The Latter Rain, also known as the New Order or the New Order of the Latter Rain, was a post–

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

movement within

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

which remains controversial. The movement saw itself as a continuation of the restorationism of early pentecostalism. The movement began with major revivals between 1948 and 1952, and became established as a large semi-organized movement by 1952 and continued into the 1960s. The movement had a profound impact on subsequent movements as its participants dispersed throughout the broader charismatic and pentecostal movements beginning in the 1960s. The Latter Rain Movement had its beginnings in the years following World War II and was contemporary with the

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...

awakening led by

Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christi ...

, as well as the Healing Revival of

Oral Roberts Granville Oral Roberts (January 24, 1918 – December 15, 2009) was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, ordained in both the Pentecostal Holiness and United Methodist churches. He is considered one of the forerunners of t ...

, Jack Coe, and

William Branham William Marrion Branham (April 6, 1909 – December 24, 1965) was an American Christian minister and faith healer who initiated the post-World War II healing revival, and claimed to be a prophet with the anointing of Elijah, who had come t ...

. In the fall of 1947, several leaders of the small Pentecostal Sharon Orphanage and Schools in

North Battleford, Saskatchewan North Battleford is a city in west-central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the seventh largest city in the province and is directly across the North Saskatchewan River from the Town of Battleford. Together, the two communities are known as "The Bat ...

were inspired to begin a period of intense

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

and prayer for "outpourings of the Holy Spirit" after visiting a Branham's healing campaign in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, Canada. After weeks of fasting and prayer, the participants had

ecstatic Ecstasy () is a subjective experience of total involvement of the subject, with an object of their awareness. In classical Greek literature, it refers to removal of the mind or body "from its normal place of function." Total involvement with ...

experiences and reported the occurrence of miracles. Later that year, groups organized large revival events, and news quickly swept across

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, influencing many Pentecostal believers. The movement was deeply influenced by British Israelism and many of the movement's doctrines, including their interpretation of the "Latter Rain" prophecy, were based on parallels drawn between the church and Israel based on British Israel ideology.

Joseph Mattsson-Boze Joseph D. Mattsson-Boze (died January 1989) was a Swedish-American minister and pastor of Chicago's Philadelphia Church from 1933 to 1958, with the exception of 1939-1941 when he pastored the Rock Church in New York. He was publisher and editor ...

was an important leader of the movement and helped organize many revival conventions. He publicized the Latter Rain movement and its leaders in his ''Herald of Faith'' magazine in the 1950s and 1960s. Boze was instrumental in bringing the

Independent Assemblies of God Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independen ...

in the revival. The IAoG were key supporters of the Latter Rain movement and provided an early framework for the movement which emphasized the independence of the local church and opposed complex denominational structures. As the revival died down after a few years, those who had been swayed by the doctrine formed various loosely affiliated groups. William Branham,

Ern Baxter William John Ernest (Ern) Baxter (1914–1993) was a Canadian Pentecostal evangelist. Early life Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, he was baptised into a Presbyterian family. His mother was involved with a holiness church and following his father� ...

, Sam Fife, John Robert Stevens, Paul Cain, C. Peter Wagner, Emanuele Cannistraci, Dick Iverson, Kevin Conner, Dick Benjamin, Leonard Fox, Violet Kitely, Reg Lazelle, David Schock, George Evans, Charlotte Baker, Fuschia Pickett, Jim Watt and others, were prominent ministries that influenced and were influenced by the Latter Rain. The Latter Rain strongly emphasized relational networks over denominational structures. Latter Rain emphases are some of the most noticeable differences between Pentecostals and Charismatics, as delineated, for example, by the

Assemblies of God USA The Assemblies of God USA (AG), officially the General Council of the Assemblies of God, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination in the United States founded in 1914 during a meeting of white Pentecostal ministers at Hot Springs, Arkansas (with e ...

in their 2000 position paper on End Time Revival. The Latter Rain movement was rejected by classical Pentecostal denominations. The broader pentecostal movement began to strongly rejected elements of the Latter Rain movement starting in the early 1950s, which caused significant discord and confrontations between participants in the Latter Rain and the leadership of older pentecostal groups. The term ''Latter Rain'' increasingly became a

pejorative A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...

label among the broader pentecostal movement; therefore, many ministers who were influenced by the movement were reluctant to share their connections to the movement. Much of the movement, along with elements of the Healing Revival, slowly integrated into parts of the larger Charismatic movement.

