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| PentecostalTheology.com
I feel impelled to write you this most unusual pastoral letter. I do it out of deep concern and I ask you to hear my heart.
We are on the precipice of losing critical religious liberty protections in our country. Over the past 25 years, the Supreme Court has severely limited the traditional understanding of the First Amendment to the Constitution. While matters like selection of ministers and internal doctrinal issues are probably not under near-term threat, the Constitution is no longer interpreted by courts to give people of faith, as well as the schools and service ministries we form, the protection we need in order to fully live out the implications of our most cherished beliefs. Meanwhile state courts, legislatures and city councils around the country have moved to further narrow the protections granted for religious liberty, as their citizens must choose between adherence to religious faith and full participation in the public square.
The threats to religious freedom that are now upon us can be likened to the frog put into a pan of water placed on the stove. The water warms gradually and the frog does not realize its peril until it is too late to jump out of the pan.
Many evangelical and Pentecostal believers and leaders have not been previously alarmed at how the “pan” has been gradually heated in the assault against religious liberty. For example, in our own Fellowship I and district offices contacted nearly two thousand credentialed ministers to support a religious freedom bill just a month ago that was before a committee in the Missouri House of Representatives. Less than 15 percent of them even bothered to respond. The bill failed in committee and significant religious liberty protections were lost. We are like the situation described by Jesus in the parable of the weeds and the wheat: “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat” (Matt. 13:25). We have largely been sleeping. Have we awakened too late?
I trust not.
Certainly the pending act (as of this writing) in the California legislature should wake us up. The California Senate passed Senate Bill 1146 which would either force schools like our own Vanguard University to radically change their mission or close down. The bill seeks both to shame faith-based colleges and universities and to declare their students unworthy of benefits that are made available by the state to every other similar institution in California. Vanguard’s president, Dr. Mike Beals, stated: “This means that mission-based aspects of religious colleges and universities, which include prayer in classes, chapel services, spiritual formation activities and faith-infused curriculum, as well as requiring a statement of faith for admission and requiring ministry-based service experiences would be at risk if Senate Bill 1146 is passed as is.” The bill is an intentional and all-out assault on our religious distinctives.
As I write, the bill is under consideration by a House committee. The fact that it passed the state Senate and is under consideration by the state House should ring a ten-alarm bell. If the attempt to gut religious liberty for colleges and universities is successful in California, you can be sure other dominoes will fall in California and across the country.
The secularists in our society seek to redefine the First Amendment protection of the “free exercise” of religion, to a mere right of worship. In other words, their view is: “If you are going to be bigoted in your pro-life views or your view that marriage is between a man and a woman and that fornication (both heterosexual and homosexual) is morally wrong—then you must confine your views within the four walls of your sanctuary. But don’t bring your bigotry into the public square.” A society that adopts such a view may be setting the stage for a future day when even a defense of biblical teaching on human sexuality from the pulpit will bring with it the risk of punishment by the government such as in the loss of our long-held tax-exempt status without which many ministries would not survive.
At a recent meeting I attended in Washington, D.C. that dealt with the protection of religious liberty, the keynote speaker stated: “We are in mortal combat in this country over religious liberty.” Don’t believe me? Consider what Harvard Law School professor Mark Tushnet has written:
No conservatives demonstrated any interest in trading off recognition of LGBT rights for “religious liberty” protections. Only now that they’ve lost the battle over LGBT rights, have they made those protections central—seeing them, I suppose, as a new front in the culture wars … [T]aking a hard line (“You lost, live with it”) is better than trying to accommodate the losers … Trying to be nice to the losers didn’t work well after the Civil War, nor after Brown [v. Board of Education]. (And taking a hard line seemed to work reasonably well in Germany and Japan after 1945.) … [T]he war’s over, and we won … [T]taking a hard line means opposing on both policy and constitutional grounds free-standing so-called “religious liberty” laws … It also means being pretty leery about … agreement by Christian conservatives to support extending general nondiscrimination laws to cover the LGBT community in exchange for including ‘religious liberty’ exemptions.
On this analogy, people of faith are as bad as the Confederates and Jim Crow segregationists, as bad as World War II-era German Nazis and Japanese militarists. And notice that Tushnet is not just opposing religious freedom protections in nondiscrimination laws, he’s also opposing “free-standing so-called ‘religious liberty’ laws.” This kind of derision, by a prominent professor at an elite law school, is troubling.
