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Key Verse
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6, NKJV)
Learning Objectives
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
1. Explain why Scripture calls believers to unity, and why unity never replaces truth.
2. Describe how Pentecostals have related to other Christians, from early separation to evangelical cooperation and dialogue.
3. State fairly the objections to Pentecostal ecumenical involvement and the objections that others raise against Pentecostals, and give answers from the Pentecostal side.
4. Explain where Trinitarian classical Pentecostals draw firm boundaries, and where they offer fellowship and cooperation.
5. Name several questions that will shape the future of Pentecostal churches and describe how a pastor can prepare for them.
The Voice of This Unit
This unit is written from inside the classical Pentecostal tradition, for students who belong to it. It is conservative and Trinitarian. We hold that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that the Holy Spirit empowers the church. We love our brothers and sisters in other churches, and we say honestly where we agree and where we do not. We also face honestly the divisions among ourselves. This is the last unit of the course. It looks outward to the wider church and forward to the years ahead.
What Scripture Says about Unity
Jesus prayed for His followers "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:21). Our unity is not a decoration. It is part of our witness. A divided church tells the world a poor story about the Lord who prayed for oneness.
Paul writes that we should keep "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3), and our key verse gives the reason: there is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says that by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free. Pentecostals, who stress the work of the Holy Spirit, ought to be among those who care most about this unity, since it is the Spirit's own gift.
The same Scripture insists that unity is bound to truth. Jude urges believers "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Paul pronounced a solemn warning on any who preach another gospel (Galatians 1:8-9), and John tells us to test the spirits (1 John 4:1-3). When the Jerusalem council met in Acts 15, the church sought agreement under the guidance of Scripture and the Holy Spirit, and its decision protected the gospel of grace for the Gentiles. So we must hold two things together. We seek the fullest unity that truth allows, and we do not give up the truth to purchase unity.
From Separation to Cooperation
In the early years, many Pentecostals were rejected by the churches they came from. Some were put out of their congregations, and some preachers of other churches spoke harshly about Pentecostal meetings. In response, many Pentecostals formed their own fellowships, and in some places they became suspicious of other churches. That was understandable, though not always wise. Course 1 told the story of the early movement and its divisions.
Over time the picture changed. Many classical Pentecostal bodies began to work with other evangelicals, joining associations that share a commitment to the Bible and to the gospel. Classical Pentecostal churches around the world also meet with one another in world gatherings, such as the Pentecostal World Conference and the Pentecostal World Fellowship, to share news, encourage one another and strengthen their witness. Pentecostals have also taken part in broader gatherings of Christians, such as the Global Christian Forum.
Another development was the charismatic renewal (Course 1, Unit 9). From the 1960s, Christians in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian and other churches began to receive the Spirit's gifts and stayed in their churches. This brought Pentecostals into contact with Christians who differ from us on many things, and it raised new questions.
One man who stood in the middle of these questions was David du Plessis, a South African-born Pentecostal minister who traveled widely and spoke with leaders of many churches about the work of the Spirit. His example is admired by some Pentecostals and questioned by others. Some Pentecostal leaders were uneasy about his ecumenical work, and his own denomination criticized it. A fair student should know that this is a debated story.
Three Pentecostal Attitudes
Classical Pentecostals do not all agree about how far to go. We describe three common attitudes.
Careful separation. Some pastors and denominations believe that Pentecostals should have little formal contact with churches outside the evangelical and Pentecostal family. They fear that fellowship with churches that deny or neglect core doctrines will weaken our message. They point to Paul's warnings against false teachers.
Evangelical cooperation. Many Pentecostals join other evangelicals for evangelism, relief work, prayer and public witness, while keeping their own doctrines and practices. They feel at home with those who share a high view of the Bible and of salvation through Christ.
Wider dialogue. A smaller number take part in formal conversations with other churches, including the Roman Catholic Church. Since 1972 there has been an international dialogue between Roman Catholic and classical Pentecostal participants. Pentecostal scholars who take part say they go to listen, to explain and to witness, and not to give up what they believe.
