The Samoan Assemblies of God International (Samoan: Le Fa'apotopotoga a le Atua Samoa) or SAOG is a Pentecostal fellowship of churches. It reached the Western Islands and outer countries with large Samoan communities, such as New Zealand, America and Australia. It has over 530 churches worldwide with over 97,000 adherents. The Samoan Assemblies of God fellowship is a registered movement under the

Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

Worldwide, which together forms the largest Pentecostal movement worldwide. This Samoan fellowship of the Assemblies of God has over 300 credential ministers, over 10,000 lay preachers, and has 11 national fellowships worldwide which are Samoa,

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...

, Tuvalu, Tokelau, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Fiji.

History

The Samoan Assemblies of God had its origins in a mission of the

Assemblies of God USA The Assemblies of God USA (AG), officially the General Council of the Assemblies of God, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination in the United States founded in 1914 during a meeting of white Pentecostal ministers at Hot Springs, Arkansas (with e ...

in 1928. It was officially founded in 1928. It was under the leadership of General Superintendent Pastor Max Haleck Jr. of American Samoa from 1976 to the year of his death in 2006, from there it was under the direction of Rev Samani Pulepule. Rev. Samani Pulepule, who has been the superintendent of the New Zealand Samoan Assemblies of God for over 30 years. In 2011 Rev. Pulepule resigned from all his posts, and his son Pastor Onesemo Pulepule became his successor. In the year 2014, Rev.Siaosi Mageo from American Samoa was elected as the Samoan Assemblies of God Worldwide Chairman and was succeeded by Reverend Joe Amosa from August 1, 2016, to May 31, 2018. There are similar-sounding organizations that are distinct from the SAOG. These include the following: Samoan Independent Assemblies of God, and Assembly of God Church of Samoa.

Beliefs

Fundamental doctrines

The central beliefs of the Samoan Assemblies of God are summarized in its Statement of Fundamental Truths. Numerous other Christian groups share some or all of these tenets, and some positions are considered more central to the faith than others. The following is a summary of these 16 non-negotiable Truths: #The Bible is inspired by

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

and is "the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct". #There is only one true God who exists as a Trinity. # Jesus Christ is the Son of God and, as the second person of the Trinity, is God. #Man was created good by God but was separated from God through original sin. # Salvation "is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ". For more information, see the Core beliefs section below. #There are two ordinances.

Believer's baptism Believer's baptism or adult baptism (occasionally called credobaptism, from the Latin word meaning "I believe") is the practice of baptizing those who are able to make a conscious profession of faith, as contrasted to the practice of baptizing ...

by immersion is a declaration to the world of the believer's faith in Christ. The

Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institut ...

is a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death. #

Baptism in the Holy Spirit In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in a variety of ways due to differences in the doctr ...

is a separate and subsequent experience following conversion. Spirit baptism brings empowerment to live an overcoming Christian life and to be an effective witness. For more information, see the Core beliefs section below. #

Speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

is the initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. # Sanctification is "an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God". It occurs when the believer identifies with, and has faith in, Christ in his death and resurrection. It is not believed to be a "second definite work of grace" (see

Finished Work The Finished Work is a doctrine that locates sanctification at the time of conversion, afterward the converted Christian progressively grows in grace. This is contrary to the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification that locates complete sanct ...

), as in some other Pentecostal denominations, but is understood to be a process in that it requires continual yielding to the Holy Spirit. #The

Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chri ...

's mission is to seek and save all who are lost in sin; the Church is the

Body of Christ In Christian theology, the term Body of Christ () has two main but separate meanings: it may refer to Jesus' words over the bread at the celebration of the Jewish feast of Passover that "This is my body" in (see Last Supper), or it may refer ...

and consists of all people who accept Christ, regardless of Christian denomination. #Divinely called and scripturally-ordained ministers serve the Church. # Divine healing of the sick is provided for in the

atonement Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ex ...

. #The "imminent and blessed hope" of the Church is its rapture preceding the bodily

return of Christ The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messia ...

to earth. #The rapture of the Church will be followed by the visible return of Christ and his reign on earth for a thousand years. For more information, see the Core beliefs section below. #There will be a

final judgment The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...

and

eternal damnation Damnation (from Latin '' damnatio'') is the concept of divine punishment and torment in an afterlife for actions that were committed, or in some cases, not committed on Earth. In Ancient Egyptian religious tradition, citizens would recite th ...

for the "wicked dead". #There will be future new

heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

s and a new earth "wherein dwelleth righteousness".

Core beliefs

The Samoan Assemblies of God considers salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, divine healing and the Second Coming of Christ to be its four core beliefs.Our Core Doctrines
. Assemblies of God official website. Accessed August 1, 2010.