How did we reach the place where we are? Let me suggest the following four steps are taking place, which have brought us to this point.
Caricature
Let me illustrate what I mean by caricature. Picture a first-grade class. The teacher is a wonderful young woman in her late twenties with two small children at home. She leaves the room momentarily and the class clown goes to the blackboard or white board and draws a frowning stick figure and labels it “teacher.” The stick figure drawn bears no relation to reality except in the mind of the first grader who drew it.
So, what is the caricature being given to Bible-believing Christians by the secular left? “Hateful, mean, bigoted, narrow-minded” and a host of other terms. This caricature doesn’t bear any resemblance to the overwhelming majority of Christians who bring great value to society through how they live, work and contribute to the public good.
Someone has said, “If I can define you, I can confine you.” Once the caricature above attaches to believing Christians, we become identified through that false lens. Thus, for example, when we attempt to support religious freedom bills in legislatures, we are immediately defined as “haters.” Big businesses and the media target legislative members and engender public support for the idea that core religious rights that were long the subject of broad societal consensus, are in fact unjustifiable shields for “bigoted” religious people and institutions that must not be tolerated.
Marginalization
Once the caricature is drawn, then it becomes easy to move to the next step—marginalization.
Think of this, for example, why is it that there is no evangelical on the Supreme Court? Evangelicals are one of the largest minorities in the United States. But, our pro-life position and views on marriage are regarded as not acceptable and militate against an appointment to the Supreme Court—and beyond that, to appellate courts and district courts. Our views are simply unacceptable to the political powers that be and we are sidelined from the public square— marginalized.
Ask yourself when you vote in the 2016 election: Would this candidate for president or the senate be more likely to appoint or vote to confirm a person with a pro-life and pro-marriage position as between a man and a woman? Would the presidential candidate be more likely to appoint people who will uphold the protection of the free exercise of religion, or erode it further?
Since the Supreme Court has now become a super-legislature in our country, my vote for president and Congressional candidates will depend entirely on the answers to the above questions in view of the fact that the next president will shape the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the culture of America for the next several decades.
It would be a step forward for truer diversity with evangelicals on the Supreme Court as well as other federal and state courts and in the executive branch of government. But even more important is the appointment of men and women of whatever faith, who understand and respect the value of religious freedom. Otherwise, we will continually be forced out of the public square and marginalized into smaller and smaller spaces that Christians can live in.
Discrimination
Once you can make a caricature of a group and marginalize them, you can discriminate against them.
The biggest examples of that, from a legal point of view, are the recent cases before the Supreme Court of Hobby Lobby and the Little Sisters of the Poor. In both cases, the present administration forcefully sought to discriminate against persons who, because of religious belief, did not want to facilitate abortions. Those decisions hung by a slim thread in the Supreme Court. Hobby Lobby won by a 5-4 vote, and the Little Sisters of the Poor case was sent back down to the lower courts, in all likelihood, because a majority of opinion could not be reached on a divided 4-4 Court. The appointment of one more pro-abortion judge to the Supreme Court will result in a far different result. Are you concerned about that? Do you want Hobby Lobby owners (who are Assemblies of God members) to be forced to go out of business because of their commitment to Jesus or the Little Sisters of the Poor to disband and stop serving the poor because of their convictions on life?
Another example that is impacting Assemblies of God colleges and universities as well as all schools who are members of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) is a recent change in the Department of Education (DOE). President Obama’s DOE leadership was bothered that schools like our own are exempt from Title IX provisions that permit religious educational institutions to decline admittance to or retention of students on the basis of same-sex behavior or gender identity. The DOE headlined their policy change with the caption: “Hidden Discrimination.” Every school that applies for the exception (even though a valid legal argument exists that an exemption to Title IX is provided to religious schools without their having to apply for the exemption) is then publicly listed. The intent is to shame these schools for being “discriminatory.” In other words, Christian institutions are discriminated against because they hold to biblical teaching on sexual morality.
The discrimination plays out in different ways. For example, a Christian college president in the northeast co-signed a letter organized by a centrist group of religious leaders asking that a then-pending executive order by President Obama on LGBT rights leave schools like his in the same legal position as before. It was polite and gracious. The community in which the college was located became enraged that the college had that position. The local school board made a decision that it would no longer accept student teachers from that college, and various public facilities were denied for usage by the college.
