Pentecostals are Evangelicals: Since the primary definition of an Evangelical is one who emphasizes the gospel of Christ and the forgiveness that comes through His name and the personal relationship that all must have to be saved, Pentecostals are thoroughgoing Evangelicals.
Pentecostals are Conservatives: In fact, it might surprise some of my readers to know that George Barna's research indicates that more than any other denomination and group, Pentecostals believe the Bible doctrines and in sharing their faith with others. Thus, Pentecostals may actually be the most "Evangelical" of all the churches out there. (See the Barna report, "Religious Beliefs Vary Widely By Denomination," June 25, 2001 -- this report is a real eye opener.)
In brief, then, there are Conservative Evangelicals who are Pentecostals. In other words, they believe in the fundamentals of the Christian faith (i.e., orthodox doctrines). They believe in personal regeneration by the Holy Spirit through Christ's forgiveness, and they believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available and operable today.
Conclusion
Well, it is difficult to have a "moral of the story" in an article like this. This is predominately an instructional article helping people get a handle on the various terms. However, if there is any "moral of the story" in this article it is this: Please be very careful when you use terms to brand people.
This article is reprinted with permission from Coffee Talk, a series of articles sponsored by Columbia Evangelical Seminary.
Rick Walston, Ph.D., President of Columbia Evangelical Seminary, is an author, speaker, and former pastor. Visit his personal page here.
For more articles like this, see Patheos' Evangelical Portal.
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