Assemblies of God

[PatrickJ]

I am interested in the AoG and have a couple of questions. Do you have women pastors? Do you have to believe a specific doctrine of the rapture or is it open for members to have different views?

 

[Buckaroo]

The AOG definitely has women pastors and this is a problem with me even though i attend AOG churches. I just dont go to one that has a woman pastor or when a women preaches i stay home or leave. I am definite about what the scripture says on this subject. As far as rapture for the most part they are pre millinualist but everyone can have a opinion on this!

 

[oliveplants]

You can read about it at ag.org (just add the www. at the beginning).

As to those two questions, I answer the same as Buckaroo. (Except we don't go to A/G anymore. But I did for 26 years.)

 

[Buckaroo]

You can read about it at ag.org (just add the www. at the beginning).

As to those two questions, I answer the same as Buckaroo. (Except we don't go to A/G anymore. But I did for 26 years.)

oliveplants, may I ask why you stopped going to the AG and where you are going now!

 

[Buckaroo]

oliveplants, may I ask where you attend church now and why u left the AG.

 

[AmicusOfDeus]

Yes they have women pastors! I am so for this! I'm not becoming a pastor but a youth evangelist. As for their beliefs I would just go to www.ag.org click on beliefs and it will tell you what all we believe. I've been to a lot of different churches and I finally found a home where I am now and I didn't even know that it was AoG when I started going. I thought I was totally against a lot of their beliefs but I am really for them! I let my old church dictate what my beliefs were but where I am now they are very open and want us to get the most out of our walk with God more than be restricted by rules and doctrine.

 

[oliveplants]

Sorry, Buckaroo, I just now saw your question.

We had some problems with our local church and some with the A/G doctrine - one of which is the women preachers.

We left mainly to find a more family-friendly church (by which I mean men are taught to lead their families, and children are actually welcomed in the church instead of being compartmentalized into evolution-based age-segregated peer groups and taught to play church). Can you tell I don't like the Sunday School mindset?

Now we go to a church started when a Baptist got filled with the Holy Spirit and was kicked out of his Baptist church. It is small, independant, pentecostal. They don't stress personal 'holiness' (as in dress code, smoking, etc) like we wish they would, but pastor preaches the Word, so growth will happen.

 

[flaglady]

*
I use to be Anglican but there never seemed to be any opportunities for women to develop so I changed to AoG several years ago.

IMO, some women can make great preachers and are every bit as capable of giving word about The Word as men!

PS we have men who make a great cup of tea as well!!

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

What about the Church of God (Cleveland, TN)? Do they have women pastors? I think their beliefs and practices are about the same as AoG, but not sure on the women pastors issue. This may be an alternative to those who differ on this issue with AoG, but want to still be in a similar church.

Anyone?

 

[FletcherB]

I've been wrestling with this for a while.

I lived Springfield, Missouri for quite some time, where of course the Headquarters for AG is located. As well, one of the best AG Bible Colleges is there (Central Bible College). My wife graduated from there.

My wife and I wanted to start a ministry together, and I looked into going to CBC... however, I was discouraged from going due to the fact that I've been divorced. I know that there is scripture related to this topic, but I'm nonetheless confused. I've always been taught, and I've always believed that once you're saved, all your sin is washed away. As the hymn sings, "What Sin?"

However, because I've been divorced, I can't become a pastor.

1. The divorce happened before I became a Christian.
2. The divorce even still was scriptural. My ex-wife had an affair and left me.

Even still, I can't be a pastor in an AG church. It seems as if the AG is saying, instead of 'What Sin?', they are saying 'THAT Sin.'

Please, anyone, provide some insight on this. I've prayed about it a lot, and the answer I'm getting is to let it drop and go to another denomination.

Thanks,
Fletch

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

I've been wrestling with this for a while.

I lived Springfield, Missouri for quite some time, where of course the Headquarters for AG is located. As well, one of the best AG Bible Colleges is there (Central Bible College). My wife graduated from there.

My wife and I wanted to start a ministry together, and I looked into going to CBC... however, I was discouraged from going due to the fact that I've been divorced. I know that there is scripture related to this topic, but I'm nonetheless confused. I've always been taught, and I've always believed that once you're saved, all your sin is washed away. As the hymn sings, "What Sin?"

However, because I've been divorced, I can't become a pastor.

1. The divorce happened before I became a Christian.
2. The divorce even still was scriptural. My ex-wife had an affair and left me.

