History of Prophetic Ministry In The Foursquare Church
From the Founding Vision of Aimee Semple McPherson to Today’s Spirit-Empowered Movement
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (commonly known as the Foursquare Church) has always been a Pentecostal movement deeply rooted in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Central to its identity is the belief that the Holy Spirit actively equips the church with both gifts for every believer and offices (or ministries) for leadership and equipping. Among these, the gift of prophecy and the office of the prophet hold a vital place—bringing encouragement, direction, correction, and revelation to God’s people while advancing the mission of the “Foursquare Gospel”: Jesus Christ as Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer, and Soon-Coming King.
This page traces the history of the prophetic from the church’s founding in the 1920s through its global expansion to the present day (as of 2026). It also explains how ordinary members exercise the gift of prophecy in everyday life and church settings, always under the authority of Scripture and loving community.
Biblical Foundations: Gifts for All, Offices for Equipping The Foursquare Church grounds its understanding in two key New Testament passages:
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (and the broader chapter 14) lists prophecy among the nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit... These are distributed “to each one individually as He [the Holy Spirit] wills” and are to be “earnestly desired” for the edification of the church.
- Ephesians 4:11-12 describes the fivefold (or APEST) ascension gifts that Christ gave to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (shepherds), and teachers...
- The gift of prophecy — available to every Spirit-filled believer for building up the church.
- The office (or ministry) of the prophet — a fivefold calling for those set apart to provide ongoing directional revelation, correction, and equipping at a leadership level.
Both are exercised with humility, accountability, and love (1 Corinthians 14:1; Romans 12:6).
The Founding Era: Aimee Semple McPherson and the Birth of a Prophetic Movement (1920s–1944)... [unchanged content on Aimee’s call, Angelus Temple, Declaration of Faith, and expectation of latter rain prophecy]
Continuation and Institutional Growth (1944–1980s): Carrying the Mantle Forward After Aimee’s death in 1944, her son Rolf K. McPherson led the denomination for over 40 years. The movement maintained its Pentecostal distinctives while expanding globally...
A standout figure in this era was Prophet Dick Mills (1922–2012), an ordained Foursquare pastor and evangelist whose ministry exemplified the office of the prophet in the post-founding generation... Click on red wording above to appreciate Dick Mills more....
Another significant voice was Jean Darnall (1923–2019), an ordained Foursquare pastor, missionary, evangelist, and author known for her dynamic prophetic and healing ministry. Converted as a teenager through a miraculous healing in a Foursquare church, Darnall began preaching at age 16. With her husband Elmer, she planted churches and Bible schools across the U.S., Australia, Panama, Canada, and the UK (where they helped launch the Foursquare work and a Bible college). She served as associate pastor at Angelus Temple for periods and played a key role in the charismatic renewal of the 1960s–70s. Darnall was recognized as a prophetic voice who bridged denominations; her ministry combined bold proclamation of the gospel with supernatural encounters, including healings and prophetic insight that encouraged believers across continents. Her legacy includes books such as Heaven—Here I Come and a lasting influence on prayer and intercession.
During this era... Prophets like Dick Mills and Jean Darnall were recognized among leaders and traveling ministers...
Renewal, Global Expansion, and Fivefold Emphasis (1980s–Present)Under subsequent presidents... Foursquare has intentionally recovered and amplified New Testament priorities.
- Jack Hayford era (2004–2009): ...
- 2010s–2020s: ... workshops on fivefold ministry...
Notable in this period is Dr. Leslie Keegel, longtime national leader of Foursquare in Sri Lanka and former chair of the Foursquare Global Council. Keegel is widely sought out for his prophetic messages and carries a recognized prophetic gifting alongside healing and deliverance ministry. Under his leadership, Foursquare in Sri Lanka grew dramatically from two churches to over 1,700 meeting places. He has delivered powerful prophetic words at Foursquare Connection gatherings, calling the global family to intimacy with God, unity, and transformation. Keegel models humble, Scripture-aligned prophecy that equips leaders and advances the church’s mission internationally.
