From Pentecostal to Baptist

[JStephenConn]

Having been in the ministry for 45 years, I spent the first 31 years as a minister in the Church of God (Pentecostal) and the Assemblies of God. Now for the past 14 years I have been an ordained Southern Baptist. When I was a Pentecostal I knew many former Baptists who had become Pentecostals. However, I meet far fewer people who, like me, have made the switch from Pentecostal to Baptist. Does anyone care to comment on why the migration seems to be flowing more strongly from Baptist to Pentecostal than it is from Pentecostal to Baptist? Or is that just my perception? I would especially enjoy hearing from other former Pentecostals who are now Baptists.

http://growinguppentecostal.com

 

[Pipedude]

A clue might be found in detecting what Pentecostals DO change to, if they don't usually change to Baptists. Have you seen enough of that to have a guess?

I'm wondering if the majority of ex-Pentecostals are just backsliders, no church at all.

 

[TheWinDork]

Having been in the ministry for 45 years, I spent the first 31 years as a minister in the Church of God (Pentecostal) and the Assemblies of God. Now for the past 14 years I have been an ordained Southern Baptist. When I was a Pentecostal I knew many former Baptists who had become Pentecostals. However, I meet far fewer people who, like me, have made the switch from Pentecostal to Baptist. Does anyone care to comment on why the migration seems to be flowing more strongly from Baptist to Pentecostal than it is from Pentecostal to Baptist? Or is that just my perception? I would especially enjoy hearing from other former Pentecostals who are now Baptists.

http://growinguppentecostal.com

See your PM!

 

[TheWinDork]

A clue might be found in detecting what Pentecostals DO change to, if they don't usually change to Baptists. Have you seen enough of that to have a guess?

I'm wondering if the majority of ex-Pentecostals are just backsliders, no church at all.

Not all of us! :wavey: raise: :smilewinkgrin:

 

[standingfirminChrist]

I was ordained in the Pentecostal faith and have been preaching for 27 years now.

I left the Pentecostal movement when the Lord began revealing to me many truths that were in God's Word that were not taught, but rather abused, in the Pentecostal church I was a minister in.

I have been ministering in Baptist churches now for 16 years and the Lord has truly been blessing His Word and His people in that faith.

Backslidden? I should think not! The Psalmist wrote,

KJV Psalm 26:1 <A Psalm of David.> Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

 

[Ben W]

I grew up in a Salvation Army church and it so happened that the church split in half over the idea of practicing Spiritual Gifts. I went with the group that went to a Pentecostal church and stayed for eight years. I went from there to the Seventh Day Baptist church several years ago.

The reason that I left the Pentecostal church that I was in was because that church and others like it got way to heavilly into the Prosperity Gospel and I am firmly of the opinion that the Prosperity Gospel is used by satan to put stumbling blocks in front of Evangelicals that want to preach the true gospel of Christ.

The president of the AOG in Australia Brian Houston wrote a book called "You need more money". He also does seminars to share how people can get wealthy. As I read it, the Scripture says that if you want to be rich, sell what you have, give it to the poor and you will become rich.

Many Baptist Churches and other denominations are experiencing growth here because of people that are being born again in Pentecostal churches and are leaving for solid evangelical churches after they begin to understand by the drawing of the Holy Spirit, what Christianity is really all about. That is my opinion anyway.

I would add that there are plenty of good Pentecostal churches that are not into the Prosperity Gospel, yet there are also quite a number that have sold out sound doctrine and gone for false teaching which is a shame.

 

[Gershom]

Having been in the ministry for 45 years, I spent the first 31 years as a minister in the Church of God (Pentecostal) and the Assemblies of God. Now for the past 14 years I have been an ordained Southern Baptist. When I was a Pentecostal I knew many former Baptists who had become Pentecostals. However, I meet far fewer people who, like me, have made the switch from Pentecostal to Baptist. Does anyone care to comment on why the migration seems to be flowing more strongly from Baptist to Pentecostal than it is from Pentecostal to Baptist? Or is that just my perception? I would especially enjoy hearing from other former Pentecostals who are now Baptists.

http://growinguppentecostal.com

I think for some former Baptists it is a matter of looking for more fervency and power. By that I mean there is a certain energy spiritually that they may not possess or exercise in the Baptist church.

They may have had an experience new to them that is not taught, frowned upon, or otherwise disregarded as not for "our day." So they seek other avenues to learn more through like-minded brethren.

 

[Gershom]

By the way, Welcome, Brother Conn.

 

[2BHizown]

Learning and growing

I pray that our Lord will continue to grow you right on into the doctrines of grace when you then rejoice at learning the knowledge of His truth and becoming a 5 point calvinist! What happiness awaits you! Soli deo gloria! My father was an Assembly of God pastor also but continued prayer and reading showed me that God is most truly and fully glorified in the doctrines of grace!

 

[thjplgvp]

Why the gravitation seems to be one way is IMO simple. Pentecostals, Charasmatices. Apostolic etc. talk openly about their faith and make it seem as if if you don't have the gifts of Spirit especially tongues and you are missing out on God's best if you do not demonstrate one of these gifts.

Many Baptist pastors because of their separation from denominations find themselves isolated and forgotten about by many of their own kind. The result is that they are accepted and encouraged by pentecostal, charasmatic and apostolic preachers as men saved by grace but in need of a spiritual infusion. The result because they have no support group, and no encouragement by their peers they either quit the ministry wounded and bitter or join a denomination that will accept and love them eventhough the doctrine is not completely biblical.

