Norwegian Pentecostal Pioneer Missions and International Networks

This article examines the significance of international networks for early Norwegian Pentecostal pioneer missions through the case study of Erling and Alvina Andresen in Argentina. The Andresens were from Norway and were missionaries in Argentina from 1926 to 1969. During their time in Argentina, they were considered missionaries from three different denominations: the Pentecostal Movement in Norway, the Scandinavian Assemblies of God in the USA, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. In Argentina, they collaborated with missionaries from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, and the US, as well as with Pentecostal immigrants, and they helped establish the Argentine denomination la Unión de las Asambleas de Dios in 1947. Through careful mapping and analysis of primary sources from Scandinavia, Argentina, and North America, it is possible to reconstruct the story of the Andresens and the role they played in the beginnings of Argentine Pentecostalism. The research shows how international Pentecostal networks and collaboration were essential for them to become missionaries, remain in Argentina for 43 years, and contribute to substantial advances for the Pentecostals in the country. Very little has previously been written about the Andresens, likely because their story does not fit neatly into national or denominational boundaries. This article argues that international Pentecostal networks and thorough research of primary sources from different continents are essential for understanding the role of Norwegian Pentecostal pioneer missionaries in the history of global Pentecostalism.