Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Friday, June 15, at “Azusa,” the Spirit dropped the “heavenly chorus” into my soul. I found myself suddenly joining the rest who had received this supernatural “gift.” It was a spontaneous manifestation and rapture no earthly tongue can describe. In the beginning this manifestation was wonderfully pure and powerful. We feared to try to reproduce it, as with the “tongues” also. Now many seemingly have no hesitation in imitating all the “gifts.” No one could understand this “gift of song” but those who had it. It was indeed a “new song” in the Spirit. When I first heard it in the meeting a great hunger entered my soul to receive it. I felt it would exactly express my pent up feelings. I had not yet spoken in “tongues.” But the “new song” captured me. It was a gift from God of high order, and appeared among us soon after the “Azusa” work began. No one had preached it. The Lord had sovereignly bestowed it, with the outpouring of the “residue of oil,” the “Latter Rain” baptism of the Spirit. It was exercised, as the Spirit moved the possessors, either in solo fashion, or by the company. It was sometimes without words, other times in “tongues.” The effect was wonderful on the people. It brought a heavenly atmosphere, as though the angels themselves were present and joining with us. And possibly they were. It seemed to still criticism and opposition, and was hard for even wicked men to gainsay or ridicule.


Some have condemned this “new song,” without words. But was not sound given before language? And is there not intelligence without language also? Who composed the first song? Must we necessarily follow some man’s composition, before us, always? We are too much worshippers of tradition. The speaking in “tongues” is not according to man’s wisdom or understanding. Then why not a “gift of song?” It is certainly a rebuke to the “jazzy” religious songs of our day. And possibly it was given for that purpose. Yet some of the old hymns are very good to sing, also. We need not desire or treat lightly of them. Some one has said that every fresh revival brings in its own hymnology. And this one surely did.


In the beginning in “Azusa” we had no musical instruments. In fact we felt no need of them. There was no place for them in our worship. All was spontaneous. We did not even sing from hymnbooks. All the old well-known hymns were sung from memory, quickened by the Spirit of God. “The Comforter Has Come,” was possibly the one must sung. We sang it from fresh, powerful heart experience. Oh, how the power of God filled and thrilled us. Then the “blood” songs were very popular. “The life is in the blood. “Sinai, Calvary, and Pentecost, all had their rightful place in the “Azusa” work. But the “new song” was altogether different, not of human composition. It cannot be successfully counterfeited. The crow cannot imitate the dove. But they finally began to despise this “gift,” when the human spirit asserted itself again. They drove it out by hymnbooks, and selected songs by leaders. It was like murdering the Spirit, and most painful to some of us, but the tide was too strong against us. Hymnbooks today are largely a commercial proposition, and we would not lose much without most of them. The old tunes, even, are violated by change, and new styles must be gotten out of every season, for added profit. There is very little real spirit of worship in them. They move the toes, but not the hearts of men. The spirit of song given from God in the beginning was like the Aeolian harp, in its spontaneity and sweetness. In fact it was the very breath of God, playing on human heartstrings, or human vocal cords. The notes were wonderful in sweetness, volume and duration. In fact they were of times humanly impossible. It was “singing in the Spirit.”


Brother Seymour was recognized as the nominal leader in charge. But we had no pope or hierarchy. We were “brethren.” We had no human program. The Lord Himself was leading. We had no priest class, nor priest craft. These things have come in later, with the apostatizing of the movement. We did not even have a platform or pulpit in the beginning. All were on a level. The ministers were servants, according to the true meaning of the word. We did not honor men for their advantage, in means or education, but rather for their God-given “gifts” He set the members in the “body.” Now” A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof.” –Jer. 5:30, 31. Also “AS for my people, children are their oppressors (sometimes grown up ones), and women rule over them.”
- Isa 3:12.


Brother Seymour generally sat behind two empty shoeboxes, one on top of the other. He usually kept his head inside the top one during the meeting, in prayer. There was no pride there. The services ran almost continuously. Seeking souls could be found under the power almost any hour, night and day. The place was never closed nor empty. The people came to meet God. He was always there. Hence a continuous meeting. The meeting did not depend on the human leader. God’s presences become more and more wonderful. In that old building, with its low rafters and bare floors, God took strong men and women to pieces, and put them together again, for His glory. It was a tremendous overhauling process. Pride and self-assertion, self-importance and self-esteem, could not survive there. The religious ego preaches its own funeral sermon quickly.


No subjects or sermons were announced ahead of time, and no special speakers for such an hour. No one knew what might be coming, What God would do. All was spontaneous, ordered of the Spirit. We wanted to hear from God, through whoever he might speak. We had no “respect of persons” The rich and educated were the dame as the poor and ignorant, and found a much harder death to die. We only recognized God. All were equal. No flesh might glory in His presence. He could not use the self-only recognized opinionated. Those were Holy Ghost meetings, led of the Lord. It had to start in the poor surroundings, God. All were equal. No flesh might glory in His presence. He could not use the self- to keep out the selfish, human element. All came down in humility together, at His feet. They all looked alike, and had all things in common in that sense at least. The rafters were low, the tall must come down. By the time they got to “Azusa” they were humbled, ready for the blessing. The food was thus placed for the lambs, not for giraffes. All could reach it.


We were delivered right there from ecclesiastical hierarchism and abuse. We wanted God. When we first reached the meeting we avoided as much as possible human contact and greeting. We wanted to meet God first. We got our head under some bench in the corner in prayer, and met men only in the Spirit, knowing them “after the flesh” no more. The meetings started themselves, spontaneously, in testimony, praise and worship. The testimonies were never hurried by a call for “popcorn.” We had no prearranged programmed to be jammed through the time. Our time was the Lord’s. We had real testimonies from fresh heart-experience. Otherwise, the shorter the testimonies, the better. A dozen might be on their feet at one time, trembling under the mighty power of god. We did not have to get our cur from some leader. And we were free from lawlessness. We were shut up to God in prayer in the meetings, our minds on Him. All obeyed God, in meekness and humility. In honor we “preferred one another.” The Lord was liable to burst through any one. We prayed for this continually. Some one would finally get up anointed for the message. All seemed to recognize this and gave way. It might be a child, a woman, or a man. It might be from the back seat, or from the front. It made no difference. We rejoiced that God was working. No one wished to show himself. We thought only of obeying God.


In fact there was an atmosphere of God there that forbade any one but a fool attempting to put himself forward without the real anointing. And such did not last long. The Spirit, from the throne controlled the meetings. Those were truly wonderful days. I often said that I would rather live six months at that time than fifty years of ordinary life. But God is just the same today. Only we have changed.


Some one might be speaking. Suddenly the Spirit would fall upon the congregation. God himself would give the altar call. Men would fall all over the house, like the slain in battle, or rush for the altar enmasse, to seek God. The scene often resembled a forest of fallen trees. Such a scene cannot be imitated. I never saw an altar call given in those early days. God himself would call them. And the preacher knew when to quit. When He spoke we all obeyed. It seemed a fearful thing to hinder or grieve the Spirit. The whole place was steeped in prayer, God was in His holy temple. It was for man to keep silent. The shekinah glory rested there. In fact some claim to have seen the glory by night over the building. I do not doubt it. I have stopped more than once within two blocks of the place and prayed for strength before I dared to go on. The presence of the Lord was so real.


