Pentecostals: What good does your pastor shouting and screaming at the congregation actually do other than intimidate them? Is God not a God of love

[Holly3278]

Hello to my Pentecostal separated brethren. I have a question for you. What good does it do for a Pentecostal preacher to shout and scream at the top of his lungs to the point of him having an aneurysm do? Did not Christ teach with love and gentleness? Did he not only get angry only when something unholy had occurred such as simony? Was His anger not a righteous anger? Did He not express Himself with self-control? Can’t you see how this type of preaching differs from the way Christ preached and taught? And we are to be imitators of Christ, correct? Therefore, shouldn’t preachers of the Pentecostal and charismatic variety be striving to imitate Christ more rather than to literally get in an unhealthy and sinful rage?

I’m sorry but this kind of preaching has always been a major turn off for me and it is a type of preaching that seems to be common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles. I am not saying that this type of preaching never occurs during a Catholic Mass because I don’t know if it does or not. I, for one, have never experienced it but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened at some point in the past. That does not, however, make it any more right. All I know is that this kind of thing is definitely more common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles than it is in Catholic circles.

Anyway, I could be totally off course and totally wrong with this post but if I am, I ask you to gently correct me. I am open to correction. But, if I am correct, shouldn’t those of you who are Pentecostal and charismatic preachers be seriously reconsidering your method of preaching? It seems to me that this would be a rather sobering thought. But anyway, I don’t want to go on forever so I will end with this note: I may be wrong but if I am right, should this type of thing be occurring?

 

[Fidei]

These forms of worship [if they ever are] is also a turn off for me. I don’t think priest’s are allowed to preach as an angry man [only Tim Staples does lol]. Never experienced it in my entire life as a catholic. Their worship as i understand them to be is supposed to penetrate the message deep into the listener’s hearts and add emotion to the listeners and the preacher himself who become somewhat ecstatic as an epileptic does. This is quite contrary to the solemn atmosphere of the Traditional Churches of what Christ originally showed how to worship.

OT: i also dont like those singing, dancing churches. sorry

 

[AmateurPianist]

Hello to my Pentecostal separated brethren. I have a question for you. What good does it do for a Pentecostal preacher to shout and scream at the top of his lungs to the point of him having an aneurysm do? Did not Christ teach with love and gentleness? Did he not only get angry only when something unholy had occurred such as simony? Was His anger not a righteous anger? Did He not express Himself with self-control? Can’t you see how this type of preaching differs from the way Christ preached and taught? And we are to be imitators of Christ, correct? Therefore, shouldn’t preachers of the Pentecostal and charismatic variety be striving to imitate Christ more rather than to literally get in an unhealthy and sinful rage?

I’m sorry but this kind of preaching has always been a major turn off for me and it is a type of preaching that seems to be common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles. I am not saying that this type of preaching never occurs during a Catholic Mass because I don’t know if it does or not. I, for one, have never experienced it but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened at some point in the past. That does not, however, make it any more right. All I know is that this kind of thing is definitely more common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles than it is in Catholic circles.

Anyway, I could be totally off course and totally wrong with this post but if I am, I ask you to gently correct me. I am open to correction. But, if I am correct, shouldn’t those of you who are Pentecostal and charismatic preachers be seriously reconsidering your method of preaching? It seems to me that this would be a rather sobering thought. But anyway, I don’t want to go on forever so I will end with this note: I may be wrong but if I am right, should this type of thing be occurring?

I am sorry for breaking your preconceived notion here, but I have been in my current church 15 years and never once has the pastor shouted and screamed at the congregation. Same thing for my previous church of 8 years or so.

 

[Dancelittleewok]

I am sorry for breaking your preconceived notion here, but I have been in my current church 15 years and never once has the pastor shouted and screamed at the congregation. Same thing for my previous church of 8 years or so.

I’m curious: what’s the preaching/worshiping at an Assemblies of God church like?

