Evangelical Church, Penygroes, Wales
The Apostolic Church is an outgrowth of the 1904-1905 revival in Wales.
It was in the South Wales village of Pen-y-Groes that what can only be described as a massive movement of the Holy Spirit caused a sudden and dramatic expansion in the Christian church in general and, specifically, in the birth of the Apostolic Church.
Historian Edwin Orr noted; “Drunkenness was immediately cut in half, and many taverns went bankrupt. Crime was so diminished that judges were presented with white gloves signifying that there were no cases of murder, assault, rape or robbery or the like to consider. The police became “unemployed” in many districts. Stoppages occurred in coal mines, not due to unpleasantness between management and workers, but because so many foul-mouthed miners became converted and stopped using foul language that the horses which hauled the coal trucks in the mines could no longer understand what was being said to them, and transportation ground to a halt” (Orr 1975c:192-193).
“The men worked with a renewed vigor that set production figures soaring. When work was done they would hurry home for a quick meal and a bath and then be off to the chapel until the early hours of the morning, singing hymns as they went!” (Evans, 160)
During this time of great spiritual upheaval, there came a reality of what was once considered to be something limited to the experiences of Biblical Characters. Such manifestations as Speaking in Tongues were experienced by many. As the lives of those affected by this movement progressed deeper into the revelation which was being given to them by God’s Holy Spirit, there were restorations of the ancient positions of Apostles, Prophets and others mentioned in [Ephesians 4:11].
It was this vision of Apostolic Doctrine which gripped a young miner yet the first leader of the Apostolic Church, Daniel Powell Williams. In 1913, he was ordained an Apostle in The Body of Christ (a posh name for the Church or world-wide body of Christians) and remained so until he died in 1947. His brother, William Jones Williams, was ordained as a Prophet in 1913. They, along with others, were called together to demonstrate the New Testament offices of Apostle and Prophet in the United Kingdom. As a result of this, these ministries have been exercised in countries and continents of the world.
Since the people with this Apostolic Vision started congregating, they were known as The Apostolic Church. Now, as it happens, there were totally unconnected yet remarkably similar events taking place in other parts of the United Kingdom…..
In Scotland…
Among the people who responded to this new batch of heavenly callings were Andrew Turnbull who moved from Portobello, Edinburgh, to Glasgow and his work there became part of the Apostolic Church in 1919.
And in England….
The Holy Spirit was working in Hereford in the life of Edgar Frank Hodges who had received the Apostolic Vision. He built a small church and called it the Apostolic Church (note that he knew nothing of what was happening in Pen-y-Groes at the time).
The Holy Spirit was operating in the same way in Bradford, Yorkshire. There were several groups called The Apostolic Churches of God in the North of England under the leadership of Herbert Victor Chanter. In 1922, an invitation was sent to the leaders of the churches in Scotland, Wales and Hereford to attend the Easter Convention (these three churches had merged into one fellowship in 1920). As a result of this, the churches in the North of England became united with a fellowship which was now growing throughout Scotland, South West England and Wales. These churches became the one fellowship, The Apostolic Church. A report presented to the Apostolic World Conference held in Canada in September 1999 indicated that there are now 52 countries in which there is some representation of the Apostolic Church.
“There are now well over four million Apostolic Church members and thousands of adherents throughout the world.” (Extracted from http://www.apostolic-church.org/history.phtml)
History of the Apostolic Church in Australia
The following report is a history of how the Apostolic Church began in Australia and it’s progression since 1929.
A number of people from Apostolic Churches in Wales and Scotland had migrated to Perth. They met each other in Perth and decided to have fellowship with one of the six Pentecostal Churches in Perth. They shared with this Pentecostal Church the doctrine of the Apostolic Church and circulated copies of the ‘Riches of Grace’, an Apostolic Church magazine which was sent from the U.K.
This Pentecostal Church through prayerful consideration of what was being revealed to them became convinced of the necessity of the Ephesians 4:11-13 doctrine to operate in their church. They wrote to the Apostolic Church in Great Britain and asked to be affiliated and recognised as part of the Apostolic Church. This request was granted in 1929.
