The Pentecostal Mission

The Pentecostal Mission (TPM), also known as New Testament Church (NTC) in the United States and Universal Pentecostal Church (UPC) in the United Kingdom, is a Pentecostal denomination established in 1923 in Colombo, British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Its global headquarters is located in Irumbuliyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The organization operates churches in over 75 countries under various names and has more than 2,000 places of worship worldwide. Formerly called the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (CPM), the denomination has grown to include millions of members.^[1][2][3][4]

The church was founded by Pastor Paul Ramankutty, who was born to Hindu parents in Engandiyur, a village in present-day Thrissur district, Kerala, India.

While in Ceylon, at the age of 18, he became a Christian. Later, he felt a strong call and began to preach and share the gospel. In 1923 he founded the church with the name Ceylon Pentecostal Mission.

Later, due to the Sri Lankan Civil War, all Indian assignments which were called CPM (Ceylon Pentecostal Mission) were changed to TPM (The Pentecostal Mission). CPM headquarters is at Mattakkuliya in Colombo and TPM headquarters is at Chennai. But for all purposes, TPM church is known as both CPM and TPM interchangeably in many parts of the World. ^[5]

The congregation in Sri Lanka operates a school for secular studies known as C.P.M Faith School in Wattala in Colombo. There is also Faith school known as Christian school in Yonkers, New York and in Newark, New Jersey. There is also one Christian school in Africa.

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.^[6] 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.TPM churches are run by full-time ministers who are celibate and predominantly single. Married couples who enter full-time ministry must become celibate and may be sent to different locations by the TPM leadership if they so choose.

In other parts of the world, the church is known by the following names:

• The Pentecostal Mission (TPM) – India (International HQ in Irumbuliyur Chennai, India)
• Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (CPM) – Sri Lanka (2nd International HQ in Mattakkuliya, Sri Lanka)
• New Testament Church (NTC) – United States (HQ in Newark, New Jersey)
• Universal Pentecostal Church (UPC) – Great Britain (HQ in Brixton, London)
• Eglise de Pentecote Primitive – France
• Grace New Covenant Pentecostal Church – Canada
• New Testament Church – Trinidad & Tobago
• Iglesia Communion Cristiana – Puerto Rico
• Iglesia Communion Cristiana – Dominican Republic
• New Testament Church – Sierra Leone
• New Covenant Pentecostal Church – Australia
• New Testament Church – New Zealand
• New Testament Church– Papua New Guinea
• New Testament Church – Nepal
• New Covenant Pentecostal Church – Fiji
• Iglesia del Nueva Testamento – Mexico
• Iglesia Communion Cristiana – El Salvador
• Iglesia Communion Cristiana – Costa Rica
• New Testament Church – Kenya
• Christliche Gnaden Gemeinde – Switzerland
• Neue Testament Kirche – Germany
• The Universal Pentecostal Church – Nigeria
• Pentecostal Church of Malaysia
• Pentecostal Church of Singapore
• New Testament Church – Middle East (Dubai, UAE)
• New Testament Pentecostal Mission – Uganda
• New Covenant Pentecostal Church – Philippines
• Universal Pentecostal Church – Hong Kong
• New Testament Mission – Cyprus
• Deeper Truth Pentecostal Mission – Ghana
• Iglesia Communion Cristiana – Colombia
• Iglesia Del Nuevo Testamento – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eglise Universelle De Pentecote Primitive – Republic of the Congo
• New Testament Ministries – Malawi
• New Covenant Mission – Tanzania
• Eglise Pentecostiste Lagrace – Togo
• New Testament Church – Abu Dhabi( UAE Capital City)
• New Testament Church – Oman
• New Testament Church – Bahrain
• New Testament Church – Qatar
• New Testament Church – Kuwait
• Ny Testamente Menighed – Denmark
• Universal Pentecostal Church – Republic Of Ireland
• Chiesa del Nuovo Testamento – Italy

Other Branches

• Brazil
• Ecuador
• Zambia
• Rwanda
• Guinea
• Zimbabwe
• Cameroon
• Mauritius
• Jamaica
• Seychelles
• Haiti
• Guadeloupe
• Nicaragua
• South Africa
• Gambia
• Ivory Coast
• Honduras
• Abu Dhabi

The doctrines of the church broadly align with trinitarian Pentecostalism.^[7]

The doctrines of the church include: Trinity, New Birth, Water Baptism , Baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in unknown tongues, Separation , Divine Healing, Entire Sanctification (of the Body, Soul and Spirit), Overcoming Life, Consecrated Ministry, Rapture, Tribulation and Great Tribulation, Resurrection, The Millennial Reign, The Great White Throne Judgement, and Eternity.

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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 Pentecost in Peroli from Irumbuliyur (Chennai), Pentecost-Chi Vaani from Mumbai, "Kadavari varshapu dwani" from Hyderabad, and Pentecost Da Sneha from Dhariwal (Punjab) are also produced

• Pastor Abraham Mathew (Chief Pastor) 2018–present

• Pastor M.T Thomas (Deputy Chief Pastor) 2018–present

• Pastor G. Jeyam (Associate Deputy Chief Pastor) 2014–present

• Late Pastor Paul Ramankutty (Founder and Chief Pastor) 1923–1945

• Late Pastor Alwin R. de Alwis 1945–1962

• Late Pastor Freddy Paul 1962–1973

• Late Pastor A. C. Thomas 1973–1976

• Late Pastor Jacob Ratnasingham 1976–1990

• Late Pastor V. G. Samuel 1990–1991

• Late Pastor H. Ernest Paul 1991–1994

• Late Pastor C. K. Lazarus 1994–1999

• Late Pastor P. M. Thomas 1999–2001

• Late Pastor T. U. Thomas 2001–2006
• Late Pastor Wilson Joseph 2006–2014
• Late Pastor Wesley Peter 2014–2015
• Late Pastor Stephan Natarajan 2015–2018

• Late Pastor C. John (Deputy Chief Pastor 1973-1977)

• Late Pastor S.B. Earnest (Deputy Chief Pastor 1976-1987)

• Late Pastor Philip Chandapillai (Associate Deputy Chief Pastor 1977-1984)

• Late Pastor T. Geevarghese (Associate Deputy Chief Pastor 1984-1986)

• Late Pastor Don M. Spiers (Associate Deputy Chief Pastor 1987-2004)

• Late Pastor Joy Fitch (Associate Deputy Chief Pastor 2006-2011)