The Pentecostal movement that was suddenly born by an act of God at the turn of the last century quickly became a sweeping evangelical movement the world over. By 1960 it was being hailed as the third force of the church world. For sixty years the Pentecostals were known as a dynamic evangelististic movement having established missions in every quarter of the globe. In the fifties and sixties the Assemblies of God alone were starting a new church every day and two on Sundays.
 

In approximately 1960 there started to be a growing interest by denominational people of the historical churches in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. Many in the historical churches began to have the tongues experience and the Charismatic movement was having its beginning. In spite of much resistance by many of the established denominations in America at the time of its beginning, the Charismatic movement soon outgrew most of its enemies. In the mid sixties the Pentecostal experience started invading the Catholic church and the denominations. Preachers and people alike in both the historical and modernist churches as well as the evangelical churches were losing their people to the fast growing and zealous Charismatic. Here is another contrast seen early in the Charismatic history that distinguished it from the Pentecostal churches; the Charismatic movement had its beginnings 60 years after the Pentecostal movement was suddenly born by a great latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit. (Joel 2;23-29) The Pentecostals had been evangelizing the world 60 years before the word Charismatic was heard.

The beginning of the Charismatic movement included large numbers of non-evangelical churches which were unregenerate in doctrine and spiritual experience. These included the Catholic church and many of the historical Protestant denominations that for years had been pursuing the path of rank modernism and did not preach repentance or the new birth as essential to becoming a new creature in Christ. New birth and regeneration was seldom mentioned in the meetings I attended. A visitor would not know if these people experienced a new birth prior to receiving a tongues experience. I heard so many questionable statements made by those put up to speak before the others in their meetings. In one meeting several Catholic nuns were to tell of their tongues experience. One of them made the statement, My rosary means so much more to me now that I have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.  I never witnessed such bizarre teachings being corrected by men who were in attendance or in charge of the meetings who knew it was error and heresy. A sloppy kind of love was being emphasized implying that if we have agape love we will just overlook our differences. In many Charismatic meetings there were denominational people mixed with Catholics and evangelicals all having had, or seeking a tongues experience, and embracing each other with an overwhelming feeling of brotherhood, with no mention of being saved or born again or any mention, ever, of having pure doctrine.
 

Cardinal doctrines of the Bible were set aside and not mentioned in Charismatic meetings from the very beginning. This is one of the major differences between the Pentecostals and the Charismatic that needs careful consideration. The beginning of The church of Acts was by such men as Peter who lived godly and preached repentance. (Acts 2:37-38) Church history teaches us that the rightness of a religion reflects the character of its founders. There were many great men in the beginning of the Charismatic movement, but became sidetracked and fell into the philosophy of going along with the mainstream religion of what was popular and accepted by some of the high profile leaders of the Charismatic movement. This movement also represented a source of wealth because many of them were well-to-do denominational people. Numbers of Pentecostal preachers that once contended for the faith once delivered unto the saints capitulated to the wealthier Pentecost that was merging and in doing so they forsook the pure doctrines they once championed.  Many of the traditional Pentecostal people were persuaded by the emotionalism becoming a part of an excited Charismatic movement instead of giving heed Biblical doctrine.

Another very apparent contrast marking the two churches:

Pentecostal churches before the Charismatic became an influence in the church world were characteristically doctrinal in their stance. While there have been dramatic changes in the denominational Pentecostal churches in recent years due to the influence and competitive pressures of the Charismatic, traditional churches have started putting aside their Scriptural teaching to align more with the Charismatic doctrinal philosophy. By the law of osmosis Pentecostal churches that were once solid doctrinally and decried many of the loose teachings of the Charismatic have become like them and even more liberal and theatrics than the Charismatic church down the street from them. Many orthodox Pentecostal churches have made a swing to Charismatic lifestyle, physical contact, and entertainment format in their meetings completely abandoning the character doctrines of holiness in their churches. This change in denominational Pentecostal churches has resulted in there being little or no difference today between most Pentecostal churches and the Charismatic churches.

The first and most obvious difference between Pentecostals and Charismatic was their attitude toward doctrine. It was at first treated like a piece of delicate crystal. There was a, "its best just not to touch it lest we drop it and lose everything," attitude. So the crystal piece whose artificer was God, was set aside and never even referred to. The only person I have heard preach at any Charismatic event that openly and scathingly taught the doctrine of his church was a Catholic priest. What troubled many who witnessed that event was the fact that when he was being applauded by evangelicals present!
 

