Pentacostal

[Bushido8000]

So I'm about to visit a Pentacostal church for the first time. I know there's a lot stuff that goes on there that doesn't really go on at a lot of other churches (tongues, thrashing about, etc). Can anyone explain to me the meaning behind the different pentacostal practices and where they stem from? In other words, what should I expect to see during my visit and why will I be seeing this?

 

[jimmydiggs]

So I'm about to visit a Pentacostal church for the first time. I know there's a lot stuff that goes on there that doesn't really go on at a lot of other churches (tongues, thrashing about, etc). Can anyone explain to me the meaning behind the different pentacostal practices and where they stem from? In other words, what should I expect to see during my visit and why will I be seeing this?

Hang in there!

 

[jamieedmonds10]

Acts 2:2-4

 

[jesusnme]

my mum attends a pentacostal church ...i use to go there and really wasnt weird or anything....same old church to me.

 

[starfield]

(tongues, thrashing about, etc).

You may or may not see those in action because some Pentecostal churches place a heavy emphasis on them whereas some don't.
If you want to learn about the Pentecost read Acts 1 and 2. 1 Corinthians 14 talks about speaking in tongues.

 

[Helloimandrewyo]

In my experiences with the pentacostal church, i find emphasis on gifts of the Spirit varies from denomination to denomination. I find that speaking in touges has become more of a secret handshake amongst the UPC, where as all gifts of the spirit are generally accepted in IPC denominations. I have been to some UPC churches that don't consider a christian saved, until he or she has been baptized, and speaks in toungues.

Just like any church, they have their faults, and they have their points which they excel at.

 

[shawntc]

Pentecostal worship tends to be more emotional and exuberant than what you may normally see in other denominations. You're also likely to hear people speaking in tongues. The power of the Holy Spirit is emphasized in a Pentecostal church. Sometimes people may be prayed over and fall to the ground. This is called being slain in the Spirit. Its Scriptural support is shaky IMO but it's been going on since the Methodist movement in the 1700s, which is what Pentecostalism stems from.

Don't feel like you have to worship like those around you. If you're not an exuberant worshiper (I'm soon to be an ex-Pentecostal and I can assure you I am not exuberant ) then don't feel like you have to act it. If you're made uncomfortable by the tongues and energy going on, don't feel like you have to go to the altar and get prayed for. In the two Pentecostal church I have attended in the past four years, I've never been forced to do anything. The Spirit may flow, but as the saying goes, God is a gentleman. He won't move on you unless you allow him.

Generally speaking, Pentecostals believe you are saved if you have repented and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Which, in any case, are two sides of the same coin.

 

[PiccolaLina25]

nothing like any other church

 

[onionslaughter]

I've never seen anyone being slain in the Spirit so far, that's not to say it doesn't happen. Just curious, is there any record of this happening in the New Testament? (I've been going to two Pentacostal churches in the last four years) More than anything else, the strongest difference between those and the Baptist church I used to go to is that the people love to worship God with their whole hearts. Loudly, on occasion and often in tongues. At the Assembly of God church I went to (they're Pentacostal) after the sermon the congregation would come up to the front and basically just cry out to God together. I really miss that church :/ I've been out of state for the last couple months.

 

[ilavjesus]

i dont speak in tongues..i just cant understand why they do that..its so weird
for me..

 

[jimmydiggs]

i dont speak in tongues..i just cant understand why they do that..its so weird
for me..

What get's me the most, is that it's an unscriptural practice. What they claim it means to "speak in tongues" and what the bible claims, are two different items.

 

[onionslaughter]

Speaking in tongues isn't unscriptural at all. Paul describes it very well, but also urges the Church to desire Godly love (1 Cor. 12-14 and most of the surrounding chapters are helpful) I've only spoken in tongues twice, during worship time. Would you believe that the first time, I tried to stop the words coming out of me!? It was natural and weird at the same time. Haha! But like Paul says, I couldn't understand what I was saying! Chapter 14 says a lot about speaking in tongues and other spiritual gifts. I agree that some churches including Pentacostal highly overrate speaking in tongues. Speaking in love is sometimes more effective, especially in our modern world! Aim high, desire the best and most useful! -that's what I think Paul was trying to say, to some degree. Just like all the young churches of his day, each of our denominations has some misconceptions and downfalls. Fight all division with love! Don't be afraid of your fellow man! Anyways that's my two cents. o3o I'll shut up now.

 

[jimmydiggs]

Speaking in tongues isn't unscriptural at all. Paul describes it very well, but also urges the Church to desire Godly love (1 Cor. 12-14 and most of the surrounding chapters are helpful) I've only spoken in tongues twice, during worship time. Would you believe that the first time, I tried to stop the words coming out of me!? It was natural and weird at the same time. Haha! But like Paul says, I couldn't understand what I was saying! Chapter 14 says a lot about speaking in tongues and other spiritual gifts. I agree that some churches including Pentacostal highly overrate speaking in tongues. Speaking in love is sometimes more effective, especially in our modern world! Aim high, desire the best and most useful! -that's what I think Paul was trying to say, to some degree. Just like all the young churches of his day, each of our denominations has some misconceptions and downfalls. Fight all division with love! Don't be afraid of your fellow man! Anyways that's my two cents. o3o I'll shut up now.