Next on the horizon is the possibility that accrediting associations will determine that a school which has behavioral standards for students regarding same-sex or gender identity relationships is a school not worthy of accreditation, and/or that companies, school boards, and graduate schools will not admit or employ graduates of schools who “discriminate” on the basis of sexual orientation and identity. Schools will either be forced to accept standards imposed on them or go out of business.
Persecution
Step one: make a caricature of persons committed to scriptural teaching on morality. Step two: marginalize them. Step three: discriminate against them. Finally, the last stage: persecute them.
This is what is pending in the California legislature as I write—the outright persecution of Christian institutions by a state that says, “We will attempt to humiliate and marginalize you if you don’t give in.”
What’s next? Unless present trends are reversed, I can envision a day not too far off in which faith-based parachurch educational and compassion institutions are forced to close if they retain biblical standards of sexual conduct for employment, or even requirements that employees, faculty, or students profess a Christian commitment.
The local church itself will be the last domino to fall in terms of persecution. Tax-exempt status may be lost. Ministers could lose the ministerial housing allowance. Donors may not be able to deduct charitable contributions. Churches which utilize their facilities for public events and compassion ministry, in addition to their times of worship, will be declared public places of accommodation and forced to provide marriage services to same-sex couples.
If you say, “Oh, that can never happen in America,” then let me remind you that we never thought a day would come when the White House would be lit up with the rainbow flag to celebrate a decision by the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage.
I have never written anything like I am writing to you now. I realize that what I am writing paints a very dark picture. You are now asking yourself, but what can we do? Here are some suggestions.
Pray
There may be some who are cynical about a call to pray. But, we know the Lord hears the prayers of His people. Let’s take to heart 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We must pray for a third Great Awakening to come to America. Prayers of gratitude for the religious liberty we have enjoyed, and prayers of petition for its future protection should be an ongoing and regular part of our personal and corporate prayer life.
Engage
Use whatever means possible to exert your influence on our culture and political system. Be informed as a voter. Run as a candidate for office if you sense the Spirit asking that of you. Let your elected representatives hear from you on issues such as religious liberty protection.
It’s also vital that we understand that we advocate religious liberty for others, not just ourselves. It is against our religion to impose our religion. When we find persons, organizations, or religious bodies who stand with us on the First Amendment protection of the free exercise of religion, then we welcome their advocacy alongside our own.
Of course, being engaged requires being informed; helping those who worship in our churches every week to understand the nature of the challenges we face, honestly but without overstating, is a critical first step. Had Christians across Missouri truly understood what was at stake in the religious liberty bill that failed in that state legislature earlier this year, the outcome may have been different. We must educate in order to inspire action.
Watch Your Spirit
There’s a fascinating verse in Jude 9 that says, Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil in a dispute about the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce upon him a railing judgment. But he said, “The Lord rebuke you!'” In other words, Michael did not behave like the devil in fighting the devil. We must take to heart the admonition of the apostle Paul, “The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people …” Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will “grant them repentance to a know the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24–25). Let’s be gracious as we take our stand on issues that concern us.
Do Good
The world may not agree with our beliefs, but they cannot deny when we do good. As individual believers and as a church together we must continue to serve others. We must be known as people of compassion and mercy. We are for the just treatment of others and we help the poor, the needy, the addicted, the wounded, the lonely and the downtrodden.
Keep Doing the Main Things
Our first and foremost call is to preach and live the gospel. Let’s keep the main things the plain things, and the plain things the main things. We must fulfill both the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18–20) and the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37–39). That’s our priority! Let’s never substitute evangelism and discipleship with political action. Let’s keep eternal matters and temporal matters in perspective.
Our Battle Is Spiritual
God loved the world and so must we. We cannot give others any reason to identify us a “haters” or “bigots.” The world will not be won by Christians who are shaking their fists at sinners. Something is a truism when it is true. This truism is true: “We must hate the sin and love the sinner.” “For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:12–13).
Rejoice
Nothing happening has caught the Lord by surprise. He told us we would be persecuted because of our loyalty to Him. But we are not to be angry about that or downcast. Instead, Jesus said: “
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.12 Rejoice and be very glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in this manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:10–12).
Thank you for letting me share my heart with you on this vital matter of religious liberty. In every dark time, believers have learned to say anew, “The Lord reigns!” 
