Kong Hee Podcast

There are three reasons why Jesus wants to baptise us in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, 8):

(1) Spirit baptism greatly impacts our personal relationship with God (Acts 2:4). At conversion, we have the indwelling of the Spirit. Now, we have the infilling of the Spirit. Jesus fully immerses us into the Spirit of God, until we are filled, thoroughly soaked, saturated, drenched, and overwhelmed by the Spirit.

(2) Spirit baptism greatly impacts our relationship with other believers (1 Cor 12:7-11). We are now empowered to minister and edify one another, especially in the nine supernatural charismatic gifts:
(a) Word of wisdom
(b) Word of knowledge
(c) Gift of faith
(d) Gifts of healings
(e) Workings of miracles
(f) Discerning of spirits
(g) Prophecy
(h) Speaking in tongues
(i) Interpretation of tongues

(3) Spirit baptism greatly impacts our witness of Christ to the world (Acts 1:8).

"Speaking in tongues is a major distinctive of New Testament Christianity. Jesus Himself says that speaking with new tongues is one of the signs that will mark His followers (Mk 16:17). As a Classical Pentecostal church, we have strong biblical basis to believe that the gift of tongues is for today; it has not ceased (1 Cor 13:8-12).

What’s more, tongues is often used for the spontaneous praise and worship of God at a public Christian gathering (Acts 2:11; 10:44-46; 19:6-7). When tongues is spoken to an audience of one – God Himself in heaven – it is appropriate for all to freely and spontaneously speak to Him in their Spirit-given utterances (Acts 2:4). We see this very clearly in the Book of Acts.

When the words, however, must be understood by others (for the instruction and spiritual strengthening of the congregation), then every tongue must be interpreted (1 Cor 14:26-28). This is because the words are no longer directed to God but to the people.

As such, the consideration must always be – What is appropriate at a given moment of a church meeting? Tongues meant for God or for the people? It cannot simply be a blanket ban of all utterances of tongues at a corporate worship.

The public use of tongues at a prayer meeting or worship service is beautiful. Most of all, it is biblical. Let us freely and boldly do the same in moments of spontaneous prayer and worship of God!

As a Classical Pentecostal church, CHC believes that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the second blessing after conversion, and speaking in tongues is the initial, outward evidence of the Spirit baptism.

There are seven wonderful benefits of praying in tongues.

(1) Tongues helps us in praising God (Acts 2:11).

(2) Tongues helps in spiritual edification (1 Cor 14:4-5; Jude 20).

(3) Tongues helps in prayer (1 Cor 14:2, 13-15; Rom 8:26-27).

(4) Tongues helps in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:18).

(5) Tongues, with interpretation, helps like prophecy (1 Cor 14:3, 5).

(6) Tongues helps as a sign for unbelievers (1 Cor 14:22).

(7) Tongues helps in spiritual rest and refreshing (Is 28:11-12).

The main distinctive of us, Classical Pentecostals, is the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is the promise of the Father, that Jesus will baptise believers in the Holy Spirit, and this is separate and subsequent to regeneration. This is a second blessing or second reception of the Spirit for supernatural empowerment (Acts 1:4-5, 8). So, there are two receptions of the Spirit – one at conversion (for the new birth), the other at Spirit baptism (for empowerment as Jesus’ witnesses). We have very strong and sound biblical basis to believe in this.

To Classical Pentecostals, the initial, outward evidence of the Spirit baptism is speaking in tongues. This explains why the 120 stopped tarrying in the upper room after the Day of Pentecost. The moment they spoke in tongues, they knew that they had received the promise of the Father (Acts 2:1-4). It must be the same for us.

Happy Ascension Day! Today, all around the world, Christians celebrate Jesus’ bodily departure from earth to heaven, 40 days after His resurrection. Many give attention to His death, burial, and resurrection, but when it comes His ascension, we don’t think much about it. Yet, it plays a very important part in the redemption work of Christ. These are the five ways Jesus’ bodily departure to heaven is an important blessing to us:

(1) The ascension gives us a new position of authority (Eph 1:17-18; 2:6).

(2) The ascension gives us a new confidence in Christ (Heb 4:14, 16).

(3) The ascension gives us a new life in the Spirit (Jn 14:16-17; 16:7).

(4) The ascension gives us a new mindset for living (Col 3:1-2).

(5) The ascension gives us a new pursuit of eternity (Heb 12:1-2).

Meditate on the truth of these blessings! Once again … Happy Ascension Day!

1 in 4 Christians in the world embraces Pentecostalism. By 2025, over 30% of all Christians will be Pentecostal-Charismatics. Some critics scoff Pentecostals as being theologically shallow, and that we are “a mile wide but one-inch thick”. I totally disagree. We embrace the best and soundest of Protestant and Evangelical doctrines–and in much deeper depths–with greater power, experience, illumination, and active obedience, as we live and walk in the Spirit.

The seven distinctives of Classical Pentecostalism are as follows:
(1) Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
(2) Speaking in tongues.
(3) Continuationism.
(4) Worship.
(5) Evangelism and missions.
(6) Arminianism.
(7) Second coming of Christ.

Liberal theology is any doctrine or hermeneutics that seeks to redefine or modify traditional doctrines and practices of Christianity, especially those espoused by the earliest believers and the Early Church. The spirit of liberal theology is Gen 3:1 where the serpent said to the woman, “Has God indeed said …?” The heart of it is unbelief and an outright rejection of sound scriptural truths.

Liberal theology has opened the door for many Christians, even the “faithful” ones, to question or reject the most basic Christian doctrines. It is dangerous, and will shipwreck our faith. As biblical Christians, we must be vigilant and watchful, and not allow liberal theology to make inroads into our lives, churches, and cell groups.

John Stott, once ranked by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world (2005), argues that “Evangelical Christianity" is the real Christianity. It is authentic, true, original, and pure. Because the Church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15), our calling is to hold it firm so that it is not moved, and hold it high so that all may see it. However hostile the spirit of this present evil age (Gal 1:4) may be (towards an outspoken statement of biblical truth), the Church has no freedom to reject its God-given task.

Why do we call ourselves “Evangelicals”? Here are the reasons …

Paul told young Timothy that he must guard the gospel faithfully, spread it actively, and suffer for it bravely (2 Tim 1). Jude, the brother of our Lord, says that we must earnestly contend for the faith, the body of truth concerning Jesus Christ and His teachings, which has been entrusted to us (Jude 3). In a postmodern age when many believe there are no fixed, transcendent moral absolutes, it is especially important for us to know WHAT we believe and WHY we believe. Here in CHC and THN, we are first Protestants, Evangelicals, then Pentecostals, and in this particular order.

Why do we call ourselves “Protestants”? Here are the reasons …

This is the final instalment to our series on prayer. Jesus teaches that we must saturate our prayers with adoration.

What does it mean to adore God?

How does adoration bring us to a place of inner peace and heavenly joy?

Let me share with you some practical steps of how I spend time in adoring prayers ...