European Pentecostalism: Its Origins, Development, and Future

In many ways, the story of the Pentecostal movement in Europe reads like the biblical book of Acts. Just as the early disciples were led by the Holy Spirit to carry the message of the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, so also the 20th-century Pentecostals were compelled by the Spirit to leave their homelands and share the Full Gospel with all of Europe. After his introduction to the early beginning and expansion of the Pentecostal movement, Paul Schmidgall tells the story of Pentecostalism in Europe. Moving country-by-country through Europe, he describes the theological soil from which the roots of Pentecost emerged; he recounts the lives and ministries of Pentecostal founders and leaders; and he unfolds the social, political, and theological trends that influenced Pentecostalism’s development. Schmidgall’s narrative reveals a variety of theological emphases and ecclesiastical commitments that persist in Pentecostalism throughout Europe. The story concludes with Schmidgall’s vision of the future of Pentecostalism in Europe, in which he affirms the value of Pentecostal theology and practice for postmodern humanity. Extensive bibliographies and up-to-date statistics add to the value of this work as an introduction to Pentecostalism in Europe.