Acts chapter 2 is clear about what Speaking in Tongues is.


2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”



They heard their own language, not gibberish.

Speaking in love is sometimes more effective, especially in our modern world!

It is always more effective.



1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

[answers]

Well my opinion,
I grew up catholic, when I decided around thirteen I wanted to go to an assembly of God (Pentecostal) church. I went with friends and every time I went I felt I understood the bible more and more, which was weird because in the catholic church I was to study the verses (homework and all).

At one of the services the pastor invited anyone to come forward and pray with him for their salvation. My friend went forward, she was a friend who was not a very good influence, while being prayed for infront of the whole congregation, she fell to the ground and began to shake perfusly. I freaked and ran to her, thinking she was having a seizure. An usher stopped me and said she is okay, it is the holy spirit entering. After she came to she cried hysterically. Ever since that day, she has followed the lord. Her and her husband are youth leaders at a church.

I still attend that church where this took place, and I rarely see or hear anyone speaking in tongues. What I do see is a strong passion to live intentionally for our lord. Highly motivated soldiers of god working to show who god is to others through themselves, as well as spreading the word of God. A church who invests in the children, community, and the world.
To list a few recent things our church has done
We phyisically and finanicially remodeled a church a few hours away, we send missionaries all over the world, we bought over two thousand pounds of food and gave it away, we run a skate park compition/carnival, we run a car show, we gather once a year to clean up or aide in projects for random homes in the area that appear to need help, feed and serve the homeless, and battered women on the holidays, food and hygiene pantry all year, and so many more.
All this is done through God, and we spread his love to as many as possible.

 

[mistywomack]

Hello happy to hear your visiting a different church. I am a member of a penacostal church and it's amazing. Well first off the things you spoke of wasn't pulled from a hat to do lol. Everything that you will see is writtin in the bible. Although you hear a lot of talk about penacostal and yelling and tongue all of that is a gift from God.. It is writtin that God would love for us all to speak in different tongues, but would rather us prophases. We call out Amen and different things bc the spirit of Jesus is awesome and all around. While you are there just invite Jesus in to do whatever he wants except the many gifts with an open and excepting heart. God bless you..

 

[dliz]

my question is how can you tell if someone is speaking about the word of God when you can't even understand what she or he has uttered.

 

[Daniel94]

my question is how can you tell if someone is speaking about the word of God when you can't even understand what she or he has uttered.

That is one of the problems I have with the church I went to today.

My first problem was that they sang around 7 songs, and praying for everyone who wanted to be prayed for took awhile(not sure exactly how long) and that left the pastor only ten minutes to preach. I love the fact that they were singing and everything, but when I go to church I expect a sermon longer than ten minutes and I don't expect the pastor to say that he doesn't have the time to preach any longer.

Second, they really got into speaking in tongues and rather something someone could understand it was a lot of Shalalala and ish kish boo. What does that even mean and what language is that?

I am not trying to make fun of anyone so please don't take it that way. I honestly felt like I wasn't even in church this morning. :/

 

[dliz]

That is one of the problems I have with the church I went to today.

My first problem was that they sang around 7 songs, and praying for everyone who wanted to be prayed for took awhile(not sure exactly how long) and that left the pastor only ten minutes to preach. I love the fact that they were singing and everything, but when I go to church I expect a sermon longer than ten minutes and I don't expect the pastor to say that he doesn't have the time to preach any longer.

Second, they really got into speaking in tongues and rather something someone could understand it was a lot of Shalalala and ish kish boo. What does that even mean and what language is that?

I am not trying to make fun of anyone so please don't take it that way. I honestly felt like I wasn't even in church this morning. :/

When emotions and feelings become more important than the Word they can become false gods or idols.

 

[PopClick]

That is one of the problems I have with the church I went to today.

My first problem was that they sang around 7 songs, and praying for everyone who wanted to be prayed for took awhile(not sure exactly how long) and that left the pastor only ten minutes to preach. I love the fact that they were singing and everything, but when I go to church I expect a sermon longer than ten minutes and I don't expect the pastor to say that he doesn't have the time to preach any longer.

Second, they really got into speaking in tongues and rather something someone could understand it was a lot of Shalalala and ish kish boo. What does that even mean and what language is that?

I am not trying to make fun of anyone so please don't take it that way. I honestly felt like I wasn't even in church this morning. :/

Speaking in tongues out loud without an interpreter present is unbiblical.

 

[jimmydiggs]

Speaking in tongues out loud without an interpreter present is unbiblical.

That's not the only problem.