Featured Defining Pentecostal Doctrine

I believe this works in all Christian denominations. I was brought up Baptist. Our pastor used to take us out of public school for youth conference. While we were travelling you could see the concern on him on whether or not we would get anything spiritual out of the conference . As we would spend time in the Word in a sanctified Christian environment I would leave such a place with a clean sense of the Holy Spirit. I am a big believer in Christian gatherings with time in prayer, worship, and in the Word. If done effectually one would leave such a place blessed.

 

My denomination of choice, Pentecostal Holiness, was founded as a result of the evangelistic ministry of Abner Blackmon Crumpler, a Methodist evangelist. We originally focused on John Wesley's teachings on sanctification. If the Spirit of Christ was not in the experience we would tell you to come back tomorrow night, and smile a little as we said it. It was probably 25 years after its founding that tongues came into the doctrine. A good Pentecostal Holiness preacher will have plenty going on, including scheduled revivals with good evangelists, in which is getting harder to come by these days.

 

I believe the Holy Spirit needs renewed in a believers life and quality church service provides such the environment...

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; - Titus 3:4-5

 

I believe everyone uniquely gets the Holy Spirit, his effect is different in each life, and making tongues a requirement was a mistake. The Apostle Paul asks, Do all speak in tongues? However forbidding it all together is also something Paul said not to do.

 

Yes, with reservations . For some reason this took better with the old WW2 generation. I met many fine people who acquired this gift in a good way. Another thing is sanctification was taught as a prerequisite. You could peer into such souls and find good things.

 

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit... I believe Billy Graham was an Evangelist filled with the Holy Spirit. Would it be possible to design a doctrine and have everyone turn out like Billy Graham? This is also the problem with Pentecostal doctrine. It is my experience that the Holy Spirit effects people differently. I believe it would be better to describe a Holy Spirit filled life with fire rather than with tongues. The Holy Spirit will produce a fire down in the spiritual man.

Another problem with tongues is now we have the folks who instruct people, repeat after me, "ma, ma, ma, ba, ba, ba" You got it mate! And the person really did not receive anything different deep within. A person can now fit the description of "Holy Spirit filled" and be just as cold as the next guy down the street.

 

This problem was talked about early on.... As far as tongues William Seymour said that if people weren’t expressing the I Corinthians 13 kind of love, then, “I care not how many tongues you may have, you have not the baptism with the Holy Spirit.” William Seymour also warned that, “Whenever the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Ghost will only be known as the evidence of speaking in tongues, that work will be an open door for witches and spiritualist and free loveism. That work will suffer because all kinds of spirits can come in.” And "Sanctification makes us clean on the inside." - William Seymour