I don't know how many on here are mature adults, but I would like to discuss a sex topic so many people are afraid to address. I have found time and again that adults divorced or widowed tend to be sexually active more than they would be if they had never been married before. I have Christians who are both for and against premarital sex that tell me God gave us these desires so that we can enjoy them. I really feel called myself to wait until marriage. My problem is every single man I've met--and these are Christian men--is ready to have sex right away. They've had serious relationships before. They miss that physical aspect as well as the emotional link you have in a sexual relationship. My choice now is to go ahead and do what everyone else is doing or stay single forever. Even at my age, it's a tough choice. I would never want my children to give in to society and lose their virginity for it. But here I am, in my 30's, and I feel the sexual tension urging me to do what I think is wrong. Maybe some of us who have been married before can support eachother through dating situations here. I need to be held accountable each time I go on a date. Maybe some others will, too. Thanks for reading. I don't know how many on here are mature adults, but I would like to discuss a sex topic so many people are afraid to address. I have found time and again that adults divorced or widowed tend to be sexually active more than they would be if they had never been married before. Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church Rules. Thus the 'pentecostal checks'-if one. He also reminded singles that those who married while kicked out would have. Pentecostal singles dating, FREE Pentecostal profiles, search, and chat! Assembly of God Singles, Assemblies of God Singles. Pentecostal beliefs questionnaire, photos. My Experiences With Dating And Remarriage In The UPC. Dating rules differ vastly from Pentecostal church to church, even in the same general vicinity. I have Christians who are both for and against premarital sex that tell me God gave us these desires so that we can enjoy them. I really feel called myself to wait until marriage. My problem is every single man I've met--and these are Christian men--is ready to have sex right away. They've had serious relationships before. They miss that physical aspect as well as the emotional link you have in a sexual relationship. My choice now is to go ahead and do what everyone else is doing or stay single forever. Even at my age, it's a tough choice. I would never want my children to give in to society and lose their virginity for it. But here I am, in my 30's, and I feel the sexual tension urging me to do what I think is wrong. Maybe some of us who have been married before can support eachother through dating situations here. I need to be held accountable each time I go on a date. Maybe some others will, too. Thanks for reading. Click to expand. Wait until marriage before having sex. Sex is a very private, intimate union between a man and a woman. The purpose of sex is for the man to impregnate the woman. However, sex is also about physical and spiritual union. Unfortunately, people who have sex before marriage are doing it for fun which is absolutely the wrong reason to do it. Sex should be about unity. Some people may have premarrital sex for that reason, but it doesn't mean anything if they break up later on. Marriage is a life-long bond between a man and a woman, so if you wait until marriage, it will be a fantastic experience that you have shared with your husband or wife, and only him or her. If you meet a man or woman who is no longer a virgin, don't let that scare you off. Make sure he is a friend first, then date him or her, then propose or be proposed to. So long as your love is a Christian and is willing to dedicate the rest of their live with you, including sexuallity, that's all that matters. Don't go looking for a husband or wife, let it happen naturally, and trust me. It's such a tough thing. I waited until marriage the first time. I'd like to wait again. I'm thinking of going out w/ someone new, and I know that same old tempatation will be there. I can either stay away from it all together or go on the date and disappoint the man. Lol I wish I could just be happy alone and be done with it all together. I like living alone, and I certainly don't want anyone else raising my own children. I just feel that strong desire to have someone close to me who is not calling me Mom. I like the idea of giving up little things like that. That's a good one. I should try to start small and see if that helps. I've been cellibate for 5 yrs. Since my husband passed. You'd think this would get easier, but it's actually getting harder now. I think the devil is really trying hard to get me to slip now, so I'd like some accountability partners. Thanks for responding. I know this will sound hard.but if you feel strongly about it and I would as well, don't worry about the guys who will try to get you into bed. God's got someone out there for you! He didn't just take your husband and leave you hanging! You'll meet the one! It's a matter of getting through all the bad ones first! Trust me.Satan can bring people into your life just like God can! God lets the bad ones come in first to test your faith and patience.then when you're ready, he'll bring you the right one for waiting!! Or, you can find yourself getting involved with the wrong guy and blowing it all together! The right guy will walk right past you. Don't fall into peer pressure, all those poeple may be happy for a bit, but they all share one thing in common. Emptyness, they will never find that special someone that truley loves them. I am 22 and yes I love girls obviously. I want a girl and I can get one very easly, but I don't want just any girl, I want someone special, someone that doesn't judge me by my looks, but someone that cares for me and who I am as a person. Like I say in my book. Do you want to be known as 'just another girl' or 'the girl' ('the girl' is a girl that ever guy wants but can't have example Jennifer Love Hewitt) Everyone wanted her to go topless in a movie, but she said no. She didn't want to be like everyone else. She wants to be known by her talent in acting and not her talent in looks (if that make sense) I suggest you do the same. Be different, be special. If I remain single the rest of my life, then so be it, but I'd rather die single then knowing I was just like all the other guys. Thanks to everyone responding. Just getting this out in the open has helped me tremendously. Confessing you have a problem in the first place is surely the best way to get rid of it. I've been spending a lot of time in prayer lately. I told the 'temptation' that I could not, would not go out with him and the Biblical reasoning for doing so. He is now wanting to try and commit to cellibacy as well after hearing me out. We won't date, but will support eachother through other possible dating situations. I have learned the best way to beat temptation is to get rid of whatever can cause it, so I know I can't go out with this particular man. I'm going to continue to be content at home alone with my children and cats for now. Thanks to everyone responding. I hope we can all be of help to one another. I don't know how many on here are mature adults, but I would like to discuss a sex topic so many people are afraid to address. I have found time and again that adults divorced or widowed tend to be sexually active more than they would be if they had never been married before. I have Christians who are both for and against premarital sex that tell me God gave us these desires so that we can enjoy them. I really feel called myself to wait until marriage. My problem is every single man I've met--and these are Christian men--is ready to have sex right away. They've had serious relationships before. They miss that physical aspect as well as the emotional link you have in a sexual relationship. My choice now is to go ahead and do what everyone else is doing or stay single forever. Even at my age, it's a tough choice. I would never want my children to give in to society and lose their virginity for it. But here I am, in my 30's, and I feel the sexual tension urging me to do what I think is wrong. Maybe some of us who have been married before can support eachother through dating situations here. I need to be held accountable each time I go on a date. Maybe some others will, too. Thanks for reading. I don't know how many on here are mature adults, but I would like to discuss a sex topic so many people are afraid to address. I have found time and again that adults divorced or widowed tend to be sexually active more than they would be if they had never been married before. I have Christians who are both for and against premarital sex that tell me God gave us these desires so that we can enjoy them. I really feel called myself to wait until marriage. My problem is every single man I've met--and these are Christian men--is ready to have sex right away. They've had serious relationships before. They miss that physical aspect as well as the emotional link you have in a sexual relationship. My choice now is to go ahead and do what everyone else is doing or stay single forever. Even at my age, it's a tough choice. I would never want my children to give in to society and lose their virginity for it. But here I am, in my 30's, and I feel the sexual tension urging me to do what I think is wrong. Maybe some of us who have been married before can support eachother through dating situations here. I need to be held accountable each time I go on a date. Maybe some others will, too. Thanks for reading. A fun fact about WordPress is that in many cases it allows someone to see what search terms are used for someone to find your page. Reading through these I’ve learned that there are a lot of questions people have about Pentecostals (Apostolic). Here are some answers to those questions. Side note: these are not sorted by topic so if you’re looking for a specific topic, on most computers using the search function ctrl+f will allow you to search the post. Also, there is a search bar to the right of this page but it will search all posts not just this one. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “Things Pentecostals Can’t Do” My answer to this is “nothing”. Here’s my reasoning. People look at Pentecostals and think that because many tend to live a certain way, whether it be in clothing, hairstyles, places they will or won’t go, etc., that we are required to do so. What you will find is that many Pentecostals live what we call a “holiness lifestyle”. We look at principles in the Bible and try to follow them best we can. For example, the Bible talks about setting wicked things before your eyes. Because we don’t want to do this, many Pentecostals will not watch tv because there is a lot of profanity on there. By choosing not to watch it, we are taking a step to prevent putting anything wicked before us. That said, there is nothing that a Pentecostal “can’t do”. Our pastors do not scrutinize our lives. Our churches don’t have dress codes (I once had a friend who assumed you had to wear a dress to go to my church–this is not true! We want everyone to come to church regardless of how they dress!). Now, you will find that those who are in leadership in the church do follow the “holiness standards” of that church. The reason for this is because within each church there is general agreement on what the Bible teaches is holy and how we will live that out. The leaders will follow these standards because one, we actually agree with them, and two, we don’t want there to be confusion as to what we teach and why some in leadership don’t follow it. All in all, we are not forced to live a certain lifestyle. If you meet a Pentecostal who lives a certain way it is because they want to. (Exceptions being maybe kids who live that way because their parents do or someone who has chosen to follow them regardless if they believe them–in which case, they would probably have their own reasoning as to why they do it). “What does it mean to be Apostolic Pentecostal?” To be Apostolic means that you believe the same things the Apostles taught (in other words, the Bible). We don’t have extraneous creeds, doctrinal statements or statements of faith. The Bible is truth and we do not pick and choose what we will follow. If the Bible says it that settles it. The Apostles taught baptism in Jesus’ name; we do the same. The Apostles taught repentance; we do the same. The Apostles taught that the infilling of the Holy Ghost is a distinct experience from believing in Jesus as Savior–and that speaking in tongues was the initial evidence of receiving the gift; we teach the same. They preached a holy lifestyle; we do the same. They preached that we should reach the lost; we do the same. If you want to know what Apostolics believe, just read the Bible! To be Pentecostal means that you believe that the same experience the early church had on the day of Pentecost is real today. People still receive the Holy Ghost (as a separate and distinct experience–keep in the mind those in the upper room already believed in Jesus. They did not receive the Holy Ghost til later. The same with the church in Acts 19–see verse 2). It means you believe in the gifts of the spirit: the gift of tongues, of healing, of faith, etc. Again, if you want to know what Pentecostals believe, just read the Bible! “When is Pastor Appreciation Day?” Not a question about Apostolic Pentecostals directly but I’ll answer. The 2nd Sunday in October is designated as Pastor Appreciation Day. The whole month of October is also considered Pastor Appreciation Month. “What does the Apostolic church believe about women’s clothing?” The Bible instructs us to dress modestly. I Timothy 2:9-10 and I Peter 3:3-4, Romans 12:1-2, Deuteronomy 22:5 are some verses on apparel. While there is no one-size-fits-all answers to this question because “holiness standards” vary from church to church, the most common you’ll see is this. Women will typically not wear clothes that are tight enough to show off private parts. We typically wear skirts that fall below the knee while standing and sitting so that while doing either someone can not look up your skirt. We also typically wear our sleeves below the elbow–depending on who you ask the reasoning might change, but I’ve always done so because if I lift my arms up and my sleeves are loose you wouldn’t be able to see up them to my underclothes. The elbow also, in my opinion, is like the knee of the arm. I prefer to keep my upper legs covered and prefer the same with my upper arms. The Bible talks about not adorning yourself with gold, pearls, or costly array. For this cost most Apostolic women will not wear jewelry. Some will wear wedding bands because they feel it serves a purpose: showing others you are married. The same with watches. Many Apostolic women also will not wear makeup. The reason we don’t is because typically in the Bible when it mentions having your face painted it’s talking about a harlot. Jeremiah 4:30, 2 Kings 9:30, for example. We also teach our girls that God has made them “fearfully and wonderfully” and that they don’t need to wear makeup to improve themselves. Lastly, you will find that most Apostolic women wear skirts or dresses all the time. We do this because in Deuteronomy 22:5 it talks about men not wearing women’s apparel and women not wearing men’s apparel. We also do it for modesty reasons (wearing a skirt does not show off the body like pants do). Some will argue that pants are women’s apparel today. But think about it: if you go to a public bathroom and can’t read, how do you know the difference between the men’s and women’s room? The woman wears a skirt, the man pants. Here’s a fun activity you can do to see if people truly associate pants with men and dresses with women. Ask a few people to do an experiment. Give them each a piece of paper and pen and tell them they have 20 seconds to draw two figures, a boy and a girl. There are no rules. They can be stick people, blob people, anything. Chances are, the boy figures will have short hair and be wearing pants. The girl will have long hair and be wearing a skirt. It is human nature to associate short hair and pants with men, and long hair and dresses with girls. “Why do Apostolics think TV is wrong?” In Psalm 101:3 David wrote that he would set no wicked thing before his eyes. We choose to do this as well. Because of this, we don’t watch TV because most of what is on TV these days is what the Bible labels as sin (profanity, nudity, swearing, violence, premarital sex, drinking, drugs, adultery, lying, stealing, cheating, etc). By not watching TV we are choosing to not be entertained by the things the Bible labels sin. “But not everything on TV is bad”. You’re right, but as my former pastor would say, “You wouldn’t dig through the garbage to get a steak at the bottom of the trash can.” As an additional note, because many will argue that the internet is worse: This is true. The setting no wicked thing before your eyes doesn’t just apply to TV. We also teach that we need to be careful of what we look at on the internet, what we read, what video games we play, etc. There is more control over the internet because you have to type in what you want to find. On TV it is a mixed bagcommercials, flipping through channels, etc. It is also advised in many churches to use a filter on your internet for extra protection against ads or unwanted sites in searches. “What is the Holy Ghost?” The Holy Ghost is God’s spirit that dwells in men. The Bible teaches that when we seek God and, according to Acts 2:38 repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus, God will give us the gift of the Holy Ghost. His spirit lives in us and gives us joy, helps up to live holy lives, etc. Many mainstream churches preach that you are filled with the Holy Ghost the minute you believe in Jesus as Savior. This is not what the Bible teaches. The believers in Acts 2 received the Holy Ghost AFTER they believed in Jesus as Savior (it was also the first time the Holy Ghost was given to dwell in people). The believes in Acts 19 also had not received the Holy Ghost yet but had already believed. The Bible is very clear that receiving the Holy Ghost is a very distinct experience from when you started believing. Here are some verses to read about the Holy Ghost: John 14:26, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-6. Notice