Salvation

The Statement of Fundamental Truths states, "Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God". The Assemblies of God holds the

Arminian Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the ''Rem ...

position on salvation; while it agrees with the

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Cal ...

position that God is sovereign, at the same time, it believes that mankind has free will—free to accept or reject God's gift of salvation and eternal life. Therefore, the Assemblies of God disapproves of the doctrines of

double predestination Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby Go ...

and the unconditional security of the believer which holds that once saved it is impossible for a person to be lost. Instead, the Assemblies of God believes that salvation is received and kept by faith, if faith in Christ is lost, then salvation is lost.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

According to the Statement of Fundamental Truths, "All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek" the baptism in the Spirit. It also states, "This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church". It is a separate experience from and occurs after salvation. This baptism gives to the receiver an "enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry". There are four experiences listed in the Fundamental Truths that result from Spirit baptism: "overflowing fullness of the Spirit", "a deepened reverence for God", intensified consecration and dedication to God and his work, and "a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost". The "initial physical sign" of having received this baptism is "speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance". This experience initiates the believer in the use of

spiritual gifts A spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek language, Greek singular: wikt:χάρισμα, χάρισμα ''charisma'', plural: χαρίσματα ''charismata'') is an extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit in Ch ...

. Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is ''not'' a requirement for membership or participation in an Assembly of God church. However, it is a requirement for ministerial licensing and ordination.Poloma 1989, p. 12. The practical implication of this is that candidates for ministry who have not had this experience are not eligible for formal ministry. Given the congregational elements of AG polity, the culture of each Assembly of God church varies. In some churches, the practice of speaking in tongues is common while in others it rarely occurs. An increasing minority of pastors has expressed concern that there is a lack of biblical support for the claim that Spirit baptism must always be accompanied with speaking in tongues.Roozen 2005, p. 73. This concern corresponds with a decrease in the number of Assembly of God adherents reporting baptism in the Holy Spirit; according to the AG's Office of Statistics as of 2003 less than 50 percent of adherents had this experience.Robeck 2003, p. 213. These challenges to the AG's traditional position were noted in a 2007 report by the AG's Spiritual Life Committee: Despite these challenges, the 53rd General Council in 2009 passed a resolution reaffirming the doctrine of initial physical evidence.Resolution 21 ''Reaffirmation of Pentecostal Distinctive''
. 53rd General Council of the Assemblies of God. 2009. Accessed October 12, 2010.

Divine healing

The Assemblies of God understands divine healing to have been provided for in the atonement. Looking to scripture, such as and , the AG believes that Christians can pray for healing. Indeed, it believes scripture gives elders of the church the responsibility to pray "the prayer of faith" over the sick. It believes God can and does heal, but believes that God is sovereign and that, whether one is healed or not, a person's trust must be in God.Trask, Thomas
"Defining Truths of the AG: Divine Healing"
''Enrichment'', 2007. Accessed August 1, 2010. It sees no conflict in trusting God for healing and receiving medical care. Healing testimonies regularly appear in the official publication, the ''Pentecostal Evangel'', and prayer for healing and testimony commonly occur in church services. While adamant that divine healing is a reality, the AG is not dogmatic on the subject of how one is healed.

Margaret Poloma Margaret M. Poloma (born August 27, 1943) is an American sociologist, professor, and author who is known for her research on the Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

summarized this view stating, "Physical healing is not certain, automatic, or subject to formula. At the same time, it remains a tenet and practice of the Assemblies of God".Poloma 1989, p. 53-54. It rejects the view that healing is caused or influenced by positive confession, as found in

Word of Faith Word of Faith is a movement within charismatic Christianity which teaches that Christians can get power and financial prosperity through prayer, and that those who believe in Jesus' death and resurrection have the right to physical health. The ...

teachings; nevertheless, given the somewhat decentralized nature of the fellowship, these teachings have influenced some congregations.

Christ's Second Coming

The Statement of Fundamental Truths articles 13 and 14 articulate the Assemblies of God's official teaching on the

to Earth. It is a dispensationalist and

premillennialist Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the Earth (the Second Coming) before the Millennium, a literal thousand-year golden age of peace. Premillennialism is based upon a literal interpre ...

eschatology which includes the pre- Tribulation rapture of the Church—the "imminent and blessed hope". The rapture of the Church will be followed by Christ's visible return to earth and his reign of 1,000 years. This millennial reign will usher in the salvation of the nation of Israel and universal peace. The Assemblies of God is specifically opposed to the theologies and practices of

universal salvation In Christian theology, universal reconciliation (also called universal salvation, Christian universalism, or in context simply universalism) is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will u ...

, setting dates for Christ's return,

post-Tribulation rapture The post-tribulation rapture doctrine is the belief in a combined resurrection and gathering of the saints (Post-tribulation believers believe the "rapture" for the event) coming is after the Great Tribulation. Doctrine The post-tribulation g ...

