|| United Church of Christ Beliefs (UCC) ||

Baptism - Baptism is the church community's promise 
of "love, support, and care." United Church of Christ (UCC) 
churches baptize infants brought by parents, or adults, 
when they are received into membership.
 Bible - The Bible is used for inspiration, guidance, 
and for preaching. Members are not required to believe 
literally any version of Scripture. 
Communion - All people of faith are invited to participate 
in the sacrament of communion. The act is seen as a 
reminder of the cost of Christ's sacrifice. Communion is 
celebrated as a mystery, honoring Christ and 
those who have died in his faith. 
Creed - The UCC does not require its congregations or 
members to follow a creed. The only profession 
necessary is love. 
Equality-There is no discrimination of any type 
in United Church of Christ beliefs. 
Heaven and Hell- Many members do not believe
 in specific places of reward or punishment, 
but do believe God gives believers eternal life.
 Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is recognized as fully 
human and fully God, Son of the Creator, 
Savior, and Head of the Church. 
Prophecy - United Church of Christ beliefs call the 
UCC to be a prophetic church. Many of the church's 
positions call for the same treatment of 
people as did the prophets and apostles. 
Sin - According to the UCC, sin is "opposition or 
indifference to the will of God." 
Trinity - The UCC believes in the Triune God: Creator, 
Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The United Church of Christ sets
 itself apart from other Christian denominations with its 
emphasis on the belief that God still speaks to his 
followers today. New light and understanding are constantly 
being revealed through interpretation of the Bible, 
says the United Church of Christ. 
Sacraments - Congregations conduct baptism during worship 
services when the community is present. Sprinkling is the 
usual practice, although some congre-gations use immersion. 
Communion elements are usually brought 
to members in their pews. 

Worship Service - United Church of Christ beliefs account 
for wide diversity in services. Local needs and traditions 
usually dictate worship styles and music. While no single
 liturgy is imposed, a typical Sunday service includes a sermon, 
adoration of God, general confession of sins, an assurance of 
forgiveness, prayers or songs of thanksgiving, and 
members dedicating themselves to God's will.

All members of the UCC are equals as the priesthood of 
believers, and though ordained ministers have 
special training, they are considered servants. 
             Individuals are free to live and believe based on their 
interpretation of God's will for their lives. UCC stresses unity
 within the church and a unifying spirit to heal divisions.
 It seeks unity in essentials but allows for diversity 
in nonessentials, with a charitable 
attitude toward disagreement. 

               The unity of the church is a gift from God, 
UCC teaches, yet diversity is to be accepted with love. 
To learn more about United Church of Christ beliefs, 
Crd: official United Church of Christ Website.

|| Moravian Church Beliefs ||

 Moravian Church Beliefs Motto: 

In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.' 

Baptism: || Infants, children, and adults are baptized in this church. 

Through baptism "the individual receives a pledge of 

the forgiveness of sin and admission into the covenant of 

God through the blood of Jesus Christ."

Communion:  || The Moravian Church does not try to explain 

the mystery of this sacrament of Christ's presence in 

the bread and wine. Believers engage in an act of covenant 

with Christ as Savior and with other believers. 

Creeds:  || Moravian Church beliefs recognize the 

Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed, and the Nicene Creed as 

important statements of Christian faith. They help set a 

Scriptural confession, mark the boundaries of heresy,

 and encourage believers to an obedient life.

Doctrine:--- ||  The Unity of Brethren takes an unusual 

stand on doctrine: "Just as the Holy Scripture does not contain 

any doctrinal system, so the Unitas Fratrum also has not 

developed any of its own because it knows that the mystery 

of Jesus Christ, which is attested to in the Bible, cannot be

 comprehended completely by any human mind or expressed 

completely in any human statement," its Ground of the Unity 

document states. Moravian Church beliefs hold that all 

information needed for salvation is contained in the Bible. 

Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons of the Trinity, 

who directs and unites Christians and forms them into a church. 

The Spirit calls each person individually to recognize their 

sin and accept redemption through Christ.

Jesus Christ:   || There is no salvation apart from Christ.

 He redeemed the whole of humanity by his death and 

resurrection and is present with us in the Word and the Sacrament. 

Priesthood of All Believers: The Unitas Fratrum recognizes the 

priesthood of all believers but does ordain ministers and 

deacons, as well as consecrate presbyters and bishops.

Salvation: God's will for salvation is revealed completely 

and clearly in the Bible, through the sacrifice of 

Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Trinity::::|| God is Triune in nature: Father, Son, 

and Holy Spirit and is the only source of life and salvation. 

Unity::::|| The Moravian Church takes a firm stand for 

unity in the church, recognizing Christ as the sole head of 

the church, who is leading his scattered children toward unity. 

Moravians cooperate with other Christian denominations in 

worthwhile charitable ventures and respect the differences 

among Christian churches. "We recognize the danger of 

self-righteousness and judging others without love," 

the Moravian Ground of the Unity says. 

Sacraments::::|| Moravian churches profess two sacraments:

 baptism and communion. Baptism is done by sprinkling and, 

for infants, implies responsibility for the infant, parents, 

and congregation. Youth and adults may be

 baptized at the time they make a profession of faith. 

Sources • Moravian Church in North America. 

 • The Ground of the Unity.

|| Christian Reformed Church (CRCNA) ||

                    The Christian Reformed Church had its beginning in the Netherlands. Today, the Christian Reformed Church is spread across the United States and Canada, while missionaries take its message to 30 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) has more than 268,000 members in over 1,049 churches in 30 countries.

CRCNA Founding ---|| One of many Calvinist denominations in Europe, the Dutch Reformed Church became the state religion in the Netherlands in the 1600s. However, during the Enlightenment, that church strayed from Calvin's teachings. The common people responded by forming their own movement, worshiping in small groups called conventicles.
                      Persecution by the state church led to a formal secession by Rev. Hendrik de Cock and others. Many years later, Rev. Albertus Van Raalte saw that the only way to avoid further persecution was to go to the United States. They settled in Holland, Michigan in 1848. To overcome the harsh conditions, they merged with the Dutch Reformed Church in New Jersey. By 1857, a group of four churches seceded and formed the Christian Reformed Church.

Geography:::::|| The Christian Reformed Church in North America is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, with congregations throughout the United States and Canada, and about 27 other countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. 

Christian Reformed Church Beliefs ::::|| The Christian Reformed Church professes the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed. They believe salvation is God's work from beginning to end and that humans can do nothing to earn their way into heaven. 
Baptism ::: Christ's blood and spirit wash away sins in baptism. According to the Heidelberg Catechism, infants as well as adults may be baptized and received into the church. 
Bible ::: The Bible is the "inspired and infallible Word of God." While Scripture reflects the personalities and cultures of the individual writers, it infallibly conveys God's revelation. Over the decades, the Christian Reformed Church has authorized several translations of the Bible to be used in worship services.
Clergy -:::Women may be ordained to all ecclesiastical offices in the Christian Reformed Church. Synods have debated this issue since 1970, and not all local churches agree with this position. 

