The church is called to be an example of Christ on earth, to preach love and the forgiveness of sin that Christ has given through his sacrifice on the cross. The church is meant to be a ‘watchman’ for the world, pointing people toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,  towards his finished work on the cross and the grace he has made readily available for us to receive. The church is to promote the gospel and be a model for the gospel by acting out the life of Christ both in word and deed.

The church is a place of fellowship and connection with God, not that we can’t do that individually in our comfort zones. Still, the church has helped us identify with Christ, made us partakers of Christ’s body, and undoubtedly helped us grow spiritually.

In the earliest history, various controversies threatened the purpose and unity of the church, which made many take Christianity as a nominal belief rather than live-a-life-like-Him. Still, it maintained unity and stayed united for several centuries. As a result, the knowledge of Christ became acclaimed and consequential throughout every region, making it possible for everyone to partake in the gift and new life that Christ has given, which is ‘Salvation.” Regardless of your Christian denomination, church.org is here to point you in the right direction of learning more and connecting to a local church.

The Pentecostal church, handpicked out of many, is a church named to commemorate the experience of the disciples on the day of Pentecost in the upper room when the Lord visited them, “Like a mighty rushing wind, and when the Holy Ghost descended on them like a cloven tongue made of fire,” has it was described in the Acts of Apostles. That occurrence marked the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to send a comforter after his ascension. It demonstrated God’s power, and that day a mandate was given to the disciples to preach the gospel and bear witness of the gospel to all nations and regions.

Therefore, the term ‘Pentecostal’ comes from the New Testament encounter on the Day of Pentecost. Their movement and core principle are centered on Evangelism and getting believers filled with the Spirit of God with evidence of speaking in tongues. Their mission is to know God for themselves and experience his presence personally without any intermediary. Pentecostalism is not just a building or a body on its own. It is a movement that comprises many church groups. Pentecostalism has grown strongly and has over 500 million followers worldwide, making up more than 10% of all Christians.

What denominations are the “Pentecostals,” and how do they differ from other Christians?

Pentecostals are members of distinct Protestant denominations,  they share the same beliefs with other Christian denominations, but they put more emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit and allowing the Spirit to find expression through a believer. Other churches, like Evangelical churches, believe that the Spirit of God comes at conversion, but pentecostal theology teaches that it occurs at an unidentified time after conversion and that believers should be expectant and seek through faith. These are what differentiates The Pentecostal Church movement; however, they still believe in the word of God and obey its commandments.

When talking about Pentecostalism, we have to make mention of Progressive Pentecostalism. It is a new version of Pentecostalism that emerged from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Progressive Pentecostals not only believe that we are saved through grace or that the Spirit of God is in his church and us, but they also believe strongly that the same Spirit is also interested in every aspect of our wellbeing. We understand that the Spirit of God is limited to spiritual things and everything about our welfare and liberation. This has made them the fastest-growing Christian movement in Africa.

Who leads The Pentecostal church?

Charles Fox Parham is the leading figure in the history of the Pentecostal movement. He is the founder of the first Pentecostal church, the Apostolic Faith Church. In the late 90s, he oversaw a Bible School in Topeka, Kansas. He led his students in a bible study session to better understand the baptism of the Spirit. The Bible Study session led to a powerful revival; all the students, including Parham, were filled with proof of speaking in tongues. This encounter birthed the beginning of the Pentecostal Religion.

The Pentecostal Church is led by a General Bishop, previously called General Superintendent, the title of a bishop is used to appoint someone who is charged with supervising and directing local congregation leadership (Pastor). However, the leadership structure of The Pentecostal Church is different from other denominations. Their structure is modeled according to how it is described in the scripture; most Pentecostal churches have three leadership positions, The Lead Pastor, The Elder, and The Deacons. The Pastor is the head of the church with the responsibility of preaching the Word, The Elders oversee the spiritual needs of specific local body members, and The Deacons help with the church’s day-to-day operations. Appointing ministers to these positions is by the Spirit of God; the leaders are chosen from within the congregation, and the gathered church affirms it. Before anyone is considered to be chosen as a leader, that person would have demonstrated a commitment, faithfulness, and dedication to the things of God and the propagation of God’s church.

