What is the difference between Evangelicals, Fundamentalists and Pentecostals?

Are Pentecostals considered to be their own separate group or do they belong in one of the other groups?

• Crazy, Crazier, a little less Crazy.

• For you, OP.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_the_United_States

• Pentecostals are more fervent in their worship and usually pray in tongues. Fundamentalists don't believe in praying in tongues and generally aren't as loud in their worship.

• Evangelicals are Christians who believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God; Jesus is the Son of God and Savior; that only people who have been born again through faith and trust in Jesus as the only Savior will be saved or have eternal life in heaven with God; and that all true Christians have a duty to share the message of salvation through Jesus only with others, specifically the unsaved. Fundamentalists believe in the same thing evangelicals do but are more literal in their application of the Bible. Fundamentalists also believe in a stronger separation from the secular world, which often means they are less involved in politics and public policy than evangelicals. Also, fundamentalists tend to believe in more traditional gender roles, which means they are less likely to have female pastors and leaders. Pentecostalism is the fastest growing segment of Christianity and is movement that began about a century ago. Pentecostals believe in the current operation of the New Testament Holy Spirit gifts, such as speaking in tongues, healing, and prophecy. Pentecostals are known for exuberant, expressive worship. The Church of God of Christ is the largest US Pentecostal denomination, but the Assemblies of God is the best-known and most pentecostal denomination. Pentecostals are denominational, but a lot of people are not in Pentecostal denominations but believe in the same thing. Charismatics are Christians who are not in Pentecostal denominations, but believe in all the gifts of the Spirit operating today, including speaking in tongue, healing, and prophecy. Many non-Pentecostal denominations such as Episcopalians and Presbyterians have had major charismatic movements that feature many attributes of Pentecostalism. There is now even charismatic Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations, which are growing rapidly. Pentecostalism and charismatic Christianity are now very mainstream and represent the fastest growing segment of Christianity. Even in churches that are not explicitly charismatic today, you will seek attributes of charismatic faith, such as raised hands during worship and even holy dancing. Even the Baptists are displaying these forms of charismatic worship today.

• Is American Christianity Turning Charismatic? Two new surveys from The Barna Group, however, indicate that things are changing dramatically in the religious landscape. Those surveys - one among a national sample of adults and the other among a national sample of Protestant pastors - show that the number of churches and adherents to Pentecostal perspectives and practices has grown significantly in the past two decades. Growing Numbers of People A decade ago, three out of ten adults claimed to be charismatic or Pentecostal Christians. Today, 36% of Americans accept that designation. That corresponds to approximately 80 million adults. (For the Barna survey, this included people who said they were a charismatic or Pentecostal Christian, that they had been "filled with the Holy Spirit" and who said they believe that "the charismatic gifts, such as tongues and healing, are still valid and active today.") Charismatics are found throughout the fabric of American Christianity. Although just 8% of the population is evangelical, half of evangelical adults (49%) fit the charismatic definition. A slight majority of all born again Christians (51%) is charismatic. Nearly half of all adults who attend a Protestant church (46%) are charismatic. Charismatic Churches One out of every four Protestant churches in the United States (23%) is a charismatic congregation. While some of the most common charismatic denominations are well-known - such as the Assemblies of God, Foursquare or Churches of God in Christ - non-denominational churches emerged as one of the most common charismatic "denominations." Four out of every ten non-denominational churches are charismatic. The profile of the typical charismatic congregation is nearly identical to that of evangelical, fundamentalist and mainline Protestant churches. Four out of five (80%) have a full-time, paid pastor in charge of the ministry. The senior pastor is, on average, 52 years old - the same as in other Protestant churches. And the weekly adult attendance is equivalent to that of other Protestant bodies (82 adults at Pentecostal gatherings compared to 85 adults among all Protestant churches). Myths Exposed The Barna study found that several widespread assumptions about charismatic churches are inaccurate. Many people believe that charismatic Christianity is almost exclusively a Protestant phenomenon. However, the research showed that one-third of all U.S. Catholics (36%) fit the charismatic classification. Framed differently, almost one-quarter of all charismatics in the U.S. (22%) are Catholic. Charismatic churches are generally thought to belong to a rather strictly defined group of denominations. The growth of Pentecostalism, however, has crossed denominational boundaries in recent years. For instance, 7% of Southern Baptist churches and 6% of mainline churches are charismatic, according to their Senior Pastors. One widespread view is that charismatic Christianity is found mostly in small, relatively unsophisticated congregations. The research suggests something different. Charismatic congregations are about the same size as those of non-charismatic Protestant churches. Most surprisingly, charismatic ministries are more likely than other Protestant churches to use five of the seven technological applications evaluated. Those included the use of large-screen projection systems, showing movie clips in worship services or congregational events, using blogs, and web-based social networking by the church. In the past, many have observed that the female pastors were more likely to be welcomed into the Pentecostal community. However, 9% of both charismatic and non-charismatic Protestant churches are currently led by a female Senior Pastor. It is assumed faith trends in America are dictated by white churches, which represent about 77% of the nation's Protestant congregations. However, only 16% of the country's white Protestant congregations are Pentecostal, compared to 65% of the Protestant churches dominated by African-Americans. Differen

