Welcome to the International Pentecostal Holiness Church! The IPHC is a global movement of disciples of Jesus Christ in 95 nations with 1,500,000 members and over 1,600 IPHC congregations in the United States. To find a congregation near you, please use the link Find A Conference which will connect you to the conference office of a selected geographic area.
IPHC has important affiliations with the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Brazil. We are also members of the National Association of Evangelicals, Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America, Christian Churches Together, Empowered 21, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and the Billion Soul Network.
Founded in the 1890s, the denomination has roots in historic Christianity. (View an interactive timeline of IPHC history.) as we affirm the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Definition at Chalcedon. The following three streams of historic Christianity make up the theological and ecclesiastical foundations of the IPHC:
1. While we rejoice at the work of the Holy Spirit through church history, the IPHC was birthed in the theological heritage of the Protestant Reformation and the emphasis of Martin Luther on justification by faith alone, the supremacy of Scripture, and the priesthood of all believers.
2. We are also influenced by the holiness emphasis of the Anglican priest John Wesley. Our theological framework reflects Wesleyan holiness and Wesley’s understanding of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England.
3. Following the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California, in 1906, the message spread around the world of the Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Spirit. This dynamic understanding of Acts 2 and all the gifts of the Spirit being available for the church today was received by the church and has characterized our life of worship of God, mission to the world, service to others, and fellowship with Christ’s church.
Many of us who were reared in the church learned the “Five Cardinal Doctrines” of the IPHC:
1. Justified by faith in Jesus Christ;
2. Sanctification as a second, definite work of grace through Christ;
3. The Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues;
4. Divine healing as provided in the atonement of Jesus Christ; and
5. the pre-millennial second coming of Jesus Christ. To learn more about our beliefs, we invite you to explore our website.
Because of our Wesleyan and Methodist roots, local congregations are part of larger entities that are usually called “conferences.” Local congregations are led by pastors, and the conferences are led by a bishop. In a nation with several conferences, there is usually a presiding bishop over the entire national movement.
Every four years we hold a General Conference where the presiding bishop of the global IPHC and other executive leadership is selected to lead the IPHC in the United States. The next General Conference will be held in Jacksonville, Florida in July 2022.
The IPHC also holds a Global Assembly where leaders from around the world gather for worship, prayer, vision-casting, and building relationships. The Seventh Global Assembly will convene in Jerusalem in 2023.
Based on Isaiah 54:2, 3, our vision is to be “A Place of Hope” and “A People of Promise.” More information about our mission statement, core values, and Arise 2033 goals is also available on this site and as a printed booklet, which is available in English and Spanish.
Our heart is to plant congregations and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with every person in the world. We are called to share God’s love and the truth of His Word, the Holy Bible. We invite you to explore these web pages, find a local congregation, and grow with us as we serve Jesus Christ!