Pentacostalism
Pentecostalism Worldwide movement based on the belief that Christians in every age may receive the baptism in the Spirit and the same Charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit as did the first Christians on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. These gifts include speaking in tongues or glossolalia, prophecy, physical healing, and exorcism, the exercise of all of which are given to the believer in an experience known as baptism in the Holy Spirit, an experience distinct from conversion and baptism. Pentecostalism distinguishes between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a source of saving faith and the outpouring of the Spirit which empowers for Christian ministry and witness. Pentecostalism also has a strong millennial element and teaches the plenary inspiration of the Bible and instantaneous sanctification. In some ways it has a strong affinity with Montanism of the second century and is strongly restorative in its efforts to revive the spontaneity of worship and fullness of gifts that were marks of the Apostolic Age.
Pentecostalism as it has spread around the world in the twentieth century is associated with joyous forms of worship, characterized by physical expressions, such as clapping of hands, raising of hands, and, in rare cases, dancing. In addition to what has come to be called “classic Pentecostalism,” there are neo-Pentecostal or Charismatic movements within mainline churches of which the Catholic Charismatics are the best known
Pentecostal churches Protestant churches that subscribe to the Pentecostal faith. Modern Pentecostalism began in the United States as an outgrowth of the Holiness movement. In 1901 a Bible school called Bethel College was started in Topeka, Kansas, by Charles F. Parham, who preached Spirit baptism as indispensable for holiness. His students carried this message across the South and one of them, William J. Seymour, an African-American, brought the teaching in 1906 to Los Angeles, where he founded the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission on Azusa Street. Despite his unimpressive appearance and lack of preaching abilities, the revival that he sparked on Azusa Street had reverberations throughout the Christian world. Azusa Street became the birthplace of modern Pentecostalism. It was carried to many countries within almost a few decades; Thomas Ball Barratt carried it to Norway, Alexander A. Boddy to England, Pandita Ramabai to India, and Willis C. Hoover to Chile.
As opposition to Pentecostalism from mainline denominations grew, Pentecostals began to establish their own denominations. Of these the most important were the Assemblies of God, the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Tomlinson), the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and the United Pentecostal Church International. Of these, the largest is the Assemblies of God, based in Springfield, Missouri. It is very active in foreign missions and has extensive facilities for training ministers. The Church of God in Christ is the largest and most influential black Pentecostal body. A great number of the healing ministries and media ministries in the world belong to the Pentecostal movement. The post World War II period witnessed the appearance of a spate of independent Pentecostal groups, such as the New Order of the Latter Rain and Wings of Healing.
Within every major denomination, including the Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Methodist churches, there are Charismatic groups that share in the explosive growth of Pentecostalism. Originally, the religion of the poor, it has become increasingly middle class and diverse in its racial mix. The five largest churches in the world are Pentecostal. By 2000 Pentecostals numbered over 100 million around the globe. Lesslie Newbigin has described Pentecostalism as the “third wave of Christianity.” Whereas the Catholic and Orthodox traditions emphasize continuity, orthodoxy, and the sacraments, and Protestantism emphasizes the centrality of the Scriptures, the Pentecostals have added the gifts of the Spirit.