The new Perth Apostolic Church appealed for Pastor Andrew Turnbull to come and lead the group into the truth of divine government. Andrew Turnbull was the founder of the Apostolic Church in Scotland, and greatly used in the power and demonstration of the gospel in signs and wonders. The request for Andrew Turnbull was discussed at the next meeting of council in Great Britain. Through prayerful consideration the council unanimously were of the conviction that the Divine choice was Pastor William Cathcart and not Pastor Andrew Turnbull. Their choice was confirmed by prophecy through Jones Williams.
William Cathcart was not at the Council meeting as he was pioneering work in Scotland. However God had actually given him revelation two years pervious that the Divine purpose was for him to preach God’s word and uphold the Apostolic doctrine and teachings in Australia. This he kept in his heart and waited for God’s timing. It was at the Penygroes convention in 1929, that William Cathcart volunteered, and was accepted, to pioneer Australia. In 1930 Cathcart, with his wife and child launched out in faith and migrated to Australia. Under Cathcart’s leadership the Perth Apostolic Church grew numerically and in maturity.
A small group of believers along with the Pastor, Pastor G.H Taylor joined the Apostolic Church. Pastor Taylor was the first Australian pastor of the Apostolic Church.
In 1930 four people in Adelaide had been receiving the magazine, Riches of Grace, sent out from the Apostolic Church in South Wales. These four people, Jack & Emily Emes, Hines Retchford and his brother Rischiek, were so impressed with what they read, they decided to save up enough money to bring Pastor Cathcart to Adelaide for a visit. During the following year, Cathcart opened an assembly in Adelaide.
Cathcart and the assemblies in Adelaide and Perth recognised the need for a Prophet to function with Cathcart in ministry. A request was made to the Church Council in Great Britain for such a person. The Council put the matter before the Lord and decided that it was God’s will for Pastor and Prophet Joshua McCabe to take this role in Australia. He was one of the first Prophets in the Scotland Apostolic Church and had previously worked successfully together with Pastor Cathcart.
McCabe had already sensed it was God’s will for him to come to Australia. In January 1932 McCabe, his wife and young daughter arrived in Perth. Cathcart and McCabe worked together for several weeks before Cathcart returned to Adelaide. The church in Adelaide had reached 200 in attendance, filling the building to capacity.
The Perth church continued to grow as well, with new churches opening in the surrounding suburbs of Victoria Park, Claremont and Freemantle. It was during the weeks that W. Cathcart and J. McCabe were together that the Lord prophetically revealed His divine plan to spread the Apostolic vision across the various states of Australia. This prophecy and the growth and development of churches in Perth and Adelaide made it necessary for another mature man of God to help in the work.
Apostle and Pastor A.S Dickson from Great Britain sensed conviction for the calling to go to Australia and help with the work. Pastor and Mrs. A.S Dickson arrived in February 1933. A full Evangelical and Divine Healing Campaign was organised and put into operation. As an outcome of these campaigns over 2000 people became Christians, hundreds were healed and mighty miracles occurred. These men believed in the voice of God, moved out in faith and the results were a vast number of people become Christians and committed to local Apostolic Churches.
New Churches were opened in the South Australian towns of Strathalbyn & Port Pirie as well as in suburban Norwood. As churches grew, W. Cathcart believed it was God’s will that John Hewitt, a well known preacher and evangelist from Great Britain should come out and assist with the work in Australia. However concern of Cathcart at the time was that Hewitt was not Apostolic. Meanwhile unknown to Cathcart, back in Great Britain J. Hewitt was directed by prophecy to go with two others to visit D.P. Williams and inquire about the Apostolic Church. Simultaneously God told D.P Williams that three men would call upon him that morning. During the course of this meeting John Hewitt was so gripped by the truth that was unfolded to him, he decided to become a member of the Apostolic Church.
Soon after he and his wife with the blessing of the Apostolic Church came to Australia. However not at the invitation of Cathcart, rather an invitation from Evangelist William Booth-Clibbon (the grandson of General Booth, founder of the Salvation Army), asking to join him in a large campaign in Queensland. Cathcart had not invited Hewitt at this stage. Once the campaign in Queensland was finished, Hewitt and his wife were enroute back to Great Britain as the ship docked at Adelaide; they came ashore wishing they had Cathcart’s address.