The next step in this process of change from original Pentecost to Charismatic is obvious; the Pentecostal denominations started endorsing Charismatic personalities, fraternizing with them and identifying with their leaders in joint conventions where Charismatic speakers were featured. This recent development marks a new era in denominational Pentecostalism. They have stepped over the threshold from the position of preserving and defending the apostle's doctrine to fraternizing with heretics and false teachers embracing Evangelical Ecumenism. This then leads to embracing the liberal Charismatic philosophy of high tolerance for false doctrine in the name of unity.
 

If there is anything that marks the Charismatic movement it is their philosophy that doctrine is evil and the cause of dividing the brethren. At this stage a kind of mental sickness has gripped the movement. To flagrantly and openly declare a spiritual war against Biblical doctrine is only done by spiritually demented people. Do these men not understand that it is their belief in false doctrines contrary to the apostle's teaching that separates them from true brethren. Let them throw off the errors they believe and teach and then we will have unity of the brethren on God's terms. The ecumenical trend will inevitably lead the Pentecostal denominations into a fraternal relationship with Catholics and other apostate historical movements. Many Pentecostals now have closer brotherly relationship with heretics than they do the brethren of their own faith who refuse to fraternize with apostate churches. It is this new wave of compromise that has captured the thinking of ambitious Pentecostal leaders that is fracturing their own fellowship with brethren of like precious faith in order to achieve the favor of heretical church leaders who advocate extreme false teachings.
 

It also explains why many modern Christians believe Charismatic and Pentecostals are the same people. The Pentecostal denominations have become so much like the Charismatic that there is little or no difference in the two church groups today.  (Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Acts 2:42; Romans 16:17; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Timothy 1:9-11; 4:6,13,16; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 4:2-4; Titus 1:9; 2:1,7; 2 John 1:9-11.)
 

To this day Charismatic are not open to many areas of Biblical truth and doctrine. To prove this point instantly one must only mention definitive sanctification. They are not open to, nor do they want to hear Bible teaching on the doctrine of worldliness or the doctrine of separation. Their minds are closed and they will not receive any instruction from the Bible on these matters. Why? Because from the beginning they have believed you could have tongues and blessings and spiritual highs apart from personal holiness or pure doctrine. From its inception it believed and "proved" that you could speak in tongues and be happy and at the same time alter the teaching of the Word of God, or ignore it completely and still be in good relations with God. So long as we can sing and shout and amass thousands of worshipers who believe in Christ then we prove that God blesses what He approves and approves what He blesses. This is another difference between Charismatic and Pentecostals. Pentecostals do not believe in a philosophical idiom that cancels Biblical doctrine.
 

The Muslims are growing faster than the Charismatic and are far more fanatical, but that does indicate they have the truth. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Moonies have done the phenomenal in growth on the church scene, but that does not mean they have God's blessing! Solomon and Israel prospered but they were not right and judgment ultimately came. These departures from many of the empirical doctrines having to do with salvation were impudently mocked and relegated to silence. The shocking thing is that today many of the Pentecostal leaders are following this same arrogant attitude of the Charismatic toward pure doctrine.
 

 Many of the early Charismatic vocal leaders said to Catholics coming into their Charismatic meetings, "Don't leave your churches! Stay in them." This is a contradiction of Scripture. The Word of God teaches that in precisely such cases where a believer is coming into truth out of darkness he is required to leave the atmosphere of his former ignorance that prevails there and seek out the environment of a Bible believing church. That has always been the teaching of the Bible and the Pentecostal churches as well as all Holiness churches and Evangelicals. The Bible commands that we do come out! (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Revelation 18:4). This mixing theory taught by Charismatic did much to create a half breed Christianity that was half Christian and half apostate from their very beginning. David Duplesis and others were given more credibility than the Holy Spirit (who inspired the verbal instruction of the Scriptures) who they claimed to be glorifying.
 

But the differences between the new Charismatic and the Pentecostals became even more pronounced as time went on. The teaching, the emotionalism, and lifestyle of these two church movements, especially in the early years before Charismatic had yet influenced the Pentecostals, easily distinguish them as being two difference beliefs and should never be thought of as being the same.
 

