Poll: Pentecostals widening influence

NEW YORK - A new 10-nation survey of Pentecostal and charismatic Christians, considered the fastest-growing stream of Christianity worldwide, shows they are deeply influencing the Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestant churches and are poised to make a big impact on global affairs. p>The poll released Thursday by the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that "spirit-filled" Christians, who speak in tongues and believe in healing through prayer, comprise at least 10 percent of the population in nine of the 10 surveyed countries.

The study also found that followers are more willing than previously thought to bring their traditional values into public debates, potentially shaping government policies in the years ahead.

The surveys were conducted over the spring and summer in Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, India, the Philippines, South Korea" /> Researchers polled both Pentecostals, who form their own denominations such as the Assemblies of God, and charismatics, who have adopted some Pentecostal beliefs but remain members of traditional Protestant and Catholic churches.

The survey estimated that Pentecostals and charismatics together comprise at least half the population of Brazil, Guatemala and Kenya, and 44 percent of the Philippines.

They make up about one-third of the population of South Africa and Chile and nearly one-quarter of Nigerians and U.S. residents. The figure for South Korea is smaller, at 11 percent. In India, the poll was limited to three states with large Christian populations, so a national estimate could not be made.

The study found Pentecostal beliefs have a strong hold in major churches in many countries.

In the traditionally Catholic nations of Brazil, Guatemala and the Philippines, charismatics are a larger share of the population than Pentecostals.

In six of the 10 countries, Pentecostals and charismatics together make up the majority of the overall Protestant population, according to the survey.

The Pentecostal movement, which began a century ago in Los Angeles, spread quickly overseas because of its adaptability to local cultures, whose indigenous beliefs often include healings and casting out of evil spirits, and because of the exuberance of its worship.

While Pentecostals and charismatics are known for speaking in tongues, the survey found respondents were more likely to say that they had personally witnessed or experienced other signs of the Holy Spirit, such as a healing through prayer or a direct revelation from God.

The majority of Pentecostals in every nation surveyed except South Korea and India believed religious groups should express their views on social and political issues. In seven of the 10 countries, 70 percent of charismatics agreed.

"These are folks for whom the world of spirit is remarkably alive ... but that in no way diminishes their commitment to social justice for the poor, for instance, or a role for government in meeting those needs," said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum.

The polls were conducted by phone in the U.S., and in person overseas, with margins of error ranging from plus or minus 4 percentage points to 9 percentage points for some subgroups.

Amen and so be it.

Heavenly Father, You are holy, holy, holy, LORD God almighty. Thank You for sending Holy Spirit to be with Your people till the end; thank You for pouring deliverance, salvation, and healing into us; thank You for cleaning us and filling us and sealing us in Him till the day of redemption.

Thank You that by Your anointing yokes are broken off of us.

Thank You that by Holy Spirit we are quickened.

May we never grieve Holy Spirit, may we see in the Spirit, may we walk in the Spirit, may we be filled to overflowing with the Spirit.

Thank You Father God, thank You for Your Son Jesus, thank You for Holy Spirit, thank You God in three persons, blessed Trinity. May none blaspheme You in any way.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY: Now unto Him Who is able to keep you from falling. And to make you stand in His presence, blameless and with great joy. To the only God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord, be the honor, and the glory, dominion, and authority, now and ever.

I pray these things in the Holy Name above all Names, The Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN, SO BE IT, AND MAKE IT SO.

Certainly Joel was right!

“ And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days."
~Joel 2:28-29

DEAR LORD, PLEASE LEAD ALL OF US DEEPER INTO YOURSELF, into your heart; into your priorities. Give us all your passion for your priorities. Help us Love you utterly and wholey and others as ourselves. Help us to love what you love and hate what you hate. Create in us a new heart and a right spirit more and more completely day by day.

Amen to a lovely true prayer, dear Quix.

Labels and denominationalism are worldly things. The Name of the Lord is "Wonderful!" but men without understanding are always trying to nail it down [there's a pun in that].

Speaking in tongues is real; it is one real gift of the very real God. Healings are real; some in Christ have this gift by His Spirit. Error and confusion exist around these real things because Satan and his demons are hard at work with lies and murder of souls in their intentions - but those who are Christ's will not be confused or swayed or fall from their high position in Christ Jesus, for greater is He who is within us than he who is in the world (1 John 4).

The Word of God is very clear about how these gifts are to be manifested and exercised in the Church, the Body of Christ, but not all are in the Word, not all are obedient sons, and there are wolves among the sheep, and error among men who practice lawlessness. There are men like Simon the Sorcerer of Acts 8, and men like the Seven sons of Sceva of Acts 19. There are those who even cast out demons, to whom the Lord Jesus Christ will say, in truth, "I never knew you."

I've been in services where tongues and confusion abounded, but once with the Holy Spirit's power I received an interpretation - it was like trying to pick out one pure note from a cacophony of noises, but by straining I could perceive the message. Immediately the words in English were in my mouth, and they were absolutely gorgeous, edifying, beautiful revelatory words from God! But no one could hear them except the couple standing next to me, who were astonished and asked me where they came from; I pointed to one of the assistant pastors, whose mouth had spoken in spiritual language. What a waste, what a shame! The whole Body might have been edified by this, if only there had been order in the service. How many times might I have been able to manifest the gift of Interpretation for the edification of the Church if only there had been order in the service according to God's Word?!

I've attended many other services where, even though it is not outright ordered, it is very obvious that tongues will not be allowed - more waste, more shame, more lack of edification that God Almighty and Merciful intended to give! The devil is having a heyday in the churches where either of these extremes takes place, confusion or denial - again, those who are Christ's will not be shaken by these things or deceived in any way.

I've written my testimony to demonstrate why your prayer is so good and powerful, dear Quix: It is all about HIM, our triune powerful omnipotent sovereign over-all God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is risen from the dead, who is Lord, and who is with and in us and among us by the Holy Spirit sent at Pentecost and spreading through the entire world like yeast in bread batter. He is a mighty, clear, rushing river of the water of life, and all who love - who know and cling to and do - His Word (which is Spirit and Truth) are there...dancing and singing before the Ark of God as He comes, as He comes, amen.

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