THIS WEEK IN AG HISTORY SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018 BY GLENN W. GOHR Fifty years ago this week the Assemblies of God released a book called The Wellsprings of the Pentecostal Movement. The author, A COLLECTION OF THIS WEEK’S STORIES FROM NEWS.AG.ORG David Womack, compared the Pentecostal movement to a tree, carefully examining the deep roots of Pentecostalism. Womack saw the tree today threatened by two grave dangers — people with a limited knowledge of Church history and people who have been overinfluenced by non- Pentecostal concepts. He declared “The most dangerous problems facing the Pentecostal Movement are not those of external forces … but the slow decay from whole Church.” Womack collaborated within.” He stressed that if Jesus and with the Committee on Advance to His apostles intended for the New evaluate the life and role of the church. Testament patterns to be the standard The book, which continues to shape for the Church in all ages, then the the mission of the church, was an Pentecostal movement should make outgrowth of the committee. every effort to uphold those patterns. Read more about The Wellsprings According to Womack, the Day of the Pentecostal Movement on pages of Pentecost established several 10, 11, and 21 of the Aug. 25, 1968, precedents, including that “the infilling issue of the Pentecostal Evangel online PREPARING of the Holy Spirit … was to be for the at s2.ag.org/aug251968. FOR HARVEST

Read the full versions of these stories on news.ag.org AG CHURCH DESTROYED BY FIRE NEWS FOR, ABOUT, AND FROM THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD A CALL TO HEALING CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK TWITTER SEU ANNOUNCES RSS AND OUR WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER PARTNERSHIP VISIT NEWS.AG.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. 2 3 COMMISSION GAINS WOMEN VOICES BY DAN VAN VEEN The Commission on Ethnicity Hispanic districts, there is now a growing meets annually to bring focus to the minority of women credential holders, growing ethnicity of the Assemblies of and a possible majority in women lay God. General Superintendent Doug people. Clay, chairman of the Commission “My plan is to listen,” she explains. on Ethnicity, moved to make sure “In order to plan for the future, we the women’s perspective was well need to listen to their needs.” Another represented in the commission. goal for Carrizo is to communicate to PREPARING FOR HARVEST Connecting with Scott Temple, the the women of Hispanic districts, at all BY DAN VAN VEEN director of AG Office of Ethnic Relations, levels, that they are welcome in the AG Following Hurricane Maria that touched the lives of 150,000 families, and Dennis Rivera, the director of AG Fellowship. struck Puerto Rico in September, it took or about half a million people, and Office of Hispanic Relations, Clay asked Yabuki, who is a D.Min candidate 11 months to fully restore power, an distributed about eight million meals to them to each recommend a woman to through the AG Theological Seminary, estimated 300,000 people left the island, families,” De la Torre says. serve a two-year appointment. says that as she prayed about her role, businesses closed as insurance claims AG endorsed chaplains arrived Yoriko Yabuki, the director of the Holy Spirit gave her a nudge. failed, and recently the government in December, holding Resilience Japanese Women’s Ministries in “My D.Min project was on the four acknowledged the death toll exceeded conferences for pastors to help them the U.S. Japanese Fellowship, was cultural challenges Japanese women 1,400 instead of under 100. process their losses and give them the Temple’s recommendation to serve as face in getting involved in leadership Iván De la Torre, the AG district tools to recover. This December, the the representative for women of the and ministry,” Yabuki says, which superintendent for the Puerto Rico chaplains are returning to Puerto Rico to Language/Ethnic Fellowships. include shame, isolation, avoidance of district, says the disaster has had a hold follow-up conferences. Rivera’s choice for representative “standing out,” and the value of women far-reaching impact on the churches, What’s more, work teams are hearing of the women of Hispanic districts was is perceived as less. pastors, and congregants. of the needs and are coming to Puerto Silvia Carrizo. Carrizo has served as Yabuki’s desire is to use the materials “One hundred churches were Rico to assist the district and churches damaged by Hurricane Maria,” De in rebuilding. the secretary/treasurer of the Southern to assist the 22 Language/Ethnic la Torre says, “and of those, 40 were “We have enough lodging and Pacific District Council since 2012. Fellowship presidents in achieving completely destroyed. Up to now, only transportation available for two groups Carrizo understands the importance their vision for seeing more women in 12 of those churches have been rebuilt.” every week,” De la Torre says. Humberto of her role. She explains that in the leadership and ministry positions. The district and churches are facing Pizarro is in charge of logistics for significant financial challenges. And groups. THE ABCs OF SALVATION what’s rarely talked about is the far- Starting in December, Convoy of ACCEPT