Pentecostal & Holiness

Assemblies of God

308 listed in North Carolina. What they believe, and what a service is actually like.

The Assemblies of God is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States, formed in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Its churches expect the gifts of the Holy Spirit — speaking in tongues, prophecy, healing prayer — to be part of ordinary Christian life rather than a thing that ended with the first century. Congregations own their property and call their own pastors, while belonging to a district; North Carolina's churches sit in the North Carolina District. From the road an AG church often looks like any contemporary evangelical church, and the difference shows up in what happens during the service.

What to expect if you’ve never been

Contemporary worship music led by a band, typically 25 to 40 minutes and longer than in most evangelical churches — the singing is part of the point, not a warm-up.
A sermon of 30 to 45 minutes, often practical and delivered with energy.
An invitation at the end to come forward for prayer. People will pray with you, sometimes with a hand on your shoulder, and nobody will make you.
Speaking in tongues may occur, usually during prayer or worship. In an orderly service it is followed by an interpretation. It is not directed at you and requires nothing from you.
Raised hands, spoken 'amen', and audible prayer are normal. Sitting quietly is equally normal and unremarked.
Children's ministry running during the service, with security check-in.
Casual dress in most congregations; some older or ethnic-minority congregations are notably dressier.

What Assemblies of God churches believe

The Bible is inspired and authoritative — the Sixteen Fundamental Truths set out what the denomination teaches.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience available after conversion, with speaking in tongues as its initial physical evidence. This is the AG's defining distinctive.
Divine healing is provided for in the atonement and prayed for expectantly.
Baptism is by full immersion, for those old enough to profess faith.
Communion is a symbolic remembrance, observed periodically.
Christ will return before the millennium — the premillennial position is written into the statement of faith.

Commonly confused with

Assemblies of God vs. Oneness Pentecostal (UPCI)

This is the most important distinction in Pentecostalism and it is easy to miss. The AG is Trinitarian: Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons. Oneness Pentecostals reject that formulation and baptise in Jesus' name only. The worship can look nearly identical; the doctrine of God is not the same. If it matters to you, ask.

Assemblies of God vs. Church of God (Cleveland) and COGIC

All three are Trinitarian Pentecostal bodies with similar convictions about the Spirit. The differences are historical and cultural more than doctrinal: Church of God is centred in Cleveland, Tennessee, and COGIC is the largest historically Black Pentecostal denomination. A visitor would notice the culture of the congregation before the theology.

Assemblies of God vs. charismatic non-denominational

Many independent churches practise the same gifts without belonging to a Pentecostal denomination. The AG has a defined statement of faith, ordained and credentialed ministers, and district accountability. An independent charismatic church answers only to its own leadership.

Common questions

What happens if someone speaks in tongues while I'm there?

Usually it occurs during worship or prayer, and in an orderly service someone gives an interpretation afterwards. It is not directed at you, you are not expected to respond, and nobody will single you out.

Will I be prayed over or pressured to go forward?

You will be invited, not compelled. Staying in your seat is completely normal and goes unremarked.

Do I have to speak in tongues to belong?

No. The AG teaches it as the evidence of Spirit baptism, but plenty of members and attendees have not had that experience and are full participants in the church.