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“The Holy Spirit is not a 'ghost' to be feared or a 'force' to be harnessed for your benefit but is rather an important Person of the Trinity who is to be worshipped.”
The Person of the Holy Spirit
By Doug Clay
One of my most vivid childhood memories is of Ms. Addie Wright’s Sunday School class. She would regularly teach on the Holy Spirit and had an anointed gift for helping children understand the Person and the work of the Holy Spirit. In her class a foundation was laid for my relationship with the Third Person of the Godhead.
One of the inspiring truths I learned from Ms. Wright is that the Holy Spirit is not a “ghost” to be feared or a “force” to be harnessed for your benefit, but is rather an important Person of the Trinity to be worshipped. It’s true that the Holy Spirit is powerful, but He is also a Person. In Scripture, we see the use of personal pronouns to describe Him, such as when Jesus spoke of the works of the Holy Spirit in John 16 and referred to Him 12 times as “He.”
In John 14:16, we see that this “He” has a name: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (KJV).
In the language of Jesus’ day, there were two words for “another.” One word referred to “another” as a different kind of thing, comparing two unlike entities. The second word used to describe another, meant something of the same kind. When Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as another Comforter, He meant that He was going to send something like Him, not something different.
We also know from Scripture that the Holy Spirit has intellect (1 Corinthians 2:11). He has feelings (Ephesians 4:30). He has a will (1 Corinthians 2:11), and He has a voice (Acts 13:2).
I am so thankful I learned at an early age that the Holy Spirit was so much more than an “it,” a ghost, or a force, and how my relationship with Him is vital for Christian growth and vitality.
Another thing I learned from Ms. Wright’s class is that the Holy Spirit is not merely a person, but a divine Person. He is fully God, the same way that the Father and Son are God, and He shares all the same attributes of the Father and the Son (omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence).
The Holy Spirit, being God, is also active in the things God does.
He is active in creation: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:2).
He is active in salvation: “Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5-7).
He is active in judgment: “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).
filling in every part of their beings. Out of their inner being flowed a river of the Spirit, which reached out in three directions: a river of praise, which flowed upward to God in worship; a river of evangelism, which flowed outward to others in evangelism; and a river of edification, which flowed inward to continue their transformation into the likeness of Christ and embolden them in their witness. When you look at the work of the Spirit in your life, He is always working in those directions — up, out, and in. Speaking in tongues is part of this flowing of the Spirit. When we cry out to the Lord in a heavenly language, it reaches upward in worship, outward in witness, and inward in spiritual development and maturation.
Addie Wright, that precious Sunday School teacher, understood the importance of experiencing the infilling of the Holy Spirit and those experiences helped me to understand what it means to be full of the Spirit. In the same way, I invite you to welcome the Holy Spirit into your life in all His fullness. Let Him be your Comforter who leads you into a Spirit-filled life.
“When we cry out to the Lord in a heavenly language, it reaches upward in worship, outward in witness, and inward in spiritual development and maturation.”
Some Definition
The name for this gift of power is “baptism in the Holy Spirit,” or “Spirit baptism” for short, based on the Biblical descriptions of receiving this gift as being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 3:11: Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5, 11:16). Jesus defined it right before He ascended to heaven, when He told His followers:
“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:4,5,8, NLT). Spirit baptism is a Jesus-given gift of power to believers.
You & Me
Since Jesus promised this power from the Holy Spirit for every one of us, there are a few things we need to understand.
Jesus, the Baptizer
Most importantly, Jesus is Spirit Baptizer (Matthew 3:11). In fact, Spirit baptism is an encounter with Jesus not only the Holy Spirit! We are praying to Jesus, for Jesus to pour out His Spirit upon us, to empower us to fulfill Jesus’ mission (Acts 1:5). Jesus is always the center and epicenter.
Salvation & Spiritual Hunger
There are only two qualifications needed to receive this gift. The first is that you have already given your life to Jesus
“We are praying to Jesus, for Jesus to pour out His Spirit upon us, to empower us to fulfill Jesus’ mission (Acts 1:5). Jesus is always the center and epicenter.”
(salvation); the second is that you have a desire to know Jesus more and tell others about Him (spiritual hunger). Do you want all that Jesus has promised to you? If so, it is time to express your spiritual hunger to Him in prayer.
The Usual Pathway to Receive
The Book of Acts shows a typical way people received Spirit baptism (chapters 2, 10, 19). Here are the common elements that form the pathway to receive.
1. Draw near to Jesus. Everyone who received Spirit baptism in the Scriptures was, in some way, taking extra steps toward Christ. This usually involved praying. I encourage you to set aside a few minutes and begin to pray to Jesus, asking Him for this wonderful gift. Remember, prayer often begins awkwardly and our minds tend to wander, but if you will give yourself to prayer, you will break through.
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Pentecost & the Call
Q&A: THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN MINISTRY
AG News, the official news agency of the Assemblies of God (AG), asked a panel of ministry leaders to discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in calling people into ministry and empowering them for service.
Participants are:
Melissa Alfaro is the national chair of the Network of Women Ministers. She and her husband, Jay, serve as senior pastors of El Tabernaculo in Houston. She serves as the executive presbyter representing ordained female ministers for the Assemblies of God.
Austin Westlake is the national youth director for the Assemblies of God.
Maricela Hernández is the secretarytreasurer of the Texas Gulf Hispanic District of the Assemblies of God and the founding director of Flames of Fire Bible School in Penitas, Texas. She serves as the West Spanish language area executive presbyter for the AG.
John Zick is the national director of Ministerial Advancement (Called) for the Assemblies of God.
AG NEWS:
How can Christians discern if God is calling them into ministry?
