I know plenty of 'spirit filled' Baptists, Catholics, Mennonites... which is where I was drawn to practise my faith. My sister was a real dancing in the ailes out there kind of Christian where as I was much more reserved and conservative. She didn't bring me to her church when I told her of my encounter with God and acceptance of Jesus. She rejoiced of course but she knew that her church would blow me away. She took me to a small spirit filled mennonite group who were grounded for generation in the conservative mennonite beliefs. They'd separated from the mainline church because of their beliefs in the infilling of the Holy Spirit and the manifestations of speaking in tongues. They were the gentlest, sweetest most loving people I've ever met. There were also several other native people in the group and it gave me comfort to learn from them how the coming of Jesus fit with our prophecy within our own cultural teachings. I grew from that place. I'd feared being a Christian would mean I had to turn my back on my culture. I learned there that I didn't. I saw in other beleivers the new life that came with Jesus to all people from all cultures and backgrounds. It gave me the freedom to put my cultural understandings and my new spiritual awakening into a context that fit for me.

I know that not all churches interpret pentecost the same way. I was blessed to spend a year living in Israel among very strong Zionist Christians. I've participated in the Biblical Feasts as set out in the scriptures and it gave me a different perspective again on prophecy, setting the stage and the fullfillment of prophecy as a role of the believers. A perspective that again fit with my own culture and my growing spiritual and religious understandings.

I seem to always be drawn to the 'indigenous' truths passed down through all cultures. When one gets to the core of the beliefs and examines the source of the beliefs one discovers the same God. The God of love and mercy, kindness and peace. How one grows from that place of communion may vary with another but its the heart of people that the truth is revealed.

I don't fuss too much about what one person believes so much as I search for the common thread that binds us to one Almighty, All knowing, All powerful God above us and around us and with a love so powerful that it lives within us.

I'd say if you are drawn to experience a greater infilling of the holy spirit then pray to God and ask for it to be so. It may manifest in the speaking tongues and then again it may not. It will manifest in the way that will best minister to you where you are at and it will grow your faith that you might know the peace of resting in God's love in all circumstances. Thus is my faith though it may not be how others see it. I respect our differences as much as I value our common ground.

Take care....