Assyrian Pentecostal Church

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The Assyrian Pentecostal Church (Syriac: ܥܕܬܐ ܕܐܚܘܢܘ̈ܬܐ ܦܢܛܩܘܣܛܝ̈ܐ ܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ, ‘Ittā d-Akhonāwāthā Pēnṭēqosṭāyē Ātūrāyē; Persian: کلیسای پنطیکاستی آشوری), is a Reformed Eastern Christian denomination that began in ethnically Assyrian villages across the Urmia region in northwestern Iran, spreading to the Assyrians living in the adjacent cities, and from there to indigenous Assyrian communities in the Assyrian Homeland, northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey and northeastern Syria.

The indigenous Assyrian people of ancient Assyria and Upper Mesopotamia had adopted Christianity in the 1st century AD, founding the Church of the East in Assyria and Osroene (see also: Assyria, Assyrian people and Assyrian continuity). Those who converted to the Pentecostal Church (as well as the Assyrian Evangelical Church) in the 20th century were initially all members of the Assyrian Church of the East or its later 18th century AD offshoot, the Chaldean Catholic Church, whilst others had been members of the Syriac Orthodox Church or Ancient Church of the East (a 20th-century offshoot of the Assyrian Church). The vast majority of modern-day ethnic Assyrians remain adherents of these ancient indigenous Eastern Rite churches.

The current church's doctrine and tradition is a continuation of the spiritual revival movements that took place in Western Iran during the 1930s. In 1940, with great diligence and personal sacrifice a young Assyrian pastor, named Tooma Nasseri^[1] began his evangelical ministry throughout Western Iran and built churches and established congregations in villages, towns, and major metropolitan cities in Iran. With the seed of Protestant Christianity planted, the Assyrian Protestant churches began to emerge throughout greater Iran in the 1950s.^[2] Currently, the Assyrian Pentecostal Church has several congregations in California, Illinois, Canada, Australia, Austria, and Iran.^[3] The Church is an affiliate with the Assemblies of God.^[4] Today, the church may have from 12 to 20 thousand adherents.^{[citation needed]}