The New Pentecostals

Kent Murawski

As a pastor, I am asked on a somewhat regular basis what tradition our church falls under – to which I normally answer, “We are a non-denominational Christian Church.” If people want more of a description, I generally tell them we are both Evangelical and Pentecostal. Though I believe the church is a movement more than it is an organization, definitions often help us to have a starting point. So what does it mean to be Evangelical? How about Pentecostal? And what is a New Pentecostal?

Evangelical

Let’s start with Evangelical. The National Association of Evangelicals defines it this way,

The term “evangelical” comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning “the good news” or the “gospel.” Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the “good news” of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ. Evangelicals are a vibrant and diverse group, including believers found in many churches, denominations and nations. Our community brings together Reformed, Holiness, Anabaptist, Pentecostal, Charismatic and other traditions. [i]

If you want to read further, historian David Bebbington identifies four primary characteristics of evangelicalism.  

Can you be both Evangelical and Pentecostal?
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Pentecostal

Today Pentecostals make up 600 million believers worldwide. That’s nearly a fourth of all Christendom! [ii] Ed Stetzer gives some interesting sociological reasons for the dramatic rise of Pentecostalism in his article, Why Do These Pentecostals Keep Growing?  But what does it really mean to be Pentecostal? Many say it’s those who have an emphasis on the baptism in the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues, but I define it a little more broadly, as those who believe and practice all the spiritual gifts (found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 and 14), including tongues, prophecy, healing, miracles, and faith.

The term Pentecostal originally comes from what believers experienced in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost,

On the day of Pentecost* all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3  Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4  And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,* as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:1-4 NLT)

I encourage you to read up on it further. It is a fascinating history. A good place to start is the  Azusa Street Revival .

Pentecostals make up 600 million (25%) believers worldwide!
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A Broader View

I previously thought that speaking in tongues was the only evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, now I believe it’s just one of the evidences. The greater evidence is the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5; you know – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control? In my mind, the fruit of the Spirit is much stronger evidence that someone is filled with the Spirit than tongues alone. Why do I say that? Because we’ve all met someone that is supposedly “Spirit filled” and speaks in tongues but lives like the devil. If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s that spiritual gifts aren’t necessarily a sign of spiritual maturity! Take the Corinthians. They were practicing many of the spiritual gifts but Paul had to rebuke them for being carnal, fleshly or unspiritual (see 1 Corinthians 3).

How I Became a Pentecostal

Just out of college, I was newly saved and hungry for God when I began attending a non-denominational charismatic church in Olean, NY. That’s when I first heard about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For me it was simple – I saw it in the Bible, it seemed to help those who received it, and it was available to all! You can check out this teaching if you want to hear more. Why wouldn’t I want it? After hearing it preached, I went forward to receive prayer for the baptism. It was a powerful experience and I knew I had received something. It wasn’t until a month later that I spoke in other tongues. It came like a flood and when it did, I prayed in tongues for hours in my bed and was filled to overflowing with the presence of God. Immediately, my walk with God began to dramatically change. One week later, I was sitting in a bar watching my friends out on the dance floor. Up until then, I didn’t exactly have the purest of motives in going to the bar but something had changed. As I sat there, alone, staring out at the dance floor I felt a deep pit in my stomach and said to myself, what am I doing here? I don’t belong here! I left that night and didn’t go back. My walk with God went to another level. I began to grow and flourish, and spiritual gifts like tongues and interpretation and prophecy began to bubble up. The baptism in the Holy Spirit changed everything for me. I was on fire for God, and since then it has largely remained that way.

Who Are the New Pentecostals?

There is a new breed of Pentecostals. I call them the New Pentecostals. The New Pentecostals want more than just the baptism in the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues. Yes, we want that too, but there is more to being Pentecostal than speaking in tongues. I’m tired of the old stereotypes: holy rollers, fanatics, emotionalistic, swinging from the chandeliers, valuing experience over the word of God. Often, when movements begin or at different times during the course of a movement, the pendulum swings wide and goes to extremes. I think this has been the case with the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement at times. The New Pentecostals welcome encounters with God, but only in submission to the word of God. After all, the word of God should be a springboard into encounters with the risen Christ. As the late A.W. Tozer said,

If Christian preaching does not produce spiritual experience and maturing in the believer, the preaching is not being faithful to the Christ revealed in the Scriptures! [iii]

The word of God should be a springboard into an encounter with God.
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Marks of the New Pentecostals

1) We want all the power of God without being hokey. Not that we want to take out the mystery of the spiritual gifts or make Christianity bland, but we also don’t want to be unnecessarily weird. First and foremost we are to be a witness for Christ. Apart from a sovereign move of God, if what we are doing scares would be followers of Christ then there is a problem! Paul shares on this extensively in 1 Corinthians 14. At the end of the chapter, here is what he says, “So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:39-40 ESV). In other words, use the gifts but do them the right way!

