The Pentecostal Mission (TPM) or New Testament Church (NTC) in the United States or Universal Pentecostal Church (UPC) in the United Kingdom is a Pentecostal denomination that was founded in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1923. The international headquarters is now situated in Irumbuliyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It now has churches in over 65 countries operating under various names. It was before known as Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (CPM).
The church was founded by Pastor Paul Ramankutty, who was born to Hindu parents in the district of Trichur in Kerala, India. While in Sri Lanka, at the age of 18, he became a Christian. Later, he felt a strong call and began to preach and share the gospel in various parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka, working with other evangelists. In 1923 he founded the church with the name Ceylon Pentecostal Mission, later the church Split into two denominations, they are CPM and TPM (The Pentecostal Mission). CPM head quarters is at Pathanamthitta in kerala and TPM head quarters is at chennai in Tamil Nadu. [1]
The congregation in Sri Lanka operates a school for secular studies known as C.P.M Faith School in Wattala in Columbo.
|
Main article: List of Chief Pastors of the Pentecostal Mission |
The church is led by a Chief Pastor (currently Pastor Abraham Mathew). In addition, there is a Deputy Chief Pastor (currently Pastor M.T. Thomas) and an Associate Deputy Chief Pastor (currently Pastor G. Jeyam).
In the United States, most of the church work was pioneered by the late Pastor Don M Spiers, who had previously worked closely with Oral Roberts.[2] Pastor Gregg Wilson now heads the work in USA and countries around the USA. He is assisted by the sister-in-charge, Sister Lisa Billow.
Full-time ministers are expected to practice an ascetic lifestyle including celibacy, obedience to the elder pastors, and communal living (including disposal of private possessions) in faith homes.[clarification needed] TPM churches are run by full-time ministers who are celibate and predominantly single. Married couples who enter full-time ministry can[clarification needed] become celibate and may be sent to different locations by the TPM leadership if they so choose.
The doctrines of the church broadly align with trinitarian Pentecostalism.[3]
Magazines are produced in several languages. The English language magazine published in India is called The Voice of Pentecost. Pilgrim's Journal is published and printed in the USA. Other English language magazines are Pentecostal Messenger from Malaysia, The Youth Herald from Singapore, Power Divine from Sri Lanka, and Trumpet of the Lord from the UK.
Church Magazines are being published in more than forty Indian languages and other foreign languages. Malayalam magazine Pentecost is one of the oldest Pentecostal magazines from Kerala. A Hindi edition of Pentecost Ki Wani published from New Delhi, a Tamil edition named Pentecosthin Peroli from Irumbilyur (Chennai), Pentecost-Chi Vaani from Mumbai, "Kadavari varshapu dwani" from Hyderabad, and Pentecost Da Sneha from Dhariwal (Punjab) are also produced.