Presumptuous men would sometimes come among us. Especially preachers who would try to spread themselves, in self-opinionating. But their effort was short lived. The breath would be taken from them. Their minds would wander, their brains reel. Things would turn black before their eyes. They could not go on. I never saw one get by with it in those days. They were up against God. No one cut them off. We simply prayed. The Holy Spirit did the rest. We wanted the Spirit to control. He wound them up in short order. They were carried out dead, spiritually speaking. They generally bit the dust in humility, going through the process we had all gone through. In other words they died out, came to see themselves in all their weakness, then in childlike humility and confession were taken up of God, transformed through the mighty “baptism” in the Spirit. The “old man” died with all his pride, arrogancy and good works. In my own case I came to abhor myself. I begged the Lord to drop a curtain so close behind me on my past that it would hit my heels. He told me to forget every good deed as though it had never occurred, as soon as it was accomplished anything for Him, lest my good works become a snare to me.


We saw some wonderful things in those days. Even very good men came to abhor themselves in the clearer light of God. The preachers died the hardest. But when God got through with them they gladly turned a new page and chapter. That was one reason they fought so hard. Death is not at all a pleasant experience. And strong men die hard.



The testimony of Frank Bartleman is excepted from his book, "How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles." Christian Life Books plans to republish the original book, unedited and with the original title.

This testimony and many others are available in Dr. Martin's book, The True Believers. Click here to order.

To Return to the Testimony Page, click here.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

So many today who identify as Pentecostals have never experienced real Pentecost, or else have forgotten what it was like.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

very sad but truth! :(

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

That testimony is absolutely amazing and I'd love to read more. Just reading that makes me feel spiritually inadequate.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

wow that`s truth! My soul is crying.
No prepared worship, no pre writing preaching , no need for emotional worship nor instruments just the SPIRIT with all that simplicity of the first century pentecostal church!

His name is Frank Bartleman.
even if he was "trinitarian" he had a very nice view of the Godhead.. He did not believe that 3 persons are three distinct personalities like three men but only as human words to describe the God of the bible .He says is like a person who has a body a soul and a spirit. Thats it ,no three Gods,no three heads ,no three personalities..nor three masks (sevilianism)

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

From what I can recall from the accounts I have read, people spent time on their faces praying and weeping and seeking God. they literally prayed us into existence.

We would have to lay aside our televisions, computers, cell phones, shopping sprees, wrong attitudes, sin, need for constant noise and entertainment, bitterness, envy, lust, greed, unforgiveness, and seek god with our whole heart until something broke and Spirit could flow through us untainted by the flesh

Hanah praying for a nation that was Icabod, where the word of the Lord was scarce, she prayed until there was prophetic word and kingdom

but now they talk about the third wave, where people want the grace and the gifts of God but not the Spirit of God

so tell me, how do we get there from here?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

We have to get a revelation of what is available to us and we have to be hungry for it.

We have been eating Bologna when we have Ribeyes in the fridge.

We have convinced ourselves Bologna is better...takes less effort to prepare than steak..Easier to chew.

We want what's easy.

Not only that...We have forgotten the taste of steak and we don't crave what we don't remember and we don't remember what we haven't experienced.

Reading testimonies like this is like listening to a gourmand describe a sumstuous feast.

It sets our spiritual mouths watering...Even if we have never tasted what is being described we can live somewhat vicariously enough to attempt the recipe used to bring about the feast.

You have to be hungry enough to do the cooking.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I have Bartleman's book "Azusa Street." Very interesting history on the events preceding Azusa Street and thereafter.

The writings of Bartleman, Ryle, Whitfield and McCheyne are convicting.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Bartleman became Oneness shortly afterward.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I dont know you but i love you man! HAHA
Seriously i was thinking and praying about that. On one hand i think God listen my prayers and questions and i found a church that i see this simplicity
. And i believe there are many churches or people that have this fire (not the emotional but the spiritual) People like us who are hungry for more!
I think with this attitude like you have you are closer to that!
And of course the difficult part ( i find my self TRAPPED in) is my carnality like you just said :" bitterness, envy, lust, greed, unforgiveness" wow How i can really move from here?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

ah like jediwill83 said:
"We have to get a revelation of what is available to us and we have to be hungry for it"

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Yes , he was not really "three persons theory" Just One God!
I know even todays ,and like i understand there was throw all church history who actually stand before trinity creeds no three gods nor three masks just one God with one personality~ like a human (body,soul,spirit) .~
It should be worth noting that in the very first creed tha problem was arianism and the majority of that creed members was from Sevilianism ! Thats why they get in the "conclusion" about three persons that in greek means face! Not mask,nor head ,nor personalities .
After that came the 3 Cappadokians "fathers" (who was at Mithraism) and they start to give at every "person" a distinct personality ! And they explain it like this ~Like three humans who are three distinct persons and characters but they share one and the same nature-human!!!~This was tritheism!

