While reading Estrelda Alexander’s Black Fire (see here) I was struck by two claims she makes about Pentecostalism:
(1) She says that “Within ten years of the movement’s beginning, there were virtually two Pentecostal movements–one heavily white, the other almost entirely black.” (p. 20) As an aside, I think this is very true except that it seems to ignore that there has been a large Latino brand of Pentecostalism as well. Nevertheless, this her main point is that it seems to have been a great struggle for whites to have black leaders and whites have often been much more comfortable with white leadership often leaving groups led by blacks or hindering blacks from having leadership in predominately white organizations.
What I found most outrageous was this claim regarding Pentecostal groups (which she did not support with a footnote, so I cannot fact check it): “…the Assemblies of God has remained the most racially segregated, with less than 2 percent of its constituency being African Americans.” (p. 21) Two percent?! Is there anyone in the AOG who can confirm or deny this?
(2) Alexander claims regarding the impact of Charles Parham and William Seymour that, “Though black involvement in all Pentecostal arenas rivaled and in some ways surpassed that of whites, most early Pentecostal history had been written by white scholars who have not only downplayed Seymour’s contribution in defense to Parham’s but have also ignored the contributions of many other African American Pentecostals.” (p. 21)
As I think about my own upbringing I always perceived Topeka, KS, to be a footnote to Azusa Street. Parham was seen as the match that ignited global Pentecostalism while Seymour was the gasoline that caused it to become a quick moving inferno. I don’t doubt Alexander’s claims. I am simply saying that even in the white circles with which I was most familiar Seymour is seen as something of a hero.
the archives near Emmaus 
It is partillay true about what she said about the aog. Most of my family is aog and most of those churches are white and some of the churhch of god movement is in the same boat.
The AG claim isn’t so hard to believe. I can’t confirm or deny the numbers but the article on the Assemblies of God in the New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements says:
I’m not entirely sure I buy into it being only 2%. But, I could be entirely wrong. The AG church I grew up in, and still attend when I’m home from University is a primarily African-America/Islander church. Our church consists of around 3,200 members, and I would have to say that at least 80% of the people are African American/Islander.
Moreover, my best friend’s church (AG as well) is something like 85% Islander/African-American. They have around 5,000 people total.
But, I do think that the A/G has been pretty terrible from a culturally ecumenical perspective. I mean, the AG has its own branch of authority for the Spanish. The division is quite sad.
The good news is, our General Superintendent, George Wood, seems pretty fed up with all the division and white segregation.
I need to browse through the AOG website to see if they list any of this information.
Found it: http://agchurches.org/Sitefiles/Default/RSS/Statistics_2009_public.pdf
Apparently, 1.4% Native America, 2.7% African American,4% Asian/Pacific Islander, 19.1% Hispanic, 68.3% white.
Now this is two years old, but I am sure it is still close.
Interesting. The stat surprised me at first but I guess even the AoG affirms it.
@Daniel: Has Wood stated what plans the AOG has to change this?
@Ryan: Indeed, it is from their own statistical self-analysis.
I am assuming that percentage is representative of congregations directly under AoG. I would think it would be a larger percentage if you take into account the nondenominational congregations, or pentecostal congregations in general, that are “affiliated” with AoG, yet not under their denomination. I know, for instance, that there is a congregation in Tucson, AZ that is large and predominantly Africa-American. While they are nondenominational, their minister is ordained AoG and keeps close ties with the denomination.
I hadn’t considered that possibility, though it does seem that there would need to be a significant amount of churches in this scenario for the statistic to begin to approach acceptable.
@Brian: Oh yeah, I completely agree. I do not think the “affiliated” churches would come close to doing any justice to the statistic. At the most, possibly bumping it up to 3%? Haha.
I think great inroads were made at General Council 4 years ago when Zollie Smith, an African-American, was elected director of U.S. Missions. And Herbert Cooper, an African-American A/G senior pastor in OK City, preached one night at GC 2009 in Orlando.
My home A/G church actually mirrors our comunity pretty well. We have a growing group of African-American members, several of whom are in visible ministry positions (choir, worship team, ushers, teachers).
We have a group of about 100 Latinos, who have their own Spanish-language Sunday School class and Wednesday night Bible study, and a monthly fellowship night, but their children and youth are integrated in the regular children’s and student minsitries, and we have simultaneous translation on FM radio for the Sunday morning worship.
And we have a handful of Asian-Americans. We’re much closer in reflecting the percentages in our city than we were 10 years ago.
Daniel, I’m not sure I would classify the language districts as a separate authority structure. Sure, the Spanish-language districts have geographical overlap with the English districts, and there are multiple Spanish districts because of the size of the Latino constituency, but we also have German, Brazilian/Portuguese, Slavic, and Korean districts, which may not be as noticeable because they are language districts that cover the whole country, not just a geographical region like the Spanish districts do.
@Brian R.: I am glad to hear that things are being done to change this. It seems to me that if any denominational brand of Christianity should be intentional about celebrating diversity it should be Pentecostals and Pentecostal organizations.
As an AOG pastor I understand the first statement. I teach AOG history in my Church History classes and there are simply things that just were at that time. It’s not a pretty history and we’re slow to get things moving in a positive direction.
As to the second statement, I just don’t think she is correct. Any AOG scholar, historian, pastor I know who knows anything about AOG history REVERES Seymour and pays very little attention to Parham.
I serve in a District that has the longest serving African American pastor in the Assemblies of God, and he is my Presbyter, though I proudly call him my bishop. He has served his church over 40 years. African American, white, Hispanic, WHOEVER… that is an AMAZING run! He is a great man of God.
