Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
Powered for Purpose: Joel Arwood on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
About this episode
Pastor Joel Arwood of Purpose Church in Sevierville, Tennessee, joins Philip Cameron to unpack one of the most misunderstood gifts in the Christian life — the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Drawing from his book "Powered for Purpose," Joel shares how a childhood visit to a small Pentecostal storefront church in Gatlinburg ignited a lifelong hunger for the fullness of God's Spirit. Joel walks through the scriptural foundation for Spirit baptism as a distinct experience from salvation, anchoring his teaching in Acts 2:38-39 — where Peter declares the promise of the Holy Spirit is "for you, your children, and to all that are afar off" — and Acts 19, where Paul asks the Ephesian disciples, "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?" As Joel explains, "This is not a Pentecostal doctrine. This is a Bible doctrine." He also shares a remarkable story of praying with a woman named Esther in a hospital chapel, who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues on the spot. Joel closes with a direct invitation for viewers to ask God for this gift right now. To get a free copy of "Powered for Purpose," visit joelarwood.com. Purpose Church is located on Oak Street in Sevierville, Tennessee; their website is purposechurchpf.com.
Part of our Holy Spirit collection of conversations.
Quotes worth sharing
“I knew that night, these people have something in this church that I wanted inside of me. And I came to find out what it was, was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And there are so many people that don't realize that there is a blessing called the baptism of the Holy Spirit that is separate from their salvation experience.”
“I laid my hands upon her head, I said, 'Receive the Holy Ghost.' There was nobody to catch her. She just fell out on the floor and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave her the utterance. Jesus had baptized this woman.”
“He can't give you what he's not experienced.”
What's Discussed
Pastor Joel Arwood of Purpose Church in Sevierville, Tennessee — a Church of God congregation he planted over 15 years ago — joins Philip Cameron to teach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a distinct, post-salvation experience. Rooting his message in Acts 2:38-39 and Acts 19, Joel argues this is a Bible doctrine, not merely a Pentecostal tradition. He recounts a formative childhood encounter at a Gatlinburg storefront church and a powerful hospital chapel moment where a woman named Esther received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Joel also addresses the modern church's tendency to homogenize worship at the expense of genuine Spirit manifestation, and invites every hungry believer to ask God for this gift today. His book, 'Powered for Purpose,' is available at joelarwood.com.
- Purpose Church and Pigeon Forge Ministry
- Childhood Encounter at Pentecostal Church
- Holy Spirit Baptism as Separate from Salvation
- Acts 2 and the Promise for All Believers
- Esther's Hospital Chapel Miracle
- Modern Church Losing Spirit Manifestation
- How to Receive the Holy Spirit Now
- Powered for Purpose Book and Invitation
Scripture in this episode
Episode Transcript
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Intro
Purpose Church and Pigeon Forge Ministry
Childhood Encounter at Pentecostal Church
Holy Spirit Baptism as Separate from Salvation
Acts 2 and the Promise for All Believers
Esther's Hospital Chapel Miracle
Modern Church Losing Spirit Manifestation
How to Receive the Holy Spirit Now
Powered for Purpose Book and Invitation
Common questions
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and is it different from being saved?
Joel says the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation — you can be born again and still not have received it. He points to Acts 19, where Paul asks the Ephesian disciples, 'Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?' as scriptural proof that the two experiences are distinct.
What made Joel Arwood first want to understand the Holy Spirit?
When Joel was about eight years old, his father took the family to a small storefront Pentecostal church on the backside of Gatlinburg. He had never seen people smile in church or worship with that kind of joy, and he immediately knew those people had something he wanted. He later came to understand that what he witnessed was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Is speaking in tongues the evidence that someone has been baptized in the Holy Spirit?
Joel says yes — every time the initial baptism of the Holy Spirit is recorded in Acts (chapters 2, 10, and 19), the first thing that happens is the person speaks with other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. He sees that consistent pattern as the biblical sign of having received the baptism.
How can someone receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit right now?
Joel says to start by being saved, then simply ask — he cites Luke 11, where Jesus promises the Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. As you ask, he says to open your mouth and speak the syllables the Spirit gives you, even if your natural mind resists it, because the fullness of the Spirit will be translated into speaking in tongues.
Why did Joel write 'Powered for Purpose,' and who is it for?
Joel wrote the book because, through years of evangelism, he kept meeting believers who had never been taught that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a present-day, Bible-based experience available to every Christian. He aimed to explain it in plain language for 'the hungry believer, the seeking saint, and the church that's desiring apostolic power,' and he even offers to send a free copy to anyone who can't afford it.