that something in common with these is that the sign that they had received the Holy Ghost was that they spoke in tongues. When you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost you will speak in tongues. “Apostolic Pentecostal Women and Hair Curling Rules” There aren’t any, though some Apostolic women won’t curl their hair because they feel it is vanity. “Pentecostals are not saved” All of the believers of the New Testament were Pentecostal (See question above–what do Pentecostals believe?). They were saved. “Leaving the Pentecostal Church” Please don’t. I made that mistake once and wish I could get those five years of my life back. It’s cliche but it’s true: My worst day with God is still better than my best day without Him. Here is my story: “Lifestyle of Pentecostals” We live like everyone else. We work jobs, go to school, have ups and downs, celebrate holidays. We do go to church, but that is not specific to Pentecostals–most Christians do. We do go on average 2-3 times a week, which is more than the typical non-denominational church. We strive to live a life of holiness (and you will see reasonings in other questions on here). Also, we are not forced to live any specific way. Many times I meet people who believe we are. We live this way because we choose to and we love it. I encourage you to check out an Apostolic Pentecostal church! “Bad Things About the Apostolic Pentecostal Church” Firstly, if you go looking for the bad you’ll find it. In any situation. That said, there is nothing wrong with the church specifically. You will always find hypocrites, always find people treating others wrong, etc, no matter where you are. Be it in any church, any job, any school, any organization. But don’t let one person doing wrong turn you away from many who are doing right. “Why do Pentecostals try to get their other family members into church?” The Bible is true and we try to live our lives according to it. The Bible is very clear on salvation and what God requires of His people. We also know from experience that living for God is a very rewarding life, full of joy and many wonderful things. We want our family members to experience the same blessings God has given us. “Too Many Church Services – Pentecostal” Most Pentecostals go to church 2-3 times a week. Once or twice on Sunday and usually one mid-week service, usually Wednesday or Thursday. Sometimes we will have “revivals” which is where we might do several special services on consecutive days. There are also many special events such as Youth Meetings, Conferences, Banquets, etc. When you consider, if someone attends all three services of the week, and from arrival to leaving may be anywhere from 1.5-2 hours (a typical church service begins with 30 minutes of prayer before the service, about 20-30 minutes of music, about a 30-45 minute message, and a time of prayer after service known as the “altar call”–of course this varies greatly), we spend about 6 hours a week in church. In a week of 168 hours that’s not much. Most people spend more time watching tv. Oh, and most Pentecostals you’ll meet will actually say they like being at church more than they already are. To us it is a special place, we have fun, we get encouraged, we find a connection with God and with others. I would encourage you to visit a church and experience it yourself! “The First Church in Acts was Pentecostal” This is correct. Their experience on the day of Pentecost is actually why we call ourselves Pentecostals. “Change in People who Join Pentecost” Becoming an Apostolic Pentecostal is truly a life changing experience. I’ve seen people firsthand get healed of illnesses (cancer, asthma, a baby with a hole in his heart, I was healed of a bleeding disorder). I’ve seen people firsthand get delivered from drugs, alcohol and smoking–in one night–with one prayer. Not with any 12 step program (not downing those programs if they help but God can deliver someone in one moment!). I’ve seen people delivered from depression, past experiences, and guilt. I know what it is like to feel like life is falling apart and then get one experience with God that changed my life so much that I left a service filled with joy. Left personal prayer time feeling like everything’s going to be okay. It’s wonderful and I pray you experience the same. “Apostolic Pentecostal Beliefs Non-Biblical?” Apostolic Pentecostals have no doctrinal statements, creeds, or statements of faith outside of the Bible. We only preach what is in the Bible and how that applies to our lives today. If you have a question about something the pastor preaches and where in the Bible it is, I encourage you to ask Him. He will be able to show you where what He preaches is in the Bible. The same goes for someone who may be giving you a Bible study. If you have a question ask! “I feel like Apostolic Pentecostal is not me” If you are currently in a church I encourage you to speak with your pastor. It is easy to get discouraged in today’s world but take heart! Jesus said He would help us overcome! If there is something specific about the faith that you don’t know why you believe it or don’t understand it, ask! The Bible has answers and your pastor, leaders and others in the church want to help you. If you don’t belong to a church, I encourage you to find one. You can Google answers but everyone will have a response as to why you should or shouldn’t be in church. The problem with that is that you are getting people’s personal opinions. The best opinion you can get is the Bible’s! If you need help finding a church in your area please message me and I would be more than happy to help you find one! “I’m Apostolic. Where is Jesus?” It sounds like you’re struggling! The Bible tells us that God will never leave us. It may be hard to feel God but be sure He is with You! I would encourage you to start looking up passages in the Bible about God’s faithfulness and since you said you are Apostolic I would also encourage you to speak with your pastor, pastor’s wife, or another trusted friend or leader. The best thing we can do in hard times is pray and surround ourselves with other believers. God will show Himself faithful! “How many people go to a Pentecostal church?” This question is hard to answer for two reasons: One, not all Pentecostal believe the same. I am Apostolic Pentecostal but you will also find that there are Trinitarian Pentecostals (Assemblies of God, for example). Also, not all Pentecostals belong to an organization. Some major Apostolic Pentecostal organizations are the UPCI, WPF, ALJC and PAW, but there are many people who follow the Apostolic Pentecostal doctrine because they’ve read it in the Bible and never had any connections to any organization. There are also many minor Pentecostal organizations. Because of this, there are no concrete numbers. There is an article I found that speculates that more than 1 in 4 Christians claim to be Pentecostal of some sort:. Also, a former professor of mine, Talmadge French, wrote a book that has an appendix at the end listing many Apostolic organizations around the world. It’s a great book to look in to! Here it is on Amazon: “When Apostolics Let You Down” Get back up! No matter where you go to church, where you work, go to school or hang out with people there is always the chance that someone will let you down. It’s just because people are people. One thing my pastor has taught me well is looking at situations from another person’s point of view. It is one of the greatest gifts my pastor could’ve instilled into me. When people let me down I try to see their perspective and it helps me realize that it’s usually not intentional. I’ve been hurt by people in church but by the grace of God He helped me get back up again and realize that it’s not God’s fault! Keep pressing on! (And try to reconcile if possible!) “What do Pentecostals believe about Apostles?” I’ve always heard that there are two definitions of what an apostle is: One, someone who has the authority to write scripture, and Two, someone who has a calling to start churches. Pentecostals believe that the Apostles with the authority to write scripture ended with the New Testament. The Bible is the Word of God and nobody has any authority to add or take away from it–to do so would being against God (Revelation 22:19). As far as Apostles who are people with a calling to start churches, you will find many within the Apostolic Pentecostal Church. Some people have a gift to get churches started and then when they feel called to they will find a pastor for that church and move to another city to start another church. These are wonderful people used mightily of God. “Pentecostalism: Why People Leave?” Every person will have their own reason but the reasons I see most are that they get offended by somebody in the church or they get tired of living for God. Sometimes people won’t understand why they do things and just do them because others do. This is why we encourage people to study the Bible. We want everybody to know why they believe what they do–our foundation needs to be the Bible. “Why People are Joining the Pentecostal Church” God changes lives. People join because they’ve seen the power God has had on the lives of others and they want the same. They