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tobinatorstark
Guest
true. What led you to Catholicism from a Pentecostal stand point??? What else did you have problems with Assembly of God??
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wisdomseeker
Guest
and i commend you brother for your courage. may our Lord keep you safe in your journey. may your wife also join you when the time comes.
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“I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine (354-430), Against the Letter of Mani, 5,6, 397 A.D… **
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LegoGE1947
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LegoGE1947
Guest
We were both Catholic from 2001 to 2007 when she suddenly decided she no longer could believe what mother church teaches.
I left in body but not in spirit. So I guess I have to go to Mass by myself for now. I feel like I’ve come back home! We converted from being AG’s to Catholicism by the way. There is a “presence” in a Catholic church that one can actually feel that is just not there anywhere else and I’ve been in all kind of churches and groups.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Yes sir they teach that there are 3 members to the God-head; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However they seem particularly devoted to the Holy Spirit and to Acts 2 which speaks of the apostles in the upper room being infused with the Holy spirit and speaking in tongues…They believe that to be “Spirit Filled” people have to have the same experience as the apostles had on that day. In our area of the midwest there is another smaller denomination called the Open Bible Standard Church that is so similar to the AG’s that there is not a dimes worth of difference, but they are a different group.
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wisdomseeker
Guest
i know exactly what you are talking about. i too once not knowing my faith well wondered into many different faiths but could never connect. there was something within me that brought me back to the Church every time. i never left but wondered around a lot to the point of really bothering me. one day i went to talk to the priest and told him that i could not stay away from the Church and he told me it was God keeping me safe.
i finally realized i was not right with God. today i am fully commited to the Church and my boyfriend also came into the Church he was baptized and confirmed. he still attends RCIA.
his mother very antiCatholic in the beginning, today she also goes to Church with us once in while.
i dont know if you ever saw this website but it really helped me.
zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~vgg/rc/aplgtc/hahn/m3/4mrkc.html
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“I should not believe the Gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.”
Saint Augustine (354-430), Against the Letter of Mani, 5,6, 397 A.D… . **
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LegoGE1947
Guest
I had problems with their attacks on other groups that didn’t believe what they did. Also I had problems with people who claimed to be “saved” but didn’t act any different from the rest of the world, especially the TV evangelists who got caught in the scandals. The idea that to be Spirit filled you had to speak in tongues. The transforming of their services into “shows” with high paid pop singers. Their doctrine that seemed “a mile wide and an inch deep.” The “healing” services that included the same people everytime, that after they had hands laid on them they would get “blessed” shake around a bit or would fall on the floor “slain in the spirit”
I could go on but I’m starting to feel ill!
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taylorc
Guest
The Jonas Brothers are Assembly of God.
I’m sure you all were dying to know.
I’m sure you all were dying to know.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Dying perhaps. To know WELL ,I’'ll have to get back to you on that!The Jonas Brothers are Assembly of God.
I’m sure you all were dying to know.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
This is the first I had even heard of the website you refer to. I really didn’t even know the Protestant faith all that well.
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wisdomseeker
Guest
i did not know either. i hope you enjoy the website. lots of good info there.This is the first I had even heard of the website you refer to. I really didn’t even know the Protestant faith all that well.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
good nite:wave:
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ADH
Guest
I believe the Assembly of God people that I know love Jesus and I am not sure they would say the same thing about the Catholic church. The problem that I see is that some of the AGS I know are very shallow. They do not have the depth of centuries of Catholic teaching and are very centered on instant miracles and the rapture. They also do not have or understand the sacraments and of course do not understand the intercession of the saints. The AGS do not believe once saved always saved. That is reserved for the Baptists and the Presbyterians.
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cyber1call
Guest
Though I have never been Catholic, what little religion I had as a child and teenager was heavily influenced by both the Baptists AND the Catholic Church. I was once a member of the Assembly of God for several decades at the same time I was a faculty member of a very sound Catholic college of the Benedictine tradition.