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

this is a very interesting explanation, one I had never heard before

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

He actually became Oneness, was rebaptised in 'Jesus name', and was ostracised by trinitarians as a result.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

precious Brother in Christ, I'm praying that God gives you the desires of your heart

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

The Kingdom of God is like a treasure that a man found in a field, and lo, he sold all he had, so he could buy that field and so, acquire the treasure.

The pearl of great price isn't found in religiosity or churchianity.

If you want to find it, the cost is you walking away from everything you have and own, to get it, even if it means losing all that is dear to you (e.g. friends, family, church fellowship, ministries, positions of influence, and etc.).

Except you hate father and mother and brother and sister and husband and wife and son and daughter and in-law, you are not worthy of Him.

I gave up my best friends, the best man in my wedding who won me to the Lord, a prophetic leadership role in an assembly I helped, by the grace of God, to build and nurture.

I lost everyone I was near and dear to, to people I grew up with, who used to love and trust me, but now don't, even my own brother and his family, who I won to Christ, to follow Him.

Count the cost, prepare yourself for pain, fall on the stone and be broken already. What are you waiting for?

As Jesus said to Simon Peter, don't worry about the other disciple whom Jesus loved, even if He wills that disciple to live forever. It doesn't matter. What matter is "Follow Me".

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

There is no birth without pain

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

truth

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Bartleman fellowshipped with both Oneness and Trinitarian churches. I do believe I read that somewhere.

Was he PCI ?? Not sure. He passed away in 1936.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

We often focus on the pain of the mother, but the reality is, the true suffering is upon the infant. He or she is the only truly traumatized, often to find that through the trial of birth, he or she is granted a life he or she could not otherwise have, if they never came forth from the womb.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I'm sure elder Epley knows. Didn't he baptize brother Bartlemann?

:heeheehee

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I have been in meetings like the one described by Brother Bartleman. It was what I longed for and hoped to see in my former assembly, but could not help bring to pass, when ego got in the way.

After leaving, it wasn't but a couple of weeks that the Lord led me and my family to where we belong. The first meeting, I went by myself to check it out, and Jesus applied a charismata of healing upon me for my soul.

The second meeting my wife and children came with. There I saw the Lord standing in the midst of us, sitting in a circle as we were, Head of the Church, Sovereign Over All, silently receiving the worship we gave him.

It does not happen all the time, but often enough to note it, that the heavenly song mentioned frequently at the Azusa meetings, comes to us, though it is patently clear that sometimes, upon those of us which it comes, there is hesitation and uncertainty, as if something about it might be considered out of order, or disruptive of something the Lord might be doing in and for another sitting by.

We may yet achieve the liberty necessary to fulfill His will in this matter.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

The most striking feature of Azusa street revival was it was a worldwide world changing revival, and we still having revival today.

This seems to be happening mostly thru missionaries in 3rd world countries, and I thank God for that.

I would like to see a similar revival happen in North America, because in many ways it seems like the churches in NA are in decline.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I used to attend a small country church. The songleader/Sunday school teacher was a sweet country lady named Sister Opal. Every service she sang loud with this super strong country accent unashamedly. She was often off key but she sang with all her heart as worship into the Lord.

I had been going through some trials at the time. I was young and in my teens, unsure of my calling and trying to sort out what I was feeling or the lack thereof. I went months not feeling God in service. I was depressed and feeling defeated while others ran the aisles boisterously and shouted I felt so alone and distant...It was a major wilderness.

