Pentecostals: Perspective Profile

Pentecostals

Pentecostalism is a global movement of Protestant churches that emphasizes the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the present-day exercise of all spiritual gifts, including tongues, prophecy, and healing. It is among the fastest-growing Christian movements in the world, especially in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Classical Pentecostal denominations include the Assemblies of God, the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), and the Foursquare Church.

How Theologica classifies this tradition

A Protestant tradition that confesses the Trinity and the deity of Christ. Many of its members believe the Gospel, and we receive them as brethren in Christ. But on baptism, church order, and other parts of the whole counsel of God its teaching departs from Scripture, and that affects whether we can serve together in church practice.

Historical origins

Where It Came From

Pentecostalism grew out of the Holiness movement. In 1901, students at Charles Parham's Bible school in Topeka, Kansas, spoke in tongues and identified it as the evidence of Spirit baptism. The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles (1906), led by William J. Seymour, spread the movement around the world.

Primary sources

In Their Own Words

This profile describes the tradition from its own official documents and standard teaching:

Assemblies of God, Statement of Fundamental Truths
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), Declaration of Faith
The Apostolic Faith (newspaper of the Azusa Street Mission, 1906 to 1908)