Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches

In 1955, amidst a storm of controversy and change, the Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches, then known as Peoples Temple Full Gospel, took root in Indianapolis. This wasn’t a smooth, planned transition. It was a split, a breakaway from the Laurel Street Tabernacle. The winds of the Latter Rain movement and the charismatic healing revivals of the 1950s had swept through the Pentecostal landscape, causing division and upheaval. The Laurel Street Tabernacle, a cornerstone of the Assemblies of God in Indianapolis, found itself grappling with these new doctrines. A young, ambitious, and controversial minister named Jim Jones had stepped into the pulpit at Laurel Street. He was a Latter Rain adherent, steeped in the charismatic fervor of the healing revival and connected to prominent figures like William Branham. Jones’s fiery sermons and claims of miracles drew crowds and stirred excitement. The aging pastor, John L. Price, even considered Jones as his successor. The church advertised Jones as an associate pastor, proclaiming “1,000 Miracles in 2 Months” under the new slogan “Deliverance Center for All People.” The Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches, still in its formative stages, was intertwined with this turbulent atmosphere. However, the Assemblies of God leadership had issued warnings against the divisive Latter Rain movement. The Laurel Street Tabernacle faced a decision. The arrival of a new head pastor, W.L. Thornton, a staunch opponent of the Latter Rain doctrines, signaled a turning point. The church was reorganized, and Jones was out. This led to a schism. Several members, loyal to Jones and his message, left Laurel Street with him. They briefly gathered under the name “Wings of Deliverance” before settling on “Peoples Temple Full Gospel,” later shortened to Peoples Temple, the precursor to the Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches. Jones, though lacking formal theological credentials, had found his following. His Latter Rain connections proved invaluable. William Branham, a leading figure in the healing revival, preached at the fledgling Peoples Temple, lending his considerable influence to Jones. Soon after, Joseph Mattsson-Boze, another prominent Latter Rain evangelist, granted Jones an honorary ordination into the Independent Assemblies of God. This cemented Jones’s position within the Latter Rain movement and gave his church a sense of legitimacy. The Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches, though born out of conflict, had found its voice. The split from Laurel Street Tabernacle, though painful, had paved the way for its unique and ultimately tragic trajectory. Jonestown, the devastating culmination of Peoples Temple’s story, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked charismatic authority and the importance of discernment. Yet, the story of the Penecoastal Outpour International Fellowship of Churches also highlights the resilience of faith and the enduring search for spiritual meaning, even in the face of adversity.