During this time Cathcart was on a tram from the city, looking out the window meditating on future campaigns and feeling convinced that John Hewitt should be with him, and wondered where he was. Suddenly to utter astonishment, he saw John Hewitt walking along the footpath. He called out and got off the tram at the next stop. What a re-union! They knew it was no coincidence but divine predestination. Cathcart shared his conviction that they should unite and campaign together. They agreed to unite in Melbourne as soon as other commitments they had were completed.
Cathcart arrived in Melbourne first and with God’s help and provision established an assembly as a strategic foundation from which to launch this evangelical and Divine healing campaign. The Lord has declared previously through prophecy that Melbourne was to be Headquarters of the Apostolic Church in Australia. Much publicity and advertising was generated for the Melbourne campaign. John Hewitt arrived in Melbourne and the first meeting conducted by Hewitt the Welsh Revivalist saw 1200 people attend at the Melbourne Auditorium. There were many outstanding cases of healing. One of which was a woman who had been crippled for nine years. She said the pain she was suffering was intolerable. After prayer was offered, she could walk freely without any pain.
This testimony attracted wide attention, so that in a few weeks numbers had doubled, the Auditorium was packed and 1000 people professed Christ as Saviour, cripples walked; blind eyes were made to see; the deaf heard and the maimed left their crutches. The Apostolic Church became a reality in Melbourne as 147 people took membership, with many others considering it at the time. Campaigns organised for Adelaide and Perth resulted in similar results as Melbourne’s.
Expansion was the key word, which appropriately characterised the Apostolic work all over Australia. During the first half of 1934, the untouched Eastern States and Tasmania were progressively introduced to the Apostolic vision with conversions, outstanding healings and the planting of churches. William Cathcart, John Hewitt and his brother Isaac, a well known Evangelist from Great Britain, continued to pioneer the Apostolic vision in Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Today there are over 90 Apostolic Churches located throughout the States and Territories of Australia. Globally the Apostolic Church in operates in over 70 countries.
In 2018, the Apostolic Church of Australia was renamed by the National Leadership team and endorsed by the National Eldership team as ACTS GLOBAL CHURCHES. This is according to a desire to get back to the heart of the original Apostolic vision to "belt the globe with the gospel". The new name has actually become a something of a second-generation name for the Apostolic Church in many regions of the world. For further information, their website can be visited at www.actsglobal.church
It was in the South Wales village of Pen-y-Groes that what can only be described as a massive movement of the Holy Spirit caused a sudden and dramatic expansion in the Christian church in general and, specifically, in the birth of the Apostolic Church.
Historian Edwin Orr noted; “Drunkenness was immediately cut in half, and many taverns went bankrupt. Crime was so diminished that judges were presented with white gloves signifying that there were no cases of murder, assault, rape or robbery or the like to consider. The police became “unemployed” in many districts. Stoppages occurred in coal mines, not due to unpleasantness between management and workers, but because so many foul-mouthed miners became converted and stopped using foul language that the horses which hauled the coal trucks in the mines could no longer understand what was being said to them, and transportation ground to a halt” (Orr 1975c:192-193).
“The men worked with a renewed vigor that set production figures soaring. When work was done they would hurry home for a quick meal and a bath and then be off to the chapel until the early hours of the morning, singing hymns as they went!” (Evans, 160)
During this time of great spiritual upheaval, there came a reality of what was once considered to be something limited to the experiences of Biblical Characters. Such manifestations as Speaking in Tongues were experienced by many. As the lives of those affected by this movement progressed deeper into the revelation which was being given to them by God’s Holy Spirit, there were restorations of the ancient positions of Apostles, Prophets and others mentioned in [Ephesians 4:11].
It was this vision of Apostolic Doctrine which gripped a young miner yet the first leader of the Apostolic Church, Daniel Powell Williams. In 1913, he was ordained an Apostle in The Body of Christ (a posh name for the Church or world-wide body of Christians) and remained so until he died in 1947. His brother, William Jones Williams, was ordained as a Prophet in 1913. They, along with others, were called together to demonstrate the New Testament offices of Apostle and Prophet in the United Kingdom. As a result of this, these ministries have been exercised in countries and continents of the world.
Since the people with this Apostolic Vision started congregating, they were known as The Apostolic Church. Now, as it happens, there were totally unconnected yet remarkably similar events taking place in other parts of the United Kingdom…..
