Allowing children to seek the Holy Ghost?

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

I would think God is stronger than satan. Why didn't it affect anyone else? I mean I was a good kid, followed all the rules, lived a holy life way better than any of the other heathens that God blessed with the baptism. It just didn't seem right.

Heathens? Wow. I find that very offensive. Walking away from this thread. Never thought I'd see the day when Pentecostal people wanted to protect their kids from the Holy Ghost. I'll say again, WHEN TAUGHT PROPERLY, it SHOULD be a beautiful experience. However, just like most things, we will explain our way out of this too...and then when our kids end up in a place where they REALLY need God, they won't know how to seek Him. SMH!!!

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

A little broad brushing there on your part I think. I don't know why you would address ex UPCers rather than UPC members. But that aside, a child seeking the Lord should never be motivated by fear whether placed by others or a misconstrued view of their Heavenly Father. When I became a Christian in my mid teens, and later spoke in tongues, I do not remember fear being the motivation - though I think I have seen it in some others.
It is wrong and yes I would intervene.

Without readying hardly any other post I will say that fear was definitely an initial motivator for me to seek out God. Receiving the HG was a wonderful experience and was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. Soon after fear became the big motivator again -fear of not attending enough church. Fear of disobeying or criticizing the "man of God". Fear of not being perfect and being lost to eternal torment because of the dumb luck of dying after the most minor sin is committed but before repenting of it.

Thankfully God gave me His spirit whilst standing by our seats during song service. Had I relied on the normal gangsta-prayer circle to "help" I would have most likely resisted, at which point many of them would have gone into full force mode and literally wrestled me to the front in order to cast out the demon that was obviously causing me to avoid the alter.

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

Heathens? Wow. I find that very offensive. Walking away from this thread. Never thought I'd see the day when Pentecostal people wanted to protect their kids from the Holy Ghost. I'll say again, WHEN TAUGHT PROPERLY, it SHOULD be a beautiful experience. However, just like most things, we will explain our way out of this too...and then when our kids end up in a place where they REALLY need God, they won't know how to seek Him. SMH!!!

Ok, well maybe I am just so far from apostolics/UPC folks anymore that I can't really relate.

I have heard this all before, "when it is taught properly". They used to have altar worker practice and class. I agree that some churches make it less painful.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

Ok, well maybe I am just so far from apostolics/UPC folks anymore that I can't really relate.

I have heard this all before, "when it is taught properly". They used to have altar worker practice and class. I agree that some churches make it less painful.

I would have to agree with this. And I think many are as you, been away too long. Did it used to be this way ? Sure, I remember some this way. But its been a long time ago. The UPC and most others have moved on from this. (As I say this, there is a new WPF church down the street that will beat the Holy Ghost into you if your willing to sit there long enough. And if you don't hold to the standards then your simply out of the will of God.)
However, I believe this is a common problem as time moves on, most have been away from it for so long they believe its still the same as it was and it's simply not true for the most part. You said it right when you stated; "They USED to have alter worker classes. "

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by scotty

I would have to agree with this. And I think many are as you, been away too long. Did it used to be this way ? Sure, I remember some this way. But its been a long time ago. The UPC and most others have moved on from this. (As I say this, there is a new WPF church down the street that will beat the Holy Ghost into you if your willing to sit there long enough. And if you don't hold to the standards then your simply out of the will of God.)
However, I believe this is a common problem as time moves on, most have been away from it for so long they believe its still the same as it was and it's simply not true for the most part. You said it right when you stated; "They USED to have alter worker classes. "

Yeah, I heard you go to a liberal church. You need to get back to that old time religion. J/K

[LadyRev]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

I have two young children. My daughter is 6 and my son is 3. It amazes me to think that they will never grow up knowing the fear and anxiety that I experienced while trying to seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost. This was such a huge part of my life and experience growing up and they will never know it.

Before I left the UPC I didn't know that I felt this way. Even after I left over doctrinal issues I still held to the belief in the initial evidence doctrine and still sought after the power of the Holy Ghost.

After we left our pastor didn't do much of the pentecostal stuff anymore. Over time we came to not long for it anymore. It wasn't until I had been out for maybe a year that I was watching a youtube clip that someone had posted of a child seeking the baptism of the Holy Ghost that the emotion and relief that I would never have to go through that again began to flood over me.

Then it hit me, my children will never have to go through that! See, I never really thought it was that bad until I thought of having to put my own children through a pentecostal altar service. They deserve my protection and to put them in the middle of that really scares me.

If I had not left the UPC how would I have handled it when they went to youth camp or even in our own church where the pressure to come to the altar is huge. Would I have had the ability to walk up to a hysterical altar scene and remove my child from that situation? Would I have protected my child from those people who would lay hands on them and tell them to "hold on hold on" in one ear and "let go, yield to God" in the other ear.

I am not trying to offend even though I know this may offend some. It just scares me to know that I might have allowed this to happen to my children. Second, I wonder why my parents didn't keep me from this as a child? I know they believe it and consider it a great experience. I still remember as an eight year old child my mother praying with me for hours at youth camp and all I wanted to do was make her happy and get the Holy Ghost. I felt comfortable with her but there were tons of other people around screaming and hollering in my ear.

Looking back, this was an overall terrible experience. I wonder sometimes how much damage this caused me over my lifetime. I have struggled a lot with confidence issues and with anxiety and I wonder if maybe I would have turned out different had I not been subjected to that torture at the altar call.

I even have this issue with some baptist that I have fellowshiped. They would always want to have an altar call after church and it really gave me a lot of anxiety. There is so much performance anxiety from my early years that I still have a very hard time praying in public or allowing people to pray for me.

So my questions;
Will you allow your children to seek after the Holy Ghost at a young age and if so,will you be defensive and protect them from a lot of the folks who surround them in the altar? I have seen preachers push down on people's heads and there is a lot of clapping and loud praying going on. There is a lot of emotion and things can get out of hand. My sister, who is still very pentecostal, rolled on the floor because the preacher said God wanted our sacrifice and to do something outrageous and a big lady fell on her. She was not injured, probably because of adrenaline, but she claimed at the time that she thought she was going to die but that God healed her instantly.

Also, if you will allow this seeking to happen, did you go through the same thing as a child or were you converted as an adult? See, my parents came to the apostolic faith in their late teen years so they would not have had the trauma of dealing with the altar call as a child. I don't think they were aware of how much this could damage their child. I didn't even know myself until years later when I started really thinking about this.

Wow. Totally amazing.

Theres alot I could say but suffice it to say that every "kid" should be allowed to experience the same thing I experienced as a "kid". That being...the miraculous infilling of the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

To think that my parents preferred that I remain Catholic and continue down the road of drinking and drugs (among other things) like my good Catholic classmates.

Thank God He got ahold of my life before damages were done! All those wonderful apostolics yelling in my ear and laying hands on me were a blessing compared to what things my classmates were leading me into.

33 years later, I still enjoy the experience and enjoy sharing it with others. Especially with kids just like myself many years ago.

[Hoovie]

Interesting ladyrev.

As asidenote perhaps I'll start a new thread. I know Catholics and Lutherans and some other churches embrace alcohol consumption more than most Pentecostals... I am curious whether there are more or less alcoholics in each church. I have no real hard evidence, but I tend to think churches who preach against alcohol may have a greater propensity to crawl inside the bottle when members do indulge. I think this is true on a greater societal level too.

[deltaguitar]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Interesting ladyrev.

As asidenote perhaps I'll start a new thread. I know Catholics and Lutherans and some other churches embrace alcohol consumption more than most Pentecostals... I am curious whether there are more or less alcoholics in each church. I have no real hard evidence, but I tend to think churches who preach against alcohol may have a greater propensity to crawl inside the bottle when members do indulge. I think this is true on a greater societal level too.

That could be a great thread!

[MawMaw]

Yes, children should be allowed to seek the Holy Ghost.
Jesus said let the little children come unto me.
I've seen many children filled and none seemed terrorized
or scared.
God is working greatly in our church with the small children.
Truly amazing to see how they pray so sincerely at the altars.
I think God is well pleased.
Thank You Jesus.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

Yeah, I heard you go to a liberal church. You need to get back to that old time religion. J/K

lol, not really. But we ain't measuring skirts on the platform and smacking the Holy Ghost into people.