“Sister” Aimie Semple McPherson: `Will You Go?` with Dr. W. Robert Godfrey

Rev. Chris Gordon and Dr. W. Robert Godfrey delve into the fascinating and complex life of Aimee Semple McPherson, a pivotal figure in the development of both evangelicalism and Pentecostalism. They explore her groundbreaking role as a female preacher, her innovative methods of ministry, and the controversies that surrounded her, including alleged faith healings and a mysterious disappearance. This discussion sheds light on the historical context of her ministry, the theological underpinnings of early Pentecostalism, and the enduring questions surrounding her legacy.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introducing "Sister" Aimee Semple McPherson
00:02:45 - Aimee's Unique Historical Context
00:03:50 - A "Woman" Preacher in Her Time
00:05:00 - Meeting Robert Semple and Early Ministry
00:07:20 - Widowhood and Return to America
00:08:30 - Salvation Army and Marriage Stipulations
00:09:00 - Entering the Public Spotlight
00:10:20 - Marriage to Harold McPherson and Call to Preach
00:11:40 - The Reformed Perspective on Aimee's Claims
00:13:00 - Early Pentecostal Theology and Miraculous Gifts
00:14:00 - Strong Personalities and Pentecostal Movements
00:16:15 - Aimee's Innovative Ministry Methods
00:17:00 - The Influence of Revivalism: From Finney to Billy Sunday
00:18:55 - "New Measures" and Pentecostalism
00:19:20 - The Significance of "Sister" Aimee
00:21:10 - Ministering to the Disenfranchised
00:23:10 - Embracing New Media for the Gospel
00:24:18 - Faith Healing and Angelus Temple
00:26:18 - Examining the Claims of Healing
00:27:00 - Questions of Authenticity
00:27:40 - Eyewitness Accounts and Doubts
00:27:45 - The Nature of Healing: Divine Gift or Psychological Phenomenon?
00:29:45 - Shifting Focus from Healing to Preaching
00:31:20 - Aimee: Revivalist vs. Pentecostal
00:33:30 - Angelus Temple and Los Angeles in the 1920s
00:36:40 - The Foursquare Gospel
00:37:00 - The Pressure to Produce Content
00:38:20 - Celebrity and the Press
00:39:30 - The Impact of Celebrity Culture
00:40:20 - Mother Kennedy's Role
00:43:00 - The Financial Demands of Ministry
00:43:40 - Personal Struggles and Family Conflicts
00:45:10 - The Burden of a Pastor's Children
00:45:45 - Breakdown and a "Long Trip"
00:46:50 - The Mysterious Disappearance
00:52:20 - Grand Jury Inquiries and Vindication Tour
00:53:00 - Rumors and Unpersuasive Evidence
00:56:00 - Declining Popularity
00:56:45 - Later Years and Death
00:59:20 - Final Thoughts on Aimee Semple McPherson

Tags: aimeesemplemcpherson, pentecostalism, evangelicalism, faithhealing, revivalism, womensermon, churchhistory, angelustemple, foursquaregospel, robertgodfrey, chrisgordon, theology, celebrity, controversy

Dr. Godfrey has taught church history at Westminster Seminary California since 1981 and served as the seminary’s third president from 1993 to 2017. He previously taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Stanford University, and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is a minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America, a Ligonier Ministries Teaching Fellow, and has spoken at many conferences including those sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, and Ligonier Ministries. He is currently serving as chairman of the Board of Ligonier Ministries, a position he took over from the late Dr. R.C. Sproul.