1.4 Factors That Gave Rise to the Modern Pentecostal Movement

[Cameron]

2. “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Knowing that the Pope not only knows the Holy Spirit but even dedicated the 20th century to the Holy Spirit not only marks the importance of who the Holy Spirit is to many people around the world but in all of its publicity, the invitation for God to enter into many lives was created because of the people not ever hearing about the Holy Spirit before this.

[Caleb]

I 100% agree with William Seymour when he said “Don’t tell people about tongues, tell them about Jesus” because Jesus is simply the reason for spiritual gifts in the first place. They are signs and wonders to lead others to know God. Growing up I didn’t even know about spiritual gifts being given freely to believers until the day I was first baptized in the Spirit. I wanted to dedicate my life to Jesus and all of the sudden at the end of a regular Sunday service I was overwhelmed with feeling the love of God. through my groanings and overwhelming feelings I was experiencing as a 14 year old kid, one of my pastors then proceeded to explain to me the gift of tongues.

Jesus is the reason for spiritual gifts, namely tongues. Personally is someone were to tell me about the gift of tongues in every believer and tried to tell me I wasn’t a full believer if I hadn’t spoken in tongues before, I would think they were crazy and would probably be turned off from that church or maybe even Christianity. No matter how important spiritual gifts are, namely tongues in the ACOP, Jesus saves, not the experience of tongues in baptism of the Holy Spirit. I don’t think this is the case with everyone, but that is my personal experience.

[Rachel]

1. William Seymour – “Don’t tell people about tongues, tell them about Jesus.”

I agree with this statement because the most important commandment is love the Lord your God, then love your neighbor. It says nothing about tongues in those verses. God wants us to experience him and he does this when there is an out pouring of Holy Spirit. I can understand why tongues is important in defining if someone is/has been filled with the Spirit, but knowing Jesus comes first. Knowing his love and sharing it comes first.

[Kylie]

1. I think Seymour said this because the ultimate goal is not to gain the gift of tongues but to encounter Holy Spirit, to encounter Jesus. Yes I would agree, tell people about Jesus first and foremost as tongues is the fruit of the encounter not what our hearts are crying out for, because that is Jesus. There is definitely a time and place to tell people about tongues and I do believe it is strong evidence of baptism of the Holy Spirit and is something that we can ask God for, we just have to make sure the pursuing God is the main priority. Also as people are learning more about God and Holy Spirit a conversation about tongues is bound to come up and should be a intentional conversation as it is a gifting from God like the others we talk about.