Dan Sneed, an ordained Foursquare pastor, author, teacher, and international speaker, serves as co-chair of the Western District Prayer + Prophecy Council. Described as a “pastor with a prophetic edge,” Sneed’s trusted prophetic gift has been acknowledged across the global Foursquare family. His ministry focuses on helping believers connect with God’s heart, develop courage, and walk in freedom and identity in Christ.
Today the Foursquare Church spans more than 150 nations... The office of the prophet is recognized through ordination, licensing, and leadership roles. Prophets and those with prophetic gifting serve on church staffs, district teams (such as Prayer + Prophecy Councils), and international councils...
A Living Legacy for the Future
From Aimee Semple McPherson’s dramatic call and the explosive growth of Angelus Temple, through the faithful ministries of prophets and prophetic voices like Dick Mills, Jean Darnall, Leslie Keegel, and Dan Sneed, to today’s global family with its Prayer + Prophecy Councils and prophetic imperatives from the president, the Foursquare Church has never abandoned its Pentecostal DNA. The office of the prophet continues to provide directional leadership, while every member is invited to “earnestly desire” the gift of prophecy for the building up of the church.
As President Randy Remington has urged, the movement is called to pursue God’s presence, pass the flame, and possess the land—prophetic words that echo the heart of the Foursquare Gospel itself. Whether through a seasoned fivefold prophet speaking at a national gathering or a new believer sharing a simple encouraging word in a small group, the prophetic voice remains alive, active, and essential...
“Desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)
May this history inspire every Foursquare believer to walk in the fullness of the Spirit and to let the prophetic voice of God continue to shape, encourage, and advance His kingdom.
Aimee Semple McPherson’s Prophecies and Prophetic Ministry
Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944), founder of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, operated with a strong prophetic consciousness rooted in her personal calling and the Pentecostal expectation of the “latter rain” outpouring described in Joel 2. She viewed her ministry as fulfilling the promise that “your sons and daughters shall prophesy” in the last days. Her prophecies and visions emphasized urgency for revival, preparation for Christ’s return, spiritual maturity, divine sifting of the church, and warnings about end-times events. These elements appear throughout her autobiography This Is That (1919, with later editions), her sermons, and public messages.
Her Personal Prophetic Calling
At age 17, while praying alone in her bedroom, McPherson heard the Lord speak directly to her, echoing Jeremiah 1:4-9: “The word of the Lord came unto me saying . . . I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. . . . Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee. . . . Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth.”
She described this as her true ordination—more real than any later public setting apart by the church. It shaped her lifelong sense of being commissioned to preach the Gospel with authority, often in the face of opposition. This encounter underscored her identity as a prophetic voice to nations, not merely a preacher.
The Foursquare Gospel Revelation (1922) One of her most foundational prophetic insights occurred during a revival campaign in Oakland, California, in July 1922. While preaching on Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 1:4-10)—the four living creatures with faces of a man, lion, ox, and eagle—the Holy Spirit illuminated the meaning to her. She saw these faces as symbolizing the complete, “foursquare” ministry of Jesus Christ:
- Face of the man: Jesus as Savior (the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief).
- Face of the lion: Jesus as Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire (mighty and powerful).
- Face of the ox: Jesus as Healer and Burden-Bearer (who took our infirmities and carried our sicknesses).
- Face of the eagle: Jesus as the Soon-Coming King (soaring in victory, returning for His bride).
As she proclaimed this, the words burst forth: “Why—why, it’s the Foursquare Gospel!” The audience erupted in praise, and this revelation became the doctrinal and missional cornerstone of the Foursquare Church. It was not just a sermon but a prophetic unveiling that defined the movement’s balanced emphasis on salvation, Spirit baptism, healing, and eschatological hope. She later preached this message worldwide, including the famous “Foursquare . . . Not Round” sermon.
