When a Pastor Changes His Beliefs

[a pilgrim]

Though I would agree with the pastors "new" findings, the issue remains, "Did he agree to the doctrinal statement and by-laws of the church when he took the position?" If so, he needs to:

1. Clearly detail his new view
2. Put it before the congregation
3. Yield to the congregation.

He took a "denominational" church and thus he needs to yield to the way they "do business." He may not be able to take them out of the AOG because the denomination may own the building and have presiding authority of the congregation.

The thought of a split is always ugly, but if some agree with him, they need to be true to "principle not party." Go where they teach what he believes, or start an assembly like it.

The core issue is not whether OSAS, (as they call it,) is true, but should he be faithful to what he believes the scriptures teach. If after prayer, wise counsel, and an open talk with the congregation he still feels the same, then he is to be like Martin Luther of old:

"Here I stand, I can do ought else, so help me God!"

Where he preaches is not really as important as WHAT he preaches. He can meet at home, at the park, in a rented office, a school gymnasium, etc.

 

[ThatWhichIsnt]

The Pastor is in error.

1. OSAS is contrary to the Word of God
2. Speaking in tongues is evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit and is not designed for witnessing.

I would suggest that the AOG are in more of a mess with this pastor's errant teaching than they would be without him !

1. So I guess Jesus was a liar..
John 6:37 " All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out"
John 6:40 "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
John 10:27-30 "27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

I could go on. However, if you are saved then you have eternal security. Now that is something to rejoice about!

2. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift, nothing more. You do not have to speak in tongues to have the Holy Spirit.

 

[Aibrean]

Jesus won't cast out, but that's not to say a person can't remove themselves. We have to stay the race until the end.

 

[lismore]

I was an AOG member for eight years. In that demonination individual churches have considerable leeway in what they believe and practice........in my experience much changes when a new pastor comes.

When I first started going the pastor was an older gentleman who believed standard pentecostal doctrines, the next guy was heavily into WOF and posivitism, so I left. Now I hear a third pastor has taken over who is heavily into gospel preaching but does not believe WOF.

If you get a new pastor lots of doctrines might change. I dont think your current pastor should resign.

I agree that many attenders are not members, that was my experience too.

It was also my experience that many attenders hadn't yet had a salvation experience, never mind a Holy Spirit empowering experience. The lively music and less formal style attracted many people of different types but some weren't especially interested in becoming Christians.

Hope this helps!

 

[boldlion]

I was an AOG member for eight years. In that demonination individual churches have considerable leeway in what they believe and practice........in my experience much changes when a new pastor comes.

When I first started going the pastor was an older gentleman who believed standard pentecostal doctrines, the next guy was heavily into WOF and posivitism, so I left. Now I hear a third pastor has taken over who is heavily into gospel preaching but does not believe WOF.

If you get a new pastor lots of doctrines might change. I dont think your current pastor should resign.

I agree that many attenders are not members, that was my experience too.

It was also my experience that many attenders hadn't yet had a salvation experience, never mind a Holy Spirit empowering experience. The lively music and less formal style attracted many people of different types but some weren't especially interested in becoming Christians.

Hope this helps!

What's WOF ?

 

[Aibrean]

Word of Faith

 

[lismore]

What's WOF ?

Word of Faith.

It is a new movement from America which has come into many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches and influences a lot of their teachings.

You may have heard of some of their main ideas: Prosperity gospel, positive confession, little gods, act as if, name it and claim it etc.

Hope this helps

What I was trying to say is that the beliefs of individual AOG churches vary hugely according to the beliefs of the individual pastor there.

 

[Buzzy]

Watching Christians for a lot of years I find that most who leave the faith do so themselves and I've never seen a single person cast out of faith in Jesus Christ so Jesus did not lie but it is an error to teach that a person remains in the faith if they denounce Jesus and live a wlllfully sinful life.

Reflect upon Judas and his relation with Christ but ignore the devil's attempt to make you think he was "cast out" of the last supper. Reflect upon the Garden of Eden / Adam and Eve, but ignore the devil's attempt to make you think they were "cast out" of the Garden. All those people and more had left God in willful sin long before they physically were told to move.