Each attitude has strengths. Careful separation guards doctrine. Evangelical cooperation allows shared work without confusing the message. Dialogue builds understanding and corrects false pictures. Each also has a risk: separation can become pride, cooperation can become shallow, and dialogue can drift if the participants are not well taught. We believe a pastor should choose his path after prayer, with knowledge of Scripture, and with respect for those who choose differently.
The Objections and Our Answers
Objection 1: Ecumenism leads to one world church and to compromise.
Some Pentecostals believe that ecumenical organizations prepare the way for a false church in the last days. Others fear that fellowship with theologically liberal churches will tempt us to lower our standard. These concerns have often been raised in our own circles, and they should be taken seriously.
Our answer. We agree that truth must not be sold. But the unity Jesus prayed for is a unity of the Spirit among those who truly belong to Him, and it is not the same as joining a single organization. We can pray with, talk with, and help other Christians without giving up our own doctrines. Interpreters of Revelation differ about the last days, and we should not treat a disputed reading as a reason to refuse all contact. Where a body denies the Trinity, the deity of Christ or the gospel of grace, we can be courteous but we cannot call it an ally in the faith.
Objection 2: Talking with the Roman Catholic Church betrays the gospel.
Many evangelicals and Pentecostals remember the Reformation and the issues it raised, such as salvation by grace through faith and the authority of Scripture. They ask why Pentecostals sit down with Catholics.
Our answer. Those issues remain real, and Pentecostals who take part in dialogue do not hide them. We can speak the truth in love. At the same time we believe that many Catholics are brothers and sisters who love the Lord, and we are glad when they are filled with the Spirit and hunger for the Word. We receive them as people, we test all things by Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21), and we speak plainly about the gospel. Each pastor will decide how far to go in public. None should speak about other believers with contempt.
Objection 3: Pentecostals themselves divide the church.
Other Christians sometimes say that Pentecostals divide congregations by insisting on tongues as the necessary first sign of Spirit baptism, and that Pentecostals treat others as second-class.
Our answer. Our tradition teaches that tongues are the first sign of Spirit baptism, as Acts shows (see Course 2, Unit 5). But we do not teach that a believer without tongues is lost, and we should not despise those who read these passages differently. A pastor can hold the conviction firmly and still treat a Baptist or Presbyterian neighbor as a fellow believer. We should invite, not pressure. When a newly filled believer looks down on others, a wise pastor corrects him with love (see 1 Corinthians 13).
Where We Draw Firm Lines
Fellowship has limits. Trinitarian classical Pentecostal bodies hold that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God in three persons, and that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. They have not accepted Oneness Pentecostal bodies as partners in the faith, because Oneness teaching denies the eternal distinction of the three persons (see Course 2, Unit 7). We speak with Oneness believers with respect, and we continue to answer their teaching from Scripture.
In the same way, the classical bodies have spoken against the strong forms of prosperity teaching (Unit 6) and against abuse of spiritual gifts for money or control (Course 4, Unit 10). A pastor who values unity must also be willing to protect his flock from teaching that harms. Unity with no discernment is not what Jesus prayed for.
Unity Among Pentecostals
We cannot speak of the wider church without speaking of our own divisions. Course 1 told of the division between Holiness and Finished Work Pentecostals, and between Trinitarian and Oneness believers. It also told how racial division wounded the movement that began at Azusa Street, where people of different races worshiped together. In 1994, North American Pentecostal leaders met in Memphis, Tennessee, to confess racial division and to seek reconciliation. We mention this as a hopeful example that a movement may repent of its failures and begin again.
A Pentecostal pastor can promote unity in practical ways. He can speak well of other pastors in public, keep to Matthew 18 when a dispute arises, refuse to recruit members from a neighboring church, join the pastors in his town for prayer, and work with other churches in relief work for the poor (see Unit 7). He can help his people learn the difference between what is essential, such as the gospel and the Trinity, and what is secondary, so that they do not break fellowship over small matters.