Communion ||  The Lord's Supper is offered as a remembrance of Jesus Christ's "once-for-all" sacrificial death for the forgiveness of sins. 
Holy Spirit || The Holy Spirit is the comforter promised by Jesus before his ascension into heaven. The Holy Spirit is God with us in the here and now, empowering and guiding both the church and individuals. 
Jesus Christ -|| Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the center of human history. Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, and his life, death and resurrection are historical facts. Christ returned to heaven following his resurrection and will come again to make all things new.
Redemption - God the Father refused to let sin conquer humanity. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world through his sacrificial death. Further, God raised Jesus from the dead to show that Christ has overcome sin and death. Sabbath - From the time of the early church, Christians have celebrated the Sabbath on Sunday. Sunday should be a day of rest from work, except by necessity, and recreation should not interfere with church worship.

Sin - The Fall introduced the "sin virus" into the world, which contaminates everything, from people to creatures to institutions. Sin can result in alienation from God but cannot blot out a person's longing for God and wholeness. 
Trinity - God is One, in three persons, as revealed by the Bible. God is a "perfect community of love" as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
Sacraments - The Christian Reformed Church practices two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is performed by a minister or ministry associate, by sprinkling water on the forehead but may also be done by immersion. Adults who are baptized are called to make a public confession of faith.
               The Lord's Supper is offered as bread and the cup. According to the Heidelberg Catechism, the bread and wine are not changed into the body and blood of Christ but are a certain sign that participants receive full pardon for their sins through communion.  

|| Church of the Brethren ||

• Background: Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination with origins in the Pietist and Anabaptist movements. Adherents stress peace and reconciliation, serving others, living a simple life, and following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. 
• Founding: The Brethren were founded in 1708 by Alexander Mack in Schwarzenau Germany. 
• The Brethren's Vision Statement: “Through Scripture, Jesus calls us to live as courageous disciples by word and action: To surrender ourselves to God, To embrace one another, To express God’s love for all creation.” 

Baptism: Baptism by triple immersion is an ordinance performed on adults, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Brethren see baptism as a commitment to live Jesus' teachings responsibly and joyfully. 
Bible: The Brethren use the New Testament as their guidebook for living. They believe the Bible is divinely inspired and hold that the Old Testament lays out God's purpose and desires for humanity. 
Communion: Communion is an expression of love, modeled after Christ's last supper with his disciples. The Brethren partake in bread and wine, celebrating agape, the selfless love Jesus showed to the world. 

Creed: The Brethren do not follow a Christian creed. Rather, they use the entire New Testament to affirm their beliefs and to glean instruction on how to live. God: God the Father is viewed by Brethren as "Creator and loving Sustainer.
"Healing: The practice of anointing is an ordinance within the Church of the Brethren, and includes the minister laying on hands for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. The laying on of hands symbolizes the prayers and support of the entire congregation. 
Holy Spirit: Brethren hold that the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the believer's life: "We seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life, thought, and mission." 

Jesus Christ: All Brethren "affirm their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior." Living a life patterned after the life of Christ is of paramount importance to the Brethren as they seek to emulate his humble service and unconditional love. Peace: All war is a sin, according to the Church of the Brethren. Brethren are conscientious objectors and seek to promote nonviolent solutions to conflict, ranging from personal disagreements to international threats. 
Salvation: God's plan of salvation is that people are pardoned from their sins through believing in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. God provided his only Son as the perfect sacrifice in our place. Jesus promises believers in him a place in heaven. 

Trinity: Brethren believe in the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons in one God. 
Sacraments: The Brethren recognize the ordinances of adult believer's baptism, communion (which includes a love feast, bread and cup, and feet washing), and anointing. Baptism is by immersion, three times forward, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This triple immersion method of baptism earned the Brethren the nickname “Dunkers.”

|| Pentecostal Church International(UPCI) ||

                           The UPCI, or United Pentecostal Church International, sets itself apart from other Christian denominations by its belief in the oneness of God, a doctrine which rejects the Trinity. And while the UPCI professes salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not works, this church commands baptism and obedience as requirements for reconciliation to God (salvation). 
UPCI Beliefs  
Baptism - The UPCI does not baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but rather in the name of Jesus Christ. Oneness Pentecostals cite Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5, and 22:16 as their proof for this doctrine. 
Bible - The Bible is "the Word of God and is therefore inerrant and infallible." UPCI holds that all extrabiblical writings, revelations, creeds, and articles of faith are to be rejected, as the opinions of men. 
Communion - UPCI churches practice the Lord's Supper and foot washing as ordinances. 
Divine Healing - The UPCI believes the healing ministry of Christ continues on earth today. Doctors and medicine play a vital role, but God is the ultimate source of all healing. God still heals miraculously today. 
Heaven, Hell - Both the just and unjust will be resurrected, and all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. A just God will determine the eternal destiny of every soul: The unjust will go to everlasting fire and punishment, while the righteous will receive eternal life. Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the manifestation of the one God in the New Testament. Christ's shed blood was offered for the redemption of mankind. 
Modesty - "Holiness involves both the inner man and the outer man." Accordingly, the United Pentecostal Church says that for women, modesty requires that they not wear slacks, not cut their hair, not wear jewelry, not wear makeup, and not swim in mixed company. Dress hemlines should be below the knee and sleeves below the elbow. Men are advised that hair should not cover the tops of the ears or touch the shirt collar. Movies, dancing, and worldly sports are also to be avoided.
 Oneness of God - God is one, manifested in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He manifested himself as Jehovah in the Old Testament; as Jesus Christ, God and man, in the New Testament; and as the Holy Spirit, God with us and in us in our regeneration. This doctrine opposes the Tri-unity of God or three distinct persons within one God. 
Salvation - According to United Pentecostal Church belief, salvation requires repentance from sin, water baptism in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and baptism in the Holy Ghost, then living a godly life. 
Sin - Sin is breaking the commandments of God. Every human being from Adam to the present is guilty of sin. 
Tongues - "Speaking in tongues means speaking miraculously in a language unknown to the speaker." Initial speaking in tongues indicates baptism in the Holy Spirit. Subsequent speaking in tongues in church meetings is a public message which must be interpreted. 
Trinity - The word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible. UPCI says that doctrine is invalid. God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. This doctrine is called Oneness of God or Jesus Only. Disagreement over the Trinity vs. Oneness of God and water baptism caused the original split of Oneness Pentecostals from the Assemblies of God in 1916. 
UPCI Practices Sacraments - The United Pentecostal Church requires water baptism as a condition for salvation, and the formula is "... in the name of Jesus," not in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as other Protestant denominations observe. Baptism is by immersion only, ruling out pouring, sprinkling, and infant baptism. United Pentecostals observe the Lord's Supper in their worship service, along with foot washing. 
Worship Service - UPCI services are spirit-filled and lively, with members shouting, singing, raising their hands in praise, clapping, dancing, testifying, and speaking in tongues. Instrumental music also plays a key role, based on 2 Samuel 6:5. People are also anointed with oil for divine healing. 
( official UPCI Website.)