want to follow the Bible, they want to be saved, they want to experience joy and victory in their lives. “When is the right time to leave the Apostolic church?” After the pastor prays at the end of service and says “service dismissed” ? Seriously, though, never. Like I mentioned in a response above, if you are questioning leaving the church it is likely that you are struggling with someone. I would encourage you to seek God in prayer, in the Bible, and speak with your man of God. The things that can seem so huge at times that make us want to give up are usually things that can be worked through. God has a victory for you and He wants to see you through! So does your pastor and church family! I mentioned above how I left the church for a while once. I was miserable and missed God so much. I have found so much joy living for God and could never give him up now! Here is a blog post about why I left and why I came back: “Apostolic Pentecostal Outfit Ideas?” Haha I’m guessing you’re looking for some ways to dress fashionably yet modestly. Pinterest has a lot of ideas! There are also some people who belong to Apostolic churches who have started clothing companies. Check them out! and There are many more and if you know of one I would be happy to list them if you’ll comment the link below. “What can an eight year old say for Pastor Appreciation Day?” I know this isn’t an Apostolic-related question but I love these questions because it means you are teaching your children to honor the ministry–which is a very biblical and Apostolic thing! Encourage your child to tell what things they like best about their pastor. I once had all of the members of the church write one sentence on what they liked best about our pastor and put them all in a slideshow to Scott Krippayne’s “You Changed the World”. It turned out very nicely, lots of sentiment, encouragement, and some very candid responses! (Haha our pastor learned he “Was a G”) “Questions about relationship with God – Pentecostal” First and foremost I would ask your pastor any questions who have about your walk with God. Your pastor cares for you and wants to see you succeed in your walk with God! Secondly, if you don’t have a pastor but have a specific question I encourage you to post it in the comments below. We might be able to help you find an answer. “Do Pentecostals deny the godhead?” No. We believe there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Colossians 2:9 says the fulness of the godhead dwells in Jesus. Just as you might be a father, a son, and a uncle but be one person, so is God. He is our Father in creation, the Son in redemption (Him coming to earth as a man to die for our sins) and the Holy Ghost in regeneration (in other words, He lives in us as the Holy Ghost). When the Bible refers to the “Son of God” it is referring to God in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16). You see, in Bible times people were often given names based on their attributes. Jesus means ‘Jehovah has become our salvation’. When God became and man and died for us His name became Jesus. Isaiah even prophesied that the baby Jesus would be called the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). So when we talk about Jesus we are talking about God. God, Jesus, Holy Ghost, Healer, Protector, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, etc, are all names of the one same God. Here is a different post I made a while back with some verses on the godhead: “What does Beulah land mean in the Bible?” Again, not a question about Apostolics directly, but it’s a Bible question. Isaiah 62:4 says, “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.” “Who invented the Pentecostal church?” God did. The very first church as recorded in Acts 2 was Pentecostal. Every other church started in the New Testament was also Pentecostal. The Pentecostal church went “underground”, you could say, over the years due to persecution, but it has always existed. In the United States there rose a popularity and revival with Pentecostal churches in the late 1800s and early 1900s with groups of people from different denominations who read the Bible and realized that not all churches were preaching what the Bible taught as far as oneness of God, Jesus name baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. “Has God already left the church?” No, He is alive and active in the church! God is moving in people’s lives everyday and desires to do the same in yours! “Boyfriend wants me to be Pentecostal” Pentecostals live very rewarding lives and we experience so much of the greatness of God that we want to share it with everybody! Ask him to give you a Bible study or visit his church with him. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! You will find that there is so much joy to experience with a life in God! “What do Apostolic churches do when they leave for conferences?” This question can be taken one of two ways. What happens at the church if most of the church goes to a conference? Services might be cancelled because the pastor and possibly any others in the church who preach might be gone as well. Sometimes the pastor will ask someone else to lead services so they can continue while he is gone. If you’re asking what happens at conferences: It’s just like going to church somewhere else. If not within driving distance people book hotel rooms and services are likely to happen every night, sometimes twice a day. At camps they might hold different services and events throughout the day like sports games, barbecues and more. Typically conference services are formal and you will see people dressed up, much like they would Sunday Mornings at church though some will dress up even more depending on the event. Dressing up is not required though. We want everyone in church regardless of how you look or dress! The services will be a lot like your home church only with more people. There will be prayer, worship and preaching. You’re also likely to see people very passionate about the services, with demonstrative worship (i.e. Jumping, shouting, clapping, running aisles). There will also be a lot of ministers there who usually sit up on the platform and several of them might be asked to speak for moment before the speaker of the night gets up to preach. The altar call (prayer at the end of service) is likely to be packed as well. A lot of people will be there and it’s not uncommon for people to pray together even if they don’t know each other. You will meet a lot of new people and find new friends within several churches! “What happens when you leave your Apostolic church?” Apostolic churches are a lot like families. People tend to get very close with one another and develop many friendships. When someone leaves the church it is normal for many people to be sad. It feels like your best friend or brother or sister are moving away. That said, if you are moving because of a reason–getting married, entering full time ministry, or the like, people will be excited even though they will miss you! If you are leaving because you decide you don’t want to live for God anymore we still miss you as much but there is a sadness that accompanies it. We don’t want to see you leave and there will be a lot of prayer for you. Some people might get upset but most will still desire to be friends once you leave. We want to see you get victory in Christ and continue to live for Him. We will love you no matter what but we will never stop praying for you til we see you living for God again. You mean a lot to us and we want to see you saved. “What do Apostolic Pentecostals wear to church?” Most of the time people dress up for church. Women will wear skirts or dresses and men typically wear slacks and a dress shirt or a suit and tie. That said, there is no dress code and everybody is welcome to come regardless of how they dress. If you don’t own a suit or a skirt don’t let that stop you from coming! You likely won’t be the only one not dressed that way and nobody will treat you any differently if you aren’t. (There was a guy in my former church who was a mechanic and he would come in his work clothes! Better he be there in work clothes than to miss church because he didn’t have time to go home and change!) “How do you explain the sincerity of the UPCI?” People who belong to the UPCI are genuine about living for God. Though you’ll always find people who aren’t trying their best or living hypocritical lifestyles, most are passionate about God and genuinely trying to live according to the Bible best they can. This goes for people in the UPCI or any Apostolic church or organization. “What if you have short hair and wear makeup in the Apostolic church?” You will still be welcomed to come. We recognize that all people grow in God at different levels and people need time to work on the inside before the outside. Once someone recognizes what the Bible says about this, though, we encourage them to follow it. Now, because most churches preach what the Bible says about women having long hair and men having short hair (1 Corinthians 11) and that the Bible does not encourage women to wear makeup (Jeremiah 4:30), you won’t typically see people on the platform ministering if they do these because we don’t want there to be confusion in