A Guide to Pentecostal Denominations

Studying Pentecostal churches can be very confusing. There are scads of churches that are pentacostal, or charismatic, in nature, but do not have the word "pentecostal" in their name. There is also a specific denomination known as the United Pentecostal Church, but there are several variations of this as well. Generally speaking, there are several things that come to mind when hearing the word, "Pentecostal".

-Faith Healing
-Speaking in Tongues
-Baptism of the Holy Spirit
-Emotional Worship Services

It is very difficult to generalize about any type of religion or church. In my study of various Pentecostal denominations I have found as many disimilarities within the same denominations as I have found similarities. The following is a breakdown of a few of the common forms of the Pentecostal denomination, and the beliefs that are generally ascribed to within their statement of faith. Please keep in mind that these are general ideologies and practices, and may not be applicable to every church within the denomination. This is a short list of churches. There are several more varieties of pentecostalism in existence today.

The Pentecostal church

Sometimes, I tend to view Pentecostalism as one-and-the-same with the Charismatic church. During my study, however, I found that this is not the case. Pentecostalism actually developed earlier and then separated from the mainstream Charismatic church.

Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the Pentecostal Church's beliefs is that of a baptism of the Holy Spirit. To the Pentecostal, every person who is born again should receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This baptism is almost always evidenced by the ability to speak in tongues. Some Pentecostals would go so far as to say that if a person cannot speak in tongues, he is not saved. Other gifts such as prophesying and miraculous healings are also evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This view is different from that of the Charismatic Church, which maintains that the gift of speaking in tongues may or may not be bestowed on the Christian.

Some points of interest:

Salvation itself is attained by placing one's faith in Christ and repenting of one's sin. Pentecostals believe that the Holy Spirit takes up residency in a Christian at the time of conversion, but that the Baptism of the Spirit is a separate, defining, more intense experience. Pentecostals define the "unpardonable sin" (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit) as attributing the Divine gifts of tongues or healing to the devil or demonic activity.

They believe that the Bible is infallible and the rule for faith and practice.

Baptism is to be by immersion and should be performed after a person has made a public profession of faith in Christ.

The Pentecostal church greatly emphasizes evangelism and fulfilling the Great Commission.

They generally hold to the classical Christological teachings, (Jesus was the Son of God, He was sinless, Literal death and resurrection, Born of a virgin, etc.) with the exception of their view of the Trinity. The United Pentecostal Church International has a view of the Godhead known as Oneness, and rejects the idea of a Triune God. Other mainline Pentecostals do believe in the Trinity.

The Church of Christ

The Church of Christ considers itself to be a non-denominational, autonomous, Christian congregation. Some outside of the church insist that it is a denomination of the Pentecostal church, but the members of the church disagree with this assumption.

An interesting aspect of the Church of Christ is that it emphasizes only the New Testament to find doctrine, ecclesiastical (church) structure, and moral beliefs. While believing the Old Testament to be the accurate, inspired Word of God, the commands contained in it are not directed toward the Christian unless restated in the New Testament.

The Church of Christ discards the idea of a church hierarchy of leadership and believe that its non-denominational structure is closest to the New Testament model of Christianity.

Members of the church believe in a Universal Church which transcends time and they claim a direct spiritual lineage to first century Christians. The Bible is their one and only standard for faith and practice. They do not rely on any convention or synod to give them direction as to practices they observe. The Bible is considered to be open to continual interpretation.

Here are a few defining characteristics:

-They believe that repentance of one's sins is necessary for salvation, as well as faith in Christ. They believe baptism is necessary after profession of faith and repentance of sins in order to receive forgiveness of sins. Baptism is performed by immersion.
-They observe the memorial of the Lord's Supper every week.
-Each individual church is overseen by a group of male elders.
-Most congregations sing a cappella, or, without the use of instruments. This is done because the New Testament never refers to instruments being used in worship.
-They believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, unless the text clearly indicates it should be interpreted otherwise.
-Individual congregations vary widely in their practices because each one is allowed to interpret and apply the Bible for themselves.

The Foursquare Church

The Foursquare Church (The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel) was organized by two women in 1927 in California. Amy McPhearson was the leading controversial Evangelist who formed the Angelus Temple, the first official Foursquare Church. She not only preached in the church, but also was the person who built it and formed the denomination. The name "Foursquare" comes from the four-fold function of Christ as Savior, Healer, Baptizer and Coming King. The Foursquare Church is an official denomination of the Pentecostal Christian Church.

The Foursquare Church, as do its Pentecostal counterparts, believes that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, miraculous healings, prophesy and visions are still available to believers today, though they are not emphasized as strongly. Foursquare churches generally put more emphasis on the spiritual gifts found in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law."

Foursquare churches are known to be churches of moderation, and avoid both extremism and fanatacism. Another aspect of the Foursquare Chuch is that it emphasizes the personal relationship a believer has with Christ, rather than the requirements of a religious system.

Here are several basic core beliefs of The Church of the Foursquare Gospel:

-The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is the sole authority for faith and practice
-Belief in the Trinity
-The atoning death of Christ for sinners
-Salvation is attained by grace through faith in Jesus alone, upon sincere repentance and whole-hearted acceptance of Christ.
-The necessity of repentance
-Sanctification (The new birth)
-Baptism by immersion
-The memorial of the Lord's Supper
-The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (perhaps evidenced by speaking in tongues)
-Diving healing
-Imminent, personal return of Christ
-Final judgment in which the lost will be eternally separated from God in hell and believers will eternally be with God in heaven.

Assemblies of God Church

Assemblies of God is a denomination of the Pentecostal church and was established in the United States in 1914. It is the largest Pentecostal group in the United States.

Assemblies of God churches do not observe the sacraments of the Roman Catholic or Lutheran churches. Instead, they are similar to Baptists in that they observe two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper (observed symbolically in honor of Christ's sacrifice). Baptism is performed by total immersion after a person has professed faith in Christ.

Unlike the Nazarene church, the Assemblies of God believes in progressive sanctification (a believer becomes more like Christ over time as they study and obey the Word of God and grow in their faith).

A doctrine of great importance and emphasis to the Assemblies of God church is the Second Coming and the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth. Churches vary on their belief of whether or not there is a pre-tribulational rapture of the church prior to the reign of Christ on earth.

They, as their other Pentecostal counterparts, believe in a baptism of the Spirit which may or may not occur at the time of salvation. Spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, divine healing, the laying-on of hands and prophesying are also emphasized. In fact, they believe that as proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, a believer should have the ability to speak in tongues.

The Bible is considered the sole authority for life and practice in the Assemblies of God church. Each church is considered autonomous and self-governing. However, only the general or local council of Assemblies of God leaders can ordain individuals (including women) to the ministry.

The church does much mission work in the United States and abroad. In fact, there are over fifty-two million members of the church world-wide.

They are Arminian in their theology, believing that anyone can come to Christ and receive forgiveness of sins (free will), but that the person may also "fall from grace" or choose to reject Christ and His salvation.