Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) is Canada's largest denomination of Pentecostal churches.

The organization includes over 1,100 member congregations throughout Canada, including every province and territory. Many of its churches have memberships largely of ethnic minorities.

Theologically, the church is in the Pentecostal tradition of Protestant Christianity and some of its churches align themselves with the evangelical movement. It historically has had strong connections with the Assemblies of God in the United States. In general, the PAOC's history has been characterized by stability.

According to Stats Canada, Pentecostalism is in decline in Canada with the PAOC and Pentecostalism showing a membership decline of 15% between 1991 and 2001 to almost 369,500.

The PAOC is socially conservative on issues such as same-sex marriage.

Its head office is located in Mississauga, Ontario. The General Superintendents have been: George A Chambers (1919-1934), James Swanson (1935-1936), Daniel N. Buntain (1937-1944), Campbell B. Smith (1945-1952), Walter E. McAlister (1953-1962), Tom Johnstone (1963-1968), Robert W. Taitinger (1969-1982), James M. MacKnight (1983-1996), William D. Morrow (1997-2007), David Wells (2008-).

Mission statement

"To make disciples everywhere by the proclamation and the practice of the gospel of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit; to establish local congregations and to train spiritual leaders."

Brief history

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada was officially incorporated in 1919 though their beginnings stretch as far back as 1906. Their historical roots are directly connected to the Azusa street revival in Los Angeles in 1906 which promptly spread around the world. The largest Pentecostal group that emerged out of Azusa was the Assemblies of God in the United States for which the P.A.O.C. is, essentially, the Canadian counterpart.

Early history (1906 through 1925)

In 1906, within a few months of the Azusa street revival in Los Angeles, pentecostalism had appeared in Canada. By 1910, there were Canadian pentecostals on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, with sizable congregations in Toronto, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the early part of the 20th century, the prairie provinces had the largest percentage of pentecostals, due in part to the large numbers of immigrants from the United States who brought their faith with them. Throughout its history, members of the pentecostal movement in Canada has had close ties to their American counterparts.

The first attempt to organize Canadian pentecostals was in 1909, in Eastern Canada, but it failed. Then, in 1918 a decision was made to form the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, and then to join the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, which was an umbrella organization in the U.S. However, when the PAOC was officially chartered on May 17, 1919, the effort was never made to join the PAOW, and the PAOC remained an independent organization with no formal U.S. ties.

Later in 1919, pentecostals in Saskatchewan and Alberta, who were not part of any broader organization, were invited to join the Assemblies of God, the PAOC's American counterpart. In 1920 the decision was made for the PAOC itself to join the Assemblies of God. In doing so, the PAOC had to repudiate the doctrine of Oneness Pentecostalism which had previously been held, and adopt the AG's Trinitarian position. This brought most of Canada's pentecostals into the AG fold, but also resulted in the splitting away of the Apostolic Church of Pentecost in 1921.

In 1925, the PAOC asked to be released from the Assemblies of God over differences in missionary vision. This was granted, and was an amiable parting, and the two groups have worked together informally ever since.

Growth (1926-1974)

As the movement expanded, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada began to include members from across Canadian society, and larger congregations resulted. For example, in 1928 Calvary Temple in Winnipeg, Manitoba bought the First Baptist Church which seated 1,500 people, a very large church by Canadian standards even today. In 1925 the P.A.O.C. opened Central Pentecostal College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the first of several Pentecostal institutions dedicated to theological education.

As time went on, the P.A.O.C. established a stronger financial base allowing for the construction of new buildings. Notably, Central Tabernacle in Edmonton, Alberta (has been demolished, and moved to their new location, now North Pointe, in the north end of the city) was built in 1972 which accommodations for 1,800 and Winnipeg's Calvary Temple completed a new 2,500 seat church building in 1974.

Recent history (1979-present)

Facing the same challenge of many Canadian churches in the latter years of the 20th century, the PAOC worked hard to continue its growth. In the 1980s, under the leadership of General Superintendent James MacKnight, 102 additional churches were added to the PAOC.

The P.A.O.C. has also increasingly spoken out on social issues in recent years. For example, starting in March 2005, the PAOC has sent out notices through their member churches encouraging their parishioners to write or call their MP in opposition to same-sex marriage.

Bible Institute

*Institut Biblique du Quebec, Montreal, Quebec [http://www.ibq-canada.org]

Colleges

*Central Pentecostal College, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan [http://www.cpc-paoc.edu]
*Master's College and Seminary, Toronto, Ontario [http://www.mcs.edu/College/home.html]
*Pentecostal Sub-Arctic Leadership Training College, Fort Smith, Northwest Territories [http://www.saltcollege.com/]
*Summit Pacific College, Abbotsford, British Columbia [http://www.summitpacific.ca]
*Vanguard College, Edmonton, Alberta [http://www.vanguardcollege.com]

Theological Seminaries

*Canadian Pentecostal Seminary, Langley, British Columbia [http://www.canadianpentecostalseminary.ca]
*Master's Seminary, Toronto, Ontario [http://mcs.edu/Seminary/Sem-home.html]

References

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External links

*Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada [http://paoc.ca]