, and

amillennialism Amillennialism or amillenarism is a chillegoristic eschatological position in Christianity which holds that there will be no millennial reign of the righteous on Earth. This view contrasts with both postmillennial and, especially, with premill ...

.General Council Minutes 2009, Bylaws, Article IX, Part B, section 3, p. 127.

Position statements

The Assemblies of God has released statements on various issues not addressed in the Statement of Fundamental Truths. These position papers are usually written by the Doctrinal Purity Commission, a standing committee of the General Council, which reviews and responds to issues referred to it by the Executive Presbytery. Position papers are not official positions of the Assemblies of God unless recommended by the Executive Presbytery and approved by the General Council.Roozen 2005, pp. 112-113. Position statements touch on biblical, theological, and social concerns. *Abstinence from alcohol: On the consumption of alcohol, the AG calls on its members and adherents to live life-styles of total abstinence (see

Christianity and alcohol Christian views on alcohol are varied. Throughout the first 1,800 years of Church history, Christians generally consumed alcoholic beverages as a common part of everyday life and used "the fruit of the vine" in their central rite—the Eucharist ...

)."Abstinence"
, official statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 6, 1985. Accessed October 12, 2010. *Apostles and Prophets: The Assemblies of God does not recognize titles or offices of "

apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

" and " prophet". It does, however, believe there are those in the church who "exercise the ministry function of apostles and prophets"."Apostles and Prophets"
, statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, 6 August 2001, pp. 11-12. Accessed 26 January 2011. Apostolic functions relate to evangelizing previously unreached areas or people groups, while prophetic functions "occur when believers speak under the anointing of the Spirit to strengthen, encourage, or comfort". "Prophecy is a continuing gift of the Holy Spirit that is broadly distributed as the Spirit wills throughout Pentecostal churches".Assemblies of God
"Prophets and Personal Prophecies"
. Accessed 26 January 2011. Predictive prophecy that proves false or prophecy which "departs from biblical truth" is false prophecy. The AG believes in the four ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers but notes that there are no biblical instructions for the appointment of apostles and prophets today. *Assisted suicide and abortion: Viewing all human life as sacred, the Assemblies of God opposes

assisted suicide Assisted suicide is suicide undertaken with the aid of another person. The term usually refers to physician-assisted suicide (PAS), which is suicide that is assisted by a physician or other healthcare provider. Once it is determined that the p ...

and

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregnan ...

(unless the life of the mother is endangered). It believes scripture is silent on the use of contraception and therefore takes no position on this subject (see

Christian views on suicide There has been much debate over the Christian views on suicide, with early Christians believing that suicide is sinful and an act of blasphemy. Modern Christians do not consider suicide an unforgivable sin (though still wrong and sinful) or someth ...

Christianity and abortion Christianity and abortion have a long and complex history, and there are a variety of positions taken by contemporary Christian denominations on the topic. Although the Bible does not contain any explicit judgment on abortion, there are severa ...

and

Christian views on contraception Prior to the 20th century, three major branches of Christianity—Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism—including leading Protestant reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin generally held a critical perspective of birth control (also known as ...

)."Sanctity of Human Life: Abortion and Reproductive Issues"
an
"Sanctity of Human Life: Suicide and Euthanasia"
, statements of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 2010. Accessed September 4, 2010. *Creation: The Assemblies of God believes that the account of creation in the book of Genesis "accurately communicates God's creation of the heavens and the earth" and that "the New Testament treats the creation and fall of Adam and Eve as historical events". It acknowledges that Christians will have different views on "the age of the earth, the age of humankind, and the ways in which God went about the creative processes" but urges them to "avoid divisiveness over debatable theories of creation". It also affirms that "God reveals himself both in Scripture and the created order" (see

Creationism Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth, life, and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation. Gunn 2004, p. 9, "The ''Concise Oxford Dictionary'' says that creationism is 'th ...

)."The Doctrine of Creation"
, statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, 9–11 August 2010, pp. 3-4. Accessed 26 January 2011. *Demon Possession: The Assemblies of God believes it is possible for people to be demon possessed and to be delivered by the "power of the Spirit, and the name of Jesus". However, it cautions against overemphasis on

demonology Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may b ...

and rejects the belief that Christians can be possessed by evil spirits."Can Born-Again Believers Be Demon Possessed?"
, statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, May 1972. Accessed 26 January 2011. *Ministry to the disabled: The AG teaches that people with disabilities are loved by God. They should be treated with dignity and fully included in the life of the Church."Ministry to People with Disabilities: A Biblical Perspective"
, statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 11, 2000. Accessed September 16, 2010. *Divorce and remarriage: Officially, the AG disapproves of Christians divorcing for any cause except "fornication and adultery". Where these circumstances exist or where a Christian has been divorced by an unbeliever (see

Pauline privilege The Pauline privilege ( la, privilegium Paulinum) is the allowance by the Roman Catholic Church of the dissolution of marriage of two persons not baptized at the time the marriage occurred. The Pauline privilege is drawn from the apostle Paul's ...