Westlake: A couple of the obvious methods would be through prayer and reading your Bible, because God will not call us to do something that contradicts His written Word. I also think it’s really important to have trusted godly leaders speak into your life. Have them listen to what you think the Lord is speaking to help you decipher and discern. Just as it’s important to know how to receive confirmation from God, it’s important to know where to not get confirmation. You don’t go to social media. You don’t go to friends who are not as mature in the Lord as you. You don’t have those conversations with people who do not share any of the values that you have or who aren’t able to discern what He’s saying.
Zick: I’ve found that the Holy Spirit speaks uniquely to individuals. How He does it for one person might look different for another. Occasionally it is that Damascus Road experience, that intentional and that clear, but more often than not it’s the still small voice that is tugging at the heart. I know for me, if it’s something that I can’t shake over a few days or a week or a month. That’s the Holy Spirit speaking to me, trying to get my attention.
Hernández: What makes you cry? If the Lord is asking you to do something, it should take you to your knees to pray and cry over that group of people. For me, it’s the proof of my tears. What makes me cry? Wherever God places us, the proof is do I feel a burden for the people? That has been my experience.
&
AG NEWS:
How can parents support children and teens who may be experiencing a call to ministry?
Westlake: They can provide opportunities for them to experience the presence of God. They can provide opportunities for them to serve the house of God, the Church. Help their students develop a generous heart. As students are feeling this call to ministry, parents should start having them give to ministries and missionaries, because their heart will grow in these areas. I also think they can have spiritual conversations with their kids. We should be a safe place for a child to talk about the call of God on their life.
Alfaro: Speaking as a pastor and a parent of a 6-yearold and a 3-year-old, we disciple them. We also talk about ministry and help them understand what we’re doing. We normalize ministry for the next generation. How do we do that? By talking with them about it. By praying with them about it, letting them know that yes, God could call even you. God could stir you up. You don’t have to wait until you’re a grown person to feel that call. He could be preparing you as a kid, as a teen.
Zick: Have open dialogue with your child. Have conversations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: What does this look like for you? What do you think it means when you say you’re called to ministry? That’s not only beneficial for the parent, but it really helps children process those things as well. Encourage them in the plan of God. Validate the gifts and passions you see in their life. Take it step by step. Encourage them. AG
What next steps would you recommend for the person who feels called by God to ministry?
Hernández: One of the next steps is Bible training. Most of the districts and networks now have DSOMs (district schools of ministry). In our district, we have a program for teenagers. It’s an internship program where they are trained, but they’re also receiving Bible instruction in structured courses in areas such as the synoptic Gospels and Pentecostal history. We prepare them for ministry in the local church and many pursue ministry credentials.
Zick: Immediately share it with somebody — a leader, parent, or friend. That first step is to get it out. Get plugged into your local church. Serve, serve, serve. That’s usually where God will begin to open doors. Whether you’re 15 or 50, you can serve in your local church. I’ve found that to be a launching pad where God begins to open doors. Get connected to your district council/network. Learn the process for obtaining ministry credentials. Start taking those classes.
Alfaro: Pray about it. Talk to people who are in that field, in that space. If you want to be a missionary, talk to one. Ask, “How do I prepare to be a missionary?” Then, start serving. Get plugged in locally in your church. It could be while you’re serving in a local church that God begins to speak to you and show you where He’s calling you. You’ll discover your passion, your niche.
“We normalize ministry for the next generation.”
AG NEWS:
What are some of the biggest misconceptions regarding the role of the Holy Spirit?
Zick: One misconception is that He’s confined to certain areas or a time block within our day or within our week. He wants to walk with us. He wants to give us discernment. He’s a lot more relational than we would maybe think or perceive. In my experience, He truly wants to walk with you day in and day out.
Alfaro: Some people really emphasize the gifts of the Spirit, but fruit is just as important. We can be speaking the right message, but if our character is not there, then we have no credibility with the audience we’re ministering to. It’s not just what you do, it’s how you do it — the character, the follow-through, the integrity, your attitude, the fruit of the Spirit. How I do what I do honors God and also helps build the body of Christ.
“Whether you’re 15 or 50, you can serve in your local church.”
AG NEWS:
What can believers do to be more receptive to the Holy Spirit?
Hernández: I think we need to be quiet and silence all the noises. I’m very talkative. I find myself wanting to say many things to God when I pray. But just remaining calm and quiet before His presence is enough to feel that I’ve said it all. In my morning devotionals, listening to the Word of God gives me the opportunity to feel the personal touch of the Holy Spirit to my heart. I learn from others, but what is He speaking to me? For that I need to just stay calm, quiet, and listen.
Zick: I think having the mentality that we’re walking with the Holy Spirit — it’s an ongoing relationship. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just want to be a part of some of your life, for just the spiritual moments, but He wants to walk with us day in and day out. There’s this ongoing conversation. He wants to help us. He wants to guide us. He wants to give us wisdom and discernment.
Alfaro: The Holy Spirit will not force us to do anything. I think of conversations I’ve had with people who want to be baptized in the Spirit. They stand there with their mouths closed, waiting. I encourage them to open their mouths and begin to worship. You have to give the Holy Spirit something to work with. If you’re just sitting there waiting for Him to force your mouth open and make your tongue move a certain way, it’s not going to happen. We have to open our mouths and worship. If we remember when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they were actively seeking God and praying. It was a prayer meeting. They were engaged and ready to receive. That should be our response in seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
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Pentecost & Missions
If you were leaving on an extended journey, and you had one last opportunity to speak to your friends, what would you say to them? When Jesus faced this decision, He told His disciples that even though He was leaving them, He would ask the Father to send another Counselor to be with them always (John 14:16). He wanted them to know that after He was no longer with them, the Holy Spirit would provide all they needed for the task He was leaving with them.