Even still, I can't be a pastor in an AG church. It seems as if the AG is saying, instead of 'What Sin?', they are saying 'THAT Sin.'

Please, anyone, provide some insight on this. I've prayed about it a lot, and the answer I'm getting is to let it drop and go to another denomination.

Thanks,
Fletch

I don't know the rules and such of the AoG, but I would say don't let a man-made denomination/body get in God's way of you becoming a minister. If it is God's will, there's nothing they can do about it anyway.

Good luck and God bless!

 

[Buckaroo]

*
I use to be Anglican but there never seemed to be any opportunities for women to develop so I changed to AoG several years ago.

IMO, some women can make great preachers and are every bit as capable of giving word about The Word as men!

PS we have men who make a great cup of tea as well!!

That is all well and good flaglady except there is no precedent for women to preach in the church and since God set the rules then for whatever reason he chose for men to lead the church. There is a whole chapter dealing with leaders and nowhere are women mentioned . And since God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow then we must obey Gods Word. of course there are many ways a women can serve but leadership is not one of them. I know American women hate to hear this, but it is fact and we need to live with it. There is only one Scripture that Pentacostals fall back on to excuse women preachers and that is the one about there is neither male nor female but of course that Scripture refers to salvation and not serving as leaders. I dont know how Pentacostals came of with this notion concerning women but they are dead wrong and this is the one thing I cannot accept or deal with concerning Pentacostals . Oh yeah one other thing they teach that is false and that is we can lose our salvation over and over .

 

[Buckaroo]

Sorry, Buckaroo, I just now saw your question.

We had some problems with our local church and some with the A/G doctrine - one of which is the women preachers.

We left mainly to find a more family-friendly church (by which I mean men are taught to lead their families, and children are actually welcomed in the church instead of being compartmentalized into evolution-based age-segregated peer groups and taught to play church). Can you tell I don't like the Sunday School mindset?

Now we go to a church started when a Baptist got filled with the Holy Spirit and was kicked out of his Baptist church. It is small, independant, pentecostal. They don't stress personal 'holiness' (as in dress code, smoking, etc) like we wish they would, but pastor preaches the Word, so growth will happen.

I wish i could find a full gospel Baptist church that held with men being the leaders and did not preach the foolishness that we can lose our salvation at the drop of a hat, but they are harder to find than hens teeth. Usually when Baptist turn pentacostal they keep some of the nutty ways of Pentacostals. I am more baptist in doctrine but i do believe the gifts of the Spirit have not left the church albeit they are misused just as much or more than in the Corinthian church in the early days. This is why i never go to Charismatic churches for many are so much in left field it is pitiful.

 

[Buckaroo]

What about the Church of God (Cleveland, TN)? Do they have women pastors? I think their beliefs and practices are about the same as AoG, but not sure on the women pastors issue. This may be an alternative to those who differ on this issue with AoG, but want to still be in a similar church.

Anyone?

The Church of God is worse than the AG when it comes to women preachers and leaders, but at least the top leadership of that body are all men. Another thing you have to contend with in the COG is their propensity towards emotionalism to the extreme in many cases. The COG relish emotions and push it to the point it can get out of hand and does not lead to everything being decent and in order.

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

Buckaroo,

This may be due to my geographic location, but the only churches I have seen that have women "lead" pastors are UMC churches. I have seen a church where the pastor's wife will stand up and say a few words or pray, etc. That was an AoG church. I haven't seen an AoG church with the lead pastor as a woman. I'm sure they exist, as well as in the CoG.

I 100% agree with you. I think it is written right there in balck and white in Scripture. It does not make us think less of women or oppress them, it's just the way it is.

I hold some beliefs from Baptist doctrine and some from Penetecostal, too. But, I don't think the perfect church exists here on earth.....yet. I've been looking for it for so long and burned so many bridges trying to find it, that I'm almost ready to give up. Now, some of the churches that are the closest to my beliefs, probably wouldn't allow me back because of incidents with the pastors....disagreements. One was pretty upset when I told him I wanted to keep searching before committing to membership at his church. That spun out of control and started a whole messy thing with him.

Anyway..........enough babbling.

So, where does one go when they cannot find a church that holds the same beliefs 100%? I'm tempted to throw in the towel. You either find one that has almost all, but there is that one issue or doctrine that conflicts with you or you find one that is way off!

Good luck and God Bless!

