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TheBapticostal movement is a movement in someBaptist churches towards adopting certain elements of thecharismatic movement. The wordBapticostal is a combination ofBaptist andPentecostal. The term has been used in a limited manner to describe a worship style of high-tempoContemporary Christian music accompanied with spontaneous shouts, clapping and hand raising. But it also describes those churches where members profess to have and exhibit thecharismatic gifts that are practiced in Pentecostalism such asspeaking in tongues, beingslain in the Spirit, or being granted aword of knowledge. The prevalence of such beliefs within Baptist churches worldwide is unknown. In some unions or conventions it hardly exists (e.g. Eastern Europe) but in others (Australia, New Zealand) it is common. In theUnited States, it has been estimated that amongSouthern Baptist churches, 5% of the churches could be classified as Bapticostal, and the numbers are growing.[1] According to a study in 1989, 69% of Baptist churches belonging to theBaptist Union of New Zealand, the main Baptist association in New Zealand, identified positively with the charismatic movement.[2]
While the Bapticostal movement may be gaining support with individual churches in the convention, the movement has been met with official opposition. In 1999, a regional Southern Baptist association of churches expelled the Calvary Baptist Church inMarshfield, Missouri for the church teaching and exhibition ofspeaking in tongues and church members beingslain in the Spirit.[3]
More recently, in 2006 the International Mission Board passed standards for missionaries which would disqualify those who espoused opposition to traditional Southern Baptist doctrines ofeternal security and a rejection of a salvific view ofbaptism, and also engaged in speaking in tongues or had a "private prayer language".[4]
Following the new qualification of missionary appointments, the Rev.Dwight McKissic gave a sermon during a chapel service to students attendingSouthwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and announced that he speaks in tongues and uses a private prayer language and emphasized not taking acessationist view of the charismatic gifts. Southwestern quickly distanced itself from McKissic's comments saying,
However, shortly after his election as president of the Convention, Rev. Frank Page expanded on his "big tent" view of Southern Baptists by saying,
Mike Huckabee in describing his home church said in a sermon on December 2, 2007, "we tend to be a little Bapticostal where I go."[7]
TheNational Baptist Convention, the largest predominantlyAfrican-American Baptist denomination in the United States, does not have any official beliefs or standpoints regarding Pentecostal and charismatic expressions of worship in their churches' services or in their national and district meetings and conventions, as they believe their churches have autonomous authority to deal with how they handle and address Pentecostal and charismatic expressions of worship. In fact, in many churches that are a part of the National Baptist Convention, and in many of their national and district meetings and conventions across the United States, their adherents and clergy often practice, believe in, and exhibit the charismatic gifts of the Spirit that are practiced in Pentecostalism such as speaking in tongues and being slain in the Spirit in their worship services. They also make very consistent use of high-tempoTraditional Black Gospel andContemporary Christian music in their worship style and practices as well.[citation needed]
Also, as many Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations adhere toChristian perfection teachings that originated from theHoliness movement, the National Baptist Convention does officially teach and believe in Christian perfection, and refers to it also as many Pentecostal denominations do as "sanctification."[8]