The Holy Spirit empowers us for God’s mission. The people who experienced the outpouring of the Spirit at the beginning of the 20th century were concerned about the slow progress of world evangelization.
As they studied the Scriptures and particularly the Book of Acts, it was clear from Jesus and the apostles that God’s redemptive plan was intended to be accomplished by the Holy Spirit working through ordinary people.
That central purpose for the Spirit’s coming is found in John 20:21–22: “Jesus said, … ‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” Jesus saw the work of the Spirit in the disciples as essential to the task He gave them.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.” Early 20th century Pentecostals, using Jesus’ language in Acts 1:4, called this empowering experience “baptism in the Holy Spirit.” They understood that the purpose of this baptism in the Spirit was to empower them to bear witness to Jesus to the ends of the earth.
Very often today, Pentecostal or charismatic churches are associated with a certain style of singing and preaching. But we see from Acts that people encounter the Spirit not just to have an experience or to worship God in a certain style, but to be empowered to tell the story of Jesus to the world.
By Assemblies of God World Missions
The Holy Spirit Directs God’s Entire Redemptive Plan Unfolding on Earth
It is clear from Acts that the Holy Spirit calls workers and gives them specific guidance. The apostle Paul is called to a life of suffering for His sake in taking the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:3–6; 26:1, 5-18), Peter is called to labor as an apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:8), Paul and Barnabas are called to the specific task of taking the gospel to new places and peoples beyond Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). The Holy Spirit gives specific guidance to gospel workers. Ananias is sent to pray for Saul (Acts 9:10–16), Peter receives a vision and then instructions to go with people who have come from Cornelius to find him (Acts 10:9–20), Paul and his team are directed to Macedonia (Acts 16:9), and Paul receives encouragement through a vision to continue working in Corinth (Acts 18:9-11).
The Holy Spirit Brings People to Jesus
Conversion to Jesus is always the work of the Spirit, and we are the instruments that God uses in bringing the good news of what God has done in Jesus. Paul, in his letter to the new Christians in Thessalonica, says when he proclaimed the gospel to them it came with power, the Holy Spirit, and deep conviction (1 Thessalonians 1:5); even in the face of severe suffering, they welcomed the gospel message with joy given by the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:6).
The Holy Spirit Makes Us Bold and Powerful in Witness
Peter and John spoke compellingly and courageously before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8-13); after prayer for boldness, the Church was filled with the Spirit and all spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31); Stephen spoke by the Spirit with great wisdom so that his listeners could not refute him (Acts 6:9-10); Paul spoke boldly in the name of Jesus when he came to Jerusalem
(Acts 9:28); in the face of opposition in Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly (Acts 13:4648); and Paul spoke boldly in the synagogue in Ephesus for three months and then in a lecture hall in the city (Acts 19:8-10).
The
Holy
Spirit Works Signs and Wonders, Supernaturally Advancing the Gospel
The Book of Acts, after the coming of the Spirit in chapter two, is a continuous narrative of manifestations of supernatural power beyond human abilities that results in people turning to Jesus. Healings, casting out of demons, prophetic words of judgment, resurrection from the dead — all accompany the proclamation of the gospel (Hebrews 2:4). The Holy Spirit also gives gifts to God’s people, some that include supernatural abilities in the moment (1 Corinthians 12:1-11); the divine-empowering of activities like serving, teaching, and leading (Romans 12:3-8); and raises up people as special gifts to the body of Christ to equip them for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). It is the Holy Spirit’s power that makes ministry possible in any setting.
One unified task, one divine source of power, two dimensions for service — the Holy Spirit makes Christ’s mission possible! We can see now that the one unified task of all God’s people — to bear witness to all humanity to what God has done in Jesus Christ — has one unified source of power, the Holy Spirit.
As we are invited to partner with God in His global mission, we join His Spirit already at work in our lives and throughout the world, meeting us where we are and supplying what we lack. Senders and the sent ones all rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance, the boldness needed to speak the good news in hostile environments, and the faith to believe for signs and wonders to open eyes and hearts to who Jesus is. With such a reservoir of help and counsel available to us, it’s a right choice to seek the Spirit’s power for our
“The Holy Spirit empowers us for God’s mission.”
lives. We can encourage this through daily prayer, meditating on God’s Word, and through being available and willing to be guided by the Spirit in our daily lives.
If you have not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, simply pray and ask God for this gift. Ask others to pray with and for you.
And as you pray for unreached people groups and missionaries, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. If you sense a particular urgency to pray for a specific missionary, respond to that urging and then write and tell them of your prayer support. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about your responsibility in missions. Is He directing you to share the gospel with someone in your neighborhood or social circle? Is He directing you to give financially to the missionary program of your local church? Is He perhaps asking you to consider going as a career global worker to another nation or culture?
Be willing to pray fervently, listen intently, and respond readily.
IT MEAN TO BE SENT?
It means finding your purpose in the God who sends.
What Really Matters
THE SPIRIT & THE CHURCH
By Allen Tennison
Whydoes the Assemblies of God exist? For over 100 years, the Assemblies of God (AG) has carried a sense of mission to both the world and to Christians worldwide. To the world, the AG proclaims the good news of Jesus, having embraced the urgency of reaching the lost at home and abroad. To the global Church, the AG bears witness to the power of the Holy Spirit available to every believer as in the days of the New Testament church.
