Assemblies of God in Australia
Encyclopedia
Australian Christian Churches (ACC), also known as Assemblies of God in Australia (AOG), is a Pentecostal Christian denomination
and the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God
, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world. With over 225,000 adherents it is the largest Pentecostal denomination in Australia.
The ACC was formed in 1937 when the Assemblies of God Queensland merged with the Pentecostal Church of Australia under the name Assemblies of God in Australia. In 2007, the denomination adopted Australian Christian Churches as its public name; however, it is still incorporated as the Assemblies of God in Australia.
in Los Angeles, United States, was centred around the leadership of Sarah Jane Lancaster, founder of Good News Hall church in Melbourne
and editor of Good News, and South African Evangelist Frederick Van Eyk. The AFM had affiliated congregations in New Zealand
as well as in Australia.
The Apostolic Faith Mission was short lived, however. Doctrinal controversy, disputes over female authority, and accusations of immorality against Van Eyk ultimately led to the splitting of the AFM in the late 20s. In 1928, the AFM’s northern churches formed the Assemblies of God, Queensland
, and a year later many other AFM affiliates joined the newly established Pentecostal Church in Australia. What remained of the AFM dissolved after Lancaster's death in 1934.
beliefs. They adopted the Assemblies of God name to gain the recognition of the global Pentecostal movement, as Australian Pentecostal churches were dependent upon visiting clergy.
The AGQ would be challenged by the Brisbane
revival of American evangelist William Booth-Clibborn, grandson of Salvation Army
founder William Booth
. He came to Australia in 1930 and stayed two years, beginning an evangelistic work in Brisbane which grew to fill a two thousand seat tent, the Canvas Cathedral. It has been described as "the greatest religious revival Brisbane has seen". While the AGQ initially welcomed the revival, they became competitors when Booth-Clibborn organized the revival campaign into Covenant Christian Church and many of the AGQ's leaders, including its president George Burns, joined Covenant Christian. After 1932, unity talks began between the two groups, and Covenant Christian Church joined the AGQ as Glad Tidings Tabernacle (now Brisbane City Church) in 1940.
After a year of revival, Valdez left to pursue itinerant evangelism, and Kelso Glover became the new pastor of Richmond Temple and leader of the PCA. Glover was baptised in the Holy Spirit at the Azusa Street revival and was one of the rare participants in early American Pentecostalism with an intellectual background. Glover thought the greatest need of the Pentecostal movement in Australia was "preachers, anointed of God and rightly instructed in the Word". To meet this need he began a shortlived Bible institute. He also began The Australian Evangel, a monthly publication distributed to PCA members. Glover resigned in October 1927 and handed the church over to Greenwood.
Other foreign evangelists were to have an effect on the PCA and Australian Pentecostalism. English evangelist Smith Wigglesworth
spent five months in Australia in 1927 under the sponsorship of the PCA. Wigglesworth's healing crusade reinforced the importance of faith and the ministry of healing in Australian Pentecostalism. In April 1928, Donald Gee
attended the annual convention of the PCA.
In 1934, the Melbourne Apostolic Church began near Richmond Temple. Originating in Great Britain, the Apostolic Church was distinct from the majority of Pentecostal groups at the time by its belief in the fivefold offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Most Pentecostals saw prophecy as a function open to the entire Spirit baptised congregation, not as offices given to specific persons. However, the Apostolic Church ordained both apostles and prophets. Within a week of the Apostolic Church's opening, 70 of Richmond Temple's members left and joined the new church. The Temple's elders believed that Greenwood should resign and the Temple join the Apostolic Church. However, a congregational vote sided with Greenwood, and all but one elder joined the Apostolics. After this upset, the PCA, along with the Assemblies of God Queensland, struggled to distance itself from the Apostolic Church's teaching.
The two bodies were in some ways different in their polities. Greenwood and Philip Duncan
(prominent PCA pastor in Sydney) exercised greater control in their own churches which were large and their influence dominated the other PCA churches. The Queensland churches, on the other hand, were more dispersed and more democratic. Their pastors tended to rotate their tenure, and no single church held preeminence. This tended to make the AGQ more egalitarian.
Led by Enticknap (Queensland), Greenwood (Victoria) and Duncan (New South Wales
), the AGQ and PCA held a "United Conference" at the Pentecostal Church in Sydney in 1937. It was decided that the new denomination's name would be the Assemblies of God in Australia. By this time, Greenwood had developed a close relationship with Donald Gee of the Assemblies of God in Great Britain and was willing to drop the PCA label in exchange for association with the global Assemblies of God movement.
