus.
Third, speaking in tongues is a gift to be exercised today. Oneness movements maintain that speaking in tongues is not just a post conversion indicator of the filling or baptism of the Holy Spirit, but an essential ingredient in the salvation experience itself.
Fourth, Adherence to Holiness Standards, most Oneness Pentecostals teach that once salvation is gained initially by the preceding ingredients, it must be maintained by daily adherence to legalistic codes of personal behavior.
Conclusion
I conclude that Charles Parham had the greatest impact and directly influenced the Pentecostal movement but I believe I have shown through this research that William Seymour had the biggest impact of not only leading others to receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues but lead others ushering in the presence of God at their prayer meetings. I believe that these faithful people who spent many hours in prayer is what brought many people of different color and nationalities to the Azusa Street Revival. I believe that I have shown that these two powerful men heard God’s call and by investing time in preaching the message as tongues being the initial evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit and that “The Azusa Street Revival” appears to be the same beliefs as the Oneness Pentecostals.
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