Through Scripture, the promise of the Holy Spirit undergirds the reality of the Church as the continuation of God’s people. Through the Old Testament prophets, God promises to pour out His Spirit on His people so that they will want to be the people God calls them to be (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Ezekiel 36:26; Joel 2:28-29). By the New Testament, John the Baptist announces Jesus, as Messiah, will be the One to baptize God’s people into the Spirit of God (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). Jesus promises the Spirit to His disciples after He goes away, so they will have another “Advocate” with them and with those who believe in Jesus through them (John 14-16). When the Day of Pentecost comes, Peter affirms that the gift of the Spirit remains a promise for all who believe, “for you and your children and for all who are far off” (Acts 2:39). The Assemblies of God continues to echo Peter’s affirmation regarding the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Makes the Church
If we belong to Jesus, then we already belong to the Spirit of Jesus (Romans 8:9). Every person who ever responded affirmatively to Jesus did so because of the Holy Spirit through whom we begin our Christian life (Galatians 3:2-3). The Holy Spirit continues to bear witness to our own spirits that we belong to God because we are found in Christ (Romans 8:16).
The same Spirit through whom we come to Jesus is the same Spirit by which we can invite others to join us. Jesus promised us that the “Spirit of truth” would bear witness to Him in the world alongside the witness of the Church (John 15:26-27). The Holy Spirit will even provide the Church with the words to speak when brought before “rulers and authorities” (Luke 12:11-12).
Paul emphasized his evangelistic ministry as one determined by the Spirit who accompanies the message of the gospel with signs and wonders (Romans 15:19) and produces joy in the hearts of those who receive it (1 Thessalonians 1:5-6).
The Spirit of God aids us not only in evangelism but also in discipleship. The Spirit continues to lead the Church into the teaching of Jesus (John 14:26). He reveals the wisdom of God to the Church so that the Church has “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:1016). Understanding “the mind of Christ” also leads
us to the character of Christ (Philippians 2:5) so that the Spirit makes us into loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and disciplined people (Galatians 5:22-23). This “fruit of the Spirit” provides the Church with the character necessary to maintain a healthy community (love, peace, patience, kindness, etc.) and a godly testimony (joy, goodness, faithfulness, self-control) before the world.
The Holy Spirit also supports the worship of the Church. We can pray in and by the Spirit (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:18). We offer songs in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15-16; Colossians 3:16). Whenever we gather, we each bring something of the Spirit to offer for the building up of that gathering (1 Corinthians 14:26). The Spirit gives gifts to the Church in worship, including gifts of leadership, miracles, service, and revelation (1 Corinthians 12:28).
“The same Spirit through whom we come to Jesus is the same Spirit by which we can invite others to join us.”
The Spirit of God aids the Church in spiritual warfare. The Spirit gives us both His sword, the Word of God, and prayer in our struggle against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:17-18). In our fight against the flesh, the Spirit shapes our desires (Romans 5:5). In regard to the world, the Spirit brings conviction against those who do not believe (John 16:8-11).
Because the Church is called to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16), we must love the world in the way God loves. The Church serves the world wherever the world is hurting or wherever people are in need. We cannot serve God without serving the world (James 1:27). The Holy Spirit who fills us uses us to care for the needs of others (Acts 6:1-3).
The Spirit of God is vital to the ongoing formation of the Church. The Spirit informs the world of the good news of Jesus, conforms the believer to the image of Jesus, forms the Church as a community of Jesus, and leads the Church to a Christlike response to the world’s threats and temptations. That is, we learn in the Spirit how to respond to such challenges by the way of Jesus, which is the way of the Cross (Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Peter 2:21-25).
The Assemblies of God’s Statement of Fundamental Truths (SFT) addresses “The Church and Its Mission,” defining the Church in terms of what it is, “the habitation of God through the Spirit,” and in terms of what it does. The Assemblies of God has four purposes (evangelism of the lost, worship of God, edification of believers, and compassion for those in need), which together give the Fellowship its “reason for being.” In other words, the Assemblies of God understands both the “being” and the “doing” of the Church to be the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Makes the Church Effective
The Assemblies of God defines its mission as teaching and encouraging believers to be baptized in the Spirit so that they can better fulfill that fourfold mission of the Church.
“The Assemblies of God exists expressly to give continuing emphasis to this reason for being in the New Testament apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit” (SFT #10). A Spirit-baptized Christian is better equipped with signs and wonders, and spiritual gifts, for the purposes of evangelism, worship, edification, and compassion.
The Holy Spirit already undergirds our reconciliation with God and one another; bears responsibility for the message and character of the Church; and serves as the guarantee of
Jesus, a deposit on our salvation. The Church simply does not exist apart from the work of the Spirit.
Yet not all generations of believers have been as fruitful as they could have been because the Church has not relied on the Holy Spirit as it should have. The Holy Spirit not only makes the Church; the Holy Spirit makes the Church effective!
The promise of a Spirit-filled life means the promise of a life of ongoing and increasing dependence on the Spirit of God. A church of Spirit-filled people becomes a Spiritfilled church which can accomplish its purposes without members having to rely exclusively on our will, intellect, muscle, talent, education, or experience. We offer all the above to the Holy Spirit who can do more with our offerings than we can imagine.
For over 110 years, the Assemblies of God has declared this promise continues to be for all believers with the rest of the Pentecostal movement. In that same time, the Assemblies of God has exemplified reliance on the empowerment of the Spirit in our own evangelism, worship, discipleship, and care. May our message and our ministry remain focused on the Church’s ongoing need for the Spirit of God.
“The
Holy Spirit makes the Church effective.
”
AG NEWS WORKS OF THE SPIRIT
Children’s Ministry Experiences
Holy Spirit Outpouring
By Deann Alford
Every Sunday, Annie’s* mom brings her to the children’s service at Christian Life Church, and the timid firstgrader, always with colorful beads in her braided hair, brings a fresh question about Jesus.
Then came the Sunday when children’s pastor Bella Edwards shared a message about the Holy Spirit: “This gift is for you,” she told the 90 children ages 6 to 11 years old. “Listen for His voice to come accept this gift.”
The group waited. For a full minute, no one moved. Then suddenly, Annie, seated on the back row, stood and came forward.