History

Background

The late 1940s was a time Pentecostals considered "of deep spiritual hunger,"Schmitt, Charles P. (2002). ''Floods Upon the Dry Ground'', Shippensburg, PA: Revival Press. as they were concerned about the declining operation of the gifts of the Spirit they claimed were once so evident when Pentecostalism began in the early 20th century. In response, about 70 students gathered in October 1947 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, to begin the first term of the newly formed Sharon Bible College.Wanagas, Ewald A. (2000). ''The Revival & Outpouring of the Holy Spirit: Things I Have Seen and Heard'', North Battleford: Sharon Children's Homes and Schools. Most were first-year students, but some were second and third-year students from the Pentecostal Bible College in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as th ...

. The Latter Rain Movement had its beginnings in the years following World War II and was contemporary with the

awakening led by

, as well as the Healing Revival of

, Jack Coe, and

. In the fall of 1947, several leaders of the small Pentecostal Sharon Orphanage and Schools in

were inspired to begin a period of intense

and prayer for "outpourings of the Holy Spirit" after visiting a Branham healing campaign in

, Canada. From the latter part of October 1947 until February 1948, members of the school participated in daily

and prayer. Classes were suspended at times to encourage the movement which the majority of the school began to participate in. The students believed that God was about to do something new and unique for the church. Some students issued prophecies that urged others "to seek the face of the Lord". Some students reporting difficulty studying because of their intense motivation to pray and fast.“The History, Teaching and Practice of the Latter Rain Heritage” by Gideo Chiu, 1982, thesis. By day, the students labored to construct buildings to serve as new classrooms and gathered for prayer in the evenings, which included intercessory prayer,

prophecy In religion, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a '' prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain divine will or law, or pr ...

and fasting. Some fasted between three and forty days. At the time, the school consisted of three buildings at the North Battleford airport. The group was led primarily by George Hawtin and Percy G. Hunt, two former pastors of the

Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) (french: Les Assemblées de la Pentecôte du Canada) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the largest evangelical church in Canada.Church of the Foursquare Gospel in North Battleford.Albert James Dager, "An Examination of Kingdom Theology"
Apologetics Index They were later joined by George Hawtin's brother Ernest Hawtin, and brother-in-law Milford Kirkpatrick. The initial 70 Sharon School students had followed Hawtin and Hunt from Bethel Bible Institute in Saskatoon, where both had formerly taught. Hawtin had been asked to resign for lack of cooperation with the institute, and Hunt resigned in sympathy.

Initial Revival (1948)

On February 11, 1948, a young woman prophesied "that we are on the very verge of a great revival, and all we have to do is open the door, and we could enter in." After the prophecy Pastor Hawtin prayed, "Father we do not know where the door is, neither do we know how to enter it." A following prophecy described the open door as the doorway into the gifts and ministries in the Body of Christ. Then, the following day, the students began to have

experiences which were described as "the rain pouring down". One of the eyewitnesses, Ern Hawtin, brother of Pastor George Hawtin, reported the outpouring as the revival suddenly began in the largest classroom where the entire student body was gathered. One student claimed to experience a vision. Other students claimed they were under the power of God as they collapsed on the floor.“The History, Teaching and Practice of the Latter Rain Heritage” by Gideo Chiu, 1982, thesi

/ref> Some students knelt in worship and reported feeling in "deep awe of God". One claimed to be directed by God to lay his hands upon a student and pray for him. After doing so, he uttered a prophecy to the student. Then another lengthy prophecy was given by Ern Hawtin that the gifts of the spirit will be restored to the church to be received by prophecy and the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Haltingly, the members of the school began to pray and lay hands on people, and there were reports of multiple healings as result of the prayers. Prior to this, the laying on of hands for this purpose was viewed as heretical and had not been practiced for several decades throughout Pentecostalism. Pastor G. Hawtin came to believe that the nine

Spiritual Gifts A spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek singular: χάρισμα ''charisma'', plural: χαρίσματα ''charismata'') is an extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit."Spiritual gifts". ''A Dictionary of the ...

had been restored to the Church. Thomas Holdcroft wrote about the events: In the spring of 1948 on

Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...

weekend, special services were held which the school called the "Feast of Pentecost". Many people who had heard of the revivals in North Battleford attended these services. This led to what is considered the first "Camp Meeting" during July 7–18, 1948, which began drawing large crowds in the thousands. The revival quickly spread across the country and the world and was joined by numerous churches and individuals. Glad Tidings Temple in Vancouver, British Columbia, became an important church that spread the message of revival around the world through her publications, tapes and missionaries worldwide and Bible schools in Vancouver, Taiwan, Mexico, the Arctic and in Uganda. The Philadelphia Church in Chicago became another important hub of the Latter Rain revival. Its pastor,

was a leading figure in the

, whose denomination embraced the movement early on. ''Herald of Faith'' magazine began to print and publicize the events of the revival. Bethseda Missionary Temple in Detroit began interacting with the movement in December 1949 and became another important bastion of the movement. Franklin Hall, who published ''Miracle Word'' magazine began participating in the movement in 1948.

