Assembly of God

[WOFFER]

I got saved in an AG church in 1984. I currently attend an AG church. Am I the only one who thinks the AG is trying to distance itself from the gifts of the Spirit? It has been my experience the last few AG churches I have attended.It sure was not my experience when I first started going to AG churches.

 

[Purge187]

A pastor at an AoG church that I sometimes go to recently urged the flock to "try" tongues if we hadn't already.

 

[dayhiker]

Most of the AG churches I've been to don't have the gifts oberating very often. When they do operate they are accepted. Tho I was part of a small AG church years ago that quite often had the gifts operate. But basically I agree with the OP.

 

[iambren]

I was a 30-year member in AG,filled with Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. I still do it privately and as a private utterance of praise discreetly (as to not offend) in my present Nazarene church.

1 I was used to having a tongue/interpretation weekly in my 100-member AG church. Now, I think we have gotten so dignified that we don't want things getting "messy" with that old Spirit interrupting, gifts and all. It's sad when I contemplate that the Holy Spirit of God is pushed aside to do something HIS way.

2 On the other hand, our culture now sees a lack of success if you don't emulate the megachurch model. Example: How DO you flow multiple services without a stiffer liturgy or timing? How COULD a service of non intimate parishioners have any clue who was trusted to interpret.

3 In a culture where "bigger is better" the church is influenced (deceived?) that bigger is better and more spiritual. "My how God has blessed,look at the great #s of people come, what buildings we have?" and does anyone ever wonder that this mode could be pleasing Satan more than God. I stand in the foyer after my 3rd service and watch people walking out of the sanctuary. About 60% I don't know,about 30% I recognize, and a slim 10% I may have spoken to before.
Is THIS how God wanted church to be?? A church that evokes the response from the world "My how they love one another!".

4 Footnote-Don't feel to bad. I go to this 1,000 member Nazarene and like the AG-tongues issue I've heard 1 sermon on sanctification which used to be their baby. We all want neat/tidy, no messy Holy Spirit intrusions, and we can brag how many go to OUR church. Is the Kingdom growing?

 

[Alithis]

aahh the multiple service ... iv only attended one which grew in number and so began multiple services ...
..trust me the 2nd service is not the one to attend .. you cannot manufacture spontaneity

 

[CGL1023]

I got saved in an AG church in 1984. I currently attend an AG church. Am I the only one who thinks the AG is trying to distance itself from the gifts of the Spirit? It has been my experience the last few AG churches I have attended.It sure was not my experience when I first started going to AG churches.

My background is similar though I have only gotten serious in the last ten years. Until recently, I didn't see what you mention partly because I had to learn about it first. Now that I see the short comings you mention, I have removed myself from an AG fellowship that had fine people and decent teaching. I felt there was almost a non-emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit.

Interestingly, I notice in these settings the afflictions people have are talked about more and also the world's solutions, the Drs., hospitals and pills are much more emphasized. In the new church I go to, also Pentecostal, this subject does not come up at all.

I have also read, on two different occasions on these CF Pentecostal forums, that that the AG discourages making too much of a big deal about healing because someone who didn't get healed may get offended and leave the church.

I went to the AG website to see what is said and they have an upbeat promotional video on the gifts of the Spirit. It appears that the final say in these matters is left to the individual pastor at the local level.

Whatever happened to Mk 16:15-20, Mt 10:8 or Luke 10:1-19(the 70 sent forth)

 

[Bob Carabbio]

I got saved in an AG church in 1984. I currently attend an AG church. Am I the only one who thinks the AG is trying to distance itself from the gifts of the Spirit? It has been my experience the last few AG churches I have attended.It sure was not my experience when I first started going to AG churches.

It's an On-Going Issue that SPringfield is concerned about, and George Woods Was Supposed to address, but really hasn't overtly. ASSUMING that there's anything to BE "Addressed". Bottom line: GOD SENDS THE GIFTS AS HE SEES FIT, and that may be the cause of what we see in 2015. I haven't heard real congregational "Singing in the Spirit" for 40 years.

