January 1, 2010
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Assembly of God
We are planning to visit an Assembly of God church this weekend. Anyone ever been to one or belong to one?
We are planning to visit an Assembly of God church this weekend. Anyone ever been to one or belong to one?
Comments (33)
no, but but they seem like an ok denomination from the little bit I read, I believe they are more pentecostal in nature to the church I go to. I have never been to one either, so I am curious too what they are like
i have visited a few before and found them very different from what i was used to. there were some things i really liked and some things i didnt care for as much. but they were good visits overall. so, i look forward to hearing about yours. =)
My wife grew up in the A/G and my brother-in-law is a worship pastor in an A/G congregation, so I get to visit their functions and congregations somewhat often. There is a lot of variation from congregation to congregation, especially outside of major cities, but I’ve only ever had one very bad experience, and it wasn’t anything distinctive to the denomination.
@SirNickDon - I agree. There’s a huge amount of variety, because the denomination itself is pretty flexible in terms of style and age-focus. The amount of emphasis on Pentecostalism also varies from congregation to congregation.
I attend an Assembly of God church and align with the Assembly of God statement of faith. We are a denomination that believes the Holy Spirit still works the way He did in the Bible, and we strongly emphasize the importance of fulfilling the great commission all over the world (along with the Christian foundations like the divinity of Christ, etc.).
Like any denomination, some A/G churches are better than others, so I wouldn’t want to endorse a particular one I haven’t been to. I hope that your experience will be positive and enjoyable and that you will experience God’s presence there
My dad is a minister (in the A/G), but one thing my parents and grandparents did with us as children was to visit different churches occasionally. It gave me a greater understanding of other Christians and types of worship to our Lord.
Edit: I wanted to provide a little historical tidbit. The A/G was formed in the early 1900′s by people who were being kicked out of their mainline Protestant churches because they had experienced the Holy Spirit working in them in ways that were unacceptable to their churches (during the days of the Azusa Street Revival and other similar revivals at the turn of the century). It was formed with the goal of telling the world about Jesus.
They don’t believe in the Trinity, right?
I am not at all interested in Pentecostalism. It’s creepy, along with being doctrinally unsound. Be careful.
@NightCometh - Creepy? I’m a Pentecostal. I’d love to discuss it if you’re interested.
@NightCometh - A/G aren’t oneness pentecostals, though some oneness pentecostals may use similar names. A/G is about as evangelical in their theology and practice as any charismatic group can be.
@SirNickDon - Thanks for clearing that up. I still think a lot of what they do in their churches is creepy.
@NightCometh - @Pickwick12 - Just the blatantly unbiblical worship practices…such as speaking in tongues out loud with no interpreter, everyone doing it at once, women teaching men, etc…some of the things St. Paul expressly says not to do. Yes, I know I’m lumping it all together…but it’s just what I’ve seen in that kind of Pentecostal/Charismatic church.
@NightCometh - I’m sorry to hijack Kristen’s post, but I’m curious what we do that you find creepy. Edit: And yes, we believe in the Trinity!!! 100%! Sorry, I missed that before.
@Pickwick12 - feel free to hijack. I don’t mind at all. It is very much still on topic
@Kristenmomof3 - Thanks
The main thing I wanted to say to you is that I think it’s great to take your kids to different churches, even ones you may not end up attending. Also, I love your picture.
@NightCometh - 1. The Bible talks about two different uses of speaking in tongues, one that is for edification of the church, which is a message out loud to the whole congregation and must have an interpreter. That happens in my church occasionally (once every few months) and is always interpreted. That kind of message should be given in an orderly way, with people deferring to each other, and there should be a limited number, which is how it is always done in my church.
The other use is a personal prayer language of worship to God. When people speak their prayer language, it’s not a message to the congregation; it’s between them and God. I agree that this shouldn’t be done so loudly that it disrupts the church or is heard as a message for the church. It’s a personal act of prayerful worship, not a message for others.
