Originally Posted by PJM View Post Sincere THANKS for sharring. From your faith expereince and background, I'd like to ask: catholic answers forum 4 dummies

May 14, '13, 12:33 pm

ltwin Regular Member   Join Date: November 9, 2009 Posts: 2,043 Religion: Pentecostal

Re: Ask a Pentecostal Quote: Originally Posted by PJM Sincere THANKS for sharring. From your faith expereince and background, I'd like to ask: IF we believe that God is ONE? How then can God hold more than One position [one set of faith-beliefs] on LONG defined Faith-issues? God doesn't. People do. __________________ Oh that rugged cross My salvation Where Your love poured out over me Now my soul cries out Hallelujah Praise and honour unto Thee

#243   May 14, '13, 2:29 pm

Hat4 Junior Member   Join Date: September 9, 2011 Posts: 148 Religion: Catholic

Re: Ask a Pentecostal As a Pentecostal, if you move do you seek out another church of the same branch of Pentecostalism or would any of them do? For instance if you had been attending an AOG church and moved out of town could you go to a Church of God in Christ church if it's closer to your house or do Pentecostals tend to stay in the same tradition? I assume with the different branches there are theological differences but would that pose a problem?

#244   May 14, '13, 3:05 pm

ltwin Regular Member   Join Date: November 9, 2009 Posts: 2,043 Religion: Pentecostal

Re: Ask a Pentecostal Quote: Originally Posted by Hat4 As a Pentecostal, if you move do you seek out another church of the same branch of Pentecostalism or would any of them do? In my situation, I have a lot of freedom because I grew up in the independent or the "unorganized" Pentecostal movement. However, my church was founded as a Pentecostal Church of God, but later withdrew. The basic theology has remained the same, but our church has been influenced by other movements, like Word of Faith, prosperity gospel, etc. If I had to choose, I would probably attend an AG church, since its theology is basically the same as the PCG. Both the PCG and the AG are Baptistic Pentecostals, meaning they believe in progressive sanctification. However, my family attended 2 Pentecostal Holiness Churches for short periods. I really enjoyed one of these. So, I'm not opposed to Wesleyan denominations like the PHC or the Church of God (Cleveland, TN). In some circumstance I could see myself in a Church of God in Christ church. The COGIC is theologically Wesleyan. This church has a strongly African-American heritage. My background is in the "white" Pentecostal movement (though all the Pentecostal churches I've been to have been multiracial). What I mean is that predominantly African-American churches have their own traditions and ways of doing things that would take some getting used to for me. Quote: Originally Posted by Hat4 For instance if you had been attending an AOG church and moved out of town could you go to a Church of God in Christ church if it's closer to your house or do Pentecostals tend to stay in the same tradition? The relationship of the AG and the COGIC is interesting. The AG is the largest predominantly white Pentecostal church in the US. The COGIC is the largest predominantly black Pentecostal church in the US. There is some evidence that some of the first AG ministers were licensed by the COGIC before they withdrew to form the AG. Throughout the Jim Crow Era, the AG considered the COGIC its "colored" counterpart. If black people inquired about membership or ordination in the AG, AG churches were advised to direct them to the nearest COGIC church. Of course, today, the AG church is integrated and has a lot of black members in it. If someone has a strong background in a particular denomination, they would most likely stay in that denomination. However, many Pentecostal churches don't make a big deal about advertising that they are part of a denomination. So, you could spend years in a Pentecostal church and not know that it is affiliated with any particular denomination unless they explicitly make a note of mentioning it. For example, "New Hope Assembly of God" is pretty clear. But names like "Victory Christian Center," "The Upper Room," or the hoplessly redundant, "Free Liberty Holy Spirit Church" are not very clear on what denomination if any they are affiliated. Quote: