PREFACE In the submitted thesis there are 12 different boards which have been analysed and so far as documents have been available. These boards exert power over the local Churches in some respects on a nationwide scale. Research shows that there is only one local Church which in any considerable way has or is exerting influence on a number of these boards and that is the central Philadelphia Church in Stockholm, through its chairman and board. But this influence tends to decrease. At the time of the examination (Spring 1975) 91 individuals held 353 positions of trust as trustees and/or members on those boards in a regular or deputy member capacity. Had affiliated companies been considered, the number of trust positions would have been much greater but not the number of those trustees or board members. Considering these positions of trust or these functions, Lewi Pethrus held most of them that is 9, followed by Pastor Willis Säwe and Bo Hörnberg another Pastor who had 6 positions each. 6 members had 5 positions of trust, 5 had 4 and so on. The real leadership lies in the hands of a very limited number of Pastors and managers. Those who are in charge of the larger sums and sit on those policy making boards within the movement are also in charge of such developments, not only on those boards which are general boards for the whole movement, but also in certain respects in the local Churches. In this connection one ought to note that those leaders mentioned, sat, as a rule on a number of other boards and committees which have not been a part of my study. Furthermore, some of those board members also represent the Pentecostal Movement on certain ecumenical boards but we do not know exactly how they got there and in which way they obtained their members. The question arises, how has it been possible to have such centralized leadership within the Pentecostal Movement, a movement which officially is said to eagerly protect the independence of the local Churches? That is, it is congregational in its Church polity. The readers of this thesis must judge for themselves how this came about. The documents investigated and registered in this essay give a clue as to the causes in more than one respect. One of the reasoning factors refers to the form of organization of the boards. Leadership is exerted through foundations of companies in a way which makes it difficult for the ordinary member to comprehend how the movement is
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