the church as to what we believe and/or rebellion to the Word of God (if you see it in the Bible and don’t follow it, it is rebellion). “What do you do when someone you love is in the Pentecostal church?” Go to church with them! “What is considered a worldly hairstyle to Apostolics?” In 1 Corinthians 11 the Bible says men should have short hair (for it is a shame if they have long hair) and women should have long hair (it is a glory to her and a sign of submission to her authority). Verse 6 says it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven. Shorn means cut. So even trimming of the hair is against the Bible. This is what the Bible says and what almost all Apostolic churches teach. Occasionally you might meet some Apostolics who feel that trendy hairstyles are a sign of conforming to the world and they will avoid those (like spiked hair, for example). “How to get the Holy Ghost” One must first recognize that receiving the Holy Ghost is an experience distinct from when someone first believes in Jesus as Savior. Also, you will read that in Acts 2:38 Peter said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Verse 39 says “the promise is unto you and to your children and to all who are afar off, even as many as the Lord your God shall call.” The gift of the Holy Ghost is a promise. If you are seeking the Holy Ghost you will want to spend time in prayer as it is in prayer that people are filled with it. Also, recognize that the one sign that followed all believers who received the Holy Ghost is that they spoke in tongues. God does not leave us doubting if we have it. We will know for sure because God will make us speak in tongues (it is not something we do ourselves or are taught–only God can cause you to do that). If you are seeking, though it is possible to get the Holy Ghost anywhere, I would encourage you to get connected to an Apostolic church in your area and ask for a Bible study on the Holy Ghost. “If I get saved in an Apostolic church am I really saved?” If you are saved according to the plan of salvation in the Bible (repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues) and you live according to the Bible as best as possible, yes, you are saved. This is what the Bible teaches and it is the only and final authority. If you are doubting your salvation I encourage you to speak with your pastor. “Do all Apostolics require you to wear dresses?” No. Apostolic women wear dresses because we believe it is how God wants us to dress (see questions above for verses and reasons). That said, we are not forced to dress this way and because not everyone who goes to our churches is at the same level in their walk with God as everyone else, it is likely you will see some women in a service not wearing a dress. Everyone is welcome to come regardless of how they dress. Now, once you see the verses in the Bible about distinction of apparel and modesty, it is important that you follow convictions and the Bible. Always keeping in mind, too, that the outward appearance is not primary to inward holiness. Focus on getting your heart right with God first and He will bring you convictions about holiness. “Apostolic Pentecostal Belief on Seeking God’s Will” The Bible says if we seek God we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). If you are seeking God’s will it is imperative that you go to Him in prayer and then be willing to listen to the ways He speaks to His people. This is oftentimes found through the Bible, preaching, and your man of God but sometimes God works in other ways too. Be open to His voice. “Why would someone not want to have Pentecostal experiences?” I don’t know. God changed my life. As I mentioned above, I have seen and experienced people getting healed (even myself), delivered from addictions and depressions, I’ve seen people filled with joy and have their lives turned around. I wouldn’t change my experience with God for the world. “Can an Apostolic woman be alone with a guy?” Yes. There are no rules or standards against this. That said, you will meet people who will have a personal conviction not to. For example: A dating couple might not be alone in a house to avoid temptation to fall into sin. They will mostly likely hang out in public places. A married man or woman might choose to not be alone with another married man or woman to avoid any appearance of sinning (1 Thessalonians 5:22). They don’t want it to look like they are being unfaithful to their spouses or raise any doubts. It also prevents false accusations. If a man does not hang out with a woman alone there is no basis for him to be accused of inappropriate behavior, for example. Or vice verse, as happened to Joseph with Potiphar’s wife. “What happened to the Apostolic Pentecostal church after the apostles?” Many people falsely believe the Apostolic church died out until the late 1800s. This is incorrect. When I was in college I spent a large amount of time studying the history of the church and many documents can be found that speak of persecutions of people who were oneness (believing in one God instead of a triune God) and people who were persecuted for speaking in tongues, baptizing in Jesus name, etc. Many of these groups were underground because of persecution, but the church never died out. There was a resurgence in the late 1800s as people began to read the word and realize that what the mainstream churches of the day were preaching wasn’t full truth. They started studying the Bible and teaching what the apostles taught. “What does God feel about you if you are not Apostolic?” He loves you as much as He loves anyone else, Apostolic or not. But, He also desires that you experience the fulness of life in Him. He wants to fill you with His spirit and see you live according to His Word. “What does the Bible say about being flashy / Why can Pentecostals wear big bows?” This is a situation on church standards and personal convictions. The Bible teaches to dress modestly and not adorn yourself with gold, pearls, or costly array. Those who wear big bows or fancy clothes do not have convictions against this because it is not jewelry and they may have not spent a lot of money on it therefore it is not costly. On the other hand, some Apostolics have personal convictions against wearing flashy clothes or big hair bows because they believe it draws too much attention. What it comes down to is that each church has it’s own set of “standards” that the pastor preaches. It is how he teaches we should follow the Word of God. Beyond that, if we have personal convictions stronger than that standard we are to follow them, but not force them upon others. As far as people who do wear costly apparel or gold or pearls or the like? Keep in mind that we are all in different places in our walk with God and it may be something they haven’t been taught yet or maybe they have and they just choose to not follow it. Don’t let one person in the church who may not follow standards affect your walk with God. “Dating Someone from the Apostolic Pentecostal Church” The Bible teaches that we should not be “unequally yoked” or rather, we should not marry people who do not share our faith. It causes a lot of problems and stresses in the marriage. Most Apostolics won’t date someone outside the faith because most date with the intent of finding someone they’d like to marry. If you are dating someone who is Apostolic and interested in learning more about it, I would encourage you to visit your boyfriend or girlfriend’s church and ask for a Bible study. “Why do Apostolic Pentecostals believe their way of salvation is the correct way?” We only teach what is in the Bible. The Bible is truth. If you’re not in an Apostolic church and/or your pastor preaches a salvation message different than what is in the Bible I would encourage to search the scriptures about salvation and get yourself into a church that preaches the whole Bible. “I’ve grown up in the Apostolic church and I guess what I would like to know is what is my faith?” I strongly encourage you to speak with your pastor. Having been raised in the church myself I know it is common for Apostolic kids to grow up living for God because it’s the only thing we’ve ever known. Somehow some of us never learned the why behind everything. Your pastor or youth leader would be great to show you where in the Bible our doctrine comes from. Everything we believe is in the Bible so if you have questions about salvation or standards ask! I don’t typically suggest searching Google because you can get a lot of mixed up answers from people not in church. If you are learning about doctrine from a source outside of your church and the Bible, make sure it is a trusted Apostolic leader otherwise you might get information that isn’t biblical. “Pentecostal Guy Invited Me to a Party” If it’s a church party go and have fun! You probably won’t find drinking, drugs, smoking, or worldly dancing there but you’ll still have fun! If it’s a worldly party with those things at it, don’t go with him. “Can older women in the Pentecostal Church date?” Yes, as long as you are not in adultery as listed in the Bible, for example Matthew 19:9 and Romans 7:2. For the best biblical guidance on this ask your pastor. If you are single and never married there are no