|| Lutheran Beliefs and Practices ||

Baptism - Although Luther retained that baptism was necessary for 
spiritual regeneration, no specific form was stipulated. Today Lutherans 
practice both infant baptism and baptism of believing adults. Baptism is 
done by sprinkling or pouring water rather than immersion. 
Most Lutheran branches accept a valid baptism of other 
Christian denominations when a person converts, 
making re-baptism unnecessary. 
Catechism - Luther wrote two catechisms or guides to the faith. 
The Small Catechism contains basic explanations of the T
en Commandments, Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, baptism, 
confession, communion, and a list of prayers and table of duties.
 The Large Catechism goes into great detail on these topics. 
Church Governance - Luther maintained that individual 
churches should be governed locally, not by a centralized authority, 
as in the Roman Catholic Church. Although many Lutheran branches
still have bishops, they do not exercise the same type of 
control over congregations. 
Creeds - Today's Lutheran churches use the three 
Christian creeds:the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, 
and the Athanasian Creed. These ancient professions of 
faith summarize basic Lutheran beliefs. 
Eschatology - Lutherans do not interpret the Rapture as most o
ther Protestant denominations do. Instead, Lutherans believe 
Christ will return only once, visibly, and will catch up all 
Christians together with the dead in Christ. The tribulation is 
the normal suffering all Christians endure until that last day. 
Heaven and Hell - Lutherans see heaven and hell as literal places. 
Heaven is a realm where believers enjoy God forever, 
free from sin, death, and evil. Hell is a place of 
punishment where the soul is eternally separated from God. 
Individual Access to God - Luther believed each individual 
has the right to reach God through Scripture with a responsibility 
to God alone. It is not necessary for a priest to mediate. 
This "priesthood of all believers" was a radical change from Catholic doctrine. 
The Lord's Supper - Luther retained the sacrament of 
the Lord's Supper, which is the central act of worship in the Lutheran denomination. But the doctrine of transubstantiation was rejected. 
While Lutherans believe in the true presence of Jesus Christ in 
the elements of bread and wine, the church is not specific 
in how or when that act occurs. Thus, Lutherans resist 
the idea that the bread and wine are mere symbols. 
Purgatory - Lutherans reject the Catholic doctrine of purgatory, 
a place of cleansing where believers go after death, 
before entering heaven. The Lutheran Church teaches that 
there is no scriptural support for it and that the dead go 
directly to either heaven or hell. 
Salvation by Grace through Faith - Luther maintained that salvation comes by grace through faith alone; not by works and sacraments. 
This key doctrine of justification represents the major difference 
between Lutheranism and Catholicism. Luther held that works 
such as fasting, pilgrimages, novenas, indulgences, 
and masses of special intention play no part in salvation. 
Salvation for All - Luther believed that salvation is available 
to all humans through the redeeming work of Christ. Scripture - 
Luther believed the Scriptures contained the one necessary 
guide to truth. In the Lutheran Church, much emphasis is placed 
on hearing the Word of God. The church teaches that the 
Bible does not merely contain the Word of God, but every 
word of it is inspired or "God-breathed." The Holy Spirit is 
the author of the Bible. 
Lutheran Practices (Sacraments) - Luther believed the sacraments
 were valid only as aids to faith. The sacraments initiate and feed faith,
 thus giving grace to those who participate in them. 
The Catholic Church claims seven sacraments,
the Lutheran Church only two: baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
Worship - As to the manner of worship, Luther chose to retain 
altars and vestments and prepare an order of liturgical service, 
but with the understanding that no church was bound to follow any 
set order. As a result, there is emphasis today on a liturgical 
approach to worship services, but no uniform liturgy belonging 
to all branches of the Lutheran body. An important place is given to preaching, congregational singing, and music, as Luther was a great fan of music.
Sources • Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, 
Concordia Publishing House • ReligiousTolerance.org 
• ReligionFacts.com

|| Counter-Reformation ||

The Early Roots of the Counter-Reformation 

                 With the waning of the Catholic Middle Ages and the dawn of an increasingly secular and political modern age in the 14th century, the Catholic Church found herself affected by trends in the broader culture. Through a series of reforms of religious orders, such as the Benedictines, Cistercians, and Franciscans, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Church tried to elevate the preaching of the gospel and to call laypeople back to Catholic morality. 
                  Many problems, however, had deeper roots that affected the very structure of the Church. In 1512, the Fifth Lateran Council attempted a series of reforms for what are known as secular priests that is, clergy who belong to a regular diocese rather than to a religious order. The council had a very limited effect, though it did make one very important convert Alexander Farnese, a cardinal who would become Pope Paul III in 1534. 
                   Before the Fifth Lateran Council, Cardinal Farnese had a longtime mistress, with whom he had four children. But the council pricked his conscience, and he reformed his life in the years immediately before a German monk by the name of Martin Luther set out to reform the Catholic Church and ended up sparking the Protestant Reformation.

 The Catholic Response to the Protestant Reformation 

Martin Luther's 95 Theses set the Catholic world on fire in 1517, and nearly 25 years after the Catholic Church condemned Luther's theological errors at the Diet of Worms (1521), Pope Paul III attempted to put out the flames by convening the Council of Trent (1545-63). 
                   The Council of Trent defended important Church doctrines that Luther and later Protestants attacked, such as transubstantiation (the belief that, during the Mass, the bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which Catholics then receive in Communion); that both faith and the works that flow from that faith are necessary for salvation; that there are seven sacraments (some Protestants had insisted that only Baptism and Communion were sacraments, and others had denied that there were any sacraments); and that the pope is the successor of Saint Peter, and exercises authority over all Christians.               
                Through the council's reforms, the practice of appointing secular rulers as bishops came to an end, as did the sale of indulgences, which Martin Luther had used as a reason to attack the Church's teaching on the existence of, and need for, Purgatory. The Council of Trent ordered the writing and publishing of a new catechism to make it clear what the Catholic Church taught, and called for reforms in the Mass, which were made by Pius V, who became pope in 1566 (three years after the council ended). 
                  The Mass of Pope Pius V (1570), often regarded as the crown jewel of the Counter-Reformation, is today known as the Traditional Latin Mass or (since the release of Pope Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum) the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. 

Other Chief Figures of the Counter-Reformation 

                  While there are many important figures who left their mark on the Counter-Reformation, four in particular bear mentioning. St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), the cardinal-archbishop of Milan, found himself on the front lines as Protestantism descended from Northern Europe. 
                    He founded seminaries and schools throughout Northern Italy, and traveled throughout the area under his authority, visiting parishes, preaching, and calling his priests to a life of holiness. St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), the bishop of Geneva, in the very heart of Calvinism, won many Calvinists back to the Catholic Faith through his example of "preaching the Truth in charity." Just as importantly, he worked hard to keep Catholics in the Church, not only by teaching them sound doctrine but by calling them to the "devout life," making prayer, meditation, and the reading of Scripture a daily practice. 
                          St. Teresa of Avila (1515-82) and St. John of the Cross (1542-91), both Spanish mystics and Doctors of the Church, reformed the Carmelite order and called Catholics to a greater life of interior prayer and commitment to the will of God.

|| Southern Baptist History ||

                       In the late 1700's and early 1800's, as Baptists began to organize and expand, they formed missionary societies to spread the Christian lifestyle to others. These mission societies led to other organizational structures that would eventually define the denomination of Southern Baptists. By the 1830's tension began to mount between Northern and Southern Baptists. 
                          One issue that severely divided the Baptists was slavery. Northern Baptists believed God would not condone treating one race as superior to another, while Southerners said that God intended for races to be separate. Southern state Baptists began complaining that they weren't receiving money for missions work. The Home Mission Society declared that a person could not be a missionary and wish to keep his slaves as property. As a result of this division, Baptists in the South met in May of 1845 and organized the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). 
                        The Civil War and Civil Rights From 1861 through 1865, the American Civil War disrupted all aspects of Southern society, including the church. Just as Southern Baptists fought for independence for their local churches, so the Confederacy fought for individual states' rights. In the Reconstruction period after the war, Southern Baptists continued to maintain their own identity, expanding rapidly throughout the region. 
                  Although the SBC broke from the North in 1845, it continued to use materials from the American Baptist Publication Society in Philadelphia. Not until 1891 did the SBC form its own Sunday School Board, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Providing standard literature for all Southern Baptist churches had a strong unifying effect, solidifying the Southern Baptist Convention as a denomination. 
                     During the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, the SBC took no active role, and in some locales strongly opposed racial equality. However, in 1995, the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Southern Baptist Convention, at its national meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, SBC leaders adopted a resolution on racial reconciliation. 
                  The resolution condemned racism, acknowledged the SBC's role in supporting slavery, and affirmed the equality of all people on scriptural grounds. Further, it apologized to African-Americans, asking their forgiveness, and pledged to eradicate all forms of racism from Southern Baptist life.

