Pentecostals

12. Why are we called Pentecostals?

We are called Pentecostals because this is the name which was given at the beginning of the last century in the United States of America to those believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And since then all those Christians who have been filled with the Holy Spirit and spoken in other tongues (speaking in tongues is the outward sign which accompanies immediately the baptism with the Holy Spirit) have been called Pentecostals.

The name ‘Pentecostals’ comes from ‘Pentecost’, which is the feast that follows the Jewish Passover (Pentecost comes fifty days after Passover) and during which the early disciples of the Lord, who were in Jerusalem, were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. As it is written: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And 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).

Therefore this name was given to those believers, and since then it has been given almost to all those who have experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit and the supernatural speaking in other tongues, in order to say, ‘These people have had, or claim that they have had, the same experience as the early disciples of the Lord had.’ The name ‘Pentecostals’ and speaking in other tongues are closely linked together.

Back