Annie’s bold response unleashed the floodgates. With the tiny girl leading the way, other children followed. What ensued was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit among the first- through fifth-graders at Christian Life Church in Columbia, South Carolina. That morning, all 17 who went forward to the altar were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Edwards notes that none of it would have happened without careful preparation to introduce the Holy Spirit to her flock. Pivotal in this was the Assemblies of God Kidmin’s free Session guides on elevating worship in children’s ministry.
Edwards’ own journey seeking Jesus, during which the Lord called her to children’s ministry, unfolded during her adolescent years. She watched college football in the late 2000s with her dad, a former Florida Gators football player. Like more than 100 million others nationwide, she did internet searches for Scripture references that standout Gator quarterback Tim Tebow wrote in his eye black.
In high school, someone sponsored her trip to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, where she met Jesus. She returned to Southeastern to study ministerial leadership. There, Chris Corbett, department chair for the School of Ministry and Theology, became her mentor and professor.
Years after Edwards’ graduation, Corbett regards her among the top students impassioned for children, for families, and for Jesus.
“I remember Bella’s deep passion from the very first moment we met. That passion just grew,” says Corbett, noting Edwards’ involvement in a local church’s children’s ministry while studying at Southeastern. “She always gave 100%. I am so forever grateful she’s a part of my life.”
When Christian Life named Edwards as children’s pastor in 2020, she carried Corbett’s teachings on spiritual formation into her ministry.
“(There are) kids in my church who were in situations like I was in. The Lord set me free,” she says. “The Lord rescued me from the brokenness of my home for this. (Children’s ministry) isn’t a stepping stone for me. This is my life.”
So, when Assemblies of God Kidmin released its free Session guides on how to elevate worship in children’s ministry, she embraced it. Its topics focus on practical ministry such as how to praise God, raising hands in worship, praying over friends, sitting in silence, and waiting on God.
While Edwards was excited about launching the curriculum, instead of immediately diving in, she laid the groundwork by calling on her ministry team to pray for the upcoming season.
The goal is connecting children with the Holy Spirit beyond surface-level altar times “rather than us just always talking about it,” she says. “The gift is for them, too.”
When the teaching began, Edwards and her team lingered on each point.
“We wanted God to sit within them. Repetition for kids is everything. We wanted them to fully understand every new point we talked about before moving on. If it took us three months to get us through one point, it took us three months,” she says. “We let the Spirit lead us.”
Edwards introduced the Holy Spirit as “the greatest friend you’ll ever have.” She explained speaking in tongues to the children, saying “It’s a secret language... prayers that will always be God’s will over your life. So, I said God wants you to have this.”
And then the Holy Spirit broke through, with Annie’s bold response leading the way.
At the altar, “Everybody was crying out to the Spirit, pure emotion and joy and beautiful yelling, exalting who Jesus is,” Edwards says. Older children prayed for the first- and second-graders. “That was so beautiful.”
Since that first outpouring, at least eight other children have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Christian Life Church.
“That morning, all 17 who went forward to the altar were baptized in the Holy Spirit.”
“Now we’re seeing them choose to enter into the presence of God with their own relationship with Him instead of us setting it up for them like we were,” Edwards notes.
That altar service marked a complete turnaround. “Not one Sunday have we not seen our kids in the presence of the Lord,” she says.
Reports from children include calls to missions and vocational ministry. Edwards’ favorite response has been a weeping girl unable to explain in words how she felt the presence of God.
“The kids are showing us He’s there with them. It’s incredible!” she says.
Edwards points out that leading children in the baptism of the Holy Spirit looks different from church to church.
“Get in the prayer closet with God. He knows the kids in your ministry. He knew our kids needed time,” she says.
*Name changed to protect privacy of minor
Sophia’s Miracle
By Joel Kilpatrick
Kim and Cory Caron of Somersworth, New Hampshire, near Boston, celebrated the arrival of Sophia, their fourth child, in July 2023, but it soon became apparent that Sophia wasn’t able to hear.
“She seemed like a totally normal infant, except she slept really well and wasn’t startled easily,” says Kim. “She was super, super chill and we felt blessed by that.”
That is, until Kim noticed that Sophia didn’t flinch when their new puppy barked near her. Neither did the infant turn in the direction of Kim’s voice. At 6 months old, she made no noises of her own, and her doctor confirmed she was not responding to any noises. Sophia was diagnosed with bilateral hearing loss, meaning she wasn’t hearing with either ear. Further tests showed her eardrums were not functioning at all.
For the Carons, the discovery became a crisis of — and opportunity for — faith. The couple attend Restoration Church’s Dover, Delaware, location where they met eight years ago. They now serve in youth ministry. Kim, from Vermont, has served in AG churches as a youth leader over the years and attended Master’s Commission in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
The Northern New England District of the AG was holding its first day of the Invest Conference at Restoration’s Plymouth location on the morning of Sophia’s third hearing test. From the start, Restoration’s pastor Nate Gagne felt certain that Sophia would be healed, and told Kim attendees would pray over the baby at the conference.
“In my mind I thought, Yes, I believe you, but also, I don’t know. I’m hearing these doctor reports and this is my baby, Kim says.
By then, several adverse diagnoses had crushed her and Cory’s spirits.
“I thought I would never hear her say ‘I love you’ or ‘mama’ or ‘dada,’ and that’s heart-wrenching,” Kim says. Even as defeat crept in, Kim recalled the miracles she had seen at church and on the mission field: a woman healed of heart problems; blind eyes and deaf ears opened. Her thought was, I know it’s possible, but is it possible for my baby?
On the second night of the conference, a time of prayer for healing was held and Kim fetched Sophia from the nursery — but then felt arrested by doubt.
