AoG: valid baptism required for lords supper?

[panevino]

Can an AoG member confirm if an AoG valid baptism is necessary prior to receiving lords supper in AoG?

I’m after formal doctrine One way or other?
A quote from a formal doc would be great.

Thanks

 

[Cat]

My husband and his family were Assemblies of God. (They no longer are.)

I searched the Assemblies of God official website, but I don’t see any specific quote about this. But here is the Constitution of the Assemblies of God. Take a look at p. 7.

ministers.ag.org/pdf/2007ConstitutionBylaws.pdf

Based on the knowledge that I have from my husband’s experiences, and on reading through the various documents on the Assemblies of God website, I do not think that there would be any baptism required for the Lord’s Supper.

The Assemblies of God considers baptism a symbolic act, an “outer symbol of an inner transformation.” In the Assemblies of God, a person becomes a Christian when they ask Jesus into their heart to be their personal Savior. The Assemblies of God asks that only Christians receive Communion, and that would mean anyone, including children, and including Catholics, who have received Jesus as their personal Savior, is invited to participate in the Lord’s Supper.

(Catholics are forbidden by the Catholic Church from participating in non-Catholic communion services.)

BTW, I’m not sure what you mean by A of God “valid baptism,” unless you’re talking about baptism by immersion, which is the ONLY baptism that A of God accepts. A Catholic who wishes to join the A of God will be asked to be re-baptized by immersion before the congregation (public, not private). But again, this isn’t a requirement to receive communion. You will see plenty of little children receiving communion in the A of God, and these little ones generally aren’t baptized, as the A of God believes that baptism is a choice of the believer, not something that is imposed upon them by parents or anyone else.

You might want to google Assemblies of God and check out their official website, and then call someone on that website for an “official answer” to your query. Or call the pastor of a local A of God church in your city.

One more thing–I think it’s kind of funny that the A of God is making a very public campaign that they’re just a simple Christian community, no big heirarchy or politics, just church the way it was back in the New Testament–but the website and the Constitution makes it obvious that there is a huge organization, with multiple levels, rules, and regulations, behind the Assemblies of God. I am NOT criticizing this!–on the contrary, I believe strongly that the best Protestant churches SHOULD have a well-organized structure and denominational basis, and I distrust the non-denominational fellowships and home churches because it is too easy for bad teachings and even heresy to creep into these non-structured fellowships. It is also too easy for the non-denominational churches to become “personality churches,” where the pastor is the “star” and everyone has a feeling of intense loyalty to him/her.

 

[AmateurPianist]

Can an AoG member confirm if an AoG valid baptism is necessary prior to receiving lords supper in AoG?

I’m after formal doctrine One way or other?
A quote from a formal doc would be great.

Thanks

My understanding is that the only requirement is one be a Christian.

Otherwise you have the issue of somebody who has become a Christian but the baptism is scheduled at a time off.

 

[FabiusMaximus]

Can an AoG member confirm if an AoG valid baptism is necessary prior to receiving lords supper in AoG?

I’m after formal doctrine One way or other?
A quote from a formal doc would be great.

Thanks

In Italy, it is standard practice (for the Assemblies of God there) that you are baptized before you can receive communion.
I one time attended my great-aunt’s church near the Rome area, before I could reach out to receive the communion elements, the usher pulled back the tray to ask my great-aunt if I was baptized (which I was).

With regards to the Assemblies of God in the US - I’ve never seen any kind of strict communion standard being enforced. So perhaps it might be the case that you should (and I think it might be because it is frequently associated with water baptism), according to the AG, but it is hardly enforced.

I should add: It might not be the case that because something is practiced a certain way in an AG church outside of the United States that it will be the same here. The AG in the States had in the past a history of pacifism, and today (at least officially) continue to have a prohibition on alcohol. Neither have ever been the case in Italy, for example.

 

[ltwin]

The Assemblies of God is organized on a national basis. Each national fellowship is autonomous, and as Fabius Maximus’s post shows, practice differs across national boundaries. In the US, the General Council of the Assemblies of God’s Statement of Fundamental Truths states:

6. The Ordinances of the Church

Baptism in Water

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.