In Scotland…
Among the people who responded to this new batch of heavenly callings were Andrew Turnbull who moved from Portobello, Edinburgh, to Glasgow and his work there became part of the Apostolic Church in 1919.
And in England….
The Holy Spirit was working in Hereford in the life of Edgar Frank Hodges who had received the Apostolic Vision. He built a small church and called it the Apostolic Church (note that he knew nothing of what was happening in Pen-y-Groes at the time).
The Holy Spirit was operating in the same way in Bradford, Yorkshire. There were several groups called The Apostolic Churches of God in the North of England under the leadership of Herbert Victor Chanter. In 1922, an invitation was sent to the leaders of the churches in Scotland, Wales and Hereford to attend the Easter Convention (these three churches had merged into one fellowship in 1920). As a result of this, the churches in the North of England became united with a fellowship which was now growing throughout Scotland, South West England and Wales. These churches became the one fellowship, The Apostolic Church. A report presented to the Apostolic World Conference held in Canada in September 1999 indicated that there are now 52 countries in which there is some representation of the Apostolic Church.
“There are now well over four million Apostolic Church members and thousands of adherents throughout the world.” (Extracted from http://www.apostolic-church.org/history.phtml)
History of the Apostolic Church in Australia
The following report is a history of how the Apostolic Church began in Australia and it’s progression since 1929.
A number of people from Apostolic Churches in Wales and Scotland had migrated to Perth. They met each other in Perth and decided to have fellowship with one of the six Pentecostal Churches in Perth. They shared with this Pentecostal Church the doctrine of the Apostolic Church and circulated copies of the ‘Riches of Grace’, an Apostolic Church magazine which was sent from the U.K.
This Pentecostal Church through prayerful consideration of what was being revealed to them became convinced of the necessity of the Ephesians 4:11-13 doctrine to operate in their church. They wrote to the Apostolic Church in Great Britain and asked to be affiliated and recognised as part of the Apostolic Church. This request was granted in 1929.
The new Perth Apostolic Church appealed for Pastor Andrew Turnbull to come and lead the group into the truth of divine government. Andrew Turnbull was the founder of the Apostolic Church in Scotland, and greatly used in the power and demonstration of the gospel in signs and wonders. The request for Andrew Turnbull was discussed at the next meeting of council in Great Britain. Through prayerful consideration the council unanimously were of the conviction that the Divine choice was Pastor William Cathcart and not Pastor Andrew Turnbull. Their choice was confirmed by prophecy through Jones Williams.
William Cathcart was not at the Council meeting as he was pioneering work in Scotland. However God had actually given him revelation two years pervious that the Divine purpose was for him to preach God’s word and uphold the Apostolic doctrine and teachings in Australia. This he kept in his heart and waited for God’s timing. It was at the Penygroes convention in 1929, that William Cathcart volunteered, and was accepted, to pioneer Australia. In 1930 Cathcart, with his wife and child launched out in faith and migrated to Australia. Under Cathcart’s leadership the Perth Apostolic Church grew numerically and in maturity.
A small group of believers along with the Pastor, Pastor G.H Taylor joined the Apostolic Church. Pastor Taylor was the first Australian pastor of the Apostolic Church.
In 1930 four people in Adelaide had been receiving the magazine, Riches of Grace, sent out from the Apostolic Church in South Wales. These four people, Jack & Emily Emes, Hines Retchford and his brother Rischiek, were so impressed with what they read, they decided to save up enough money to bring Pastor Cathcart to Adelaide for a visit. During the following year, Cathcart opened an assembly in Adelaide.
Cathcart and the assemblies in Adelaide and Perth recognised the need for a Prophet to function with Cathcart in ministry. A request was made to the Church Council in Great Britain for such a person. The Council put the matter before the Lord and decided that it was God’s will for Pastor and Prophet Joshua McCabe to take this role in Australia. He was one of the first Prophets in the Scotland Apostolic Church and had previously worked successfully together with Pastor Cathcart.
McCabe had already sensed it was God’s will for him to come to Australia. In January 1932 McCabe, his wife and young daughter arrived in Perth. Cathcart and McCabe worked together for several weeks before Cathcart returned to Adelaide. The church in Adelaide had reached 200 in attendance, filling the building to capacity.
