What We Believe

The Pentecostals of Olean, New York derives its theology of salvation from Acts 2:38 and John 3:3-5. We believe in order to fulfill the Biblical plan of salvation, a person must be spiritually “born again”. This is accomplished by:

Dying to sin through repentance
Being buried with Christ in baptism (“born of water”)
Being resurrected through receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (“born of the Spirit”), as evidenced by
Speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit of God gives utterance

We believe that repentance is essential to salvation, as indicated in Luke 13:5. Repentance is defined as a complete turning away from sin and toward God. Repentance requires the repentant person to take the next Biblical steps toward forgiveness and reconciliation to God: water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Repentance must be accompanied by “Godly sorrow”. This is not merely regret, but a genuine inward taste of God’s displeasure over one’s sinful lifestyle.

Baptism as shown in John 3:5 and Matthew 28:19 points to Matthew 3:13-16 which reveals that even Jesus himself was baptized. Our mode of baptism is complete immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

We believe that speaking in tongues is the outward, observable, and audible evidence of the initial infilling of the Holy Spirit, and is the fulfillment of Jesus’ commandment to be “born of the Spirit” in John 3:5. “Speaking in tongues” constitutes speaking in a language that one has never learned before, and all can receive regardless of race, culture, or language. Our beliefs are derived from Acts 2:4, 17, 38-39; 10:46; 19:6, and I Corinthians 12:13.

We adhere to Oneness theology, teaching that the one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah (YHVH in Hebrew), revealed Himself in the New Testament as Jesus Christ. The name “Jesus” in Hebrew is “Yeshua”, meaning “God (YHVH [Lord]) saves”, and is the proper name for describing God in flesh. Thus Jesus Christ was and is God. Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, “for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9)

In Summary

In summary we believe, practice, and preach the same gospel that the Apostles preached. The very first church is described in detail throughout the book of Acts. The birth of the first church that Jesus told Peter He was going to build in Matthew chapter 16. Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom prior to His crucifixion, and Peter used these keys to open the door of salvation to the world. Peter preached the first sermon in Acts 2:38 – 39, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”