A. A. Allen

== Early life ==
A. A. Allen's early life was lived in an often unpleasant environment. Having been born of [[mixed race]] to white and [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] parents, his family was very poor and his father was an [[alcoholic]].<ref name=h67>{{harvnb|Harrell|1975|p=67}}</ref>

At the age of 23, Allen became a Christian at the Onward Methodist Church in [[Miller, Missouri|Miller]], [[Missouri]].<ref name = Randi>{{cite book| last = Randi | first = James | author-link = James Randi | year = 1989 | title = [[The Faith Healers]] | publisher = Prometheus Books | isbn = 0-87975-535-0 |page=85}}</ref> Later, he learned of the [[Baptism with the Holy Spirit]] from a [[Pentecostal]] preacher who was conducting meetings in his home. Allen soon felt the call to preach and affiliated himself with the [[Assemblies of God USA|Assemblies of God]], subsequently obtaining ordination from them in 1936. He then began to pastor a small church in [[Colorado]]. By 1947, Allen was pastoring a large Assemblies of God church in [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], [[Texas]].<ref name=h67 />


After attending a [[tent revival]] meeting hosted by [[Oral Roberts]] in 1949, Allen testified that as he left that meeting he hoped to form a [[divine healing]] ministry. Allen asked his church board to allow him to start a radio program, but they refused. Allen soon resigned from his church and began holding healing revival meetings.<ref name=h67 />