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Since the 1990s, the issue of succession has been a pressing one in the UK throughout what are now commonly referred to as the ‘Apostolic Networks’, the networks of neo-Charismatic churches that developed out of the House Church movement and which laid particular stress upon present-day apostles. Within an avidly relational and informal structure, the government of each of these networks resides to a significant extent within key apostolic leaders. Over the last twenty years, almost all of these networks arrived at a situation in which they were overseen by a still energetic yet ageing apostle and with no obvious successor to hand. The beginnings of the networks were often associated with big personalities, credited with high apostolic gifts. The Old Testament similarly abounds with anointed kings and prophets and their successors who were sometimes very unsubtle in the way they then wielded the power bequeathed to them. The New Testament centres on a founder whose act seems especially hard to follow. This study will seek to synthesize the biblical data, and what it implies about how to do it and how not to do it, into a form that can be the biblical basis for Pentecostal and charismatic leadership transition today. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), London (United Kingdom) is one example of the transnational networks of African Pentecostal churches that have changed the Christian landscape in Britain. The proliferation of RCCG parishes in London and nearly all the urban cities in Britain further reaffirms previous scholarly claims that Pentecostalism is a religion made to travel. The theoretical entry point of this paper is to identify the internal dynamics of RCCG that have enhanced the missionary agenda of the denomination particularly in London, situating it within the broader missionary endeavours of the denomination in the West and North America. This paper examines the interface between migration, mission and church growth of the denomination in London. The paper further explores to what degree RCCG has utilized the urban church planting strategy of St Paul in its church planting agenda as well as identifying and prescribing solutions to the missionary challenges of the denomination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sets out a narrative of the interaction of a seasoned theologian/ church leader with the leadership of two national Pentecostal churches at their respective centenaries. Both denominations had changed their leadership models in 2000 and 1999 respectively to a modified approximation of the New Apostolic model. Executive power, pastoral oversight, and even doctrinal delineation were centred on one or a very few central leadership figures. The article offers a short constitutional history of the two denominations, and traces the course of the largely negative response of the new leadership to theologically substantiated analyses and suggestions that the current leadership models be revisited at constitutional level, as their past record and future prospects for the next century were not necessarily propitious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of an investigation into the way the New Testament Church of God (NTCG) began to establish itself in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumatology has defined Pentecostalism since its inception and mission has been a constant aspect of its expression. I believe there has been a misrepresentation of the true nature and purpose of Spirit baptism especially an over emphasis on experience and particularly tongues. In this essay I briefly review the origins of Pentecostalism with an emphasis on GB&I AoG suggesting the past is vital in understanding Pentecostal heritage. I propose Mission and not tongues is the true Pentecostal Heritage within which pneumatology is 'simply' an essential means to an end (Acts 1:8). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In September 2007 a conference was held in Durham and Sunderland to celebrate and reflect on the remarkable Pentecostal outpouring which began in the UK in 1907 in Sunderland. In this paper I sought to set the scene by offering a narrative of the Boddys, the human face of Pentecostal renewal in the UK. It was their leadership and example which gave energy and stability to the new movement -- they were absolutely crucial to its growth. I will therefore explore their backgrounds as a means of helping to explain why this happened. I suggest that we find clues in the context of Sunderland and in the lives of Alexander and Mary Boddy. My approach is largely through an historical narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the results for the twentieth century classical Pentecostal denominations in Britain of the Sunderland experience if Pentecostal empowerment. There were three main indigenous classical denominations in Britain -- the Apostolic Church, Elim and the Assemblies of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roswith Gerloff and Ian MacRobert have written about the black Pentecostal Churches in Britain. In this paper I want to draw attention to neglected areas on the early history based on written records that have not been previously used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentecostalism may be broadly or narrowly defined though, for practical purposes, a broad understanding is preferable. Questions about the origins of Pentecostalism have long been debated: did it spread out to the rest of the world from the USA or were its origins more diffuse? Historiographical problems occur in any account and a solution to these is to see Pentecostalism as a missionary movement, or at least deriving one of its roots from pre-existing missionary organisations and activities. After its establishment and the failure of early hopes, Pentecostalism re-thought itself and subsequent historical analysis needs to take account of the various categories of networks by which it is expressed; indeed it is the proposal of this paper that Pentecostalism may be defined by reference to the historical and contemporary networks to which its adherents belong. Indigenous Pentecostal churches (those not directly connected with western Pentecostal denominations) are not always free of western influence, and this makes the theological analysis complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]