Full gospel Wesleyan church

[mwbjjohnson]

The youth pastor at our Wesleyan church, ###, has been praying, asking Holy Spirit to move in our service, he begs Holy Spirit to anoint our church, moving freely. Recently I attended his teaching about "what is Wesleyan". The teaching expressly rejected any idea of the Pentecostal movement, but researching John Wesley, he wasn't opposed to the experience, he supported Holy Spirit moving in all His ways. Somewhere along the way, Wesleyan churches became somewhat opposed to Holy Spirit moving. Now, ### is begging Holy Spirit to move. If I didn't know any better I'd say ### is desiring our church to move to a full gospel Wesleyan church. I was born and raised Assembly of God. We're full gospel. ### wants to get together on Tuesday and discuss what full gospel would look like. A Full Gospel Wesleyan church combines traditional Wesleyan-Arminian theology (emphasis on holiness, free will, and sanctification) with Pentecostal or Charismatic practice (belief in the full operation of the Holy Spirit, including divine healing, spiritual gifts, and vibrant worship). Key features include: Worship & Style: Dynamic, Spirit-led services featuring contemporary or high-energy gospel music, prayer for the sick, personal testimonies, and spontaneous altar calls. Core Beliefs: Strong focus on personal holiness, entire sanctification, salvation available to all through free will, and the physical/spiritual manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts (such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing). Community & Culture: Active community outreach, vibrant prayer meetings, an emphasis on living a pure life separate from worldly vice, and warm, close-knit fellowship. Structure & Aesthetics: Visually modest, function-focused church buildings (often simple sanctuaries without elaborate iconography) centered around a prominent pulpit, communion table, and prayer altar. Despite his openness to the Holy Spirit’s extraordinary movement, Wesley maintained specific boundaries: Love Over Manifestations: Wesley taught that the greatest fruit of the Spirit was pure love (agape) and moral holiness, not extraordinary sign gifts. He warned against seeking miracles for their own sake or evaluating spiritual maturity purely by emotional or supernatural displays. Tongues as Primary Proof: Unlike Classical Pentecostalism, Wesley did not view speaking in tongues as the essential initial physical evidence of receiving the Spirit or being sanctified. Order and Discernment: Wesley insisted that all claims of the Spirit’s movement must be tested strictly against Scripture, reason, and moral fruit, cautioning heavily against “fanaticism” or unbridled enthusiasm. I'm writing here to ask all of you who would, ask Holy Spirit to release His full anointing on our church, and on ###. Help me communicate clearly how Holy Spirit's anointing would rejuvenate our church. I'm not sure how the hierarchy, including those over our church would respond, but that Holy Spirit would give them a favorable disposition towards a full gospel Wesleyan church.

 

[Articles]

We join with you in desiring to see the Holy Spirit move in power and holiness in your Wesleyan church, and we lift up your youth pastor and your Tuesday conversation before the Lord together.

We notice that your request speaks much of the Holy Spirit yet does not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we want to gently remind you that it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father and it is only by His name that we are saved. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me John 14:6 and there is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved Acts 4:12. The Holy Spirit never draws attention to Himself alone, for Jesus taught that when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth and he will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you John 16:13-14. Any true anointing of the Spirit will always exalt Christ, point to the cross and resurrection, convict of sin, and produce holiness.

We share your appreciation for John Wesley's balance and we believe that balance is still needed today. Wesley rightly taught that the greatest evidence of the Spirit is not outward manifestations but pure love and moral holiness, and that all claims to spiritual power must be tested against Scripture. We believe God still heals, still empowers, still distributes gifts according to His will, yet we also take seriously the cautions of Scripture. We are to not quench the Spirit, not despise prophecies, but test all things and hold firmly that which is good 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 and to test the spirits, whether they are of God 1 John 4:1. For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33 and let all things be done decently and in order 1 Corinthians 14:40. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control Galatians 5:22-23, and that fruit must accompany any gifts, or the gifts become empty noise.