|| Primitive Baptists ||

                  Primitive, or Old School Baptists, split from other Baptists in 1832. Primitive Baptists could find no scriptural support for mission boards, Sunday Schools, and theological seminaries. Primitive Baptists believe their church is the first New Testament church, established by Jesus Christ, simple and free of the theology and practices later added by men. 
               Prominent primitive Baptist founders include Thomas Griffith, Joseph Stout, Thomas Pope, John Leland, Wilson Thompson, John Clark, Gilbert Beebe. Geography Churches are located primarily in the midwestern, southern, and western United States. Primitive Baptists have also established new churches in the Philippines, India, and Kenya. 
               Primitive Baptists Governing Body Primitive Baptists are organized in Associations, with each church independently governed under a congregational system. All baptized members may vote in the conference. Ministers are males chosen from the congregation and have the biblical title "Elder." In some churches, they are unpaid, while others provide support or a salary. 
               Elders are self-trained and do not attend seminaries. Sacred or Distinguishing Text The 1611 King James Version of the Bible is the only text this denomination uses. Primitive Baptists' Beliefs and Practices Primitives believe in total depravity, that is, only a predetermined act of God can bring a person to salvation and that the individual can do nothing to save him or herself. 
                  Primitives hold to unconditional election, based "solely on the grace and mercy of God." Their belief in limited atonement, or particular redemption, set them apart, stating that "the Bible teaches that Christ died to save his elect only, a definite number of people who can never be lost." Their doctrine of irresistible grace teaches that God sends the Holy Spirit into the hearts of his chosen elect, which always results in new birth and salvation. 
                    Finally, Primitive Baptists believe all elect will be saved, although some hold that even though the person does not persevere, they will still be saved (preserved). Primitives conduct simple worship services with preaching, praying, and a cappella singing. They have two ordinances: baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, consisting of unleavened bread and wine and in some churches, feet washing. 

Sources • oldschoolbaptist.org

|| Mennonite Beliefs and Practices ||

                       A group of Anabaptists broke from the Protestant and Catholic ranks in 1525 in Switzerland. In 1536, Menno Simons, a former Dutch Catholic priest, joined their ranks, rising to a leadership position. To avoid persecution, Swiss German Mennonites migrated to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. They first settled in Pennsylvania, then spread to the Midwest states. The Amish split from the Mennonites in the 1600s in Europe because they felt the Mennonites had become too liberal. 
Geography || The largest concentration of Mennonites is in the United States and Canada, but great numbers are also found throughout Africa, India, Indonesia, Central and South America, Germany, the Netherlands, and the rest of Europe.  
Mennonite Governing Body || The largest assembly is the Mennonite Church USA Assembly, which meets on odd years. As a rule, Mennonites are not governed by a hierarchical structure, but there is a give-and-take among local churches and the 22 regional conferences. Each church has a minister; some have deacons who supervise finances and the well-being of church members. An overseer guides and advises local pastors. 
Sacred or Distinguishing Text ---|| The Bible is the Mennonites' guiding book. Notable Mennonite Ministers and Members Menno Simons, Rembrandt, Milton Hershey, J.L. Kraft, Matt Groening, Floyd Landis, Graham Kerr, Jeff Hostetler, Larry Sheets.

 Mennonite Beliefs ||

• Baptism: Water baptism is a sign of cleansing from sin and a pledge to follow Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a public act "because baptism means a commitment to membership and service in a particular congregation." 

• Bible: "Mennonites believe that all Scripture is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit for instruction in salvation and training in righteousness. We accept the Scriptures as the Word of God and as the fully reliable and trustworthy standard for Christian faith and life..." 

• Communion: The Lord's Supper is a sign to remember 

the new covenant Jesus established with his death on the cross. 

• Eternal Security: Mennonites do not believe in eternal security. 

Everyone has free will and can choose to live a sinful life, forfeiting their salvation. 

• Government: Voting varies greatly among Mennonites. Conservative groups often do not; modern Mennonites frequently do. The same holds true of jury duty. Scripture warns against taking oaths and judging others,

 but some Mennonites do welcome jury duty. As a rule, Mennonites try to avoid lawsuits, seeking negotiation or another form of reconciliation. 

Some Mennonites seek public office or government employment, always asking whether the position will let them further Christ's work in the world. 

• Heaven, Hell: Mennonite beliefs say those who have received 

Christ into their life as Lord and Savior will go to heaven. 

The church has no detailed position on hell except that it 

consists of eternal separation from God. 

• Holy Spirit: Mennonites believe the Holy Spirit is the eternal 

Spirit of God, who dwelt in Jesus Christ, empowers the church, 

and is the source of the believer's life in Christ. 

• Jesus Christ: Mennonite beliefs hold that Christ is the Son of God, 

Savior of the world, fully human and fully God. He reconciled 

humanity to God through his sacrificial death on the cross. 

• Ordinances: Mennonites refer to their practices as ordinances or acts, instead of the word sacrament. They recognize seven "biblical ordinances": 

baptism on confession of faith; the Lord's Supper; washing of the 

saints' feet; the holy kiss; marriage; ordination of elders/

bishops, ministers/preachers of the Word, deacons; 

and anointing with oil for healing. 

• Peace / Pacifism: Because Jesus taught his followers to love 

everyone, killing, even in war, is not a Christian response. 

Most young Mennonites do not serve in the military, although 

they are encouraged to spend a year in service in missions 

or in the local community.

 • Sabbath: Mennonites meet for worship services on Sunday, 

following the tradition of the early church. They base that on 

the fact that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. 

