AGs will debate Tongues at the next GC

[bkstokes]

I have been informed that at the next General Council there will be a serious debate amongst the AGs concerning the intial evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. The majority of the AC churches that are located outside of the Bible belt are now trying to appeal to more nominal people and thus they are less and less of them in these churches who are actually receiving the Holy Spirit. This group that is moving away from the baptism of the Holy Spirit represents between 60 to 80 percent of the movement. Thus, some are speculating that things could actually boil to a head that results in the minority calling for a spliting off.

[SDG]

One AOG linked pastor gives his position on the matter here ...

http://www.michianachristianembassy....?pageID=306543

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

One AOG linked pastor gives his position on the matter here ...

http://www.michianachristianembassy....?pageID=306543

'

Looks like this pastor may want an affirmation statement ....

We need much more than signatures on an application or credential renewal form to secure our fellowship’s Pentecostal posterity. If we concentrate on lifting him up (just as Moses lifted up the serpent), He promised to draw all men to Himself. But if we seek to draw men using the wisdom and fallen appetites of an unregenerate market, we will forsake the God behind the blessing and start burning incense to a snake, statue, icon, relic, saint, ecumenical global network, or even tongues. Don't despair though; godly tongues will continue to inevitably follow the passionate pursuit of Christ as sure as thunder follows lightning, whether it is in an Assemblies of God sanctuary or somewhere else. It’s not too late though… seek Him and all will be given you.

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

One AOG linked pastor gives his position on the matter here ...

http://www.michianachristianembassy....?pageID=306543

I thought this portion to be interesting taken from the post:

In Church after Church, the passionate preaching of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit was not a high priority, and that in too many cases the free exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit was discouraged in the Sunday Morning worship services due to their unnerving affect on visiting guests. Side rooms designated for prayer, or alternative services altogether were set up for those who needed to scratch their Pentecostal itch. This progressive slide into purposeful seekerism, accompanied by the relentless quest for audience approval ratings has caused many to push the Holy Spirit into the back rooms of the church; or out of it altogether. Our young generation of ministers is learning all too well that the “old paths” are not considered relevant to meeting the felt needs of today’s emerging crowd.

[Pastor Keith]

Very good stuff, very relevant to our own struggles, here is another portion:

They also lament, “Just when I bring a friend, Sister Ozman or Brother Seemore goes off in tongues and freaks them out! Can't we do that stuff some other time?” The despondent Pastor goes back to his study trying to figure out how to pursue a community shaking move of God while at the same time not offending the seekers with embarrassing outbursts from the Holy Spirit who, it appears, knows nothing about drawing and keeping a crowd. He pushes aside his copies of Wigglesworth, Tozer, Ravenhill, and the Azusa Papers, and reaches for a Ministers periodical that just came in the mail. Instead of finding a confirming voice in the midst of the storm, he finds a condemning voice chiding him for his irrelevance, while offering yet another “leadership weekend” to train him in how to effectively attract today’s crowd.

[SDG]

Apparently the AG Supt. George Wood is trying to keep the unity ....

He is pro-tongues as initial evidence ... Here is an article he wrote 4 years ago ...

It's shared by his son ... at his blog space ....

http://www.georgepwood.com/2007/07/2...e-holy-spirit/

[StillStanding]

Good stuff! This sounds exactly like they've been writing about Christ Church.

[SDG]

A young group of bloggers have written about some of the issues facing the AG here ...

A blog called FUTUREAG

They seem pretty active in seeking change within the AG ...

Note the polls and some of the articles deal w/ the issue of tongues ...

Not sure on their position on this matter.

http://futureag.blogspot.com/

[bkstokes]

What Keith posted from the article that Daniel cited is true. I have heard about more and more of their big churches having seeker rooms.
An AG evangelist said that the majority of those who do receive the Holy Ghost receive the experience in their children camps. In other words, outside of their home churches.

[SDG]

This group (FutureAG) was instumental in somehow creating a very well designed and functional site called

AGThinkTank

it is promoting what they deem as congregational reform, denomonational reform ... apparently it is run by Woods' son, George P. Wood. It may give some insight to the debates and issues within the AG.

http://www.agthinktank.com/