Is it the Pentecostal Movement really based on emotion?

Is it the Pentecostal Movement really based on emotion?

As an outsider, this could be the immediate conclusion of anyone based in the failing rate of those who claim healing powers, new birth, etc.

After my years of experiencing Pentecostal Groups, I can say emotion does play an important role, especially among new converted.  Sometimes, even ourselves may think that some experiences may had been lead by emotion. 

But the true is that you can't deliberately come with a genuine manifestation of the Spirit by faking it.  People can gibberish, but they can't not overcome with joy, suddenly start crying with tears and feel compassion for others the way the Spirit does in a true manifestation of the Spirit.  People hug each other like children, all worries, conflicts, sadness are wiped out in a true Pentecostal service lead by the Spirit.  Tongues are not just talking, but also emotions transmitted to you to intercede for others.  You know it's not from you and you don't say what comes to your mind.  In a way, you are like an spectator, where you allowed yourself to be used. 

Sometimes, it feels like fire.  Some other times feels like love, like peace, like joy.  It can come with tears, with desire to pray, with feeling grateful, with deep sorrow for someone else, with tongues that you can stop or that you can't stop, with praises and worship, with dancing or kneeling down. 

We often see so called ministers in the pulpit forcing a revival by screaming, enticing the people to move or falsely promising that God is going to do something that in reality will not happen, because God did not say anything.

We see that frequently in many if not all Pentecostal churches.  Some old fashion experienced pastors are very jealous with their congregation and quickly would kit out a person who try to fool their churches.  But, because of business relations, and some other modern rules nowadays, you do not see this type of pastors any more.  Prayer meetings are not the main thing as they used to be.  A complete transformation and a direct calling from God are not requirements to enter ministry any more.

If you had been in the Pentecostal church long enough, you will know that it's not up to you.   God decides when and how people receive the Spirit.  Some people pray for years.  Some others just enter the church. It can come while praying, while worshipping or any time.  I had heard stories of people who just came to laugh at expenses of the church.

A true Pentecostal Church would be lead by the Spirit.  It means, you don't try to force praises, dancing in the Spirit, healing or any other manifestation of the Spirit by other means than prayers, call for sanctification and obedience to God.

God gives the Spirit to whoever he wants; the main requirement is repentance and sanctification.

There is a traditional Pentecostal phrase for this " God does not dwells in dirty vessel."

What makes Pentecostals so unique?

Pentecostals belive that the stories of the bible are all true and they still apply to believers. 2 Timoty 3:16

We believe in fasting, praying and over everything in obeying and believing the word of God (The bible). Matthew 17:21

We believe that God speaks to men in many ways as he did before. Hebrews 1:1

We believe that God does not change. James 1:17, Psalm 102:27

Pentecostals believe in a living God and having a personal relationship with Him. Romans 9:26

Pentecostals believe that to know Jesus is to have an encounter with Jesus allowing him to transform our lives. John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17

We value God's anointing, knowledge of the holy scriptures and holiness over human wisdom and academic preparation. James 3:15

Traditional Pentecostals consider an honor to be called servants of God and his church. 1 Timothy 3:13

And finally, speaking in tongues, power of healing, prophesies, are all manifestations of the power of God through The Holy Spirit. Mark 16:17-18

Pentecostal Churches, what they are?

Pentecostal church is any religious institution who claims to receive the same Spirit that came the Pentecostal day.  Some say it should be with the evidence of speaking in tongues, for others speaking in tongues is not considered a requirement.  They think tongues are a gift rather than evidence. 

Pentecostal churches also belief that the power of healing and the gifts of the Spirit remain in action till today in the church of Christ.  Every service has the purpose of seeking for the presence of God, to learn from the scriptures, to get closer to God as a personal experience with the creator where the power of God is the one that changes you rather than auto-imposed discipline.

The bible is the maximum authority within the church's body who believe that everything in the bible is God's word.





Pentecostal churches nowadays are mainly the result of the revival at Azusa street on 1906.

For many centuries nothing was heard regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  For many the baptism of the Spirit was symbolic.  There are some data of groups who believe in what historians call convulsions in the services and today some may try to relate them with manifestation of the Spirit, but those stories are kind of blurry.   There are also clear evidence that in the letters of the first fathers of the church around the 100 and before the year 300, the church experienced gifts of healing and miracles.

Old Pentecostal churches after Azusa and probably until the 90's were about prayers, praising and holiness. To be Pentecostal was to renounce the world and make your whole life about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The new generations of followers are more secular than their predecessors, probably because many churches had passed to the hand of the children for second, or third generation of pastors where the children may be academically educated in theology but do not have the same calling or some less charismatic leaders.

People used to memorize scriptures and use them for every daily occasion. Pentecostals were kind of Jesus frisks and holy rollers.  Testimonies were part of the daily service and outdoor evangelism.

It was always an urgency to seek for souls because we are living the last days.  The message to the world for many years had been "repent because Jesus is coming soon."  And also "convert and get free from Hell and from your sins because you don't know the day and the hour when you will have to encounter God." 

Pentecostal Roots