The Pentecostal movement and the Assembly of God church which came out of it was founded by men who were for the best analysis influenced by the precedent set by the Catholic church and others instigated from the Reformation.
Over the years and centuries this convoluting of what the scriptures actually teach has become the norm in this day and age as unscriptural churches range into the high thousands.
A church service should consist of members Partaking of the Lords Supper, a prayer or more and a collection from the members, all together performing in singing, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. A sermon should be preformed consisting of admonishing those present and an example or examples of scriptures which teach.
No musical entertainment or political talk should be added for the service. The Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement has affected the all of Christianity in a Manner, not seen since the days of the Protestant Reformation.
Church groups that don’t believe in these modern day spiritual gifs are Astonished how its followers are captivated, but are puzzled at how much of New Testament teaching is completely ignored by wrongly interpreted scripture.
Most references on the beginning of the Pentecostal movement start with Charles Parham an an American holiness evangelist, who believed strongly in divine healing, and is considered by most to be the father of Pentecostalism.
Coming from Kansas Parham figured strongly in the emergence of Pentecostalism as a Recognizable Christian movement. Parham moved to Houston Texas In 1905, where he started a Bible training school. One of his students a black man, William J. Seymour, traveled to Los Angeles where his preaching at the racially integrated Azusa street converted stable where it lacked an absence of any order of service.
It was a three-year-long Revival from 1906. Members preached and testified as they felt moved by the Spirit, in their emotionally worked up frenzied they spoke and sung in tongues, and fell in the Spirit. Both religious and secular media attention was attracted by The revival and as thousands of visitors flocked to the mission, they got involved, then carried the event back to their home churches.
Seymour’s Azusa Street Revival is generally considered to have been The beginning of the widespread Pentecostal movement in the United States. From that movement, several churches were formed.
Speaking in tongues has lead into church members talking gibberish, rolling on the floor, making spectacles of themselves, giving the church a questionable name.
In 1 Corinthians 14:23-28, 33 Paul gives an example of speaking in tongues. Note, this letter from Paul was written before the New Testament was put together and the gifts that had been given to certain men were being applied.
- 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
- 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course;and let one interpret.
- 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
- 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.