2. I recommend the book God’s Women Then and Now by Deborah Gill regarding the issue of women as teachers. She is a Greek scholar who unpacks the actual texts and reveals that some of them have been blatantly mistranslated (words added to the original, etc.). She also explores the evidence of women in leadership in the New Testament, using Paul’s writings. However, I believe it’s a disputable issue, and I wouldn’t condemn anyone who disagrees on it. Some A/G churches have women in leadership; others don’t. It varies. I wouldn’t call that creepy as much as a difference of interpretation.
Thanks for responding. I don’t expect to change your mind; I just wanted to provide my perspective.
Edit: I also wanted to mention that the A/G does not believe that those who are not Pentecostal are unsaved. We cooperate with churches that are non-Pentecostal as much as we can to advance God’s kingdom. We believe anyone who believes in Jesus for salvation is a Christian.
@Pickwick12 - thank you
Without going into a detailed personal background here, I will just say that I was brought up in an Christian environment that was skeptical and critical of Pentecostals and pentecostalism. It was never discussed but was just “looked down on!” Later on, when I was about thirty, I began to find out that I had been given a wrong impression of Pentecostals by well-meaning but mistaken individuals! I then began to attend the Pentecostal Church. I met the dear girl whom I would marry there and I even attended, for a time, a Pentecostal Bible college. I was a member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (the Canadian affiliate of the Assemblies of God) for about thirty years and had wonderful Christian fellowship with many dear Pentecostal friends there.
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and the Assemblies of God are for the most part very sound and dependable doctrinally! However I eventually stopped attending there because of a difference I found that I had with one particular doctrine of theirs. The Pentecostals believe that all Christians should be “baptized” in the Holy Spirit. The evidence of this, according to their beliefs, is “speaking in tongues” as the Spirit of God gives utterance. I was willing to accept this doctrine for a long time. I finally rejected it because I had “sought” for the infilling of the Spirit for many, many years, very sincerely indeed. But God never gave me the ability to “speak in tongues.” Eventually I decided that I had sought for that experience sincerely, for too long! It obviously wasn’t God’s will for every single Christian to speak in tongues.
I believe there are many Pentecostal believers who do genuinely speak in tongues and find it a wonderfully exhilarating experience which draws them closer to God. But not all, just as with me, are enabled to have this experience. It’s just not God’s will for everybody.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD and a number of other Pentecostal denominations are worthy, reliable Christian churches and have responsible leadership and wonderful young people. As long as they do not push Speaking in Tongues on people, and as long as they do not practise exclusivism where non-tongues-speakers are made to feel that they do not have the Holy Spirit, I thank God for their ministry, although I differ, as I mentioned, with them on their insistence that Speaking in Tongues is desirable for all Christians. I believe that tends to lead to a subltle “class system” in the church where non-tongues speakers begin to feel like 2nd-class Christians!
yep grew up in one. not a fan myself… but that’s me. hey are very chjarismatic (nothing wrong with that) and don’t as a whole know much about hebrew heritage o christianity. but nice people usually.
here’s what I found http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_is_the_Assembly_of_God_church_different_from_the_Baptist_church
I looked at them on the Apologetics Index, and they are not listed –> a very good thing not to be listed as it states publicly states abuses and cultic high pressure groups. Looks like the AoG has congregational differences among their different locations, but hold to a collective belief statement.
@NightCometh - Some people would interpret the verses about women teaching men a cultural phenomenon because women weren’t educated at that time (therefore they couldn’t teach because it would create too much chaos). Do you cover your head at church? That’s biblical as well (1 Corinthians 11)and our culture has left that behind. I’m just defending it because I’m a woman who is going to Seminary to be a Pastor…
I regularly attended two Assembly of God churches. One was a large congregation in Indianapolis (about 2000 people). I really liked that church. The other was a tiny one in a smaller town, and that one really turned me off. From that, I learned the difference between “charismatic” and “pentecostal.” While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, I view them as very different. To me, a charismatic is contemporary, open-minded, and the tongues used in the worship service are done in a beautiful, tasteful expression. On the other hand, Pentecostals, in my categorization, tend to be fundamentalist, and in the worship services I noticed a kind of situation of trying to work themselves up into a frenzy, which apparently they felt was worship. I like charismatic churches in general — unless they go too far into the “positive confession” or “name it and claim it” mentality — but I do not like pentecostal churches.
