Ratio of Spirit Baptism

[Bro Flame]

Congregationally, what's the ratio of attendees in your home church (or churches you're affiliated with) that have received the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in other tongues?

As Apostolic churches, there is, perhaps to varying degrees, an emphasis placed on new converts to be baptized with the Spirit and speak in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

I recall an evangelistic meeting held at my church some time last year. At the conclusion of the meeting, the evangelist speaking gave a call for those that had yet to receive Spirit baptism to come to the front of the sanctuary and have others help them pray to hopefully receive it. It was at that time that two members of a different church that were there visiting walked to the front in hopes of being filled with the Spirit.

(By the way, the lady that walked up front was filled with the Spirit that evening.)

Getting to the point, after that meeting, I recall my Pastor saying how he guessed it was time for new converts to start rolling in because everyone in our church (excluding the youngest children) has long been filled with the Spirit.

What's the ratio of Spirit-filled believers in your looking assembly?

[hometown guy]

Are you meaning regular faithful attendees?? Mostly all because if they don’t have the baptism of the Holy Ghost most of the time it’s unrepented sin in their life. In general people that don’t want to repent don't stick around much because they don’t like the conviction.

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by hometown guy

Are you meaning regular faithful attendees?? Mostly all because if they don’t have the baptism of the Holy Ghost most of the time it’s unrepented sin in their life. In general people that don’t want to repent don't stick around much because they don’t like the conviction.

I'm speaking of the people you would refer to as "the core" of the church.

So yes, the faithful ones.

[Michael The Disciple]

I read a few years ago only one in 4 members of the Assemblies of God have the baptism with tongues.

[diakonos]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

I read a few years ago only one in 4 members of the Assemblies of God have the baptism with tongues.

Right, but that’s not even the topic.

[diakonos]

I couldn’t provide answers. I attend a church that does everything in Español. So I don’t know if they are speaking in tongues or in Spanish.

Generally speaking, not specific to my church, I do not believe that most tongue talkers actually speak in tongues. Speaking of Apostolic attendees, not trinitarians.

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

I read a few years ago only one in 4 members of the Assemblies of God have the baptism with tongues.

The percentage of Spirit baptism among Trinitarian Pentecostal denominations is dwindled significantly in the past few decades.

As multiple websites have declared, it seems that less than half (perhaps less than 40 percent?) of the worldwide membership of the Assemblies of God have received the Spirit and spoken in other tongues. Similar percentages are collected when analyzing the Church of God, the Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Foursquare Gospel Church, and other Trinitarian Pentecostal organizations.

It seems, from my understanding at least, that once these denominations let go of certain outward expectations of holiness, they also left go of certain doctrines on Spirit baptism and its necessity. A decade or so ago, the Assemblies of God held a headquarters conference and tabled the idea of changing their doctrinal stance on the "initial evidence" of Spirit baptism always being tongues. There seems to be a divide: the elders that adhere to revivalist-style classical Pentecostal views see tongues as the only evidence, while the younger and more socially "progressive" evangelical Charismatic-types see a variety of spiritual gifts and experiences as valid evidence of Spirit baptism.

The doctrinal debate was settled: the Assemblies of God still holds to the view that speaking in tongues is the only Biblical evidence of a believer being baptized with the Holy Ghost.

However, this hasn't stopped some of the more evangelical and Charismatic-type preachers, evangelists, and missionaries to emerge in the Assemblies of God, who don't stress that viewpoint at all. The majority of their churches have vacated their Pentecostal roots for evangelical feel-good preaching with so-called lively, yet obviously Charismatic-inspired worship and sermons.

Other Trinitarian Pentecostal organizations, the Church of God, in particular, seem to have stayed somewhat more grounded in their view on Spirit baptism and the initial evidence of it.

In saying all of that, this is entirely off topic because I was referring to the home Apostolic churches that members here are a part of its church body.

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by diakonos

Generally speaking, not specific to my church, I do not believe that most tongue talkers actually speak in tongues. Speaking of Apostolic attendees, not trinitarians.

Would you mind clarifying your statement in bold please?

[diakonos]

Originally Posted by Holy Roller

Would you mind clarifying your statement in bold please?

On what do you need clarity?

[Michael The Disciple]

I suppose if one has been in a certain Church for a long time they might be able to speak with confidence how many in the group have spoken in tongues and how many have not.

I am attending a Church of probably 70-80 people. I have only had quality fellowship with a few of them outside of the Pastor. I would hope that all of them have received the Holy Ghost.