One of the ways we our church does this is to give an explanation following a supernatural demonstration or gift – not to explain it away but rather to help people who may not have any experience with spiritual gifts. We also regularly share prophetic words without being overt about it. In other words, instead of a speech in Elizabethan English starting with, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” we just say it clearly and directly.

2) We don’t want to be pushy or elitist with the gifts. The fruit of the spirit trumps the gifts of the spirit. Without love the gifts become a clanging cymbal. Again, the Corinthians gave us a great example of what not to do. When I was a young believer, I was very zealous (sometimes to a fault). I remember one time, while I was visiting my sister at college; I asked one of her Christian friends if I could pray over her to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I prayed so loudly over her in tongues I scared the poor girl half to death! It didn’t make her want the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It scared her away!

How can we avoid elitism? Teach on the gifts and give people an on ramp to experience them but don’t be pushy or make it a pre-requisite for being spiritual. We’ve had people on our core team of leaders that don’t speak in tongues but regularly received visions and prophetic insight that significantly shaped or changed our course at times. They were not (by the standard definition) “baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues” but that didn’t hinder God from giving them other gifts.

3) We want compassion and social change to be a hallmark of ministry. One of the most important developments in the modern day Pentecostal movement is the change in direction toward compassion and social change as noted in this article from Christianity Today called A New Kind of Pentecostal.

In the article, Billy Wilson, executive director of the International Center for Spiritual Renewal, an alliance of Pentecostal and charismatic leaders, says, “In my opinion, this generation has the strongest horizontal desire to change the world of any other one in history.”

4) Above all, New Pentecostals want people to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and become mature disciples. Helping people find and grow in Christ should be of utmost importance to every Christian. If our gifts hinder rather than help that mission – we are in error!

Spiritual Gifts are for the Churched AND the Unchurched

I believe with all my heart that spiritual gifts, done right, are not only for the churched but the unchurched. I leave you with these words from Paul the apostle,

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,  25  the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25 ESV)

Spiritual Gifts are for the Churched AND Unchurched
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I would love to hear from both Pentecostals and other traditions as well!

Other Helpful Resources

Rest Assured: Seven Days to Stillness, Sanity and the Sabbath You Need

True rest is something that we all desperately need but can’t seem to find. It’s not just sleep and down time we need, although that is important, but rest for our souls. In the words of the early church father, Augustine of Hippo, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

True rest can only be found in a relationship with God.

*This e-book and downloadable PDF is available for pre-order now! Launching 5-15-19.

*Image credit to J.D. King via Flickr

[iii] Adapted from Chapter 1 of the book Men Who Met God, published by Christian Publications, Inc.) http://www.thegloryofgodoncapecod.com/articles/edifying-relevant-articles/the-necessity-for-encounter-with-god,-by-awtozer.html

 

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3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out

By Kent Murawski • July 28, 2025
When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.

Why you're exhausted before fall even arrives...

By Kent Murawski • July 23, 2025
When was the last time you ended a summer feeling more energized than when it started? ​​Summer brings changes for many of us—minimizing our motivation to work, disrupting work routines, and altering schedules. With summertime often comes a desire to slow down, and yet, we're not always sure how to do that. This week is my last new post for a little while (though I may resend some popular posts from the 2024-2025 season). I’m pressing pause to create space and pour my energy into finishing my new book. But stay tuned—when I’m back in six weeks, the newsletter will be refreshed with some exciting updates you won’t want to miss! Read to the end to find out more. In this week's edition of Catalyst, I want to share 3 ideas to help you effectively navigate summer. 3 Ways to Master Summer Without Burning Out 1) Stop and Think (Reflect) Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Socrates, life was more than pursuing the things that most men occupy themselves with, things like wealth, household affairs, status and position, and political clubs and factions. He believed that life only has value and meaning when we question what we think and know, and by more deeply understanding ourselves and others. The beginning of summer is an ideal time for reflection, and we all tend to occupy ourselves with the things Socrates talked about more than we probably care to admit. Taking a reflection day at the end of each quarter (consider removing "or trimester" for conciseness) can be an effective way to navigate seasonal changes. Finding a place far enough removed from your normal day-to-day life will help you get into a different headspace. A friend of mine often says: Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. I've used hotels, monasteries, or even a beautiful outdoor location if the weather permits. Here are a few questions you might want to ask: How am I feeling spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically? How are my closest relationships doing? Am I living out my core values? Is my life moving in a direction I feel good about? What do I need to change or adjust? Here are a few ideas for how to conduct a reflection day: Prayer, meditation, or silence Review your biggest wins and assess your goals from the previous quarter Work on high-impact projects that require focus Preview the upcoming quarter and set your Big 3 goals: personal, marriage/family, work/business 2) Cut the Non-Essentials (Reevaluate) Both my wife and I work, so when summer arrives, we need to re-evaluate our schedules to accommodate our twelve-year-old son. In the past, I've made the mistake of trying to keep the same workload despite being home with him two days a week. I ended up frustrated all summer long, living in the tension of wanting to spend more time with him while trying to carry the same workload. Summer requires me to pare down my work roles to the essentials: Writing (currently working on a new book) Executive coaching (6-8 coaching clients) Relationship building and outreach Necessary administration (keeping this to 30% or less of my responsibilities) Moving forward, I will probably keep things this way. It feels more sustainable than the unrealistic expectations I previously held myself to. Once you define your key roles and responsibilities, the question becomes how to achieve better work-life integration not work-life balance. I use the Big 3 System. Choose only three big things to focus on at one time—quarterly, weekly, and daily. That's right, just three. Those three things are usually a combination of personal, marriage/family, and work. Each quarter, I typically choose 1 personal goal, 1 marriage and family goal, and 1-3 work goals, depending on the quarter. Here are a few questions to consider. If you have a partner, discuss them together: How does your schedule change in the summer? What work-related responsibilities and expectations do you need to adjust? What are 3 things you want to do this summer? What do you NOT want to do? 3) Choose What Matters Most (Rest) Paring down expectations isn't only for work, it applies to rest, too. Because it's summer, there is the temptation to want to fit in everything (—vacation, visit family, trips, fun, etc). In the past, we would try to do so much that by the time fall rolled around, we were exhausted. Last year, out of necessity, we planned a staycation instead of going away. It was one of the best vacations we've had in a long time. And besides, summers in New England are gorgeous! We went to see a movie, ate out, went to Six Flags, had a beach day, and took days in between just to relax. We loved it so much, we're doing a staycation again this year! Write down your list of summer expectations and plans. Now, cross out everything that feels exhausting and unfun. Don't try to fit everything in this summer. Pick a couple of things that feel life-giving and focus on those. Your Move Reflect. Re-evaluate. Rest. Choose one of the three and work on it in the next 24 hours. Plan a day of reflection. Have a conversation with your spouse. Choose how you're going to rest this summer. I don't care which one it is, just take action. Here’s one question to consider: What would you stop doing this summer if no one was watching? Most people think summer is about maximizing experiences and fitting everything in, but the truth is that the most productive leaders use summer to strategically subtract, not add. They understand that rest isn't what you do after the work is done—it's what makes the work sustainable in the first place. You've got this.