standards against older women dating that are common to Apostolic churches. “Can a Pentecostal enter any church?” Yes, but voice of experience says it can be an uncomfortable experience and it may feel lacking. Going from a church that celebrates the Holy Ghost and God’s goodness into one that doesn’t (for example, some baptist churches preach against speaking in tongues! Which is not good because it is the initial evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost). “What do you think about the Apostolic church?” I love it and wouldn’t dream of belonging to any other church! “How to be a great Apostolic Bible teacher” Learn from your pastor. He will be your best mentor. “Things Done at Pentecostal Church” Here is a link to a “What to Expect” page for an Apostolic church. It lists what you can expect and where we find it in the Bible. “Facial hair in the Pentecostal Church” The Bible does not specifically say anything for or against facial hair for the church. Many churches preach against it because it was a symbol of rebellion during the 60s and can be a point of contention and vanity. This varies from church to church though and some pastors may have different insight into it. If you belong to a local congregation I encourage you to ask your pastor his opinion on it. “Do Pentecostals eat pork?” Yes. Unless they are vegetarian. Or don’t want to. “Is it bad if I don’t like being around Pentecostal people?” It’s more so sad. Ask yourself why. Keep in mind that one or two Pentecostals do not make up the entire faith and that if you don’t particularly enjoy the company of some Apostolics doesn’t mean you don’t like being around any of them! Seek out other friendships in the church and I guarantee you’ll find some more pleasant to be around than others, “If you’re Apostolic why can you feel God some days and not others?” Emotions tend to rule us many times. The Bible says the heart is deceitful. God will not forsake you, we know that. Sometimes the feeling can be a result of stress, depression, unrepentant sin, or just a time of testing. Many strong men and women of God in the Bible went through periods where they couldn’t feel God. Keep living for Him, praying, doing what you need to do and trust Him that you will feel Him again. Don’t be afraid to seek counsel from your pastor and strength from your brothers and sisters at the church. Have other questions? Ask them in the comments below! (Debates and non-biblical matter of fact responses will NOT be approved. This is not a debate forum.). Hi Fawn, Glad to hear you’re growing in your walk with God! I also enjoy working out and going to the gym and dressing modest has never been an issue! I buy my workout skirts from a store called Fred Meyer–it is a part of the Kroger store chain. They’re called yoga skirts and they’re like maxi skirts but A-line and come in both ankle and knee (or in my case, calf) length. I pair it with a pair of spandex workout capris–I don’t like my capris showing so I get them shorter than my skirt. If you don’t have a Kroger store in your area that sells clothing you could also try Sports Authority–before they go out of business–or even the mall. Fortunately, cotton skirts are in right now! There are also modest workout clothing websites–just google modest fitness apparel and some will come up. I then wear normal t-shirts (I prefer 3/4 sleeve or longer) or even typical workout shirts–just buy a bigger size and it’s not so tight or get a fabric that isn’t as compressing! I hope these ideas help! I have neighbors that have been heavily involved in Apostolic Pentecostal Religion for about 5 years, prior to that time they were completely non-religious. Now all the sudden they have quit speaking to me and my husband for no reason at all. Is this what they are learning in their new religion, to not even look at or wave to their neighbors? Or do that think we are heathens for not being in the same religion that they are in? We have done nothing to them at all. Makes for a very uncomfortable situation. They sure don’t treat their neighbors with any “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Actually they judge everyone in the neighborhood and find all of us unworthly of their standards. I do have a question, I was divorced, when I first joined my church, my ex husband committed adultery. Since then I have been baptised and I have received the Holy Ghost. I am now married to a wonderful man. My question is, this, am I forgiven for my divorce and for being remarried? I have received the Holy Ghost more than once since I married my husband, and we received the Holy Ghost at the same time when I led him to go to the altar. He is also divorced, and his ex wife was abusive to him, she would throw things at him, curse him, and basically treated him like he was the hired help, and she wanted him to wait on male guests in their home. Don’t lose hope! I met my husband at a church conference out of state that my church went to every year. God had his perfect timing, though. I had attended this conference for 8 years prior to meeting my husband, and he was there all 8 years but somehow our paths had never crossed. I would recommend going to the conferences your church advertises and get involved! I also have another friend who met her husband through Facebook as they had mutual friends and ended up talking on a thread on a friends page! Another couple I know met through their company–even though they worked in different states! God can introduce you to your wife in a time and place you never expect! I have been dating a man who is in the penecostal church. I have been a christian all of my life but have been part of different denominations, even non-denominational churches. I wear pants, jeans, and capris. I have shorter hair, just above the shoulder,basically hits my collar bone. I wear make up, I love dresses and skirts and would have no problem wearing them on Sundays, I do wear necklaces, and like jewelery. From what I have read you won’t be shunned if you do not dress the way the penecostal church teaches. I do believe that you can be convicted of certain things and choose to do things differently. I really love this man and he loves me. I do not want these things to be a problem between us. Hi Nichole, Great question! Back in the day most Pentecostal women wore a denim skirt and a t-shirt to swim in. Denim was a popular choice because the weight of the fabric would keep the skirt down in the water. Today many online companies sell modest swimwear, which is usually a skirt and top made out of swimsuit material. I have a swim skirt that I bought from Costco and swim tops are sold at many sporting goods stores now! As far as going to beaches, this varies from person to person and church to church. Some Pentecostals don’t like going to the beach because there is immodesty there with women in bikinis and men with no shirts on. Others feel that as long as it’s not super busy or you go to a more secluded area of the beach where there’s less people then it’s fine. Hey thank you for this blog, I am a back slider. I have left the church and had so many excuses. I am 20 now and I realize, there are no excuses for not to live for God. I just lost my cousin to a wreck, and it’s sad but it has made me realize how short life is. She was 18 years old and a back slider also. I know God has mercy on her soul because she had at least 15 mins before she died to pray. And I know she did because before she left church she believed with all her heart and she touched so many lives. But what I’m saying is I don’t want to be scared to go back to church. I don’t want to care what others think. I want God in my life, I want to be strong in the Word of God. I miss church so much but in my heart I believe people hate me or look down on me. I just want peace of mind and the touch of God again. Hi Wendy, I’m so sorry to hear about your cousin. It’s a very tragic thing to have to go through. I was just a few years younger than you when I went back. I was scared at first; I thought people would judge me. I thought that all of the bad things people said about the church would be true. But I told myself, ok, just go once. Stepping through that door the first time was the hardest part. When I got back in, though, my whole world changed. People weren’t judgmental; they were happy for me. I found family in that church. God delivered me from depression, loneliness, fear, and more. I really want to encourage you to take that step and go back. God desires so much for your life and if you’re willing to take that step to follow Him, He can make your life more than you ever imagined it could be. Hi Theresa, I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. First, I want to let you know that God loves you and it is NEVER too late to come back to God no matter what you’ve done. Have you ever read the book of Hosea? No matter how many times Gomer ran away and sinned, Hosea still took her back. God said that Hosea would be symbolic of Him–no matter how far we fall or how many times, He is always faithful to forgive us. I would love to help you find a local pastor who may be able to pray with your husband and baptize him. What city and state do you live in? Please realize that if you pray and get