As with any denomination, each congregation is somewhat unique, so knowing about the denomination will only give you a general framework with which to approach the church; each one has a unique group of leaders, congregants, and a culture that cannot be known without actually attending there.
In my blog entry, “How To Pick A Church, Part 2,” I discuss some general characteristics of various denominations. Perhaps you will find this helpful.
@t_sheffield -
“I’m just defending it because I’m a woman who is going to Seminary to be a Pastor…“
Exactly.
Speaking as a born and raised AG Christian, give one a try. Just be smart about it, do some background checking, especially on their website if they have one. As long as they seem doctrinally sound, there’s no harm. There’s no one right denomination, we’re all one church under one Savior. Of course, there will always be weird churches out there, but if you are a discerning Christian with the Spirit of God inside you, you should be able to tell which those are. However, I would say to steer clear of any that say you can’t be saved unless you speak in tongues, or if there’s open speaking and interpretation of tongues during services. That can get into murky waters. Hope it works out well for you!
@t_sheffield - I believe the verses about women can be interpreted even more strongly to support women in leadership. I highly recommend to you the book I recommended earlier. It’s called God’s Women Then and Now by Deborah Gill and Barbara Cavanese. I think it’s a great resource for a woman in ministry. It provides great scholarly biblical resources for explaining why you’re following God’s call on your life and how it fits into God’s biblical plan, as well as about how to view Scripture in proper context. As a seminary student, you probably have books like it already, but if not, that’s a great one.
One of my personal heroes is Catherine Booth, the woman who co-founded the Salvation Army with her husband William Booth. Out of a time of extended illness, she received God’s call to preach, and she ended up leading many people to the Lord through her ministry. I wish you the absolute best as you pursue the call of God on your life.
Also, the head covering question is a good one. I know Kristen covers her head, which I respect, but many people seem to be inconsistent because they apply some verses about women as if they are totally literal for today, but others, such as the one about head coverings (or about men not having long hair, for that matter) they rationalize. I don’t see the difference. I believe it’s all or nothing, since they’re in the same passages and stated in similar ways.
@NightCometh - It’s a simple question.
Do you cover your head?
Kristen,
My family stopped going to church after being invited to one. They were horribly offended by what went on in there. There are several problems and some of it is over the top. How do you then witness to people who close their eyes?
The church is divided on the sign gifts and I actually can’t say that it is 50/50 because I’m not even sure what percentage it is by population but by denominations it may not be 50/50.
The problem with charisma is the charismatic church members would tread doctrine as it is dead and you need a word from the Lord and the Lord is their teacher because a lot of them will no longer sit and listen to sound doctrine. Their argument is the letter kills and the spirit gives life so that is why so many of them are down on doctrine.
There are so many of them that have a word from the Lord. They say all of these false things that never come to pass and yet they never consider themselves a false prophet. They said I would marry this girl who likes a red jeep and it never happened. These kind of revelations are condescending and their spirituality puts a chip on their shoulder; “I’m better or more spiritual than you.”
I invite you to visit “Jesus gift and book store” up in Iselin New Jersey though they have books for those going to academic colleges. Whole sections of their bookstore are on experiencing your spiritual gift. Gone are books on personal evangelism or counter cult evangelism because the church has become a spiritual amusement park and the mission of evangelism has been forgotten due to their new spirituality.
The gifts given to the church are for the edification of believers. That is why Churches like some Calvary Chapels will practice it behind closed doors but not the Assemblies of God who think it is for the edification of non-believers. They think that non-believers will believe and I can make an argument that it won’t believe:
1 Cr. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
If the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit then why is the Assemblies of God church always forcing speaking of tongues on people if the natural man won’t receive it? I listened to my four year old when he was two speak in a baby tongues and I thought there was something alike what is happening in the Assemblies of God church; adults like being immature.
The Charismatic Church has allowed Oneness Pentecostals to infiltrate their ranks (those who don’t believe in the Trinity). The Charismatic church has allowed the Word Faith movement (a cult) to infiltrate or piggyback in their church. The Charismatic church has allowed the Toronto Blessing (unHoly Laughter) movement to infiltrate churches with unbiblical practices of people barking like dogs and running around the room. False theologies like Kingdom Now and the false Fivefold Ministries are part of this movement.