“I kept hearing in my mind, You don’t need to bring her up there. She doesn’t need to be healed. She’s perfectly fine; she’s still alive. She’s still here with you,” Kim recalls. “I felt paralyzed but somehow, by the grace of God, I was able to walk up with her and looked at pastor Nate and he was like, ‘Yes,’ and started praying for her.”
At first, Kim found she could not verbally agree.
“Something was holding me back from praying over my own daughter,” she says. “Nate said, ‘You need to pray over her.’
I said, ‘I can’t,’ and stood there. He spoke the words with authority and everything broke free. I felt the move and the power of God over all of us.”
Back home she shared what had happened with Cory and they agreed in prayer that Sophia be healed.
“We kept believing that and we were excited,” Kim says.
Two days later at home, she called Sophia’s name, and the baby turned and looked at her.
“Did that just happen?” Kim asked.
Then a friend came in and greeted them and Sophia looked right at her. Both women started weeping because “she had never done that before,” Kim says.
A hearing test showed that Sophia could hear every sound doctors made.
“I was so awestruck by how wonderful God is that I couldn’t say anything,” Kim says. “Sophia has perfect hearing. There’s nothing faulty or not working. When God heals, He heals big. She talks all the time.”
Medical records show the before and after diagnoses, clearly demonstrating Sophia’s transformation from complete hearing loss to normal hearing range for a 1-year-old. The medical professionals involved, including an ear, nose, and throat specialist and an audiologist, offered no explanation.
“They all said, ‘We don’t know what happened, but she can hear now,’” says Kim.
As soon as the Carons told Gagne about the healing, “We just laughed together because what else do you do? He was adamant that he knew the Lord was going to heal her.”
Gagne shared the testimony and the hearing tests during the church’s Sunday morning livestream, giving glory to the Father for His continued healing work.
He says, “It was encouraging and another sign to us that God is moving in New Hampshire and even greater things are ahead.”
Sophia’s testimony has already affected many, including those in her own family. As a result of the miracle, some members of Kim’s family have begun attending church and her nieces were baptized in water.
Revival Service at Ohio State
By Dan Van Veen
“Now they put their identity in Jesus!”
Tears filled the eyes of Kenji Kuriyama as Ohio State University (OSU) football players stood before a crowd of an estimated 1,500 students and gave their testimonies of how Jesus Christ had transformed their lives.
Kuriyama and his wife, Sierra, who are U.S. missionaries serving with Chi Alpha, says the event, held in August 2024, was put together in a relatively short time. However, God has used it to impact the campus on multiple levels and far beyond as the video has gone viral on social media outlets and Fox News has given coverage to the event.
“These football players were sharing legitimate testimonies,” Kuriyama says. “They were talking about how football had become their idol, and how they were trapped in
anxiety, questions about their self-worth, and deepening depression — and then how Jesus came in and totally saved them from all these things. Now they put their identity in Jesus!”
Kuriyama confirms the event originated with current and former players from the OSU football team who then involved numerous campus ministries. The intent of the outreach was to see students won to Christ; one of the unexpected benefits was that it brought campus ministry leaders together in a shared cause.
As players gave different tasks to different ministry groups, Kuriyama says Chi Alpha was assigned to promote the event through social media and on campus.
“Then one of the players asked about having people available for those who wanted to be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues,” shares Kuriyama, who didn’t expect to hear a request like that. “Well, that was right down our alley, so we volunteered for that right away!”
In all, 62 students responded to the altar call and were baptized in large tanks in which players take ice baths following practices. The crowd clapped and cheered, tears flowed freely, and baptized students hugged each other in celebration.
It Began with an Uber Driver
Although the idea for the event only originated during a retreat a few weeks earlier, Kuriyama provides a more historic context to how God has been at work.
“Several years ago, Kam Babb, a receiver for OSU, took an Uber to the airport,” Kuriyama recalls, “and during that ride, the Uber driver led Kam to the Lord. That Uber driver, who
Ordered Steps
By Peter K. Johnson
Vicky Guillen, lead pastor of City Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, says she exemplifies the first verse of John Newton’s classic hymn: “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”
Originally planted from a tent-meeting revival in 1930, City Church serves greater Sheboygan bordering Lake Michigan. The city of 50,000 residents exposes a needy mission field that Guillen understands. Sheboygan is listed among America’s top 20 “drunkest cities,” by 24/7 Wall St.
“I am in awe of God’s love and His relentless pursuit of me,” Guillen, 53, reflects. “I was the wretch that He saved.”
In 1992, at the age of 20, she lived with her boyfriend, John Guillen, in Chicago, expecting their third child. Both were frequent abusers of alcohol and various illicit drugs, which fueled a lengthy dysfunctional relationship.
Frightened about the possibility of losing the baby she carried, she bargained with God.
“I promised God I would follow Him if my new son was born totally normal,” she recalls.
Thankful for a healthy baby, she attended her sister-inlaw’s nondenominational church in Chicago, where she gave her life to Christ and stopped abusing drugs. Yet, her good intentions eventually crumbled.
After marrying John in 1996, she slowly returned to weekend partying and drinking bouts.
“Both of us put the Lord on the back burner,” she says.
Verbal offenses, physical altercations, and mutual infidelities surfaced again, leading the couple to separate in January 2000. In early 2005, Vicky agreed to chaperon her cousin’s children while her relative attended a Bible study at Praise Fellowship (now City Church) in Sheboygan. A crucial moment.
Due to an ankle injury, John Guillen joined his family in Wisconsin. During his recovery, the couple began allowing Jesus to mend their hearts. At a worship service in June 2005, the Holy Spirit opened the floodgates of heaven over Vicky. Broken and tearful, she came home to Christ.
After attending marriage counseling, the couple recommitted their marriage to God in 2006.
“We have experienced unbelievable forgiveness and have focused on 1 Peter 4:8,” she stresses. “That love covers a multitude of sins, covering hurts from our past.”
