Called "a pioneer contribution" by Church History when it was first published in 1971, this volume has now been revised and enlarged by Vinson Synan to account for the incredible changes that have occurred in the church world in the last 25 years.

This richly detailed biography examines the colorful life and preaching of evangelist John Lakin Brasher (1868-1971), effectively destroying old stereotypes that portrayed holiness folk as fanatical and uneducated. Relying primarily on Brasher's 25,000 manuscripts and on extensive sound recordings of his preaching and storytelling, J. Lawrence Brasher analyzes the dynamics of holiness religious experience and explores the beliefs, rituals, politics, cultural context, and folklore of the southern holiness movement.

Pentecostalism came to the South following the post–Civil War holiness revival, a northern-born crusade that emphasized sinlessness and religious empowerment. With the growth of southern Pentecostal denominations and the rise of new, affluent congregants, the movement slipped cautiously into the evangelical mainstream.

This is book four of a six volume series that focuses on the salvation experiences of the people called Nazarenes. This book covers the years 1895-1928. We examine every book of theology used in the Ministerial Course of Studies. We examine the hymnals used and songs sung during each period of Nazarene history. We listen to the testimonies of the people involved. We discuss the liturgy and worship patterns. We ask scores of “Crazy Good Questions” for discussions. The book includes hundreds of Scripture verses and references to over two hundred academic journals and articles on Nazarene theology.