Draws on fresh, up-to-date research to offer a new sociological portrait of the Assemblies of God for the new millennium

The Assemblies of God (AG) is the ninth largest American and the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination, with over 50 million followers worldwide. The AG embraces a worldview of miracles and mystery that makes“supernatural” experiences, such as speaking in tongues, healing, and prophecy, normal for Christian believers. Ever since it first organized in 1916, however, the “charismata” or “gifts of the Holy Spirit” have felt tension from institutional forces. Over the decades, vital charismatic experiences have been increasingly tamed by rituals, doctrine, and denominational structure. Yet the path towards institutionalization has not been clear-cut. New revivals and direct personal experience of God—the hallmarks of Pentecostalism—continue as an important part of the AG tradition, particularly in the growing number of ethnic congregations in the United States.
The Assemblies of God draws on fresh, up-to-date research including quantitative surveys and interviews from twenty-two diverse Assemblies of God congregations to offer a new sociological portrait of the AG for the new millennium. The authors suggest that there is indeed a potential revitalization of the movement in the works within the context of the larger global Pentecostal upswing, and that this revitalization may be spurred by what the authors call “godly love:” the dynamic interaction between divine and human love that enlivens and expands benevolence.
The volume provides a wealth of data about how the second-largest American Pentecostal denomination sees itself today, and suggests trends to illuminate where it is headed in the future.

"This work is exceptionally well-crafted and will stand as a new classic for understanding trends within the AG and modern Pentecostalism." - International Journal of Comparative Sociology

"This book is recommended for those interested in an empirically based study of new and emerging trends in American Pentecostalism." - Catholic Books Review

"This is a richly provocative book that can be expected to generate many fruitful follow-up explorations." - Journal of Religion

"A valuable addition to religious studies" - Choice

"Herring offers queer history and geography new artifacts of a rural past and present...his work challenges scholars to excavate more of these histories, geographies, and cultural and political styles." - Envrionment and Planning D: Society and Space

"Poloma and Green offer an important observation on the different types of congregations emerging within the Assemblies of God." - Sociology of Religion

"The authors successfully maintain a delicate balance between a plethora of statisticsand readable narratives, making the work a primary source for a wide audience of scholars interested in this century-old American Pentecostal journey." - Religious Studies Review