Last Week to Leave a Message of Appreciation for Trask, Crabtree

The change of leadership for the Assemblies of God officially takes place this Sunday, October 8. October 7 will be the last date that messages of appreciation can be left online for outgoing leaders Thomas Trask and Charles Crabtree. You may access the site for Bro. Trask here, and for Bro. Crabtree here.

For a special photo essay from this year's Pentecostal World Conference in Surabaya, Indonesia, July 17-21, click here. Included are photos of Charles and Ramona Crabtree ministering.

New Assemblies of God Leaders Accept Charge of Office: View It Here

September 19, 2007

"In a solemn ceremony, filled with prayer and emotion, departing Assemblies of God General Superintendent Thomas E. Trask read commissioning statements to the new AG Executive Leadership Team in a service held Tuesday morning in the AG national headquarters chapel auditorium in Springfield, Missouri."

Read the full article from AG News here.

View the service here.

The Secret of Happiness

By Charles T. Crabtree

Without question, most people would doubt the wisdom of using the title “The Secret of Happiness” for such a relatively short dissertation on a subject that has given birth to thousands of books by some of the most gifted authors who ever lived.

However, the secret of happiness is not really a secret at all. It is boldly declared by Jesus himself in John 15:10,11: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (NIV, emphasis added).

It is amazing how little has changed since the Garden of Eden when our first grandparents 100 or so times removed brought so much tragedy and grief into the human family. It is there we learn the secret of unhappiness: a spirit of rebellion and an intentional decision to disobey God’s commandments.

Somehow Satan has succeeded in deceiving people of every age and culture into believing they can find happiness by focusing on selfish goals, seeking instant gratification and insisting upon self-rule.

Leaving God out of the formula for happiness is like drinking saltwater to quench your thirst or borrowing money to spend your way out of debt. It may bring a brief moment of pleasure or relief, but it simply delays the inevitable tragedy. Proverbs 14:12 brings a self-directed life into focus: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Most of the popular self-help books on success and happiness should carry the following warning label:

This book may be injurious to your spiritual health. Its basic philosophy is human deification. Its appeal is to pride, and the only successes promoted are temporal.

Read the rest of this article in today's issue of Today's Pentecostal Evangel.

Divine Healing

By Charles T. Crabtree

Diving healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the Atonement, and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:4-16). — One of four defining truths of the Assemblies of God.

Something tragic has taken place in the name of God. The great biblical doctrine of divine healing has been so abused that many have abandoned its benefits.

This article will identify errors surrounding divine healing and deal with the scriptural principles, patterns and promises of the doctrine.

Errors concerning divine healing

1. The gifts of healing were a temporary sign gift to establish the authority of the apostles, but spiritual gifts no longer play a role in the Church.

This concept has absolutely no basis in Scripture. On the contrary, we are encouraged to seek earnestly the best gifts. According to James, part of the elders’ role in the church is to pray and anoint the sick with oil for the purpose of divine healing. Healing of the sick is one of the signs Jesus said would follow believers (Mark 16:17,18).

Jesus is still in the healing business. The day of miracles is not past.

2. It is God’s will for me to be sick.

The Bible teaches that the physical body is corrupt or mortal because of sin. Sin brought a curse upon this world. But it is not God’s will for His people to live under the curse. In fact, He is building a city where there is no curse.

3. Everyone should be healed right now because healing is in the Atonement.

The atonement of Jesus Christ paid for the redemption of mankind. He took our punishment and suffered so we could be healed. He shed His blood and died to complete the perfect work of redemption. Jesus Christ conquered Satan and arose as the firstfruits of those who die in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20).

He forgave our sins by His sacrifice, but our redeemed souls are still dwelling in unredeemed bodies. We do, however, have the promise that one day we will have redeemed or glorified bodies. Romans 8:23 tells us: “We ourselves … groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (NIV).

Jesus Christ provided for our complete and eternal salvation on Calvary, signaled by His cry, “It is finished” (John 19:30). We can claim the redemption of our souls — total forgiveness from sin. Jesus Christ also provided complete and eternal healing for our bodies, but no one presently living on this planet has yet received a glorified body. No one on this earth has been totally removed from the consequences of the curse.

When we say, “Healing is in the Atonement,” we must remember that we have not yet seen the ultimate healing. Even those who have been miraculously healed have not been perfectly healed as yet. Salvation has come through Calvary, but we have not yet realized perfection in our body, soul, spirit or world.

