Orthodox Christianity is the leading religion in the post-Soviet countries. In recent decades, various sects and confessions have begun to openly declare themselves. One such trend is Pentecostalism. Who are they and what religion do they preach?
The Pentecostal Church is a religious organization of evangelical Christians. It is based on the teaching set forth in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the fiftieth day, the Holy Spirit descended on the twelve apostles in the form of tongues of flame, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and for the first time began to speak in other tongues, having received the gift of prophecy, they began to preach the Good News to all nations.
Currently, Pentecostal Christians number from 450 to 600 million people. This is the largest Protestant denomination, which is the second largest among all Christians. There is no single Pentecostal congregation, there are many local churches and associations.
Pentecostals - who are they, and when did this movement begin? In 1901, the Holiness Movement began in the United States. A group of students, studying the reasons for the decline of faith among Protestants, came to the conclusion that this isa consequence of the lack of the gift of "speaking in tongues" among Christians. To receive this gift, they indulged in fervent prayer, which was accompanied by the laying on of hands, after which one of the girls present spoke in an unfamiliar language. The ease of receiving the gift and unusual experiences while speaking in tongues caused the rapid spread and wide popularity of the emerging direction.
This is how Pentecostal Christians appeared. Who they were, they first learned in Finland, which at that time (in 1907) was part of the Russian Empire. The Pentecostal Church in Russia was first established in 1913 in St. Petersburg, when some groups of believers began to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit and received the gift of speaking in tongues. During Stalinist persecution, the Pentecostal movement went underground. But neither the actions of the authorities to destroy Pentecostals, nor attempts to dissolve them in other communities led people to abandon their faith.
Modern Pentecostal Christians - who are they, what are their theological features? They believe that the baptism of the apostles with the Holy Spirit on the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Christ is not only a historical fact, but also a phenomenon that every believer should experience. In our country and in some other countries
Pentecostals call themselves the Church of Evangelical Christians. They believe that the only, most reliable, infallible guide for the life of Christians can only be the Bible, arguing that it is accessible to read andlearning for anyone. Preachers and pastors call to believe the Holy Scripture, to read and study it on their own, and to build their lives according to it. Pentecostals hold prayer meetings, baptisms, organize Sunday schools for children, and engage in charitable and missionary activities.