that you are a sinner, and God’s punishment for your ranging post-traumatic stress people Hope will host at least five regional sin is death and separation from God forever. are experiencing at all levels. outreaches over the next year in each BELIEVE that Jesus paid God’s price for your sin when He But the future for the Assemblies of of Puerto Rico’s five districts that are died on the cross. God in Puerto Rico and its impact upon evangelistic in nature. countless lives looks bright. Also, to help fund ministries and CONFESS “Jesus, I believe You are who the Bible and history declares You are – the Son of God. I humble myself and surrender to “The first six months after the pay off debts, under De la Torre’s You. Forgive me. Make me spiritually whole. Change my life. Amen.” hurricane, with Convoy of Hope, we leadership, the district office is growing 42 57 SEU ANNOUNCES DISABILITIES MEET PARTNERSHIP GOOD BUSINESS BY PRISCILLA BURR BY DAN VAN VEEN Southeastern University (SEU) in Recently, My Healthy Church (MHC), Lakeland, Florida, will introduce its first a resource arm for the Assemblies of international partnership this fall in East God, needed a job done that they Africa, through The Christian Hall at simply didn’t have the workers to do — Watoto Church in Kampala, Uganda. hand-stuffing fliers into 40,000 Ranger This local church-based partnership will Derby car kits. MHC turned to SWI provide Christ-centered online degree Industrial Solutions. A CALL TO HEALING programs in business and leadership for It was the right call. SWI’s BY ASHLEY B. GRANT East Africa. competitive bid, quality guarantee, In order to grow the congregation relationships. Around two dozen “We are excited for this partnership and turnaround time were what MHC of Life Community Church, church friends and relatives helped the couple and look forward to welcoming wanted. planters Jamey and Kelley Bridges to launch the new congregation 20 people from East Africa into our SEU SWI Industrial Solutions workforce, spread a wide net in Columbia, Illinois, miles downriver from St. Louis. community,” said Dr. Kent Ingle, SEU with the exception of supervisors, is a community of 10,300. Bridges continually sought out ways president. “Our goal is to continue to made up of men and women with The couple met in the youth group to get into the community and into the partner with local churches in order disabilities. of GCFirst Assembly of God in Granite public schools. Eventually he became to provide an innovative delivery of “We do simple assembly and City, Illinois, which is a St. Louis the head soccer coach at the local high Christian higher education around the packaging,” says Robin Murphy, SWI suburb. They wed after high school, school. That has contributed to the world.” production manager. “For example, if and Jamey attended Central Bible gradual growth of the congregation. SEU is working with Watoto Church you buy a bottle of barbecue sauce, it College in Springfield, Missouri. He Columbia School District in Uganda to support the Hall. Planted might have a hang tag with a coupon on worked as youth pastor for 10 years at Superintendent Beth Horner notes during a civil war in 1984, Watoto Church it — it’s possible we put that hang tag GCFirst AG. that Bridges is sponsor of the school’s has placed thousands of orphans into on there.” Jamey and Kelley Bridges served on Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which families, empowered women to reach Murphy says the company employs staff at Destiny Church in St. Louis until has grown exponentially under his their communities, rescued babies and 185 verified disabled workers in its 2010, when they felt called to return to leadership. former child soldiers, and sent children’s Springfield, Missouri, facility. the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. Now, more than 300 people attend choirs across six continents. The church “The SWI organization has been a In May 2009, a Columbia family friend the church weekly, including many currently has 12 campuses across lifesaver,” says Amy Pargo, AG Product that Jamey and Kelley had known from young families. Life Community Uganda, and in Juba, South Sudan. Sourcing specialist. She says the Destiny Church was murdered, along Church outgrew its original facilities. The program at Watoto Church experience has led MHC to bid two with her two young sons. After meeting in a car dealership will serve as a model for other global more jobs out to SWI. “We knew we had to be in the temporarily, the congregation has education initiatives for the university. “It’s exciting to be able to work with community and pour ourselves into it,” moved to the site of a former Baptist This fall’s programs include a Bachelor a company that adds so much to the Bridges says. “We felt like Jesus was church. of Business Administration, a Bachelor lives of people with disabilities in our calling us to be a vessel of healing.” “I want to pursue the unchurched,” of Science in Business and Professional community,” Pargo says. “SWI is not The couple planted Life Community says Bridges. “Church starts well Leadership, and a Graduate Certificate only great to work with, they do a great Church, with the goal of building before someone walks into a building.” in Organizational Leadership. job.”

64 75 crops using hydroponics: planting realized the district needs to get on seeds in foam mats and the seedlings solid financial ground quickly: “Due to grow to maturity in PVC pipes using the hurricane we haven’t been able to nutrified water. make all of our loan payments, so we’ve Using this method, lettuce is ready recently created Project Nehemiah.” to harvest in 30 days. Currently the Through the Project Nehemiah district has three 40-by-60-foot canopy campaign, De la Torre is reaching out systems capable of growing 100 to districts, churches, and individuals different types of plants. to help the district raise $300,000 — “We are already selling fresh already 25 districts have pledged (and produce to grocers,” De la Torre says, 13 have already given) their support YOUTH TRAINING GROUND “and they want more, a lot more.” — so it can afford to consolidate and BY GUYLA ARMSTRONG The district wants to increase the refinance $3 million in loans. number of canopy systems it operates “We’re not looking to live off of Long before 42-year-old Shane A. parents of five boys, work together to six, with a goal of 18 canopies on the handouts,” De la Torre states. “This is Hawkins knew he would become a at the church. In October 2016, City district office grounds alone. Every six a one-time request. Our goal is to be church planter, the Lord began to train Church purchased the building where canopy systems ($3,500 each) produces self-sufficient and pay our own way — him for the task. Hawkins had invested 11 years earlier $10,000 worth of crops a month. and more.” At age 19, he started attending in youth ministry. Less than two years However, De la Torre recognizes *To contact the district to learn how a small church in Pekin, Illinois, with later, attendance is 240 and growing. that in order for the future to be fully to help, email [email protected]. his then-girlfriend (now-wife) Amy. City Church has a strong evangelistic He became an assistant in a Sunday approach, which features creative School class of five students. By community outreach and ministry AG CHURCH DESTROYED BY FIRE 21, Hawkins was the church’s youth projects — ranging from raising money BY DAN VAN VEEN director. That small class had bloomed helping to provide prom dresses for Fair Oaks Assembly of God in were destroyed . . . there’s nothing left.” into a youth group of 80 students. high schoolers to serving food at McCrory, Arkansas, burned to the Although there have been offers to As a part-time youth pastor, Hawkins the Salvation Army. Adherents also ground early Saturday morning. The Fair Oaks AG to use other buildings, continued his day job working as a volunteer to operate the grill for the church was in the midst of a building Eldridge says that they will use the shop road construction foreman. When the concessions at local football games. program when the fire destroyed the located on the back of their property, opportunity to become full-time youth Isaac Carrington has been friends existing and new structures. where the congregation, which averages director at his home church, North with Hawkins since high school Rodney Eldridge, senior pastor of about 130, gathered on Sunday. Parkway Assembly of God in Pekin, and serves as the church’s financial Fair Oaks AG for the past 21 years, says Both buildings that burned had presented itself, Hawkins left concrete coordinator. He attributes much of the that sometime late Friday night a fire insurance, but for now, until the ATF work behind. After seven years as growth of City Church to community broke out. “That’s all we know. The ATF finishes its investigation and declares its youth director, Shane and Amy sensed involvement. Carrington says many is currently here investigating,” he says. findings, the church waits. AG Disaster the Lord calling them to plant a church. attendees have never been part of a Located about 80 miles northeast of Relief for Churches has already reached Hawkins returned to his previous church before. Little Rock, the church was adding a new out to provide an application for construction job and continues to be “It is a complete 180 — not 700-seat sanctuary.“ The exterior of the assistance. bivocational during summers while he overnight — but it is amazing to see new sanctuary was about 95 percent “Prayer for this congregation,” pastors City Church in Pekin, which lives change from beginning to end,” complete,” Eldridge says. “Both the Eldridge requests, “that we can launched in 2015. The couple, now Carrington says. main building and the new addition continue the vision that God gave us.” 86 93