Baptists are known to eat their own especially in the IFB of which I am a part. I know this is true in 26 years I have seen this repeated so many times it hurts especially seeing men of God reduced to tears, bitterness and finally quiting.

 

[TheWinDork]

Why the gravitation seems to be one way is IMO simple. Pentecostals, Charasmatices. Apostolic etc. talk openly about their faith and make it seem as if if you don't have the gifts of Spirit especially tongues and you are missing out on God's best if you do not demonstrate one of these gifts.

Many Baptist pastors because of their separation from denominations find themselves isolated and forgotten about by many of their own kind. The result is that they are accepted and encouraged by pentecostal, charasmatic and apostolic preachers as men saved by grace but in need of a spiritual infusion. The result because they have no support group, and no encouragement by their peers they either quit the ministry wounded and bitter or join a denomination that will accept and love them eventhough the doctrine is not completely biblical.

Baptists are known to eat their own especially in the IFB of which I am a part. I know this is true in 26 years I have seen this repeated so many times it hurts especially seeing men of God reduced to tears, bitterness and finally quiting.

My brother, you have no clue how right you are! :thumbs: :thumbsup:

while the IFB'ers are good on doctrines, they've got alot to learn about TRUE Christian LOVE! In fact, there's a friend of mine, Who was an evangelist, ended up getting out of the ministry. Because some preacher up in Maryland, didn't like what he said in a sermon. His Pastor just told him, "you're done" and revoked his ordination. and he ended up leaving, I've heard through the grape vine that he's outta the ministry and outta Church. It's really sad. :tear: It makes me so made too. He had an awesome testimony too. He just just got mixed up in a KJV-Cultist/IFBx type Church... I hope one day he see's that those people aren't the beginning, nor the end of Christianity.

 

[Ed Edwards]

:wavey:

That is the Baptist Emoticom:
it only raises but one hand at a time and
the feet never ever leave the ground
(AKA: dancing).

I had a friend in 1976 in South Carolina who was ordained
Pentacostal Holiness but attending a Baptist Church.

 

[AAA]

Do you now believe in the doctrine that you can NOT lose your salvation?

What is your thought on tongues and being slian in the Spirit?

What other beliefs do you now have that you did not have as a pentecostal?

Thanks.

 

[MNJacob]

Wayne Grudem now attends a Vineyard Church.

What does a Baptist do if he/she experiences a Sign gift?

 

[tinytim]

Chalk it up to the omnipotence of God!

 

[Jkdbuck76]

Wayne Grudem now attends a Vineyard Church.

What does a Baptist do if he/she experiences a Sign gift?

Eat something fried, go back to bed and try to forget about it.

 

[Ed Edwards]

...

What does a Baptist do if he/she experiences a Sign gift?

What I did when I was in a Baptist Church (Southern brand)
and experienced a Sign Gift:

1. I was counseling a young adult (early 20s)
for salvation. I got the Word of Knowledge (I knew he was
only trying to please his girl friend and her Mother
/who came into the counseling room/ ).
Needless to say, the counseling session turned into
a very long salvation, church membership session that
lasted until church was dismissed. (The paster talked to
him later - I only have half a Master's Degree in Secondary
School counseling -- the first thing you learn in counseling
of any type is: only deal with what you can deal with
and know some better counselors for other things.)

2. Meanwhile back, in the room behind the Organ,
a Ministry Student/Counselor there was casting three demons
out of a lady (who finally died with a dead liver -- i can't
spell the name of 'dead liver' cause I don't pronounce it
right and the spelling aids aren't voice activated)
but it starts with a 'c' and ends with 's'.
I knew she had a demon 'demon rum'. She and her husband
were in AA together /he was more successful quiting, but
then he wasn't dying/. One of the 12 steps talks about a
Higher Power. They believed they should cut out the middle
man (AA) and go right to the Higher Power (at our church
we talk about at most who the Higher Power is: Lord Jesus.
Well anyway, Lord Jesus at least a daily visitor of G-d, and will
put in a good word for us.
So when I counseled him* I suggested he did the right
thing NOT bringing that out in the main auditorium.
* NOte: we counselors talk to each other especially
if we

3. A few times I got a new tongue. But I was smart enough
and knew enough about my church (if you ever want to know
all about a church, become a recruiter of volunteer workers
- Also Known As - Nominating Committee) -- There is nobody
with the gift of Translating Unknown Tongues in
my Southern Baptist Church. Now that I'm a bouncer
(AKA: head usher), I know why there is no translator,
I have a talk with those who can translate and convince them
to NOT translate in our church. Yes, my Pastor thinks the
sign gifts are for the 1st Century Jewish part of
the Universal Church not for the 21st Century mostly Gentile
part of the Universal Church. I think God uses the sign
gifts in the Charismatic and Full Gospel
denominations -- God uses the denominations to advance
His kingdom.

 

[Ed Edwards]

Eat something fried, go back to bed and try to forget about it.

Amen, sibling Jkdbuck76 -- You are so RIGHT ON! :thumbs:

-Deacon Ed,
The Whale

 

[MNJacob]

Brother EE,

You understand the problem.

MNJ

 

[Tom Butler]

Here's one possible reason that some Baptists gravitate toward a Pentecostal church:

When Baptists try to act like Pentecostals, those who like that sort of thing are going to seek out the real thing--actual Pentecostals, not Bapti-costal wannabes.