A glimpse of responsibility and potential

           In my previous post, I asked whether we have been faithful to fulfilling the responsibility and to achieving the potential of being Pentecostals today. I think we can refer to history to get a glimpse of the answer.

           The history prior to Pentecostal revival in 1900s reminds us of our roots in Fundamentalist and Holiness Movements. These movements started during a period when the society was facing political-economical corruptions and moral deteriorations; new ideas arising which jeopardized the orthodox Christianity; and churches were in the state of complacency, lack of earnestness and vitality to meet the changing needs of the society. God in His faithfulness has raised groups of Christians to pray earnestly for spiritual revival, and hence sparked the Pentecostal revivals.

Does the condition of the society where Pentecostal revival began resemble ours today? Our society is facing corruption and moral decay; postmodernism as a worldview and lifestyle is moving globally; and yet churches are regressing in setting the standard for holiness. I would like to see the church making effort to be relevant to society, but a lot of damage has already been done in the name of relevance. A recent Hollywood music video by a pastor of a fast growing Charismatic Church makes me wonder how far a church can go to reach out by compromising their moral standards. Although evangelism is part of the church’s main responsibility, it cannot and should not be done by forsaking the demand of the holiness of God. 

Bearing in mind our responsibility and potentiality as Pentecostal Christians, we really have to humble ourselves before the Lord and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit for creative ideas on how to reach out to the changing world in a biblical ways. It has to be done on God's way, not our way.

Our identity as the Pentecostals

It is important to understand and be reminded of our identity as Pentecostals if the Pentecostal churches want to remain faithful to the responsibility ordained by God and serve to its full potential. In terms of responsibility, we need to defend and teach the historic truth of God which the early church believed and practiced, taking seriously the person and work of the Holy Spirit. In terms of potential, we are to be transformed and sanctified to reflect the image of the Holy God, attracting souls from the tainted world to enter into the holiness of God.

I have a question, "Are we faithful in fulfilling the responsibility and achieving the potentiality of being Pentecostals today?" There is no straight answer however, I will explore this further in my subsequent posting. But first and foremost, I believe many ordinary Christians today do not know the distinctive doctrines of Pentecostalism. If we do not know who we are and what we believe in, the Pentecostal heritage is at risk. Even worse, some church members may fall into false doctrines. Perhaps, local Pentecostal churches should re-emphasize the teachings on Pentecostal doctrines via sermons, Sunday school, small study groups and interactive seminars. We need to encourage our congregations to exercise spiritual gifts, and to practice these gifts with spiritual understanding.

And I believe when leaders grow, the church grows. Church leaders must raise their concerns in this area. Case in point, I have not seen a full attendance for the Chinese Pentecostal Convention that has been organized by AOG Malaysia and BCM annually. May us rise up to the unique call of God given especially to the Pentecostal churches.