Poland
History of the Assemblies of God in Poland The Pentecostal revival reached Poland as early as 1907. In 1910 the first Pentecostal Association was formed. This was due mainly to the work and witness of Poles who had emigrated to the United States and found Christ there (many of them through the Assemblies of God). They returned to their native land to testify about their newly found faith. In 1929 many of these local groups were united to be part of the larger Pentecostal Association of Poland. The movement grew so rapidly that it had around 20,000 members and 500 local churches and preaching points before 1939. During the German occupation of 1939-45, Pentecostals were not legally recognized and had to join Baptist or Methodists. After the war there was a short lived independence of the Pentecostals that ended with the Communist State. The Pentecostals were forced to be a part of the United Evangelical Church of Poland, which brought with it a great limitation to the Pentecostal work and witness. In 1988 the Pentecostals were once again recognized by the now, democratic government, as an autonomous church body. The Fellowship has a broad range of ministries to youth and children, alcoholics, drug addicts, Bible schools and publication of written materials. Map of Poland |