Trask stated (Before he retired as Super) that IF THE TREND CONTINUES, in 10 years, the Assemblies of God will be "Pentecostal in NAME ONLY.

It appears that the trend DID continue.

Simple as that.

 

[Dave-W]

Sad - really.

Is the same trend away from using the gifts occuring in the A/G's messianic synagogues? (Like Adat HaTikvah in the Chicago area)

 

[Bob Carabbio]

It appears that the final say in these matters is left to the individual pastor at the local level.

Could be that the REAL reason for a "Lack of Spiritual Manifestations" could well be that the Lord is NO LONGER BURDENING THEM in church meetings, for reasons of HIS Own.

There's a BUCKET LOAD of Lousy, and downright STUPID teaching in the AoG about the gifts, and not everybody is even AWARE that YOU CAN'T MANIFEST A GIFT THAT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY BURDENED TO YOU AT THE TIME By the Holy Spirit!!!!! NOBODY "Has" the GIfts, they are enabled to individuals AS THE HOLY SPIRIT WILLS. ANd when they've been manifested - THE GIFT IS GONE - until next time. Any Christian can be "Gifted" at ANY TIME to do ANYTHING - when it's needed. AND the "List of 9" is NOT "Inclusive" - and not even a list of individual "gifts". The "List of 9"is mostly "Categories" not individual giftings.

AND - it's also COMPLETELY POSSIBLE to fake any "Spoken Gift" in a service with a little practice, and unless there's somebody there who receives the gift of "Discerning of spirits", the congregation WOULD NEVER KNOW unless the utterance is blatantly Non-Scriptural.

 

[stormdancer0]

I've found that the bigger and richer the church is, the less the gifts of the Spirit are even accepted, much less welcomed. I help pastor a small, independent Pentecostal church, and while we don't have the "moves of the Spirit" that used to occur regularly in Pentecostal churches, the gifts are welcome and mainly manifest after the main part of the service, when we are praying for individual needs.

I was ordained in the Cleveland, TN Church of God several years ago. I wish I could live some of the wonderful stories of the Spirit moving in power, a generation ago.

 

[dragongunner]

So we may have become so blessed, that the Spirit is looking for other people who are more dire need of Spiritual outpouring? I saw many manifestation of the Spirit in the small very poor church back in the 80's. In fact it was a old brick store, with fold up chairs. The preacher was a poor Spirit filled preacher that had been born and raised in Jamiaca, fasted all the time, prayed hours on end before every church service and was a working servant to all 24/7…….today I'm lucky when you visit a church if you get a handshake from the pastor and come back and visit…..never seems any genuine concern. If I was the Spirit I would be seeking out the broken hearted, not the blessed and full. We have become so blessed, the need to cry out for more of you Oh Lord is no longer there…..Oh Lord, if thats the case, thank you for your blessings, but don't bless too much. And help us to now be a blessing to others who are of a broken heart.

 

[stormdancer0]

Dragongunner, you are so right. We are a storefront who fights to get the rent every month. But we help so many of the homeless, the tired, the needy. But it is not always so. Before, I was in another small church, and they weren't interested in helping anything. THe preacher preached it, helping others, but no one really followed through. That's one of the reasons I moved churches.

 

[StephanieSomer]

aahh the multiple service ... iv only attended one which grew in number and so began multiple services ...
..trust me the 2nd service is not the one to attend .. you cannot manufacture spontaneity

I have always MUCH preferred the midweek services. There's less fluff and pomposity.

 

[Alithis]

I have always MUCH preferred the midweek services. There's less fluff and pomposity.

not been to a church which has a midweek (full service) meeting .One thing im noticing is a decrease of the Sunday evening service .some congregations have simply stopped them . i wonder about that .are the few that attended somewhat of less value then those that go in the morning ?

 

[dayhiker]

In the Charismatic movement we spent time being quiet to listen and give the Holy Spirit a change to speak. It was amazing how often that happened. While it happened in church
the ones that touched me the most was when I was praying with my friends and we took time to let the Spirit speak. So I really think we need to stop waiting for the church leadership to get teh gifts going and get them going in our every day life.

Today after the service we were invited to come up to be prayed for for God to heal us of any physical pain etc that we had.