What does The Pentecostal Church Believe?

The Pentecostal Church has been known through the years for its belief in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, its emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, and the direct experience and manifestation of the presence of God through a believer through faith. Pentecostal churches stress the importance of walking in the Spirit as the way a believer can have the strength to truly live a Christian life and be an example others can emulate. The Pentecostal Religion believes strongly in building a relationship with God and having a personal encounter with him as well as exhibiting the gifts of the Spirit like speaking in tongues, prophecy, visions, and divine healing which reflects the pattern of faith and other spiritual manifestations.

Do they believe in water immersion? Yes, Pentecostal churches follow the scripture and practice baptism by immersion. They see it as an outward symbol of what has already happened within the Spirit of God, and water baptism is an additional component.

The Orthodox Pentecostal Church, such as the Assembly of God, believes in the Trinity. They acknowledge that God is one and that the Father, Son, who is Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit are each God. They believe that God the son (Christ) died for sinners and that he came as an atonement for the lost. However, Frank Ewart, the founder of Oneness Pentecostal, doesn’t share the same belief. Ewart believed that there was only one personality in the Godhead: Jesus Christ. The terms “Father” and “Spirit” represented diverse aspects of Christ.

Do Pentecostals Believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? 

They believe and are awaiting the second coming of Jesus. Although most Pentecostals are eschatologically oriented, the term eschatology refers to conceptions about the resurrection of the saints, migration of the soul, immortality, rebirth, and the end of time.

What does a Pentecostal Worship Service Look like?

Before deciding to attend a Pentecostal Church near you, I’m sure you’d appreciate an insight into how the service goes. Attending a Pentecostal church service for the first time might be strange, especially when you’re not from a Pentecostal background. Seeing people jumping, jubilating, shouting, and showing different expressions of their love for Christ might look off to you, but don’t be surprised. That’s what their service usually looks like. They are very warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly, they usually socialize and meet one another before service starts, so if you are new and you happen to be there beforehand, quite a few people would approach you and offer to shake your hand, be willing to answer any questions you might have, and try to initiate a friendly conversation to make you feel relaxed and comfortable. Please don’t see it as being intrusive or forward, they are just happy that you are there with them.

Service usually starts with 20-30 minutes of worship, usually led by a music leader or a gospel band. Special lighting might be available for this session, and there may be a projection of the lyrics to different songs they sing to help you better understand. Expect to see many adults and youths around the church, swaying their hands, shouting, and dancing. Some have strong-spirited reactions like crying or even laughing, speaking in tongues, and praising God. This session is usually filled with enthusiasm and fanaticism. Some might even have a personal encounter with God, unable to remain standing upright while God is working on them. Once the person falls, so to say, they are immediately covered with a white cloth (modesty for women wearing skirts or gowns) and left alone for some time, or someone from a department in the church stays nearby to help them up when they are ready.

They normally have a short transition between praise and the sermon to allow people to formally greet one another, a time for the congregation to tithe, and hear updates and announcements. The sermon will be centered on the scripture and passionately ministered to the congregation. There will likely be an altar call toward the end of the service, an avenue to preach the finished work of  Christ, carrying out the ministry of reconciliation. You’ll know it’s time for the altar call when you hear, “Every head bowed, every eye closed.” Pentecostals respect the quasi-private nature of this commitment, and the entire congregation prays together for the people that came out to accept Christ.

When the service ends, everyone might not likely dismiss. Meetings might be conducted, rehearsals might hold, parents would socialize with other parents, parents would fetch their kids from the children’s church if there’s one, friends would meet, selfies would be taken, newcomers would be attended to, and there would be more socialization and friendliness. Everything sounds amazing, right? If you are interested in attending a Pentecostal Church, this article encourages you to attend and seek a church that preaches the truth of God’s word, which is spirit-filled.

What should I know if I want to join a Pentecostal Church?