We can self-flagellate with the best of them, to be sure. Our record is not great to be sure. So… we are bad, BAD people! Please avoid us at all costs! 😉
Oh, and the chapel at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield is named for Seymour and even has a side panel in the stained glass window with his likeness.
http://www.agts.edu/building/chapel.html
@Dan: It seems that Pentecostals are no worse than other Christian groups in the United States. Isn’t a common mantra that the most segregated day of the week is Sunday? In some sense I see myself as complimenting Pentecostalism here because I really, really do think that if any form of Christianity has the elasticity to welcome people from many nations, tribes, and tongues it is Pentecostalism.
Like you I have always seen Seymour as a hero. I think he is one of the most under appreciated figures in church history. If Luther or Calvin can be given a few weeks during a church history class Seymour should be given a couple as well!
@Brian R.: That is sweet!
Brian,
The stats you cited (1.4% Native America, 2.7% African American,4% Asian/Pacific Islander, 19.1% Hispanic, 68.3% white) reflect the percentage of AG churches that have those ethnic groups in the majority. A church counted as white may have a sizable minority of non-white constituents. Estrelda was writing about the racial make-up of the AG constituency, not its churches. Therefore, I think the better stat to use would be stats for AG adherents (p. 13): 1.7% Native America, 9% African American,4.1% Asian/Pacific Islander, 20.1% Hispanic, 61.7% white. These stats are actually pretty close to the US national racial demographics. The Anglo constituency has been declining slightly in recent years, while all other ethnic groups have been increasing. The non-Anglo constituency has been increasing by about 2% each year for the past five years. Plus, over 95% of AG adherents live outside the US. I don’t know of any other major Pentecostal denomination that can claim the AG’s level of diversity. The COGIC is much less racially diverse than the AG, for instance.
@Darrin: Ah, that is a very helpful clarification! It does put the AOG in a much better position as regards it racial diversity. Also, that 95% of adherents are outside the US brings a lot of clarification as well.
Does COGIC post their statistics anywhere?
@Brian: It is my understanding that the COGIC does not compile extensive statistical reports (including on the ethnicity of members). The COGIC has been reporting the same number of US adherents (5.5 million) since 1991. It is unclear how that number was established, and a new number has not been released in 20 years. I have asked several very knowledgeable COGIC scholar friends about the level of racial diversity in the COGIC. They estimate that the COGIC in the US is about 90% African-American. Historically, the Church of God of Prophecy has been one of the most racially diverse US Pentecostal denominations.
Read my article, “The Assemblies of God and the Long Journey toward Racial Reconciliation,” published in the 2008 edition of AG Heritage, here: http://ifphc.org/pdf//Heritage/2008.pdf The end of the article notes the significant strides taken in the AG toward full racial inclusion.
Brian – I am wondering how those statistics can be interpreted against the national statistics of cultural breakdown?
Also when we go back to Azuzu street there was no AG – so I’m wondering if the Pentecostal movement as a whole needs to be over viewed (if that is possible) to get a true representation?
@Darrin: Thank you for the insight into COGIC’s record keeping (or lack thereof). I wonder if they plan on ever trying to rebuild their record system. I will make sure to read your article sometime tomorrow morning.
@Craig: True, there was no AOG at Azusa Street. It is one of the many branches that came from that root. I don’t know what it would look like to overhaul Pentecostalism (or that it would even be possible). It would be better to let organizational structures stand while encouraging them to reform from within where needed (as it sounds like the AOG has set forth to do on this subject).
What would you have in mind?
@Brian. Yes it does sound like its in need of an organisational reform. It’s interesting that a study a number of years ago showed that only about 40% of AG members spoke in tongues and yet its an area of important doctrinal distinctive within the movement regarding the baptism of the Spirit.
Within the context of racial segregation / unity etc could it be that you will find distinctive differences in the racial ratio’s depending on the area’s one lives…for instance here in Australia T.D.Jakes is well known within the AOG movement – though he has a Oneness background – I’m not sure of his affiliation links now.
In regards to his ministry, it appears he has a high profile ministry within an certain ethnic cultural background – one in which white anglo saxons may be in the minority.
The question I raised about Pentecostalism overall is more to do is there some segments /denominations within Pentecostalism that cater for different segments of community better than others?
@Brian: The source for this is my folks. My parents run one of the bigger AG social justice ministries in the state. So they told me Wood is pushing (especially new church plants) to develop and cultivate outreach ministries. Now, I’m not assuming it’s just African Americans in the projects, I wouldn’t make such a stereotype. But, at least in Broward County, the demographic is primarily African-American or Islander. So, if the churches out here place an emphasis on outreach ministry, it will surely up the African-American population within the AG church.
@Craig, don’t EVEN get started on that tongues thing! 😉
@Craig: I support Pentecostalism’s overhaul occurring within already established structures if possible. I am currently reading through Darrin’s article and one thing that is apparent is that new organizations usually just cause a group to splinter further. I don’t know if I see a day when many Pentecostal organizations disband in order to form one, new group.
As concerns the initial evidence doctrine, this is one of the serious contentions that I have with traditional Pentecostalism. I think this needs to either be tossed or reconsidered in how it is presented. Brian Fulthorp has emphasized that it is the initial “physical” evidence in AOG circles, but even that seems to be a bit of a golden cafe. In other words, I think Parham misread the Book of Acts on this issue and it has been one error that has stuck itself deep into the fabric of many Pentecostal groups.
@Daniel: Overall, I’d say it seems like a healthy endeavorer.
@Dan: Tell us how you feel about the “tongues thing”. 🙂
@Darrin: I read your article. I greatly appreciated the straightforward way in which you openly addressed racial issues in Pentecostalism while also being very level headed about some of the additional complexities involved. I am very excited for the AOG and I hope these initiatives bear much fruit.