Pentecostal - Wild and Wonderful

My family came into the United States Catholic and in formal service. I was brought up in the military and ended up in Michigan. Because of the evangelism in the area we became GARBC Baptist thanks to the bus ministry of one Rod Moxely.. Over the years I have frequented many churches...

Catholic - It was a majestic church for its time in Saginaw Michigan
Greek Orthodox - My grandfather would remarry Greek Orthodox
Baptist - I still visit trying to catch an early AM service before a later PM service somewhere else.
Lutheran - I used to take my dad to Lutheran bible studies
Methodist - Plenty of churches and with a Methodist great grandmother
Pentecostal Holiness - Wonderful in its time
Assemblies of God - Wonderful in its time
Congregational Holiness - Wonderful in its time
Independent Charismatic - I like to go on Sunday morning as we have a good one near by.
Church of God of Cleveland Tennessee - Still Wild and Wonderful! GENERAL OVERSEER - Church Of God

In which I do not mind visiting any of these churches when the opportunity arises. I like to go in shirt, tie, and with a smile greeting and making conversation as I go. Saint Monica and her son, Saint Augustine, discovered that Saturday was observed as a fast day in Rome, where they planned to visit. However, it was not a fast day where they lived in Milan. They consulted Saint Ambrose who said "When I am here (in Milan) I do not fast on Saturday, when in Rome I do fast on Saturday". That reply is said to have brought about the saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". I also try to remember this advice when visiting the variety of church services. Which is increasing with time by the way. And if I can't do as the Romans I stay out of Rome.

I spend many Sunday nights these days looking up the "wild" Church of God of Cleveland Tennessee. While singing the "We shall wear a crown" song over and over...

1. People were flocking to the altar
2. Old people were falling out in the Spirit laying prostrate before the Lord
3. The young were dancing before the Lord running, skipping, and dancing with hands raised
4. People were going from pew to pew greeting one another with smiley faces
5. Speaking in tongues with occasional prophecy by the people gathered up front
6. The old weeping like babies as they returned to the pew
7. Anointing with oil and praying for the sick
8. The worship went on for over an hour and the preacher did not get to speak

I always leave such as service with a sensation of having taking the good Spirit with me. These services are in my view good as they give me a variety and...

1. Man is created in need for a companion. It is nice to feel the companionship of the Holy Spirit
2. We are commanded in all things to give thanks
3. We are told that God inhabits the praises of his people

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. - Psalm 22:3

I do not feel like joining any church right now, especially post covid. But going to church services of any churches mentioned I feel needed and necessary. . As the Apostle Paul said...

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

If any have a problem with any church mentioned I would say there is the potential of good and bad wherever we go these days. I try to look up churches, though, where people worship with smiling faces and in an extroverted way. In which the following song brought that out in the Church of God I attended Sunday night...

 

Thanks! I enjoy going to whatever church with what I would feel as a Christlike spirit. Theology… What does it guarantee? I would have to know the senior pastor before recommending any theology. I like Pentecostal Holiness theology but in many cases what is claimed as Holy Spirit comes off more as ego. When we had a plating department in our facility I worked myself up to Lab Technician and worked under a chemist. This chemist was very smart and very good at math. When he laid out equations he did so in very neat handwriting and there would be much activity as he turned the results of an analysis into an addition. I would take his calculations and put them in the form of visual basic functions and sub procedures.

Of all the years I worked with this man I had one opportunity to witness to him. I made my presentation while he was analyzing adhesion under a microscope in which you could hear the sounds... Scratch, scratch, scratch! Scratch scratch, scratch! After my presentation he just continued to look under the microscope as if he ignored everything I said so I just continued in my work. Then... The scratch scratch, scratching stops! And he speaks!

"You know what I think it is?" He says while continuing to look under the microscope... "I think it is arrogance!"

And then, without taking his eyes off the microscope, he continues his work... Scratch, scratch, scratch! Scratch scratch, scratch! I did not reply but went about my work. Inside I feared he was right. In many cases points of theology can inhabit too much personal ego and not end up edifying or doing any good.

I would hope that whatever wisdom we pick up along the way is also edifying as well.