 

[Edwardjohn]

I’m curious: what’s the preaching/worshiping at an Assemblies of God church like?

My wife and I came from an Assemblies of God. We were members of the church for approx.15 years. The service started out with song that included music that was, it seemed to us, for the purpose of ramping-up the congregation. Then the offering was taken, more singing, and then, the preaching of the word. The sermons became quite predictable when the text was announced. Finally, there was the offer to come forward and pray.
There was not a lot of yelling, although, when a visiting evangelist preached, it could get pretty boisterous, and this was attributed to the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Having been raised Catholic, it was something for me to get used to, and my wife having been raised in the Church of Christ, it was likewise.
I will have to say, that in 1996 there was a revival in that congregation that included instant deliverance from drugs, alcohol, and restoration of relationships.
However, again, having been raised in the Catholic Church, I didn’t experience the rich fullness that I had when I was a child, and, communion never meant what it did.
We have now came home, and are glad that the Lord allowed the experience but also very glad and grateful to Him that He has brought us back into the Holy Catholic Church.

 

[tweetymom]

I’m curious: what’s the preaching/worshiping at an Assemblies of God church like?

Pretty wonderful and full of the Holy Spirit. I have never heard the screaming etc you are talking about. Went to Assembly Church for 20 years plus, and thinking about going back.

 

[Lutheranteach]

Ummm. Three words. Father Michael Pfleger.

 

[KathleenGee]

Right…about Pfleger…he is an entity of his own…unique…

First time I went to a protestant church, it was through a neighbor’s invitation. I was in third grade…The inside looked like a secular building, nothing looked holy. The man in the business suit got up and looked at us, and then started denouncing Catholics…and how we were going to hell and he was worked up about it…Baptist church…in the 1950’s…

I remember this genre of American citizens had to meet with Sen. John Kennedy to make sure he wasn’t going to draw on his Catholic faith if elected president, and Archbishop Chaput now believes Kennedy did alot of damage that way to Catholic politicians…

Rev. Pflager is pretty much into the social gospel and works with Afro Americans in Chicago, who have strong Baptist roots.

 

[4Squarebaby]

It is the Borat revival scene prejudice, we are holy rollers falling on the floor screaming with rattlesnakes in our hands. That Sunday is nothing but unknown tongues coming at you. I personnally have not heard a tongue in my church in over 8 years. My pastor often reminds us that as a pentacostal church we are allowed to dance and get loud during worship but as a body we don’t go that way.

I do remember in the movie The Apostle the selling line for the ad campaign was the Apostle E.F. On the radio saying “the 11th Comandment THOU SHALL NOT SHOUT, does not exist”

 

[KathleenGee]

As a Catholic reflecting on the Gospels and Isaiah’s description of the future Messiah, Jesus would not be standing on street corners shouting…and I read an early church father commenting on community prayer, that it is better to pray out loud quietly as the Lord already is listening…

The Mass does require reflection and adoration, so we are not very exuberant singers. I have attended Catholic charismatic prayer and people pray more openly with their emotions.

Charismatic prayer is known to be of great benefit in emotional healing…

 

[Holly3278]

Ok, so a few people have mentioned that they never experienced screaming in a Pentecostal church before. Well, I can tell you that I have. I used to be a Pentecostal. I was baptized as a Pentecostal. Thankfully, I was enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to the Truth of the Catholic Church and was brought out of Pentecostalism. In the Pentecostal churches I have been to, there was regularly shouting and screaming. These Pentecostal churches were of the more extreme variety perhaps. But they weren’t so extreme that they did snake handling as some churches have been known to do.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I don’t care what someone else’s personal experiences may have to say about whether or not this exists because I, myself, am a witness to this kind of behavior! So, I would like to hear from other Pentecostals about this who do experience screaming and shouting in their churches.