Crisis Creates Clarity

By Kent Murawski • May 26, 2025
“Should I end this?” were the last words I said before collapsing to the ground in excruciating pain. The only thing I ended that day was my basketball career ⛹️! On Sunday, May 18, 2025, I ruptured my patella tendon playing basketball with my boys. We were playing a game of P.I.G., and it was […]

‘When You Hurry, You No Longer Care’: A Wake-Up Call from the Monastery

By Kent Murawski • May 16, 2025
“You’re not going to become a monk, are you?”  My wife asked me this after I excitedly returned from a week-long retreat to a Trappist monastery and my growing fascination with monastic rhythms.  The obvious answer is no, since I’m neither single nor celibate It began the previous week when my twelve-year-old son and I […]

The View from 50

By Kent Murawski • May 7, 2025
I always thought the big decisions were what shaped my life trajectory, but my 50th birthday celebration revealed something way more interesting—it’s actually the tiny, everyday choices that determine where you ultimately end up. It was the most meaningful birthday I’ve ever had.  Fair warning, this is a long one, but it will be worth […]

The Productive Power of Strategic Pauses

By Kent Murawski • March 19, 2025
Your capacity to recognize when to pause may be more valuable than knowing when to push. Lately, I haven’t had anything to write, which is a rare occurrence. Sure, I could try to pound something out or pull some unused content out of the archives (which I have tons of), but here’s what I’ve discovered: […]

How Are You? (The Success Predictor)

By Kent Murawski • March 6, 2025
How are you? Your answer to this question reveals more about your future success and well-being than any strategic plan. We often wear busyness as a badge of honor. Ask ten people how they are doing, and nine out of ten times the answer will be, “busy.” That’s not the way things ought to be. […]

The Hidden Cost of Being Too Hard On Yourself

By Kent Murawski • January 30, 2025
The weight of unrealistic self-expectations can feel crushing, especially at the start of a new year. January is not even over, and I’m already feeling overwhelmed.  It’s often said that we can be our own worst bosses or that the most challenging person to lead is the person in the mirror.  What do you do […]

The Missed Opportunity in Failed Dreams

By Kent Murawski • January 16, 2025
Failed dreams can become your greatest victories. While dreams are essential for hope and growth, unfulfilled dreams can breed disillusionment. Yet what appears to be a “failed” dream often reveals itself as an opportunity. Barbara Corcoran, the renowned Shark Tank Investor, once said, “All my best successes came on the heels of failure.” This wisdom […]

Less Is More (Why Resolutions Don’t Work)

By Kent Murawski • January 4, 2025
Did you know that 92% of people give up on their goals by January 12th? Pretty shocking, right? I used to be part of that statistic. Every year, I’d write down my goals with excitement, only to find them collecting dust by February. It was frustrating and, honestly, a bit embarrassing. But then I discovered […]