Israel and the church

The Latter Rain movement was deeply influenced by British Israelism which impacted the development of some of the key teachings of the movement. The teachings from the revival came to be known as "Latter Rain" because its leaders began to connect the timing of the revival with the establishment of the State of Israel in May 1948. They believed their revival was a fulfillment of a prophecy of a coming "latter rain" by Joel the Prophet. The Latter Rain movement believes that the Church is the spiritual counterpart of Israel. They believe parallels exist between the history of Israel and the Church such that whenever Israel experiences restorative events, the Church similarly experiences a spiritual restoration. In 1900, when the Zionist movement was seeking a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine, it coincided with "a restoration of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit" at the

Azusa Street Revival The Azusa Street Revival was a historic series of revival meetings that took place in Los Angeles, California. It was led by William J. Seymour, an African-American preacher. The revival began on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915. ...

in 1906.Chieu, Gideon. Thesis on Latter Rain (1982
"The History, Teaching and Practice of the Latter Rain Heritage." "Latter Rain Teachings on Restoration."
(Pages 4, 40) Appendix A. "''New Move of God Israel Vision''." "In 1980, Latter Rain came to understand that before the final truths ... could be restored to the Church, Israel must first be restored." "''Divine Confirmation Through Emmanuel Cannistraci''". "Glad Tidings Temple

anada Anada (russian: Анада; av, АнгӀада) is a rural locality (a selo) in Khidibsky Selsoviet, Tlyaratinsky District, Republic of Dagestan, Russia. The population was 49 as of 2010. Geography Anada is located 19 km north of Tlyarata ...

.. on April 17, 1980... the voice of Emanuele Cannistraci, an accepted prophet in revival circles... from the States ... immediately broadcast live ... and subsequently circulated in a print-out ... message totally confirmed what the Lord was initiating." In 1948 when the modern nation of Israel was established, they claim God restored the doctrine of the laying on hands and praise through the Latter Rain Revival and raised up healing evangelists such as Branham and

. This teaching was widely promoted by Branham, Hawtin, Mattson-Boze,

, and many other prominent figures connected to the movement. In 1967, Israel won the Six Day War and restored Jewish control over Jerusalem. The Latter Rain movement connected the event with the charismatic movement which it said was restoring the gifts of the spirit to the church. Groups influenced by and descended from Latter Rain have continued the pattern of connecting what they believe to be restoration events in church to restoration events for the nation of Israel. George Warnock, a former personal secretary to

(an associate with William Branham's healing ministry), resided at Sharon Schools in the fall of 1949 and performed various work supporting the movement. Branham and Baxter both adopted many of the teachings that developed within the Latter Rain movement. Warnock's book, ''The Feast of Tabernacles'' (1951), discussed the role of Sharon Schools and affiliated groups in living out the completion of God's feasts for Israel, through perfection of the saints and their dominion over the earth. He described the Jewish feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles as ones that "pre-figure and typify the whole Church Age, beginning with the death of Jesus on the cross, and consummating in "the manifestation of the Sons of God" – the "overcomers" who will step into immortality and establish the Kingdom of God on earth."

Pentecostal Denominations Disapproved of the Latter Rain Revival

Some Pentecostal denominational leadership began to openly oppose the revival in the spring of 1948, and questioned the teachings and practices being developed by the movement. As the revival progressed, their condemnations became more pronounced. According to one author, "leaders of the Assemblies of God watched in horror" as the Latter Rain movement began to grant ministering licenses to unqualified preachers and viewed some of their teachings as divisive and harmful. For instance, the 1949 General Council of the Assemblies of God USA declared in its Resolution #7: Bill Britton wrote that, During the early years, some of the most ardent critics of the Latter Rain and its theology came from within Pentecostalism, particularly the Assemblies of God. In 1949, the General Council of the Assemblies of God, following the leadership of its General Superintendent E. S. Williams, stated that pre-tribulation rapture represented correct eschatology. It rejected the Latter Rain practice of personal prophecy accompanied by the laying on of hands, as well as the Manifest Sons of God doctrine. The Latter Rain strongly emphasized relational networks over organizational structure. Latter Rain emphases are some of the most noticeable differences between Pentecostals and Charismatics, as delineated, for example, by the Assemblies of God in their 2000 position paper on End Time Revival. The Latter Rain movement was rejected by classical Pentecostal denominations. The broader pentecostal movement began to strongly rejected elements of the Latter Rain movement starting by the early 1950s, which caused significant discord and confrontations followers of Latter Rain and the older pentecostal groups. The term ''Latter Rain'' increasingly became a

