Elim Pentecostal Church
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The Elim Pentecostal Church (EPC) is a U.K.-based Pentecostal Christian organization (not to be confused with the U.S.-based Elim Fellowship).
George Jeffreys (1889-1972), a Welshman, founded the Elim Pentecostal Church in Monaghan, Ireland in 1915. Jeffreys was an evangelist with a Welsh Congregational church background. He was converted at age 15 during the Welsh Revival of 1904. The influence of Alexander A. Boddy, an Anglican vicar, led him to become involved in the Pentecostal movement. Between 1915 and 1934, Jeffreys was extremely active as a revivalist, and preached to large crowds throughout the United Kingdom. The church was brought together as the Elim Evangelistic Band, but was changed to Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance when the name was registered with the government in April 1934. The church name - Elim - was taken from the book of Exodus chapter 15, verse 27. The Israelites, leaving the bondage of Egypt under the leadership of Moses, found an oasis called Elim: "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters." Differences of opinion of church governance led Jeffreys to withdraw from the Elim Pentecostal Church in 1939 and form the Bible-Pattern Church Fellowship in Nottingham, which continues as a small fellowship.
Beliefs include: the Bible as divinely inspired; the triune nature of the Godhead; the divinity, virgin birth, humanity, sinless life, substitutionary atonement; bodily resurrection, present intercession, and second coming of Jesus; the universal sinfulness of mankind; the work of the Holy Spirit in conviction, repentance, regeneration and santification; the baptism of the Holy Spirit "with signs following"; that salvation is received by faith alone and evidenced by the fruits of the Spirit. The baptism of believers by immersion and the Lord's supper are held to be ordinances.
Unlike some of the older denominational churches in the United Kingdom, the EPC has experienced steady growth and now numbers over 500 churches in the U.K. and almost 9000 worldwide. The Kensington Temple of London is the largest church in the denomination and claims to reach over 15,000 people weekly. In addition to its work with churches, the International Mission Board operates hospitals, orphanages, and schools in 35 countries. The church operates Regents Theological College in Nantwich, Cheshire. The authority of governance of the church is rested in the annual Conference. Guidance of the denomination is placed in the National Leadership Team and the General Superintendent between sessions. John Glass currently (2004-2005) serves as General Superintendent. Headquarters are in Cheltenham, Glouscester. Elim became a founding member of the Pentecostal Churches of the United Kingdom in 1998.
Though the local congregations are commonly and popularly known as Elim Pentecostal Churches, the legal name of the denomination is Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, which is based on the church's stand for four fundamental truths - "Jesus Christ as the Saviour, Healer, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit, and Coming King."
External links
- Elim Pentecostal Church (http://www.elim.org.uk/index.htm) - official Web Site
- Regents Theological College (http://www.regents-tc.ac.uk/) - official Web Site
- Serious4God (http://serious4God.co.uk/) - Elim's youth department, official Web Site