  http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/18-congregations/52-is-american-christianity-turning-charismatic

• Charismatic movement growing quickly worldwide By Stacey Samuel, CNN Laurel, Maryland (CNN) – At the end of a row of neatly arranged banquet chairs, Sandra Ashford sat reverently, still in awe of what she says is her mother’s miraculous recovery from cervical spinal stenosis. “If it wasn’t my mother,” Ashford said, “I wouldn’t believe it." She explained how after a “laying of hands,” her 74-year-old mother, Delsie McDougall, no longer experiences the symptoms from what was becoming a debilitating condition. When she arrived in early December from her native Jamaica in search of treatment options, McDougall said, she couldn’t “walk straight.” When her neurologist prescribed surgery, she sought an alternative, one more in keeping with her faith. On the recommendation of a friend, mother and daughter experienced their first charismatic healing service in the rented ballroom of a Holiday Inn in Laurel, Maryland. On a Sunday evening a few weeks before Christmas, the two spent several hours in the temporary location of the Everlasting Life Christian Center. “To tell you the truth, I was very skeptical,” McDougall said as she stood and swayed to the live music from the gospel singers. She showed no signs of physical discomfort. Sandra Ashford, right, and her mother, left, attend a healing service in Maryland. They are among a fast-growing number within the diverse Christian landscape to join the charismatic movement. According to a recent Pew Research Center report on Global Christianity, 305 million Christians worldwide follow the charismatic movement. “One of the reasons the charismatic movement is expanding … apart from salvation, we experience healing, miracles. The blind see, the lame get up and walk, and the deaf can hear. That attracts a lot of people,” said Samuel Fatoki, who leads the roughly 200-member church with his wife, Marcia, who serves as his co-pastor. Ashford recounted how on the third application of Fatoki’s hands on her mother, McDougall fell to the ground and began speaking in tongues. Ashford said her mother writhed on the floor, contorting in ways she couldn’t stretch before. Both said she’s been walking upright since. The Pew report categorizes charismatic Christians as a subset among non-Pentecostal denominations and includes Christians from each of the major branches: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. The movement shares similar beliefs to Pentecostal denominations and similar practices like “divine healing, prophecy and speaking in tongues,” according to the report. Dale Stoffer, professor of historical theology and academic dean at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio, said the charismatic movement has been present in the United States since the 1960s. The religious experience in the movement is more experiential, rather than based in intellectual expression. “There’s a high degree of emphasis on the Holy Spirit working in supernatural ways,” Stoffer added. While the movement is growing here in the United States, there’s been an “explosion in Christianity,” Stoffer said, in Africa, Latin America and Asia: regions of the world that have seen increased numbers of charismatic Christians. A Pew Forum survey from 2006 found that 34% of Brazil's population identified themselves as charismatics. “These are cultures that have not been impacted by the Western Enlightenment,” explained Stoffer. A basic tenet in this healing ministry is complete belief, invoking one’s blind faith. “And the signs shall follow them that believe, they will heal the sick, lay hands, cast out demons in my name,” Marcia Fatoki recited from the Gospel of Mark. She said she also shares her husband’s ability to prophesy.

  http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/27/charismatic-movement-growing-quickly-worldwide/

• Snake-dancing

• They are not separate categories. Fundamentalists are generally evangelical. Pentecostals are a variety of fundamentalist, therefore also evangelical.

• There are some liberal Evangelical groups, believe it or not. Metropolitan Community Churches, the gay denomination, grew out of the Pentecostal movement and is very much into things mystical. Fundamentalists, on the other hand, are so far all conservative idiots. Still I think anybody whose religion would be more "rational" would stay the hell away from all these people.