• Salvation: The Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation, who moves

 people to accept this gift from God. The believer accepts

 God's grace, trusts in God alone, repents, join a church, 

and lives a life of obedience. Trinity: Mennonites believe in

 the Trinity as "three aspects of the Divine, all in one": 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

( by Jack Zavada)

|| The Great Schism of 1054 & the Split of Christianity ||

                   The Great Schism of 1054 marked the first major split in the history of Christianity, separating the Orthodox Church in the East from the Roman Catholic Church in the West. Until this time, all of Christendom existed under one body, but the churches in the East were developing distinct cultural and theological differences from those in the West. Tensions gradually increased between the two branches, and finally boiled over into the Great Schism of 1054, also called the East-West Schism. 
                  The Great Schism of 1054 The Great Schism of 1054 marked the split of Christianity and established the separation between the Orthodox Churches in the East and the Roman Catholic Church in the West. 
• Start Date: For centuries, tension increased between the two 
                   branches until they finally boiled over on July 16, 1054. 
• Also Known As: The East-West Schism; the Great Schism. 
• Key Players: Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople; Pope Leo IX. 
• Causes: Ecclesiastical, theological, political, cultural, jurisdictional, 
                and language differences. 
• Result: Permanent separation between the Roman Catholic Church 
          and Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox Churches.   
          Recent relations between East and West have improved, but 
          to date, the churches remain divided. Further efforts toward 
           reconciliation have included: 
• In 1979, the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue 
           Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church was established. 
• In 1995, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople visited the Vatican 
         City for the first time, to join in an inter-religious day of prayer for peace. 
• In 1999, Pope John Paul II visited Romania by invitation of the 
          Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The occasion was 
          the first visit of a pope to an Eastern Orthodox country 
          since the Great Schism of 1054. 
• In 2004, Pope John Paul II gave back relics to the East from the 
           Vatican. This gesture was significant because the relics were 
           believed to have been robbed from Constantinople during the 
           Fourth Crusade of 1204. 
• In 2005, Patriarch Bartholomew I, along with other Eastern Orthodox
            Church leaders, attended the funeral of Pope John Paul II. 
• In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed his commitment 
             to work toward reconciliation. 
• In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI visited Istanbul at the invitation 
            of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. 
• In 2006, Greek Orthodox Church Archbishop Christodoulos 
           visited Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in the first official visit of 
          a Greek church leader to the Vatican. 
• In 2014, Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew signed a Joint 
            Declaration affirming their commitment to seek unity between their
             churches. by Mary Fairchild Sources 
• The Complete Book of When and Where in the Bible and 
            Throughout History (p. 164). 
• Pocket Dictionary of Church History: Over 300 Terms Clearly 
             and Concisely Defined (p. 122). 
• The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed. rev., p. 1089).

|| Social Gospel Movement ||

The Social Gospel movement was a powerful and broad religious movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that advocated many social reforms and whose ideas about social justice continue to influence policy today. This liberal Christian religious movement began after the Civil War in 1865 and continued until about 1920. 
            Its goal was to solve social problems caused by industrialization and urbanization by applying individual Christian principles to society as a whole. Protestant clergy became increasingly interested in social justice as they witnessed urban poverty and squalor brought on by industrialization and over-crowding, greater wealth disparity, and the decline of their congregations with the increase of Roman Catholic immigrants to the U.S. from Europe.
                Using the teachings of Jesus  in particular, his second commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself”  Protestant ministers began to believe and preach that salvation depended not just on loving God, but also in behaving like Jesus, loving your neighbor, doing good works, and taking care of the poor and needy. They believed that wealth was meant to be shared, not hoarded. 
                They did not believe in the concept of Social Darwinism or “the survival of the fittest,” a theory popular at the time, but rather, in looking out for the good of all. The popular phrase, “What would Jesus do?”, used by Christians to help with moral decisions, grew in popularity as a result of the Social Gospel movement. The phrase was part of the title of a book, In His Steps, What Would Jesus Do?, written by one of the leaders of the Social Gospel movement, Dr. Charles Monroe Sheldon (1857-1946). 
                   Sheldon was a Congregational minister whose book was a compilation of stories told to his congregation about people facing a moral dilemma, to which he would pose the question, “What would Jesus do?” Some of the other leaders of the Social Gospel movement were Dr. Washington Gladden (1836-1918), a Congregational minister and leading member of the Progressive Movement, Josiah Strong (1847-1916),
            Protestant clergyman who was a strong supporter of American imperialism, and Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918), a Baptist preacher and Christian theologian who wrote several influential books, among them Christianity and the Social Crisis, the most popular-selling religious book for three years after it was published, and A Theology of the Social Gospel.

|| Quakers History ||

Quakers fared no better in the American colonies. Colonists who worshiped in the established Christian denominations considered Quakers heretics. Friends were deported, imprisoned, and hanged as witches. Eventually, they found a haven in Rhode Island, which decreed religious tolerance. 
               William Penn (1644-1718), a prominent Quaker, received a large land grant in payment for a debt the crown owed his family. Penn founded Pennsylvania colony and worked Quaker beliefs into its government. Quakerism flourished there. Over the years, Quakers became more accepted and were actually admired for their honesty and simple living. That changed during the American Revolution when Quakers refused to pay military taxes or fight in the war. 
                 Some Quakers were exiled because of that position. In the early 19th century, Quakers rallied against the social abuses of the day: slavery, poverty, horrible prison conditions, and mistreatment of Native Americans. Quakers were instrumental in the Underground Railroad, a secret organization that helped escaped slaves find freedom before the Civil War.

Schisms in the Quaker 

Religion Elias Hicks (1748-1830), a Long Island Quaker, preached the "Christ within" and downplayed traditional biblical beliefs. That led to a split, with Hicksites on one side and Orthodox Quakers on the other. Then in the 1840s, the Orthodox faction split. By the early 1900s, Quakerism was divided into four basic groups: "Hicksites" - This Eastern U.S., liberal branch stressed social reform.
                        "Gurneyites" - Progressive, evangelical, Bible-centered followers of Joseph John Gurney had pastors to lead meetings. "Wilburites" - Mostly rural traditionalists who believed in individual spiritual inspiration, they were followers of John Wilbur. They also kept the traditional Quaker speech (thee and thou) and the plain way of dressing. "Orthodox" - The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting was a Christ-centered group. 
                    Modern Quakers History During World War I and World War II, many Quaker men enlisted in the military, in non-combative positions. In the First World War, hundreds served in a civilian ambulance corps, an especially dangerous assignment which allowed them to relieve suffering while still avoiding military service. 
                 Following World War II, Quakers became involved in the civil rights movement in the United States. Bayard Rustin, who worked behind the scenes, was a Quaker who organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Quakers also demonstrated against the Vietnam War and donated medical supplies to South Vietnam. 
                   Some of the Friends schisms have been healed, but worship services vary widely today, from liberal to conservative. Quaker missionary efforts took their message to South and Latin America and to east Africa. Currently, the largest concentration of Quakers is in Kenya, where the faith is 125,000 members strong. 

(Sources: QuakerInfo.org, Quaker.org, and ReligiousTolerance.org.)

|| Ann Lee, Founder of the Shakers ||

                  Ann Lee (February 29, 1736–September 8, 1784) was the charismatic leader of the Shakers, officially known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing. The illiterate daughter of a blacksmith in Manchester, England, Lee endured a difficult childhood and troubled marriage before leading a group of "shaking Quakers" to upstate New York. 
               The Shakers became an active evangelical group with communities throughout eight states in the Northeast. Shakers were known for their pacifism, celibacy, egalitarianism between the sexes, unique form of worship, and impressive achievements in the fields of agriculture, design, and music. By the end of the 20th century, Shakerism was essentially extinct, but its legacy continues. 

Fast Facts: Ann Lee 

• Known For: Founder of the Shakers 

• Also Known As: Mother Ann 

• Born: February 29, 1736 in Manchester, England 

• Parents: John Lee or Lees; mother's name unknown 

• Died: September 08, 1784 in Watervliet, New York, United States 

• Spouse: Abraham Standerin 

• Children: Four children, none of whom survived infancy 

• Notable Quote: "You should make the way of God your occupation. The way of God is to be learned as much as a trade. You learn to have faith, learn to believe. A man that has a trade is industrious to work at it and get a living. And you ought to be as industrious and as much engaged in the way of God."

|| Christadelphian Beliefs and Practices ||

Baptism || Baptism is mandatory, a visible demonstration of repentance and contrition. Christadelphians hold that baptism is the symbolic participation in Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, resulting in forgiveness of sins. 

