finally opening up about my past | leaving the Pentecostal Church

Hey friends, I hope you’re all doing well 💗 Today I open up about a part of my story that I’ve never shared before. I hope that this video encourages you & that God speaks to you in his own way. Let me know if you’d like to see any in-depth studies on any of these topics!

Time Stamps
Pentecostal Beliefs 3:48
Women’s Rules 7:27
Men’s Rules 15:55
Oppression of Women 18:10
Lust 19:21
Marriage Roles 23:44
Lack of Biblical Teaching 26:57
Racism 28:59
Q&A 32:24

My Testimony

Testimony Part 2

Video Resources:

Can Christian Women Wear Pants?

Modesty

Are Tattoos Sinful?

Is it Wrong for a Christian Women to Cut her Hair?

What does the Bible say about Jewelry?

Instagram: @createdbyjara

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:2‬

[CreatedbyJara]

This is your remind to keep the comment section kind 💗 If you comment anything hateful or spiteful, you will be removed.

[aliahstinnett]

I only spent about 7 months in a Pentecostal church. Very loving people and I know they truly do love Jesus, but it was so much control, especially on the women, it was too much. I never conformed to their standards or rules. And because of that, they would say I wasn’t submitting to God. I’ve been gone for a year now and they still call me and text me frequently begging me to come back.

They always worship the pastor. They said “if anyone questions pastor, you should stop talking to them.” Like you said, there was so much emphasis put on the holiness standards, they wasn’t much time to talk about anything else in the Bible. If you didn’t speak in tongues, you couldn’t make it into Heaven. If you left the church, you were leaving God. It was so many red flags.

The biggest issue of all, trying to maintain all of these so called holiness standards and stuff puts so much pressure on yourself, like we’ll never be good enough for God. It puts the spotlight on us instead of Jesus. Thank you for sharing! Courageous.

[JesusIScalling]

Proud of you for seeing the error in that denomination. My husband and I have left it as well. It has been a blessing and healing to us

[tylernewman]

I came out of Pentecostal ranks. I was raised so strict! I was scared to wake up in the mornings because I knew I was going to hell for something! I was treated as an outcast for growing facial hair! I wasn't allowed to sing in the choir if I didn't have a 3 piece suit on. If you didn't pay your tithes, the pastor wanted to go through your checkbook! We were only allowed to go out to eat after church to the place the pastor went to! So sad what they put their followers through 😢😢

[rhondajackson]

Thank you for this video. I too was raised in a very strict pentecostal environment.
Everything was a sin and as a young girl it totally made me mean and defensive at school.
It was a sin to shave your legs or under your arms, no ironing clothes on sunday, no jewelry not even a broach for different holidays. Makeup was forbidden and cutting the hair was a no no.
One time I remember a friend of mine giving me some of her left over makeup, of course, I was not well versed on how to apply it but my dad yelled at me and called me a clown all the way to school.
Thankfully, I've learned how to accurately read the Bible and even though I still am scarred from the abuse, I'm thankful God allowed me to live long enough to really understand what true Christianity means.

[JayPalOfficial]

I was in a Pentecostal church called Hillsong Church for 12 years. I left that church almost three years ago after experiencing a lot of things which affected my mental, emotional and spiritual health. During the last few years at Hillsong, I felt lonely, rejected and was bullied by a handful of Bible College students and church staff members. I felt like I was mistreated and misunderstood regardless of my disability, mild Autism spectrum. But by God's grace, He rescued me and my family out of that toxic environment. Nowadays, my family and I go to a community church that is healthier and biblically sound. However, I am still healing from spiritual abuse and religious trauma as of today. Please be praying for me Jara! 😥🙏

[skid]

I left about 25 years ago. I find it interesting as they are called "United" Pentecostal, but they are so divided when it comes to their "standards". Every church is different.

