Pentecostal Q&A

[Bren]

Sure I'll get picked apart at every turn but I may as well have some fun

My denomination is Pentecostal. We get the name from Pentecost which is covered in Acts 2. Here are some of our beliefs.

We believe Acts 2:38 is the plan of salvation
We don't believe in the cutting of a womans hair
We also believe is speaking in tounges

Those are a few things off the top of my head. If more come to mind I might add them. Ask away.

[John Chrysostom]

Thank you Bren, I sure hope you don't get picked apart at every turn. I for one am very interested in learning more about Pentecostals.

So Pentecostal is rather a broad term, are there different denominations of Pentecostal? If so which do you belong to?

Why don't you believe in the cutting of a woman's hair?

When speaking in tounges do you follow the instructions of St. Paul in 1st Corinthians 14?

When baptizing someone do you do it in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

How often does your church take communion?

[Bren]

So Pentecostal is rather a broad term, are there different denominations of Pentecostal? If so which do you belong to?

To be honest not really. Around us you will sometimes hear the term Apostlic.That is just another word that Pentecostals use but they are still Pentecosta.

Why don't you believe in the cutting of a woman's hair?

In I Corinthians 11, long hair is translated to mean uncut hair. For another thing we also use it as a way of being set apart. I've head countless times of women standing out because of their long hair. People really do notice and in some cases it gives a chance to tell others about God

When speaking in tounges do you follow the instructions of St. Paul in 1st Corinthians 14?

This is one question I will ask you to give more detail too because I am not exactly sure what you are getting at. It could be a number of things.

When baptizing someone do you do it in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

That is one thing that normally causes debate. We do it in the name of Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Here's what happened in Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said he came in his fathers name and the comforter which we know as the Holy Sprit/Ghost would come in his name. That is the simple answer.

How often does your church take communion?

We normally do that once a year. Sometimes we do it at Easter sometimes around New Years.

[John Chrysostom]

Why use the term Apostolic?

How do you interact with other Pentecostal churches? Is there any kind of formal network or structure?

My main question would be regarding these verses "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God."

Is there a reason given for only taking communion once a year?

Also what would your denominations stance be on the Nicean Creed?

[Bren]

Why use the term Apostolic?

It basically has to do with following the way of the Apostles in the early church

How do you interact with other Pentecostal churches? Is there any kind of formal network or structure?

There are various organizations. 2 in paticular would be the Worldwide Pentecostal Fellowshp and the United Pentecostal Church. We attend youth rallys and such when they are at a nearby church. We also go to a youth convention in July every year.

My main question would be regarding these verses "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God."

That is basically means that no more than 2 or 3 people should give tounges interpretation. Which, for those who don't know, that is if God gives someone a message for the church in tounges and someone else has an understanding of the message. So, yes, we do follow the teachings in that chapter.

Is there a reason given for only taking communion once a year?

There's no set reason. Different churches do it differently. This is just how we choose to do it.

Also what would your denominations stance be on the Nicean Creed?

To be honest I should study that more. I will say we believe that there is one God. He is the father in the OT. He robed himself in flesh in the NT, and he is also our comforter today.

[John Chrysostom]

What are some of the ways you follow the Apostles of the Early Church? I ask this because I'm always interested in how different denominations view the Apostles.

So what would your church say is happening in Matthew 3:16-17?

[Bren]

What are some of the ways you follow the Apostles of the Early Church? I ask this because I'm always interested in how different denominations view the Apostles.

It's interesting you would bring that up cause we are doing a study right now about that based off of Acts 2:42-47
Fellowship is one of them. They were witnesses to signs and wonders together - verse 43 and they shared their material possessions together – verse 44-45. We do some of those as well. Beer commercials, for instance, don’t sell beer, they sell fellowship. No one is ever portrayed drinking alone; it’s always done in the context of people enjoying each other’s company. Fellowship is a oneness of purpose and cause, a setting aside of personal agenda’s. It is a focused purpose. Another way is prayer. They prayed together. So, our church in paticular has prayer on Saturday nights.

So what would your church say is happening in Matthew 3:16-17?

A voice from heaven confirmed that this was the christ. The voice was for Johns benefit. Basically this was God speaking of the flesh. Personally I don't see it any different than God saying that of one of his children today though it doesn't always happen in that paticular way.


On another note, this has just been me and Ayn. As pastor I do think more should be involved so as not to make it a 2 way conversation.

[Amethystic]

We don't believe in the cutting of a womans hair

I went to Pentecostal church throughout my childhood, and I don't ever remember hearing this. Is it one of those "our little denominational rulebook says officially this is our stance" things that nobody follows strictly, or am I missing something here?

[Sapphire]

So, are you saying that if a woman cuts her hair she is in sin? Or, is it more of a modesty policy?

[Bren]

We don't believe in the cutting of a womans hair

I went to Pentecostal church throughout my childhood, and I don't ever remember hearing this. Is it one of those "our little denominational rulebook says officially this is our stance" things that nobody follows strictly, or am I missing something here?

There might be 1 or 2 pentecostal churches not in one of the organizations that might not teach that.

So, are you saying that if a woman cuts her hair she is in sin? Or, is it more of a modesty policy?

It's not my place to judge if your sinning. I would say it has to do with modesty and seperation.

[Whitty Whit]

So if a woman came to you for advice on whether she should cut her hair, what would you tell her?

What's your view on drinking? Whether it be social, casual, heavy drinking.

[Bren]

So if a woman came to you for advice on whether she should cut her hair, what would you tell her?

I would most likely wonder why they are asking me because I wouldn't want to tell a woman what to do to their hair. Though, as far as I said in I Corinthians 11, long hair is translated to mean uncut hair so that is what the church would tell you.

What's your view on drinking? Whether it be social, casual, heavy drinking.

The church and my view are the same. It isn't good for you and I don't think God would want you to do something that could later ruin your life.

[Whitty Whit]

So if a woman came to you for advice on whether she should cut her hair, what would you tell her?

I would most likely wonder why they are asking me because I wouldn't want to tell a woman what to do to their hair. Though, as far as I said in I Corinthians 11, long hair is translated to mean uncut hair so that is what the church would tell you.

I'm only asking you because I'm too dense to get your view from several posts.

What's your view on drinking? Whether it be social, casual, heavy drinking.

The church and my view are the same. It isn't good for you and I don't think God would want you to do something that could later ruin your life.

Okay. So how would you interpret this verse:
"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."
I realize that's not necessarily all in context, but I want to focus on "use a little wine for thy stomach's sake"

[Bren]

Where was that at?

[Whitty Whit]

1 Timothy 5:23, I think.

[Dr. Watson]

Do you believe tongues are actual human languages or estatic speech?

[Bren]

Well, you also have to keep in mind that what they drank back then wasn't as bad as what we have now. What we have now becomes addictive and ruins lives. Big difference.

Do you believe tongues are actual human languages or estatic speech?

We believe it to be a gift from God. One thing about tounges is it is a sign that one has recieved the Holy Ghost.

[Dr. Watson]

Do you believe tongues are actual human languages or estatic speech?

We believe it to be a gift from God. One thing about tounges is it is a sign that one has recieved the Holy Ghost.

What I meant was: the tongues that you believe is a gift from God-- is it a miraculous speaking of a human language that the person had not previously learned or knew, or is it a unknown angelic language of undeterminable vocalizations?

[Bren]

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. So they never knew it. Like I said, they come when the Holy Ghost/Spirit comes in.

[John Chrysostom]

Okay we understand what tongues are a sign of but what Dr. Watson is asking is this: Are people who speak in tongues speaking in a known language? Or is it an unknown language?