Pentecostals do not grab up and swallow every new thing that sweeps across the church scene. I witnessed a meeting where the "Holy Ghost laughter" was the new thing. There was not only laughter but people yipping, and barking like dogs, making strange guttural sounds. It was the most ungodly thing I ever witnessed in a church. It all started with a "brother" doing religious slapstick comedy. This was the primer to get people laughing. What followed was every bit a show of psyched up flesh! No, I am not a Charismatic! I am Pentecostal. Many Pentecostals have witnessed holy laughter and know what it is when it occurs in the Holy Spirit. It still occurs in Holiness and Pentecostal churches. Those Pentecostals who have been around for years and remember the real revival fires of Pentecost know when the real Holy Ghost is being mimicked. The Charismatic generation has never experienced revival. But those who have been in the fire can't stand the smoke.
 

Real holy Ghost laughter has been experienced in the Pentecostal churches for decades before the Charismatic churches existed. people bend at the altars of prayer under great burdens of sorrow, tears streaming down the face when suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon them and filled them with holy laughter. When the meeting was over their burden had lifted and their countenance was gloriously altered. We have had this purposeful holy laughter in the Pentecostal churches from the beginning, but not a whole crowd being "turned on" to laughing by a religious comedian; not teaching that if you don't laugh you are resisting the Holy Spirit. Holy laughter happens to individuals as the Holy Spirit sovereignty comes upon them. To have a man get up and tell jokes and get everybody laughing and then call that the Holy Ghost only reveals how far removed from true Pentecost some Charismatic have become.
 

To add to the confusion of making the distinction between a Pentecostal and a Charismatic is the fact that many Pentecostals have taken on so much of the Charismatic style of Christianity that they are actually Charismatic but deny they are, being critical of Charismatic. But you can't tell the difference between their church and the Charismatic church down the street. Some of the churches that deny they are Charismatic are more Charismatic than the Charismatic!
 

A Pentecostal is defined in Scripture in the book of Acts. If a man, a church, or a body of churches depart from that pattern they are no longer Pentecostal. A Pentecostal and what they believe is a matter of historical record. Charismatic do not have the same doctrine or philosophy as the historical Pentecostal church and therefore cannot possibly be Pentecostal. The fact that someone speaks in tongues and believes in the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make he or she a Pentecostal Christian. Pentecostals adhere to the apostle's doctrine and are known for their conservatism and separation from the world. When any of the marks of the true Pentecostal are lost or cast off, then that person is no longer Pentecostal.
 

Charismatic have been so identified with the Pentecostals that the Charismatic movement has gradually become the Pentecostal church in the thinking of many. But there are big differences between a Pentecostal and a Charismatic. A Charismatic may say he is Pentecostal, but a true Pentecostal will not say he is Charismatic.
 

Charismatic are very pragmatic. "If it draws a crowd and gets people into church, if it really "works" and gets results - let's do it!" Charismatic are unorthodox in their methods of evangelism because they believe in expediency to get people into the church. Pentecostals have the goal of people having an in depth conversion by being sorry for their sin and rebellion against God. Pentecost holds precious the message of moral transformation through new birth, a complete coming out of the world and living separated unto God. (2 Corinthians 6:14 through 7:1)
 

Pentecostals value orthodoxy (Biblically correct, approved and established practices) keeping their worship and methods of evangelism within the God approved actions of the early church recorded in Scripture. The church today is competing with the world, but if Pentecost in its pure and original form is ever brought down upon the church we will see God electrify the unregenerate world and pour out a revival the sinners will not be able to withstand! That anointing is recorded in the book of Acts as a pattern to be followed by all who want to preserve real Pentecost. God is ready to give that revival when we are willing to give up our pragmatic dreams about taking over the world through entertainment and political movements and return to the anointing He put upon The Church of Acts.
 