your heart right with God, that you can also pray with your husband too! It is necessary for him to be baptized though so finding a church is a priority. As soon as you get back to me I’ll try to find a local pastor. God bless you, and I’ll be praying for you and your husband. How old are you and the girl? Truthfully, if she is under 18 or living in her parents’ home their wishes must be followed. Also, most Pentecostals don’t date outside of the faith because the Bible instructs us to not be unequally yoked (not to be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t believe in the full Bible). That’s not to sound rude, but the Bible is clear that if people in a relationship don’t share the same faith, problems are likely to occur. I’ve witnessed this in several people’s relationships where some people stopped living for God or had horrible marriages because they couldn’t agree on one spouse going to church or how to raise the kids. My recommendation is that the both of you not date. And if by chance you do decide you want to become Pentecostal, I would wait at least a year or two (or more) until you grow in your faith before pursuing a relationship with her. I’m 18 and have lived this way my whole life and have made mistakes but know I’ll never leave this way of life. I have two best friends that are asking the same question. “Why is Apostolic a religion the truth when other religions aren’t?” One of my friends has experienced it all and has even relieved the Holy Ghost and has been baptized, but all of a sudden my friend has stopped coming with the statement that he just isn’t sure if it’s the truth. Personally I can’t see how he could have his experiences and all the happiness we saw in him and then this Any suggestions on how to bring it across to him that will make a light bulb go off in his head?? Hi Kelsea, Following the Bible involves a lot of faith–we can’t see God so some people have a hard time believing He is real. We also don’t have God here on earth telling us how to live or speaking vocally to us, so we have to have faith that the Bible is truth. Unfortunately, we can not make someone believe it. We know that when we experience it, there’s no way it can’t be true. We know God filled us the Holy Ghost and He gives us the utterance of tongues. We know that we saw God heal people or even ourselves. I don’t know how someone who experienced it can all of a sudden stop. Perhaps they don’t fully stop believing it, but have let the philosophies of this world sway their thinking. Our world largely teaches that if science can’t prove it then it must not be true, and if we’re not careful it’s easy to give in to that thinking. I’m not sure there is a way to force your friend to believe it, but praying for them (and with them, if possible) will help more than anything else. I will keep your friend in prayer! Also, if there is anyone in your church who can talk to your friend–the pastor, youth leader, an adult or friend he was close to–that might help. Sometimes we can’t get a point across but someone else might. The KJV is one of closest to word-for-word translations that is also readable. It is better to use a translation that is word-for-word over thought-for-thought because many people’s opinions can differ on what the writer means vs what the writer actually wrote. By using a word-for-word translation, we get the actual words (translated to English or whatever your language, of course) written instead of someone’s opinion of what they think the writer meant. I have found in my own study of translations that many also delete verses that are very important or use words that shouldn’t be there (i.e. Referring to God as “they” instead of “he”) or deleting statements such as “howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”. Doctrine that is black and white in the Bible gets skewed in several newer translations. Now, this all said, a majority of Apostolics will use other translations to get ideas and perspectives on passages in the Bible, but usually fall back to KJV or another word-for-word translation to get the actual words from the biblical transcripts. I am debating about dress code asI have been attending church for 3 yrs wearing skirts at church but DO NOT Wear them anywhere else.I love my church but thinking about leaving because church people see me without skirt.and my Pastor (which is a REALLY good preacher, and I really love him +his wife) really PREACH ABOUT THE DRESS CODE last SundayI really do not want to leave. My belief was that GOD loves you no matter what that and HE KNOWS that I am a new person in many ways since I started going to church.l was baptized and received THE HOLY GHOST BUT THE DRESS CODE???? PS I do not wear low cut sweaters or shorts my knees are always covered but I wear jeans and capris. I enjoyed this post! As an apostolic lady I feel like it is extremely important to understand why we have rules and standards and why we refrain from many activities. Its not hard for me to follow rules that leadership places for the congregation because I know that unless it goes contrary to the word of God than it is placed there because they care for my soul. However, over the years, I have noticed that unless people can truly understand and know why something is or isn’t pleasing to God, they will fall away from separation. Some really have to get it for themselves. Also we should always be ready to give a sound answer when asked. I pray that this blog helps many who are struggling with these questions. Its very well written! Hi, um I have actually a few questions with dating with in the church. So I am already dating someone in my church as well as, I am a pentecostal, but I will be telling my parents that I want to date the person when I turn 18 since we’ve been dating nothing bad has happened but some things have popped up like: Is drying humping considered sex in any way, shape, or form? Is makingout considered bad as well? If youre parents doesnt take the news of you dating the person, what do you do? If that significant other has been to your house, without anyone else knowing, but you didnt do anything bad (ie. Have sex) is that still considered bad, even though all you both wanted to do is hang out? Should your first kiss be on the day of your wedding? If anyone can answer these, I would really appreciate it. Thank you ?. Hi Candy Crush, I’ll answer best I can. It sounds like you’ve already been dating but haven’t told your parents yet, and plan to when you’re 18? Is that right? My first question for you is, if this is the case, why are you guys hiding the fact that you’re dating? If you feel the need to hide it, that is likely a red flag for the relationship. A godly man or woman would not expect you or even want you to hide it from your parents. Second, as far as your question about whether dry humping is considered sex. If you are technical, sexual intercourse is penetration. However, what you described is sexual activity and therefore sin if you are not married. While you are dating, you should not be touching any private parts at all. The Bible says it’s good for a man not to touch a woman, also to flee youthful lusts. Lust is clearly a sin in the Bible, and doing these things is based on lust. Third, as far as making out, that depends on what you consider making out. If you mean french kissing and having your hands all over your boyfriend/girlfriend, then yes, again I believe that is a lust issue. However, I do not believe it is a sin to kiss before marriage. My husband and I waited til our wedding day before we kissed but that was our personal choice and conviction. I know many people who shared a simple kiss before getting married. I recommend asking your parents and pastor what their feelings are on kissing prior to marriage. If your pastor preaches that you shouldn’t, you ought to obey–as the Bible instructs us to obey them with authority over us. Likewise with your parents. Fourth, if your parents don’t take news of you dating well, what to do? Again, ask yourself why you’re dating this person secretly. What about that person do your parents not like? Sometimes love and infatuation can make it hard to see flaws while others around us can see that the person in question might have questionable traits. Ask your parents why they don’t approve of this individual. And, while you are still under 18 and/or living at home you need to follow their rules. If you’re an adult living on your own, obviously you can do whatever you want, but typically,if parents, pastors, and other people in your life see red flags, it’s a bad idea. You will probably face heartbreak sometime down the road. Just based on what you’ve told me, I feel some red flags here. I think it would help to come clean with your parents and talk to your pastor about the relationship so you guys can work on a healthy relationship with his blessing. Is it wrong to be home alone if you didn’t do anything. Technically did you sin? But there’s a reason your pastor probably teaches you not to do this. It’s easy to give in to temptation, plus, if someone did see you, it is the appearance of evil, which can ruin your reputation in some people’s eyes. If you’ve been told not to be alone with them but were, you sinned by disobeying. If