History
Where It All Began: Our Founding Timeline
- Nov. 1910 — Our founder, Aimee Semple McPherson, returns from a mission in China as a 20-year-old widow and single mother.
- Oct. 1918 — Aimee starts cross-country evangelism, traveling by car.
- Dec. 1918 — Aimee establishes Los Angeles as her home base.
- Aug. 1921 — Aimee’s prayers to God lead to many miraculous healings, verified by an American Medical Association report.
- Jan. 1923 — First Foursquare church, Angelus Temple, opens its doors in Los Angeles, and soon hosts services in five languages.
- Feb. 1923 — First Foursquare Bible institute (known today as Life Pacific University) opens to train men and women alike and send them out as ministers.
- Oct. 1923 — The first Foursquare church plant kickstarts in Long Beach, Calif.
- Feb. 1924 — Aimee becomes the first woman to own a major radio station and uses it to preach the gospel.
- Feb. 1924 — The first Foursquare missionaries are sent to India to reach people who’ve never before heard about Jesus.
- Dec. 1927 — After Foursquare established 100 churches, steps are taken to incorporate what would become the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (ICFG).
- Aug. 1928 — Angelus Temple commissary opens, which would feed and clothe more than 1.5 million people during the Great Depression.
- Fast Forward to Today – ICFG, known casually as Foursquare, has over 8.8 million members in over 90,000 churches across 146 nations.
We’re thankful for the men and woman who have led our movement, including Foursquare U.S. presidents Aimee Semple McPherson (1923-1944), Rolf K. McPherson (1944-1988), John Holland (1988-1997), Harold Helms (1997-1998, interim), Paul Risser (1998-2004), Jared Roth (2004, interim), Jack Hayford (2004-2009), Glenn Burris Jr. (2009-2020) and Randy Remington (2020-present).
Want to Learn More About Our History? Visit Us in Los Angeles.
Visit the Foursquare Heritage Center
Walk through an illustrated history of Aimee’s ministry with a guided tour of her parsonage in Los Angeles’ Echo Park area.
Visit Foursquare’s Very First Church
Attend a contemporary Christian service at Angelus Temple, which seats 3,500 people and partners with the Dream Center.
Visit Foursquare’s Central Office
Inquire about an appointment to visit the office and meet team members who support our districts and pastors across the U.S.
The Woman Who Started It All: Aimee Semple McPherson
Foursquare Founder Aimee Semple McPherson was a woman of intense passion, creativity and energy. She led an incredible life that exemplified God’s miraculous mercy. She sparked revival, established a major evangelical center in Los Angeles, and changed the lives of countless individuals.
Resources From Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee was a gifted teacher, and many thousands found wisdom and salvation in Jesus through her words. Many of her works survive today. Discover some of her more famous sermons and writings.
Stories About Aimee
Aimee Semple McPherson was a woman who genuinely sought to share God’s heart with people. Now, uncover true stories of men and women who met Foursquare’s founder and found their lives changed forever.