5 Things that Should Disappear from Pentecostal Churches

José Daniel Montañez, D.Min.

We all have the responsibility to contribute to the development of healthy congregations. Jesus Christ has invited us to be His partners in ministry. As we have been trained and nurtured by God, through the church, we also have an obligation to foster the spiritual welfare of the Body of which we are a part. Therefore, I will share five things that should disappear from Pentecostal churches in order to make us healthier churches.

1) Sermons with no Biblical Content - Dynamic preaching that is delivered with great passion must be governed by the imperative of biblical content. Without exposition, proper interpretation, and application of the biblical text, preaching can be exciting but ineffective. It can become an instrument of manipulation and serve for the glorification of the expositor. Only the Word of God has the power to transform and give new life. Let us trust in its effectiveness!

2) Counterfeit Manifestations of the Holy Spirit - The presence of the Spirit in the church is a fulfilled promise and its manifestations are many and diverse. Because the Spirit is invisible, we desire tangible and visible ways to perceive His presence. When these signs do not occur, as conditioned by previous expectations, there seems to be a tendency to fabricate or forge such manifestations. This is not only misleading but a poor substitute of the real Pentecostal experience. Such expectations must be surrendered to the Holy Spirit to allow His authentic presence and power to be manifested for the church to receive genuine edification.

3) An Anti-Educational Attitude - This sentiment seems to be the result of fear of the unknown accentuated by a limited vision of the work of God in the world. The rejection of education has different manifestations, some of which are very subtle. An unbalanced approach to teachings such as the imminent coming of the Lord, and the urgent need of workers for the harvest, may diminish the importance of sound biblical, theological, ministerial formation. The scarce resources committed by churches and denominations to educational programs constrain the importance of this imperative. Granting that changes are taking place, the eradication of the anti-educational attitude must be an accelerated priority.

4) Emphasis on Outward Appearance - For many years, the change in external appearance has been understood as the result of an imminent internal transformation. While this may be true in some cases, this generalization can be misleading. There are people who change their dress and hairstyles, but their heart and mind have not changed. It is easier to shave a beard and cut ones hair than to submit humbly to the will of God for life. Again, to emphasize what we can only physically see, may lead to bad judgment. Therefore, the emphasis must be in the urgent priority that each person receives from God a real, transcendent and permanent change that goes beyond the superficial outward appearance.

5) Separatism from the Body of Christ – A false sense of spiritual superiority may lead some to consider other brothers and sisters in Christ inferior in the faith. It can lead to believe that others do not have the fullness of the gospel, and are cold or dead. As a result, only what has the stamp of " Pentecostal " is truly acceptable. This view fosters great division in the Body of Christ. While this historically may be a reaction to the disdain and contempt received by the Pentecostal movement in its infancy, it is time to heal and mature. The challenge is to be proactive and look beyond our own camp. God is doing wonderful things in the midst of His people. The Lord has called us to be in unity!



In the 36 years I've been preaching the gospel I've never been more excited to see what God is doing among the new generations of Pentecostals and among other Christian traditions. Today, it is up to us as believers, leaders and pastors to make a humble contribution so that our movement remains real, effective, and relevant to the emerging generations until the coming of the Lord.