For over a century, my family has stood in the glow of Pentecostal fire found in the Church of God. The Church of God has shaped lives, churches, and communities with an undeniable zeal for God’s presence. But our movement’s collective story is more than a genealogy; it is a testimony of faith, endurance, and the passing of a sacred torch from one generation to the next. Legacy is not merely about ancestry. It is about the ongoing impact of a deep-rooted heritage that continues to shape the present and the future.
The Roots of Pentecostal Fire
The Church of God, as a movement ignited by the Holy Spirit in the late 19th century, was more than a revival. It was a seismic shift, or an awakening, to the spiritual landscape. At its heart was a hunger for holiness that attracted the Holy Spirit’s power and a return to the early church’s Spirit-filled vitality, as seen in the Book of Acts. Like many other families in our movement, my family found itself at the heart of this renewal, embracing the fervor of Spirit-filled living.
In 1922, my great-great-great-grandparents, George and Alice Waits, were among the early members of the newly formed Church of God congregation in Lancaster, Ohio—now known as Victory Hill Church of God. Their unwavering faith laid a foundation that would extend through generations. My great-great-grandparents, Frank and Mary Shumaker, followed in their footsteps, embracing the full-gospel message. Their daughter and her husband, my great-grandparents, Leonard and Sarah Bertha Locke, carried the torch forward. Again, their daughter and her husband, my grandparents, Ralph and Doris Cordle, continued this spiritual lineage. Finally, my parents, Larry and Sarah Jane Sterling, in turn, committed themselves to the same movement.
Eventually, I, too, stepped into this heritage, answering the pastoral call within the Church of God. Today, the children God has given to my wife and me represent the seventh generation of our family to walk in our movement—still connected to that small yet historically significant church in Lancaster, Ohio.
What keeps us and others steadfast through the years? It is not mere religious tradition but a deep, abiding conviction that God’s Spirit continues to move in power. Just as He poured out His Spirit on the early church, He continues to fulfill His promise: “‘And it shall come to pass in the last days,’ says God, ‘that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy’” (Acts 2:17). Our legacy is more than history; it is an ongoing testament to God’s faithfulness, a reminder that “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:3).
A Faith Passed Down
Each generation has its trials, and the story of my family’s Pentecostal journey is one of perseverance. Faithfully spreading the message of Pentecost, they navigated societal skepticism, the Great Depression, worldwide wars, and the cultural shifts of the late 20th century. Still, our family has remained steadfast in its mission. Don’t misunderstand—we are far from perfect! Some have turned away from their heritage, but God has always kept a remnant of Pentecostal fire among us.
My grandparents’ faith was not an inheritance of mere words but of lived Pentecostal experience—prayer meetings that lasted through the night, healings that defied medical explanation, and acts of sacrificial love that pointed to the Gospel’s power. “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).
My parents continued walking this path, embodying the same passion for the kingdom of God. The Pentecostal experience was not just a doctrine in our household but our way of life. We were often among the first to arrive and sometimes the last to leave! I grew up witnessing the power of Spirit-led worship, the call to holiness, and the transformative nature of God’s manifest presence. Sundays were not routine but encounters where hands were raised, voices lifted, and hearts surrendered. Many Sunday nights, I’d lay on the pew listening to the choir sing, and when the Spirit began to move, I could predict with pretty good accuracy if there would be preaching that night! Pentecostal fire was not a distant concept I read about in a book. It was the atmosphere of our church and home.
The Weight and Wonder of Inheritance
To inherit a legacy is both a privilege and a responsibility. Reflecting on my family’s Pentecostal heritage, I recognize it is not simply about preserving the past but stewarding the fire for the future. Paul’s exhortation to Timothy resonates deeply with me: “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). A legacy of Pentecostal faith is not meant to be a museum piece that is admired but a living, breathing continuation of what God has begun.
As our world rapidly changes, I watch my children encounter a world that seems foreign to me. The question that keeps me on my knees in prayer is, how do we ensure this legacy remains alive? I don’t know if I have the answer, but I believe it is not found in the nostalgia of the past but in the spiritual renewal in our present. The same Holy Spirit who empowered my great-great-great-grandparents still moves today. He calls for fresh surrender so we might see new expressions of His power. Again, the Spirit of God who was with us through 20th-century wars, economic hardships, and societal strife is the same Spirit of God present today. The responsibility of legacy is not to replicate the past but to remain anchored in the timeless truths of Scripture while embracing the power of the risen Christ in our generation. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
The Call to Carry the Flame
Legacy is more than memory. It is a mandate. We are called to be faithful stewards of what we have received, ensuring that the next generation encounters the same Pentecostal fire that transformed our ancestors. The embers of revival must not grow cold! As we honor our past, we must also cultivate fresh hunger, where the Holy Spirit moves freely, and the next generation is transformed. We have this warning: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
For my family, the legacy of Pentecost is not a relic of history but a living testimony. It is the faithfulness of God woven into our DNA; the echo of my grandparents’ prayers uttered decades ago still resounding in the present. It is a fire that must never be extinguished but continually fanned into flame, for the sake of the Church and the glory of God. “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out” (Leviticus 6:13 NIV).
As I look ahead, I do so with a deep gratitude and an even deeper commitment to ensuring the story continues. The Church of God’s legacy is alive. The fire still burns. And by God’s grace, it will continue for generations to come.
Larry Sterling Jr., D.Min., is lead pastor of Redemption Point Church of God in Eastpoint, Florida.