I will readily admit that I am biased against the Pentecostal church. I am not against Pentecostal people but I am against Pentecostal doctrine and practices. Pentecostal doctrine and practices are neo-montanist in my opinion. That means that such doctrine and practices are a revival of an ancient heresy. I do, however, want all my Pentecostal separated brethren to know that I, as a fellow Christian, love my Pentecostal separated brethren. That is why I attempt to speak the Truth in love because I want them to experience the fullness of the Truth which is Catholicism.

In short, I believe that Pentecostalism is primarily an emotions based church. This should not be. Anyway, that’s all I have to say for now.

God Bless,
Holly

 

[tweetymom]

Ok, so a few people have mentioned that they never experienced screaming in a Pentecostal church before. Well, I can tell you that I have. I used to be a Pentecostal. I was baptized as a Pentecostal. Thankfully, I was enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to the Truth of the Catholic Church and was brought out of Pentecostalism. In the Pentecostal churches I have been to, there was regularly shouting and screaming. These Pentecostal churches were of the more extreme variety perhaps. But they weren’t so extreme that they did snake handling as some churches have been known to do.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I don’t care what someone else’s personal experiences may have to say about whether or not this exists because I, myself, am a witness to this kind of behavior! So, I would like to hear from other Pentecostals about this who do experience screaming and shouting in their churches.

I will readily admit that I am biased against the Pentecostal church. I am not against Pentecostal people but I am against Pentecostal doctrine and practices. Pentecostal doctrine and practices are neo-montanist in my opinion. That means that such doctrine and practices are a revival of an ancient heresy. I do, however, want all my Pentecostal separated brethren to know that I, as a fellow Christian, love my Pentecostal separated brethren. That is why I attempt to speak the Truth in love because I want them to experience the fullness of the Truth which is Catholicism.

In short, I believe that Pentecostalism is primarily an emotions based church. This should not be. Anyway, that’s all I have to say for now.

God Bless,
Holly

Boy are you so wrong.

 

[JustaServant]

It is more of a ‘revivalist’ mentality taken from the days of sawdust tent meetings back in the 19th century. I will also tell you it appears to be more of a Southern thing. It is certainly not peculiar to any Protestant denomination.
Every Sunday, if I flip through the channels, I come upon a Baptist preacher screaming his entire sermon with quick gulps of air in between. It literally hurts the ears and he HAS to be doing physical damage to his lungs as a result.

But, uh…to be fair. Pentecostal preachers can be just as boring as some Catholic priests.

 

[tweetymom]

It is more of a ‘revivalist’ mentality taken from the days of sawdust tent meetings back in the 19th century. I will also tell you it appears to be more of a Southern thing. It is certainly not peculiar to any Protestant denomination.
Every Sunday, if I flip through the channels, I come upon a Baptist preacher screaming his entire sermon with quick gulps of air in between. It literally hurts the ears and he HAS to be doing physical damage to his lungs as a result.

But, uh…to be fair. Pentecostal preachers can be just as boring as some Catholic priests.

 

[twopekinguys]

Hello to my Pentecostal separated brethren. I have a question for you. What good does it do for a Pentecostal preacher to shout and scream at the top of his lungs to the point of him having an aneurysm do? Did not Christ teach with love and gentleness? Did he not only get angry only when something unholy had occurred such as simony? Was His anger not a righteous anger? Did He not express Himself with self-control? Can’t you see how this type of preaching differs from the way Christ preached and taught? And we are to be imitators of Christ, correct? Therefore, shouldn’t preachers of the Pentecostal and charismatic variety be striving to imitate Christ more rather than to literally get in an unhealthy and sinful rage?

I’m sorry but this kind of preaching has always been a major turn off for me and it is a type of preaching that seems to be common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles. I am not saying that this type of preaching never occurs during a Catholic Mass because I don’t know if it does or not. I, for one, have never experienced it but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened at some point in the past. That does not, however, make it any more right. All I know is that this kind of thing is definitely more common in Pentecostal and charismatic Protestant circles than it is in Catholic circles.

