Monday, January 1, 2018

The Beliefs Of Las Vegas Foursquare Churches

By Peter Hughes


When it comes to attending a church, mosque, synagogue or temple, it is often important to understand the history as well as the beliefs associated with the denomination. For, while there are a number of different denominations, most often at least some aspect of belief is going to differ between members of the congregation. As such, so too the belief systems of those attending Las Vegas Foursquare churches.

The church is based on evangelical Pentecostal denominations. The original denomination was founded in 1923 by Preacher Aimee Semple McPherson. As recently as the early 2000s, the membership had grown to over 8 million in a number of different countries. In total, there are over 60 thousand churches in one hundred and forty four countries around the world.

Known as "Sister Aimee, " the preacher defined the term Foursquare as related to a vision experienced by Ezekiel, for whom the Bible book by the same name is titled. For, it is reported that when Ezekiel saw God, it was a four part image being a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle. As such, the church is a Full Gospel church believing literally in the Old and New Testament books of the Bible.

While the preacher was quite well known for work in the church, the celebrity status which was received extended well beyond the preacher's passing. For example, the drama "The Disappearance of Aimee, " refers to the life, times and controversies of the preacher. One of the most common controversies relate to a month long disappearance which is reflected in the drama.

Once the young preacher passed on, a son, Rolf, became leader and President of the denomination. The son held this position for forty four years before the church became part and parcel to the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America. It was in 1948 when this happened in Des Moines, Iowa. After which, the Foursquare Gospel Church became aligned with a number of other Pentecostal churches.

Forty six years later, the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America replaced earlier denominations and welcomed African-American churches and organizations into the fold. Most importantly, the Church of God in Christ, which was the first African-American church of its kind in the United States. After which, a number of congregations in the United States became desegregated and united as one family of faith regardless of color, economic status or religious background.

The original temple, known as The Angelus Temple, is still standing across from Echo Park near downtown Los Angeles. While weather beaten and torn, it stands as a legacy to the founding of the church by McPherson. As there have been several changes, including a number of interim pastors over the years, different branches of the church often have distinct and unique personalities with regards to congregations, Sunday schools, worship services and other events.

As a result of the work of Aimee Semple McPherson and others whom have been in charge over time, Las Vegas residents now have a number of Foursquare Gospel churches which believers can join and attend on a regular basis. In addition, there is an annual International Gathering Of Believers at which many members come together for Bible study, celebration, praise, worship and understanding in various locations around the world.




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