Are We Living in a Post-Pentecostal Era?

[Enigmatically Ambiguous]

It's my opinion that the Pentecostal movement, as we have known it, reached it's peak in the 1970s and 1980s. "The fastest growing movement in Christianty" perhaps has begun to decline. The kingdom of God seems to be moving away from traditional Pentecostal/Charismatic/Full Gospel/Spirit-Filled church services and the operations of the gifts of the Spirit and the trend seems to be moving toward a more Gospel-centered, Christ-centered ethic.

Certainly the impact of the Pentecostal movement has been large. Most churches embrace more demonstrative worship, raising hands, clapping, standing to their feet, emotional and experiential expressions of adoration. Most churches have praise bands, drums, electric instruments, cutting edge styles of music, etc something the Pentecostal movement was known for.

Yet, the emphasis on "moves of God", people falling out, screaming, rolling on the floor, a preoccupation with the gifts of the Spirit, sign seeking, strict standards of dress and ultra conservative lifestyle is really a thing of the past. The pressure to create the next wave of revival, the next upper room outpouring, the next Azusa street isnt there like it used to, and instead a younger generation focused on preaching the Gospel and being the Body of Christ, assisting the poor, the broken, the homeless, the addicted, the needy, the forgotten seems to be where the movement of God's church is headed.

Thank God for our Pentecostal roots! But just as each movement has had it's day in the sun, made it's contributions to the ever progressing church of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to lay down our pride and our attachment to labels and walls of division and realize that God cannot and will not be contained. The wind blows where it wants and you cannot predict where it's going to come from and where it's going to go.

I don't want to remain in the past. I want to follow where the cloud is leading. I am optimistic about the church of today and I am hopeful with the next generation. They will carry the banner of the cause of Christ on into the future until our Lord returns!