4. All sickness is a result of sin in the one who is sick.

To say that all sickness is a result of the curse is biblical, but to say that all sickness is a result of sin in the person who is sick is not scriptural. Sickness might be a result of the consequences of sin, but nowhere did Jesus limit sickness to being the result of unconfessed sin.

If all sickness were a result of unconfessed sin, every time the Christian confessed sin in his life, known or unknown, he would be instantly healed. Such teachings bring condemnation, causing the believer to doubt his salvation and putting him in a place of failure through self, rather than a place of victory through Christ.

5. All faith healers are con artists.

To be technically accurate, we should probably call the legitimate faith healer a “faith builder” or a “Christ exalter,” because only Christ heals.

Jesus Christ has given many gifts to the Church. God has chosen unique people and ministries to edify the body of Christ. Some of these people have been given an extraordinary ability to build faith for healing through the Word. I resent anyone placing a whole group of people in one category, then dismissing the whole lot because of an unscrupulous few. There are legitimate God-given faith builders in His church.

To our sorrow, it is obvious there are men and women who are con artists. The Bible clearly says there will be those who will stand before the Throne and ask for entrance into heaven because they say they have healed the sick and cast out devils in His name. But God will tell them they are iniquitous workers and He never had anything to do with them (Matthew 7:22,23).

The Bible admonishes us to know those who minister among us for our own God-given protection. We should be more concerned about a man’s character than about his claims. Beware of anyone who asks for your allegiance. No man can be a substitute for your own faith in the Man of Galilee.

The scriptural basis for divine healing

1. The person of God.

It is within God’s character to heal. As a matter of fact, one of the names of God is Jehovah-Rapha, or “The Lord that healeth.”

When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, He healed the sick. The divine Healer set people free from every incurable disease known to man. No sickness stymied His ability to heal. The blind received their sight, the dumb spoke, and the lame and paralyzed were given strong, healthy limbs. The awful scourge of leprosy was lifted time and again, the high fever was checked and the temperature returned to normal, the issue of blood was dried up by a touch, and the withered hand was stretched out and made whole. Funeral processions were interrupted and changed to resurrection parades, the demons of hell were evicted from their habitations, and epileptic seizures were silenced.

This same Jesus is alive today. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. In Matthew 28:20, He said, “Lo, I am with you always.”

2. The promise of God.

We have sound, scriptural reasons for believing in divine healing. When Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, He also gave them the power to cast out demons and heal all manner of sickness. Jesus said, “I give unto you power” (Luke 10:19). The word “power” here is the word dunamis — the same power given to the Church at Pentecost, and the same power He has promised to His church in all ages.

Jesus gave the disciples the authority to use His name; it was His power of attorney. When someone is given the power of attorney, he is authorized by that person to act in his place. Jesus Christ has given believers the authority to use His name in His place, during His physical absence (Mark 16:17,18).

Jesus also promised healing through the anointing of oil and the laying on of hands:

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (James 5:14,15). That promise doesn’t sound like our Healer has decided to resign.

Jesus also provided gifts of healing to benefit the human body. When God answers prayer, He often uses the natural functions of the body to restore healing. He starts a trend toward health rather than sickness — this is a gift of healing. However, there are times when He chooses to supersede the natural healing process and instantly makes the person whole — this is a miracle of healing.

3. The pattern of divine healing.

God’s pattern of divine healing was established in the New Testament church and follows the teaching of our Lord Jesus. The ultimate purpose and object of healing is not to avoid a problem or to relieve pain, but to bring glory and honor to Jesus. The fundamental reason for healing is the same as the reason for the gift of the Holy Spirit: to make Jesus known.

The means of healing is through faith. You cannot be good enough, and you cannot work hard enough for it. The means is faith, and the object is Jesus. God has provided, but faith is the means whereby we take what God has promised and act accordingly.

The methods of healing are not limited. We see the pattern in the Early Church. The disciples exercised faith by a simple word and command. People were healed through fasting and prayer. People were healed by anointing handkerchiefs and aprons with oil. People were healed when Peter’s shadow passed over them. People were healed by the laying on of hands.

What is the Word trying to communicate? God will use any method, but it is up to us to simply exercise faith in His name and for His glory.

God still heals today.

Adapted from This I Believe (Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1982). Used by permission.