George O. Wood is general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA) and chair of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.
Charles Page
clear endorsement of not voting for Hillary!!!
Varnel Watson
Karen Lucas David Lewayne Porter sure seems they can if they are AoG
David Lewayne Porter
Not legally, not if 501c3
Varnel Watson
https://thewayofimprovement.com/2016/10/12/the-liberty-university-student-body-calls-out-falwell-jr/
Karen Lucas
Right. He wasn’t technically endorsing from the university. He was personally endorsing but the connection is so close. This is why a lot of pastors refrain from personally endorsing anyone – because they are so closely associated with their church.
David Lewayne Porter
And tax status laws.
Varnel Watson
One lonely rider on the political church arena…
Varnel Watson
Give us an alternative please! Karen Lucas Seems like AoG people has left Bro. George as a voice in the political wilderness
Matthew Bixby
Good word. Listen and be proactive and vigilant in this day we live. Titus 2.
Stan Wayne
10/15/16 is almost a year
Varnel Watson
Enough with the dubious timing comments on every post I make. If you havent heard yet Wood was just forced to step down because of his stand. Personal reasons were cited while political clearance was under question. Our aog is in crises and all we hear from this “Jersey shore” wanna be poster is the date. The re-post is time appropriate except if you are clueless of what just happened in in the world of american Pentecostalism and politics this week Get with the schedule already
Joseph Kidwell
This is a very good letter. It’s really sad that the GOP chose the most ungodly candidate of the 16 options that they had to be their standard bearer.
Stan Wayne
Not really
Jan Dixon Sykes
Well their “ungodly candidate” gave pastors their freedom of speech back.
Ira Huth
Amen Jan Dixon Sykes!!! He wasn’t running for a office in the Body of Christ. I think why some and it might not be true with everyone can’t grasp the issues with Trump ( not everything he does is perfect, but there again show me the perfect Christian and Church) is they are tickling the itching ears of their congregation or and friends without looking at and weighing the true facts. True facts in our great Nation that started and ended the American Revolution. Facts with ideology that has and is trying to divided our Nation and the Body of Christ.
Ira Huth
And unfortunately this is where we are heading if people and some in the Body of Christ don’t wake up and start walking in righteousness and justice.
God help us !!!!!’
Jan Dixon Sykes
I keep saying, Ira, while some were waiting demanding a Clydesdale, God chose an ass to change Balaam and a cock to change Peter, so he can certainly use a Trump critter to change America. I don’t need a Clydesdale to carry my policies. I needed a good pack mule. If he brays and hangs out with other mules, what do I care?
Joseph Kidwell
Jan Dixon Sykes LOL!!!
Street Preacherz
It’s really sad that the Dems only had one candidate. And such a corrupt candidate. She was so vain she didn’t even come to Wisconsin. Which nobody wanted to call until 2:30 a.m. with her threats to kill mining. Which many Americans call their heritage. Her back trail is one of broken women, abuse of power, lies and let’s not forget the starving people of Hati. I say this in fairness with no desire to speak ill of anyone only as point of clarification. Some values run deeper than others, sure, no escape from that. I ask only that you remember the same great God that rules in heaven rules in the affairs of men. You have been over ruled.
Joseph Kidwell
Ira Huth, if you consider supporting a sexual predator for President “walking in righteousness and justice” then we define those terms much differently.
Street Preacherz
Bishop please…
Stan Wayne
Which person running wasn’t a “sexual predator”
Street Preacherz
This kind of strife really pains the heart of a man.
Ira Huth
Brother Joseph Kidwell I was not talking about Trump I was talking about all of us in the Body of Christ. 2 Timothy is not talking about Government officials, unbelievers it is talking about all of us Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Just to clear and clarify.
Street Preacherz
I had to speak to pastor friend of mine one time. He decided to have a men’s night. Saturday night he rented the UFC pay per view. He showed it in the sanctuary. I told him as kindly as I could. Are you going to yell “kill him, kill him in God’s house on Saturday night and pray oh God heal him by your mighty power on sunday morning. He told me, oh I’m not preaching tomorrow. The bishop is. He told me later the Bishop rebuked him pretty hard.
Why say this? I don’t know how many of you will be praying tonight. Or hitting the streets but this is not going to help. Brothers please, peace!