One service a hush fell and Sister Opal began to sing in tongues...I was very familiar with her voice and lack of professional talent and ability but the voice that came from her that night was from heaven itself. She suddenly displayed techniques like vibrato and it had such a clarity and confidence. It other words I knew that it wasn't just her...It was God.

When I heard it suddenly the dam in my spirit broke and I began to weep and for the first time in months I felt the refreshing move of His spirit.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Paul seems to make the case the singing in the Spirit was something of a normative experience, at least for him.

Whenever I have sung in the Spirit, in tongues, it often felt like God was using the situation as almost like some kind of tribal warsong.

I was in a service years ago, and the pastor began by having the men sit on one side, and the women and children on the other, making the case from the idea of the church in Corinth beginning in a Jewish synagogue, where such a separation existed.

He read some verses from 1 Corinthians 14, and then encouraged us all to seek the Lord. There wasn't anything arranged from that point on. Just a leading of the Spirit. God used people in tongues and interpretation, prophecy, and at one point, my step-dad starting singing in tongues to the congregation.

It was very much like as described by Bartleman and others.

That pastor never did that again, for no explicable reason ever shared with me, as I was a member of that church at the time, for many years prior and afterward.

I can't figure out why.

Eventually he moved on and new leadership took over. Right before we left there, my brother, who was one of the pastors, was holding meetings in his home with members of the assembly. We attended, and so did a few others who lived nearby.

The first meeting we had, my brother told me how he had been praying before we arrived, and repented to God and asked His forgiveness if ever he had tried to act as someone's head instead of allowing Christ to be the head of everyman.

That was music to my ears! Those meetings were real Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 14 meetings. One night, a sister was travailing and holding back, and wouldn't speak the diverse tongue God was giving her. I encouraged her, and she finally allowed God to speak through her. Then, after her, another woman spoke a diverse tongue. Then, after that, God gave my brother the interpretation, and it was along the lines of "Wisdom cries out in the streets..." a quote from Proverbs.

I looked at the man standing next to me. Before the meeting began, he took me aside to ask me some questions about Proverbs and wisdom. My brother never knew. No one, but me, the Lord, and this man, did.

He was amazed that God spoke directly to him that night through the gifts of the Spirit. But that was also when things fell apart, because, unbeknownst to me, this man later asked the Pastor (who wasn't attending the meetings) a question about women being allowed to speak in a meeting in a diverse tongue, and if it was okay, or not.

But before he spoke with the Pastor, he asked me my view, and I gave it to him, saying women are allowed to pray and prophesy and be used by God in the gifts of the Spirit.

But the Pastor said otherwise, because he had a beef with the women, one he thought was too much of a new convert, the other, too young over all, so convinced this man that God couldn't have used these two women, it was all out of order, and what my brother spoke was a prophecy, not an interpretation, and blah, blah, blah...

That's when the facade of what I thought was the beginning of a real New Covenant, Acts church, fell down, and the ugly face of what was really going on showed itself. There was only one more meeting, then the Pastor shut it down.

We were gone less than three weeks later.

I give the pastor there credit for wanting to be zealous for what he believes is the truth. I do not give him credit though, that he is not open to discussion for when others believe he is wrong about what he believes is the truth. That's a misguided zeal.

Oddly enough, last summer the man who God spoke to about wisdom married the "too young over all woman" who was at my brother's house that night who was afraid to speak the diverse tongue. She was about 19 then. She is about 23 or so now.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

That had to be frustrating as heck.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

Aaron, are you doing house church now? and if so how is that going?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

I have almost always shunned confrontation, taking a "lamb led to the slaughter" approach to most situations. There was great frustration and disappointment, with some anger in me. My wife was furious, and really hurt.

It took some time and patience to allow God to work out of us what He needed to, to help us mend and keep going forward without a bitter edge left in us.

