Apostolic Church of Pentecost
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The Apostolic Church of Pentecost (ACOP) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination with origins in the Pentecostal revival of the early 20th century. Although multi-national, ACOP has its strongest membership in Canada.
In 2002 ACOP reported “approximately 24,000 members in Canada, with 450 ministers and 153 churches.”[5][6] There are ACOP churches in all the provinces of Canada.[7] ACOP’s headquarters is in Calgary, Alberta.
Historical Precursors (1906-1920)
Like many Pentecostal denominations, the ACOP originates from the exponential growth of the modern Pentecostal movement of the early 20th century[19] from the Azusa street revival in Los Angeles. As the early Pentecostalism movement rapidly expanded into Canada, there was an attempt in 1909 to organize Canadian Pentecostals, but it was unsuccessful since most early Pentecostals resisted formalized organization.[20] However, in 1918 a decision was made to form the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC), and a dominion charter was granted on May 17, 1919.
The PAOC organization held to three distinctive beliefs: to William Durham's Finished Work of Calvary doctrine, to the Oneness doctrine of the Godhead, and to water baptism in Jesus' Name.[21] However, due to doctrinal diversity on these issues, the early unity of the PAOC did not last long. Shortly after the charter was granted, a group of ministers and churches withdrew their support because of doctrinal disagreement, especially over the oneness doctrine and baptism in Jesus' name. This group aligned itself instead with the US organization, the Assemblies of God. By 1920, the PAOC itself merged with the AOG, shifting its theological stance toward a more Trinitarian viewpoint.[22]
Origins of ACOP (1920-1950)
Not everyone was pleased with the shift away from the Oneness perspective on the Godhead. On 1 January 1920, Rev. Frank Small, a member of PAOC wrote a letter to his organization stating “if you feel that I am unworthy of your further fellowship owing to my doctrinal stand, I shall leave my further fellowship to your judgment as to whether I am recognized as one of you” (the doctrinal differences are later clarified in Small’s private correspondence as his belief in the finished work and the oneness doctrine).[23] This letter was not recognized in any formal capacity by the PAOC, but Frank Small’s name was removed from the next PAOC ministerial list.[24]
As a result of these things, Small founded a new Pentecostal denomination, called the Apostolic Church of Pentecost, which was granted Dominion charter on 25 October 1921.[25] “With the doctrinal break in fellowship, he founded an organization that for many years endured as the only native Canadian Oneness organization.”[26] Small was a charismatic leader and believed strongly that organization should never take precedence over God’s revealed word in Scripture or the progressive truth revealed by the Holy Spirit.[27] A big part of Small’s focus was a belief that “God was bypassing the ‘old denominations’ and restoring the pure apostolic truth and practice to the church in the last days before the return of Christ.”[28]
One of the most important truths that was being revealed was the doctrine of the oneness of the Godhead. He published a paper called Living Waters[29] in which he said that the Trinitarians had given Christ an “inferiority complex in the eyes of the world” by “separating Christ from his fatherhood.”[30] He also claimed that “Any teaching that minimizes the Lord Jesus Christ to second place in the Godhead in authority or power, is to be laid at the door of the enemy.”[31]
The first ACOP conference took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1921, where Frank Small was elected the first moderator.[32] Early in its history, the ACOP focused on three main things: missions work, a small publication called Living Waters (produced by Small), and the need for Bible training.[33] During its early years, ACOP saw tremendous growth, including: “new churches planted, missionaries thrust out into the work of God, Bible Schools established, denominational material published and Camp ministries started.”[34]
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