For a national constitution, the conference drew from the two existing constitutions as wells as from the constitution of the Assemblies of God USA. The new fellowship would be based on "voluntary cooperation, on terms of equality" and would be governed by biennial national conferences. Every state was granted autonomy in its own affairs as was each registered assembly. Charles Greenwood was elected the first chairman.
to be a heresy
, eventually leading to the formation of the Christian Revival Crusade.
In its early history, the AOG was a peace church having officially adopted a position of pacifism
. Article 23 of the AOG constitution declared "we cannot conscientiously participate in war and armed resistance which involves the actual destruction of human life, since this is contrary to . . . the inspired Word of God". However as WWII progressed, there was less consensus on the issue of Christian participation in military service. In the end, the matter was left to "individual conscience".
and Italian
assemblies, were established.
There was also increased missionary activity, almost all of which was focused on the mission field of Papua New Guinea
. This approach was successful and led to the 1973 turning over of all mission property and authority to local churches and the establishment of the self-governing Assemblies of God of Papua New Guinea which by 1998 rivaled the size of the Australian fellowship.
With growth came the need to manage it and the national church's power increased. In 1963, the position of chairman was made a full time one, and the constitution was reformed to make the AG's polity closer to that of the American Assemblies of God. At the national conference of 1969, state presbyteries (governing bodies) were given more responsibility, the denomination asserted more control over ordination, and the title of chairman was changed to general superintendent.
was far reaching in the AOG. It was initially celebrated by classical Pentecostals as a sign that Pentecostalism was influencing traditional churches; however, there were also concerns over the influence the charismatic movement was exerting within the AOG. Pastors of the New Zealand Assemblies of God
(AGNZ) would lead the way. Because of its openness to the Latter Rain Movement of the 1950s, the AGNZ was quick to accept the charismatic renewal than the more conservative Australian movement. New Zealand pastors such as Robert Midgley, Frank Houston
, and Phil Pringle
would significantly influence Australian Pentecostalism, and all ultimately moved their ministries to Australia.
Opposition to the renewal mainly arose over traditional Pentecostal views of mainline churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church, and how those views were being called into question. These churches had historically been mistrusted by Pentecostals, but now many inside these churches were claiming the same experiences that Pentecostals enjoyed without rejecting those churches. Some AOG ministers responded with "new openness to ecumenical relationships", but others warned against "linking hands with modernists and liberals". Tensions escalated and in January 1973 an official statement was published challenging the charismatic practices of prostration
(being "slain in the Spirit
"), dancing, and the belief that Christians could be demon possessed
(everyone in the AOG agreed that non-Christians could indeed be demon possessed).
These tensions fed into the debate over local church autonomy, with charismatic pastors fearing the ability of a conservative denominational leadership forcing its own views on a local congregation. At the 1977 national conference, it seemed that a split within the movement was inevitable. There was no split; however, it was clear that the charismatic faction had gained the support of the movement. Realizing he had lost support, Ralph Read resigned as general superintendent, and Andrew Evans, a supporter the charismatic movement, was elected to replace him. Evans would lead the AOG for 20 years during a tenure that saw the denomination grow from less than 10,000 to over 115,000 members.
techniques also became popular during this period. Prominent pastors such as Frank Houston also began to advocate strong pastoral leadership of the local church—as opposed to the congregationalism
traditionally preferred by Pentecostals. During the 1980s and 1990s, mega-churches came to dominate the denomination at both state and national levels. Members of the National Executive were exclusively mega-church pastors, and both state and national departments came under the control of mega-churches. Decentralization has also occurred in the area of world missions. In 2001, responsibility for particular mission fields was given to "regional churches" (mega-churches or near mega-churches). This has occurred at a time when the National Executive has gained power at the expense of the representative National Conference, which by 2003 had only the election of National Executive members on its agenda.
In April 2007, at the Assemblies of God in Australia National Conference, the public name of the movement was changed to Australian Christian Churches, still incorporated as Assemblies of God in Australia.
In recent decades, there has been a noticeable decrease in emphasis on speaking in tongues as the initial evidence as well as the Second Coming of Christ as traditionally understood by Pentecostals. At the same time, the prosperity gospel has been embraced by influential ACC churches, such as Hillsong Church
.
s in the 1930s to 1950s, music from the Jesus movement
in the 1960s and 1970s and the contemporary praise and worship of the 1980s to today, AOG churches have continually adapted to new styles of praise and worship. In recent decades, churches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches have revolutionised church praise and worship. The largest driving force for this change is the popularity of Hillsong Music
of Hillsong Church
. Other influences are Shirelive Church
, Planetshakers
, Hillsong United
, Youth Alive
, Enjoy Church and Paradise Community Church
. Many ACC churches have released albums containing songs written in the church.
The polity of the Assemblies of God is based on the principle of voluntary and cooperative fellowship. "Registered" churches (mature and self-supporting) are autonomous but agree to abide by the United Constitution, state by-laws, and policies of the National Conference
, the highest governing body of the Assemblies of God. "Provisional" churches are churches which have not met the requirements to become registered churches and are under the direct supervision of state executives.
by a conference and executive. These bodies are empowered to manage all affairs that do not concern the national denomination. The roles of the state executive are similar to those of the National Executive but specialised to the state with a closer relationship to local churches. The state executives recommend to the National Executive eligible candidates for ordination. They provide assistance to churches requesting advice or intervention and also have the authority to discipline ministers. At the request of the state executive or at its own discretion, the National Executive can intervene in a state’s governance.
ministers and all registered churches. Every church is entitled to send one delegate for every 250 adults in regular attendance.
The National Conference elects the nine-member National Executive, which includes the national officers. The officers are national president, vice-president, and secretary. National executives are always ordained ministers, except for the national secretary who can be a layperson. National officers serve terms of four years; all other executives serve two year terms. The National Executive issues ministerial credentials and, in between sessions of the National Conference, is the chief policy making body of the denomination.
Australian Christian Churches supports many organisations including Mercy Ministries
, Teen Challenge
and Compassion Australia
.
In order to train future pastors and leaders in the denomination, Commonwealth Bible College (now known as Alphacrucis) was established in 1948 as the official ministry training school of Australian Christian Churches. Since the emergence of megachurches, large churches have begun establishing their own bible colleges. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that there are over 3,000 full-time students being trained at bible colleges affiliated with Australian Christian Churches.
, particularly in light of the party's founder, Andrew Evans, being a former superintendent of the movement, and its one-time leader, Andrea Mason
, attending an ACC church. Both Australian Christian Churches and the Family First Party maintain that links are historical only, and that there is no organisational connection at the present time.
Publicly the Assemblies of God in Australia has distanced itself from advocating certain political groups and parties, including the fledgling Family First party:
In October 2007, a Today Tonight
story claimed that several of the final remaining Australian Idol
contestants were from Hillsong Church
, raising concerns of vote-stacking by the church. It was later revealed that none of the remaining contestants were from Hillsong Church, but several were from churches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches, including two from AOG affiliate Shirelive Church Sutherland, Sydney, NSW.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
and the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world. With over 225,000 adherents it is the largest Pentecostal denomination in Australia.
The ACC was formed in 1937 when the Assemblies of God Queensland merged with the Pentecostal Church of Australia under the name Assemblies of God in Australia. In 2007, the denomination adopted Australian Christian Churches as its public name; however, it is still incorporated as the Assemblies of God in Australia.
Predecessors
Pentecostalism in Australia emerged as a loose movement of churches and evangelists around 1909. Not until 1927 with the founding of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Australasia (AFM) would the Pentecostal Movement take steps at formally organizing. The AFM, whose name was taken from the Apostolic Faith Mission of the Azusa Street RevivalAzusa Street Revival
The Azusa Street Revival was a historic Pentecostal revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California and is the origin of the Pentecostal movement. It was led by William J. Seymour, an African American preacher. It began with a meeting on April 14, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915...
in Los Angeles, United States, was centred around the leadership of Sarah Jane Lancaster, founder of Good News Hall church in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and editor of Good News, and South African Evangelist Frederick Van Eyk. The AFM had affiliated congregations in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as well as in Australia.
The Apostolic Faith Mission was short lived, however. Doctrinal controversy, disputes over female authority, and accusations of immorality against Van Eyk ultimately led to the splitting of the AFM in the late 20s. In 1928, the AFM’s northern churches formed the Assemblies of God, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and a year later many other AFM affiliates joined the newly established Pentecostal Church in Australia. What remained of the AFM dissolved after Lancaster's death in 1934.
Assemblies of God Queensland
At a 4 July 1929 conference of the AFM's Queensland pastors, the decision was made to separate from the AFM and form the Assemblies of God Queensland. Besides the controversy over Van Eyk, many Queensland pastors had long been concerned over Lancaster's non-Trinitarian and annihilationistAnnihilationism
Annihilationism is a Christian belief that apart from salvation the death of human beings results in their total destruction rather than their everlasting torment. It is directly related to the doctrine of conditional immortality, the idea that a human soul is not immortal unless it is given...
beliefs. They adopted the Assemblies of God name to gain the recognition of the global Pentecostal movement, as Australian Pentecostal churches were dependent upon visiting clergy.
The AGQ would be challenged by the Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
revival of American evangelist William Booth-Clibborn, grandson of Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
founder William Booth
William Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
. He came to Australia in 1930 and stayed two years, beginning an evangelistic work in Brisbane which grew to fill a two thousand seat tent, the Canvas Cathedral. It has been described as "the greatest religious revival Brisbane has seen". While the AGQ initially welcomed the revival, they became competitors when Booth-Clibborn organized the revival campaign into Covenant Christian Church and many of the AGQ's leaders, including its president George Burns, joined Covenant Christian. After 1932, unity talks began between the two groups, and Covenant Christian Church joined the AGQ as Glad Tidings Tabernacle (now Brisbane City Church) in 1940.
Pentecostal Church of Australia
In 1925, the American evangelist A.C. Valdez visited Australia and was invited by Charles Greenwood to preach at his church in the Sunshine suburb of Melbourne, beginning what would become the year-long Sunshine Revival. The growing congregation converted a movie theatre into a 1,000 seat church known as Richmond Temple. The Pentecostal Church of Australia grew out of this revival, and many of Australia's early Pentecostal churches trace their origins to Richmond Temple. Together, Richmond Temple and the Pentecostal Church, Sydney formed the center of the expanding PCA.After a year of revival, Valdez left to pursue itinerant evangelism, and Kelso Glover became the new pastor of Richmond Temple and leader of the PCA. Glover was baptised in the Holy Spirit at the Azusa Street revival and was one of the rare participants in early American Pentecostalism with an intellectual background. Glover thought the greatest need of the Pentecostal movement in Australia was "preachers, anointed of God and rightly instructed in the Word". To meet this need he began a shortlived Bible institute. He also began The Australian Evangel, a monthly publication distributed to PCA members. Glover resigned in October 1927 and handed the church over to Greenwood.
Other foreign evangelists were to have an effect on the PCA and Australian Pentecostalism. English evangelist Smith Wigglesworth
Smith Wigglesworth
Smith Wigglesworth , was a British evangelist who was important in the early history of Pentecostalism.- Early life :...
spent five months in Australia in 1927 under the sponsorship of the PCA. Wigglesworth's healing crusade reinforced the importance of faith and the ministry of healing in Australian Pentecostalism. In April 1928, Donald Gee
Donald Gee
Donald Gee was an English Pentecostal Bible Teacher. Donald wrote the book Wind and Flame, which is the story of Pentecostalism in Europe in the 20th century. He was called "The Apostle of Balance."-Biography:...
attended the annual convention of the PCA.
In 1934, the Melbourne Apostolic Church began near Richmond Temple. Originating in Great Britain, the Apostolic Church was distinct from the majority of Pentecostal groups at the time by its belief in the fivefold offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Most Pentecostals saw prophecy as a function open to the entire Spirit baptised congregation, not as offices given to specific persons. However, the Apostolic Church ordained both apostles and prophets. Within a week of the Apostolic Church's opening, 70 of Richmond Temple's members left and joined the new church. The Temple's elders believed that Greenwood should resign and the Temple join the Apostolic Church. However, a congregational vote sided with Greenwood, and all but one elder joined the Apostolics. After this upset, the PCA, along with the Assemblies of God Queensland, struggled to distance itself from the Apostolic Church's teaching.
1937 merger
By the 1930s, it was recognised by the leaders of both movements that a more harmonious, co-operative and unified relationship was needed. The two bodies were virtually identical doctrinally, culturally, and in their focus on missions and evangelism. Furthermore, the leaders of both movements' had links to the Sunshine Revival.The two bodies were in some ways different in their polities. Greenwood and Philip Duncan
Philip Duncan
Philip Duncan is a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God.-Biography:Duncan was the Chairman of the Assemblies of God in Australia movement from 1945 to 1950. While leader of the Assemblies of God, Duncan made the executive decision to start a ministry training bible college. In...
(prominent PCA pastor in Sydney) exercised greater control in their own churches which were large and their influence dominated the other PCA churches. The Queensland churches, on the other hand, were more dispersed and more democratic. Their pastors tended to rotate their tenure, and no single church held preeminence. This tended to make the AGQ more egalitarian.
Led by Enticknap (Queensland), Greenwood (Victoria) and Duncan (New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
), the AGQ and PCA held a "United Conference" at the Pentecostal Church in Sydney in 1937. It was decided that the new denomination's name would be the Assemblies of God in Australia. By this time, Greenwood had developed a close relationship with Donald Gee of the Assemblies of God in Great Britain and was willing to drop the PCA label in exchange for association with the global Assemblies of God movement.
For a national constitution, the conference drew from the two existing constitutions as wells as from the constitution of the Assemblies of God USA. The new fellowship would be based on "voluntary cooperation, on terms of equality" and would be governed by biennial national conferences. Every state was granted autonomy in its own affairs as was each registered assembly. Charles Greenwood was elected the first chairman.
World War II
From its formation through World War II, the AOG experienced a period of stagnation. At the time of the merger, there were 38 churches and 1,482 members. Over eight years it grew by four churches, but membership decreased to 1,250. In 1939, the AOG declared British IsraelismBritish Israelism
British Israelism is the belief that people of Western European descent, particularly those in Great Britain, are the direct lineal descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The concept often includes the belief that the British Royal Family is directly descended from the line of King David...
to be a heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, eventually leading to the formation of the Christian Revival Crusade.
In its early history, the AOG was a peace church having officially adopted a position of pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
. Article 23 of the AOG constitution declared "we cannot conscientiously participate in war and armed resistance which involves the actual destruction of human life, since this is contrary to . . . the inspired Word of God". However as WWII progressed, there was less consensus on the issue of Christian participation in military service. In the end, the matter was left to "individual conscience".
1950s and 60s
In 1948, Commonwealth Bible College (now known as Alphacrucis) was founded to train men and women for ministry. James Wallace, an Assemblies of God minister from Great Britain, was appointed principle of the college in 1951 and was then elected AOG chairman in 1955, holding the post until 1959. During his tenure, the college developed a central role in the fellowship and saw an increased number of pastors, church planters, and missionaries trained. This period saw the AOG double in size from 50 churches in 1951 to almost 100 in 1969. Part of this growth was due to immigration, and ethnic congregations, including SlavicSlavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
and Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
assemblies, were established.
There was also increased missionary activity, almost all of which was focused on the mission field of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. This approach was successful and led to the 1973 turning over of all mission property and authority to local churches and the establishment of the self-governing Assemblies of God of Papua New Guinea which by 1998 rivaled the size of the Australian fellowship.
With growth came the need to manage it and the national church's power increased. In 1963, the position of chairman was made a full time one, and the constitution was reformed to make the AG's polity closer to that of the American Assemblies of God. At the national conference of 1969, state presbyteries (governing bodies) were given more responsibility, the denomination asserted more control over ordination, and the title of chairman was changed to general superintendent.
1970-1980: Charismatic movement and aftermath
The impact of the charismatic movementCharismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
was far reaching in the AOG. It was initially celebrated by classical Pentecostals as a sign that Pentecostalism was influencing traditional churches; however, there were also concerns over the influence the charismatic movement was exerting within the AOG. Pastors of the New Zealand Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God in New Zealand
The Assemblies of God in New Zealand is a Pentecostal denomination in New Zealand and a member of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. In 2007, the denomination had nearly 200 congregations and preaching points and 30,000 members and adherents,...
(AGNZ) would lead the way. Because of its openness to the Latter Rain Movement of the 1950s, the AGNZ was quick to accept the charismatic renewal than the more conservative Australian movement. New Zealand pastors such as Robert Midgley, Frank Houston
Frank Houston
Frank Houston , was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God in New Zealand and Australia....
, and Phil Pringle
Phil Pringle
Phil Pringle OAM arrived in Sydney, Australia, in 1980 with his wife Christine with the intention of establishing a church. He has now planted more than 200 churches around the world...
would significantly influence Australian Pentecostalism, and all ultimately moved their ministries to Australia.
Opposition to the renewal mainly arose over traditional Pentecostal views of mainline churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church, and how those views were being called into question. These churches had historically been mistrusted by Pentecostals, but now many inside these churches were claiming the same experiences that Pentecostals enjoyed without rejecting those churches. Some AOG ministers responded with "new openness to ecumenical relationships", but others warned against "linking hands with modernists and liberals". Tensions escalated and in January 1973 an official statement was published challenging the charismatic practices of prostration
Prostration
Prostration is the placement of the body in a reverentially or submissively prone position. Major world religions employ prostration either as a means of embodying reverence for a noble person, persons or doctrine, or as an act of submissiveness to a supreme being or beings...
(being "slain in the Spirit
Slain in the Spirit
Being "slain in the Spirit" is a term used within charismatic Christianity. It describes a religious behaviour in which an individual falls to the floor...
"), dancing, and the belief that Christians could be demon possessed
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the control of an individual by a malevolent supernatural being. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
(everyone in the AOG agreed that non-Christians could indeed be demon possessed).
These tensions fed into the debate over local church autonomy, with charismatic pastors fearing the ability of a conservative denominational leadership forcing its own views on a local congregation. At the 1977 national conference, it seemed that a split within the movement was inevitable. There was no split; however, it was clear that the charismatic faction had gained the support of the movement. Realizing he had lost support, Ralph Read resigned as general superintendent, and Andrew Evans, a supporter the charismatic movement, was elected to replace him. Evans would lead the AOG for 20 years during a tenure that saw the denomination grow from less than 10,000 to over 115,000 members.
Recent history
Another legacy of Evans' leadership was decentralization. The autonomy of local churches was now only limited by the AOG's doctrinal statement—which was broad enough to allow for diversity. Church growthChurch growth
Church Growth is a movement within evangelical Christianity which emphasizes mainly missionary work combined with sociological awareness of the target population. The "seeker sensitive" label for this approach characterizes the would-be converts as "seekers".-History:Church Growth began with the...
techniques also became popular during this period. Prominent pastors such as Frank Houston also began to advocate strong pastoral leadership of the local church—as opposed to the congregationalism
Congregationalist polity
Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local church congregation is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous"...
traditionally preferred by Pentecostals. During the 1980s and 1990s, mega-churches came to dominate the denomination at both state and national levels. Members of the National Executive were exclusively mega-church pastors, and both state and national departments came under the control of mega-churches. Decentralization has also occurred in the area of world missions. In 2001, responsibility for particular mission fields was given to "regional churches" (mega-churches or near mega-churches). This has occurred at a time when the National Executive has gained power at the expense of the representative National Conference, which by 2003 had only the election of National Executive members on its agenda.
In April 2007, at the Assemblies of God in Australia National Conference, the public name of the movement was changed to Australian Christian Churches, still incorporated as Assemblies of God in Australia.
Statistics
The denomination claims more than 1,100 churches and over 225,000 adherents across Australia. In 2007, affiliated churches had an average congregation of 179 people and 26 churches had over 1,000 members.Beliefs
The Doctrinal Basis of Australian Christian Churches contains the central beliefs of the denomination. Its 20 articles are summarized below:- There is only one true God who exists as a TrinityTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
. - Jesus Christ is the Son of GodSon of God"Son of God" is a phrase which according to most Christian denominations, Trinitarian in belief, refers to the relationship between Jesus and God, specifically as "God the Son"...
and, as the second person of the Trinity, is God. - The Holy SpiritHoly SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
is the third person of the Trinity. He convicts and regenerates the sinner and guides the believer into all truth. - The Bible is inspiredBiblical inspirationBiblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings many be designated in some sense the word of God.- Etymology :...
by GodGod in ChristianityIn Christianity, God is the eternal being that created and preserves the universe. God is believed by most Christians to be immanent , while others believe the plan of redemption show he will be immanent later...
and is "the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct". - The devilDevilThe Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
is a real being who "seeks to destroy the faith of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ". - Man was created good by God but, because of voluntary transgression, fell. As a result, men are "separated from original righteousness".
- Christ's death on the crossCrucifixion of JesusThe crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
has made full atonement for the world's sins. - SalvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
"is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ". In this "new birth", the believer is regenerated, justified, and adopted into the family of God. - The ChurchChristian ChurchThe Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
is the Body of ChristBody of ChristIn Christian theology, the term Body of Christ has two separate connotations: it may refer to Jesus's statement about the Eucharist at the Last Supper that "This is my body" in , or the explicit usage of the term by the Apostle Paul in to refer to the Christian Church.Although in general usage the...
and consists of all people who accept Christ, regardless of Christian denomination. It is to work to fulfill the Great CommissionGreat CommissionThe Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
. - Believer's baptismBeliever's baptismBeliever's baptism is the Christian practice of baptism as this is understood by many Protestant churches, particularly those that descend from the Anabaptist tradition...
by single immersionImmersion baptismImmersion baptism is a method of baptism that is distinguished from baptism by affusion and by aspersion , sometimes without specifying whether the immersion is total or partial, but very commonly with the indication that the person baptized is immersed completely...
as a declaration to the world of the believer's identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. - Observance of the Lord's SupperEucharistThe Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death. - SanctificationSanctificationSanctity is an ancient concept widespread among religions, a property of a thing or person sacred or set apart within the religion, from totem poles through temple vessels to days of the week, to a human believer who achieves this state. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity,...
, "an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God". - Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and subsequent experience following conversion which brings empowerment to be an effective witness for Christ. Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of this experience.
- The nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, continue to operate in the present day. The Assemblies of God also believes in the ministry gifts, as recorded in Ephesians 4:11-13.
- Divine healing of the sick is provided for in the atonement.
- The Second Coming of Christ will be a premillennial, imminent and personal return.
- Christ will return to establish his millennial reign on the earth.
- The wicked "who wilfully reject and despise the love of God" will face "everlasting punishment".
- There will be new heavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
s and a new earth "in which righteousness dwells". - The heavens and earth and all original life forms "were made by the specific immediate creative acts of God as described in the account of origins presented in Genesis".
In recent decades, there has been a noticeable decrease in emphasis on speaking in tongues as the initial evidence as well as the Second Coming of Christ as traditionally understood by Pentecostals. At the same time, the prosperity gospel has been embraced by influential ACC churches, such as Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
.
Worship
Churches in Australian Christian Churches are known for their Pentecostal style services that involve contemporary praise and worship, speaking in tongues, lifting of hands in worship and preaching. While Australian Christian Churches use a wide range of worship styles, generally churches use contemporary praise and worship music for services. From using HymnHymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s in the 1930s to 1950s, music from the Jesus movement
Jesus movement
The Jesus movement was a movement in Christianity beginning on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s and spreading primarily through North America and Europe, before dying out by the early 1980s. It was the major Christian element within the hippie counterculture,...
in the 1960s and 1970s and the contemporary praise and worship of the 1980s to today, AOG churches have continually adapted to new styles of praise and worship. In recent decades, churches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches have revolutionised church praise and worship. The largest driving force for this change is the popularity of Hillsong Music
Hillsong Music
Hillsong Music is Christian music produced by Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia as well as offshoot churches, Hillsong London and Hillsong Kiev...
of Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
. Other influences are Shirelive Church
Shirelive Church
Shirelive Church is a Pentecostal Christian church affiliated with Australian Christian Churches, the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God denomination. The church's main campus is located in the commercial district of Sutherland, a Southern suburb of Sydney, Australia, in the local...
, Planetshakers
Planetshakers
Planetshakers is a Christian youth movement that began as an annual conference and grew into an international ministry and large church in Melbourne, Australia. The conference was born out of Paradise Community Church in Adelaide, South Australia by Pastor Russell Evans...
, Hillsong United
Hillsong United (band)
The Hillsong United band is an Australian praise and worship band that originated as a part of Hillsong Church. The band tours the world, performing at the various Hillsong church locations as well as general concert venues. They compose the songs for their own performances and for the other...
, Youth Alive
Youth Alive
Youth Alive is a not-for-profit multi-denominational Christian organisation dedicated to reaching the youth of Australia with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is run on a state-based structure with offices in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia...
, Enjoy Church and Paradise Community Church
Paradise Community Church
Paradise Community Church is a multi-campus Christian church, located in Paradise, situated in north east Adelaide, South Australia, affiliated with Australian Christian Churches. The church was founded in 1907 by British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth. In 1969, Andrew Evans became its first...
. Many ACC churches have released albums containing songs written in the church.
Churches
The polity of the Assemblies of God is based on the principle of voluntary and cooperative fellowship. "Registered" churches (mature and self-supporting) are autonomous but agree to abide by the United Constitution, state by-laws, and policies of the National Conference
National Conference of Australian Christian Churches
The National Conference of Australian Christian Churches is the biennial conference for the leadership of Australian Christian Churches, the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God...
, the highest governing body of the Assemblies of God. "Provisional" churches are churches which have not met the requirements to become registered churches and are under the direct supervision of state executives.
State Conferences
The Assemblies of God is led in each stateStates and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
by a conference and executive. These bodies are empowered to manage all affairs that do not concern the national denomination. The roles of the state executive are similar to those of the National Executive but specialised to the state with a closer relationship to local churches. The state executives recommend to the National Executive eligible candidates for ordination. They provide assistance to churches requesting advice or intervention and also have the authority to discipline ministers. At the request of the state executive or at its own discretion, the National Executive can intervene in a state’s governance.
National Conference
The biennial National Conference is a representative body of all ordainedOrdination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
ministers and all registered churches. Every church is entitled to send one delegate for every 250 adults in regular attendance.
The National Conference elects the nine-member National Executive, which includes the national officers. The officers are national president, vice-president, and secretary. National executives are always ordained ministers, except for the national secretary who can be a layperson. National officers serve terms of four years; all other executives serve two year terms. The National Executive issues ministerial credentials and, in between sessions of the National Conference, is the chief policy making body of the denomination.
National Presidents
Prior to 1997, the national leader of Australian Christian Churches held the title of superintendent.| # | Name | Appointment | Secession | Time in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Greenwood Charles Greenwood (pastor) Charles Lewis Greenwood was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God. He is credited for the revival and church that was integral to the formation of the Assemblies of God in Australia.-Richmond Temple and the Sunshine Revival:... |
1937 | 1941 | 4 years |
| 2 | Henry Wiggins | 1941 | 1943 | 2 years |
| - | Charles Greenwood Charles Greenwood (pastor) Charles Lewis Greenwood was a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God. He is credited for the revival and church that was integral to the formation of the Assemblies of God in Australia.-Richmond Temple and the Sunshine Revival:... |
1943 | 1945 | 2 years |
| 3 | Philip Duncan Philip Duncan Philip Duncan is a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God.-Biography:Duncan was the Chairman of the Assemblies of God in Australia movement from 1945 to 1950. While leader of the Assemblies of God, Duncan made the executive decision to start a ministry training bible college. In... |
1945 | 1950 | 5 years |
| 4 | Edward Irish | 1950 | 1951 | 1 year |
| 5 | Alec Davidson | 1951 | 1955 | 4 years |
| 6 | James Walace | 1955 | 1959 | 4 years |
| - | Alec Davidson | 1959 | 1969 | 10 years |
| 7 | Ralph Read Ralph Read Ralph Read is a Pentecostal Christian pastor in the Assemblies of God and was the Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Australia from 1969 to 1977.-Biography:... |
1969 | 1977 | 8 years |
| 8 | Andrew Evans | 1977 | 1997 | 20 years |
| 9 | Brian Houston Brian Houston (pastor) Brian Houston is a pastor in the Australian Christian Churches. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Hillsong Church which has locations in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, London, Cape Town, Kiev, Germany, Paris, Moscow, Stockholm and New York City. He was also the National President of Australian... |
1997 | 2009 | 12 years |
| 10 | Wayne Alcorn | 2009 | - | - |
Missions
AOG World Missions is the official global outreach arm of Australian Christian Churches. The President of AOG World Missions is Jack Hanes, the Senior Pastor of Penrith Christian Life Centre. AOG World Vision has a three point mission; the mobilisation of people into missions ministry, providing relief and development around the world and providing resources to the local church. AOG World Mission comprises:- A network of churches that support regions of the globe
- A movement of local churches reaching the unreached
- The First Priority Service Centre, serving ACC churches and ACC field workers.
- AOG World Relief, reaching out through humanitarian development and relief initiatives.
Ministries
Australian Christian Churches has many ministries in place to serve the church. These include:Australian Christian Churches supports many organisations including Mercy Ministries
Mercy Ministries
Mercy Ministries is an international, Evangelical, charismatic, Christian, charitable organization that offers a long-term residential program for young women aged 13–28 who struggle with various "life controlling" issues...
, Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge
Teen Challenge is a Pentecostal Christian recovery program and a network of Christian social and evangelizing work centers. It is a 12-18 month program that serves drug addicts, alcoholics, gang members, prostitutes and people with other characteristics that the program considers to be...
and Compassion Australia
Compassion Australia
Compassion Australia is a Christian holistic child development and child advocacy organisation that works in partnership with local churches to foster the spiritual, economic, social, physical and emotional development of children living in extreme poverty in over 26 countries.Compassion Australia...
.
Education
In order to train future pastors and leaders in the denomination, Commonwealth Bible College (now known as Alphacrucis) was established in 1948 as the official ministry training school of Australian Christian Churches. Since the emergence of megachurches, large churches have begun establishing their own bible colleges. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that there are over 3,000 full-time students being trained at bible colleges affiliated with Australian Christian Churches.
Media attention
There has been significant attention drawn to the denomination's relationship to the Family First PartyFamily First Party
The Family First Party is a socially conservative minor political party in Australia. It has two members in the South Australian Legislative Council...
, particularly in light of the party's founder, Andrew Evans, being a former superintendent of the movement, and its one-time leader, Andrea Mason
Andrea Mason
Andrea Mason is an Australian politician and an Australian Aborigine. In the Federal Election of 2004, she led the Family First Party, a political party with close links with the Assemblies of God in Australia denomination....
, attending an ACC church. Both Australian Christian Churches and the Family First Party maintain that links are historical only, and that there is no organisational connection at the present time.
Publicly the Assemblies of God in Australia has distanced itself from advocating certain political groups and parties, including the fledgling Family First party:
- One thing we are not is a political movement ... The Assemblies of God in Australia does not have a political vision and we don't have a political agenda. I think people need to understand the difference between the church being very involved in politics and individual Christians being involved in politics. There is a big difference.—Brian Houston
In October 2007, a Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
story claimed that several of the final remaining Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
contestants were from Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
, raising concerns of vote-stacking by the church. It was later revealed that none of the remaining contestants were from Hillsong Church, but several were from churches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches, including two from AOG affiliate Shirelive Church Sutherland, Sydney, NSW.
See also
- Assemblies of GodAssemblies of GodThe Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
- Christian Life CentreChristian Life CentreChristian Life Centre is generally a name given to churches that are affiliated with the Assemblies of God in Australia, a Pentecostal denomination in Australia. The CLC stream of churches started when Frank Houston moved to Australia in 1977 and planted Sydney Christian Life Centre...
- Churches affiliated with Australian Christian ChurchesChurches affiliated with Australian Christian ChurchesChurches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches refers to churches that are a part of Australian Christian Churches, the Australian organisation of the Assemblies of God , a Pentecostal denomination originating in the United States of America. There are over 1,100 churches in Australian...
External links
- Assemblies of God in Australia
- New South Wales Assemblies of God
- Queensland Assemblies of God
- Victoria Assemblies of God
- Western Australia Assemblies of God
- Tasmania Assemblies of God