Charles T. Crabtree is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

Trask, Crabtree Appreciation Deadline Set

Assemblies of God News Service

Appreciation deadline set, glitch resolved
September 7, 2007

The "Today's Pentecostal Evangel" Web site (www.tpe.ag.org) currently features a pair of links to sites that enables individuals to post words of appreciation for departing executives General Superintendent Thomas E. Trask and Assistant General Superintendent Charles T. Crabtree.

According to TPE Editor Ken Horn, the opportunity to post a message for either or both men will continue through Sunday, October 7, 2007.

"We want to provide ample opportunity for individuals across the country and around the world to post their memories and words of appreciation," explains Horn. "Your words can be part of something these two remarkable servants of God will always treasure."

Horn also says that a technical error, which has recently kept people from posting their comments, has been resolved. "We are monitoring the sites regularly to make sure they remain accessible," he says.

After the October 7 deadline passes, Horn says the comments from both sites will be printed, bound and presented to Trask and Crabtree.

To post a note of appreciation, go to http://tpe.ag.org and click on the appropriate link to express appreciation for either or both men.

Too Good to Pass up By Charles T. Crabtree

Too good to pass up
The baptism in the Holy Spirit

From the May 28, 2006 issue of Today's Pentecostal Evangel

By Charles T. Crabtree

While the world denies our Lord Jesus and marshals a hundred arguments for not believing in His saving power, millions are meeting the living Savior in a life-changing experience based on the written Word and the finished work on Calvary.

While many well-meaning ministers and faithful church members are denying the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the Pentecostal sense, millions throughout the world are claiming the promise of the Father and entering a spiritual dimension in Christ that was previously unknown to them. As a result, they are receiving power for witnessing and for living the Christian life.

At the point of my need, it was enough for me to realize that God has promised the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus. I certainly did not understand all the mechanics of salvation (and I still don’t), but I knew I needed it. When I accepted God’s promised salvation, I received the gift of eternal life.

In the same manner, I learned that God the Father has given His children a promise. Before He left His disciples, Jesus told them: “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, NKJV).

The Bible assures us that our Heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts to His children: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children; how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13).

I wanted everything God had for me. I learned that God the Father had promised me the gift of the Holy Spirit; Jesus, the Son, had promised to send the Comforter; and the Bible promised that, in the last days, God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. According to the Book of Acts, the sign of speaking with other tongues at Pentecost was of God. So I decided to ask God for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

I didn’t ask my parents; I didn’t ask my church; and I didn’t ask my friends. I asked my Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, to give me the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Without anyone praying for me, and without others talking in tongues around me, I received the promise of the Father. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave me utterance.
The Baptism is not the new birth

The baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is distinct from and follows the new birth. Every born-again believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him or her. We are adopted and baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ.

When people are born of the Spirit, they thirst for more of God. Jesus promised an outpouring of spiritual power from within the believer that could only be compared to rivers of living water (John 7:37,38).

If the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not distinct from the baptism into the body of Christ, why did Jesus tell His disciples, who were certainly born again, to go and wait for the Holy Spirit to come? Why did Paul ask the Ephesians if they had received the Holy Spirit since, or after, they had believed (Acts 19:2)? Why did Jesus encourage us to ask the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit? (See Luke 11:13.)

New life by the Spirit of God makes us alive to God, but the new birth also brings a new hunger. God has promised to satisfy that hunger by the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was promised by the Father and given at Pentecost: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins [the new birth]; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Peter assured the believers, “For the promise is to you and to your children [not just the apostles], and to all who are afar off” (v. 39). He made this promise to multitudes of people, not just a few, and to all believers in the future.

We believe on the basis of God’s Word that the child of God may ask for and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This enduement of power is distinct from and subsequent to the ministry of the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation.
The Baptism is for all believers

Many ask if all believers are promised the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. Let us remember what happened at Pentecost.

The disciples were told to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. The Bible says: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Who were these people? They were the church.

The Bible teaches that God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. Jesus said: “I send the Promise of My Father” (Luke 24:49). In Joel 2:28, God says: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.” At Pentecost, God did not send the Holy Spirit to just the disciples, but to the Church.

The Scriptures nowhere indicate that God decided to discontinue the baptism in the Holy Spirit, or withhold His gifts when the last apostle died. On the contrary, the Bible clearly tells us there will be an acceleration of the Spirit’s activity in the last days.