So much came out after we were gone, that helped us realize we weren't the knuckleheads causing the problems. The story itself could go on for another dozen pages of posts to tell it all, but that is superfluous.

So, despite what happened, the reality is this:

In our third or fourth meeting with the new group, my mom and step-dad came to visit.

There was a diverse tongue. God gave me the interpretation. It was about "little strength" from the verse in Revelation 3 regarding the church in Philadelphia.

My mom started weeping. I didn't know what had really gone on with her and my stepdad over the years, since they had left the same church years before we did, but she spoke about feeling like she was just barely hanging on because there had been so much hurt suffered on their part by abusive leadership, not just in the church mentioned above, but in their next and next.

So, my mom and stepdad have finally found, after many years, a place they can unequivocally call home, and are standing stronger and in more confidence in the Lord than ever.

In that same meeting, a prophetic fellow shared how he had been given a vision of a tornado tearing through, that at first looked like it was sent to destroy, but rather, instead caused a path to be created in its wake for people to follow, so the Lord could lead His people out of the places He no longer desired them to be.

The fruit that God is giving is not what might be normally expected, but it's much sweeter and of a greater, lasting quality.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

We have been a part of an independent Apostolic assembly that meets home to home, for a few months more than two years now.

It is is the right path for us. I know it is not for everyone, even though I personally think it should be (but am not militant with others about it), but for us, under the conviction of truth we believe we have, there no longer is another way but this.

As far as the meetings go, they are some of the most fantastic times in the Lord I've ever had. My wife and I have been married now for going on ten years, yet it feels like there has never been a time in our lives that we didn't have each other.

It is the same with meeting house to house. We've only been doing so now for just over two years, and yet it feels like that's what we've had our entire lives, without that actually being the reality.

I think that if more people would consider the purpose for it, for why it is Apostolic (meaning of the Apostles, not just the current Apostolic Church, as is) doctrine to do so, and if they'd give some time to patient prayer and fasting with meditation upon the Holy Scriptures, the only thing that would hold them back is fear.

There is nothing in me that says God won't meet with His people if they are not meeting house to house. But many people can't seem to conceive of the idea that God will meet with His people just as much anywhere else as in a building owned by a local assembly.

There is something about the feeling of safety when there is a building owned by a local assembly, where all can meet for service as scheduled, on a regular basis, with liturgy and pre-planned, even pre-packaged agenda.

Meeting house to house at first can feel like stepping out on the boat and walking on water (for some, at least), and the call to do so, requires great faith(fulness).

It may feel like it's not really "church" at first, but the un-Biblical trappings, when they are finally realized to be just that, un-Biblical, slowly fade into the background and become more and more unnecessary as time goes by.

The key is to have someone educated and discerning and gentle and apt to teach, who can give an account to the believers, who has been there, done that, and knows that of which they speak.

Too many times, "house church", as it's called (a term I do not use or like) is equated with un-accountability, heresy and dogmatism, and other profane things, all of which all too often do happen in some "house churches", because they went house to house for the wrong reasons, and by beginning in their flesh, they finished in their flesh and found no harvest from the Holy Spirit.

My dad lives with us and he has been in the Apostolic Church for almost as long as me (he was my second convert), and he won't come to the meetings we host at our home. He attends a different "church" and while he's not against anything we do (though he did have some questions), he has not expressed any interest in being a part of it, even when it's happening in the very same home.

I'm not bothered by this. I just wait and pray for the day when things will change (not just with him, but with the brethren as a whole, who can't seem to find unity but rather divide over the smallest stuff, like, for example, whether meeting house to house is an acceptable form of Body life and ministry).

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

[QUOTE=votivesoul;1468705]We have been a part of an independent Apostolic assembly that meets home to home, for a few months more than two years now.

