“What does Assemblies of God Revival Temple mean to Cape Town?” I ask. The Assemblies of God Revival Temple stands as a beacon of faith. It is a testament to the enduring power of community. This temple is located on Oliver Tambo Drive.
Assemblies of God has a rich history in South Africa. It began in 1917. An American missionary registered the name Assemblies of God. His name was Henry Turnkey. Missionaries from America, Canada, and Britain worked independently. They operated under the Assemblies of God name.
In 1923, James Mullan committed his life to Jesus. He joined the Elim Movement. This movement was inspired by George Jeffreys. In 1925, James went to the Congo. He worked with William Burton there.
James and Mary Mullan left the Congo in 1935. They joined Hubert Phillips at the Emanuel Mission in Nelspruit. From there, they went to Tzaneen. They spent nine years ministering. James established churches in Tzaneen and Pietersburg.
A turning point occurred in 1938. James’ brother Fred and Austin Chawner made a decision. They gave Assemblies complete autonomy. This allowed them to govern their own affairs. The Emanuel Mission came under the Assemblies of God umbrella.
Church government was debated. James Mullan presented his findings to the General Conference. He proposed a different method. It was based on the ascended Christ gift ministries. These included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Local Assemblies were to be ruled by elders or pastors. The General Conference did not adopt his points.
James Mullan invited Nicholas Bhengu for special meetings. They agreed on the ascended Christ ministries principle. They formed a partnership. They went to areas without Assemblies of God churches.
In 1944, James and Mary left Tzaneen for Port Elizabeth. James preached to children on beaches. He preached in the open air. He spoke to bus queues. He spoke to queues outside rugby matches. An Assembly was established in Port Elizabeth.
Nicholas joined him. Their ministries thrived. Between 1945 and 1964, James Mullan established twenty Assemblies. These stretched from Cape Town to Zambia and Zimbabwe. By 1964, Nicholas Bhengu had Assemblies in many locations.
The Assemblies of God approach to Church Government was accepted. Some Independent Assemblies disagreed. Thelma Frost met the Mullans in Port Elizabeth in 1945. Her sister Molly married Mike Attlee. Mike became involved in the Port Elizabeth Assembly.
Later, James Mullan sent Mike and Molly to Livingstone, Zambia. In 1961, they took responsibility for the Moore Road Assembly in Durban.
In 1964, the Coastal Assemblies of God was adopted. This enabled Assemblies to register and hold property. Mike Attlee emphasized that the Bible remained the only Constitution.
The Assemblies of God Revival Temple is part of this ongoing story. It is a place where faith is nurtured. It is a place where community thrives. It stands as a testament to the Assemblies of God’s enduring legacy in Cape Town.