I want to take you back to a pivotal moment that forever changed how millions would experience their faith, while looking forward to what God is stirring in our time.
The Spark That Lit the World
On April 9, 1906, in a humble building on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, the Holy Spirit was poured out in a way that would ignite a global movement. Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to witness the birth of a revival that would transform Christianity worldwide?
William J. Seymour, an African-American preacher with one eye and little formal education, became the unlikely vessel for this divine visitation. After being locked out of the church where he was invited to preach about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Seymour held prayer meetings in a home on Bonnie Brae Street.
When the Spirit fell on April 9th, one man began speaking in tongues, followed by Seymour himself and others in the group. The crowds quickly outgrew the house, leading them to an abandoned Methodist church at 312 Azusa Street—a dilapidated structure that had served as a stable.
This is what Frank Bartleman, an eyewitness to the revival, wrote: “The ‘color line’ was washed away in the blood. We could not possibly have fellowship there on any other basis.” ¹ In an era of rigid segregation, blacks, whites, Hispanics, and Asians worshipped together. The wealthy knelt beside the poor. God was fulfilling what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
The Power Manifested
The services continued almost nonstop for three years. There was no planned service flow—just spontaneous worship, testimonies, and encounters with God. People spoke in languages they’d never learned. Physical healings occurred that doctors couldn’t explain. Prophecies came with startling accuracy.
One participant reported: “The power would strike men and women while about their daily employment. It was nothing uncommon for men to be speaking in tongues when they reached home. Motormen were arrested under the power of God with their hands fixed on the controls.” ²
Does this remind you of anything in Scripture? In Acts 2:4, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” And in Acts 10:44-46, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word… speaking in tongues and extolling God.”
My Personal Connection
I’ve never shared this before, but my own journey into the baptism of the Holy Spirit came after a desperate night of prayer. Like many of you, I had spent years in a Christianity that felt like it was missing something. I knew there had to be more.
One night, alone in my room and hungry for God’s presence, I prayed simply, “Lord, I need everything you have for me.” Within moments, a warmth spread through my body, and I began speaking in a language I’d never learned. It wasn’t dramatic with fire from heaven, but it was real—and it changed everything.
This experience drove me deeper into Scripture, not away from it. I began to see verses I’d read a hundred times with new understanding. God wasn’t just teaching me doctrine; He was revealing Himself. Has that ever happened to you?
A New Convergence of Word and Spirit
While the Azusa Street Revival was undeniably powerful, God is not simply repeating history—He’s doing something new. Over the past several decades, we’ve witnessed the yearnings of a movement that doesn’t fit neatly into the old categories of “charismatic” or “evangelical.”
Have you noticed how the lines are blurring between these once-separated streams of Christianity?
I’ve watched as believers who were raised in traditions that emphasized careful Bible study and doctrinal precision have encountered the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Rather than abandoning their love for Scripture, their experiences have driven them deeper into the Word, discovering that the Bible itself points to a God who desires intimate relationship with His people.
Simultaneously, those from Pentecostal and Charismatic backgrounds are hungering for stronger biblical foundations and theological depth. They’re realizing that authentic experiences with God should lead us to a greater understanding of His character as revealed in Scripture.
This convergence is precisely what we see in the early church. Acts 2:42-43 tells us the believers were “devoted to the apostles’ teaching” and experienced powerful demonstrations of the Spirit.
Beyond Experience-Seeking
What’s emerging isn’t just a rehashing of charismatic practices. It’s a movement of believers who understand that the gifts of the Spirit aren’t ends in themselves but tools for building up the church and revealing Jesus to a broken world.
John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard movement, understood this well. He wrote, “I am daily continuing in prayer and expect the answer. Be encouraged with fresh earnestness to give yourself to prayer, only be sure that you ask for things that are for the glory of God.” ³
This is a significant shift from segments of the charismatic movement that sometimes pursued supernatural experiences without the anchor of biblical truth. The Spirit and the Word always work in harmony, never in opposition. The Spirit’s work isn’t always comfortable, but it’s always transformative.
An Invitation to More
As we approach the 119th anniversary of Azusa Street, I believe God is extending an invitation to all of us—not just to remember what He’s done in the past, but to participate in what He’s doing now.
For those steeped in Bible study but hesitant about supernatural gifts: God wants to move beyond information to transformation. He desires not just to fill your mind with knowledge about Him, but to fill your entire being and your life’s work with His presence.
For those accustomed to charismatic experiences: God wants to deepen your roots in His Word, so your experiences cause you to love Jesus more by obeying His word, leading to lasting transformation rather than fleeting emotions.
1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us to “pursue love, and strive for spiritual gifts.” Notice it doesn’t say to choose between them. We are called to both—the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit working together.
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, I come to you and ask you to give me your precious Holy Spirit and all of His ministry. Holy Spirit, I need you, and I desire all of your gifts and ministry to be active in my life. Use me to demonstrate the Gospel in power to those who don’t know you. Teach me to love your Word deeply while remaining open to your supernatural leading. Move upon me in power so that I decrease and you increase. Amen.
¹ Frank Bartleman, Azusa Street (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1982), 54.
² Stanley H. Frodsham, With Signs Following (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1946), 33.
³ John Wimber, Prayer: Intimate Communication with God (Anaheim, CA: Vineyard Ministries International, 1997), 31.