The Perth church continued to grow as well, with new churches opening in the surrounding suburbs of Victoria Park, Claremont and Freemantle. It was during the weeks that W. Cathcart and J. McCabe were together that the Lord prophetically revealed His divine plan to spread the Apostolic vision across the various states of Australia. This prophecy and the growth and development of churches in Perth and Adelaide made it necessary for another mature man of God to help in the work.
Apostle and Pastor A.S Dickson from Great Britain sensed conviction for the calling to go to Australia and help with the work. Pastor and Mrs. A.S Dickson arrived in February 1933. A full Evangelical and Divine Healing Campaign was organised and put into operation. As an outcome of these campaigns over 2000 people became Christians, hundreds were healed and mighty miracles occurred. These men believed in the voice of God, moved out in faith and the results were a vast number of people become Christians and committed to local Apostolic Churches.
New Churches were opened in the South Australian towns of Strathalbyn & Port Pirie as well as in suburban Norwood. As churches grew, W. Cathcart believed it was God’s will that John Hewitt, a well known preacher and evangelist from Great Britain should come out and assist with the work in Australia. However concern of Cathcart at the time was that Hewitt was not Apostolic. Meanwhile unknown to Cathcart, back in Great Britain J. Hewitt was directed by prophecy to go with two others to visit D.P. Williams and inquire about the Apostolic Church. Simultaneously God told D.P Williams that three men would call upon him that morning. During the course of this meeting John Hewitt was so gripped by the truth that was unfolded to him, he decided to become a member of the Apostolic Church.
Soon after he and his wife with the blessing of the Apostolic Church came to Australia. However not at the invitation of Cathcart, rather an invitation from Evangelist William Booth-Clibbon (the grandson of General Booth, founder of the Salvation Army), asking to join him in a large campaign in Queensland. Cathcart had not invited Hewitt at this stage. Once the campaign in Queensland was finished, Hewitt and his wife were enroute back to Great Britain as the ship docked at Adelaide; they came ashore wishing they had Cathcart’s address.
During this time Cathcart was on a tram from the city, looking out the window meditating on future campaigns and feeling convinced that John Hewitt should be with him, and wondered where he was. Suddenly to utter astonishment, he saw John Hewitt walking along the footpath. He called out and got off the tram at the next stop. What a re-union! They knew it was no coincidence but divine predestination. Cathcart shared his conviction that they should unite and campaign together. They agreed to unite in Melbourne as soon as other commitments they had were completed.
Cathcart arrived in Melbourne first and with God’s help and provision established an assembly as a strategic foundation from which to launch this evangelical and Divine healing campaign. The Lord has declared previously through prophecy that Melbourne was to be Headquarters of the Apostolic Church in Australia. Much publicity and advertising was generated for the Melbourne campaign. John Hewitt arrived in Melbourne and the first meeting conducted by Hewitt the Welsh Revivalist saw 1200 people attend at the Melbourne Auditorium. There were many outstanding cases of healing. One of which was a woman who had been crippled for nine years. She said the pain she was suffering was intolerable. After prayer was offered, she could walk freely without any pain.
This testimony attracted wide attention, so that in a few weeks numbers had doubled, the Auditorium was packed and 1000 people professed Christ as Saviour, cripples walked; blind eyes were made to see; the deaf heard and the maimed left their crutches. The Apostolic Church became a reality in Melbourne as 147 people took membership, with many others considering it at the time. Campaigns organised for Adelaide and Perth resulted in similar results as Melbourne’s.
Expansion was the key word, which appropriately characterised the Apostolic work all over Australia. During the first half of 1934, the untouched Eastern States and Tasmania were progressively introduced to the Apostolic vision with conversions, outstanding healings and the planting of churches. William Cathcart, John Hewitt and his brother Isaac, a well known Evangelist from Great Britain, continued to pioneer the Apostolic vision in Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Today there are over 90 Apostolic Churches located throughout the States and Territories of Australia. Globally the Apostolic Church in operates in over 70 countries.
In 2018, the Apostolic Church of Australia was renamed by the National Leadership team and endorsed by the National Eldership team as ACTS GLOBAL CHURCHES. This is according to a desire to get back to the heart of the original Apostolic vision to "belt the globe with the gospel". The new name has actually become a something of a second-generation name for the Apostolic Church in many regions of the world. For further information, their website can be visited at www.actsglobal.church