Bible || The 66 books of the Bible are the inerrant, "inspired word of God." Scripture is complete and sufficient for teaching the way to be saved. 

  

Church || The word "ecclesia" is used by Christadelphians instead of church. A Greek word, it is usually translated "church" in English Bibles. It also means "a people called out." Local churches are autonomous. Christadelphians take pride in the fact that they have no central governing body. 

Clergy  || Christadelphians have no paid clergy, nor is there a hierarchical structure in this religion. Elected male volunteers (called lecturing brethren, managing brethren, and presiding brethren) conduct services on a rotating basis. Christadelphians means "Brothers in Christ." Members address each other as "Brother" and "Sister." 

Creed || Christadelphian beliefs adhere to no creeds; however, they do have a list of 53 "Commandments of Christ," most drawn from his words in Scripture but some from the Epistles. 

Death  || The soul is not immortal. The dead are in the "sleep of death," a state of unconsciousness. Believers will be resurrected at Christ's second coming. 

Heaven, Hell ||  Heaven will be on a restored earth, with God reigning over his people, and Jerusalem as its capital. 

Hell does not exist. Amended Christadelphians believe the wicked, or unsaved, will be annihilated. Unamended Christadelphians believe those "in Christ" will be resurrected to eternal life while the rest will remain unconscious, in the grave. 

Holy Spirit  || The Holy Spirit is only a force of God in Christadelphian beliefs because they deny the Trinity doctrine. He is not a distinct Person. 

Jesus Christ || Jesus Christ is a man, Christadelphians say, not God. He did not exist prior to his earthly incarnation. He was the Son of God and salvation requires acceptance of Christ as Lord and Savior. Christadelphians believe that since Jesus died, he cannot be God because God cannot die.  

Satan --|| Christadelphians reject the doctrine of Satan as the source of evil. They believe God is the source of both good and evil (Isaiah 45:5-7).  

Trinity || The Trinity is unbiblical, according to Christadelphian beliefs, therefore, they reject it. God is one and does not exist in three Persons.  

Founding of the Christadelphians  

The denomination was founded in 1848 by Dr. John Thomas (1805-1871), who broke from the Disciples of Christ. A British physician, Thomas became a full-time evangelist after a hazardous and terrifying ocean voyage. Shortly after the ship, the Marquis of Wellesley, had cleared the harbor, storms set in. 
                  Thomas' goal was to return to the beliefs and practices of early Christianity. In 1847 he was baptized again. A year later he returned to England to preach, and then came back to the States. Thomas and his followers became known as the Royal Association of Believers. 
                   During the American Civil War, people had to belong to a recognized religious group to be conscientious objectors. In 1864 Dr. John Thomas called his group Christadelphians, which means "Brethren in Christ."

Good Morning Holy Spirit ( By Pastor Benny Hinn)

CHAPTER -1 "Can I Really Know You?".
CHAPTER -2 From Jaffa to the Ends of the Earth.
CHAPTER -3 "Tradition, Tradition".
CHAPTER -4 Person to Person.
CHAPTER -5 Whose Voice Do You Hear?.
CHAPTER -6 Spirit, Soul, and Body
CHAPTER -7 Wind for Your Sails..
CHAPTER -8 A Mighty Entrance
CHAPTER -9 Room for the Spirit..
CHAPTER -10 “Only a Breath Away”.
CHAPTER -11 "Why are You Weeping?".
CHAPTER -12 Heaven on Earth.

 Chapter (1) 

1 "Can I Really Know You? It was three days before Christmas 1973. The sun was still rising on that cold, misty Toronto morning. Suddenly He was there. The Holy Spirit entered my room. He was as real to me that morning as the book you are holding in your hand is to you.For the next eight hours I had an incredible experience with the Holy Spirit. It changed the course of my life. Tears of wonder and joy coursed down my cheeks as I opened the Scriptures and He gave me the answers to my questions.
              It seemed that my room had been lifted into the hemisphere of heaven. And I wanted to stay there forever. Ihad just turned twenty-one, and this visitation was the best birthday or Christmas present I had ever received.Just down the hall were my mother and dad. They would never possibly understand what was happening totheir Benny. In fact, had they known what I was experiencing, it could have been the breaking point in a family that was already on the verge of shattering. 
             For nearly two years since the day I gave my life to Jesus—there was virtually no communication between my parents and me. It was horrible. As the son of an immigrant family from Israel, I had humiliated the household by breaking tradition. Nothing else in my life had been this devastating. In my room, however, it was pure joy. Yes, it was unspeakable. Yes, it was full of glory! If you had told me just forty-eight hours earlier what was about to happen tome, I would have said, "No way." But from that very moment the Holy Spirit became alive in my life. He was no longer a distant "third person" of the Trinity. 
               He was real.He had a personality.And now I want to share Him with you.My friend, if you are ready to begin a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit that surpasses anything you ever dreamed possible, read on. If not, let mere commend that you close the covers of this book forever.That's right. Close the book! Because what I am about to share will transform your spiritual life.Suddenly it will happen to you. It may be while you're reading. Perhaps while you're praying. Or while you're driving to work. 
                The Holy Spirit is going to respond to your invitation. He's going to become your closest friend, your guide, your comforter, your life-long companion. And when you and He meet, you'll say, "Benny! Let me tell you what the Spirit has been doing in my life!" 

GOD'S POWER REVEALED (A Short Night in Pittsburgh) 

A friend of mine, Jim Poynter, had asked me to go with him on a charter bus trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I had met Jim, a Free Methodist minister, at the church I attended. The group was going to a meeting of a healing evangelist, Kathryn Kuhlman.To be honest, I knew very little about her ministry. I'd seen her on television, and she totally turned me off. I thought she talked funny and looked a little strange. So I wasn't exactly filled with expectation. 
               But Jim was my friend, and I didn't want to let him down. On the bus I said, "Jim, you'll never know what a tough time I had with my father about this trip." You see, after my conversion, my parents had done everything in their power to keep me from attending church. And now a trip to Pittsburgh? It was almost out of the question, but they grudgingly gave their permission.We left Toronto on Thursday about mid morning. And what should have been a seven-hour trip was slowed by as udden snowstorm. 
                   We didn't arrive at our hotel until one o'clock in the morning.Then Jim said, "Benny, we have to be up at five.""Five this morning?" I asked. "What for?"He told me that if we weren't outside the doors of the building by six o'clock, we'd never get a seat.Well, I just couldn't believe it. Who'd ever heard of standing in the freezing cold before sunrise to go to church?But he said that was what we were supposed to do.It was bitter cold. At five I got up and put on every bit of clothing I could find: boots, gloves, the works. I looked like an Eskimo. 
                  We arrived at the First Presbyterian Church, downtown Pittsburgh, while it was still dark. But what shocked me was that hundreds of people were already there. And the doors wouldn't open for two more hours.Being small has some advantages. I began inching my way closer and closer to the doors—and pulling Jim right behind me. There were even people sleeping on the front steps. A woman told me, "They've been here all night. 
                    It's like this every week."As I stood there, I suddenly began to vibrate—as if someone had gripped my body and begun to shake it. Ithought for a moment that the bitter air had gotten to me.But I was dressed warmly, and I certainly didn't feel too cold. An uncontrollable shaking just came over me.Nothing like that had ever happened before. And it didn't stop. I was too embarrassed to tell Jim, but I could feel my very bones rattling. I felt it in my knees. In my mouth. "What's happening to me?" I wondered. Is this the power of God? I just didn't understand.

