Apostolic Church (denomination)

The Apostolic Church
Logo of the Apostolic Church (in the UK)
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Evangelical; Pentecostal
Origin	1916 Ammanford, Wales
Members	15,000,000 (2014)

The Apostolic Church is a denomination that came from the Pentecostal movement. This term "Apostolic" defines this denomination whose teachings follow those of the 12 apostles who followed Christ. This denomination has its roots in the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival, and seeks to stand for first-century Christianity in its faith, practices, and government.

The purpose of the denomination is summed up by one prominent Apostolic writer as:

to make known world-wide the forgiveness of sins through the atoning death of Christ; the baptism in water by immersion; the baptism of the Holy Ghost with signs following; the nine gifts of the Holy Ghost; the five gifts of our Ascended Lord; and the vision referred to in the New Testament as "the Church which is His Body".

The worldwide vision of the church is evidenced by a strong missionary concern. The movement, which commenced in Welsh-speaking villages of south Wales, had, by the end of the 20th century, grown to over 15 million members in approximately 100 nations. The largest national church is The Apostolic Church Nigeria, with over 4.5 million members and a national convention centre that seats over 100,000.

On 5 November 1909, William Oliver Hutchinson started a Pentecostal Church in Britain at the Emmanuel Mission Hall in Bournemouth in Dorset. It soon became the headquarters of a large network of Pentecostal assemblies, known as Apostolic Faith Church.

Rev Daniel Powell Williams became an Apostle in the rebirth of the movement. On 8 January 1916, Williams and a number of the Welsh assemblies separated from Hutchinson and the Apostolic Faith Church over doctrinal matters, creating the Apostolic Church in Wales (ACW). Since 1916, the two groups have developed along very different doctrinal paths.

In 1917 a second group centred on Birmingham affiliated to the ACW. The following year the Burning Bush Pentecostal Congregation in Glasgow, came into co-operation with the ACW but remained independent. In the same year, a group using the name "Apostolic Church" in Hereford also came into co-operation with the ACW.