What is Apostolic Pentecostal?
Starting with the Apostles
After spending three years in the physical prescence of Jesus their Lord,
and being filled with the Holy Ghost, the 12 apostles had a good understanding
of what God wanted them to teach. Even Paul was prepared by God to be used mightily.
The Apostles taught about the oneness of God, that Jesus was both fully man and fully God. As jews, they understood that God's
most important commandment was that there is only one God. When he was asked, Jesus himself confirmed this to be the most important
commandment in scripture.
"37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. -Matthew 22:37-38"
The term Apostolic comes from the belief that the doctrine provided to us by the Apostles in scripture is true and applicable to us today.
What is a pentecostal?
The term Pentecostal comes from Pentecost. Namely, from what the Apostles experienced on the Jewish holiday of Pentecost.
Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven,(Acts 1) he poured out his Holy Spirit into the disciples that were praying in an upper room.(Acts 2)
"1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat
upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." -Acts 2:1-4
When the Apostle Peter was asked that day what we should do, he said to pursue the promise of the Holy Ghost:
"38Then Peter said unto them, Repent,
and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise
is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. -Acts 2:38-39
The disciples who lived with Jesus and knew him best claimed that the experience they had was for all of us until Jesus comes again. The term Pentecostal
Refers to Christians who believe that the Holy Ghost still fills people today with the evidence of speaking in tongues.