Vicky’s faith grew after joining City Church life groups and using her secular job skills for administrative tasks. She also shared her testimony and counseled couples.
Preaching assignments increased as she took on more responsibilities and was promoted to pastor of small groups, which led to gaining local church credentials from the Wisconsin/Northern Michigan Ministries Network (WNMMN) in 2017.
When the former pastor resigned in 2021, she submitted her name for the position. The congregation elected her as lead pastor with a 98% approval in February 2023.
“As a female clergy, I’m proud that our Fellowship affirms that women can serve in any capacity within the church using their God-given gifts,” says Sharon York, co-lead pastor of Christian Life, Plymouth, Wisconsin, and a WNMMN executive presbyter.
Alongside her husband, John, who’s responsible for the church building and maintenance, Vicky and her team have stressed community-based gospel outreaches — street witnessing, giving luncheon snacks in local parks, free medical clinics, providing food for needy families, and helping the temporarily displaced.
Vicky has allowed the Lord to have control of her life and to ordain her steps, which has resulted in the blessing of a healthy and thriving Spirit-led church.
“God calls both genders to His service,” says John Davis, WNMMN superintendent. “The hand of God has been on Vicky’s ministry, and she is very relational to other pastors in our network.”
Districts Continue Efforts to Support Students Called into Ministry
By Ashley Grant
Assemblies of God districts and ministry networks across the United States are intentionally investing in the next generation, believing that these young leaders will positively affect the future climate of the Fellowship.
From as young as middle school students, AG districts/ministry networks are identifying and empowering young people who feel called into full-time ministry.
Each year, the Southern Missouri Ministry Network (SOMO) hosts a Called Retreat on the campus of Evangel University. The two-day event brings together kids from across the ministry network for spiritual encouragement, fellowship, and specific training geared toward their called area of ministry.
In 2024, the retreat hosted Illinois Student Ministry Director Chris Stanley, who spoke to SOMO students about the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Breakout sessions were held in the areas of youth ministry, children’s ministry, church planting, nonprofit ministry, and worship ministry.
The purpose of the annual event is to empower students to press on toward the calling they have on their lives.
Callum Grant was just 8 years old when he attended the SOMO Called Retreat in 2024. Feeling called into full-time ministry for over a year, he had attended the retreat sessions with hopes of learning more about ministry and church planting.
“I really loved it,” Callum says. “I learned that sometimes you may have to risk your life for Christ. And it’s not always going to be easy. Sometimes it may be a challenge, but that’s OK because at least people are coming to Christ and knowing that He is their Lord and Savior, and they can start living a new life.”
Ending with a special commissioning service from SOMO Ministry Network Superintendent Don E. Miller, Callum and 165 other students were prayed for and released back to their home churches with a charge to continue to pursue their calling and hold themselves to a higher standard for the purpose of preparing themselves to be used by Christ.
“If you wait for an opportunity to prepare for the opportunity, you won’t be ready when the opportunity arises,” Miller told students.
Just across state lines, the Illinois District, which launched its Called College in 2023, has dozens of students gaining hands-
on ministry training this summer, some of which are even doing international ministry.
The purpose of these summer ministry opportunities according to the college’s director, Rich Pruitt, is to help young men and women gain real-life experience.
“Students learn the most when they are out in ministry,” he says. “And this year, 29 Illinois students are out in SMOs (Summer Ministry Opportunities) gaining that real-life experience, learning things we can’t teach them in the classroom.”
Due to the average age of ministers in the Assemblies of God approaching 60, churches are hungry for young staff members, according to Phillip Schneider, district superintendent for Illinois.
“Our students are getting the opportunity to start being involved in ministry from year one and that opportunity is fanning a flame that is producing great fruitfulness,” he says.
Schneider believes that Called College will be a game-changer for the district, citing that at this year’s district council, 30 men and women under the age of 25 will earn their Associates Degree from North Central University, receive their Ministerial Studies diploma from the Illinois District, and become candidates for credentials with the Assemblies of God.
Intentional recruitment and retention of young people who feel called to ministry is how the Assemblies of God will survive, according to Schneider.
“Unless we keep up with our efforts, we simply won’t have enough men and women entering into full-time ministry,” he warns.
AG General Superintendent Doug Clay is encouraged about the growing number of ministers in the AG under 40 years old. He says that he is grateful for the intentionality that AG districts/ministry networks are placing on challenging young people regarding their call into ministry.
“One of the best ways to serve the next generation is making time and space for them to consider God’s call on their life,” he says. “We believe the next generation is not the church of tomorrow, but very much the church of today.”
“Students learn the most when they are out in ministry.”
Pentecost and Prayer Just Ask! Just Believe! Just Wait!
By Dick Eastman
It was a cool, misty February weekend in 1971. It was the height of the Jesus Movement. One hundred seventy-five young people from at least 20 Assemblies of God churches across Northern California had gathered for a weekend prayer retreat amid the towering redwoods of the region. These prayer retreats had begun two years earlier when God challenged me that while we had many great activities for young people in our church, including a ski club, a full-size gymnasium, and a coffee shop, something more was needed. Prayer retreats provided weekends to teach young people keys to pursuing God, including seeking Him all night.
I learned quickly that it was important to have organized, corporate prayer at the start of the meetings to keep the attention of the young people. My goal was to keep their attention in a corporate setting until at least midnight. I then challenged each student to find a quiet place in the main lodge to simply seek the Lord in his or her own way. Most would pray all night. Some kneeled, others were prostrate, and some gathered in clusters, praying together. It was a beautiful sight.
In this context I had a personal experience with the Holy Spirit that profoundly impacted my life. It happened well past midnight. I was sitting on the table with my legs dangling. I was watching the young people pray, highlighted by the glow of the large fireplace in the center of the room.
