One meets interesting people while traveling. A gentlemen I met on a cross country bus trip in Honduras made me think twice about how I identify myself as far as religion goes.
In Central America the buses are prone to stop at every little village for people to get on and off. At these stops vendors usually get on and try to sell their wares. I was coming back to the city from a weekend preaching trip when I had an interesting encounter with a young doctor. A lady got on selling her goods at one of the many nameless bus stops along the highway. She had some things I didn't recognize and I asked what they were in my limited Spanish. I had only been in the country a few weeks at this time. A man across from me answered in excellent English and told me what they were called. He then surprised by asking, rather abruptly,where I was from. I told him that I was from the States. His next question was even more startling. "What are you doing here."
I was caught a bit off guard but I realized he was just interested and not being offensive. I told him I was doing mission work and he asked what church I was with. When I replied that I was with the United Pentecostal Church he said, "Oh, you are catholic." When I told him I wasn't catholic he was confused. "Pentecostés", he replied. "Isn't that catholic?" I tried to explain to him that I wasn't Catholic but he just looked more confused.
The reason for the confusion is the terminology. According to the New Testament, the original Christian church was started on the day of Pentecost. The Roman Catholic church insists that it is the original church that can trace its origins all the way to New Testament times. Thus they teach that they are the Pentecostal church or the church that was started at Pentecost.
I believe history shows otherwise, however. Oneness Apostolics such as myself (those who baptize in Jesus name) believe and teach that we are the original church. We believe that the original message of repentance, water baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit that we preach today is the same as what Peter preached in Acts chapter 2. There have been pockets of people all through the centuries that believed, taught, and practiced this same message. They have at different times been called primitive Baptists, Anabaptists, Holiness, and more times than not, heretics or even witches. They have always self-identified with the name of Jesus, especially in baptism.
When It tried explaining this to my new friend he didn't really want to discuss it so I was cordial and allowed him to change the subject. We visited through the rest of the bus ride and ate lunch together when the bus stopped halfway of our journey. It proved to be interesting. I learned that he was an intern at the University Hospital in the capital and had been raised in English speaking schools, thus the good English. He was a pleasant conversationalist and I enjoyed the time though I regretted that he wasn't open to the gospel. I did leave the conversation with more of an understanding about the religious mindset of the local people and even of people in general.
I learned that day that tradition is a hard thing to break. It doesn't matter how much it goes against history, science or logic; what mama and daddy taught will always be truth to most people. I also learned that terms can be misleading. In the southern United States Pentecostal is a denomination. It refers to a group of people who believe in loud worship, conservative Christian values, and most of all, speaking in tongues. Outside of the Bible belt the terms Christian and Catholic are usually synonymous. Thus any reference to Pentecost would be either Jewish or Catholic.
Since that day my thoughts about denominational titles are much different Some of my grandmother's family identified themselves as primitive Baptists yet they spoke in tongues and baptized in Jesus name. In the 20th century most people who spoke in tongues called themselves Pentecostal. The name we choose to call ourselves is not as important as the message we preach and the lifestyle we live. The only name that really matters is the name of Jesus Christ. It is the name of the one who died for our sins. According to Acts 4:12 it is the only name by which we can be saved. It is the only worthy name. It is the name of God himself.
If you haven't been baptized in the lovely name of Jesus you are missing out. Won't you join me today in taking on his name in baptism. It is a privilege like none other. There is no greater experience. To take on his name means to take on his power, his virtue, and his glory. It also can mean to take on his suffering and shame. But who better to identify with than the Son of God himself. If I have to suffer I'd rather suffer for his name and in his name than without his name. In the words of the old song, I choose to be a Christian. It is the name I choose to identify with in life, in baptism, in doctrine, in death and in my hope of the future resurrection. Oh, how I love the name of Jesus, it is the sweetest name I know. Long live that name! All hail king Jesus!
In Jesus name,
Sullivan Jones
