On a Sunday morning in March 2020, Tammy Kalli sat in her bed watching her Methodist church’s service on her computer. It didn’t feel right. It was lonely. It was not church. 

“I felt disconnected from God. I wanted a place of worship that was outside my bedroom,” Kalli said.

Spiritually lost during the pandemic in 2020, Kalli turned to Pentecostalism for guidance. Her Methodist church at the time had become remote during the pandemic, and she felt like her spiritual connection was on pause. In a time of confusion, Kalli discovered Wellspring Community Church through social media. 

Wellspring Community Church was one of the first churches in Oxford to reopen for in-person services after the pandemic struck. This is what initially captured Kalli’s attention and is the reason she started going to its services. 

Wellspring Community is a Pentecostal Church located on Old Taylor Road. It was founded by husband and wife, Nathaniel and Shera Rios, in 2014. Originally a Bible study, the group grew quickly and eventually developed into a church during 2020. 

Kalli explained how the bond between church members at Wellspring Community is stronger than what she had previously experienced as a Methodist. As a small church, they focus on community and helping others get through their struggles. 

“We put a strong emphasis on carrying each other’s burden. We’re aware of everyone’s backstory and hardships. A small church is like being in a big family,” Kalli said.

Growth during the pandemic

Kalli wasn’t the only one who converted to Pentecostalism during the pandemic. Wellspring Community experienced such growth during the pandemic that the congregation opened a new church in Eupora, Miss.

“The Pentecostal Church is so interactive. In COVID, I think that helped us stand out from the rest,” Bobby Thomas, who attends a Pentecostal Church in Hernando, Miss., said. 

In the beginning of the pandemic, Thomas’s church was online for months. 

“Even though we were doing services on Zoom, everyone was still participating as if we were there in person,” Thomas said. “While people of different churches were doing a lot of listening to the preacher, our Pentecostal Church members were singing, speaking aloud and clapping our hands.”

During the pandemic, a time of confusion and chaos, people craved structure, community and support. Pentecostal preachers are very enthusiastic and involved in members’ lives, which can be intriguing to people and encourages conversion. 

According to the Pulitzer Center, the Pentecostal Church currently leads the world in adult conversions and is the fastest growing Christian movement. The Times of Israel reports that there are an average of 35,000 converts every day. There are currently 600 million Pentecostal believers worldwide. 

According to Tony Cauchi in the Revival Library, Pentecostalism is described as a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. The name “Charismatics” comes from the belief that the Holy Spirit is alive, available and experienced by modern-day Christians Pentecostals. 

Unlike other Christians who recognize the Trinity, Pentecostals believe in the oneness of God. 

“While other religions believe God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are different beings, we believe they are one,” Kalli said. “The way we compare it is by saying one person can be a daughter, sister and mother without being separate people. That’s how we feel about God.”  

Strict rules for women

The Pentecostal Church is considered to be one of the most traditional sectors of Christianity with very strict rules on their members, specifically, very strict rules for women.

After converting, Kalli had to change her wardrobe. 

“I kept clothes I already had, but I added more to them to make them more appropriate. Old Navy or Marshalls are places I visit for clothes. I just figure out how to modify them for my personal modesty standard,” Kalli said. “Sometimes, I just make them myself.” 

Women are allowed to only wear long skirts or long dresses, and it is recommended for those to be below the knee. 

“You won’t see us in shorter skirts or in shorts at all,” Kalli said. “Even though I grew up Methodist, if I wear something above my knee now, I get uncomfortable.”

The reason behind the dress code is to ensure women remain modest and traditional. Centuries ago, women did not wear pants or shorts, therefore, Pentecostals believe women today should do the same. 

“To me, it’s more traditional in the sense of history,” Kalli said. “Women wear skirts and men wear pants. It’s a sense of modesty for us and for others.” 

Modesty above all

The United Pentecostal Church defines modesty as a refusal to wear any clothing or accessory that might incite a man to lust. 