Some were quietly weeping. Others were just talking to God in an almost casual manner with open Bibles. Suddenly I realized that even though the teens were obviously being deeply impacted, I felt nothing. I wasn’t weeping, I wasn’t even praying. I was more of an observer.
I asked myself a simple question: Why do I feel absolutely no emotion when so many people are dying without knowing Christ?
It was such a simple thought. I quietly added, Why don’t I care more for the millions who are lost?
In that moment I casually prayed, “Please, God, help me care!” It was just a five-word prayer.
I wiped away a few tears that slowly started to come, and said excitedly, “Yes, Jesus, that’s it. I need more of that!”
Soon, tears were flowing freely. Before long I was sobbing — really sobbing.
Frankly, I was a bit embarrassed. Yet, I couldn’t stop what was taking place. This was no ordinary encounter. I hadn’t planned it, nor had I sought it. All I had done was to pray, “Please, God, help me care!”
This Holy Spirit-initiated “travail” went on for several hours. Suddenly, the most wonderful peace came over me. Then I heard it. It was unmistakable. The still small voice of the Holy Spirit impressing on my heart that my ministry for the future had been born there that night.
I began to understand the reality of that experience a few years later when I joined the ministry of Every Home for Christ as director of Prayer Mobilization. Every Home is a 78-year-old ministry that has a vision to take the gospel to every home on earth.
I was asked by the founder, Jack McAlister, to develop a multihour seminar called, The Change the World School of Prayer. Within two years we had numerous instructors throughout the world. Within a decade these “Schools of Prayer” had been conducted in more than 100 nations, impacting some 120 different denominations. To date, more than 3 million believers have been equipped to pray more effectively for a lost world through these seminars.
In 1988, I was asked to lead the global Every Home ministry as president, a role that continued until 2022. I never could have imagined serving in a ministry that in future years would reach over 2.5 billion homes with the gospel or through our 180 national offices’ follow-up, we would receive more than 200 million positive responses as a result. This past year alone, under the leadership of my successor, Tanner Peake, over 20 million souls encountered Christ through the ministry.
To think I was able to be a part of this amazing ingathering of souls because of a Holy Spirit-empowered encounter where God helped me care!
Youth Alive: Empowered by the Spirit, Sharing Faith on Campus
By Matt Harder
“Is this what the Holy Spirit is for?” That’s the question our students often ask after being baptized in the Spirit at one of our Northwest Ministry Network youth events. They’re discovering that the same God who gives them tongues is the same God who will give them boldness to share the gospel in the lunchroom. He’s not just for Sundays, but for everyday life, empowering them to speak truth in the places needed most.
“He’s not just for Sundays, but for everyday life.”
A core ministry of Assemblies of God Youth Ministries that is mobilized through U.S. Missions, Youth Alive’s heartbeat has been to equip students to reach their peers with the hope of Christ since 1979. In Washington and North Idaho, we’ve grown from three campus clubs in 2023 to 72 in 2024, and we’re believing for 300 by the end of the 2026 school year. It’s a living example of Acts 1:8 — students receiving power and becoming witnesses in their own schools.
This movement is more than numbers; it’s about lives transformed. Take Jake’s story. After encountering God at one of our camps and committing to be a campus missionary, he returned home determined to start a
Youth Alive club. Before long, hundreds of classmates were gathering, hungry for truth. Even entire football teams showed up, many finding Jesus and then attending church to be discipled. Now that Jake has graduated, younger leaders have stepped in. This passing of the torch shows how Youth Alive clubs don’t hinge on a single person, but on the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work through our local churches.
We’ve seen similar breakthroughs in towns like Walla Walla, Washington, where a first-ever Bible club sparked new faith, and in King County, Washington, where urban schools are suddenly open to the gospel. From rural corners to major cities, our students’ view of their school is transformed when they commit to be campus missionaries. The impact extends beyond future pastors or missionaries; it’s raising up tomorrow’s church board members, community influencers, and volunteers who start by sharing the gospel right in their hallways.
So, what’s next?
We believe Youth Alive is student-led, but must be church-fed. For that to happen, U.S. Missions ministries like Youth Alive need local congregations’ support. Financial support enables U.S. missionaries serving with Youth Alive to train student leaders alongside their youth pastors, provide resources for Bible clubs, and establish a sustainable presence in schools.
As Youth Alive continues to expand, the impact will be felt not just in schools but in communities, churches, and families for generations to come.
But the most significant element of her experience with the school goes back to a job interview just after Triad Fellowship opened. The interviewer said she wanted to ask McCann a question.
“You have held some prestigious positions, but I can’t help but wonder if you are searching for something you haven’t found yet,” the woman said. “Do you know what you’re looking for?”
“I knew immediately it was ministry — full-time ministry,” McCann says. “I had not been running from my calling, but I had not pursued it as a full-time job. The next month I applied for Triad.”
A church consultant had recommended Goins hire an executive assistant. Because she enjoyed her job with a corporate franchise owner, McCann only agreed to a part-time position in 2020. A year later, after the franchise sold, she went to work for Renaissance full time.
“Baptized in water in 1977 and filled with the Spirit in 1980, as McCann grew older, she realized God had healed her for a purpose.”
In addition to helping the pastor with administrative matters, McCann oversees Triad Fellowship. Goins says the ministry school has transformed Renaissance’s culture.
“Next year we will have graduated 50 students; 75% of them attend our church,” Goins says. “The power of that level of depth in your church is amazing; I have 35 people who are aching to start new churches.”
“As far as Tammy goes, the thing that strikes me about her is this woman has a college degree but felt called to be my assistant and serve,” Goin says. “Out of that, the Lord has given her this ministry school. It’s amazing to see how God has honored her sacrifice.”