label among the broader pentecostal movement. The movement widely influenced many prominent ministries. Some branches of the movement developed as cult-like groups, such Sam Fife and

The Move The Move were a British rock band of the late 1960s and the early 1970s. They scored nine top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any real success in the United States. For most of their car ...

and The Message, and John Robert Stevens and The Walk. Other parts of the movement moderated the doctrine and ultimately had a widespread influence on the Charismatic and Pentecostal churches at large. The Latter Rain movement ultimately led to major divisions within the Pentecostal denominations, especially the Assemblies of God. Stanley Frodsham, a noted Assemblies of God leader, left the Assemblies in favor of the Latter Rain. He noted that it had practices and experiences similar to the

, a founding element of the Pentecostal Church. The opposition of other Pentecostal denominations ultimately led to the withdrawal, under pressure, of

Ivan Q. Spencer Ivan Quay Spencer (November 28, 1888 - August 17, 1970) was an American Pentecostal minister who founded Elim Bible Institute and the Elim Fellowship.Elim Fellowship Elim Fellowship is a North American–based Pentecostal/charismatic Christian Ministry founded in 1933. Elim Fellowship's headquarters is located in Lima, NY. History Elim Bible Institute was founded in 1924 by Ivan Q. Spencer and his wife M ...

, from inter-Pentecostal fellowship. Contemporary criticism of the Latter Rain movement has emanated from fundamentalists such as John MacArthur, as demonstrated by their websites that attack the movement. Some identify the roots of more recent Charismatic trends such as

Kingdom Now theology Dominion theology (also known as dominionism) is a group of Christian political ideologies that seek to institute a nation which is governed by Christians and based on their understandings of biblical law. Extents of rule and ways of acquiring go ...

, the Kansas City Prophets including Paul Cain, and the

New Apostolic Reformation The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a movement which seeks to establish a fifth branch within Christendom distinct from Catholicism, Protestantism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The movement largely consists of churches nominally ...

including C. Peter Wagner as being rooted in the Latter Rain. The modern charismatic movement, while clearly influenced by some Latter Rain ideals such as the fivefold ministry and the laying on of hands, generally rejects the more extreme elements of Latter Rain theology, although even many charismatics argue that the New Apostolic Reformation wing of the movement are more heavily influenced by this theology. A small, controversial branch of the Latter Rain is the "Reconciliation" movement, especially those who believe in "Manifest Sonship" theology. Reconciliation (also called ultimate or

universal reconciliation In Christian theology, universal reconciliation (also called universal salvation, Christian universalism, or in context simply universalism) is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ul ...

) is a doctrine of

Christian Universalism Christian universalism is a school of Christian theology focused around the doctrine of universal reconciliation – the view that all human beings will ultimately be saved and restored to a right relationship with God. "Christian universalis ...

that acknowledges God's plan to save the whole world through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. According to this tradition, the manifest Sons of God are expected to reign on earth during a coming

millennial Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the Western demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s ...

age until ultimately every human being will be restored to harmony with God.

Beliefs

Latter Rain proponents viewed themselves as a continuation of classical Pentecostalism and continued many pentecostal teachings and practices. Latter Rain leaders viewed Pentecostalism as spiritually dry in the post-war period and in danger of slipping into a dry or mental formalism like many of their evangelical peers. Latter Rain leaders developed new doctrines and practices to address the developing formalism with Pentecostalism. These changes made the Latter Rain Movement distinct from the classical Pentecostals. The Latter Rain influenced a new style of leadership structure, worship, and a different doctrinal emphasis that was significantly different from traditional Pentecostalism. The Latter Rain brought a new focus on the spiritual elements of Christianity, including personal prophecy, typological interpretation of

Scripture Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...

, the restoration of the five-fold ministry, and a different

eschatological Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...

emphasis. George Warnock's ''Feast of Tabernacles'' outlined some of these emphases, and is widely quoted as an early distillation of the teachings. "Leaders of the movement taught that the Christian Church must restore and equip a “five-fold ministry” which included modern-day apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Then, while appointing key individuals to these roles, the movement presented the idea that mainstream Christianity had become apostate and needed purging."