The dress code also extends to makeup and jewelry. Members are not permitted to wear any form of makeup and the only jewelry that can be worn includes watches and wedding rings. 

Neither men nor women can have tattoos or piercings. 

“We don’t drink, smoke or participate in anything that would alter our conscience,” Kalli said.

Another unique restriction for women is that they are not allowed to cut their hair. In Pentecostalism, they believe that a woman’s hair is her glory, and it should never be cut. Hair is also considered to be a “covering” for praying, and members believe that you must always be covered to pray.

In contrast, men keep their hair cleanly cut and short. 

“It’s a shame for men to have long hair; it’s supposed to be a woman’s glory,” Tammy Thompson, member of the Jesus Name Community Church in Walnut, Miss., said. 

Other than refraining from cutting her hair, Thompson admits she does not follow the rules and regulations as strictly as most other Pentecostals do. She wears pajama pants when she goes to sleep rather than a nightgown, wears some jewelry and has an occasional alcoholic drink on the weekends. 

“Each church is different. My church doesn’t put as much of an emphasis on dress codes as others do,” Thompson said. “You are only held accountable for rules if you are in a leadership role at the church. Otherwise, members usually do what they feel comfortable with.” 

While some may view these rules as strange or unnecessary, Pentecostals believe their guidelines bring them closer to God and strengthen their faith. 

During prayer, Pentecostals sway, sing and tap their feet to the sound of the preacher’s voice. Their church service has been compared to a jazz concert by Harvey Cox, a Harvard theologian, who explained the effect of playful performances and collaborative enthusiasm. Pentecostals call this keeping rhythm with the Holy Spirit. 

Speaking in tongues

Another unique factor of Pentecostal prayer service is “speaking in tongues.” It is one of the biggest differences between Pentecostals and other Christians. 

“I’ve witnessed first-hand someone speaking in tongues and it was such an overwhelming experience. My pastor’s mother, who only knows Spanish and English, started fluently speaking in Chinese,” Kalli said. 

In some Pentecostal Churches, speaking in tongues is both “evidence” of baptism through the Holy Spirit and is experienced only by those who have been “truly saved.”

Speaking in tongues is somewhat controversial among different Pentecostal Churches as well as throughout the Christian community. 

Many Christians in other denominations believe speaking in tongues is a gift from the apostolic age, from the first century, that is no longer given. 

The combination of wardrobe restrictions, hair length regulations and unique prayer services are just a few factors that make the Pentecostal controversial to some and intriguing to others. 

During the pandemic restrictions, Pentecostalism flourished. 

“Some people may have wanted to get to know the Lord before they died,” Jessie Carter, a Pentecostal and student at the university said. “People were actively seeking God and Pentecostalism might have given them an answer.” 

In times of crisis, people want to be reassured that everything will be alright. 

The Pentecostal preachers gave people hope. They encouraged their members to have faith in God and believe in the prosperity of men. In hard times, people want to be told everything is going to be okay. 

“People like the message that is being preached in a Pentecostal Church,” Carter said. “They’re intrigued by the unique doctrines, practices and regulations, probably because the structure of the Pentecostal Church is so different from other Christian religions.” 

Appealing to working families

During the pandemic, many people lost their jobs or their hours were cut back. Families were losing money. According to journalist Eric Newberg of the Journal of Theology, the Pentecostal Church has historically resonated with individuals who are members of the lower working class. 

Individuals and families of lower income feel welcomed by Pentecostal Churches as they offer a community where everyone is equal. They all wear similar clothes and no jewelry, so there is little room for wealth to be on display. As a community, Pentecostals help each other find work and homes to live in.

“When everyone else was slowing down during the pandemic, we pushed forward,” Kalli said. “I think Wellspring Community will continue to grow, and more people will connect with Pentecostalism because they will recognize our dedication to our faith and our commitment to welcoming new members.”