History

Pentecostalism in the Western World

1.      The Pentecostal Movement was started at the turn of the nineteenth century in the United States of America. Historians use April 19, 1903 as its birthday, in the city of Los Angeles.

2.      The Azusa Street Revival was a historic Pentecostal revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California and is the origin of the Pentecostal movement.

3.      This modern-day movement is founded on the events that took place on the day of Pentecost, some, ten (10) days after the ascension of Jesus Christ as recorded in Acts Chapter 2. Pentecostalism, which maintains that Holy Spirit’s Baptism is accompanied by the physical evidence of ‘Speaking in other Tongues’, is a normative experience available to all Christians.

4.      Moreover, Pentecostalism also declares that other spiritual graces the ability to interpret unknown tongues, to prophesy, to heal the sick, is manifested in the life of the contemporary Church and in the lives of Christian believers.

5.      Since the historical biblical account of the original Pentecostal outpouring and the ‘so-called’ passing of the New Testament Church era, religious historians have referred periodically to isolated occasions when Christian worship and earnest prayer were accompanied by “Speaking in other Tongues.” However, since the modern-day outpouring, the Pentecostal experience has brought to the renewed emphasis on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecostalism in the Caribbean

6.      As early as 1910, there were zealous and devout Christians in the Caribbean region who testified to the experience of a personal Pentecost. In 1912, on the island of Montserrat, American Missionary, Rev. Robert J. Jamieson, whose Pentecostal experience has revolutionized his life and ministry, found support for his cause in a small band of people of similar persuasion. Among this group were individuals such as A.B. Mulcare, Snr., William Morgan and Lydia Mings (nee Downey).

7.      Under this new stimulus, this young church spread rapidly in Montserrat and throughout other Caribbean Islands, from St. Croix in the north to Trinidad and Tobago in the south. Rev. Jamieson and his associates, who eventually comprised nationals and Pentecostal Missionaries from the United States of America and Canada, sought to establish a Pentecostal Movement. It must be noted, that group of followers became the nucleus of what is today known as the “Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies”

The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies

8.      On August 17, 1946, the Pentecostal Movement in the Caribbean held its first Conference at Petit Valley in Trinidad. At that Conference, the movement became affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC), and was officially declared as the West Indies District of P.A.O.C. The West Indies School of Theology was established at that Conference. This Conference is known today as the “General Conference of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies.”

9.      The establishment of the West Indies School of Theology (W.I.S.T) at the Woodbrook Pentecostal Chapel in Trinidad in 1946 is considered  by many to be the most significant contribution to the Caribbean region by the parent body (POAC). The School graduated its first group of students in 1949. WIST has since been responsible for training thousands of national ministers, lay workers and church leaders through its main campus and Extension Schools dispersed among PAWI Districts. Today, WIST graduates pastor some 90% of its churches throughout the region. Others give able spiritual leadership to varied ministries, regionally and globally.

10.  By 1952 the PAOC was affiliated with churches in five islands of the West Indies Trinidad: 18 churches and 1,000 members; Barbados: 11 churches and 450 members; Grenada:  7 churches and 250 members; Montserrat: 8 churches and 350 members; and Antigua: 8 churches and 261members. A total of 52 churches and 2311 members.

         11.  At the 1958 Conference held in Trinidad, the name of the Fellowship was changed to the                 Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies. This decision afforded the young Fellowship to become self-governing, self -propagating and self-supporting. Delegates present were from Montserrat, Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.

12.  With POAC passing the baton of leadership to Caribbean nationals, the under-mentioned persons created history when they were either elected or appointed to serve as follows:

General Superintendent	Rev. Patrick Ryan (deceased)
President of WIST	Rev. Dennis White
Executive Director of Missions	Rev. Wharton G. Nicholson
Youth Ministries Director	Rev. Wharton G. Nicholson
Women’s Ministries Director	Rev. Lucille Daniel
Men’s Ministries Director	Rev. Levi Duncan
Christian Education Director	Miss Audrey Cambridge
Regional Crusaders Commissioner	Rev. Irvin Smith

          

The Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago

13.  In 1956 the churches in Trinidad were divided in two sections, North Trinidad and South Trinidad, headed by Rev. Patrick Ryan and Rev. Larry Ulseth respectively as Field Directors. The title was changed in 1976 to Presbyter.

14.  PAWI was legally established in Trinidad and Tobago as a charitable church organization in 1965 by an Act of Incorporation, No 29 of 1965.

15.  1980 saw the advancement of the North churches where they were divided in to the North East and North West Districts.

16.  The National Council of Trinidad and Tobago was established in 1986 for the purpose of having one legal covering to represent PAWI member churches.

17.  1999 saw the continued growth of PAWI with the establishment of the Central District which was made up of  11 churches. The leadership of the district has been: Rev. Lew Thomson 1999-2005, Rev. Prakash Soodeen 2005-2008 and Rev. Michael Brathwaite representing PAWITAT 2008-preset.

18.  The logo of the fellowship has transformed over the last 50