The Future: Questions for Pentecostal Pastors
We do not predict the future. The Spirit blows where He wills (John 3:8). We can, however, ask questions that will help us prepare.
Training. Many Pentecostal pastors lead churches with little formal training, especially in rural areas and poorer countries. Who will teach them the Bible, doctrine and pastoral care? Courses by distance study, such as those of this seminary, and schools in the languages of the people (Unit 8) are one answer.
Doctrine and discernment. How will churches keep what is essential in the face of teachers who add or subtract? The answer lies in the Word, in sound teaching, and in discerning the spirits (Course 3, Unit 8).
Money and power. How will churches guard against celebrity leaders and the love of money? Accountability, plurality of leaders and honest accounts will be needed (Unit 5; Course 4, Unit 10).
The next generation. How will young people, who live with screens and with cities and pressures their parents did not know, be discipled and given a place of service? Youth ministry (Course 4, Unit 9) will be essential.
Leadership from the majority world. Most Pentecostals live in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The leaders who will shape the movement are increasingly from these places. Their voices must be heard in the churches and in the schools. The researchers' estimate of more than 660 million Pentecostals and charismatics in 2025 (Course 1, Unit 1) is only an estimate, but the direction of the movement is clear.
Persecution and freedom. In some countries believers suffer for their faith. We are called to remember those in prison "as if chained with them" (Hebrews 13:3), and to pray and speak for them.
Poverty and justice. How will Pentecostal churches serve the poor in ways that honor Christ (Unit 7)?
Mission. Pentecostal missions must continue, with local believers sending and receiving workers, translating Scripture and planting churches that last (Units 8 and 9).
Pastoral Application
The ministers' association in your town, which includes Baptist, Anglican, Catholic and other pastors, invites you to a joint evening of prayer for the city after a period of violence. Some members of your church are enthusiastic. Others warn you that you must not "mix" with other churches.
A wise pastor first listens to the concerns of his people. He then studies the invitation: who is organizing it, what will be said, and what the purpose is. He teaches from John 17 and Ephesians 4, and also from Jude 3, so that his people understand both unity and truth. He decides whether to join, as an expression of care for the town and prayer for the Lord's help. If he goes, he prays honestly in the name of Jesus, does not pretend that differences do not exist, and does not use the occasion to attack others. He keeps the Pentecostal convictions of his own church in his teaching afterward. He speaks to his congregation with respect for those who have doubts, and he does not force them to attend.
Summary
Scripture calls believers to the unity of the Spirit, which is part of our witness to the world, and also to contend for the faith once delivered. Pentecostals began by being rejected, then separated, and later cooperated with other evangelicals and, in some cases, entered dialogue, including the international dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church begun in 1972. Three attitudes exist among classical Pentecostals: careful separation, evangelical cooperation and wider dialogue. We answer the objection that ecumenism brings compromise by distinguishing the Spirit's unity from organizational union, and the objection that talking with Catholics betrays the gospel by speaking the truth plainly in love. We answer the charge that Pentecostals divide others by holding our convictions with humility. We draw firm lines at the Trinity, the deity of Christ and the gospel of grace, and we address divisions within our own family. The future raises questions about training, doctrine, money, the young, majority-world leadership, persecution, poverty and mission, and a pastor prepares by the Word, prayer and love.
Further Reading
• Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism (2nd ed., 2014).
• Wolfgang Vondey, Pentecostal Theology (2017).
• Amos Yong, The Spirit Poured Out on All Flesh (2005).
• Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism (2007).
• Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Spirit and Power (2006).
Unit 10 Exam
Certificate track: the 20 multiple-choice questions. Associate track: add the 10 fill-in-the-blank questions. Master’s tracks: add the 10 short-answer questions.