For the record, I am a Pentecostal pastor of an Assemblies of God church and I actually agree with Jim West’s take on Pentecost. He wrote on his blog:
In fact, Pentecostalism is astonishingly new on the field of Christian denominations, so it really can lay no claim either to the name of the Feast nor the boast that it refers to their particular brand of faith.
The Day of Pentecost (in the Christian Tradition) is the birthday of the Church (to put it vulgarly). It isn’t about blathering in unknown tongues (as is commonly practiced among many Pentecostals)- it’s about the clear and concise communication of the Gospel in known languages to pilgrims who otherwise would not understand the message of Peter.
Christians everywhere – seize your birthright- deny the narrow misinterpretation of the birth day of the Churchby the ‘tongue’ babblers- and call yourselves Pentecostals (in the true sense of the word) today! You too have a message for the pilgrims encountered in your life. So speak it to them in words they can comprehend.
Surprisingly, few Pentecostals even preach about the real and true meanings of Pentecost on Pentecost Sunday – I guess that’s all too liturgical! I’d like to add a couple of things if I may.
I have tended to think if one is a Christian one is a Pentecostal in some sense since every Christian receives the Holy Spirit into his or her life when he or she places faith in Christ. It is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that unifies us as Christians around the world irrespective of denomination or faith group.
One thing many Pentecostals miss is that it isn’t about the tongues but about charismatic empowerment to be witness to Jesus Christ in both word and in deed. He gives us supernatural ability to go beyond our natural ability!
In actuality – Pentecost is connected to the feast of harvest – so in some sense Christians are to be harvesters, of souls that is, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Our churches are not to be small little country clubs – we are to be as open as possible and seeking to impact peoples and nations through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
So, indeed, call yourself a Pentecostal – for that is what you are, if you follow Jesus Christ and give witness to him in word (things you say and don’t say) and in deed (things you do and don’t do).
amen! Yeah, that whole Church calender thing, it’s ssssoooo 2,000 years ago; we all know the ‘real’ church started 100 years ago in Topeka (or was it Azuza?!)
Don’t forget that for 1c Jews Pentecost was also the celebration of the giving of the Torah, which was also fulfilled in the giving of the Spirit.
Pentecost was this past Thursday. Looks like Jim’s diatribe was a couple of days late.
Topkea was when Agnes Ozman(?) first spoke in tongues (in connection with Charles Parhams’ failed Bible School there – Azusa pretty much launched the Pentecostal revival in America – though things were also happening in the East as well (ie, Church of God, Clevland TN, Church of God in Christ in the South, etc) – though in reality, pentecostal like occurances had been going on off and on since, well, the Day of Pentecost, and occured in increasing frequency (there were occurances in India and parts of Europe (e.g., the Keswick Revival) and even in America (reports of occurances are connected with Johnathan Edward’s services and Charles Finney’s services) up to the Azusa Street Revival, that began at 312 Azusa St, in 1906 as lead by William Seymour.
Tony, can you elaborate a bit on your point about the giving of Torah as fillied by the giving of the Spirit?
Great post. Just thinking – For myself (Reformed) what wording could be used with the word Pentecost in it that would be true to what you assert but not confuse people? Christian of the Pentecost? That could be a conversation starter for non-Christians.
Jeff
Tony, based on some reading I am doing at the moment – it seems that pentecost was not really associated with the giving of the Law at Sinai until after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. So typically before that is was celebrated as the Feast of Harvest or Feast of Weeks in Judaism with the beginning of the offering of firstfruits.
Brian,
My Anchor Bible Dictionary says that Jubilees (c.a.150b.c.) makes the connection explicit, and likely certain Qumran texts indicate this as well.
I’ll write up a post of an exegetical/theological interpretation of Acts 2 and see if it squares with you.
Great Post, Brian. And I have my roots in “Assemblies of God” as well – but I agree with this. Thanks for posting this – I believe a lot of things are different than the way we always “believed” them to be. I know we have rethought many things we were taught. Old childhood teachings die hard.