• This blog post breaks it down pretty well.

  http://networkvineyard.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/pentecostal-fundamentalist-evangelical-labels-and-why-they-matter

• [quote] Pentecostals are a variety of fundamentalist, Nope. Fundamentalist - Think Jerry Falwell. Tend to believe the Bible is inerrant and have a more literal, rigid interpretation of the Bible. Pentecostal - Think Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost swept over the Apostles and they were imbued with the gifts which helped them spread the Word. This is a more ecstatic experience of God. I've known Pentecostals who were very into a loving Christian experience mixed with some craziness. Think Tammy Faye Bakker. These are the people who are sometimes called Holy Rollers.

• I don't agree with it, R10. It says evangelicals and fundamentalists are distinct and opposed. That is clearly not the case.

• while most Pentecostals are evangelical, not all are fundamentalist. Pentecostals are often quite mainstream today and often have huge megachurches that have a high profile. Fundamentalists are rarely megachurches. Fundamentalists are much more insular and less involved in the public sphere than fundamentalists. Oh, and there are moderate and liberal Pentecostals. You have to be careful about broad generalizations. Pentecostals and evangelicals are a huge group and are quite diverse.

• I meant fundamentalist are not as involved in the public square as evangelicals. Fundamentalist theology and practice often means that its adherents will avoid entanglements with secular society.

• They all need to be avoided

• Evangelical and Pentecostal: what is the difference? QUESTION: Is there a difference between "evangelical and "Pentecostal"? Felicia ANSWER: Felicia: The answer is yes and no. By evangelical what people in the United States generally mean refers to those Christians who believe in the essentials of the historic Christian Faith. That would be things such as the inerrancy and authority of the Bible (which is probably the most important), Diety and virgin birth of Jesus Christ along with His death, burial and resurrection, ascension to heaven, and His return. They believe in salvation by faith, the resurrection of the Christian’s body, and the reality of Satan, angels, heaven and hell. In fact, the statement of faith at Newman Bible Academy fairly represents an evangelical view. Sometimes “evangelical” does means something different in other countries. Now, what about Pentecostals? They also believe the same things as do evangelicals that I mentioned above, but Pentecostals place a large emphasis and focus on some things that evangelicals would either reject, or downplay. This includes the experiences of speaking in tongues, seeing visions, miracle healings, and things like this. Sometimes Pentecostal refers to a specific denomination or church with the word Pentecostal in the name. Other times it is an umbrella term that refers to all that hold to the distinctive I mentioned. Two major Pentecostal denominations would be the Foursquare Church and Assembly of God. There are many other smaller varieties. The two I mention here would certainly be evangelical as well as Pentecostal. Let me muddy up the waters. There is also an umbrella term called Charismatic. These people may or may not be evangelical. The term generally refers to a movement within the more mainline churches – and even the Roman Catholic Church. They would emphasize the “gifts of the Spirit” that Pentecostal’s do, but many may or may not believe the historic beliefs of the Christian Faith. By mainline churches I mean those denominations such as Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Methodist, Church of Christ, etc. The mainline churches are generally classed as either evangelical or liberal. By liberal, I mean they do not believe the essentials of the historical Christian Faith. Felicia, I hope this helps answer your question. Actually, I have answered more than your question; consequently, I should stop. Esmie tells me that I am too, “voluble,” which means, I guess, that I talk too much. The picture can get even more complicated, but this is enough for now. All the best, Felicia, and stay in touch. Tell your friends about the website. God bless. Dr. Newman

  http://www.bible-teaching-about.com/evangelicalandpentecostal.html

• Joe Osteen's church is charismatic with Pentecostal roots. His church is not part of a denomination, but has doctrine that is charismatic/Pentecostal. Some of you seem to have a 1950 view of Pentecostalism. While there is still that element of Pentecostalism around today, in the West, Pentecostals are very much a part of mainstream Christianity today, especially since they are large segment of church-going Christianity and the fastest segment of Christianity.

• I say potato, you say patato!

• Ban ALL organized religion thereby stopping war, corruption and political coercion.

  http://www.americanhumanist.org/

• Evangelicals have nice butts Fundamentalists have large balls Pentecostalists have the biggest cocks

• [quote]Pentecostals and evangelicals are a huge group and are quite diverse. Yeah. They include the crazy, the stupid, the deluded, the feeble-minded, the embittered, AND the uneducated.

• None. They are all drunks and whores!

  Lana%20Kane

• Geez, what's the feckin' difference? Fundamentalists, Evangelicals, they all hate gays and lesbians and that's all I need to know.

• They all hate gays, but which one hates gays the most?