 ( Racing through the Church. ) 

By this time the doors were about to open, and the crowd pressed forward until I could hardly move. Still the vibrating wouldn't stop.Jim said, "Benny, when those doors open, run just as fast as you can.""Why?" I asked."If you don't, they'll run right over you." He'd been there before and knew what to expect.Well, I never thought I'd be in a race going to church,but here I was. 
              And when those doors opened, I took off like an Olympic sprinter. I passed everybody: old women,young men, all of them. In fact, I made it right to the front row and tried to sit down. An usher told me the first row was reserved. I learned later that Miss Kuhlman's staff handpicked the people who sat in the front row. She was so sensitive to the Spirit that she wanted only positive, praying supporters right in front of her.With my severe stuttering problem, I knew it would be useless to argue with the usher. 
                    The second row was already filled, but Jim and I found a spot on row three.It would be another hour before the service began, so I took off my coat, my gloves, and my boots. As I relaxed, I realized I was shaking more than before. It just wouldn't stop. The vibrations were going through my arms and legs as if I were attached to some kind of a machine. The experience was foreign to me. To be honest, I was scared.As the organ played, all I could think about was the shaking in my body. It wasn't a "sick" feeling. 
                    It wasn't as if I were catching a cold or a virus. In fact, the longer it continued, the more beautiful it became. It was an unusual sensation that didn't really seem physical at all.At that moment, almost out of nowhere, Kathryn Kuhlman appeared. In an instant, the atmosphere in that building became charged. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't feel anything around me. No voices. No heavenly angels singing. Nothing. All I knew was that I had been shaking for three hours.Then, as the singing began, I found myself doing something I never expected. 
                    I was on my feet. My hands were lifted, and tears streamed down my face as we sang"How Great Thou Art."It was as if I had exploded. Never before had tears gushed from my eyes so quickly. Talk about ecstasy! It wasa feeling of intense glory.I wasn't singing the way I normally sang in church. I sang with my entire being. And when we came to the words, "Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee," I literally sang it from my soul.
                   I was so lost in the Spirit of that song that it took a few moments for me to realize that my shaking had completely stopped. But the atmosphere of that service continued. I thought I had been totally raptured. I was worshiping beyond anything I had ever experienced. It was like coming face to face with pure spiritual truth. Whether anyone else felt it o rnot, I did.
                 In my young Christian experience, God had touched my life, but never as He was touching me that day. Like a Wave “ As I stood there, continuing to worship the Lord, I opened my eyes to look around because suddenly I felt a draft. And I didn't know where it was coming from. It was gentle and slow, like a breeze.I looked at the stained glass windows. But they were all closed. And they were much too high to allow such a draft.The unusual breeze I felt, however, was more like a wave. I felt it go down one arm and up the other. 
                      I actually felt it moving.What was happening? Could I ever have the courage to tell anyone what I felt? They would think I'd lost my mind.For what seemed like ten minutes, the waves of that wind continued to wash over me. And then I felt as if someone had wrapped my body in a pure blanket—a blanket of warmth.Kathryn began ministering to the people, but I was so lost in the Spirit that it really didn't matter. 
                   The Lord was closer to me than He had ever been.I felt I needed to talk to the Lord, but all I could whisper was, "Dear Jesus, please have mercy on me." I said it again,"Jesus, please have mercy on me." I felt so unworthy.I felt like Isaiah when he entered the presence of the Lord.Woe is me, for I am undone!Because I am a man of unclean lips,And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;For my eyes have seen the King,The LORD of hosts. (Isa. 6:5)The same thing happened when people saw Christ. 
                     They immediately saw their own filth, their need of cleansing.That is what happened to me. It was as if a giant spotlight was beaming down on me. All I could see were my weaknesses, my faults, and my sins.Again and again I said, "Dear Jesus, please have mercy on me."Then I heard a voice that I knew must be the Lord. It was ever so gentle, but it was unmistakable. He said to me,"My mercy is abundant on you."My prayer life to that point was that of a normal,average Christian. But now I was not just talking to the Lord. 
                        He was talking to me. And oh, what a communion that was!Little did I realize that what was happening to me in the third row of the First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh was just a foretaste of what God had planned for the future.Those words rang on in my ears. "My mercy is abundant on you."I sat down crying and sobbing.
                          There was just no thingin my life to compare with what I felt. I was so filled and transformed by the Spirit that nothing else mattered. I didn't care if a nuclear bomb hit Pittsburgh and the whole world blew up. At that moment I felt, as the Word describes it,"peace. . . which surpasses all understanding" (Phil. 4:7).Jim had told me about the miracles that took place in Miss Kuhlman's meetings. 
                       But I had no idea what I was about to witness in the next three hours. People who were deaf suddenly could hear. A woman got up out of her wheelchair. There were testimonies of healings for tumors,arthritis, headaches, and more. Even her severest critics have acknowledged the genuine healings that took place in her meetings.The service was long, but it seemed like a fleetingmoment. Never in my life had I been so moved and touched by God's power. ( Why Was She Sobbing?) As the service continued and I quietly prayed,everything stopped suddenly.
                      I thought, "Please, Lord, don't ever let this meeting end."I looked up to see Kathryn burying her head in her hands as she began to sob. She sobbed and sobbed so loudly that everything came to a standstill. The music stopped. The ushers froze in their positions.Everyone had their eyes on her. And for the life of me I had no idea why she was sobbing. I'd never seen a minister do that before. What was she crying about? (I was told later that she had never done anything like that before, and members of her staff remember it to this day.)
                        It continued for what seemed like two minutes. Then she thrust back her head. There she was, just a few feet infront of me. Her eyes were aflame. She was alive.In that instant she took on a boldness I had never seen in any person. She pointed her finger, straight out with enormous power and emotion—even pain. If the devil himself had been there, she would have flicked him aside with just a tap.It was a moment of incredible dimension.
                      Still sobbing,she looked out at the audience and said with such agony,"Please." She seemed to stretch out the word, "Please,don't grieve the Holy Spirit."She was begging. If you can imagine a mother pleading with a killer not to shoot her baby, it was like that. She begged and pleaded."Please," she sobbed, "don't grieve the Holy Spirit."Even now I can see her eyes. It was as if they were looking straight at me.And when she said it, you could have dropped a pin and heard it. I was afraid to breathe. 
                         I didn't move a muscle. I was holding on to the pew in front of me wondering what would happen next.Then she said, "Don't you understand? He's all I've got!"I thought, "What's she talking about?"Then she continued her impassioned plea saying,"Please! Don't wound Him. He's all I've got. Don't wound the One I love!"I'll never forget those words. I can still remember the intensity of her breathing when she said them.In my church the pastor talked about the Holy Spirit. But not like this. 
                    His references had to do with the gifts or tongues or prophecy not "He's my closest, most personal,most intimate, most beloved friend." Kathryn Kuhlman was telling me about a person that was more real than you or I. Then she pointed her long finger down at me and said with great clarity, "He's more real than anything in this world!" I've Got to Have It .
                 When she looked at me and uttered those words,something literally grabbed me on the inside. It really got tome. I cried and said, "I've got to have this."Now, frankly, I thought that everyone in that service would feel exactly the same way. But God has a way of dealing with us as individuals, and I believe that service was just for me.Please understand, as a rather new Christian I couldn't begin to comprehend what was happening in that service.
                      But I could not deny the reality and the power I felt. And as the service came to a conclusion, I looked up at the woman evangelist and saw what seemed to be a mist around her and over her. At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But there it was. And her face was shining like a light through that mist.I don't for one moment believe that God was trying to glorify Miss Kuhlman.
                          But I do believe He used that service to reveal His power to me.When the service was dismissed, the crowd filed out,but I didn't want to move. I had come in racing, but now I just wanted to sit down and reflect on what had just happened.What I had felt in that building was something my personal life did not offer me. I knew that when I returned to my home, the persecution would continue.My own self-image was practically destroyed because of my speech impediment. 
                   Even when I was a child in Catholic schools, my stuttering left me isolated with almost no one to talk to.Even after I became a Christian, I made very few friends. How could I meet new people when I could hardly communicate?So I never wanted what I found in Pittsburgh to leaveme. All I had in life was Jesus. And nothing else in life had much meaning. I had no real future. My family had practically turned their backs on me.
                        Oh, I knew they loved me, but my decision to serve Christ had created a gulf that was exceedingly wide.I just sat there. After all, who wants to go to hell after they've been to heaven?But there was no choice. The bus was waiting and I had to go back. I paused at the back of the church for one last moment, thinking, "What did she mean? What was she saying when she talked about the Holy Spirit?"All the way back to Toronto I kept thinking, "I don't know what she meant." I even asked a few people on the bus. 
                     They couldn't tell me because they did not understand either.Needless to say, when I arrived home, I was totally exhausted. What with lack of sleep, hours on the road, and a spiritual experience that was like an emotional roller coaster, my body was ready for a rest.But I could not sleep. My body was weary to the bone,but my spirit was still stirring like a never-ending series of volcanoes erupting inside me. 