It’s unfortunate to use the phrase “blathering in tongues.” Such a pejorative detracts from the point of the post. Also, it is a mistake to say Pentecostalism is “new to the scene.” The evidence of spiritual gifts is evident all through church history.
But being Trinitarian is to be Pentecostal in some sense, as you pointed out, Brian. And the entire point of the power of the Spirit is being witnesses.
Blathering away for Jesus…
Brian, thank you for your thoughts they have been very helpful (more than you can know).
May I ask about this comment, “since every Christian receives the Holy Spirit into his or her life when he or she places faith in Christ. It is the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that unifies us as Christians around the world irrespective of denomination or faith group”
How do you go with others in your denomination who insist of a secondary work of grace and tongues as an initial evidence? Those two issues saw me hand back my AG credential. Perhaps it is different in the states but in AUS for the AG those two things are the holy cow that now one can touch.
Mark: Brian’s better qualified to answer your question since he’s an AG pastor, but to my knowledge the Baptism in/with the Holy Spirit with tongues as the initial physical evidence are still AG distinctives that are to be affirmed.
That is what i would have thought, however, is it the case in the US (as it is in AUS) that 75% of the pastors just choose to keep their mouth shut and disagree in quiet?
*big smile* So proud to say that my Church of God of Prophecy pastor preached that *exact* message of harvest yesterday! Go Pastor D – that’s MY pastor! LOL
Mark: I couldn’t tell you. I personally don’t see anything to disagree with so I suppose if I were an AG pastor in Australia I’d be part of the 25%.
I would have expected that Nick, you haven’t done any theological training!
Mark
Yup – basically Nick is right – The baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial physical evidence of speaking in tongues is the primary distinctive of the AG (and typically a distinctive of Pentecostalism in general). To be a licensed or ordained minister in the AG you need to affirm this positon and have received it for oneself.
If it’s not 75% of ministers keeping their mouths shut for disagreement – it’s pastors struggling with the doctrine or their choosing not to emphasize Spirit Baptism (or play it down) or allow expression of the gifts (especially now that there is the whole private/public debet (sort of)) for fear it will keep their churches from growing (too much potential craziness, despite 1 Cor 14:22 when properly done). It’s also keeping many a younger minister from joining on with the AG – especially all dem edjumacated folk!
But I tend to think for not a few of the younger folks it’s more an issue of not seeing too much of the Spirit-filled life lived out than it is disagreement with IPE. They don’t like the hypocrisy – people claiming to be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues yet are mean and living in sin.
But this is a complex issue with different things going on (and not easy for me to give a short answer to) – on the one hand there are those claiming the AG is facing a doctrinal crisis and screaming for the need to hold on tight and not give up the doctrine – then there are those who are insisting it is not a doctrinal crisis but a methodoligical one – how people receive the Baptism of the Spirit is not the way we’ve always been taught (that people have to tarry for the Baptism or that it is immediate and so on).
I tend to side with the methodoligocal side of the debate.
All that to say also, the position is cited is not without controversy to say the least (that it is more associated with salvation, which is Fee’s position) – I think there can be a more or less two pronged aspect to receieving the Spirit – one is salvific and the other is charismatic empowerment – and I think many are confusing the two wanting them to be the same – we are meshing Paul (who talked of the salvific aspect) and Luke (who emphaisized charismatic empowerment) when instead we need to see Paul and Luke in tandem instead of at odds. I assert that a Christian needs both – the saving work of the Spirit and the supernatural empowerment of the Spirit.
Does this make sense at all?
ps, at the moment – stats say less than 50% of those attending an AG church have ever experienced or received the Baptism withthe Holy Spirit and spoken in tongues.
also no AG church is alike – some emphasize it, some don’t and everything in between – more and more they have the feel of your basic evangelical non-denominational church. many have gone to an “AG” church for years and didn’t even know it eas AG or what that even means.
Mark: Exactly! So my head hasn’t been filled with all those nonsensical things they teach in the cemetaries, er, uh, I mean seminaries.
I too agree. In fact, on Sunday I’ll be exploring the work of the Spirit in the life of the NT church, esp. the continuation of the gifts.