I had a Great Time at the Big Event!

I spent the last four days at the Bi-Annual International Convention of the Assemblies of God in Orlando. Although the Orange County Convention Center is near to Disney and all the recreational parks I did not get to see Minnie or Mickey. The most I could do was hum M-I-C-K-E-Y MOUSE!

A small team of us gathered there and had a booth to describe our ministries. (More on that later.) All of us were stunned by the energy, joy, vision and drive of these Christian leaders. As one colleague said, "I had about given up on the denominational churches. However, these people are growing like wildfire and changing the world.

One reason is their incredible openness to reach the world for Christ by Any Means Possible! They are innovative, entrepreneurial and amazingly visionary for Jesus. Where most current denominations argue over whether to evangelize or help the poor these folks do both. Some churches fear technology but the AOG love to use the brightest and best to share the good news and help people learn, grow and get healed.

Where many American churches travel overseas and build things for the nationals, the AOG tends to both build and train the nationals how to build their own things. They have no trouble mixing business and ministry because people must eat as well as pray.

Take a look at one internet site to get an idea of their use of technology to accomplish God's plans. It is called Network211 and is designed to use 21st Century Technology to spread the good news.  Their goal is to win 10 million to Christianity in 10 years! So far they have had over 9,000,000 web hits with over 500,000 evangelistic responses!

After being asked to leave our church because were were not orthodox enough, the only Pastor and church near the University of Cincinnati house church where we met was Clyde Miller of the First Christian Assembly of God. (Now The People's Church) Karen and our two children and I were there for three years and they treated all of us like special people and they accepted all of us hippies like family. That is how I learned that these people followed the Lord.