Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Less Important Today?

QUOTE: “There's been a cultural shift in the last 30 years. Sunday morning services used to be for believers, and Sunday night services were more evangelistic. Sunday night services have declined, and now the morning service is more for people to bring friends. If there has been a diminution of the gift, it's due to a cultural shift in society.” —Assemblies of God (AG) General Superintendent George O. Wood, on whether speaking in tongues is downplayed more today in corporate worship services than in the past. According to an AG study last year, 28 percent of pastors in the denomination strongly agree that their churches regularly use part of their corporate services to pray for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although 90 percent of those pastors say they regularly teach on the topic, only about half of those involved in AG churches claim to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. [christianitytoday.com, 9/21/09]

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