• BBC Report: It was once the case that Brazilians worshipped as one in the thousands of Catholic churches spread around this vast country. But a religious revolution is taking place, and a new dynamic form of charismatic Evangelical Christianity is taking over. A quarter of Brazilians now worship in Evangelical churches, many of them practicing the Prosperity gospel which promises them happiness and fulfilment in return for a proportion of their wealth. And its wealth, along with power and influence, which the Catholic Church previously claimed as its own, is the result of this increased membership. Paulo Cabral investigates why Brazilians are turning form the Catholicism which has had a presence in Brazil for over 500 years, and how the charismatic churches have become so popular changing the way many Brazilians in some of the poorest areas of the country profess their faith and accumulating this vast wealth and political power along the way.

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/heartsoul

• As a child, my stepmother dragged us to both Church of Christ and Church of God churches. Where we went on any particular Sunday depended on whether she was taking her lithium or not. Church of Christ should not be called Pentecostal. The Church of God people are a crazy breed all on their own. Church of Christ is closer to a "normal" church experience, whereas Church of God is deviant and insane.

• The old liberal denominations are in sharp decline, and no longer are the face of global Christianity. Evangelicals and Pentecostals/charismatics are the most visible and fastest-growing segment of modern Christianity.

• How Pentecostalism went global Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, March 26, 2013 - 5:01 PM Share It's been an important month for global Christianity with the naming of a new pope and the installation of a new Archbishop of Canterbury. But the biggest ongoing story in the Christian world these days is probably Pentecostalism,a form of evangelical Protestantism with -- according to some estimates -- more than 600 million adherents around the world. Though only about a century old, Pentecostalism has become the second largest branch of Christianity after Catholicism. It is increasingly dominant in much of Africa and represents about 13 percent of Christians in Latin America. The largest Pentecostal churches in the world are now in South Korea. I spoke this week with Allan Heaton Anderson, author of the new book To the Ends of the Earth: Pentecolstalism and the Transformation of World Christianity, which traces the history of the movement's rapid growth and influence of other denominations. Raised in Zimbabwe, Anderson was a Pentecostal minister himself in Southern Africa for nearly two decades, but today teaches at the University of Birmingham. I asked him how he accounts for the movements rapid growth. "The emphasis on the freedom of the spirit, as the Pentecostals would put it, has enabled them to adapt and take on characteristics of the local culture. That has now permeated the churches throughout the world. More and more these churches are becoming like each other in ways that never would have been true 100 years ago." One major theme of the book is that as Pentecostal movements around the world take on local characteristics and merge with other churches, the movement becomes much harder to define. Anderson's baseline definition for Pentecostal communities -- from megachurchese in suburban American to storefront churches Lagos -- is that "they practice "spiritual gifts," particularly the ones that are more "miraculous" like speaking in tongues and prophecy and healing the sick." This type of worship is generally traced back to the United States around the turn of the century, particularly the Azusa Street revival beginning in 1906, during which African-American preacher William Seymour preached to a rapidly growing interracial flock in Los Angeles employing "tongues," miracles and other -- at the time -- highly unusual practices. Heaton acknowledges the importance of Azusa Street as a key catalyst in the spread of Pentecostalim, but argues that the movement has older antecedents. "It's not to detract from the importance of the American movement, but what I'm trying to represent is that you can't say that was the beginning of Pentecostalism because it was really in continuity with things that had been developing in the holiness movement of the 10th century and the associated missionary movements in several parts of the world." Heaton highlights the Mukti Revival, an Indian movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries lead by Sarasvati Ramabai, a social reformer and women's rights activist who became an evangelical Christian in the 1890s. Significantly, Heaton quotes reports describing Mukti followers speaking in tongues long before word of what was happening at Azusa street could have reached them. "In the late 19th century there were events taking place in several parts of the world. I refer to what happened in India as one of the most important examples of a non-American origin for several aspects of early Pentecostalism," Heaton says. "Often these revival movements created a type of indigenous Christianity that was quite different from what the missionaries anticipated or even countenanced." Missionaries did play a large role in spreading Pentecostalism during its early years -- and some of their stories are told in the book -- but new communications technologies also played a role. "As global communications were improving, people were hearing about what was happening and there was certainly a great expectation at the beginning of the 20th century that there was a great revival movement that would sweep the world, as it was believed that the coming of Christ was very, very soon," Heaton says. More traditional churches have often had to play catch-up, as locally organized Pentecostal movements have spread. "I have attended Catholic and Anglican churches in Britain, Presbyterian Churches in Korea, Methodist Churches in America, places where I would not expect to see the kind of freedom of expression of Christianity that has characterized Pentecostals since its beginning." What this means for older churches is a question likely very much on the agenda for both the new pope and the new archbishop.

  http://ideas.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/03/26/why_pentecostalism_spread