The Assemblies of God:
"God's Wackiest Children"
"God's Wackiest Children"
The Pentecostal movement is one that should be blamed, more than any other, for making Christians seem crazy.
Not that we aren't.
Good things first though, the Ass. of God has come up with more outside the box ways of reaching out to people than anything I've seen. Probably because believing in things like secret prayer languages and divine healing will always appeal to an outside-the-box thinker.
In California, the Dream Center (sounds creepy and new age right?) is pretty much the hub for outreach in the city of LA. They have some amazing ideas, my two favorites are their ministry to prostitutes where they give them white roses and share the Gospel. The other is just hilarious because it reminds me of entrapment, they get a mechanic, a minister and a driver and cruise the highways for broken down cars. They spot one, pull over and start fixing it while the minister delivers the Gospel. What's the stranded motorist gonna do? Run through the six lanes of traffic to the other side?
Now the problems.
If you look at the doctrinal statements of most major denominations you will find a some common core ideas, fundamental aspects of Christianity that even the "crazy" denominations hold to.
Pentecostal doctrine does not subtract from any of those basic elements. But it does add to them. It is in these additions where my biggest complaints rest.
They are divine healing and speaking in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Now, I don't doubt the existence of miracles or acts of healing. What I hate is the promotion of these things before Christ. If there is one consistent element in Jesus' ministry to the sick, diseased, and dying it is that forgiveness of sins is what they really needed. Any alleviation of physical ailment was secondary. Just like prosperity gospel, this emphasis on divine healing subjects God to man, using him as a bridge to something else. If you read the gospels, especially the story of John the Baptist (in Luke 7) it becomes pretty clear that the only thing we need to be fully satisfied in the Gospel is the love of the glory of God, by whatever means that may be best accomplished.
On the issue of speaking in tongues, I'm not against the idea of a secret prayer language, mostly because I've actually heard it. It was a powerful Spirit filled moment. I think people who debunk it obviously don't have the gift and should see it in practice before they start belittling. However the Ass. of God claim that when someone receives the Holy Spirit they speak in a tongue...anyone who hasn't has yet to receive the Spirit. Obviously I have a problem because I have the Holy Spirit, and I've never spoken in a tongue.
Should you doubt that I possess the Holy Spirit let me explain something...I'm on the internet at 4 am, completely alone and I have no inclination whatsoever to look at dirty pictures on the web. That addiction didn't just slowly die of old age and I didn't just all of a sudden lose the urge. For no reason other than I have a desire for things completely different than what I once desired am I writing for about an hour before going to bed every night...about Jesus.
So while the Assembly of God has made no shortage of emphasis placed on the Holy Spirit, they have in their obsession muddled their doctrine and broken the command to add nothing to scripture.
But then, haven't we all?
By the time I'm done, I'd hope that everyone could know that was the truth, not just read it and think, gee...that's an interesting idea.
Not that we aren't.
Good things first though, the Ass. of God has come up with more outside the box ways of reaching out to people than anything I've seen. Probably because believing in things like secret prayer languages and divine healing will always appeal to an outside-the-box thinker.
In California, the Dream Center (sounds creepy and new age right?) is pretty much the hub for outreach in the city of LA. They have some amazing ideas, my two favorites are their ministry to prostitutes where they give them white roses and share the Gospel. The other is just hilarious because it reminds me of entrapment, they get a mechanic, a minister and a driver and cruise the highways for broken down cars. They spot one, pull over and start fixing it while the minister delivers the Gospel. What's the stranded motorist gonna do? Run through the six lanes of traffic to the other side?
Now the problems.
If you look at the doctrinal statements of most major denominations you will find a some common core ideas, fundamental aspects of Christianity that even the "crazy" denominations hold to.
Pentecostal doctrine does not subtract from any of those basic elements. But it does add to them. It is in these additions where my biggest complaints rest.
They are divine healing and speaking in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Now, I don't doubt the existence of miracles or acts of healing. What I hate is the promotion of these things before Christ. If there is one consistent element in Jesus' ministry to the sick, diseased, and dying it is that forgiveness of sins is what they really needed. Any alleviation of physical ailment was secondary. Just like prosperity gospel, this emphasis on divine healing subjects God to man, using him as a bridge to something else. If you read the gospels, especially the story of John the Baptist (in Luke 7) it becomes pretty clear that the only thing we need to be fully satisfied in the Gospel is the love of the glory of God, by whatever means that may be best accomplished.
On the issue of speaking in tongues, I'm not against the idea of a secret prayer language, mostly because I've actually heard it. It was a powerful Spirit filled moment. I think people who debunk it obviously don't have the gift and should see it in practice before they start belittling. However the Ass. of God claim that when someone receives the Holy Spirit they speak in a tongue...anyone who hasn't has yet to receive the Spirit. Obviously I have a problem because I have the Holy Spirit, and I've never spoken in a tongue.
Should you doubt that I possess the Holy Spirit let me explain something...I'm on the internet at 4 am, completely alone and I have no inclination whatsoever to look at dirty pictures on the web. That addiction didn't just slowly die of old age and I didn't just all of a sudden lose the urge. For no reason other than I have a desire for things completely different than what I once desired am I writing for about an hour before going to bed every night...about Jesus.
So while the Assembly of God has made no shortage of emphasis placed on the Holy Spirit, they have in their obsession muddled their doctrine and broken the command to add nothing to scripture.
But then, haven't we all?
By the time I'm done, I'd hope that everyone could know that was the truth, not just read it and think, gee...that's an interesting idea.
1 comment:
Ok...who's next? I don't know enough Ass. of God to judge this one...I've only heard stories.
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