The Confession of a Renewed Pentecostalism

A PERSONAL CONFESSION OF A PENTECOSTAL BELIEVER

In the Spirit of the Ancient Church and the Fire of Pentecost,

in Memory of the 120 Years of the Azusa Street Revival

Amsterdam, 9 April 2026

Preamble

One hundred and twenty years ago, in a modest building on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, a movement was born that would reshape the global Church. Men and women—rich and poor, migrants and locals, Black and white—gathered in humility and expectation, seeking nothing but the presence of God. There, the Holy Spirit was poured out afresh—breaking barriers, restoring dignity, and igniting a fire that would spread to the ends of the earth.

The Azusa Street Revival was not built on power, status, or spectacle, but on repentance, prayer, and a deep hunger for God. It bore witness to a Gospel that unites, liberates, and gives life. That same Spirit continues to move across generations, cultures, and nations.

Yet, one hundred and twenty years later, we give thanks for the many ways this fire has continued to burn—bringing renewal to churches, hope to the poor, healing to the broken, and faith to new generations across the world.

And still, we must ask: what have we done with this fire?

Despite this rich growth and living tradition, we must also acknowledge that parts of the Pentecostal movement have been distorted—at times shaped by the pursuit of power, prosperity, spectacle, and fear-driven interpretations of the end times. Too often, many of us have remained silent in the face of these developments. In gratitude for what has been given to us, and in awareness of what has been lost, obscured, or distorted, I write this confession. I do so not as an outsider, but as one formed within the Pentecostal movement—shaped by its worship, sustained by its prayers, and deeply moved by its witness in the power of the Holy Spirit, among the poor, migrants, and the forgotten.

In the spirit of the ancient Church, which again and again returned to confession in times of renewal and correction, I offer these words—not as condemnation, but as a call: a call to remember, to repent where necessary, and to return to the heart of Pentecostal faith—the love of Christ, the freedom of the Spirit, the authority of Scripture, and the pursuit of holiness, justice, and mercy.

Therefore, in the presence of God and in the communion of the global Church—past, present, and yet to come—I offer this confession as a witness to the way of the Spirit in our time, and as an open invitation to my Pentecostal and Charismatic sisters and brothers to discern, to reflect, and—where conscience permits—to join in this shared act of faithfulness and renewal.

Let us rise together and bear witness to the true meaning of Pentecostal faith—not only in what we proclaim, but in what we are willing to confess and embody.

Whoever recognizes this confession as their own is invited to share this testimony and engage in conversation about it within their community, both personally and together with others.

– Rev. Dr. Samuel Lee

The Confession of a Renewed Pentecostalism

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth;

and in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord;

and in the Holy Spirit,

the Giver of life,

poured out upon all flesh.

I confess that the Holy Spirit is given to the whole Church,

in all its branches, traditions, and tongues,

and is not the possession of any single church or denomination.

I confess the Holy Scriptures

as inspired by God

and given for the revelation of grace,

not for the propagation of fear, guilt, or control.

I confess the unity of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church,

and hold all who call upon the Name of Christ

as sisters and brothers

in one faith, one baptism, and one Spirit.

I confess the Church as a prophetic Church,

called to confess Christ and to address inhuman and unjust practices,

beginning within the Church

and extending into the life and structures of society.

I confess that the Gospel is to be proclaimed

with grace and gentleness,

never with arrogance, coercion, or domination.

I confess that evangelism is not a program or a system;

rather, it is a way of life in Christ.

I confess that ecclesial leadership is service, not status;

sacrifice, not entitlement;

love, not domination—

and never the pursuit of self-appointed titles or power.

I confess the full dignity and equality of women and men,

and commit myself to addressing and resisting injustices done to women,

both within the Church and beyond.

I confess that the surest sign of the Holy Spirit is love—

patient, merciful, and enduring—

by which the world shall recognize the disciples of Christ.

I confess that miracles, signs, and wonders

belong to the sovereign freedom of God

and must be received with humility

and directed toward Christ alone.

Therefore, I reject every form of commercializing the sacred—

including the exploitation of miracles, signs, and wonders—

and confess the Gospel to be a gift, not a product.

I reject the prosperity gospel in all its forms.

I confess that giving is an act of worship

that must arise freely from the heart,

and never from fear, compulsion, or manipulation.

I reject the misuse of Scripture—such as the distortion of texts like Malachi 3—

when fear and guilt are preached to the congregation.

I confess that I do not use biblical texts as instruments for speculative prophecy about end times, wars, or violence, but receive the Scriptures as a witness to God’s redemptive work in Christ.

I reject fear-based theology and spiritual abuse,

for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,

not coercion.

I confess the call of the Holy Spirit

to justice, compassion, and mercy,

and to the defense of the poor,

the oppressed,

the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.

I confess the call to be a peacemaker in the world,

to seek reconciliation

wherever hostility, hatred, and indifference reign.

I confess my responsibility in caring for creation,

and acknowledge my shortcomings in faithful stewardship.

I confess respect for all cultures and religions

and commit myself to dialogue without deceit or hidden intent,

without compromising my Christian faith.

I confess the call to holy dialogue with all people,

that truth may be sought in humility

and love may prevail over fear.

I confess the dignity of every human person,

created in the image of God,

and therefore affirm and defend human rights for all.

I confess that persons of diverse gender identities are my neighbors, and I commit myself to treat them with love and respect, rejecting every form of demonization in word or deed.

I confess that the Church is the people of God,

called into communion with Christ and with one another,

and that its truest witness

is love embodied in community

through Jesus Christ.

I confess my belief in the ecumenical unity of the Body of Christ.

Amen.

So I believe.

And so—by the grace of God—

I will seek to live

as a renewed Pentecostal believer.

Final Note

This text is being released in April rather than at Pentecost because April marks 120 years since the Azusa Street Revival—a moment that profoundly reshaped the global Church and gave rise to the modern Pentecostal movement. By publishing it at this time, I intentionally return to the source of that movement.

My Confession of a Renewed Pentecostal Believer is written both in gratitude for the growth and global impact of Pentecostalism, and in honest reflection on areas where renewal is needed. It is offered as a personal yet public confession, inviting reflection, conversation, and renewed faithfulness within the Church.

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Pentecostal Credo Samuel Lee.pdf

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