- The roots of both the Pentecostal and Apostolic movements start in the early 20th century when the practice of speaking in tongues and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit caused many to believe the gifts written about in the Bible were still applicable for contemporary Christians. The Pentecostal and Apostolic movements were not always separate branches of the broader Charismatic movement. The two didn't go their separate ways until doctrinal disputes in 1914 forced a split. Before 1914, both movements were part of the growing Pentecostal influence spreading around the world that began at a small Topeka, Kansas, Bible school when a student began speaking in tongues. The movement exploded after the Azusa Street revivals in Los Angeles in 1906 under the preaching of African-American evangelist William Joseph Seymour.
- Both Pentecostal and Apostolic movements recognize a direct, personal experience with God through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The initial sign of this gift is speaking in tongues. Many claim the title "full gospel" to explain the position of these movements. Pentecostal and Apostolic movements believe many Christian basics such as salvation is through Jesus Christ and the inerrancy of the original Scriptures. They also practice the gift of healing and prophecy -- foretelling the future and speaking in tongues either as an initial evidence of the Holy Spirit or as a worship and prayer tool bestowed by God.
- Pentecostals tend to be more Arminian in their theological outlook than Calvinist, focusing more on salvation as a measure of grace than of works. Pentecostals hold the same view of baptism as many other branches of evangelical Christianity. While they value baptism as a practice ordained by God, they believe baptism is not essential for salvation. It is for those who have already professed Christ as a sign of their new birth in Christ. Pentecostals used the trinitarian "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" during the ceremony. Trinitarian belief is that God consists of three unique persons in one.
- Those in the Apostolic movement do not hold to the trinitarian view of God as three separate, but equal, persons in one. They believe is God has three manifestations. For them, baptism is an important part of salvation itself. They do not use the trinitarian language during the baptism ceremony. Instead they baptize in the name of Jesus only. For those in the Apostolic movement, salvation is a matter of repentance, baptism and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. They also hold to strict holiness restrictions regarding behavior, dress and grooming.
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