 

[Lean Forward]

I think he should follow the advise of Paul Crouch and Let God sort out all this "doctrinal doo-doo"

 

[Vince53]

I appreciate all the advice. The church now numbers solidly over 100 every Sunday, and we're helping to start another AOG church about twenty miles away. I'm teaching this week's mid-week Bible study (You're all invited), and the church is doing well.

 

[SoulBap6]

When the Pastor of a church has a change of doctrinal beliefs its time for him to move. In the church I attend the Pastor step down when he committed adultery. Then we had another Pastor who could not over come the mistrust of the church had against the old Pastor, since this Pastor is a friend of the one who committed adultry. Finally we voted in the Associate Pastor, this split the church. It was a total mess with these Pastors. The associate Pastor is doing a outstanding Job. Many of the people who left are come back and we have many new people in are Church. It shakes people up when the undershepherd is not positive as to what he believes.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I would agree that if the pastor has changed his beliefs, it is time to move on. The church I attended for several years had a pastor who one Sunday announced that because of the liberal tendencies of the Episcopal Church heirarchy, he could no longer support the church and he was leaving. He announced if anyone also wanted to stand for Gospel truth against the liberal teachings of the higher ups then to follow him out of the church. Over half the congregation left with him and now they are part of the ACNA which is a conservative branch of the Anglican communion. Now the AOG is not liberal, for sure. But their view of eternal security and speaking in tongues is clearly stated in their doctrinal statement. So if someone no longer believes as they do, he needs to find a church body he can agree with.

 

[SoulBap6]

So if someone no longer believes as they do, he needs to find a church body he can agree with.

I guess what is so Sad that a person goes through all the training to become a Pastor, seminary, being Ordained and after all that Change what they believe. The trust that people believe this undershepherd has; and then is not stead fast the teaching he has done, then people are shaken by this. It is no wonder the lost are still lost many are confused in what to believe? The fall out of the Church is just what Satan wants the people who are lost to be is still lost. God Help us to stand for the truth of Gods word.

 

[busdriver72]

I agree he needs to seek a congregation that more or less agrees with his views rather than expecting the congregation to just tolerate him. In that enviroment he can lead as a shepherd. Shepherds lead from the front...not from behind like driving cattle. There is also the potential for division and disunity, and the shepherd is to work against these things rather than be a catalyst for it

And as far as people willingly departing from the faith, John 2:19 makes it rather clear that those who abandon the faith were never truly a part of it. If they were truly part of the family of faith they would not have departed. I'm sure some could "interpret" that passage to the point that it does not mean what it says, but the reading and the meaning are very plain and simple.

 

[SoulBap6]

Galations 1:8 If their speaking of Angels or any other ;Gospel other than Jesus Christ they are accursed. As we are Saved by Grace through Faith Ephesians 2:8 How can we as Christians change are belief? Or a Preacher
the Gospel is Clear, I would pray for this Preacher and ask God to open his Eyes and Heart to the Scriptures, that the Holy Spirit would Guide him to the Light of the Gospel Of Jesus Christ.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I get the impressions this pastor has NOT changed his views on salvation, but on some of the distinctives of the Pentecostal movement. One can chabge on some of the "minor" doctrines and still maintain the true faith.

 

[SoulBap6]

I am not sure what this Pastor beliefs are but many of are undershepards are just stopping or quiting the Ministry period. Its sad when Satan gets the upper hand. When God calls a Man to the Ministry, and goes though all the training to become a Pastor and is beaten down and discouraged, to the point of giving up. In are world today Churches are closing to much world in the Church. We live in the time for the lord to come back, the falling away of the Church, is a good indicator of just that and many other signs.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I assume you mean "our" not "are". "our" world is correct NOT "are" world, etc. Are is a form of is as in we "are" here today.

 

[earagun]

This isn't a joke, because we're dealing with it now. A born-again pastor, having graduated from Bible college, realizes that his denomination is wrong about something. We're not talking about fundamental doctrines here, but major doctrines like eternal security, infant baptism, speaking in tongues, etc.

What does he do?

He leaves the errant sect, and and follows what the bible teaches, you either follow truth, or follow false teachers, its really that simple

 

[busdriver72]

I assume you mean "our" not "are". "our" world is correct NOT "are" world, etc. Are is a form of is as in we "are" here today.

You our correct.