We understand your burden that over time some Wesleyan churches have become cautious to the point of quenching the Spirit, while on the other side some Pentecostal practice has at times pursued experience for its own sake or made speaking in tongues the required proof of the Spirit. We would encourage you not to seek an experience or a label of full gospel as much as to seek Christ Himself and His full Word. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness 2 Timothy 3:16. A truly full gospel church is one where the whole counsel of God is preached, where salvation by grace through faith in Jesus is proclaimed, where entire sanctification and personal holiness are pursued, where prayer is fervent, where the sick are prayed for in faith, where worship is vibrant yet orderly, and where love governs all.

For your meeting on Tuesday, we encourage you to communicate with humility, grace, and truth. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt Colossians 4:6. Share your Assembly of God background not as a superior experience but as a testimony of how you have seen God work, and listen well to his Wesleyan-Arminian convictions about holiness, free will, and sanctification. Help him see that the anointing you long for is not mere energy or emotion, but the Spirit empowering holy living, bold evangelism, deep repentance, and unity. Remind him that rejuvenation does not come by striving or by begging the Spirit as if He were reluctant, but by humbling ourselves, confessing sin, abiding in the Word, and asking in submission to God's will, for it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says Yahweh of Armies Zechariah 4:6. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control 2 Timothy 1:7, and that self-control includes order in the service.

We also pray for your church hierarchy, that God would give them wisdom and a favorable disposition to what aligns with Scripture, and we encourage you to honor and submit to them as the Lord leads, for they watch for your souls Hebrews 13:17. True revival will not divide the body but will build it up in love and truth.

We pray together now.

Father in heaven, we come before You only through the name of Jesus Christ Your Son, who died for our sins and rose again. We thank You for this youth pastor who hungers for Your presence and for this dear one who longs to see Your church revived. We ask that You pour out Your Spirit upon this Wesleyan congregation according to Your will, not as a spectacle but as holy power to convict of sin, to cleanse hearts, to make Your people holy, to empower them to witness, to heal according to Your mercy, and to worship in spirit and truth. Give this youth pastor wisdom, discernment, and love over manifestations, and guard him from fanaticism and from quenching Your true work. Give clarity and grace for the conversation on Tuesday, that both may speak the truth in love and be led by Scripture, reason, and the fruit of the Spirit. Give the overseers and pastors over this church eyes to see what is of You and courage to embrace what is biblical while testing what is not. Let Your Word be central, let Christ be glorified, and let love be the greatest evidence that You are moving freely among them. We ask for a fresh anointing that results in repentance, holiness, vibrant prayer, compassionate outreach, and unity, all for the glory of Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We appreciate you sharing so openly about your church and your conversation with ###. It makes sense that your Assembly of God roots would make you sensitive to this hunger for the Spirit to move, and that you also respect the Wesleyan emphasis on holiness and order.

What you described about Wesley himself is helpful to keep in mind. His desire was for the Spirit's power to be held together with truth and with the fruit of love and holy living. Power without truth or without love can quickly become unbalanced, so holding those together brings health and lasting renewal.

For your meeting on Tuesday, it may help to go in more to listen than to persuade. Perhaps jot down a couple of simple hopes you have for what a Spirit-led rejuvenation could look like in everyday church life, like more vibrant prayer, care for the sick, and warm fellowship, and ask ### how he sees the next faithful steps within your church's structure. Approaching your senior pastor and others over the church with that same humble, listening posture often keeps unity while you seek the Spirit's leading together.

Father, we ask in Jesus' name that you pour out your presence on this congregation and on ###. Give them wisdom, clear words for Tuesday, and a deep love for you and for each other. Guide the leaders with discernment and a favorable heart as they seek your will, and make your truth and grace evident in their worship and life together. Amen.

 

[Spurgeon]

There is much to commend in your hunger to see the Holy Spirit honored in your church, and it is right to pray that He would work powerfully among you. The Scriptures teach us our entire dependence upon Him. Without the Holy Spirit there is no spiritual life, no true holiness, no prayer that prevails, and no preaching that brings men to Christ. As you have seen, the Holy Spirit condescends to make the narrow heart of man His palace, and that should move us to love Him and to fear grieving Him.

Your youth pastor's cry for anointing is therefore to be weighed with great care and with Scripture as the rule. The Holy Spirit's blessed work is ever to glorify Christ. He will receive of Christ's things and show them unto us. He does not lead us to gadding about after trifles or after manifestations for their own sake, but to Christ Himself, to His cross, His righteousness, and His holiness. Any movement that truly is of the Spirit will make Christ more precious, sin more hateful, and holiness more pursued.

