Charismatic? Assemblies of God? Independent Churches?

[Elle_For_Short]

Hey...Okay, I have been a christian my whole live and grown up with pentecostal ideas at an independent church which sprung out of an Assemblies of God. FAST FORWARD a few years: I now go to an Assemblies of God church and have no idea of some things. What is the difference of the Assemblies from an independent Pentecostal church (I have seen some differences) and what is Charismatic. By the way I have always gone to churches where the primary language is Spanish so I am a bit clueless in some things.

 

[Elle_For_Short]

Come ON PEOPLE!!! I really need help knowing what this stuff means. I would apprecate it.

 

[bakerdad32]

I go to a full gospel chuch but went to a (aog) before i've not seen alot of diffence some of the rules of being a member maybe. a Charismatic is moving in the spirt like jumping running rolling thinings like that hopes this helps some

 

[onelamb]

Assembly of God churches-although they can be very different from one another all hold to the same basic doctrine-and statement of faith-sometimes called the "16 fundamental truths"-these include, salvation by faith in the blood of Jesus, rapture (pretrib), the Trinity, healing, baptism by immersion and the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit enables-you can find more here:
http://www.ag.org/top/
Some Assembly churches are quiet-some are quite loud and demonstrative in their worship. Some use more hymns and some have a much more contemporary style. However, they are NOT WOF like many Charismatic churches are. While each church is independent in some ways-still they are accountable to each other and to the denomination. This is why some-call themselves "independent Pentecostal" perhaps they do not agree with one or more of the "16" truths or feel it more important to go with independance than to stand with others-however, all Pentecostal churches that I'm aware of do believe in the baptism in the Spirit-with speaking in tongues as evidence-I think that's what makes them "Pentecostal" to begin with-some, like the United Pentecostal churches-go so far as to insist that one is not saved unless they have been baptised in the Spirit and speak in other tongues.-so they, of course ,could not be "Assembly of God" because the Assemblies insist that only faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient for salvation.
Most "Charismatic" churches-began as just groups of people from different denominations who realised that the Assemblies of God was right about the baptism in the Spirit-so they started independant churches-most of them have gotten pretty far into WOF. Each Charismatic church can be different in doctrine from the next.

 

[Elle_For_Short]

Thank you all. I really understand it better now. Its just the same things my old church believes in. The only thing I don't get ONELAMB is what does WOF mean? Sorry. Should I know what that means?

 

[prisonchaplain]

Hey...Okay, I have been a christian my whole live and grown up with pentecostal ideas at an independent church which sprung out of an Assemblies of God. FAST FORWARD a few years: I now go to an Assemblies of God church and have no idea of some things. What is the difference of the Assemblies from an independent Pentecostal church (I have seen some differences) and what is Charismatic. By the way I have always gone to churches where the primary language is Spanish so I am a bit clueless in some things.

Pentecostal Churches trace their roots to the early 1900s, with the Pentecostal revival that broke out at the Azusa Street Mission. They tend to be more socially conservative, forbidding drinking alcohol, gambling, immodest dress, etc. Also, they insist that the baptism in the Holy Spirit will always be accompanied with speaking in tongues.

Charismatics trace their roots to the Charismatic Renewal of the 1960s. They experienced little persecution from their home churches (whereas the Pentecostals were often drive out of theirs). Many remained in their Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopaleon denominations. Charismatics tend to be socially more liberal, leaving drinking, gambling etc. to individual conscience.

Independents simply are not associated with a denomination. The churches stand alone, though sometimes belong to loose affiliations that have conferences, etc.

From the Assemblies of God viewpoint, the main advantage of organizing a denomination was to cooperate for worldwide missions. And, indeed, the A/G missions program is premier amongst Pentecostals. Also, the Oneness Pentecostal controversy drove many independents into the A/G, as they saw the need for a doctrinal stance.

I hope the above is helpful to you.

 

[Jesusong]

WOF is Word Of Faith. Follows the teachings of Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Oral Roberts, etc.