[cocomochafashion]

I left the Pentecostal church last year it was the most freeing thing I’ve decided on my life. I suffered for over thirty years in the church dealing with control, fear tactics, and manipulation. The pastors preached standards every single service and told us we would go to hell if we left. Back sliding was always talked about consistently because you were rejecting God. Missing services was equated to you being disobedient. The trinity was said to be a sting doctrine and they talked about God being one. We couldn’t sin as we were constantly going to hell. They would force us to wear dresses & skirts, no swimwear. I grew up not being able to swim when men are around. Long story short I had Mental health issues when I left & almost became an atheist. I didn’t even know a lot about what I believed so much was not taught to me. I had to start over and am still starting over and learning the truth about Jesus. The things that were said to me still haunt me to this day. I loved a white man in the church and they helped to destroy our relationship and I will never forget the mental breakdown I had when I was in this relationship. They constantly took the scriptures out of context. I’m finding God for myself and on the path to healing. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes to the real truth. The Bible talks about working out your own salvation with fear & trembling ❤ I’m so sorry for the long winded comment thank you for sharing your story!

[ke]

Soon as you said racism I almost fell out my seat, I was raised in this as well and you are right!!!!

[Thedoseisthepoison]

I let myself get drawn in to a very legalistic Pentecostal church. At first I thought it was ok, but it was during the lockdowns and I was a stay at home mum with a very dominant husband, so I was very isolated. It wasn’t until a year or so after this that i realised how wrong it all was. I ventured back to my old church, and as soon as I started mixing with other Christians I realised I had become an old testament believer, I was so broken and nervous, I spoke in scripture but very twisted, spoke vociferously about the end times and was just a shell of my former self. I was very judgemental and like another commenter said I thought they must not be Christians bc they were not spouting warnings about hell and wailing and babbling. I feel so scarred by it all. Once I got out and got my daughter out (by just being ‘disobedient’ to my husband and refusing to go anymore) I realised she was also very scarred. Things that were wrong was my husband and others were so Star struck by the pastor, whatever he said they did, not just biblical stuff but his opinions on what people should wear, that people must put their hands up all the time during worship, telling people they were not ‘saved’ if they did not speak in tongues, that they must have an intimate relationship with God in order to stay saved, only reading the kjv, giving out the hideous evil books by the pearls, telling people their relatives who had taken their own lives were going g to hell, listing people who were in hell, (only God knows that), being very judgemental and if challenged just saying anyone who disagrees with their opinions is not a Christian. The elder and his wife hit their infant with pencils and chopsticks if he cried or reached for an object on the table, just sick.
Sadly, even though his whole family have told him his church is weird, and he knows how I feel, he continues to get deeper into it, and bc I am so traumatised by it I am no longer able to discuss anything church related with him. It has basically destroyed our relationship. I wish I had realised sooner.

[jerrydelacerna]

I've been also in Apostolic Pentecostal Church, blinded by their false teachings, made me believe that we were the only true church and only acceptable to God, the rest are false.

[tashalynn]

I relate to this video so much! Grew up in a holiness church and left a few years ago! Majority of my family are still in this belief but I’m thankful I feel like I’ve grown in wisdom by leaving ❤

[cherylgleason]

From birth to 17 I was catholic then got married and became a Southern Baptist. Been on for 45 years. I felt like in all those years that I was never really accepted or they just weren't friendly and didn't care if you were there or not. Because of this I stopped going to church. Then I decided I was going again. I went to an Apostolic Pentecostal Church with a friend who loved it but I didn't find them any friendlier or welcomed me anymore than the baptists I came from. A year later they cam to visit me and then 2 weeks later they visited me again. 2 weeks later I decided to go with my friend. I was really nervous because it's a whole different world. lol. But, they were so friendly, they welcomed me and hugged me and glad I was there and after service they did their rounds again. Then, the pastor cam to visit that Saturday to tell me thank you for coming and hope that I come back. I was really nervous about the tongues and other beliefs they had that I didn't believe in and did decide that maybe I should go back so told my friend I'm not going back. Not an hour later the pastor texts me saying that he really hoped that he sees me in church the next day and the he knows that I'll be blessed. That was it. I went back and I intend on keep going. Not everyone wears dresses and men there have long hair. I'm sorry that you had a bad experiences growing up. Hope that you continue growing in Christ and happy where you are.

