Pentecostal Experience and Postmodern Students
Today (9/30) Jan and I are in Kansas City participating in the AG’s National Youth Workers Conference.
Our morning workshop was on the theme that is the title of this blog. We began the session by asking the youth workers present how their students were dealing with their Pentecostal identity.
Here is my summary of their responses:
1. Some of the youger ones seem to think it’s like a toy, “speaking in tongues.? More in-depth ones see it as power from God.
2. “Optional” is the word that describes it to my students, a choice rather than a necessity.
3. Not sure if they fully appreciate it; new believers may not know what it is.
4. Youth pastors may be blurring the lines about our distinctives; we seem to be drawn to being like everyone else.
5. Like their parents, students say they believe it, but don’t actually practice it. It’s moved from experiential to intellectual.
6. Students who are pentecostal are people with a mission; doing something God has told them to do.
7. Studetns may be understanding pentecost as an experience rather than a lifestyle.
8. Seems like there isn’t enough pursuit of things after tongues, into empowerment, etc.
9. On average, students may be 5-6 on a 10-point pentecostalism scale.
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Hi Earl,
I am a grad from CBC (1986) and was in the AG as a licensed minister until 1995. I now pastor a non-denominational church that I founded in 1995. Part of the reason that I left the AG revolved around a multi-district youth pastors event and about a two-year long struggle with the implications that followed in my observation of and experience in ministry in the AG. The event that I refer to was billed as a major advance in ministry to youth/ministry in general. The meeting was launched as the lights dimmed and a video entitled “Paradigm Shift” was shown…it was a video put out by a major American company to show the need to know when and how to change methodlogies/corporate philosophy [existing paradigm] in order to gain market share at keys moments of “shift” in the world of consumerism etc… When the lights came up again the moderator explained that we were entering a new cultural paradigm that would require the Church to change its methodologies/philosophy of ministry in order to reach the next generation. At that moment a cold chill ran down my spine and a sick feeling took hold in my stomach. I was wet behind the ears and could not grasp the implications of what was being said and, as I said, there was about a two year period that my experience in ministry drastically changed in the AG. I began to attend AG district sponsored workshops at the direction of my head pastor covering subjects obstensively to understand and implement new ideas designed to reach the always emerging culture before us. I remember one conference was titled “Closing the Seven Backdoors of Your Church” whaich taught us techniques of how to attract and keep visitors to the church. It was all marketing based…it was all new….we we all reading bestselling books on marketing by Christian and non-Christian authors to gain and implement the “paradigm shift”. I’ll never forget the moment that the vague misgivings that I had initially expierenced crystallized in my spirit/soul. It was after one of these conferences…I went back to my room where I just sat down on my bed dealing with a cloud of anger/disillusionment/fear/sadness hanging over my soul. My roommate for the conference walked in and asked me what was wrong. I just looked at him and said “I’m done…I’m resigning…this is all wrong.” I let my pastor know that I disagreed with this shift…though at the time I was unable to fully articulate my problem with it all. To make a long story short…I quit…resigned my license and started a independant church which we named “Church of Acts” to reflect the desire to live out the simple/original/powerful paradigm of Biblical Christianity and ministry here and now. All this may seem like I am leading up to an endorsement of the “emergent model”...in fact, I am convinced that the emergent model is a continuation and further morphing of the beast that was unleashed within the AG in the late 80’s-early 90’s. Its name is “Pragmatism” and it has grown several heads (models) named “seeker-sensitivity”, “purpose-driven” and now, “emergentism”...each head hates the other and lashes out against the others, but they share that same pragmatic body [principle]that ministry methods and philosophy must mold itself positively to the prevailing mindset of the fallen culture around it in order to build a door of attraction through which sinner will come to Christ. As I said, in my opinion, as I read and watch emergentism begins to gain traction in evangelicalism it is just a further morphing of pragmatism that is steering the Church away from its true power and calling. I think you would call me a loyalist if I understand some of what you have written. But I am a “first generation” pentecostal with no previous such geneology. I believe that yes, we need to understand our generation…etc…not so we can craft methodologioes “that will work”, but that we can address its sin against God and call it to repentance specifically under the Authority of the Word of God and the unique claims of Christ and His Gospel by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We don’t need more pragmatic handwringing about what our “emerging culture” might think about us. We need a real outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will send us out into the culture as we see in the Book of Acts with power to cut sinners to the heart and bring a culture to its knees. Man can never program—or set the stage for that. Emergentism seems embarassed about the Bible and afraid to confront sin and squeemish on propositional Truth, especially regarding the unique claims and demand of the Gospel…”repent or you too shall perish.” In fact that is what our culture needs to be confronted with at this hour. I’m rambling so I’ll stop here…
Blessings
Pastor Dave Liebherr
Pastor Dave Liebherr, is straight on target. Reading his remarks has been a serious breath of fresh air. Thank you David.
Dr. Hunt
Well I just need to know how can we get your book out the United States. From Dominican Republic: I am an assemblies of God Pastor