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When I grew up, the most common term to describe the Spirit was Holy Ghost. Today, I rarely hear of it referred to as such. People were seeking to be filled with the Holy Ghost, today, that is mostly referred to as Holy Spirit. Perhaps, my view is slanted as I have mostly attended Assembly of God in the last 30 years and it is a cultural difference between AG and COG and COGOP? Though I did attend a COG for maybe 6 years in that period and I believe they also referred to Holy Spirit. For the theology experts, is there a difference? If I am correct and the COG/COGOP also mostly refer to Holy Spirit, why do you think it has changed? Was it incorrect originally to say Holy Ghost or is it more incorrect today to say Holy Spirit? I don't have a clue.I was just curious. The reality may be that it doesn't matter To me, Holy Ghost sounds more country and Holy Spirit sounds more fancy

I have had this same discussion

Interesting story - I baptized a man about 6 years ago and baptized him in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This mans old school sister chastised me for saying Spirit instead of Ghost. My thoughts - If we go by the definition in Websters dictionary, Spirit sounds better and when referring to this part of the Godhead when talking to non-church types it may be better to use Spirit instead of Ghost but in church circles I believe they are synonymous. Websters dictionary definition- spirit: the force within a person that is believed to give the body life, energy, and powerghost: the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living peopleStrongs concordance-

Thank you

I agree with Wayne. 'Ghost' is scarey or weird to people unfamiliar with church lingo. It can also scare and confuse little kids

I noticed on the new emoji translation, Spirit looks an awful lot like what I call a ghost.

Do I think they are different, No. But, I have noticed a change in how they are mentioned. As I understand, the two are the same (except as some mentioned earlier that Holy Ghost may sound scarier than Holy Spirit. But, I'm no scholar, perhaps there is a reason for calling them by different names. (No, I'm not suggesting a Four nity, or whatever that would be called) I was actually just curious for the difference. Someone mentioned Bible's in the last 100 years or so often referred to Holy Spirit. Given that the KJV is used less frequently today than in the past, that sounds like a logical reason the terminology has changed. And who knows, it may have only my observations where I attend. Other congregations may differ? Maybe in the south, they still predominately refer to it as Holy Ghost. Since I haven't lived in the south for 30 years, I don't know. I did not mean to imply Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit were two different beings if that is what you thought I meant

what is emoji? Bring me up to date

They are little symbols like smileys and stuff that you can put in your typing.

'Holy Ghost' sounds more old timey Pentecostal. Our forebearers used the KJV and often spoke of Baptism in the Holy Ghost and that's a pretty stock phrase in Pentecostal sermons