Eschatology

The Latter Rain broke with the historic

dispensationalism Dispensationalism is a system that was formalized in its entirety by John Nelson Darby. Dispensationalism maintains that history is divided into multiple ages or "dispensations" in which God acts with humanity in different ways. Dispensationali ...

which had become entrenched in the ranks of Pentecostalism, which they believed tended to be pessimistic and apocalyptic in its outlook. The Latter Rain emphasized a victorious eschatological outlook. Rather than attempting to save a few souls before the rise of the

anti-Christ In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist refers to people prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus Christ and substitute themselves in Christ's place before the Second Coming. The term Antichrist (including one plural form)1 John ; . 2 John . i ...

, the Latter Rain emphasized the Church as overcoming and victorious, relating that it would come into "full stature" as taught by the Apostle Paul. The term ''Latter Rain'' stems from

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

passages such as Jeremiah 3:3, 5:23–25, Joel 2:23, Hosea 6:3, Zechariah 10:1, and James 5:7. The idea of a latter rain was not new to Pentecostals. It was present from the earliest days of Pentecostalism, which believed that the reappearance of

speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

and the

baptism of the Holy Spirit In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in a variety of ways due to differences in the doctr ...

marked the "latter rain of God's Spirit." It was believed that these were signs of the coming end of history. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost had been the "former rain" that established the Church, but the current "move" of the Spirit was the latter rain that would bring the Church's work to completion and culminate in the imminent

Second Coming The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messian ...

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

Manifested Sons of God and Joel's Army

A major feature of Latter Rain teaching focused on the "manifestation of the Sons of God" or "Joel's Army". The Latter Rain movement leaders taught that as the end of the age approached, the manifested sons of God would appear in the church. They would be empowered with supernatural gifts and able to perform miracles comparable to the miracles ascribed to

in the New Testament. These Manifest Sons of God, ones who have come into the full stature of Jesus Christ, would receive the Spirit without measure.Kenneth E. Hagin, ''New Thresholds of Faith,'' (Tulsa, OK: FLP, 2nd edn, 1985

972 Year 972 ( CMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Emperor John I Tzimiskes divides the Bulgarian territories, recent ...

, p.56. The basic premise of the teaching developed shortly after the initial revival, and the teaching evolved rapidly and in alternate ways among the different groups participating in the movement. The various branches of the movement debated the nature and extent of this

manifestation Manifestation is the act of becoming manifest, to become perceptible to the senses. Manifestation may also refer to: * Manifestation of conscience, a practice in religious orders * Manifestation of God (Baháʼí Faith), the prophets of the Bah ...

. Some branches believed only a limited number would achieve this status, but others believed all participants in the revival could experience it. In most groups, the focus on obtaining the "stature of Christ" quickly became a key teaching of the movement, but the groups varied widely in defining just what the "stature of Christ" entailed. Some branches of the movement, believed they would be as Jesus was when he was on earth and would receive a number of divine gifts, including the ability to change their physical location, to speak any language through the Holy Spirit, and to perform divine healings and other

miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divi ...

s. Thus empowered, they would complete the work of God, restoring man's rightful position as was originally mandated in Genesis. By coming into the full stature of Christ, they would use their newfound powers to usher in his

reign through the creation of a theocratic system of government. Extreme versions of this interpretation referred to Jesus as a "pattern" Son, and believed that believers would become identical to Jesus in every way. They applied the "ye are gods" passage (Psalms 82:6) to validate their belief. The manifested sons theology is also deeply connected Fivefold ministry thinking, and played an important role in shaping the way these teachings were viewed by subsequent movements. Early leaders used

Ephesians 4 Ephesians 4 is the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Traditionally, it is believed to have been written by Apostle Paul while he was in prison in Rome (around AD 62), but more recentl ...

to develop the idea that the manifestation of the sons of God could only be achieved through the leadership of specially endowed preachers operating as a "five-fold" ministry. In practice, this led to the creation of a strongly authoritarian leadership structure where members were required to submit themselves to the direction of their leaders for life guidance, decision making, and discipline. The five-fold ministry views featured especially strongly in the Shepherding Movement, which transmitted the concepts into the Charismatic Movement. Dominion Theology emerged out of manifested sons of God concepts and has been described in the 21st century as a "rapidly growing apocalyptic movement," prophesied to become an "

Armageddon According to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Armageddon (, from grc, Ἁρμαγεδών ''Harmagedōn'', Late Latin: , from Hebrew: ''Har Məgīddō'') is the prophesied location of a gathering of armies ...

