In a chapter of his book Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing and Shaping The Way We Think About and Discuss Theology, Timothy C. Tennent
writes about the impact that Pentecostalism has had on World Christianity. He
makes the observation that Pentecostalism, as a particular strand of theology,
is difficult to define with much precision. In part, this is because beyond its
unique history, Pentecostalism, as it exists in the 21st century,
has very few true distinctives (for instance, while speaking in tongues is
largely associated with Pentecostalism it is not solely a Pentecostal
phenomenon). Tennent offers the
following four characteristics points as key aspects of Pentecostalism:
- Pentecostalism believes that believers, after their conversion, will also experience a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- Pentecostalism believes that the full range of spiritual gifts was operative during the time of the apostles but that these gifts are equally operative today.
- Descriptively, Pentecostal worship is often less formalized and more expressive.
- Typically, Pentecostalism engages in evangelism with a “special urgency” because of a belief that we are now living in the last days.