Stan Wayne
Street Preacherz not strife bro – we are sitting at work taking breaks from monotonous work and relaxing with likeminded friends and sharpening dull brains
Street Preacherz
Sure. Ok I’m chicken. I shake my head sometimes. You a church full of the holy ghost love God. Praying against conservatives asking for their plans to fail. Then you hear conservatives pray asking God to stop the ammoral flood of progressives. I just don’t like it when it becomes vicious and personal. Then call for a prayer meeting???
Stan Wayne
Street Preacherz you’re a good man
Street Preacherz
The devil has a lot traps. We have a lot of liberty in this country. Be a shame to squander it.
Terri Tippins
The GOP should apologize to Bill Clinton after voting for Trump. They have no influence with me whatsoever.
Stan Wayne
I love Trump and appreciate his apparent favor toward evangelicals and conservative Jews – and concerns that Christians have – I hope he grows in the direction of the Lord
Terri Tippins
I have to admire that Stan. But Trump is using Evangelicals, Jews or whoever. Trump is a chameleon. He can be whatever he has to be to get what he wants. I don’t know how Christians can ignore his blatant lies and narcissism. Baby Christian indeed.
Ira Huth
Sorry Terri Tippins you are totally wrong I personally know people good honest trustworthy people the truly know him personally AND YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG AND MISS INFORMED. WHY DO THINK THAT SOME IN THE GOP IS TRYING TO GET READ OF HIM. BECAUSE HE IS THE OPPOSITE HE WANTS TO TRULY CLEANS THINGS. YOU WILL SEE!!!
Jan Dixon Sykes
Trump lies? Yeah, his two languages of hyperbole and number sticker are imprecise. But he doesn’t speak Orwellian like all the politicians who use phrases intended to deceive. Cruz, chief among them.
Ira Huth
You know Jan Dixon Sykes I don’t know anything about you, I don’t know how you got in this group, but the comments that you are making is number 1 not true not based on true but false factual evidence. That being said, this is not my main concern in my Spirit concerning your comments on this subject. What is really grieving and saddening my Spirit is the tone, demeanor with no Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Which then if you yield to the Fruit and then you focus on yielding to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, because in order to be used with the Gifts you have to have the Fruit the evidence which is in our heart thinking an tongue. Then you and to be honest, also with some Ministers would not always look at the right and wrong with critical issues of disagreement. Wisdom through the Holy Spirit would strongly be evident. You would be able to walk in the power of discernment for one example. Or one of the other 8 Gifts through the power of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. That is my prayer for all in the Body of Christ and our great Nation.
God Bless!!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
http://bible.com/1/gal.5.22-23.KJV
Joseph Kidwell
Terri Tippins, you are exactly right. Trump is an admitted sexual predator.
Ira Huth
Brother Joseph Kidwell what we’re you and all of us like before and after we came to Christ ? What was all of our hearts like before and after ? Only God, the Holy Spirit and each individual knows the true content of their hear. And sometimes the individual don’t even know or thinks they know.
Stan Wayne
All men are sexual predators unless they are very committed believers – with willing wives – stupid to expect more – it’s like calling salmon predators because they all swim upstream
Ira Huth
Run away from youthful lusts–pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels. The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone [even-tempered, preserving peace, and he must be], skilled in teaching, patient and tolerant when wronged. He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it], and that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
2 TIMOTHY 2:22-26 AMP
http://bible.com/1588/2ti.2.22-26.AMP
Ira Huth
In Jesus Holy Name!!! Amen!!!
Joseph Kidwell
Stan Wayne no sir! What Trump did is criminal and most men dod not do what he did.
Stan Wayne
He repudiated his own big mouth about grabbing women and those supposed women (might have been empty talk) were in the context of flirting and carrying on with him – it is really dumb to record people talking big and then to take it seriously – the man is not born again or wasn’t –
There were no criminal charges – dumb to be stuck on that – he repudiates what he said and his wife was apologized to and accepts
Joseph Kidwell
Oh right! Locker room talk! I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and no one ever talked like that. It’s funny, you know. The right wing claims that Hillary got away with committing a crime but always wants to give Trump a pass.#RightWingHypocrisy
Stan Wayne
Exactly what does he have to atone enough for his sins to satisfy you / and have you ever wanted to touch a woman?
