Pentecostal Churches Is A Protestant Christianity Church Within The Growing Charismatic Movement

The Pentecostal movement in Protestant Christianity has a special significance on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is said in the Biblical account of the Day of Pentecost. Pentecostalism is similar to the Charismatic Movement. But it was developed earlier and separated from the mainstream church.

Charismatic Christians tend to remain in their respective denominations in earlier days. According to Pentecostals, you must be saved if you believe in Jesus as master. The forgiveness of sins are acceptable to God. They are believers of water baptism as an outward sign of conversion. They say all the believers of Jesus must experience the baptism in holy spirit. Some Pentecostals believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is always accompanied initially by the outward evidence of speaking in tongues.

This is a major difference between Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians who believe that a Christian who is baptized in the Holy Spirit may exhibit other physical signs instead of speaking in tongues. However, the idea that one is not saved unless one speaks in tongues is rejected by most major Pentecostal denominations. Pentecostals also believe that the Bible has the final authority in matters of faith. There are 105 million Pentecostals with the largest Pentecostal denominations (with 2 million or more adherents).

There are Assemblies of God ( 51 million), New Apostolic Church (11 million), Kimbanguist Church ( 8 million), Church of God in Christ (7 million) and Church of God in Christ ( 7 million) etc. Pentecostal believe that there is one true and living God. He is everlasting, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness. He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible and Preserver of all things. In the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons of one individual essence, who are co-equal, co-existent and co-eternal- the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

The Son is the eternally begotten of the Father. He accepted earthly limitations for the purpose of incarnation. He is true God and true man. He is conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the just for the unjust as a substitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He will return again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and justice. Pentecostal Church of God