We are Anabaptist Pentecostals

It's been several years since Elizabeth and I last stepped into a pentecostal church. Ever since then we have been conflicted about how we identify or should identify ourselves. We are plain and we are pentecostal with a little "p". My laptop keeps trying to uppercase the "p" so forgive me if I miss one, I am not that vain.

It's frustrating to know that there is more than one congregation in the local area that we agree with biblically but disagree with "culturally". It's weird here in the U.S. We are so removed from what people identify as culture in other countries that we can't identify what culture is in our own country.
I think the main reason for this is that we are taught in school that we are to be accepting of everybody and everything and that no one is ever wrong and that all people are always right. So all ideas and concepts that seem unique at first eventually get blended into the broad picture that is the U.S. landscape.

It's hard for me to communicate what I feel and am trying to say.

At the core of it, I am really just repeating what I have said before. Take a look at A READER'S EMAIL post. Good churches are still out there.

We are Anabaptist and pentecostal.

We are not ostentatious.
We are not Materialists.
Our sense of identity does not come from the media.
We liv separated and are a peculiar people.
Our walk with God is not focused on us but rather our families and our friends. We are here to encourage and edify them, for the strengthening of our community.

Since we walked away from our pentecostal congregation we have struggled with our identity.
People will ask us "what we are". We both just look at each other and say "plain pentecostal" but that really doesn't say everything for us.

People will push us further and say, "But what are you?" To which we finally just gave in and started calling ourselves Porters. A porter is a person that opens a door. And that's kind of how we view ourselves. We see it as having the best of both worlds. We are pentecostal yes, but it's not the centerpiece of our entire walk with God. There are 65 other books in the word of God than just the book of Acts, and 1st Corinthians 14.

"Both worlds" meaning that we have the joy of the Lord matched with the pleasure of simple living.
The sad reality that many people familiar with the Anabaptists groups are aware of, is the depression that is abundant in those groups. When individuals don't have the liberty to express themselves in various ways, depression will follow. Whether that be through playing musical instruments, or designing clothing to their own preferences. If we go about this world always concerned with satisfying other peoples ideas of what we should be, we ourselves will never be satisfied. A sincere deep walk with God matched with striving to utilize all the talents he gave us, will bring all the satisfaction he designed us to have.

For us, saying that we are pentecostal is an overstatement, the kind of thing that should be understood when we say that we are Christian. However being as the majority of modern Anabaptist are not pentecostal, the simple act of clarifying becomes relevant.

This week we have finally decided.

We are comfortable with being called one of two things.

"Anabaptist Pentecostal" or "Porter".

I don't feel comfortable being called a "plain pentecostal" anymore. My identity is deeper than a single aspect of my walk with God. The single word "anabaptist" has the deeper meanings that more strongly convey where my family is coming from.

By calling ourselves Anabaptist Pentecostals, we feal firm and established. Finally separated from our roots  from years ago.

It was difficult back then to try to communicate to them
(the formal pentecostal church with a big P) why and how we didn't see things eye to eye. Their understanding of the Anabaptist was only what they saw on the surface or on the TV in their living room. They hadn't heard or read any of the theological ideas that establish the foundation of anabaptist ideology.

Honestly, I'm not sure where that conversation could start  with the Pentecostals nowadays. The separation that once existed is now fading away with every generation that passes. The media is so deeply imbedded in everyone's life that it has become normal to just accept it. And that media establishes the culture of the youth. It undermines and rewrites what culture the parents try to instill in their child.

Being afraid to stand-out in a crowd has also cost the church it's identity. We call them Christians in camouflage. Sure you might notice them if you had belonged to them at some point, but otherwise they would just blend in to any other scene in America. They would look no less out of place in a bar than they would just leaving meeting. I couldn't speak so harshly if we hadn't left them years ago.

I'll leave you with these last words.

Regardless of your age and standing with your family or church, don't be afraid to liv separated and holy. It is our father we answer to, not our family members or our church. To reestablish separation, there has to be a first person to do it. Let it be you. From the clothing you wear, to the places you will and won't go. Start a home church, even if it's in an apartment. God bless! It's a difficult road, but the Lord blesses us abundantly for being faithful! We started this walk 6 years ago and we are still going. We are not where we want to be yet, but in time we will get there. Our children will be blessed with our support and direction. Think of your children as well : )