Page 222 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

positively—because the river was flowing! What had begun humbly
in a small place, devoid of worldly power and wealth, helped to shape
twentieth-century Christianity.

In an article entitled “This Pentecostal River: Azusa, the Originating
Effluence,” George Wood states: “The Azusa revival began 10 days prior
to the San Francisco earthquake of April 19, 1906. This earthquake
lasted for moments, but the Azusa spiritual earthquake continues to
reverberate and intensify worldwide” (131). In the same article, Dr.
Wood summarizes the effects of this great revival:

Let’s summarize the effluences [outflows] of the Azusa revival.
Will this Pentecostal river continue to flow ever more strongly?
Will the outflows from Azusa characterize your experience until
Jesus comes?

1. A hunger for the Lord
2. A genuine love for others
3. Commitment to His Word
4. Dedication to evangelism and missions
5. Commitment to the restoration of the New
Testament church

Azusa and Missions

As Dr. Wood indicates, the revival produced a passion for missions
immediately. The Holy Spirit was leading the church back to the Upper
Room to wait for empowerment to fulfill His mission. In the beginning
of this course, I outlined the meaning of Acts 1:8. The disciples received
power to be the Lord’s witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not primarily for
personal blessing. Although it is a personal blessing to be filled with the
presence of God, that is only a means to a greater end—to take the glory
of God to the nations.

McClung states clearly the purpose of this latter-day outpouring of the
Spirit: “The first Pentecostal missiological formulation of the twentieth
century may very well be in the pastoral admonition of William J.
Seymour—‘Try to get people saved’” (30). Those involved in the Azusa
revival published a periodical entitled The Apostolic Faith. The very first

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