In my experience from all walks of life I’ve found that people tend to like the group they’re in and are biased against groups that they’re not in. That’s human nature. I found saints and sinners in the Baptist, AoG, and the Catholic church. No group has a monoply on either of that in my humble opinion. I also found that at least among those who profess belief in Jesus Christ that there is a tolerant curiosity about groups they don’t understand or know little about. Any believer who fails to love his fellow believer, no matter what faith tradition they are from, is simply evidence–as the Apostle James said–of a dead faith.
Jesus said it was not up to us to try and pull the weeds from the wheat field, lest we uproot the good wheat. So everyone should be careful about pointing fingers.
BTW, though I find much of merit in both the Catholic Church and the Assembly of God church, I have come to a personal conviction that God is more concerned with my relationship with him than what organization I align myself with.
*Philippians 1
12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.*
In my experience from all walks of life I’ve found that people tend to like the group they’re in and are biased against groups that they’re not in. That’s human nature. I found saints and sinners in the Baptist, AoG, and the Catholic church. No group has a monoply on either of that in my humble opinion. I also found that at least among those who profess belief in Jesus Christ that there is a tolerant curiosity about groups they don’t understand or know little about. Any believer who fails to love his fellow believer, no matter what faith tradition they are from, is simply evidence–as the Apostle James said–of a dead faith.
Jesus said it was not up to us to try and pull the weeds from the wheat field, lest we uproot the good wheat. So everyone should be careful about pointing fingers.
BTW, though I find much of merit in both the Catholic Church and the Assembly of God church, I have come to a personal conviction that God is more concerned with my relationship with him than what organization I align myself with.
*Philippians 1
12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.*
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Angels_Unaware
Guest
You have already been given good, accurate answers on their beliefs.
I can tell you what it’s like to attend a normal AOG church. The service is heavily centered on “praise and worship”. There are good things about praise and worship. It’s engaging and entertaining, and loud… the whole purpose of it is to get you to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit. After about 20 minutes of praise and worship, in many churches, (depending on the mood of the Holy Spirit that day), people will begin spontaneously speaking in tongues, speaking prophecies from God out to the whole church, having revelations, and sometimes, falling down in the aisles. There are also intense prayer sessions focused on spiritual warfare and praying against demons.
Bad things about doing this every Sunday is that there is a tendency to get very focused on emotions and on experiences, and to lose a sense of discipline and of reverence. Pentecostals have gone even deeper into the exploration of spiritual gifts, so that some call themselves prophets, and focus exclusively on praying with invididuals and giving them personal Words from the Lord. (By the time this happens, the prophets are only distinguishable from clairvoyants who give readings in that they don’t charge).
I found that the greatest expression of the Holy Spirit is in the “boring liturgy” of the Eucharist. I have found there are some AOG people who have a lot of spiritual pride, and think that because they are rolling on the floor and having visions of angels that they have a greater degree of holiness. But I can tell you that I truly believe that the movement of the Holy Spirit in an AOG church, though real, is still just a substitute for the Eucharist, which is the most powerful expression of God on earth.
I can tell you what it’s like to attend a normal AOG church. The service is heavily centered on “praise and worship”. There are good things about praise and worship. It’s engaging and entertaining, and loud… the whole purpose of it is to get you to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit. After about 20 minutes of praise and worship, in many churches, (depending on the mood of the Holy Spirit that day), people will begin spontaneously speaking in tongues, speaking prophecies from God out to the whole church, having revelations, and sometimes, falling down in the aisles. There are also intense prayer sessions focused on spiritual warfare and praying against demons.
Bad things about doing this every Sunday is that there is a tendency to get very focused on emotions and on experiences, and to lose a sense of discipline and of reverence. Pentecostals have gone even deeper into the exploration of spiritual gifts, so that some call themselves prophets, and focus exclusively on praying with invididuals and giving them personal Words from the Lord. (By the time this happens, the prophets are only distinguishable from clairvoyants who give readings in that they don’t charge).
I found that the greatest expression of the Holy Spirit is in the “boring liturgy” of the Eucharist. I have found there are some AOG people who have a lot of spiritual pride, and think that because they are rolling on the floor and having visions of angels that they have a greater degree of holiness. But I can tell you that I truly believe that the movement of the Holy Spirit in an AOG church, though real, is still just a substitute for the Eucharist, which is the most powerful expression of God on earth.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Amen! That’s what I’ve found as well. As Alex Jones (a former pentacostal minister turned Catholic) has said " If you think the Catholic liturgy is dead, it may be YOU that’s dead!" As far as self-proclaimed prophets are concerned, I have seen the amazing similarity between them and clairvoyants just like you have! After one has experienced the Eucharist, how can you follow an “act” like that? Answer: you just cant.
