Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

http://georgeowood.com/promoting-the...iritual-gifts/

Article written by Dr George Wood General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Good article.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Good article.

... house churches... ;)

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Great article! I agree with the House Church concept being key. Our groups are functionally and theoretically different than what Aquila has in place but the principle is the same and it works!

The point made in this article needs to be driven home to every Pastor and member.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I've noticed that in most of the traditional Apostolic churches I've attended, only a select few are permitted to operate in their spiritual gifts. Most people don't even know how to cultivate the gifts of the Spirit.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I never knew there to be any expression of the gifts the times I was in an AOG church. Im sure there must have been some around. It is true you hear MUCH less about the gifts than several decades ago.

Yes house Churches in my experience have been the place for gifts to be manifest. It does not HAVE to be that way just is. And then again gifts can manifest ANYWHERE thank God.

I worked with a man in the 70's who had hurt his back weightlifting. He was in great pain. I asked if I could pray for him. He said sure and I did.

Well the next time we saw each other (that day) he told me he was well. Then he went all around the shop telling what had happened.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Sad, but unfortunately true. We are fortunate to have a Pastor with insight and vision. Even with that it took a while to make the requisite paradigm shift. The "old ones" still cling to the old ways. But we have fostered an atmosphere of aggressive ministry and train our people how to minister then turn them loose. Mistakes are made, accepted and gently corrected.

Much of our ministry is in the community. We go out in teams of two with specific targets and goals. Our method of praying for the sick is different, more aggressive, some would say militant. But it works. It's not your mamas Church!

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

THAT is how it's meant to be. That's the Gospel of the Kingdom being lived out.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

How many AG churches have you been in?

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

i agree that there is a great need for christians to opperate the gifts of the Spirit. More than the world needs to hear our clever arguments and witty sermons they need to see the manifest awesome power of our living GOD. Quick question though why do you suppose the gifts seem so lacking in many christians?

I have a few theorys but would love to get ya'lls imput.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I don't agree it has to be a house church. Medium sized churches don't seem to have that problem.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Here's my 2 cents (can't find my nickel).
Acts 2:42
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:46
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 20:20
And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1 Corinthians 16:15
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

Philippians 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

When the Church began to accept the "separation" between clergy and laity and stopped seeing every person as a minister, they also began to allow men without the Spirit to think for them. The anointing of the Spirit lifted. before long there was no difference between the world and the Church. Christianity became a religion, not a relationship. Doctrines and understandings were lost.

I believe that only when we return to NT patterns, principles and priorities will we begin to experience NT power and results.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

In the 70's I was a sometimes visitor at Bethel Temple AOG in Dayton Ohio with Pastor David Flowers. I went to a revival at another AOG church in Dayton where a preacher named John Wesley Fletcher was holding a revival.

Now I cant recall any others at the moment so yes my experience with them is mostly drawn from people I have talked to that had more experience with them than me or from studying the various movements.

Im quite aware that there are millions of Spirit filled and therefore potentially gifted saints among them. My point was just they were considered kind of the more quiet and sophisticated Pentecostals in comparison to the groups I frequented.

So are the gifts flowing among AOG groups now?

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

True! And we don't use the same concept as some. We are a medium size Church our CARE TEAM acronym means Connect And Relate Everyone--Together Everyone Achieves Miracles. they are an extension of the Church and function as conduits for training, ministry and outreach.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Michael have been AG for the last 7 or 8 years and much of it depends on the Church. I have been in AG churches that the Holy Ghost was upfront and present and others that I felt like asking them to remove the word Pentecostal from their name.

Here In Jacksonville we have been involved with a medium size and very large AG Church. The Holy Ghost would fall in the very large church just as quick as it did in the medium size.

The old pastor at Evangel temple (Large church) preached a Holy Ghost message last year on the Day of Pentecost that would rival any UPC church I have been in. (I mean that as compliment to him and those UPC pastors)

This brother is 70 years old and the move of God was something else. It has been that they reserve more of the Spirit led services for the evening but not always.

Another time my wife gave her testimony to the young teen and student group at Evangel Temple and they were rolling in the Gifts. Tongues were falling interpretations and words were been given they were laying hands on it did my heart good. They are being brought up in the Lord to utilize the Promise of the Father.

I have seen some AG churches that swing, others that need life support and others that are very balanced.

I think that most of that has to do with the Pastor.

My last one was a balanced swinger

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I believe that the reason that we do not 'see' the gifts utilized is for a very few simple reasons. A couple were already mentioned above and need no reiteration.

However, I believe that we often look for the gifts to be used in a flashy and obvious manner. There are occasions when this is the case, but I believe that their uses is far more subtle than we often believe. For this reason, people will speak of an individual that seems to have the right answer for every situation, but no one realizes that they are actually using the Word of Wisdom, simply because it is not making itself obvious. How many times do we see pastors make use of the gift of knowledge during the preaching, but it goes unknown because the people invovled do not announce that it was their situation that was being dealt with?

