Differences Between Pentecostals and Other Evangelicals

The key difference is that Pentecostals emphasize the ongoing, active work of the Holy Spirit and the use of spiritual gifts (like speaking in tongues and divine healing) as a central part of Christian life and worship. At the same time, other evangelicals generally do not focus on these "charismatic" experiences. 

Shared Beliefs

Pentecostalism is generally considered a movement within the broader evangelical wing of Protestant Christianity, and thus shares core evangelical tenets. Both groups typically believe in: 

• The authority and inspiration of the Bible.

• The necessity of a personal conversion experience (being "born again").

• Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

• The importance of evangelism and mission work. 

  
  

Key Distinctions

Feature	Pentecostal	Other Evangelicals
Holy Spirit	Strong emphasis on the immediate presence, power, and personal experience of the Holy Spirit.	The Holy Spirit is present, but the focus is less on supernatural manifestations.
Spirit Baptism	Belief in a "baptism in the Holy Spirit" as a distinct experience, separate from and after salvation.	Generally, it is believed that the Holy Spirit is received at the moment of conversion.
Spiritual Gifts	The gifts of the Spirit (speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing, etc.) are expected to be active and evident in the church today (continuationism).	Many believe these miraculous gifts largely ceased after the apostolic age (cessationism), or at least are not a normative part of contemporary worship.
Worship Style	Worship services are often exuberant, emotionally expressive, and "free-floating" to follow the leading of the Spirit.	Worship typically follows a more traditional, structured order of service.
Evidence of Spirit	Speaking in tongues (glossolalia) is often considered the initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.	Speaking in tongues is not a required or expected practice for all believers.

Essentially, although all Pentecostals are evangelicals at their core, their distinct focus on a lively, experiential faith characterized by the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit sets them apart from the broader evangelical movement. When you hear someone talk about the things of the Spirit, such as the gifts, a Pentecostal emphasizes that the Spirit administers these gifts and that they are occasional. These individuals encourage you to be available to the Spirit so He can use you in whatever gift He chooses.

A non-Pentecostal Evangelical (NPE) believes these gifts are given to you from birth or at salvation and encourages you to assess them with tools that guide you toward your specific gift. This perspective stems from the belief that the baptism in the Spirit, as described in the NT, no longer exists in the same way since the age of the apostles. This belief leads to an emphasis on the person rather than the Spirit's operation, since those described in the NT no longer exist as they did.

The term evangelical is generic, and hopefully, this brief post will help you, as a Pentecostal, to understand why the NPE sees things differently than you.