The term "Foursquare Gospel" came about during an intense revival in the city of Oakland, California in July 1922. As thousands had gathered to hear the gospel, evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson described a vision God had given her, taken from Ezekiel's vision in the book of Ezekiel, chapter one.

Ezekiel saw the revelation of a totally powerful God. He saw four faces – those of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle. To Aimee, those four faces were like the four phases of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the face of the man, she saw Jesus our Savior, the "man of sorrows" (Isaiah 53:3); in the face of the lion, she saw Jesus the mighty Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire. In the face of the ox, she saw Jesus the Great Burden-bearer, who took our infirmities and carried our sicknesses. In the face of the eagle, she saw the Coming King – Jesus the Bridegroom, who is returning in power for His bride, the Church. It was a perfect, complete gospel for the body, soul, spirit and eternity. It was a gospel that faces squarely in every direction: thus, the name Foursquare.