Hi everyone.
I attend an Assembly of God church in Washington state. Been attending for about 18 months now, and really like the church. Great teaching, great worship, spirit-filled congregation... it's a huge blessing to be so close to home.
I've been a Christian for six years now. I'm not as spiritually mature and as I should be, given that length of time. I never really considered myself a Pentecostal. If someone asked what denomination of Christian I am, I said non-denominational, because I didn't know what the differences are (and still don't), and because I figured since every denomination clearly interpreted some things differently (and would, by nature, be adamantly opposed to some of the interpretations of other Christian denominations), none of them were likely to be 100% correct. That logic still makes an enormous amount of sense to me today.
However, when I made my account here, I had to pick a denomination (or non-denominational), and figured since I go to an AG, and haven't yet heard anything there that I disagreed with, it's probably safe to call myself a Pentecostal. So I did.
Then I read this thread: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/pentecostal-assemblies-of-god-statement-of-faith.7396063/
and the Fundamental Truths link inside it. I disagree with the 8th Fundamental Truth - that, "The initial physical evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is Speaking in Tongues."
I believe the gift of Tongues, and every other gift mentioned by Paul in his Epistles, still exist today. That said, I don't have the gift of tongues (though I have prayed for it). I believe many people never will speak in tongues, yet will still have the full power of the Holy Spirit. Most importantly, this seems to have been very clearly taught by Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. The Spirit distributes the gifts to each believer as he (the Spirit) determines. Later, Paul writes about desiring gifts, but there's no emphasis on tongues, aside from the description of the Day of Pentecost in Acts.
So, I dunno. What do you think? Am I missing something? Am I correct? Am I Pentecostal?
I attend an Assembly of God church in Washington state. Been attending for about 18 months now, and really like the church. Great teaching, great worship, spirit-filled congregation... it's a huge blessing to be so close to home.
I've been a Christian for six years now. I'm not as spiritually mature and as I should be, given that length of time. I never really considered myself a Pentecostal. If someone asked what denomination of Christian I am, I said non-denominational, because I didn't know what the differences are (and still don't), and because I figured since every denomination clearly interpreted some things differently (and would, by nature, be adamantly opposed to some of the interpretations of other Christian denominations), none of them were likely to be 100% correct. That logic still makes an enormous amount of sense to me today.
However, when I made my account here, I had to pick a denomination (or non-denominational), and figured since I go to an AG, and haven't yet heard anything there that I disagreed with, it's probably safe to call myself a Pentecostal. So I did.
Then I read this thread: http://www.christianforums.com/threads/pentecostal-assemblies-of-god-statement-of-faith.7396063/
and the Fundamental Truths link inside it. I disagree with the 8th Fundamental Truth - that, "The initial physical evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is Speaking in Tongues."
I believe the gift of Tongues, and every other gift mentioned by Paul in his Epistles, still exist today. That said, I don't have the gift of tongues (though I have prayed for it). I believe many people never will speak in tongues, yet will still have the full power of the Holy Spirit. Most importantly, this seems to have been very clearly taught by Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. The Spirit distributes the gifts to each believer as he (the Spirit) determines. Later, Paul writes about desiring gifts, but there's no emphasis on tongues, aside from the description of the Day of Pentecost in Acts.
So, I dunno. What do you think? Am I missing something? Am I correct? Am I Pentecostal?