Promoting the Expression of Spiritual Gifts

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by larrylyates

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.

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

[larrylyates]

Originally Posted by Luke

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.

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.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Farfel

How many AG churches have you been in?

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?

[larrylyates]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

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

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.

[navygoat1998]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

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?

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

[Jay]

Originally Posted by Luke

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.

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.

[Michael The Disciple]

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.

[Jay]

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.

[Michael The Disciple]

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

[Jay]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

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

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.