Anyway, I could be totally off course and totally wrong with this post but if I am, I ask you to gently correct me. I am open to correction. But, if I am correct, shouldn’t those of you who are Pentecostal and charismatic preachers be seriously reconsidering your method of preaching? It seems to me that this would be a rather sobering thought. But anyway, I don’t want to go on forever so I will end with this note: I may be wrong but if I am right, should this type of thing be occurring?

I don’t think you’re totally wrong.

When I was a teenager in the 1970’s (no age jokes ), I attended a pentacostal church for a while. I also checked out Nazarene, and Southern Baptist.

Let me tell you. I heard lots of hell fire, and damnation preaching, complete with yelling and screaming from the pentacostal preachers. When they would have a revival, they would crank it up several notches. I have seen these preachers with a white knuckle grip on the Bible while they’re waving it around in the air. Blood red faces, complete with bulging veings. Kinda freaked me out, if you know what I mean.

The Nazarene Church was a bit different. Similar messages, but the tone was totally different. Lots of ‘Amens’ coming from the congregation, but not the same anger coming from the pulpit.

The pastor at the Baptist Church couldn’t say a mean word about anybody or anything if he had too. He was a great guy, and I had alot of respect for him, but I just think he was very timid.

Just before I came home to the RCC, I attended an AoG church. The pastor they had at the time was very level headed in his preaching, but some of the associate pastors seemed to lean toward the loud, in your face kind of preaching. The mixture of preaching styles weren’t conducive for me, along with the speaking in tongues, and people standing up witnessing during the service. It all just seemed rather disjointed to me.

Now, at the RCC where I am at now, I love our pastor’s preaching style. He is firm when he needs to be, and gentle when it is called for. I also like how he never delivers his homily from the Ambo. He always comes down to the level of the congregation, and talks among us. It just seems to drive the messages home in a more personal, or one on one type of way.

As a side note. Holly, the experiences I had with the pentacosals, Nazarenes and Baptists, all happened about 2 hours west of you in southern Illinois.

 

[T_More]

Alex Jones was a former Pentecostal minister and had a congregation of about 200 members when he converted to the CC. His conversion story has been EWTN this past week on several shows and he was on The Journey Home show not too long ago. It’s an amazing story.

 

[Holly3278]

Boy are you so wrong.

If I am so wrong according to you then the burden of proof is upon you to prove me wrong. I may actually be wrong but if I am, I am not going to accept that I am wrong simply with a person explaining that I am with one sentence. It’s going to take more than one sentence to convince me that I am wrong about this. If I am so wrong, then go ahead and prove me wrong.

By the way, this is NOT all about me. It is about Pentecostal preachers who think that preaching in a shouting and screaming voice is actually going to accomplish something other than freaking people out.

I don’t think you’re totally wrong.

When I was a teenager in the 1970’s (no age jokes ), I attended a pentacostal church for a while. I also checked out Nazarene, and Southern Baptist.

Let me tell you. I heard lots of hell fire, and damnation preaching, complete with yelling and screaming from the pentacostal preachers. When they would have a revival, they would crank it up several notches. I have seen these preachers with a white knuckle grip on the Bible while they’re waving it around in the air. Blood red faces, complete with bulging veings. Kinda freaked me out, if you know what I mean.

The Nazarene Church was a bit different. Similar messages, but the tone was totally different. Lots of ‘Amens’ coming from the congregation, but not the same anger coming from the pulpit.

The pastor at the Baptist Church couldn’t say a mean word about anybody or anything if he had too. He was a great guy, and I had alot of respect for him, but I just think he was very timid.

Just before I came home to the RCC, I attended an AoG church. The pastor they had at the time was very level headed in his preaching, but some of the associate pastors seemed to lean toward the loud, in your face kind of preaching. The mixture of preaching styles weren’t conducive for me, along with the speaking in tongues, and people standing up witnessing during the service. It all just seemed rather disjointed to me.