 Before making up your mind to join a Pentecostal Church or any other Christian Church near me, these are the few things you should know about:

● Their principle and belief are centered on the scriptures. Their core beliefs can be found in the book of Acts of Apostles, especially in the first two chapters.

● The Pentecostal Church is a church that believes in prayer as a way of communicating with God. Studying the word of God is another way to be directed by God.

● Like Evangelical Churches, they also evangelize and take winning souls for Christ seriously.

● They believe strongly in baptism by the spirit. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done a water baptism or not.

● They manifest several spiritual gifts like prophecy, visions, words of knowledge, and they demonstrate divine physical healings. Don’t be surprised when you see pastors laying hands or anointing people even though it wasn’t part of the order of service for that day.

● Some Pentecostal churches expect women to dress modestly and moderately, with no makeup or jewelry. Their men should be in smart and neat outfits with neat haircuts, although not all Pentecostals follow these guidelines.

How do I know if this is the church for me?

This is a very thoughtful question! Finding a Christian church that suits your beliefs is not as easy as it sounds, so I understand the need for this question. It can be a stressful thing as well as time-consuming when it comes to looking for a perfect church. No church is perfect. However, the primary mission of a believer’s gathering must be considered and accomplished. One must be very careful, vigilant, and observant when selecting a church to start worshiping in. We attend a church or assemblies to keep us connected to God, to keep us committed to a local assembly, and to have someone nurture us in our spiritual journey. Knowing if a church will accomplish these purposes, you must consider the following before becoming a permanent member:

● Identify your expectations: Know what you want! All Christians aren’t looking for the same things in a church. What are you hoping to achieve when you start attending this church? Asking yourself this question can help determine the kind of Christian church you’d likely go for. If you have a misplaced expectation or don’t have any expectation of what you want from fellowshipping in a particular church, the church might not impact you, and that wouldn’t be because the church doesn’t have sound doctrines. It’s because you aren’t expectant, and if you are not expecting anything, you can’t receive it.

● Before choosing a Christian church to attend, checking with the Spirit of God through prayers is very practical. Our inner conscience mostly confirms things for us; sometimes, God guides our endeavors through our conscience or instinct. If you don’t feel comfortable or are not at peace about attending a particular church, it’s time you stop going.

● Another crucial thing to consider is if the church is preaching the truth of God’s word. Suppose the church is teaching something contrary to the word of God. In that case, it is a big red flag because the foundation of every church should be built on the undiluted word of God and the whole Bible needs to be preached without taking or adding anything to it. So, if the church is preaching what is not the truth, I don’t see how you can grow or gain from the church. So, you need to study the Bible and get a revelation of his word. That way, you can recognize erroneous teachings.

● Another thing the right church will present is the avenue to grow spiritually and to serve God. Mind you, the church is not solely responsible for your growth, it is an individual thing, but the church should equip you for growth. So if the church is not adding to your growth, it’s probably not where you should be.

Do Pentecostal churches have lots of locations?

There are diverse Pentecostal centers all over the world. For example, they are located in Nigeria (Salvation Ministries, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos), Ghana (Cathedral of Action Chapel International, Accra), Canada (Central Pentecostal Tabernacle), Sweden, Singapore, United States (Church of God, Huntsville, Alabama, etc.), Norway, India (Indian Pentecostal Church, etc.), Hong Kong (Wing Kwong Pentecostal Holiness Church, etc.), Australia (City Life Church, Hillsong Church, etc.), United Kingdom (Church of Pentecost, City of Faith Church, etc.) and so on.

How can I find a Pentecostal church near me?

You might be thinking how, do I find a Pentecostal Christian church near me? Don’t dwell too much on that. Click onFind a church to direct you to a Pentecostal church near you. Stress-free, all your answers will be answered with a click. It is also useful to find any otherChristian church near me.

Church.org is a platform aimed at helping everyone find and connect to a local church. It also provides an opportunity to meet and fellowship with other Christians through online prayer meetings, connecting you to an online church service wherever you are, helping you keep track of sermons, and allowing you to send in requests. It’s a single tool with diverse functions to help make your Christian walk easy.