Obviously, we expect prophecy, miracles, tongues, and interpretation of tongues to be more visible, but that is only due to their inherent nature.

I believe that we often do not see the gifts of the Spirit in use because the people of God are not looking with eyes that see. For this reason, we have people bemoaning their absence, when in reality, they were hiding in plain sight all along.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Friends,

I think there is another aspect being missed. Its not so much that there is no encouragement to use gifts as there is simply the lack of the power of God in the individual believers.

I mean in times past it seemed the gifts were fairly common among Charismatic/Pentecostals. In those days you heard teaching about desperate seeking for God. Hours of prayer. Times of fasting. Obedience at all costs.

Topics like these seem distant nowadays. People instead are told to just expect gifts regardless of their lifestyles. Topics like these are nowadays for the most part absent.

Do a search on this Forum for threads about prayer life. About fasting. I have not done it but I have been here since the beginning and I can hardly remember ANY that were the title of a thread.

Not to mention how the topics of holiness and loving truth are treated as if they were very harmful to ones health.

So its not merely having a place to use gifts. Gifts must first be present before they can be used.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I looked for things under topics such as young ministers, fasting, fast, etc. I have found only about 5 threads in the first 3 or 4 pages that mentioned fasting that were an easy find. I must sadly agree. There is very little discussion here to be easily found concerning the issues of fasting, prayer, and dare I even say, Bible reading/study.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Right Jay. It used to be understood that prayer and Bible study were the very cornerstone of a Christians life.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I would say that we should start a thread dedicated to the purpose of discussing the importance of prayer, fasting, and the reading/study of the Word. There are many things that I am certain we would find in such a study, and it would help all of us learn the Word.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

It is so needful. What I noticed years ago is people balk at that kind of discussion. I think they believe if you share insight about it that you are trying to boast and lift yourself up. Therefore people shy away from such topics because they know they will be seen as arrogant and prideful.

Nonetheless it would be worth it to give it a shot.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Well, I am willing to get it started. Are you going to kick off the topic, or should I?

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Go ahead Jay. Im a third shift person so don't know how long before I will be back.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Got it. I am still working for yet another hour, and that will be enought time to get it set up anyway. After that, we will have to trust that it does not get buried to deeply.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

please start the thread, I'm looking forward to following it and participating in it.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

First, I believe that we are living in, the Laodicean, Apostasy of 2 Thess. 2

And as someone mentioned, I believe it started with the separation of Clergy and Laymen. And in Pentecost, when they Organized into Denominations. With this, many became little kings over little kingdoms and reminds me of Israel crying, “Give us a King.” Not only that many have made it a business, with the building of bigger Temples.

And when the service is all planned out ahead of time, where is the place where the Holy Ghost can lead by using the gifts of the Spirit? There really is not the freedom.

Neither is there freedom in teaching or even Bible study. You are expected to believe the same things that your Pastor believes. And if a member does extensive Bible study, and finds some things different than the Pastor---woe to that saint. Being a very shy person, in my younger days, I sat for 4o yrs, under different Pastors that I knew was not teaching all of the Truth. Finally I opened my mouth and was told, “The sheep can go no farther than the Shepard.” And finally, God showed me to leave.

I have had many good and kind Pastors, yet, you dare not mention, the Paganism in the churches. Especially Christmas and Easter.

I believe we have to go back to the Foundation, and Jesus is constantly trying to bring us there. I believe that God is as grieved, even more so, than I am, when I see the condition of our churches.

When Israel sinned, God let persecution come upon them, until they cried out for deliverance.
I see the same thing happening today.
I think we all know that the One World Government is on our doorstep. I find that not many realize the dangers of a One World Religion, that is already set up. And that the Leaders of the One World Government has made the statement, “That they can not have a OWG, without a One World Religion, where all Religions worship together. “ There are many working toward the same end, for instance the Pope. And many Protestant Denominations have joined together, for instance, “ Protestant's and Catholic's Together” which was organized by Billy Graham and other famous Leaders.

We nit-pick on many things, while a Religious Persecution is staring us in the face. Although it grieves me to the point of sorrow, I believe that this is when the Wheat will come to the surface, and God will lead them with all of the Gifts of the Spirit. While the chaff will join the One World Religion.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Only those that believes the Truth and seeks for Truth and not church dogma, will be spared from the “strong delusion.”

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

I have the thread up. Title is Three Critical Disciplines.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

:thumbsup

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

:thumbsup Count me in!

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Fear.

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

BIG ONE! But I would go further and add that it is both, fear of man, "how will I look if I fail?" "What if I mess up?"

The other is sadly, the fear of the unknown. We shy away from that with which we are unfamiliar.

Brethren, these things aught not be...

Re: Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts
 

Derek Prince teaching on Exercising Spiritual Gifts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THa58YZgbOI