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About the Book

Book: The Great Azusa Street Revival

Author: William Seymour

Genre: Christian non-fiction

Release Date: October 16, 2020

The Great Azusa Street Revival A fascinating collection of the words and teachings of William Seymour in the years leading up to and including the historic Azusa Street Revival, which began in Los Angeles in 1906 before spreading across the country and creating the modern-day Pentecostal movement. Includes historic accounts, eyewitness testimonies to the power of God, and photos capturing the multicultural, worldwide appeal of Seymour and his ministry, including his stirring sermons, which covered a wide range of topics that are still relevant to believers today. Complied by Roberts Liardon, author of the bestselling God’s Generals series.

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MY REVIEW

I have not heard of William Seymour before I read this book about his life. Wow. What an incredible inspiration he is. As I followed each step he took I was amazed at the undeniable love of God he had. Stepping out in faith, he spoke in churches that didn’t always accept him for the color of his skin and/or his belief in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. It was easy to step back in time and watch as people prayed hours upon hours and listened to the Word of God through William.

His sermons could be long at times but everyone stayed to listen to what this man had to say. They could feel the stirring of God and wanted to part of it. It reminds me of the revivals I attended as a child. I didn’t understand everything that was going on because I was young and at times it scared me. As I grew older, I became aware of speaking in tongues and what the Bible says about it. Everyone has different views on this subject so I leave it up to readers to choose their own path on this subject.

As we step into the second part of the book, this is where I wanted to linger. I loved his sermons and how he touched on the life of Jesus. He explains that someone who was sinless and without disease died for us. He forgives us and wants a relationship with us. Each sermon has a different topic and I soon realized that I needed to study each one slowly. There is a lot in this book that I enjoyed reading and I’m glad I was introduced to a man who accepted the call on his life.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

About the Author

William Seymour (1870–1922) was an African American, holiness preacher who initiated the Azusa Street Revival, an influential event in the rise of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. He was the second of eight children born to emancipated slaves and was raised in extreme poverty in Louisiana. Seymour was a student of early Pentecostal minister Charles Parham, and he adopted Parham’s belief that speaking in tongues was the sign of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In 1906, Seymour moved to Los Angeles, California, where he preached the Pentecostal message and sparked a revival that drew large crowds of believers as well as increased media scrutiny about the controversial religious practices as well as the racially integrated worship services. Seymour’s leadership of the revival and publication of The Apostolic Faith newspaper launched him into prominence within the young Pentecostal movement. As the revival’s influence extended beyond Los Angeles through evangelism and missionary work, Seymour was in the process of developing the revival into a larger organization called the Apostolic Faith Movement. This process was ultimately defeated by power struggles with other ministers and ultimately damaged the unity of the early Pentecostal movement and led to a decrease in Seymour’s influence. By 1914, the revival was past its peak, but Seymour continued to pastor the Apostolic Faith Mission he founded until his death. The revival acted as a catalyst for the spread of Pentecostal practices, such as speaking in tongues and integrated worship, throughout the world. It also played an important role in the history of most major Pentecostal denominations.

More About William

The participants were criticized by some secular media and Christian theologians for behaviors considered to be outrageous and unorthodox, especially at the time. Today, the revival is considered by historians to be the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century.