Assembly of God vs. Baptist

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Hello

I attend a Baptist church and have also recently been attending an Assembly of God church on sunday nights. I am curious, what are the specific belief differences between the Assembly of God and Baptist denominations? I know one difference is that the Assemblies of God practices speaking in tongues, and Baptists usually do not. What is the reason behind this difference? I've noticed that the worship in the Assembly of God church tends to be more open and expressive, and people tend to move around a lot more (ex. arm waving and swinging, jumping up and down, etc.) vs. my Baptist church. There are also frequent times during the Assembly of God worship service where the members will be talking, almost constantly, kind of like praying in a desperate sort of tone. I'm curious if this is a common practice and was wondering if someone could explain this specific practice. Do most Assembly of God churches worship like this or is this church unique?

Thanks
 

mlqurgw

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As a general rule the teachings of the AOG is legalistic bondage. It has been a while since I had any dealings with them but IIRC they teach perfectionism and entire sanctification. They teach that a person can be without sin in this life. I wouldn't reccomend attending any of their churches.
 
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DeaconDean

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The Assembly of God, is also known as the Church of God. Leastwise here in the South. What you have seen is pretty universal among those churches. They practice the gift of "Speaking in Tongues." They believe that not only are you baptized per se, but that each believer is Baptized in the Holy Spirit and with fire. They used to teach "modest dress" among women, but that is slowly disappearing. Let me say that they are a very "spiritual" type of church. And their doctrine is biblicly based. They are an emotional church also. Unless I'm mistaken, and if I am someone please correct me, the same sort of service can be seen in the Pentecostal Holiness churches. If you have never been exposed to this type of service, speaking in tongues, being hit in the head with the Bible for healing, then it will seen strange. My ex Brother-in-law is Church Of God, and from talking to him, they also deny predestination and election. So in some ways, they are very different from most Baptists.

There is nothing wrong with speaking in tongues. This is a gift from the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:10) Baptists typicly do practice this, while Church Of God do. Why? I don't know. But it pretty typical in those churches. Search the web for specific denominational beliefs.

Like I said, if you've never been around it, it may seem strange, but the order of the service is not important as the content of the service. Watch what is preached and compare. Since I've been exposed to it, my younger Brother and brother-in-law share this belief, I know what to expect. I'll not speak bad about it either. But I will say this, it's not for me.

God Bless
 
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aReformedPatriot

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MoreThanAConqueror8 said:
Hello

I attend a Baptist church and have also recently been attending an Assembly of God church on sunday nights. I am curious, what are the specific belief differences between the Assembly of God and Baptist denominations? I know one difference is that the Assemblies of God practices speaking in tongues, and Baptists usually do not. What is the reason behind this difference? I've noticed that the worship in the Assembly of God church tends to be more open and expressive, and people tend to move around a lot more (ex. arm waving and swinging, jumping up and down, etc.) vs. my Baptist church. There are also frequent times during the Assembly of God worship service where the members will be talking, almost constantly, kind of like praying in a desperate sort of tone. I'm curious if this is a common practice and was wondering if someone could explain this specific practice. Do most Assembly of God churches worship like this or is this church unique?

Thanks

I was baptized in the AoG and I also went to their primary Bible College for awhile, so this question is right up my alley. They are not the same as the Church of God as has been asserted.

Worship in the AoG is more experience oriented whereas worship in the Baptist church is more scripture oriented and thus more reserved because emotional driven worship can be misleading. Also Baptist's stress an orderly service so if everybody is jumping around and speaking in tongues or just plain speaking out of place order begins to disintegrate.

The primary teaching of the AoG is their doctrine of being "baptized with the Holy Spirit." They maintain that each Christian every Christian will eventually recieve this gift from God. Which is contrary to the scripture which reveals that the Lord apportions this gift to whomever he wills and that some will explicitly not receive this gift. Their argument against this is weak and I believe doesn't deal with the text very well. These factors led to my leaving the AoG to the Baptist Church whom I came to believe, through the reading of Scripture, that the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention are the most scriptural. I would always debate my theology profs at Central Bible College (their main school) and they would never give me a coherent argument that really dealt with the text.

The reason why Baptist's tend to not to emphasize speaking in tongues is mostly cultural. In 1901 when there begand a resurgence in speaking in tongues on a large scale, most churches condemned this as a demonic work. Especially since the Holy Spirit since the apostolic age seems to have stopped giving this gift to his people. I mean, it was a rare thing indeed after the apostles died. There are also some who maintain whats called "cessationism," which teaches that the "sign" gifts have stopped because, "the perfect," or the Bible has come thus ending the gifts of prophecy or tongues. I am not a cessationist but I think the gift is not as prominent as it was in the first century nor is it as the AG says.