), the AG allows "the question of remarriage to be resolved by the believer in the Light of God's Word". For Christians who were divorced and remarried before their conversion, it is recommended that local AG churches receive them as members."Divorce and Remarriage"
. A Position Statement of the General Council of the Assemblies of God. August 1973, revised August 2008. Accessed October 12, 2010. The General Council has offered this guideline for AG churches; however, churches are free to determine their own standards of membership with the result that many local churches will admit divorced and remarried persons as members even if the above conditions are not met (see

Christian views on divorce Christian views on divorce find their basis both in biblical sources, as well as texts authored by the Church Fathers of the early Christian Church, who were unanimous in the teaching regarding the issue. According to the synoptic Gospels, Jesus ...

).Poloma 1989, pp. 168-169. *Gambling: The AG opposes gambling, believing that it is a disregard of responsible stewardship, involves a chance of gain at the expense and suffering of others, is inconsistent with the work ethic of scripture, and tends to be habit forming."A Biblical Perspective on Gambling"
, official statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 10, 1983. Accessed October 12, 2010. *Homosexuality: The fellowship takes the position that the biblical ideal of marriage is between one man and one woman and that the Bible condemns all sex outside of marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Furthermore, it emphasizes that "believers who struggle with homosexual temptations must be encouraged and strengthened by fellow Christians" and that believers "must hold no malice toward, or fear, of homosexuals" but "reach out in humility and compassion" (see

Christianity and homosexuality Throughout the majority of Christian history, most Christian theologians and denominations have considered homosexual behavior as immoral or sinful. Today, within Christianity, there are a variety of views on sexual orientation and homosexual ...

)."Homosexuality"
, statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 14, 1979 and revised August 6, 2001. Accessed October 12, 2010. *Positive Confession: While the AG affirms that "All the blessings which God has for His people are received through faith" (including salvation, Spirit baptism, "divine preservation", "healing and provision of material needs", and the motivation to witness), it rejects the teaching that faith or "positive confession" "compels God's action". It holds that believers must consider the totality of scripture, consider adequately the will of God, recognize that they can expect suffering in life, and recognize the sovereignty of God. It also stresses the importance of persistent prayer, as opposed to simply confessing or "claiming" the promises of God."The Believer and Positive Confession"
, official statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 19, 1980. Accessed August 18, 2011. *Women's role in ministry: The AG affirms the ministry of women in the church and allows them to be ordained and serve in pastoral roles (see Ordination of women)."The Role of Women in Ministry as Described in Holy Scripture"
, official statement of the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God USA, August 2010. Accessed September 4, 2010.

Statistics

The data shown below are primarily drawn from the World Christian Database (2006 ed) but also contains national denominational data and/or Census where indicated.

Megachurches

* Auckland Samoan Assembly of God Inc. (NZL) * Brisbane Samoan Assembly of God (AUS) * Faleasiu Assembly of God (SAM) * Lotopa Breakthrough Church (SAM) * Mangere Samoan Assembly of God Inc. (NZL) * Melbourne Samoan Assembly of God (AUS) * Mount Roskill Samoan Assembly of God Inc. (NZL) * Napier Samoan Assembly of God Trustboard (NZL) * Otara Samoan Assembly of God Inc. (NZL) * Papatoetoe Samoan Assembly of God Trustboard (NZL) * Porirua Samoan Assembly of God Trustboard (NZL) * Ieova Irae Assembly of God(AMS) * Multi-Cultural Worship Center (USA)

Affiliated fellowships

* Samoa – The Assemblies of God in Samoa * American Samoa – The Assemblies of God in American Samoa * New Zealand – The Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand * Australia – The Samoan Assemblies of God in Australia Incorporated and/or Australian Samoan Christian Churches * USA – The Samoan District Council of the Assemblies of God, USA, which covers all 50 states, Virgin Island and Puerto Rico. Its 5 current Sections: * Northwest Section. * Northern California Section. * Southern California Section. * Hawaii Section. * Alaska Section. * Tokelau – Samoan-Tokelauan Assemblies of God * Tuvalu Islands – The Assemblies of God Samoa in Tuvalu

References

{{AOG Assemblies of God National Fellowships Pentecostal denominations established in the 20th century Samoan Pentecostals Christian organizations established in 1967 Pentecostal denominations in Oceania