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brotherjames

AG has 1600 churches in coastal region of Catholic Ecuador.

brotherjames · Acts-celerater Posts: 935 **3/2/16 12:11 pm**

I just returned yesterday from 2 weeks of ministry in Ecuador. Spent most of the time in the coastal region of Guayaquil and surrounding villages. Guayaquil is the largest city in small SA country of Ecuador with 3.9 million. Lowlands of the coast are swampy and main crop is rice grown in fields of water so imagine the mosquito problem and Zika virus is here too.

THe Assemblies of God in Ecuador has a huge footprint in this still mostly Catholic country. We have 1600 churches in the coastal District. I took a team of our Master's Commission students and my co-pastor wife and we did children's crusades, schools, rehab centers and church crusades. Most of the churches in the area are less than 300 people and most are in the 100 adult size. We reached many, many unsaved people and children with literally a couple of thousand saved (low side est.). The area is in the midst of the rainy season and the temps were in the upper 80's and 90's and the humidity is 100% mucho caliente - I think I sweated out 100 gal of water a day.

The Lord worked with us as we shared His love and the Full Gospel message of Heb. 13:8 (Jesus Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever) as He healed several blind people, multiple assorted pains and illnesses and broken hearts and delivered several possessed people from demons and many oppressed people as well. Two quick testimonies; in one service two small girls (5, 8 ) came for healing. Both were cross-eyed and one could not see at all. One girl's eyes instantly straightened and she can now see perfectly, the other one had one eye straighten and the other eye was a little straighter but she can now see very well and we believe God will finish what He started. Demons manifested several times and in every instance the people were set free by God's Dunamis power and His Grace as we invoked the Nombre de Jesus (Name of Jesus). Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the World!!! AMEN.

The poverty in the country outside the city center is extreme. In one village we went to, we had to drive thru a sea of mud then walk thru the mud to get to a church that had just been planted. Waiting for us was about 70 children who had waited more than 2 hours for us as we were in a nearby village ministering and they weren't sure when we would get there. The village has been the source of much witchcraft in the recent past and it was reported to us that the drug dealers had come to the town and were giving heroin to the little children to hook them and make them their slaves. We took authority over the devil and ministered to the children and their parents and every child accepted Jesus as did most of the parents. We bound the Spirit of Witchcraft over the city and prayed for God's blessing and favor for the city, the church and the pastor. Please pray for this village of Grande Sabana.

For many of our students this was their first trip out of the country. I teach a class for our 1st year students on the book of Acts; I asked the students this question, "Is the Book of Acts a history book or is it real and still being written?" Of course you know the answer. They were blown away by the power of God to heal, save and deliver as they ministered the love of God and became Jesus with skin on to Ecuador.

All I can say is Gloria a Dios, Jesus is alive and well and still confirming His Word with signs following in Ecuador and around the world. Praise His Holy Name that He would allow us to preach His Word and be His Disciples. Gracias, El Senor!

Brandon Bohannon

Re: Ecuador Report short version

Acts-celerater Posts: 571 **3/2/16 12:16 pm**

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **3/2/16 12:45 pm**

Thanks, BJ, I know who ya are now. Not to worry, the ole timer don't out folk, it's just nice to know who ya dialoggin with--specially when ya a parody. Wink

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **3/2/16 1:05 pm**

Ole Timer, I'm afraid if I knew who you really were, I wouldn't have half as much fun talking to you. Cool

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **3/3/16 12:39 am**

brotherjames

While the number of AG churches was not my main point

Acts-celerater Posts: 935 **3/3/16 9:21 am**

As a reference point let me say that I met with Dist. Supt Munoz (1 of 3 districts - coastal, upland mountain and Amazon) and General Supt. Salazar. They told me that 50 years ago there were less than 10 churches in the country when an AG couple from the US came named Dowdy and that they trace all of this growth directly to them and of course the Holy Spirit. These churches are overtly Spirit filled and I preached and prayed for people to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues everywhere I went along with salvations and healing. God is moving in Ecuador and South America. The AG also now has over 35 million adherents in Brazil fyi. Gracias El Senor.

doyle

35 million AG adherants in Brazil and Ecuador? Not so.

Acts-celerate Owner Posts: 6957 **3/3/16 7:15 pm**

I loved the powerful story about what God is doing in Brazil and Ecuador. I'm thrilled that in that supposedly Catholic country, so many are receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. I thought the story was so powerful that I placed it at the top of the page.

However, the contention that the AG has 35 million "adherents" in those countries, is one-ups-man-ship of the highest order. Instead of giving the number of verified members (which most likely would be a lot of them), instead of sharing the number of people who actually are attending a church, about 20 years ago, the AG started sharing the number of "adherents."

That is someone who may, possibly, might, may be thinking about, or is a close relative of someone who does attend. It's absolutely impossible to determine the number of adherents. It is total guess-work and seems to be motivated by denominational ego. Listen, by no means is the AG the only organization that pumps up the numbers with all kinds of statistical gymnastics. The sad thing about the AG, is they don't need to or have do that. They are seeing dynamic results with the actual numbers they have.

Using the adherents attendance pump, means those WHO DO NOT attend the church are counted too. It makes the number BIG when in the AG case, just sharing those who have become members or actually attend the church, would in itself in many places be large.

So, if my third cousin's wife's Father attends the AG, does that mean I'm counted too even though I have never been there? Listen, I'm not ragging on the AG. All denominations are coming up with all kinds of twists and turns and systems to make it look like attendance is far greater than what it really is.

No, it's not the end of the world, but it seems to show that we are kind of ashamed at what God is doing. We feel that we must pump up the numbers so God and we will seem more successful.

Doyle
_________________
The largest room in the world is the room for improvement.

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **3/3/16 7:32 pm**

I do know brotherjames' identity. But I don't know Ole Timer's.

brotherjames

Dear Doyle

Acts-celerater Posts: 935 **3/3/16 7:41 pm**

I apologize to you and any who might find offense in what I posted and I want to assure you that I was in no way doing a one upsmanship or anything of the kind. In the AG our numbers are ALWAYS reported as adherents and voting members. Voting members are ALWAYS less than adherents because of non voting children and adults who are not members but attend. I can also assure you that we cull our membership rolls annually and remove from our numbers the deceased and others who might have moved on. You are incorrect in the way you addressed the adherents numbers. Overall in the AG and afilliated fellowships worldwide we estimate 65 million of which 35 million are in Brazil. My point was not boasting except on the Lord for doing as you noticed in Ecuador, reaching the lost and making great inroads in formerly Catholic countries. I am excited about what the Lord is doing in Ecuador and around the world but if you think my motives are impure please feel free to delete my post.

I can assure I was not and I am also sure the AG for the most part is NOT "PUMPING UP OUR NUMBERS". When we report adherents, that represents those who regularly attend. For example, my avg Sunday attend might be 1100. My adherents might be 1500 and my voting membership might be 425. On any given Sunday, 20% will be missing and more like 1/3 in the summer. But they still consider our church their home church and will likely be there regularly. That's how we do it and all my friends and every AG pastor does that as well. There might be a small fudge factor but I consider myself a man of integrity and don't play those games nor do I need to.