Discerning Revival: The U.S. Assemblies of God's Response to the Toronto Blessing

The subject of Revival has always been near and dear to my heart. In my opinion, revival is not an event, but a way of life. Once something has been revived, it lives. During the 1990s much talk took place about revivals and people traveled thousands of miles to experience a manifestation of some sort, either at the Toronto Vineyard Christian Fellowship, or Brownsville Assembly of God. This document was written twenty years after the meetings began. Was it revival? The following pages are from my Masters Dissertation. The subject of the 'Toronto Blessing' among classical Pentecostals, Charismatics and Evangelicals is somewhat controversial. When brought into conversation, there appears to be two sides of the argument, and the truth concerning the Toronto Blessing lies somewhere in the middle. Those of one persuasion believe the events of Toronto were equal to the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, in the first century. The other opinions will use such statements as, doctrines of demons, deception in the church, false gospel and sacrilege. Since the events of January 20, 1994, the debate has continued: Toronto Blessing - revival or heresy?