Hi can you tell me the basic doctrines in a few lines..if possible?
Except the standards like : God is one,baptism with water and spirit living a holy life ,do you have any different dogmas about the church?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

given a vision of a tornado tearing through, that at first looked like it was sent to destroy, but rather, instead caused a path to be created in its wake for people to follow, so the Lord could lead His people out of the places He no longer desired them to be.

The fruit that God is giving is not what might be normally expected, but it's much sweeter and of a greater, lasting quality.[/QUOTE]


Im right with you on being non confrontational.

One thing I've learned is that sometimes it isn't enough to simply want to leave the situation you're in to somewhere else God wants you...That in itself isn't enough to achieve "escape velocity." You must sometimes in addition to wanting to leave be ejected.

Think Moses and Israel leaving Egypt....When it was all said and done they left but they were ejected by Pharoah*probably a typo* as well.

I think it may have to do with sometimes things getting so bad that when we leave we get as much distance as possible from what we are leaving that we don't come back.

Just my thoughts...

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

[QUOTE=peter83;1468740]You can start here:

http://www.abundantlifejanesville.com/page/info_center

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

[QUOTE=votivesoul;1468768]AMEN!
I ask because in Greece church is a little different .And in this situation your opinion can count for me.
For example the "greek oneness apostolic" church believes that salvation,new birth is something distinct from the holy spirit baptism.There for they believe that if a person repents and be baptize in Jesus name then is "saved" and new born. And only after that he can ask for the holy spirit.
Ok there are some upci also and some people who only meet at homes.
But general in Greee all the churches who came from a "mother" USA church trinitarians and oneness all teach the same doctrines about ..profesional preachers,tithing,woomen preaching,help of music for worship,prewriting messages, etc .Things that i do not agree (because i do not see this in bible)
I attent a trinity church last months (baptize both titles and Jesus name) and except that all the rest are biblical.
I pray to God to meke me know His will.But also i have a strong faith that the gospel in Greece must be and will be only about the cross with the power of the holy spirit , not with human wisdom and of course free for all without money or any deceit.
This church i found is biger than all the evangelical,trinitarian and oneness together with not any profetional paid pastor.this was that gave to me a question..how is this possible and then when i was thre and all was filling with the holy spirit without any helps but with a simplicity,that make me to think about ...where i stand until now and what was my faith about.
After that i loose any interest for "make an atmosphere" emotional humping screaming and all that.(i do not judge them ,but this is something cultural i think that dont and will not have an upplication in greek culture).And from onw side i thank God for all that,from the other i cry about the shredded body of Christ.

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

What church is that?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

a independent church?

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

This understanding would definitely bear witness with Mark 16:16-18, and Acts 2:38 too. That is wonderful to hear!


So you don't believe in professional preachers, tithing, women preachers, help of music for worship, and prewriting messages. I think I could agree with you in all of these things, except maybe the music, because music is not prohibited in any way in the NT, and we know instruments were used throughout the OT to worship the Lord.

I believe in giving, as the Lord has blessed, and not calling it "tithing" as the system of the OT changed at Calvary, including the priesthood/tithing etc. But giving to the ministry, to those who are working in the ministry, I do absolutely believe they should receive for their efforts. But it should be as the Lord blesses you and allows you to give, and not a burden of a certain amount.

The hype and the screaming that goes on and is called "worship" in many circles - yes, I agree with you on that. I can see where the Greek culture would not be accepting of that. Too bad they can't see that and tone things down.

You have a wonderful spirit and it is great to have you here participating in discussions with us. May the Lord bless you :)

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

So thankful that the Lord has blessed you with a group of people to meet with. Praying that revival fires break out in your midst! And would appreciate your prayers for our little group too :)

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

God bless you!:thumbsup

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

oh i did something wrong with how i queted previous message?
Any way ny answers are mixed up with your post with an *
:happydance

Re: Azusa Street Testimonies
 

[/QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord (Post 1468872) This understanding would definitely bear witness with Mark 16:16-18, and Acts 2:38 too. That is wonderful to hear!

God bless you!