-ready military force of young people who will love not their life unto death, who will stand face to face with the incarnation of satan as the antichrist and his army in the end of the age."

Ecclesiology

The "Sacrifice of Praise" and the restoration of the

Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle ( he, מִשְׁכַּן, mīškān, residence, dwelling place), also known as the Tent of the Congregation ( he, link=no, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ’ōhel mō‘ēḏ, also Tent of Meeting, etc.), ...

of David were important themes within the Latter Rain. Dancing, lifting of hands and spontaneous praise are marks of this movement. An effort was made to show the error of many Christians who denied that such practices were imperative for believers. A major theme of the Latter Rain was "unity" among the believers in the church service, the geographic region, and at large. The unity beliefs began to develop after the mainstream Pentecostal denominations began to reject their movement and take steps to distance themselves from the Latter Rain teachings and practices. Blaming the denominations for stopped what they perceived to be a move of God, Latter Rain proponents began to strongly condemn and reject denomination structures as incompatible with unity. They taught that God saw the Church organized not into denominations but along geographical lines, as in the book of Acts—one Church but in different locations. They expected that in the coming "last days," the various Christian denominations would dissolve, and the true Church would coalesce into citywide churches under the leadership of the newly restored apostles and

prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings from the s ...

s. The Latter Rain taught that there would be a restoration of the five ministerial roles mentioned in

Ephesians The Epistle to the Ephesians is the tenth book of the New Testament. Its authorship has traditionally been attributed to Paul the Apostle but starting in 1792, this has been challenged as Deutero-Pauline, that is, pseudepigrapha written in Pau ...

4:11: apostle, prophet, evangelist,

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

, and teacher. They believed that the foundational roles of apostle and prophet had been lost after the time of the first apostles due to the Dark Ages. They thought that God was restoring these ministries in the present day. These ideas are part of the "prophetic movement" and "

". Belief in the restoration of the offices of apostle and prophet distinguished the Latter Rain Movement from the rest of Pentecostalism. Classical Pentecostals viewed the five ministerial roles as functions and gifts vested in the entire Spirit-baptized congregation at large, subject to the leading of the Spirit, and not gifts which operated solely at the discretion of one gifted individual.Shane Jack Clifton
''An Analysis of the Developing Ecclesiology of the Assemblies of God in Australia''
, hD thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2005 p. 150. Accessed May 20, 2010.

Pneumatology

Pentecostals traditionally held that the baptism of the Holy Spirit usually comes after prolonged "tarrying" or waiting for the Spirit. By contrast, the Latter Rain movement taught that the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts can be imparted from one believer to another through the

laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious practice. In Judaism ''semikhah'' ( he, סמיכה, "leaning f the hands) accompanies the conferring of a blessing or authority. In Christian churches, this practice is used as both a symbolic and formal met ...

.Riss, "The Latter Rain Movement of 1948", ''Pneuma'', p. 35-36. A participant in services at Bethesda Missionary Temple in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

described the discerning of gifts:

Leaders

The following list includes some representative leaders of various branches, both past and present; it is not exhaustive.

Founders

* Maria Fraser founded the Latter Rain Mission in South Africa (Blourokkies) as a secession of the

Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFM) is a classical Pentecostal Christian denomination in South Africa. With 1.2 million adherents, it is South Africa's largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest religious grouping in South Af ...

1927/1928, but this is generally considered a different movement from what developed in North America. *Reg Layzell founded Glad Tidings church in Vancouver, British Columbia; he is an author and influenced such books as ''The Key of David'' and ''Unto Perfection''. *George Warnock wrote ''The Feast of Tabernacles'' (1951) which became very influential for its view of the biblical feasts and approach to the Scriptures. One identifiable mark of those influenced by the Latter Rain is their spiritual hermeneutic. *George Hawtin and his brother Ern Hawtin were early leaders and evangelists in the movement, who traveled to spread the word. *A. Earl Lee was one of the fathers of the movement in southern