Hope that helps clarify some things.

- Mark
 
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lismore

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The Lord's Envoy said:
The primary teaching of the AoG is their doctrine of being "baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Hi there:wave:

Thats not the primary teaching of AOG. AOG's primary teaching is personal salvation in Jesus Christ.

The Biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit we have no problem with:)
 
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lismore

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HumbleMan

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I was saved and baptized in Church of God, which was looked upon as a sister church to the AoG. Both the AoG and most baptist churches practice church autonomy, and both are very missions oriented.

As any baptist knows, you'll never find two baptist churches that are the same. Ever. In any convention or fellowship.

But within those associations, the churches will run the gamut from old school, sit on your hands, three hymns and you're out, KJV Calvinists to arm waving, worship singing, evangelical, tongue speaking (although this is rare) Free will holy rolers.

IIRC, the AoG doesn't believe in instant sanctification. The CoG used to, but they're slowly changing.
 
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MoreThanAConqueror8 said:
... I've noticed that the worship in the Assembly of God church tends to be more open and expressive, and people tend to move around a lot more (ex. arm waving and swinging, jumping up and down, etc.) vs. my Baptist church. There are also frequent times during the Assembly of God worship service where the members will be talking, almost constantly, kind of like praying in a desperate sort of tone. I'm curious if this is a common practice and was wondering if someone could explain this specific practice. Do most Assembly of God churches worship like this or is this church unique?

Thanks
There is no practice of "jumping around" If we're lead to do this, we do, but it isn't something that is learned. We lift Holy hands only if they're Holy. It isn't done in a Corinthian "See how spiritual I am" sorta' way.
IOW: the Holy Spirit moves us. A good way to tell if it's genuine- does the worshiper stop with the music, or still follow the lead of the Holy Spirit? Are the hands that are lifted up clean before the Lord? They should be.
 
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boughtbygrace

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MoreThanAConqueror8 said:
Hello

I attend a Baptist church and have also recently been attending an Assembly of God church on sunday nights. I am curious, what are the specific belief differences between the Assembly of God and Baptist denominations? I know one difference is that the Assemblies of God practices speaking in tongues, and Baptists usually do not. What is the reason behind this difference? I've noticed that the worship in the Assembly of God church tends to be more open and expressive, and people tend to move around a lot more (ex. arm waving and swinging, jumping up and down, etc.) vs. my Baptist church. There are also frequent times during the Assembly of God worship service where the members will be talking, almost constantly, kind of like praying in a desperate sort of tone. I'm curious if this is a common practice and was wondering if someone could explain this specific practice. Do most Assembly of God churches worship like this or is this church unique?

Thanks

Uhmmmm... They're pentecostal, Go to this link please..:

http://saltlight.home.comcast.net/pentecostalism.html
 
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boughtbygrace

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There is nothing wrong with speaking in tongues. This is a gift from the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:10) Baptists typicly do practice this, while Church Of God do. Why? I don't know. But it pretty typical in those churches. Search the web for specific denominational beliefs.

Again, More opinion and bad information... I am a Baptist and I do NOT believe in this, nor do I pratice, and I believe it's false teaching...gosh, why do people post garbage on here that's not true?

See these links please!

http://www.pbministries.org/Theology/Laurence%20Justice/embrace_pentecostalism.htm

http://saltlight.home.comcast.net/tongues.html

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/rootsof.htm

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/strange1.htm

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/strange2.htm

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/strange3.htm

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/fbns-index/charfbns.htm

Hope this helps! :)
 
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HumbleMan

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boughtbygrace said:
Wrong. The Assembles Of God, Which based of Missouri is a totally different denomination than the Church of God, of which there are numerous groups calling themselves the Church of God, All of them are Pentecostal and very cultist in nature.

You've also described the baptist church. And not all whose moniker is CoG are Pentecostal. See CoG, Anderson for example.

If you think the CoG or AoG are like the UPCI, who are very legalistic and cultish, you need to go and talk with some of their members. Other than the doctrine of speaking in tongues (which, while I am not a cessationist, I do believe is over-used in modern worship) and the more free method of worship, there's not a whole lot of doctrinal difference between the AoG/CoG and the majority of baptist churches.

BTW, when I use the name CoG, I am referring to the CoG, Cleveland, the largest, oldest, and most recognized CoG.
 
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boughtbygrace said:
Again, More opinion and bad information... I am a Baptist and I do NOT believe in this, nor do I pratice, and I believe it's false teaching...gosh, why do people post garbage on here that's not true?

And why, if you believe in Sola Scriptura, believe your interpretation is the only correct one?
 
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Lismore I went to your link and found nothing to substantiate this:
They teach that a person can be without sin in this life.

