Pentecostal vs Charismatic: What Is the Difference?

Pentecostals belong to denominations born in the early 1900s revivals, such as the Assemblies of God, that teach baptism in the Holy Spirit as a distinct experience usually marked by speaking in tongues. Charismatics share that emphasis on spiritual gifts but typically stay in other churches, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, or independent, and often do not require tongues as evidence.

At a Glance

• Pentecostalism began as its own movement in the early 1900s, with roots in Topeka, Kansas, in 1901 and the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles beginning in 1906.
• Classical Pentecostal denominations, such as the Assemblies of God, teach that speaking in tongues is the initial physical sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit.
• The charismatic movement brought similar experiences into existing churches starting around 1960, including Episcopal, other Protestant, and Catholic congregations.
• Charismatics generally remain in their own churches and often do not require tongues as proof of Spirit baptism.
• Most Pentecostals are part of the evangelical Protestant family, and both Pentecostal and charismatic churches can be denominational or independent.

What Is a Pentecostal?

A Pentecostal is a Christian whose church comes from the movement that began in the early twentieth century, emphasizing a direct, personal experience of God through baptism in the Holy Spirit. The name comes from the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, when the disciples "were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4, ESV). Pentecostals believe that the same experience, and the spiritual gifts that came with it, are available to believers today.

The modern movement has two famous starting points. At Charles Parham's Bethel Bible School near Topeka, Kansas, students taught that speaking in tongues was the scriptural evidence of Spirit baptism, and a student named Agnes Ozman spoke in tongues on January 1, 1901. Then, beginning in 1906, an African American preacher named William J. Seymour led the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, a multiyear, interracial revival that drew thousands of visitors who carried the movement back to their home churches and around the world.

New denominations formed out of that energy. They include the Assemblies of God, founded in 1914, the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), the Foursquare Church, and the United Pentecostal Church International, which belongs to the Oneness branch of Pentecostalism and does not hold the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. For the movement's full background, worship style, and key figures, see our guide to Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity.

What Do Pentecostals Mean by Initial Evidence?

The doctrine that most clearly defines classical Pentecostalism is called initial evidence. The Assemblies of God includes it in its Statement of Fundamental Truths, first adopted in 1916. The denomination teaches that the baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is "witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues," and that Spirit baptism is a separate experience that follows conversion and empowers believers for witness and Christian living.

In other words, many Pentecostals expect two distinct moments: being saved, and later being filled with the Spirit, with tongues as the outward sign of the second.

What Is a Charismatic Christian?

A charismatic Christian shares the Pentecostal conviction that the gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy, and healing, are active today, but practices that faith outside a Pentecostal denomination. The word comes from the Greek charismata, "gifts of grace," the term Paul uses for spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, where he writes, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV).

The charismatic movement is usually dated to April 3, 1960, when Dennis Bennett, rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California, told his congregation about his own experience of the Holy Spirit. Similar renewal spread through mainline Protestant churches during the 1960s. In 1967, a retreat at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh marked the start of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which brought charismatic prayer and worship into Catholic life.

The Pew Research Center uses a simple working definition that captures the difference. Pentecostals are "individuals who belong to classical pentecostal denominations, such as the Assemblies of God or the Church of God in Christ." Charismatics are "Christians who have experienced the 'in-filling' of the Holy Spirit but who are not members of pentecostal denominations." Pew uses the word "renewalist" as an umbrella term for both groups.

What Is the Difference Between Pentecostal and Charismatic?

The two terms overlap, and many people use them loosely. The clearest differences are these:

• Origins. Pentecostalism began as a new movement in the early 1900s and formed its own churches. The charismatic movement began around 1960 as renewal inside churches that already existed.
• Church home. Pentecostals usually belong to Pentecostal denominations. Charismatics may be Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, or members of independent charismatic churches.
• Tongues as evidence. Classical Pentecostals teach that speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence of Spirit baptism. Charismatics generally welcome tongues but often do not require them as proof that someone has received the Spirit.
• Theology and worship around the gifts. A Pentecostal church's whole identity is shaped by the Pentecostal experience. A charismatic Catholic or Lutheran keeps the sacraments, liturgy, and doctrine of their own tradition and adds charismatic prayer and worship to it.

A short way to remember it: Pentecostal usually names a denominational family, while charismatic usually names an experience and a style that can be found across many families.

What Do Pentecostals and Charismatics Have in Common?

The common ground is substantial. Both groups:

• Believe the spiritual gifts described in the New Testament did not end with the apostles and remain active today.
• Expect worship to be an encounter with a present, active God, often expressed through extended singing, raised hands, and spontaneous prayer.
• Pray for physical healing and expect God to answer.
• Emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus and the authority of Scripture.
• Teach that the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary believers, not only clergy, for ministry and witness.

That shared core is why many Christians use "Spirit-filled" or "renewal" to describe both groups together.

What Is the Third Wave or Neo-Charismatic Movement?

Some writers describe a third stream. The theologian C. Peter Wagner used the phrase "Third Wave of the Holy Spirit" in the 1980s for charismatic practice spreading into evangelical churches that did not identify as Pentecostal or charismatic. Groups such as the Vineyard Movement grew out of this period and operate outside the older denominational structures. Scholars sometimes call these churches neo-charismatic. Like charismatics, they often do not hold the classical Pentecostal teaching that tongues must accompany Spirit baptism.

Are Pentecostals Evangelicals?

Most are. Pentecostalism is widely described as a movement within the evangelical wing of Protestant Christianity, sharing evangelical convictions about the authority of the Bible and the need to be born again. Major Pentecostal denominations joined the National Association of Evangelicals early in its history: the Assemblies of God and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1943, and the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) in 1944.

There are two caveats. First, charismatics are not automatically evangelicals, because many are Catholic or members of mainline churches. Second, Oneness Pentecostals reject the doctrine of the Trinity, which sets them apart from the historic creeds that evangelicals, Catholics, Orthodox, and mainline Protestants share. For more on what the evangelical label means, see our overview of evangelicalism.

Is a Pentecostal Church Denominational or Non-Denominational?

It can be either. Many Pentecostal churches belong to denominations, such as the Assemblies of God, the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), and the Foursquare Church. These bodies have doctrinal statements, ordination standards, and regional and national leadership.

At the same time, many independent churches in America describe themselves as Spirit-filled, charismatic, or full gospel without belonging to any denomination. These non-denominational churches often share Pentecostal or charismatic worship and beliefs while governing themselves locally. So if a church sign says "non-denominational," that tells you about its structure, not necessarily about whether it is charismatic.

How Can You Tell What Kind of Church You Are Visiting?

Labels on a sign do not always tell the full story. A few practical ways to find out:

• Read the statement of faith. A church that teaches tongues as the "initial physical evidence" of Spirit baptism is holding the classical Pentecostal position.
• Check for a denomination. Many churches list their affiliation on their website or bulletin. An Assemblies of God or Church of God affiliation means classical Pentecostal teaching.
• Notice the setting. A charismatic prayer meeting inside a Catholic parish or an Episcopal church is charismatic renewal, not a Pentecostal church.
• Ask the pastor. Most pastors will gladly explain what their church believes about the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.

If you are still sorting out which tradition fits your own convictions, our Christian denomination quiz walks through questions about worship, authority, and the sacraments and suggests traditions that may fit, as a starting point rather than a verdict.