The International Pentecostal Holiness Church was formed in 1911 as a result of a series of mergers of Pentecostal churches influenced by the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, California in 1906 and 1907.

The largest of these were the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church and the Pentecostal Holiness Church, followed by the Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, which was added in 1915.

There were also schisms, particularly in the early years of the denomination. In 1918, members who wanted the church to impose stricter standards on dress and associations between the sexes withdrew to form the Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church. In 1920, another group left over a disagreement related to divine healing. In the early 20th century, the majority of Pentecostals believed in trusting God alone for healing, without resorting to doctors or medicine. A group that wanted to retain the option of seeking medical treatment withdrew to form the Congregational Holiness Church in 1921.

The International Pentecostal Holiness Church is governed through a mixture of episcopal and congregational polity, with authority over the church shared between local churches and conferences.

Local congregations are self-governing in local affairs and are led by pastors. The role of the pastor is to preach, administer ordinances, promote the spiritual welfare of the congregation, and to chair the church board. Made up of deacons, a secretary-treasurer, and the pastor, the church board is accountable to the pastor and to church members, while pastors are accountable to the quadrennial conference.

Regionally, churches are divided into conferences led by conference superintendents, who function as bishops and the executive officers of the conference. Conference leaders are elected by the local conferences but are accountable to the General Superintendent.

The highest administrative body in the denomination is the General Conference, which is over the regional, annual, district, and missionary conferences. The General Board of Administration is the governing body of the denomination when the General Conference is not in session.

The IPHC is affiliated with four institutions of higher education: Emmanuel College, Holmes Bible College, Southwestern Christian University, and Advantage College.

The IPHC was a charter member of the National Association of Evangelicals in 1943, and became a member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America in 1948. In the 1960s, the denomination began to affiliate with several other Pentecostal groups for the purpose of international missions, which makes tracking its membership difficult outside of North America.

The Pentecostal Holiness Church was influenced by the Wesleyan Methodist church and the Methodist holiness movement, as well. Methodist standards are evident in its doctrine and practices, with certain modifications.

The denomination anticipates the Second Coming of Christ, which will occur in two stages. The saints will be raptured before the tribulation, and the second stage will be at the end of the tribulation when Christ will return, defeat the Antichrist, judge the nations, and begin a thousand-year reign on earth. Then the dead will be resurrected for judgment. Eternal life with God in heaven will be the reward for the righteous, while the wicked will be punished by separation from God in hell.

The church believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, representing a complete revelation of the plan and history of redemption.

There is one God, and within the unity of the Godhead are three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son of God, is of one substance with the Father. He took on the nature of man in the incarnation and was born of a virgin, becoming perfectly man and perfectly deity. He was crucified for the sins of humanity, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven.

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son, and is of one substance with them. The Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Spirit is attainable through a definite act of faith on the part of a fully cleansed believer and evidenced by speaking in tongues. The church does not hold that the gift of tongues is extended to every Spirit-filled believer. Other evidence of Spirit baptism include the fruits of the Spirit, the power to witness for Christ, and power to endure the testings of faith.

The church also believes in divine healing, but not to the exclusion of modern medicine. Congregations will pray for healing, and church elders will lay hands on and anoint the person being prayed over, but the church also teaches that medical knowledge was given through the grace of God and should not be rejected.

The focus of this category is on the denomination known as the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and its affiliated organizations.

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