312 Azusa Street - Definition and Overview

The Azusa Street Revival (1906–1909) took place in Los Angeles, California, and was led by William Seymour (1870–1922), an African American preacher.

Seymour preached that glossolalia, or "speaking in tongues," was evidence of Holy Spirit baptism; his first Los Angeles parish therefore expelled him. Seymour continued preaching until he and a small group experienced glossolalia. Crowds began to gather and a mission space was found on Azusa Street, in a run-down building in downtown Los Angeles. Worship there was frequent, spontaneous, and ecstatic, drawing people from around the world to a revival that lasted about three years. The Azusa revival was multi-racial, welcomed poor people, and encouraged the leadership of women. The location is part of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California.

Azusa's "five-fold doctrine" was:

• salvation;
• sanctification or holiness;
• tongues as evidence of Spirit baptism;
• divine healing;
• the "very soon" return of Christ.

Pentecostalism has earlier roots, but the Azusa Street Revival launched it as a worldwide movement. A play dramatizing the events of the Azusa Street Revival is sometimes produced by Pentecostal churches as both a way of outreach to nonmembers and to teach their own members about their theological history.