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. He had previously been involved with the preacher Aimee Semple McPherson. Myrtle D. Beall was the founder and Senior Pastor of Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit, Michigan until her death in 1979. M.D. Beall was raised Catholic, and was converted during the Depression in a Protestant church in northeast Detroit that asked her to leave after she began sharing her experience of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. She said this happened in the early 1930s in front of her wood-burning stove early one morning as she prayed with her Bible open. Bethesda's first building was a former tire repair shop. Beall began the work simply as a place for neighborhood women to bring their children to be schooled in the Scriptures. It was here that Phil W. "Pop" Baer and his wife Macy were saved, and served faithfully the rest of their lives. P.W. Baer was Bethesda's first adult male member and was the church treasurer until his death. His wife Macy was prominent leader of the daily prayer meetings that began in 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed, and continued until M. D. Beall visited Glad Tidings in Vancouver, British Columbia in December 1948. When she arrived back at her church, the same revival fires that she experienced in Vancouver erupted in Detroit. The next year, Bethesda would move into a brand new sanctuary holding 2,200 on the corner of Nevada and Van Dyke Avenue in Detroit. The building is now owned by The Perfecting Church pastored by

Marvin Winans Marvin Lawrence Winans (born March 5, 1958) is an American pastor and gospel singer, and a member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show '' Tyler Perry's House of Payne''. Life and career Early life ...

. Sons James (1924 - 2013) and Harry Beall later joined her in the ministry. At her death, James became the senior pastor of Bethesda. During the 1970s, he was a prominent speaker and writer in the Charismatic Renewal. For instance, he was one of the speakers at the World Conference on the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem in 1974. Other speakers included Corrie ten Boom, Kathryn Kuhlman, Jamie Buckingham, J. Rodman Williams, as well as many others. The most widely circulated Charismatic magazine of that time, the Logos Journal, often featured articles by James. Her married daughter Patricia Beall Gruits became the author of several books, including "Understanding God", and also founder of a mission to Haiti called RHEMA, providing medical care to the poor, and trains native ministers and medical workers to serve in Haiti. Her husband Peter Gruits worked to build and direct the Haiti mission until his death. Rev. Patricia Gruits resides today in Rochester Hills, Michigan near family members who are carrying on the mission in Haiti, and now publishes her Foundation Stone Teaching series in many languages. James Beall's only daughter Analee Dunn is now Senior Pastor in Sterling Heights, Michigan at what is now known as Bethesda Christian Church north of

. This was one of the first major churches to embrace the Latter Rain and became the center of much activity, where services were held daily for almost 4 years, affecting tens of thousands from around the globe. *James Watt was an elder at the Sharon Orphanage and school. *J. Preston Eby was an early proponent; he resigned under pressure from the

Pentecostal Holiness Church The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) or simply Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC) is a Holiness-Pentecostal Christian denomination founded in 1911 with the merger of two older denominations. Historically centered in the Southeaste ...

in 1956 because his Latter Rain beliefs were not approved by the church. *Thomas Wyatt, a pastor from

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

, hosted the North Battleford men at a pastor's conference, thus enabling the spread of the doctrine. *Garlon and Modest Pemberton were the pastors of a significant Latter Rain church in Houston. *Charles E. Green founded Word of Faith Temple in New Orleans, Louisiana, which grew to over a thousand members. The church is still in existence today, and is known as Life Gate Church. Charles Green's son, Michael, pastors Life Gate Church. *Fred Poole pastored a Latter Rain church in Philadelphia.

Ministers Fellowship International

Ministers Fellowship International (MFI) is the most prominent direct descendant of the Latter Rain movement and one that is considered mainstream in theology. It founded

Portland Bible College Portland Bible College (PBC) is a four-year Bible college in Portland, Oregon, United States that offers theological and church ministry degrees. It was founded in 1967 and is associated with Mannahouse Church, which is associated with Ministe ...

, which is a leading institution in the Latter Rain tradition. Many of the books used by Latter Rain churches are textbooks created for Portland Bible College and written by its original teachers. These books include ''Present Day Truths'' by Dick Iverson and many by

Kevin Conner Kevin J. Conner (February 6, 1927 – February 18, 2019 ) was a Pentecostal theologian who was formerly the senior minister of Waverley Christian Fellowship (now CityLife Church) in Melbourne, Australia. Conner is the author of nearly 60 boo ...

. City Bible Publishing carries many contemporary books that define the movement.

's ''Tabernacle of David'' and ''Present Day Truths'' are classics on worship and restoration. MFI's leadership includes many significant figures from the early years of the movement. *Dick Iverson, founder of City Bible Church, formerly Bible Temple, and Portland Bible College, was the apostolic overseer of Ministers Fellowship International. That position is now held by Frank Damazio. *

, an influential Bible teacher in the Latter Rain; he blended some of the new ideas with more traditional hermeneutics. He influenced T.D. Jakes and other ministers. *David Schoch was associated with this branch of the Latter Rain and was an honorary member of the apostolic board of MFI until his death in July 2007. The church he led is now known as City At the Cross in

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

. *Violet Kiteley founded Shiloh Christian Fellowship in

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...