Matthew 28:19 [KJV/NIV]
Mark 16:16 [KJV/NIV]
Acts 10:47,48 [KJV/NIV]
Romans 6:4 [KJV/NIV]

Holy Communion
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements --bread and the fruit of the vine-- is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4 [KJV/NIV]), a memorial of his suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”

(Statement of Fundamental Truths)

Since one is a Christian based on their relationship with Christ, baptism is not necessary.

 

[panevino]

The Assemblies of God is organized on a national basis. Each national fellowship is autonomous, and as Fabius Maximus’s post shows, practice differs across national boundaries. In the US, the General Council of the Assemblies of God’s Statement of Fundamental Truths states:

(Statement of Fundamental Truths)

Since one is a Christian based on their relationship with Christ, baptism is not necessary.

Thanks
It’s frustrating that there appears no formal document that actually states that for AG .
Is it safe to assume AG are comfortable that one can also receive lords supper in AG while not agreeing with some of thier doctrines (say for example a believer in extreme form of OSAS or say something that effects salvation, ie we don’t ever need to ask for forgiveness )
How does one know if they are worthy (1cor11:27)to receive in AG?
I hear that relevant scripture about this is read prior the supper, but how does an AG member understand they are or not, is it a personal prayer prior / repentance for sins committed?

Is being "w

 

[ltwin]

Thanks
It’s frustrating that there appears no formal document that actually states that for AG .

While this statement doesn’t speak on the Lord’s Supper, it does speak on the AG’s position as it relates to other Christian churches:

What does the Assemblies of God believe about the entire Christian church world (all born-again believers in our world) being part of the body of Christ? Is it possible for so many denominations and church groups to hold such differing theologies and lifestyles and yet be of one faith or universal Body?

The New Testament is clear in its teaching that there is only one Church, which is described as the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22,23; 2:16; 4:4; Col. 1:13-21; Rom. 12:4,5; 1 Cor. 12:12-20). That one Church includes all who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and are serving Him as the Lord of their lives. It is also clear that Jesus’ desire for the Church is that all believers be one, even as He and the Father are one (John 17:11). The unity for which Jesus prayed comes obviously from His redemptive work on the cross (Eph. 2:16). It is a spiritual unity rather than an institutional unity.

The New Testament testifies to a spiritual unity that bothalready isand yet is to be pursued. Paul exhorts us to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3, NASB). Despite denominational labels or distinctives, all true believers in Christ are one in Him. Yet unity must be cultivated and promoted within the Church at large and within local congregations.

The same passages that declare the unity of the body of Christ also speak of the great diversity in God’s creation (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:14-21; Eph. 4:4-7). So it should not surprise us if the Church contains groups that differ in theological interpretations and lifestyles. The Assemblies of God has always held that the divine inspiration of Scripture makes it the final judge in deciding matters of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16). While we may disagree with the interpretation of Scripture by other Christian groups on a variety of issues, we must heed Paul’s advice that we are not “to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls” (Rom. 14:4, NKJV). At the same time, we must not surrender our own convictions, remembering that “each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).

(The Church at Large-The Body of Christ)

Is it safe to assume AG are comfortable that one can also receive lords supper in AG while not agreeing with some of thier doctrines (say for example a believer in extreme form of OSAS or say something that effects salvation, ie we don’t ever need to ask for forgiveness )

The best way to explain this would be to quote from the Statement of Fundamental Truths, this time from the Article 5 The Salvation of Man:

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Conditions to Salvation

Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.

Luke 24:47 [KJV/NIV]
John 3:3 [KJV/NIV]
Romans 10:13-15 [KJV/NIV]
Ephesians 2:8 [KJV/NIV]
Titus 2:11 [KJV/NIV]
Titus 3:5-7 [KJV/NIV]

The Evidence of Salvation

The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit.

Romans 8:16 [KJV/NIV]

The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:24 [KJV/NIV]
Titus 2:12 [KJV/NIV]

Someone who confesses to being a Christian (i.e. who confesses both that Jesus is Lord and a direct witness of the Spirit) will generally be able to partake in an AG church. Baptism has no regenerative role (though it does have a beneficial spiritual role). Baptism is the believer’s response and a sign of regeneration that has already occurred. Therefore, baptism, generally, does not play a role in determining who can receive or not.