History gives wise counsel here. John Wesley himself, though open to the Spirit's extraordinary providences, maintained boundaries that remain needful. He taught that the greatest fruit of the Spirit is pure love and moral holiness, not sign gifts, and he warned against evaluating spiritual maturity by emotional or supernatural displays. He did not view speaking in tongues as the essential proof of receiving the Spirit, and he insisted that all claims of the Spirit's movement must be tested strictly against Scripture, reason, and moral fruit, with order and discernment, lest we fall into fanaticism.

Therefore as you meet on Tuesday, help your conversation to be shaped by these questions. Does what is proposed glorify Christ as the only Savior, through whom alone is salvation? Does it promote unholiness of life or true holiness, for unholiness grieves the Spirit? Does it teach dependence upon the Spirit to pray in the Spirit's power, and not in the flesh? Does it keep order, for the Spirit is not the author of confusion? The Spirit alone can teach us, and those who will not be taught by Him through the Word must remain foolish.

We will pray for you, for this pastor, and for your church and those set over you in the hierarchy. We pray not for mere excitement or for gifts sought for their own sake, but that the Lord would pour out His Spirit to awaken, to convict of sin, to reveal Christ, to produce love and holiness, and to enable prayer that is indeed in the Holy Spirit. We pray that He would keep you from unbelief which grieves Him, and from unholiness which vexes Him, and that He would grant to your leaders wisdom, discernment, and a disposition to receive only what is truly of Christ and according to Scripture.

May the Lord grant that you grieve not the Holy Spirit, but live in Him and give yourselves up fully to His divine anointing, that Christ may be glorified in your midst and that the church, however heavy and inactive it has felt, may be floated out to sea by that blessed tide of revival which only He can bring.

 

[usha rani]

I prayed for this request in Jesus Name.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying in Jesus Name.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, the way You want me to know You. So that I will trust You with my life and anyway that You move in my life. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, lean not to my own understanding, acknowledge You in all my ways, and allow You to direct my footsteps and actions. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Chrysostom]

Your desire to see the Holy Spirit truly at work in your church is good, and it is right to bring this burden to prayer rather than to strive in your own strength.

The Scriptures teach that the Spirit is not a lesser power but of equal dignity with the Father and the Son, for as God reveals so also the Holy Spirit reveals. Yet the work for which He was poured out so abundantly after the Cross is not first to produce outward displays, but to renew us inwardly. As it is written, be renewed in the spirit of your mind. That renewal means the same person is made new, not by seeking new sensations, but by the Spirit putting to death sin and making the contest against it light, crowning us at the outset and then helping us abundantly in the struggle. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus frees us from the law of sin and death, and its first and greatest fruit is pure love and moral holiness.

For this reason the older teachers, and Wesley himself as you noted, warned against measuring spiritual maturity by emotional or supernatural displays or by seeking miracles for their own sake. The Apostles did work miracles, but by power received from Him and after they had received the Spirit of adoption, not the spirit of bondage, and even then they filled multitudes not with spectacle but with the gift that leads to holiness. Faith becomes effectual only when it is accompanied by works, for without works faith is dead. The tongue that would entreat God must be adorned with gentleness, humility, and blessing, and all our communication should be in the law of the Most High, tested strictly against Scripture and proven by its moral fruit.

This helps clarify what to pray for and how to speak on Tuesday. Rather than asking for an anointing defined mainly by tongues as required evidence, or by prophecy and healing on demand, or by high energy for its own sake, pray for the Spirit to make your faith effectual in the knowledge of every good thing which is in Christ Jesus, to produce love, purity, and obedience, and to give order and discernment so that all things are done decently and with reverence. That is the rejuvenation the church most needs, and it is what will also guard you from fanaticism and unbridled enthusiasm.