. David Kiteley, was Co-Founder of Shiloh, and is now Pastor Emeritus and an original member of the MFI leadership. Melinda Ramos & Javier Ramos, David’s Daughter and son-in-law are now Pastors of Shiloh Church and member of MFI leadership team.

Others

*Bishop Bill Hamon of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, has been influential in the Charismatic movement. Hamon's book ''The Eternal Church'' outlines the movement, noting his presence. *Dr. Philip Wiley, of Rustburg Va., Bread of Life Ministries International, School of the Bible, reflects the teachings of George Warnock's Feast of Tabernacles. *Dr. Kelley Varner of

Richlands, North Carolina Richlands is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2010 population was 1,520. It is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. Incorporated on March 29, 1880, it was the first town in Onslow ...

, had a teaching ministry influenced by the Latter Rain, which he acknowledges in his books. *John Gavazzoni, Kenneth Greatorex, Gary Sigler and Robert Torango are charismatic Christians who teach universal reconciliation and sonship (a version of the ancient Christian doctrines of

apocatastasis In theology, apocatastasis () is the restoration of creation to a condition of perfection. In Christianity, it is a form of Christian universalism that includes the ultimate salvation of everyone—including the damned in hell and the devil. The ...

and theosis). Gavazzoni and Greatorex are leaders of Greater Emmanuel International Ministries. Sigler runs a large website called Kingdom Resources. Torango leads a church and evangelistic ministry in

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. *Tony Salmon, of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

, is founder and vice president of Kingdom Ministries. Salmon has been an active proponent of and spokesman for the teachings of sonship and reconciliation. *Charles Schmitt, pastor of the Immanuel's Church in

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ce ...

, and founder of the Body of Christ movement, spent time in the Latter Rain. *Bill Britton is an author and teacher on sonship. *Paul N. Grubb and his wife, Lura, of Faith Temple in

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, Tennessee, were also sonship proponents. *Wade Taylor co-founder (along with Bill Britton) of

Pinecrest Bible Training Center Pinecrest Bible Training Center is an interdenominational, unaccredited, three-year Bible school in Chesapeake, Virginia. History Pinecrest Bible Training Center was founded by Wade Taylor in 1968 in Salisbury Center, New York. Comedian Sam Kiniso ...

in Salisbury Center, New York. *Robin McMillan, a former pastor of the lead fellowship of Rick Joyner's MorningStar Ministries, was mentored by Wade Taylor. MorningStar itself is very reflective of a Latter Rain ideal. *Glenn Ewing and his son, Robert Ewing, of

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the st ...

, trained Jim Laffoon, leading prophet for Every Nations

Other movements and institutions

Elim Fellowship Elim Fellowship is a North American–based Pentecostal/charismatic Christian Ministry founded in 1933. Elim Fellowship's headquarters is located in Lima, NY. History Elim Bible Institute was founded in 1924 by Ivan Q. Spencer and his wife M ...

and its college,

Elim Bible Institute Elim Bible Institute and College is a private Christian college in Lima, New York. It awards bachelor's degrees, an associate degree, and certificates. History Elim was founded in 1924 in Endwell, New York, by Ivan and Minnie Spencer. The school ...

in New York, were the focus of much Latter Rain activity. *Destiny Image Publications, founded by Don Nori who was a prophet in a Latter Rain church before founding the

publishing house Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

. Prints titles by Varner, Joyner, Hamon and others. *The Independent Assemblies of God, International, organized by A. W. Rasmussen. *Church of the Living God *Body of Christ Movement *Joel's Church of Love *The Apostolic Faith

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

Sharon Star Publication, Sharon Schools, North BattlefordThis site is completely based on Latter Rain teachings with links to others.A collection of teachings by men associated with the Latter Rain
Highlander Glory

City at the Cross
The Latter Rain PageGlobal Missions
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20060828130655/http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/Latrain.html "Latter Rain movement" ''New Religious Movements Project'', University of Virginia
"Latter Rain Movement"
''SpiritLed Woman Magazine''
Where the phrase "latter rain" appears
in the King James Bible. {{DEFAULTSORT:Latter Rain (post-World War Ii Movement) Pentecostalism Christian new religious movements Seventh-day Adventist theology