Is that a fair and accurate statement of belief for AOG?
 
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mlqurgw

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boughtbygrace

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HumbleMan said:
And why, if you believe in Sola Scriptura, believe your interpretation is the only correct one?

Because what I believe is back up by the Bible and the Pentecostal's false doctrine's can be disproven by the Bible:

Consider the outline below...:

(The is an excerpt of a sermon outline of mine called "False doctrines that Bible-Believing Churches MUST face..." All Scripture quotes and references are found in the King James Version of the Bible...God's PRESERVED Word for the english speaking people)

6. The false teachings of the Pentecostal-Charismatic Movement
(Assemblies of God, etc.)

6a. The false doctrine that tongues speaking is for today

Bible Answer:

a. The Bible says tongues were a real language (Acts 2:3-11).

b. The Bible says tongues were a sign to the unbelieving Jews (1 Cor.
14:21-22). After Israel rejected God's sign of tongues and Jerusalem
was destroyed in 70 A.D. and the Jews were scattered to the ends of
the earth, the need for tongues as a sign was finished.

c. Biblical tongues had to be used according to the teaching of the
apostles, yet the Pentecostals and Charismatics do not submit to
these restrictions:

(1) Women are not allowed to speak in tongues (1 Cor. 14:34)
(2) Tongues were to be spoken only by course (1 Cor. 14:27)
(3) Tongues must be interpreted (1 Cor. 14:27)
(4) There is to be no confusion (1 Cor. 14:33)
(5) Everything is to be decent (1 Cor. 14:40)
(6) Everything is to be orderly (1 Cor. 14:40)

d. Tongues were not spoken by every believer even in the days of the
apostles (1 Cor. 12:28-30).

e. Biblical tongues were not sought after but were sovereignly given
by God (1 Cor. 12:11).

f. There is no instruction in the Bible about HOW to speak in
tongues. Those who believe in tongues speaking today claim that they
can teach people who to do it.

g. The Bible says tongues speaking, prophesying, and words of knowing
will pass away (1 Cor. 13:8). When the New Testament was completed,
there was no further need for these particular gifts.
 
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boughtbygrace

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HumbleMan said:
And why, if you believe in Sola Scriptura, believe your interpretation is the only correct one?

More of my outline...:

b.The false doctrine that healing is promised in the atonement

Bible Answer:

a. The Bible says that not all sicknesses are healed (2 Cor.
12:97-10; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20).

b. The Bible says that the physical part of our salvation is for the
future (Rom. 8:17-25.

c. Peter says that Isaiah 53:5 refers to spiritual healing of the
soul (1 Pet. 2:24-25).

6c. The false doctrine that miracles should be sought

Bible Answer:

a. Jesus warned that it is not good to seek miracles (Mat. 12:39).

b. The miracles performed by the apostles were special (2 Cor.
12:12). Not every Christian could perform miracles.

c. Faith does not come from miracles but from God's Word (Rom.
10:17). Multitudes witnessed Jesus' great miracles, but most did not
believe.

6d. The false doctrine that the Holy Spirit baptism follows salvation

Bible Answer:

a. Jesus promised the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5) and this
was fulfilled in Acts 2 for the Jews and in Acts 10:44-47 for the
Gentiles.

b. Since then, every believer receives the Holy Spirit when he
believes (Eph. 1:12-14).

c. The book of Acts is a transitional book. Not everything that
happened then is the pattern for the rest of the church age.

d. In the epistles, the reception of the Holy Spirit is always
mentioned in the past tense (Rom. 8:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor.
1:21-22; 5:5; Eph. 1:13).

6e. The false doctrine that we should exalt the Holy Spirit

Bible Answer:

a. The Lord Jesus Christ foretold what role the Holy Spirit would
have in the church age (John 16:13-15). In this passage we learn that
the Holy Spirit does not exalt Himself and the Holy Spirit does not
draw attention to Himself.

b. There is no example in the N.T. of praying to the Holy Spirit. The
Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray to the Father, not to the Holy
Spirit (Matt. 6:6,9; Jn. 16:23). The Apostle Paul taught us to pray
to God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit
(Rom. 1:8; 7:25).

c. There is no example in the New Testament of inviting the Holy
Spirit to work. Neither Jesus nor the apostles did that.

6f. The false doctrine that we should not test the Holy Spirit with the Bible

Bible Answer:

a. The Bible warns that there are false spirits and that the devil
tries to deceive (2 Cor. 11:4; 1 Jn. 4:1). Therefore we must test
everything carefully or we will be deceived.

b. The Bible commands us to prove all things (1 Thess. 5:21).

c. The Bible commended the Bereans because they tested everything by
the Scriptures (Acts 17:11)


 
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