Assemblies of God in Great Britain
| Assemblies of God in Great Britain | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Theology | Pentecostal |
| Region | England, Scotland and Wales |
| Origin | 1924 |
| Official website | www.aog.org.uk |
Assemblies of God in Great Britain (AOG) is a Pentecostal denomination with 600 congregations throughout the United Kingdom except Northern Ireland, where the Assemblies of God Ireland operates. As the British branch of the 52.5-million-member World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the British Assemblies of God forms part of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world.[1]
Beliefs
The Assemblies of God believes that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, the infallible, all sufficient rule for faith and practice. It also believes in:
- The Trinity;
- The virgin birth, sinless life, miraculous ministry, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension and abiding intercession of Jesus Christ and in his personal, visible, bodily return in power and glory as the blessed hope of all believers;
- The fall of man, who was created pure and upright, but fell by voluntary transgression;
- Salvation through faith in Christ, who, according to the Scriptures, died for the sins of humanity, was buried and was raised from the dead on the third day, and that through his blood grants redemption;
- This experience is the new birth and is an instantaneous and complete operation of the Holy Spirit upon initial faith in Jesus Christ;
- All who have truly repented and believed in Christ as Lord and Saviour are commanded to be baptised by immersion in water;
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit as an enduement of the believer with power for service, the essential, biblical evidence of which is the speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance;
- The ongoing operation of spiritual gifts and the fivefold ministry (the "gifts of Christ") in the Church;
- Holiness of life and conduct in obedience to the command of God;
- Deliverance from sickness by divine healing is provided for in the atonement;
- The regular observance of the Lord's Supper for all who have truly repented and believe in Christ as Lord and Saviour;
- Bodily resurrection of all men, the everlasting conscious bliss of all who truly believe in Jesus Christ and the everlasting conscious punishment of all whose names are not written in the Book of Life.
History
The British Assemblies of God came into being in Birmingham in 1924.[2] Mattersey Hall, founded in London in 1919, is the official Bible college. It is located in Mattersey, near Doncaster, in Yorkshire, England. The standard hymnal of Assemblies of God has traditionally been the Redemption Hymnal. Although as time has moved on, the style of music within Assembles of God Churches has become more varied.
On October 22, 2005, the Irish Region was allowed to join with the Irish Assemblies of God, Republic of Ireland to form the Assemblies of God Ireland.[3]
Structure
The Assemblies of God is divided into six geographical regions or areas: Scotland, North, Central, London and East, Wales, and West. Each area is overseen by an area leader who together form the National Leadership Team. The Team is headed by John Partington, who became the leader of AOG in 2010 after leading churches in Liverpool and Exeter and also serving on the leadership team of Edge Church in Adelaide, Australia under Danny Guglielmucci.
Ministries
- Church Planting
- Youth Alive United Kingdom
- AoG National Children’s Department
- Women's Ministries in Assemblies of God
- Social Concern
- Assemblies of God World Ministries
References
- ↑ Center for the Study of Global Christianity - Status of Global Mission (2005)
- ↑ Kay, William K. (2002). "Assemblies of God in Great Britain and Ireland". In Stanley M. Burgess. The new international dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements. (Rev. and expanded ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House. pp. 340–341. ISBN 0310224810.
- ↑ Launch of the Assemblies of God Ireland