Tho I have to admit, I don't spend much time with church people these day. Life was so sterile in church and I didn't feel I was being a light. So I've moved out to spend much of my time with other none church people. I'm getting to testify much more often for Jesus now and am able to use the firm foundation of Jesus as a place of stability to show how God can help each of us.

 

[jargew]

Hi,

It is very odd that you claim that the AoG is "distancing itself" from the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but what you are really saying is that they are distancing themselves from speaking in tongues. There are a number of equally important gifts of the spirit that are critical for everyday, Christian living. These other gifts are actualys rfered to by Paul as the "greater" gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:29-30
29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:7 -10
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,a and to still another the interpretation of tongues.b 11

Galatians 5:22-23New International Version (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

 

[now faith]

I believe we are heading into a time of falling away, across denominations.

Hold on to your hat if you mention tongues, or gifts in a social setting.

Today we have local mega Churches that are shallow on manifesting anything but feel good non offensive theology.

We are on a fast track in ignoring God's word and turning Church into a pep rally.

Then you have the small Churches that are steeped in ceremony and are spiritually gone, same service every time with no unexpected interruptions.

Kinda like going to a Catholic Mass.

My Church is non denomination full Gospel, good music with praise and worship but you can set your watch they are prompt.

We have healing among us many great prayers answered,but still there is a quenching of The Spirit they never just let go and let God Bless the service with testimonies and rejoicing in the Spirit.

 

[dayhiker]

Of course a lot of what I saw during the Jesus People and Charismatic movements were the sovereign moving of the Holy Spirit in a big revival.
I do believe if we had that again, that we would again see the power of the Holy Spirit manifested. For as much as we do have the Holy Spirit with us
its just dramatically more when there is a move of God in that way.

 

[now faith]

Of course a lot of what I saw during the Jesus People and Charismatic movements were the sovereign moving of the Holy Spirit in a big revival.
I do believe if we had that again, that we would again see the power of the Holy Spirit manifested. For as much as we do have the Holy Spirit with us
its just dramatically more when there is a move of God in that way.

Amen, we have grown stale.

It's always a blessing to see a outpouring among those in other countries.

They have the childlike faith , because they haven't been corrupted by theology.

James: 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. - Bible Offline

 

[Llewelyn Stevenson]

My sanctified brothers, please let's not criticise, if we see lack we should pray.

I am acutely aware of the changes that have happened over the years since I was born again at a very young age in the AG [as you call it] in southern Africa.

Yes, there is a vast lack of the gifts of the Spirit, and while we may emphasise that they come at the Spirit's behest, we must also question our lack.

I'm not too sure that we should criticise mega churches. Should God choose to move as he did in the book of Acts there will not be room enough in our buildings.

As one who has pastored and encourages the gifts I have noticed a few things.

1. A reluctance in individuals [perhaps fear of criticism (which may be correction, I suffered this), rejection, etc. May be a lack of teaching].
2. Control of the environment: a governance thing. Size often dictates this and some have tried to find ways but few have worked.
3. Lack of time. Single service weekly attendance has done much to cause this. I realise we are busy, but that problem caused some to miss the feast, so not a good thing. Think back forty years... I was a child then. Sunday school; Sunday teaching Service; Sunday Gospel service; Tuesday home Bible study; Thursday Prayer meeting; Friday youth meeting and street evangelism; Saturday believer's meeting or communion service [labels were different in different places]. It was in the believer's meeting that the gifts were encouraged. Now we try to cram that into one meeting a week and wonder why large chunks of our practical Christian life have been smothered.

Now I want us to think, why have some of the meetings we enjoyed fallen away? The most common reason is lack of attendance. As a child I attended 7 meetings a week, and my parents were at most of those plus others I haven't mentioned: men's & ladies' meetings and other prayer meetings such as early morning prayers. Did we grow tired and miss some of those meetings so often that numbers fell and they were no longer considered viable? How often would you like to meet with the saints today?

Perhaps we need to consider our own walk with God, have I left my first love?

Be encouraged brothers and sisters, God has not changed, let us do as we have done in the past and leave all and follow him.