Bishop Charles Ellis III, leader of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), has vivid memories of the organization’s convention in Indianapolis 40 years ago.
He remembers the days when many people from larger areas knew the city as a sleepier, slower place, hence the nickname “Naptown.”
“At 8 p.m. it seemed like the sidewalks were locked up and rolled away. After that time we couldn’t find a place to eat,” said Ellis, who is from Detroit.
Now Indianapolis has become a cosmopolitan municipality outgrowing Detroit, with more than 800,000 residents.
“It’s amazing to see how your city has evolved over the years,” Ellis said. “We are looking forward to coming back and having a great time.”
Along with Indianapolis, the PAW has also evolved over the last 40 years. Members will celebrate its past, present and future when the organization returns here for its annual convention.
Between 7,000 and 10,000 people are expected to participate in the PAW’s convention, which will take place July 28 – Aug. 3 at the JW Marriott hotel downtown and the Indiana Convention Center.
During the convention, PAW auxiliaries and departments will execute a full daily schedule of activities.
“We are looking at having excellent religious services, activities, programs and things that will empower our membership and the registrants,” Ellis said. “We will have activities for the entire family, especially men, women, singles, ministers’ wives and young people.”
Headquartered in Indianapolis, PAW is the second largest predominately African-American Pentecostal church organization in the world; and is the fourth largest among all Pentecostal organizations.
More than 5,000 churches with 1.2 million members in 25 countries are affiliated with the PAW. It is the oldest apostolic Pentecostal church organization in the world.
Indianapolis is home
For PAW, Indianapolis seemed like a natural choice to be the host city for this year’s convention. Not only is it the headquarters but it was also the home of one of the denomination’s early leaders, Bishop Garfield T. Haywood (1880-1931).
He served as pastor of Christ Temple Apostolic Assembly, which still stands on Fall Creek Drive, where a memorial way has been dedicated to Haywood.
Pentecostals say their legacy began with the founding of the Christian church around 33 AD, shortly after Christ ascended into heaven. As an organization, PAW was birthed from the Azusa Street Revival, a large multiracial Pentecostal revival meeting that began in Los Angeles in 1906 and is recognized by most historians as the beginning of the modern Pentecostal movement.
“That revival was listed by Time Life magazine as one of the most important social and cultural events in American history,” said Suffragan Bishop Rufus Sanders, PAW’s historian. “What happened with the revival is that it was the very first time in American history when whites and Blacks worshipped together in one setting. It was the forerunner to the civil rights movement.”
Sanders noted that in addition to the Azusa Street Revival, PAW was also shaped by traditional Pentecostal aspect of worship that entails charismatic gifts such as speaking in tongues, healing and prophesies.
“It is our unique contribution to the church,” Sanders said. “Every Pentecostal church in America can trace its history to Azusa Street through PAW.”
According to Sanders, PAW was established in Portland, Ore. in 1907, but moved its headquarters to Indianapolis in 1915 when all of its conventions began to be held here. Haywood was one of many religious leaders inspired by Azusa Street, and when he returned to Indiana he opened Christ Temple in 1911. He became the first presiding bishop of PAW in 1924 when the organization changed its structure.
Ellis noted the last time PAW held its convention in Indianapolis was in 1998, and had also used it as the host city in 1973, 1982 and 1995.
For 2013, the theme is “The Sound of Unity,” and several community outreach activities are planned. Among them is a free concert featuring PAW produced national recording artists, a bone marrow campaign, ordination of international bishops, nightly worship services and an outdoor community event in University Park.
On Aug. 1, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., the convention will be telecast live on the international urban ministry cable station, The Word Network.
Ellis, who was elected the PAW’s presiding bishop in 2010, said one of its primary goals is to deliver the empowering message of Christ and hope during a difficult time when many are concerned about the economy, and urban areas such as Ellis’ hometown of Detroit are facing severe financial challenges.
“We are trying our best to reach out and to spread light and hope amidst these very troubling times,” he said.
For more information about the convention, visit pawinc.org.
Did you know?
Bishop Garfield T. Haywood, an early leader of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), was born in Greencastle, Ind., and grew up in the Haughville area of Indianapolis.
Before entering ministry, Haywood worked as a cartoonist and writer for the Indianapolis Recorder.
Haywood is recognized as the most prolific author and songwriter among the early Pentecostals, in the years after the Azusa Street Revival. He composed many gospel songs such as “Jesus, the Son of God,” “I See a Crimson Stream of Blood” and “Do All in Jesus’ Name.”