Generally, if you are a member of an AG church, it is assumed that you believe and adhere to AG doctrines. If you are a visitor, then it is enough that you confess Jesus as Lord and Savior that the church allows you to partake. However, it is the person’s responsibility to examine themselves to determine if they are personally worthy of receiving.

 

[ltwin]

How does one know if they are worthy (1cor11:27)to receive in AG?
I hear that relevant scripture about this is read prior the supper, but how does an AG member understand they are or not, is it a personal prayer prior / repentance for sins committed?

AG churches will emphasize that only those who are worthy should partake. As Pentecostals, the AG will understand the Bible literally and believe that not only is one putting themselves in spiritual danger but also physical danger by partaking in an unworthy state.

The following AG document is relevant to this discussion:

Rituals in Worship
. . . .The early Christian congregations had their own rituals. “Beyond doubt there were certain fixed elements in the worship of the Pauline congregation. But generally,‘the liturgy in the first congregations is something extraordinarily alive, and liturgical formulae show no sign of being paralysed (sic). All members take part in the liturgy.’” However, those liturgies, or rituals, that may be observed in the New Testament, such as teachings on water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are relatively simple (yet profound), transportable and easily adaptable within different cultures. They set forth the essential truths of the gospel but without intent to prescribe any one perfect ritual to celebrate the various events memorialized by the Christian calendar. It is faithful and regular representation of the gospel in community worship that is important. Paul’s correction of the Corinthian disrespect for the Lord’s Supper is an instructive model for healthy ritual practice (1 Corinthians 11:17-34) . . . .

Elements of Early Worship Services
. . . . Calls for Decision. There is no certain form of altar call in the New Testament, but there are many calls for decision that must not be overlooked. . . The New Testament letters are filled with imperative calls for belief and behavioral change. Even the observance of the Lord’s Supper came with a call for self-examination prior to participation (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). . . .

The Lord’s Supper. While there are no commands in the New Testament as to how often the Lord’s Supper is to be observed, it was certainly a regular and important part of early worship (cf. Mark 14:22-25; parallels, Matthew 26:17-30; Luke 22:7-23; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34). Early believers “broke bread in their homes and ate together…” (Acts 2:46), the Supper apparently included in some if not all those meetings. Paul’s correctives in 1 Corinthians 11 show that the Lord’s Supper was a regular part of early worship and was often included in a community meal, the Agape (Love) Feast. Paul’s words of institution in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 represent the earliest written record and explication of the Supper available to us. Paul, followed shortly thereafter by Luke, records the command, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24,25; cf. Luke 22:19). Paul explained the meaning of the bread and the cup with reference to the Lord’s body and blood (11:24,25) and taught that it was an open proclamation of “the Lord’s death until he comes” (11:26). He called for regular and reverent participation by all believers, after careful self-examination (11:27-32).

(“Worship in the Bible,” the official statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God (USA), August 13, 2008)

So then, the AG would want its members to undergo “careful self-examination” before they partake in communion. This is done by honestly and truly acknowledging any sin in one’s life, especially besetting sin, to ask forgiveness and repent. After one does this, they are worthy to receive.

 

[panevino]

Thanks for each reply and the time taken.

I am suprised at how adamant AG can be about immersion,
when it is not considered really necessary for salvation or required for lords supper.

Surely water baptism, even if a symbol, is necessary prior lords supper, given AG concern about receiving worthily?

Someone said the water baptism is “beneficial spiritually”, though not regenerative.

So perhaps AG do it via a pseudo-“actual grace” that strengthens the person spiritually by obeying Jesus and by Submitting to the act by grace through faith.

But I can’t understand, given the dove/holy spirit descending at the water baptism of Jesus and the Fathers words after that, that anyone could say that "worthy " does not include water baptism, again, even if considered a symbol of an internal and previous conversion.

 

[panevino]

Another query.

The acknowledgment that recieving unworthily in AG can impact spiritually and physically suggests a kind of anti-grace event (can’t think of a better word) can occur through the lords supper (not trying to build a strawman, just trying to understand an apparent acknowledgment of grace acting in the ordinance)

So participating, while not part of salvific grace, does strengthen spiritually “ie actual grace”, and receiving unworthily can damage spiritually.

 

[ltwin]

Thanks for each reply and the time taken.

I am suprised at how adamant AG can be about immersion,
when it is not considered really necessary for salvation or required for lords supper.