your parents or pastor don’t think it’s wrong and you didn’t do anything, then no, it’s not wrong. Sometimes extenuating circumstances might require it, but it is best not to. Should your first kiss be on your wedding: if either of you have a conviction to wait, then you need to wait. When my husband and I were dating, we made it a rule that we would follow whoever’s conviction was stronger in each issue. This is wise to follow when dating because it will become very important once married. Because we respected each others convictions in dating, now that we’re married we don’t argue when it comes to what we allow in our home or not because we already laid the groundwork that if one feels it’s wrong we don’t go there. Thank you for the info. I have a question, I had to shave my head because I have bald spots in the front of my head-my hair follicles have not grown back for about a year or more so I came to the conclusion that it will never grown back so I shave it myself, is the wrong of me? I felt restricted for many years and now once I shave my head I felt light. I dont plan on walking in the sanctuary bare headed cause as a Child of God Apostolic Pentecostal it is not right for woman to pray with their head uncovered. Hi Camille, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’re having with your hair! I know that hair can sometimes be a huge self-esteem issue and that it can be hard. Hang in there and know that you are beautiful no matter what! To answer your question, I would strongly recommend talking to your pastor. The Bible instructs women to not cut or trim their hair, however, in some circumstances it is necessary–for example if a woman is in a horrible car accident and is rushed to the ER with a head wound, they may need to cut back her hair to access the wound. I believe that God realizes in moments of necessity that it is not an action of rebellion. Because I am not familiar with your particular circumstance and I definitely don’t know all the answers, I would encourage you to discuss your condition with the spiritual leadership in your life. Your pastor or his wife might have insight for you. I’ll be praying for you! Hi Hayley, I’m glad to hear that you’re in church and studying the Bible and holiness! While you will not find a verse that flat out says “makeup is a sin” you can find numerous verses where God does not look favorably on women painting their faces. Jeremiah 4:30 calls it vanity, and if you search examples in the Bible of women who wore it, it was the wicked women who did so. I Timothy 2:9 also says we should be be adorned with “shamefacedness”. This doesn’t mean she should look unkemptit means we should look holy. Let me ask you, why do you want to wear makeup? Is it to hide flaws? To look pretty? Typically girls wear makeup because they want to look better. Most would agree that this is an issue with vanity, which the Bible says is sin. While the Bible is black and white on many issues, on things like this where we can say, “well, it doesn’t say we can’t” we have to look at other scriptures to see if it is honoring to God. Some pastors do not preach against makeup and if yours is one of them you might be ok to wear it–that said, the Bible also says if you know to do good but don’t it is a sin to you–if you feel convicted about it and see that the Bible isn’t supportive of it, it is better to follow your conviction. Can I give a personal example? I don’t wear skirts with splits in them. I don’t have any scripture for that. My church doesn’t preach against them, and some women in my church wear them. I just don’t feel right. When I was still at my home church (which also didn’t preach against them) I asked why would I feel wrong about doing it if I don’t have anything concrete that says it is wrong? My dad used to have a saying that went, “When in doubt, do without.” He explained that sometimes God gives us convictions that He might not give other people, and that if you’re doubting whether or not you should wear it, you probably shouldn’t. That has always been my modesty test. If I have to question it, I’m not going to wear it. So I stopped wearing skirts with splits. I didn’t tell anybody because it wasn’t preached as wrong in my church so it wasn’t my place to cause contention–I just did what I felt was right. If you are questioning whether wearing makeup is right or wrong, that principle is a great one to follow. If you’re doubting whether it is okay or not, perhaps God is convicting you. It is definitely something to pray about! Hi Branden, if you read Acts 10 you will see that God does not put these dietary restrictions on the New Testament church (which also includes us!). While the Jews were not permitted to eat Pork, God gave Peter a vision in which all the animals came down on a sheet-like vessel and He told Peter to eat of them. Peter argued back, “I’ve never eaten unclean animals!” God responded that what He has cleansed let not man call unclean. There are spiritual connections to this portion of scripture as well, but to simply answer your question, yes, you may eat pork. I’ve read some of your posts and it’s really explained things to me. I am a Catholic who is dating an Apostolic boy. I am madly in love with him but the religious differences is causing some tension with us. He wants me to become Apostolic. I have thought about it and am greatly considering it but I’m not sure where to start. I’ve been to his church with him a few times. But how does a person become Apostolic? What things do they need to do to be excepted within the church? And what lifestyles changes do they need to take? Hi Emily, I’m glad you’re learning more about the Apostolic faith! There’s not really a “thing” you have to do to become Apostolic. There aren’t any required classes, public professions, or anything like that. When someone comes to an Apostolic church and says they want to be a part of it and live for God, we consider you Apostolic. I recommend you ask your boyfriend if he can ask his pastor about doing a Bible study with you. If not the pastor anyone in the church you feel comfortable with can do it with you too. What they will likely do is take you through parts of the Bible that explain the nature of God, what He said you must do to be saved (repentance, being baptized in the name of Jesus, and receiving the Holy Ghost) firstly, and then as you grow in your walk with God can do further Bible studies about growing with Him. As far as lifestyle, the Bible is clear that we should clean up the inside and then the outward will follow. Given that you’re Catholic I’m going to assume you’re already familiar with many aspects of Christian living. I recommend focusing on learning as much as you can about what the Bible says about salvation and holiness, and why you see people live the way they do in the Apostolic church. When you feel convicted about making changes follow God on those–and if you have questons about things don’t hesitate to ask others in the church. They’ll be able to help you see where things are found in the Bible (that you might have never even heard of before!). Sometimes people feel like they need to change how they look right away. Apostolic churches preach holiness and what the Bible says about outward appearance, but don’t let how some people look intimidate you. A lot of Pentecostal girls have never cut their hair and so might have big hair or know how to do fancy styles with it–this is not a requirement, just some thing you might see, so don’t stress if you don’t look that way. The same with clothes. A lot of people wear their Sunday best to church but if people at your current church don’t dress up like that, you might not have clothes like everyone else. Apostolic churches don’t have dress codes despite popular belief and you’ll be welcomed however you come. Just go and enjoy the service and worship and the rest will come! I’ll definitely pray for you as you take this step! Definitely see if you can meet with the pastor or his wife to learn more and get involved with the church and if you have other questions too feel free to contact me. If you leave another comment with your contact info I’ll get in touch with you–don’t worry, all comments must be moderated through me so I can get the info without it ever being posted. I am so thankful to have come across this post! I was not raised in church, my parents are not believers, and I started attending a non-denominational church when I was 16. I knew that I had a yearning in my heart for something more, that I wanted to live for God, but after a few years I was just so unsatisfied. I knew there was something missing. I was unable to find a church that I felt was the right way so I stopped going altogether and unfortunately fell back into some habits I wasn’t proud of. I just got back in contact with a family member I had lost contact with for about 4 years. She invited me to come too church with her so I went this past Sunday evening. I have no words to describe what I felt, other than to say it felt like coming home. I’m trying to learn as much as possible to be sure this is right for me. I just have so many questions and wasn’t even sure where to begin. So thank you very much!
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