Joseph Kidwell
He bragged about grabbing women’s p#$$$s! That is sexual assault. Smh……
Joseph Kidwell
On a different note, I don’t know what to make of a President who attacks his own Senate Majority Leader, yet REFUSES to say anything negative about Putin. But hey, if Trump does it it’s cool, right?#ImNotDrinkingTheKoolAid
Stan Wayne
Joseph Kidwell he repudiated his behavior of talking like that -he was foolishly bragging that women throw themselves at tv stars – what do you want from him on this ?
Have you ever wanted to touch a woman?
Stan Wayne
Putin undemocratic but no threat
Joseph Kidwell
But North Korea is? Putin has far more nukes than North Korea. You are also discounting Biblical prophecy regarding Russia.
Joseph Kidwell
Stan Wayne, that was not what was said in that tape, but I’m done with it. Be blessed.
Jan Dixon Sykes
I have worked in construction for 35 years and had Hollywood clients for 20. Trust me, what Trump said was tame. The men I worked with sat around and discussed such things as who was a one bagger or a two bagger. I had a guy at a class reunion brag, right in front of me, to the class president he had had sex with me in the back seat of his car when we were in high school. Never happened. I had dated him all of two months as a sophomore.
Street Preacherz
Mr. Troy Day did you see the new facebook updates. There’s a little shield by your name says “admin”
We’re ok aren’t we???
I would say, yes it’s important to believe Jesus, but does Jesus believe you. That’s the only stand I’m taking. It’s costly enough.
Varnel Watson
Jan Dixon Sykes The “ungodly candidate” split the American church in half last year and this week our aog Good way to divide and conquer the church
Street Preacherz
I’m sorry i don’t understand the part after aog…
Varnel Watson
May be Stan Wayne can enlighten and explain
Street Preacherz
You’re not suggesting a man could split God church. We have had some serious fault lines for over 8 years. But who’s counting. We have grace enough to make peace or we don’t. Jesus rules his church from heaven it he doesn’t. Jesus builds his church or he doesn’t it might be considered a cheap shot to lay the condition of the church at the feet of the president. Would the pulpits bear some responsibility?
Varnel Watson
AOG delegates would certainly disagree this week
Street Preacherz
I saw the good doctor’s presentation of the Holy Spirit role. Dr. Wood. I still have audio of one of general counsels from ’67 the overseer speaking on the woman at the well. “I must needs go through Samaria” a real classic. Heard it many times. But I don’t think I know what you mean. In this case. I did read the letter. I knew right away it was from before the election.
Street Preacherz
Sorry I guess I should let the delegates represent this great fellowship. I suppose I would be considered an intruder on this matter my sincerest apologies.
Varnel Watson
It’s 5 o clock somewhere and it still the final hour for the church
Ira Huth
Wow Troy Day if I’m understanding what you are saying about the AOG delegates. Could this be the separation between the wheat and tares that Pastor David Wilkerson spoke about in his well know message The Vision.
Street Preacherz
It’s not the final hour of the church. Stop it. The church of God will go on. Maybe not our beloved American church. With cupcakes and raffles and matching funds but God has people that love him read their Bible and call on his name everywhere.
Street Preacherz
Ira Huth please… Something is wrong. What are you trying to say Mr Troy Day
Varnel Watson
Ira Wood is no tare in our Aog if you know what I mean
Street Preacherz
Godly man. A God fearing man from what I could tell. He was called real early I think he said ten? when his dad got beat up over some church trouble. Awful thing when God’s men fight. Especially in front of the children…
Ira Huth
I know brother Troy Day I wasn’t saying he was or who is. I’m just saying there our many delegates other than leadership in the AOG as well as the COG. Honestly in the COG fellowship I have been shocked and grieved as well as other Brothers and Sisters laity as well as Clergy concerning issues and conduct. There is good and bad in all fellowships, for the time being. I love people , I love the Body of Christ, and I love the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Ira Huth
On a lighter note I was looking at a copy of the COG Minutes that was my Dad’s from the 1944 Assembly. That was when he was at Laverne Ave. Church before Narragansett. He was also at the Assembly in 1934 when he was at the Store Front before Laverne. I think it’s pretty cool reading about Church business back then.
Varnel Watson
Stan Wayne Since you are reading the dates pls re-visit my comment from October 19, 2016 at 7:53
“Seems like AoG people has left Bro. George as a voice in the political wilderness” – what seemed to be so now is as so as it gets