My stepsister died from wanting God to heal her; not taking full chemotherapy treatments because she wanted to be healed and chemo makes you sterile which is why she rejected it and the cancer came back and killed her.
You might as well give up evangelism with this movement because they would rather practice their spiritual gift and you can no longer tell them what the scripture means because the spirit has become their arbiter of truth.
The reason we have the scripture is for people who say “I think God told me to divorce my wife.”
There are a lot of problems there.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
My innoculation for you is to tell them “Do you mind if I don’t believe you?” because many false spirits aren’t of God and many false prophets are gone out into the world. If John doesn’t believe them then what is wrong with you not believing them?
Chuck
@Chuckt - thank you for telling me your thoughts Chuck. I always love when you leave a comment on my blog.
Peace and blessings to you in this new year
Hi Kristen!
I never been to one.
I’m visiting to wish you, your family and friends a Happy New Year and a Wonderful Decade!
“8. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
“The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other “tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.
“Acts 2:4
http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Statement_of_fundamental_truths/sft_full.cfm#12
1 Cor. 12:29 [Are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all workers of miracles?
1 Cor. 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
Are all apostles? Do all speak in tongues? No. Then how can speaking in tongues be the initial evidence of all believers? Where was tongues the initial evidence of all believers in the Old Testament?
1 Cor. 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity (love).
Paul says that love is more important than tongues and a lot of people in the charismatic movmement disagree.
1 Cor. 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a blessed New Year! God bless, Pete
“I said to a man who stood at the gate of the new year; ‘Give me a
light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied, ‘ Go
out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That
shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.’ “
Minnie L. Haskins
@Chuckt - Chuck, I think you bring up a lot of valid things here. These are the things I would watch out for when attending a charismatic or pentecostal church. But I have visited many churches throughout the nation, and different congregations within denominations, and there is quite a spectrum out there. So, I would not refuse to try out a particular charismatic or Assembly of God church, but certainly if I did, I would have my radar up for whack things like these.
The Toronto group used to be in my denomination, the Vineyard, but when they went off the deep end with the stuff you mentioned, they were asked to leave the denomination. The Word Faith (or Word of Life) movement is disturbing to me. The worst thing I ever heard from them was at a Word of Life church in Hawaii, where Jessy Duplantis was the guest speaker, and he said to my utter shock, “If you don’t think much of yourself, then God doesn’t think much of you either.” There are some wild things out there is charismatic land. Following the Spirit is important, but the Holy Spirit isn’t going to tell you to do something that is contrary to Scripture. Knowing your Bible is important to guard against twisted ideas.
On the positive side…I attended a charismatic church for two years, and learned more about faith, and built up my faith more than at any other church in my lifetime. I admire the strength of the faith of the charismatics. Through their strong faith, sometimes they accomplish things that other Christians would not have enough faith for. But, as what happened with your stepsister, it can be taken too far, and also be accompanied with lots of guilt trips (“you simply don’t have enough faith!”). Though the charismatic has some positive aspects, particularly related to faith, there are lots of booby traps to beware of.
@t_sheffield - Sometimes, yeah. Do YOU cover your head when you preach?
@NightCometh - It’s cultural. I don’t have to. But the Bible says that women must cover their heads all of the time during worship or prayer. So either you realize that you must fully follow it or realize that things are culturally interpreted. You’re denomination interprets it a certain way. Globally others interpret it differently as well. I respect your beliefs, but there are so many others out there too.
Also, do you teach men on xanga? Or does the bible only talk about teaching men in public? I would argue that you shouldn’t teach men at all if you’re going to interpret the text literally instead of culturally. Also, do you know men with long hair? The bible says that’s a disgrace. I want to know: how long is “long.” It’s interpreted culturally.
I love the Lord. Jesus is my savior. I’m glad that you love the Lord as well!
@NightCometh - Btw:) I also majored in Music! I read it on your xanga:) What was your applied instrument????