[bitterrsweet]

(If you read this, please note that the tone intended is not hateful or condescending. I'm just sharing my experience and thoughts on the subject. I'm not more loyal to a specific church or denomination than to God—I will 100% choose God and the Bible over what somebody says the Bible says if it doesn't line up with scripture.)
My experience definitely has been different with the Pentecostal church, but I happen to attend a very very small country Pentecostal church that definitely is Pentecostal and identifies as such, but focuses more on just being a church and a congregation that worships Jesus Christ, you know what I mean? Some of the women wear pants outside of church and some of them don't, the men don't boast of their wealth through suits and watches, our pastor is very humble and he genuinely pursues the Lord and preaches from the Word.
The congregation is very much like a family, even to visitors and new members. Part of that is because a large portion of the church IS family, but I'm not even distantly related to any of them and I've honestly never felt more accepted by any group of people.
I have encountered some people who believe things like what you were talking about with double standards and all. I have also heard sermons (I sometimes watch sermons from other churches online in my spare time, they were not at my church!) based upon verses taken completely out of context, but I am blessed to say my church isn't like that. One of the Sunday school teachers frequently tells us all that if even *he* says something that doesn't line up with scripture, correct him. Don't just sit there and allow someone to spin the Word of God. It's VERY important, regardless of denomination, to be IN THE WORD and to KNOW SCRIPTURE. Even if you know your pastor won't lead you astray, you need to be studying the Bible. If you have questions, find a trusted counselor or elder and ask them (and there's definitely something wrong if your church doesn't have anyone like that, if that's the case then probably consider finding a new church). It really does sadden me to see how many Christians just don't read the Bible.
I'm truly sorry to everyone who has experienced these things in the church, but I'd like to say it's not just the Pentecostal church. It's rare and difficult to find a church in this country that actually follows God and sticks to the scripture, my heart goes out to everyone who hasn't been able to find one and I pray that you will. I pray we would all remember that imperfect people shouldn't change our love for a perfect God❤ may God guide us all and we keep our eyes on Him

[Babygrace]

Thank you so much for being brave enough to share this. I honestly feel like this was meant for me. I’ve been struggling with this and it’s definitely not something that’s easy to break away from.

[tonystout]

I was in the Pentecostal church for 24 years, and am thankful to be free from that bondage. Paul reprimanded Peter for continuing to preach the circumcision, but the Pentecostal church has all the additional requirements for what it deems holiness, and that in itself is preaching the circumcision. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Praise God you are free! Praise God I am free! Allelujah! Amen!

[yidnuh]

Heard a preacher once tell a story about a man that asked why men couldn’t wear shorts since women could wear shorter skirts that covered their knees? The preacher ridiculed him and asked “Why would you want to look like a girl?” How a man wearing shorts looks like a woman is a mystery to me. Not even going to get into the the misogyny…

[cheriecarpenter]

I was in the Pentecostal church for 20 years. I wasn't just a lay member, I was one of the musicians and I traveled with evangelists for years. The beliefs that your church had was a lot similar to mine. My experience was complicated, but I constantly felt like nothing I did was right. I took the verbal abuse for years, it would take a lot to explain everything, but when my husband died things got worse. I was traveling with evangelists, and wasn't at my home church, I was helping widows. I was at my home church on a Saturday night and one of the members told me, "leave, leave right now, nobody cares". I was already wanting to leave, but that was the big catalyst that caused me to walk out. My daughter and I had already started wearing pants at home, but nobody knew LOL! I'm an adjutant at my Amvets post, and in the American Legion honor guard, and my fellow veterans treat me with respect, I didn't get any respect at my church. I got my ears pierced again and cut a lot of my hair off, my hair was almost to the ground. It took a long time for me to not feel like I had doomed myself when I cut all my hair off. My daughter has coped leaving better than I did, we left the church at the same time.

[dianabarahona]

I’m just coming out the the pentacostle church but Hispanic and it is the same norms and rules. She is telling the truth and I’m proud of her and that she can speak out about it. I still follow my faith with God

[HenricoC]

I am 52 year old male person. I grew up in pentacostal and my father was a preacher his whole life. I am currently asking so much questions and do my research in the Bible. There are so many things that pentacostals preach that is not the word of GOD