International Church of the Foursquare Gospel: Encyclopedia II - International Church of the Foursquare Gospel - Background

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel - Background

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944), a controversial female evangelist, founded the Foursquare Church in 1927. Los Angeles was her center of operations, and the Angelus Temple, seating 5,300 people, was opened there in 1923. McPherson was an outright celebrity participating in publicity events such as parades every Sunday through the streets of L.A., along with the mayor and movie stars, directly to Angelus Temple. She built the temple, and L. I. F. E. Bible College next door to it, on the northwest corner of the land that she owned in the middle of the city.

Her son, Rolf K. McPherson, became president and leader of the church after her death in 1944. Not being able to lead with the same charisma his mother possessed, the denomination became stagnant.

Together with the Assemblies of God, the Church of God, the Open Bible Standard Churches, the Pentecostal Holiness Church, and others, the Foursquare Church formed the "Pentecostal Fellowship of North America" in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1994, it was reorganized as the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America. Jack W. Hayford, founder of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California, and Living Way Ministries, is perhaps the best-known foursquare minister in the 21st century and is currently the denomination's President.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Background", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki