Special / WAGF Workshops

The Power of the Holy Spirit has never changed

The following WAGF workshops were especially designed for our worldwide leaders: Contemporary Pentecostal Issues; Building a Church in a Restricted Country; Internet Evangelism; Church Growth Collaborative Efforts; Church Growth After the Fall of the Berlin Wall; Models for Doing Missions; and Ministry in a Post-Modern and Post-Christian Europe. Listed below are highlights from some of the workshops.

Contemporary Pentecostal Issues
Chin Do Kham, dean of Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in the Philippines said, °ÌChristians should not be assimilated into popular culture. We must keep our unique Pentecostal culture. We have to be led by the Holy Spirit, the omnipotent God."

Building a Church in a Restricted Country
Having built churches in an evangelically restricted country, Asa Kain, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Bangladesh mentioned that church planting in any country is a difficult task. There is always a price that has to be paid. He said, °ÌBut God is also doing great things in those evangelically restricted countries. So many things are being accomplished because of their clear visions and goals."

Internet Evangelism
Efraim Espinoza, special projects coordinator for the 2000 Celebration explained, "Despite all the criticisms poured upon the use of the internet, the internet allows us to fulfill the Great Commission almost any place on earth." He stated, "The internet can be an open door for the church in the 21st century." He suggested that church leaders use topical hooks like divorce, parenting, depression, finances and even sports, to get unbelievers to visit evangelistic websites.

Church Growth After the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Michael Hydzik, president of the Assemblies of God in Poland stated that the spiritual hunger of Eastern Europe remains strong more than a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Pentecostal congregations are at the forefront of church growth in that part of the world. Hydzik spoke of challenges Pentecostal churches faced when their land was concealed by the Iron Curtain and about the new opportunities and obstacles facing Pentecostals today.

Models for Doing Missions
Brad Waltz, U.S. missionary to Argentina, spoke about the faith and vision needed for building effective national missions programs. He said, The lack of an effective national missions program is NOT a money issue. It is a VISION issue, an issue of eternity. I have seen poor pagans sacrifice more money for a soccer game than the church is willing to sacrifice to reach souls for Jesus.

There was an International World Missions Luncheon on Tuesday hosted by the U.S. General Presbyters. There were more than 3000 in attendance as Dr. David Yonggi Cho spoke on the power of the Holy Spirit. He said, "The Holy Spirit not only transforms lives, but also nations and governments. The power of the Holy Spirit has never changed. When we open our hearts the Holy Spirit will impart his visions and dreams to us and help us overcome limitations of time, space and ability."