Visions and Prophetic Messages in This Is That Part IV of This Is That is dedicated to “Visions, Prophecies, Messages in Tongues and Interpretation.” These pieces, given through McPherson in the Spirit, focus on encouragement, warning, and preparation for the last days. Key titles and themes include:
- “Awake O Earth! Jesus is Coming Soon” and “Jesus is Coming Soon—Get Ready” (Vision and Prophecy): Urgent calls to alertness and readiness for Christ’s return. They echo the “latter rain” outpouring and warn that the time is short, urging believers to live consecrated lives amid signs of the times.
- “The Sieve of the Lord”: A prophecy depicting God’s sifting and testing of His people—like grain through a sieve—to separate the faithful from the unfaithful, promoting purity and perseverance in the face of trials.
- “Press on to Perfection” (Prophecy and Vision) and “Perfect Fruit”: Calls to spiritual maturity and bearing lasting fruit, warning against stagnation and encouraging growth toward holiness.
- “The Voice of the Lord to the Nations and to the Saints”: Broader messages addressing both the world (judgment, urgency) and the church (encouragement, direction).
- “This is the Way; Walk Ye in It”: Straightforward prophetic guidance to follow God’s path without deviation.
- “The Vineyard of the Lord,” “The Storm and the White Lambs,” “Reign, Silence, Reign,” “Love’s Pinions and the Church Triumphant,” and “The Bridegroom and the Bride”: Symbolic prophecies using biblical imagery (vineyard pruning, storms with protected lambs, divine reign, triumphant love, and the wedding of Christ and the Church). They warn of coming trials while assuring protection and ultimate victory for the pure and watchful bride.
McPherson also recorded visions of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit (depicted as a great circle with smaller circles representing eras from Pentecost to Christ’s return) and the Marriage of the Lamb, emphasizing restoration of “the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25) through the Spirit’s outpouring, including tongues, healing, and prophecy.
Messages in tongues with interpretations in her meetings often carried similar themes: “Jesus is coming soon. Get ready!” or calls to full surrender (e.g., dramatizations of the ten virgins).
Public Prophetic Warnings and End-Times Emphasis
McPherson frequently interpreted current events through a biblical prophetic lens. She warned of moral decay, the rise of evil forces, and the approach of the Antichrist’s system, while urging national repentance and reliance on God. During the lead-up to World War II, she spoke boldly against pacifism and totalitarianism:
- In 1938 in Vancouver, she declared that “Armageddon is already casting its shadow across the world,” describing an impending global struggle far greater than previous wars. She downplayed fear of figures like Hitler or Mussolini, affirming God’s sovereignty.
- She framed the conflict as “the Bible against Mein Kampf,” “the Cross against the Swastika,” and “God against the antichrist of Japan,” calling America to stand firm rather than remain neutral.
- Overall Character of Her Prophetic Ministry
- McPherson’s prophecies were:
- Edifying and urgent: Focused on building up the church through encouragement, calls to holiness, and readiness for Christ’s return.
- Balanced with Scripture: Always grounded in the Bible (especially Joel, Ezekiel, Revelation, and the Gospels) and submitted to the full counsel of God.
- Demonstrated in power: Accompanied by healings, Spirit baptisms with tongues, and dramatic illustrations in services.
- Accountable and practical: She modeled moderation, warning against excess while earnestly desiring spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1)
Her prophetic voice helped launch a global movement that continues to emphasize the active work of the Holy Spirit today. While some of her end-times interpretations reflected the premillennial optimism and warnings common in early Pentecostalism, her core message remained: Jesus is the Foursquare Gospel—Savior, Baptizer, Healer, and Soon-Coming King—and believers must live expectantly in the power of the Spirit.
For deeper study, This Is That remains the primary source containing her compiled personal testimony, sermons, and prophetic writings. Her legacy reminds Foursquare believers that the prophetic gift and office are for edification, exhortation, and comfort, always pointing to Christ and submitted to Scripture.