Between 1887 and 1922 many churches were established in Guatemala, Presbyterian, Methodist, Nazarenes, Friends and Central American. There was an “evangelistic explosion” that started in 1922 and 10 years later The Holy Spirit shook the country, with that the Pentecostal era began in Guatemala.
As a result of the outpouring of the Hoy Spirit in 1932, the door was open for many Pentecostal churches to start. Assembly of God and Church of God started; the latter was the first Pentecostal denomination in the country.
Pastor Marcos Son, who writes the history of COG in Guatemala, intertwines the event of the outpouring with the emergence of the Guatemalan Church of God (with headquarters in the State of Tennessee). Over time COG Guatemala has celebrated the anniversary interchangeably, although the denomination in Guatemala was organized in 1934 and legalize a few years later.
The effervescence was great and many new churches joined the movement or settled, always outside Guatemala City in rural areas. The Pentecostal revival penetrated the capital of the country until 1963 in another unique outpouring.
3th. OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
As I indicated before (the previous article), there was a 3 th. outpouring of the Holy Spirit, this time in Capital City in the midst of a Baptist church (my source here is an interview with Pastor Fernando Garrido):
During a retreat that was carried out in the “Camp Monte Calvario”, the wife of a known physician arrived carrying a woman who had lost the reason to pray for her.
The pastors were Norman Parish, Mrs Erdman, and Pastor Perez. They prayed for the woman and their surprise was monumental when, through the woman, unclean spirits began to speak and say things that bewildered them. Feeling helpless and powerless to deal with an unknown situation, they had no idea but to do what Jesus Christ did with the demons: To rebuke them in His name, according to the Scripture. So they did and after hours of struggle the woman was released.
In the face of such experience they cried out desperately for the power of the Holy Spirit and this came upon them and they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues without knowing that it was that. Pentecost was repeated without them seeking it and without any influence of Pentecostal groups. Each pastor returned to their respective church but nothing was the same. The work of the Spirit spread through Guatemala. That experience marked Guatemala forever.
As a result, the Pentecostal movement spread in the urban areas of Guatemala. Many new churches were established, and in the following years, churches that are now mega-churches and numerous church support ministries (women, schools, and more) were established.
CONCLUSION
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Guatemala has lead to an amazing statistic: 49% of evangelicals! There are many more congregations and denominations growing in Guatemala and reaching other nations as a result of the big revivals in 1918, 1932 and 1963, the Evangelical Alliance in Guatemala reports a number of 25,000 churches or organizations inscribed on their books (COG Guatemala is just one of them, with 2700 churches!).
You can find more in my book: Let the Holy Spirit Come on You! Follow the link to read a sample or buy it. I will really appreciate your comments and likes
Some sources to consult:
An excellent source (in Spanish and if you can find it) is the work of Dr. Virgilio Zapata called History of the Evangelical Church in Guatemala.
http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/comunitario/Evangelicos -ganan- terreno-pais_0_1124887528.html
http://www.noticiacristiana.com/sociedad/2008/09/guatemala-crecimiento-evangelico-en-medio-de-conflictos-armados-y-una- catastrofe.html
As a result of the outpouring of the Hoy Spirit in 1932, the door was open for many Pentecostal churches to start. Assembly of God and Church of God started; the latter was the first Pentecostal denomination in the country.
Pastor Marcos Son, who writes the history of COG in Guatemala, intertwines the event of the outpouring with the emergence of the Guatemalan Church of God (with headquarters in the State of Tennessee). Over time COG Guatemala has celebrated the anniversary interchangeably, although the denomination in Guatemala was organized in 1934 and legalize a few years later.
The effervescence was great and many new churches joined the movement or settled, always outside Guatemala City in rural areas. The Pentecostal revival penetrated the capital of the country until 1963 in another unique outpouring.
3th. OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
As I indicated before (the previous article), there was a 3 th. outpouring of the Holy Spirit, this time in Capital City in the midst of a Baptist church (my source here is an interview with Pastor Fernando Garrido):
During a retreat that was carried out in the “Camp Monte Calvario”, the wife of a known physician arrived carrying a woman who had lost the reason to pray for her.
The pastors were Norman Parish, Mrs Erdman, and Pastor Perez. They prayed for the woman and their surprise was monumental when, through the woman, unclean spirits began to speak and say things that bewildered them. Feeling helpless and powerless to deal with an unknown situation, they had no idea but to do what Jesus Christ did with the demons: To rebuke them in His name, according to the Scripture. So they did and after hours of struggle the woman was released.
In the face of such experience they cried out desperately for the power of the Holy Spirit and this came upon them and they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues without knowing that it was that. Pentecost was repeated without them seeking it and without any influence of Pentecostal groups. Each pastor returned to their respective church but nothing was the same. The work of the Spirit spread through Guatemala. That experience marked Guatemala forever.
As a result, the Pentecostal movement spread in the urban areas of Guatemala. Many new churches were established, and in the following years, churches that are now mega-churches and numerous church support ministries (women, schools, and more) were established.
CONCLUSION
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Guatemala has lead to an amazing statistic: 49% of evangelicals! There are many more congregations and denominations growing in Guatemala and reaching other nations as a result of the big revivals in 1918, 1932 and 1963, the Evangelical Alliance in Guatemala reports a number of 25,000 churches or organizations inscribed on their books (COG Guatemala is just one of them, with 2700 churches!).
You can find more in my book: Let the Holy Spirit Come on You! Follow the link to read a sample or buy it. I will really appreciate your comments and likes
Some sources to consult:
An excellent source (in Spanish and if you can find it) is the work of Dr. Virgilio Zapata called History of the Evangelical Church in Guatemala.
http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/comunitario/Evangelicos -ganan- terreno-pais_0_1124887528.html
http://www.noticiacristiana.com/sociedad/2008/09/guatemala-crecimiento-evangelico-en-medio-de-conflictos-armados-y-una- catastrofe.html