Pentecostalism, along with Neo-Pentecostalism and other charismatic groups, are labels for a huge segment (the largest church in the world is in Korea—Yoi Do Full Gospel Church boasting 240,000 members) of the “Christian” world which believes in the experienced presence of the 3rd person of the trinity—the Holy Spirit. IMHO this is done to a fault. This portion of Christianity insists they have active involvement with the Holy Spirit in everyday life: including a Wesleyan/Holiness form of sanctification, divine healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, et. al. Among other errors, Pentecostalism believes in women preachers. The Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.) began ordaining women in 1909. The Assemblies of God first ordained women in 1914. <br><br>In the years following Azusa Street (a “revival” lead by William J. Seymour— Azusa Street Mission), numerous Pentecostals began to question the proper formula for baptism. Pentecostals noted that the baptisms in the book of Acts were in the name of Jesus only. With this understanding, some began to baptize and re-baptize in Jesus’ name only. But, what began as a baptismal formula soon led to a denial of the Trinity by some denominations (Oneness Pentecostals). <br><br>While I WOULD NOT and DO NOT agree with several of the beliefs within Pentecostalism, I DO see one important aspect of the Scripture they have re-highlighted and brought to the Church—the active involvement of the Holy Spirit. Because of their errors in this area, they have caused the Church to reevaluate the person, presence, and ministry of the Holy Spirit exegetically, historically, in the life of the community of the Church, and for individual Christian living. While like in any other "evangelical" denomination there are the lost and the saved, IMHO they have some of the elect in their midst. Sinclair Ferguson has an excellent book called. The Holy Spirit if anyone is interested.

Reformed and Always Reforming,