Now, at the RCC where I am at now, I love our pastor’s preaching style. He is firm when he needs to be, and gentle when it is called for. I also like how he never delivers his homily from the Ambo. He always comes down to the level of the congregation, and talks among us. It just seems to drive the messages home in a more personal, or one on one type of way.

As a side note. Holly, the experiences I had with the pentacosals, Nazarenes and Baptists, all happened about 2 hours west of you in southern Illinois.

Thank you Twopekinguys. It is interesting that this occurred so close to me. Perhaps it is a regional thing?

 

[twopekinguys]

If I am so wrong according to you then the burden of proof is upon you to prove me wrong. I may actually be wrong but if I am, I am not going to accept that I am wrong simply with a person explaining that I am with one sentence. It’s going to take more than one sentence to convince me that I am wrong about this. If I am so wrong, then go ahead and prove me wrong.

By the way, this is NOT all about me. It is about Pentecostal preachers who think that preaching in a shouting and screaming voice is actually going to accomplish something other than freaking people out.

Thank you Twopekinguys. It is interesting that this occurred so close to me. Perhaps it is a regional thing?

No problem. Although, I am not 100% sure it is regional.

I do travel extensively, and although I only hear them on the radio, I hear alot of “preachers” still using this tactic. Whether it is pentacostal or not, I’m not sure. I turn the dial pretty quickly when I hear it.

Check this out. It brought back some memories, and i think it illustrates your point.

youtube.com/watch?v=8aKFWvOot9k

 

[Holly3278]

No problem. Although, I am not 100% sure it is regional.

I do travel extensively, and although I only hear them on the radio, I hear alot of “preachers” still using this tactic. Whether it is pentacostal or not, I’m not sure. I turn the dial pretty quickly when I hear it.

Check this out. It brought back some memories, and i think it illustrates your point.

youtube.com/watch?v=8aKFWvOot9k

Ah yeah I see what you’re saying. I suppose the problem is not limited to Pentecostals but Pentecostals do seem to me to be the ones who are the most guilty of this type of preaching. Anyway, as for whether or not it is regional, I don’t know. I imagine that it is something that appears randomly throughout the world.

 

[Publisher]

I don’t believe this is strictly a Pentacostal characteristic. When I was young…pre-teen…my family often would attend the Pentacostal church with my aunt…there was lots of shouting and crying, hand raising and waving, lots of “thank you Jesus”…“praise the Lord”…“glory!!!” etc.

When we attended my mom’s church…“Church of the Nazarene”, it was a bit more sedate…but when the pastor got “fired up” there was shouting, hand waving and “praise” going on…not as “severe” as at the Pentacostal church…but it was far from quiet.

In my teens I was involved in an interfaith church group…we met at the local Freewill Baptist church…and on Friday nights…and some Sunday nights there’d be a lot of shouting, hand waving and praising going on.

At “Camp Meeting” each summer in the Santa Cruz mountains the Church of the Nazarene held their summer retreat at “Bulah Park Camp Ground”…owned by the church…lot of singing and clapping and shouting…

In all of my experiences the “shouting pastor” was usually from Southern stock…and had a distinctive Southern accent when preaching. So while it is not regional per se…it does seem to be indicative of Southern style preaching.

I attended an Evangelical Friends Church in an intercity area as some of the Yearly Meetings of the various Friends meetings would meet to learn from one another…I have never heard more “joyful noises” taking place among Quakers than in this predominantly African American Evangelical Friends church…one wouldn’t know they were among Friends…even the time of “silent worship” was far from “silent” as various members of the meeting would provide “vocal ministry” with a distinctive “African American” flavor to it.

My dad is now approaching 85 years old and lives in Southern California…he attends a small Pentacostal church with about 100-150 members…most people in the congregation are from my age (50’s) to 100 years old…the pastor and his wife are around 60 years old +…and there’s a lot of shouting and tongue speaking during their service when I have visited him from time to time…most of the congregation have Southern accents as does my dad…his get’s very thick when he’s around others of Southern descent.