General Superintendent States Church in "Defining Moment"

General Superintendent Thomas E. Trask opened the 50th General Council at the MCI Center by presenting a roadmap for the future of the Assemblies of God, saying the Fellowship is at a crucial crossroads of whether it is Pentecostal in actual practice or merely in historical tradition.

"I want to challenge you as a church tonight," Trask said at the Thursday night worship service. "If God can get hold of the Assemblies of God in totality, if God could possess us from head to foot, I believe we could take America for Jesus Christ."

Trask reviewed how the Fellowship has been on a "Vision for Transformation" journey for the past 18 months that has involved listening to more than 5,000 people, both leaders and laity.

"Can we do it better?" Trask asked. "I think so. We haven’t begun to scratch the surface." Trask compared the position of the Assemblies of God to the juncture ancient Israel faced in Numbers 13. As with that time, God has empowered His people to follow a righteous path. It’s up to the church whether to wander aimlessly in the wilderness, he said.

"Those who came before us left a legacy that is rich and powerful," Trask said. "But the Spirit of God wants to come as we’ve never experienced."

The Fellowship has grown from 300 followers in a 1914 meeting in Arkansas to nearly 48 million throughout the world today. The general superintendent warned constituents not to become complacent. However wonderful the past has been, the Assemblies of God cannot be satisfied with standing pat, he said.

Some are content with extravagant church buildings, full sanctuaries, successful programs and acceptance by society as a whole, Trask said. But Pentecostals must be people of ongoing vision, faith and power, according to the general superintendent. Naysayers may complain that there are too many obstacles, but vision demands action, he said. The church stands on the threshold of great victory, but—as with the ancient Israelites—there is a threat from negative reports.

"We are being called upon as a movement to make some decisions that will stretch us and move us from a comfort zone to a commitment," Trask said. "We might be outnumbered, but remember—God is on the side of faith."

Trask believes this is a defining moment for the Assemblies of God. "We will decide whether we want to be a Spirit-filled movement or a monument," he said. "Are we transformed enough to be able to transform our society, or is society going to transform us?"

Churches that conform to societal norms soon stop emphasizing healings, deliverance and baptism in the Holy Spirit, Trask said. The church cannot afford to become weary about evangelism, he said, because such an attitude leads to empty sanctuaries.

President George W. Bush greeted the 50th General Council audience with a video message. Tim Goegelin, special assistant to the president, stands in the foreground.

This is no time for Christians to be exhibiting bitter, critical, fleshly or compromising attitudes, Trask said. He said that in order to achieve victory, the Christian must act in faith to produce works that please the Lord: reaching the lost, making disciples, healing the sick, feeding the hungry and casting out demons.

Before Trask’s message, President Bush sent video greetings to those gathered, saying the Assemblies of God shares common values with the administration on such issues as the protection of the unborn, the sanctity of heterosexual marriage and opposition to human cloning.

The president vowed to keep nominating federal judges who won’t legislate from the bench and said that government should be supportive of social service organizations that effectively provide help to the needy. Bush also thanked the assembled for their faithfulness. "The troops appreciate your prayers and so do I," he said.

Prior to the video clip, Tim Goegelin, special assistant to the president, took to the platform and thanked the crowd for offering prayers for the chief executive and members of his administration. He expressed gratitude that "during this incredibly momentous chapter in American history" Christians have held government leaders close to their hearts.

"We all know that we serve another kingdom and another King," Goegelin said. "May God continue to bless the Assemblies of God."

Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony A. Williams also welcomed the Fellowship to the nation’s capital for the first time.

"The faith community has a critical role to play in the sustenance of our cities and nations," Williams said. "The government can’t do it alone. God bless our country, one nation under God."

Potomac District Superintendent H. Robert Rhoden presented a $30,000 check to the mayor for the district to use in its transformation schools program.

John W. Kennedy

John W. Kennedy served as news editor of AG News from its inception in 2014 until retiring in 2023. He previously spent 15 years as news editor of the Pentecostal Evangel and seven years as news editor at Christianity Today.