Pentecostals: Say What?!?

Here's a thought:

There's a huge convention of Pentecostal Christians descending upon Los Angeles this week.

As the LA Times put it, Pentecostals are, "...known for their spontaneous, fervent, style of worship and praying aloud."

Some like to incorporate live snakes into their praying.

They also speak in tongues.

Whatever works, right?

But why L.A.?

Los Angeles, it seems, is considered the cradle of the worldwide Pentecostal movement (why do I get the feeling that the folks in the red states wouldn't be surprised to learn that fact?).

Here's my question: Why a convention? Whose idea was this?!?


As I understand it, there's no codified 'Language of Pentecostals.' Everyone has their own way of communicating with The Big Guy (or, for you DaVinci-Code-Sacred-Feminine-loving folks, 'The Big Gal').

If that's the case, how does any work get done at this conference? How do you network? Swap revelations?

I can only imagine what a typical conversation would sound like out on the convention floor...

Believer #1: 'Hello!'

Believer #2: 'Howdy... uh... Yeeeurrrp! Jesus leather nostril!'

Believer #1: 'Cha-cha-cha... damnation in the tulip patch. Bleeeeooop! Evil the dog's eyes are!'

And then they're off to the 10am snake handling panel.

Please, God, tell me Jodie Foster's "chickie-chaw-chaw" character from 'Nell' was this year's keynote speaker...

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