 ( KNOWING GOD’S PRESENCE;) 

Who Is Pulling Me?As I lay on my bed, I felt as if someone was pulling me off the mattress and onto my knees. It was a strange sensation, but I felt it so strongly I couldn't resist. There I was, in the darkness of that room, on my knees.God wasn't through with me yet, and I responded to His leading. I knew what I wanted to say, but I didn't quite know how to ask for it. What I wanted was what that minister in Pittsburgh had. I thought, "I want what Kathryn Kuhlman's got." I wanted it with every atom and fiber within me. 
                 I hungered for what she was talking about even though I didn't understand it.Yes, I knew what I wanted to say but didn't know howto say it. So I decided to ask the only way I knew in my own simple words.I wanted to address the Holy Spirit, but I had never done that before. I thought, "Am I doing this right?" After all, I'd never spoken to the Holy Spirit. I never thought Hewas a person to be addressed. I didn't know how to start the prayer, but I knew what was inside me. All I wanted was to know Him the way she knew Him.
                   And here is what I prayed: "Holy Spirit. Kathryn Kuhlman says you are her friend." I slowly continued, "I don't think I know you. Now, before today I thought I did.But after that meeting I realize I really don't. I don't think Iknow you."And then, like a child, with my hands raised, I asked,"Can I meet you? Can I really meet you?"I wondered, "Is what I'm saying right? Should I bespeaking to the Holy Spirit like this?" Then I thought, "If I'm honest in this, God will show me whether I'm right or wrong." 
                  If Kathryn was wrong, I wanted to find out.After I spoke to the Holy Spirit, nothing seemed to happen. I began to question myself, "Is there really such an experience as meeting the Holy Spirit? Can it truly happen?"My eyes were closed. Then, like a jolt of electricity, my body began to vibrate all over exactly as it had through the two hours I waited to get into the church. It was the same shaking I had felt for another hour once inside.
                    It was back, and I thought, "Oh. It's happening again."But this time there were no crowds. No heavy clothes. I was just in my own warm room in my pajamas vibrating from my head to my toes.I was afraid to open my eyes. This time it was as if everything that happened in that service all rolled into one moment. I was shaking, but at the same time I again felt that warm blanket of God's power wrapped all around me.I felt as if I had been translated to heaven. Of course I wasn't, but I honestly don't believe heaven can be any greater than that. In fact, I thought, "If I open my eyes, I'll either be in Pittsburgh or inside the pearly gates."Well, after a time, I did open my eyes, and to my surprise I was right there in my same room. Same floor.Same pajamas. 
                      But I was still tingling with the power of God's Spirit.When I finally dropped off to sleep that night, I still didn't realize what had begun in my life. ( The First Words I Spoke.) Early, very early, the next morning I was wide awake. And I couldn't wait to talk to my newfound friend.Here were the first words out of my mouth: "Good morning, Holy Spirit!"At the very moment I spoke those words, the glorious atmosphere returned to my room. 
                   This time, though, I was not vibrating or shaking. All I felt was the wrapping of His presence.The second I said, "Good morning, Holy Spirit," I knew He was present with me in the room. Not only was I filled with the Spirit that morning, I also received a fresh infilling every time I spent time in prayer.What I am talking about is beyond speaking in tongues.Yes, I did speak in a heavenly language, but it was much more than that. The Holy Spirit became real. He became my friend. He became my companion, my counselor.The first thing I did that morning was to open the Bible.I wanted to be sure.
                    And as I opened the Word, I knew He was there with me as if He was sitting down beside me. No,I did not see his face or His countenance. But I knew where He was. And I began to know His personality.From that moment on the Bible took on a whole new dimension. I would say, "Holy Spirit, show it to me in the Word." I wanted to know why He had come, and He led me to these words: "We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God" (1Cor.2:12). When I asked why He wanted to be my friend, He led me to the words of Paul: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Cor. 13:14). 
               The Bible became alive. I had never really understood the impact of those words, "'Not by might nor by power,but by My Spirit,' says the Lord" (Zech. 4:6). Over and over again, He confirmed in the Word what He was doing in my life. For more than eight hours that first day, then day after day, I grew to know Him more.My prayer life began to change. "Now," I said, "Holy Spirit, since you know the Father so well, would you help me pray?" And when I began to pray, I came to the place where suddenly the Father was more real than He had ever been before. It was as if someone had opened a door and said, "Here He is." 

( My Teacher, My Guide ) 

The reality of the fatherhood of God became clearer than I had ever known. It was not by reading a book. Or following a formula A, B, C. It was just by asking the Holy Spirit to open the Word to me. And He did. " . . . as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father'" (Rom. 8:14-15).
                I began to comprehend everything Jesus said about the Holy Spirit. He was my comforter, my teacher, my guide.I understood for the first time what Jesus meant when He told His disciples, "Follow Me." Then one day He said,"Don't follow Me—because where I'm going you can't go."He told them, "But the Holy Ghost, He will guide you. He will lead you on."What was He doing? Christ was giving them another leader. Another one to follow.
                   My search of the Scriptures went on day after day for weeks—until all of my questions were answered. All that time I was getting to know the Holy Spirit better. And that communion has never stopped to this day. I realized He was right here with me. And my entire life has been transformed. I believe yours will be too.Today as I arose, I said it again: "Good morning, HolySpirit."