"William J. Seymour is one of the top ten Christians of the 20th century."  Christian History Magazine.

Today, Pentecostalism is one of the fastest growing forms of the Christian faith–some 600 million people follow Jesus in this manner. 

Few know whom God used to launch the movement–William Seymour.  Born of former slaves and reared in the New Orleans area he is largely responsible for the Azusa Street Revival. 

Craig Borlase’s biography about this amazing man is worth reading.  In it you find out what went in to making this man who made the movement but it is also a valuable tool to understandning the conditions that created jazz because Seymour lived at the turn of the century in Louisiana and Borlase provides a lot of historical informaiton about what life was like then.

What often gets lost in the controversy of its pneumatology is the fact that it was and is one of the most integrated forms of our faith. 

Is it just coincidence that Jazz and Pentecostalism have roots in New Orleans and were birthed during the same time period both breaking down racial, class and cultural barriers?

Harvey Cox, the Victor Thomas Professor of Religion at Harvard sure thinks so–

to be continued…