 

[flaglady]

That is all well and good flaglady except there is no precedent for women to preach in the church and since God set the rules then for whatever reason he chose for men to lead the church. There is a whole chapter dealing with leaders and *nowhere are women mentioned . And since God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow then we must obey Gods Word. of course there are many ways a women can serve but leadership is not one of them. I know American women hate to hear this, but it is fact and we need to live with it. There is only one Scripture that Pentacostals fall back on to excuse women preachers and that is the one about there is neither male nor female but of course that Scripture refers to salvation and not serving as leaders. I dont know how Pentacostals came of with this notion concerning women but they are dead wrong and this is the one thing I cannot accept or deal with concerning Pentacostals . Oh yeah one other thing they teach that is false and that is we can lose our salvation over and over .

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, I suppose!

*But there's plenty of evidence to the contrary of this though I'm not going to get into a 'he said/she said' debate here. Just my opinion!

 

[Buckaroo]

Buckaroo,

This may be due to my geographic location, but the only churches I have seen that have women "lead" pastors are UMC churches. I have seen a church where the pastor's wife will stand up and say a few words or pray, etc. That was an AoG church. I haven't seen an AoG church with the lead pastor as a woman. I'm sure they exist, as well as in the CoG.

I 100% agree with you. I think it is written right there in balck and white in Scripture. It does not make us think less of women or oppress them, it's just the way it is.

I hold some beliefs from Baptist doctrine and some from Penetecostal, too. But, I don't think the perfect church exists here on earth.....yet. I've been looking for it for so long and burned so many bridges trying to find it, that I'm almost ready to give up. Now, some of the churches that are the closest to my beliefs, probably wouldn't allow me back because of incidents with the pastors....disagreements. One was pretty upset when I told him I wanted to keep searching before committing to membership at his church. That spun out of control and started a whole messy thing with him.

Anyway..........enough babbling.

So, where does one go when they cannot find a church that holds the same beliefs 100%? I'm tempted to throw in the towel. You either find one that has almost all, but there is that one issue or doctrine that conflicts with you or you find one that is way off!

Good luck and God Bless!

You seem to be in the same boat as I am in and it would be easy to throw in the towel but as you said there is no perfect church or christian so I suppose we hold our nose and choose the one church that is closest to our beliefs and serve the best we can. My wife and I have taken steps to deal with the woman issue. If we know a woman is going to preach we stay home or get up and quietly leave if they sneak one in on us. Of course we would never even join a church or attend if the pastor was a female. As for losing ones salvation we know one hundred percent for sure a christian cannot lose his salvation over and over again and the only way a christian could lose his salvation is to give up the faith and this is unlikely and I have never seen it, but some Pentacostals believe that if u sin and do not repent before going to bed and you die in your sleep then you are lost. This to me is stupid and is not faith but fear. Sometimes i wonder why some churches , especially the COG push and push at alter calls for everyone in the church to come to the alter to repent or get saved again. Well i dont sin everyday and I sometimes am the only one not at the alter. If i have a need to go to pray I will go, but if I am not under conviction i do not have to rush to the alter every sunday because some pastor thinks I should. I get very uncomfortable in some Pentacostal churches because of this type thing and I am thinking of moving on to the SBC and deal with their issue about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As u said we cant win one hundred percent so we just have to do the best we can. I do believe women can teach other women and children and be deaconesses, but never pastor.

 

[Buckaroo]

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, I suppose!

*But there's plenty of evidence to the contrary of this though I'm not going to get into a 'he said/she said' debate here. Just my opinion!

Please show me just one scripture that says a woman can be the head of a church and over men and i will never doubt again! Dont just say it madam but show it. Thanks.......

 

[flaglady]

I'm working on it, brother - just give me a sec......

 

[oliveplants]

I've been wrestling with this for a while.


However, because I've been divorced, I can't become a pastor.

1. The divorce happened before I became a Christian.
2. The divorce even still was scriptural. My ex-wife had an affair and left me.

Even still, I can't be a pastor in an AG church. It seems as if the AG is saying, instead of 'What Sin?', they are saying 'THAT Sin.'

Please, anyone, provide some insight on this. I've prayed about it a lot, and the answer I'm getting is to let it drop and go to another denomination.

Thanks,
Fletch

I've heard that the A/G changed their stance on this a year or two ago. How long since you asked?

My sister also graduated from CBC, then went to Evangel for a year or two. My brother went to CBC but dropped out. (I stayed home.)

My hubby was married before, too. I think divorce should be discouraged, but each case should be judged independantly, not a blanket rule.