The Charismatic movement as a whole chose emotionalism and the phenomena of tongues as a credential of salvation replacing the Biblical credential of moral transformation and holiness of life. Divorce and remarriage, social drinking, sensualism and the use of cosmetics became accepted in the new Charismatic movement. It accommodated the liberal rebel element within the Evangelical churches. It made departures from traditional Pentecost in every area of traditional teaching. Every orthodox standard was challenged and denounced as being behind the times by the new liberal Pentecostal and Charismatic. Under the Charismatic doctrine, strip tease dancers, professional athletes, actors and actresses could all enjoy a tongue speaking religion, be saved and remain in their professions. The Charismatic opened their arms to anyone claiming to have a tongues experience. Pentecostals do not. The world has taken over many of these churches without a shot being fired. Biblical morals as taught by the apostles are being questioned and re-interpreted to accommodate the twentieth century Laodicean Christian. Biblical absolutes and the final authority of Scripture were stripped of their powers by self declared authorities. The Greek text of the Bible was changed in 1859 by two men who did not even believe in heaven, Westcott and Hort. Charismatic and Pentecostals who follow them ignore what is happening to the Bible. In their statement of faith the Promise Keepers state that they believe "That the Bible is God's written revelation to man . . . and without error in the original manuscripts." Unwary Christians do not realize that this statement is actually saying that we do not have the Word of God today as it was given to the apostles. Pentecostals do not believe this statement. Pentecostals by faith believe in God's providential preservation of His Word. The Charismatic do not believe we have the original inspired Word that was given to the apostles. But according to many other fine scholars and textual critics such as Dr. Harry Sturz, a prominent textual critic indicates (in his book, The Byzantine Text-type and New Testament Textual Criticism) we do indeed have the original text. Out of this belief that we do not have the original inspired Word of God has come the deluge of translations and Bible versions by the printing houses to subtly undermine the authority of God's Word. Plurality of Bible versions violates the principle of singular authority and puts the final authority in the hands of men who determine what is and what is not the Word of God. Plurality of Bibles, each one saying something a little different gives modern believers more reason to disregard the absolute authority of God's Word. There has been, since the sensual sixties a Satanic syndrome against the authority of the Bible. These different attacks on the Word of God is to negate the absolute authority of Biblical doctrine. But Pentecostals, true Pentecostals will defend the Scriptures as being supernaturally preserved by the God who supernaturally gave them.
 

The new morality also had its effect on the Charismatic church. The doctrines of materialism, sensualism and "freedom in the flesh" had replaced the doctrine of sanctification, separation and taking up the cross of Christ daily in self denial.
 

Prayer and fasting had turned into praise cult. A strong teaching on praise swept through the Pentecostal churches in the early seventies leaving the Pentecostal deeply impressed with the idea that praise was the highest form of prayer. One of the men who wrote a well read book on the theme of praise divorced his wife and married his secretary and then dropped out of sight. But the praise teaching that was implanted in the church did not cover all of the Biblical facts about praise. The result has been another philosophy instead of correct doctrine. Since the coming of the Charismatic movement and its many departures from the apostle's doctrine family altars have all but disappeared in most Christian homes. Secret prayer and the prayer life as our Pentecostal fathers lived and taught has vanished from the modern Christian experience. Preaching holiness of life, supernatural morality and separation from the world is unheard of in Charismatic pulpits. Holiness and perfection is misunderstood, resented and slandered openly.
 

Some Charismatic leaders have expressed to me the need for their churches to return to the teaching of holiness. There seems to be a reaching out for a purity that alludes them. But this life of separation and death to self is laying at their doorstep if they would be willing to forsake their many affections for the vanities of the world they have become attached to.  I don't have to long for something that is in my pantry. I simply go and take it. There is no willingness in Charismatic to admit their worldliness, to give up their lifestyle, the bizarre teachings, and love for subculture music, punk hairstyles and rock sound and looseness that characterizes their young people. These carnal values are deeply imbedded in Charismatic youth. Until they are ready to give up this affection for the unclean they can go on howling like Samson, but there will be no heaven sent revival or restoration to pure doctrine until the desire for it is born in the heart through repentance. In Samson's case the Lord had departed from him and he did not know it. It is unfortunate that some of these people think they are God's chosen because of their emotionally based feelings and open worship and then not know that in reality God has departed! The apostate church is just that. It is a church, and a church with great claims, great assets and great fame - but unfortunately none of these things characterize the remnant church that has remained true to the apostle's teaching.
 

Truth will forever be the sole authority and credential of the true church - the truth we speak of is the truth that has its roots in the word of God producing the godly character of a true disciple of Christ sanctified and separated from the world, its system and its cultural values.