The Assemblies of God in Vietnam (AGVN) is a

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, wors ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

affiliated with the

World Assemblies of God Fellowship The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

.World Christian Encyclopedia 2nd edition (Oxford University Press, 2001), second volume, p. 806 In 2009, there were an estimated 40,000 adherents.Van Veen, Dan
"Assemblies of God Vietnam Granted Permit"
AG News, November 6, 2009. Accessed October 21, 2010. The general superintendent of the AGVN as of 2009, Duong Thanh Lam, was elected in 2001.Joshua (2001). "Pentecostalism in Vietnam: A History of the Assemblies of God". ''Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies'' 4, no. 2: 319.

History

The Assemblies of God in Vietnam began through the relief work of Don Warren and his wife, who in 1970 opened an orphanage with the help of Cao Tan Phat.Joshua 2001, p. 314. The work grew, and soon the three founders asked the Assemblies of God USA for help. In 1971 and 1973, the American AG began sending missionaries to Vietnam. They were aided by Philippine Assemblies of God missionaries and native Vietnamese workers. In 1972, the first church was begun in Vung Tau, and in 1973, Glen Stafford started the first Bible school in the same city. In July of that year, the AG was recognized by the

South Vietnamese South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

government. Its first general superintendent was John Hurston, an American missionary, and a central office was set up in

Saigon , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...

. By 1975, there were 10,000 to 15,000 adherents.Joshua 2001, pp. 315-16. After the

North Vietnamese North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed ...

victory in 1975, the AG, like other churches, was suppressed. Churches were closed and property was confiscated by the communist government and membership dropped dramatically. The effect on the Assemblies of God was so great that a historian has referred to the years 1975-1988 as the "Silent Period".Joshua 2001, p. 316. In the period from 1988-1998, Tran Dinh Paul Ai, who served as AG general secretary before 1975, began to lead the reorganization of the Vietnamese AG.Joshua 2001, p. 318-319. The first general council was called in 1989 and elected Ai as general superintendent. Though still persecuted during this period, the AG grew and established a presence in every part of the country. Today, it is in the process of receiving official recognition from the

Vietnamese government The Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (), also known as the Vietnamese Government or the Government of Vietnam (), is the executive branch and body of the State administration of Vietnam. The members of the Government are appoi ...

, having received an official operating license in October 2009. This gives it the right to legally operate and is the first step to being recognized as an official church. Prior to this, the AG had been an illegal movement since a 1994 registration attempt failed, and members reported widespread human rights violations. Following the granting of a license to operate, the AGVN held its first official general council on October 20, 2010, in

Ho Chi Minh City , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...

.AG News
"AG of Vietnam holds first general council"
. October 22, 2010. Accessed October 24, 2010.

References

{{Christianity in Vietnam Christianity in Vietnam

Christian organizations established in 1988 Christian denominations established in the 20th century Pentecostal denominations in Asia