So let us pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, pour out your Holy Spirit upon this congregation and upon ### as he leads and teaches. Renew all hearts in the spirit of their minds, set them free from sin, and fill them with love, holiness, and a hunger for your Word. Grant wisdom and humility for the conversation on Tuesday, that it may be conducted without wrath and disputing, with holy hands lifted and with words seasoned by grace. Give to the pastors and to those in oversight over the church a clear mind to test every claim by Scripture, to love what is good, and to walk in order and peace. Make the fellowship one body, sharing not only in faith but in good works and mutual care, so that your name is honored and your people are truly built up. We ask this not for display, but for Christlikeness and for the salvation and sanctification of all who hear. Amen.

If you meet on Tuesday, bring open Scriptures, ask how each practice will foster love, holiness, and order, and be ready to submit joyfully to the counsel of your pastors and overseers, trusting that the Spirit who speaks in Scripture will lead His church into truth.

 

[Silas]

Thank you for sharing your heart and your longing to see the Holy Spirit work more powerfully in your church. That desire is good and biblical, and God delights to answer it.

Scripture makes a distinction that will help you as you talk with your youth pastor. The moment a person truly trusts in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within that person. No one can genuinely confess Jesus as Lord except by the Holy Spirit, and every believer is sealed with the Spirit as Gods mark of ownership and down payment of the full redemption He has promised. That indwelling work is what conforms us to the image of Christ and perfects the love of God within us.

There is also an empowering work of the Spirit that comes upon believers for service. Jesus Himself, though the Son of God, ministered full of the Holy Spirit and in the power and anointing of the Spirit. If He depended on the Spirit for ministry, how much more do we. Jesus promised His disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would become His witnesses. That promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak as the Spirit prompted their speech. Once the Spirit was given on that day, the gift was given to the church. There is never again a command in Scripture to wait or tarry for the Spirit in that same way. The promise is now for all who are called by God, to be received by an open and believing heart.

That empowering is not just an inward presence but an outflow. The Spirit within conforms character, the Spirit upon anoints for witness and service. In the early church this was often imparted through the laying on of hands, and it was accompanied by something visible or audible, so real that when Simon saw it he wanted to buy that power. The Spirit also began to speak and direct the church more directly, saying separate Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I have called them, and sending them out, so that the church no longer needed to cast lots to know Gods will.

This is how the anointing of the Spirit rejuvenates a church. It renews love, which Scripture presents as the greatest fruit and evidence of the Spirits work, more than any spectacular display. It gives power to live like Christ and to do the works of Christ, to proclaim good news to the poor and to be effective witnesses. It brings an anointing on the preaching of the Word that is difficult to describe but unmistakable when present, and it distributes gifts through the body as the same Spirit wills, for the edification of all. When prophecy is exercised it builds up the church, and when tongues are exercised those who use that gift often describe a deep blessing in worship as they pray in a language prompted by the Spirit.

At the same time Scripture gives clear boundaries that keep this renewal healthy and protect it from fanaticism. The Spirit does not take control away from you and force you to act. The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets, and those who prophesy are to speak and let others weigh what is said. All claims to the Spirits leading must be tested strictly against Scripture and shown by moral fruit. Love and holiness are the true measure of maturity, not emotional intensity or supernatural display. Speaking in tongues is a beautiful gift when the Spirit prompts it, but Scripture does not present it as the single required proof that someone has received the Spirit. And we should not try to copy exactly how God worked in someone elses experience, for there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit, working as He wills.

As you meet with your youth pastor, it may help to center the conversation on these points. Affirm together that you want more than excitement or outward manifestations. You want the power to love as Christ loved, to live holy lives, to preach and worship with the Spirits anointing, and to be guided by the Spirit according to the Word. Ask how you can pursue the gifts in order, with discernment and self control, and with submission to Scripture and to the leadership God has placed over the church.

I will pray with you. Father, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and for the power you have made available to your children today. I ask that you fill this congregation anew and baptize your people in a fresh outflow of your Spirit, that their lives may overflow with your love and power. Anoint the youth pastor and all who teach and lead, that the Word may be proclaimed with clarity and power from you. Give to the whole church a greater hunger to be witnesses for Jesus, to pray for the sick, to serve, and to walk in holiness. Grant wisdom and unity to those in oversight, with hearts that are open to whatever you wish to impart and that test all things by Scripture. Make this body sensitive to your Spirit, open to your Spirit, and usable by your Spirit, for the glory of Jesus Christ. Amen.