Expert: John of AllFaith - 8/9/2008

Question
Why do Baptist generally do not believe that the church begun at Pentecost? On the other hand, why do the charismatics believe that the church begun at Pentecost? Does it matter what one believe regarding the beginning of the church?

Answer
Hi Gilbert,

ALL Christian denominations I am aware of teach that "the Church" began on the Day of Pentecost as the Bible says. This includes the Baptists.

Some few people say it technically began with the resurrection, others with the crucifixion, but the scripture is clear: the Church began on the Day of Pentecost.

God's dealings with humanity dates back to the creation of Adam and Eve. According to standard Christian doctrine "the Church" is "the Body of Christ" and that Body did not exist until after the resurrection and a certain critical event took place. After his resurrection Jesus says he sent the Holy Spirit into the body of the Believers to be his Body and Church in the world.

The scriptures are clear when that happened:

Acts 1
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

They were baptized into the Church on the Day of Pentecost. That is the day the Church began.

Hope this helps,

~ John of AllFaith