Water baptism is not viewed as necessary for salvation. It is the response of a believer who has come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The form is important because baptism is a command of Jesus (thus why it is called an “ordinance”), so since it is important, the AG and others want to do it in the form which conveys the full meaning (buried and raised with Christ) in the fullest way.

Surely water baptism, even if a symbol, is necessary prior lords supper, given AG concern about receiving worthily?

I think you are operating from the point of view that baptism marks one’s initiation into the church. That is not exactly the point of view of Pentecostals. Coming to a saving knowledge of Christ marks one’s initiation into the body of Christ. The AG does believe that baptism should follow the conversion experience or new birth. Also, there is no reason why someone participating in the life of the church and confessing Christ as Lord and Savior should wait to be baptize. However, if someone does for whatever reason, the AG does not see this as barring them from receiving communion because by virtue of the new birth they are already part of the church.

But I can’t understand, given the dove/holy spirit descending at the water baptism of Jesus and the Fathers words after that, that anyone could say that "worthy " does not include water baptism, again, even if considered a symbol of an internal and previous conversion.

Well as I said above, the AG would see the biblical pattern as being:

1. Hearing the gospel preached,
2. Responding and confessing,
3. Baptism with water/ Baptism with the Holy Spirit,
   4)The life-long process of growing in grace (sanctification)

So generally the pattern would be baptism before ever receiving communion. However, there are cases, such as when a visitor comes who is a confessing Christian but not baptized, or a child who believes and whose parents determine that they are at an appropriate age but the child has not yet had a chance to be baptized, or the case of an adult who confesses to having had a born again experience but for whatever reason just has not yet been baptized.

Someone said the water baptism is “beneficial spiritually”, though not regenerative.

So perhaps AG do it via a pseudo-“actual grace” that strengthens the person spiritually by obeying Jesus and by Submitting to the act by grace through faith.

Another query.

The acknowledgment that recieving unworthily in AG can impact spiritually and physically suggests a kind of anti-grace event (can’t think of a better word) can occur through the lords supper (not trying to build a strawman, just trying to understand an apparent acknowledgment of grace acting in the ordinance)

So participating, while not part of salvific grace, does strengthen spiritually “ie actual grace”, and receiving unworthily can damage spiritually.

Baptism does have benefits. AG pastor and executive presbyter M. Wayne Benson writes on the urgency of baptism and of the positive affects emphasizing baptism has had on his own congregation:

We have discovered the newly baptized believer is open and hungry for the power of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we encourage each candidate desirous of the Spirit-energized life to join the elders in the prayer chapel, immediately after water baptism. Approximately 90 percent of these freshly baptized seekers are almost immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit. This parallels the pattern given in Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:38,39. . . .

Every new person who is saved has the right to be baptized in water and needs to be baptized as soon as possible. Why jeopardize a new Christian’s spiritual security and development? He needs the strengthening benefits of baptism so he may “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Let us communicate with passion the urgency of being baptized. Let us teach believers and lead them into all the means of grace provided for them by our wonderful Christ and Lord.

(“The Urgency of Water Baptism”)

Concerning the Lord’s Supper, Michael L. Dusing writes in Systematic Theology (edited by Stanley M. Horton), a standard explanation of AG doctrine,

The fourth major view concerning the Lord’s Supper is the Calvinistic, or Reformed, view. Like Zwingli, John Calvin rejected any notion of Christ’s being physically present in or with the elements. More than Zwingli, however, Calvin greatly emphasized the spiritual presence of Christ at His table. This was understood to be a dynamic presence (similar to the meaning of the Greek term anamnesis) through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Reformed view stresses that the efficacy of Christ’s sacrificial death is applied and made meaningful to the believer who participates in Communion with an attitude of faith and trust in Christ. . . .

Probably most Pentecostals are more theologically comfortable with the positions expressed by the Zwinglian or the Reformed views.

 

[Izdaari]

Can an AoG member confirm if an AoG valid baptism is necessary prior to receiving lords supper in AoG?

I’m after formal doctrine One way or other?
A quote from a formal doc would be great.

Thanks

My AG church invites all who will to commune, with the understanding that doing so means you are committing to follow Christ.

Baptism is, however, required for church membership. It needn’t be with us, and we’ll take your word for it, but it needs to be trinitarian baptism by immersion.