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Steven_John
Guest
Hi,
where i live i found the people of one of our AOG fellowships to be real nice folks.
They appear to me to have a genuine deep desire to be of Gods people.
I have not had issues discussing faith issues but i blessed to be reasonably armed with some understanding of scripture.
Some of them i have found to be quite ignorant with a focus of just NT plus a little OT about tithes. They even eat pork claiming that was only because OT people did not have fridges.
They really try to out reach and have functions inviting all Christians groups.
I go to some of their services, personally i dont really like them they are very flashy and mainly music and the paster speech.
I have had some issues on the paster’s take on scripture so of course challenged him.
Today he is working more OT into his addresses (thanks be to God) and we meet weekly for discussion and prayer.
I consider him my friend and Brother. My Father does work through him I have seen it. If some one is in need he is good to call on to join me in praying for them.
Please dont take this post as being against them as i am for them and pray that they grow in the fullness of the way.
I love mass and feel it is very close to right worship and practice, i am at home.
I feel out of place at AOG service but that is healthy. We all go to mass or AOG worship because we are sick and need God to heal us.
We are His instruments so should be open hearted and willing to lovingly help all find His fullness.
where i live i found the people of one of our AOG fellowships to be real nice folks.
They appear to me to have a genuine deep desire to be of Gods people.
I have not had issues discussing faith issues but i blessed to be reasonably armed with some understanding of scripture.
Some of them i have found to be quite ignorant with a focus of just NT plus a little OT about tithes. They even eat pork claiming that was only because OT people did not have fridges.
They really try to out reach and have functions inviting all Christians groups.
I go to some of their services, personally i dont really like them they are very flashy and mainly music and the paster speech.
I have had some issues on the paster’s take on scripture so of course challenged him.
Today he is working more OT into his addresses (thanks be to God) and we meet weekly for discussion and prayer.
I consider him my friend and Brother. My Father does work through him I have seen it. If some one is in need he is good to call on to join me in praying for them.
Please dont take this post as being against them as i am for them and pray that they grow in the fullness of the way.
I love mass and feel it is very close to right worship and practice, i am at home.
I feel out of place at AOG service but that is healthy. We all go to mass or AOG worship because we are sick and need God to heal us.
We are His instruments so should be open hearted and willing to lovingly help all find His fullness.
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ADH
Guest
I agree with you. In fact while I was in college I attended ani
interdenominational group that was sponsored by the AGs. Some of them are interested in dialogue and some of them have a very deep faith and are well learned and have taught me. However there are some of them around here that are not interested in dialogue and will say ALL CATHOLICS are going to hell. They will not hesitate to shove unwanted gospel tractsi in peoples faces even to a priest standing outside his church. There is no curiosity on their part at all or if there is they better not let their pastor know. They are miles and miles apart from the group I knew in school. I can only pray for them and go on and live my life as I believe GOD has led me.
interdenominational group that was sponsored by the AGs. Some of them are interested in dialogue and some of them have a very deep faith and are well learned and have taught me. However there are some of them around here that are not interested in dialogue and will say ALL CATHOLICS are going to hell. They will not hesitate to shove unwanted gospel tractsi in peoples faces even to a priest standing outside his church. There is no curiosity on their part at all or if there is they better not let their pastor know. They are miles and miles apart from the group I knew in school. I can only pray for them and go on and live my life as I believe GOD has led me.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
We all are “sick” to some extent and all need the Great Physician to heal us. I was wondering what the best way is to deal with people who are atheist. Certainly it should not be the way former President Bush did by calling them “un-american and not fit to be citizens of this country!” We expect them to respect our beliefs, how do we respect theirs? Many of them it seems are quite set in their ways and seem to have plausable answers for why they are atheist. I see them as one of the most persecuted groups in the world if not this country.
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