Those who use the phrase “whether there are tongues, they shall cease” from 1 Corinthians 13:8 as a proof that tongues have ceased in this generation, fail to read the next part of the verse: “Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” They use this verse to try to prove tongues have ceased, but they are not ready for one moment to try to prove that knowledge has vanished away.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit was given to the Church, and I am part of the Church. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to all God’s children because it is the promise of the Father, and I am God’s child. The Holy Spirit is promised to those who ask. I asked, and I received because God keeps His promises.

Why should every believer ask for and receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues?

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a promise from God (Acts 1:4), who knows what is best for us and provides the gifts needed for His children. It is a bit surprising to see born-again Christians who are not hungering and thirsting to receive all God has offered to them. This promise is from our wonderful Heavenly Father, not some far-out church group or wild-eyed prophet.

Can you imagine how it must grieve God when His children do not ask for and receive His gift? Imagine if your father excitedly promised you a very special gift, but then you never seemed to care enough to ask him for it.

Some of God’s children are so filled with fear they actually believe if they ask their Heavenly Father for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, they might receive something from the devil. The devil is delighted by this terrible misconception.

The Bible says if we ask our Father for bread, He will not give us a stone, or if we ask for a fish, He will not give us a serpent. It is almost blasphemous to even suggest that a person who honestly claims a biblical promise, a promise from God, is in any danger from the devil. The fact that there is a spiritual battle is simply proof we are making the enemy angry — not that we are on the enemy’s side.

We must not let some well-intentioned preacher keep us from claiming, asking for, and receiving all God has promised us.
Results of receiving the Baptism

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is power from God. The dunamis, or dynamite, of God is made available through the Church and to the Church.

We are in a spiritual conflict; we wrestle against principalities and powers. Satan has growing power in this world. The church of Jesus Christ needs to take authority over the devil, but none of us is naïve enough to believe the devil is afraid of the Church in and by itself. The Church must ask for and receive the power of the Holy Spirit in order to destroy Satan’s kingdom.

Every believer has a responsibility to claim the promise of the Father and receive spiritual power from God. That special enduement of power from on high is promised to the believer when he or she receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit brings glory to God. Jesus said we would have power to be witnesses for Christ after the Spirit comes upon us.

The ultimate purpose for seeking the fullness of the Spirit is to be a witness for Christ in every part of life, to be so identified with the living Lord that He can be seen in us by everyone with whom we come in contact.

The Baptism will enhance our witness for Christ through our lives, our words and our works. There has never been a time when the need was greater for the supernatural power of the Spirit to work in and through the body of Christ. We must, as His body, be anointed to be witnesses of Christ so people everywhere may come to know God and glorify Him on earth.

Adapted from This I Believe (Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1982). Used by permission.

Charles T. Crabtree is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

10 Reasons to Pick up Your Bible Today by Charles T. Crabtree

The TPE Blog will be running some of the best past articles from outgoing assistant general superintendent Charles T. Crabtree. This one was published in Today's Pentecostal Evangel Dec. 11, 2005:

10 Reasons to Pick up Your Bible Today

By Charles T. Crabtree

An open letter to those who need to reconnect with God’s Word

Dear Friend:

It has come to my attention you are not as diligent in reading, internalizing and applying the Word of God as you were in the past. I cannot overstate how critical it is for you to re-establish Bible reading and study as a high priority in your daily schedule. Please prayerfully consider these reasons why it is absolutely necessary for you to become a person of the Word.

Reason 1. The enemy of your soul does not want you to be a person of the Word. Since our first parents in Eden, Satan has sought to destroy God’s children by questioning God’s Word. He was bold enough to tempt Jesus by misapplying the Scriptures. If Jesus found it necessary to use the Scriptures to defend himself in this world, your knowledge and application of God’s Word are more than choices; they are matters of spiritual survival.

Reason 2. The Bible is a priceless treasure. For thousands of years, God has protected this precious Book from extinction. Believers have died to protect it. Evil regimes and false religions have done everything in their power to keep you from having a copy of the Word of God. Millions of your brothers and sisters in Christ would give their last dime to have a Bible, let alone the three or four copies that many American Christians possess.

Reason 3. The Bible is your resource for absolute truth. In a day of spiritual confusion, moral relativism, and intellectual hypocrisy, you hold in your hand a direct communication from God, which gives you spiritual clarity, moral certainty and intellectual revelation. The Bible consists of more than little black letters on a page. It is a “contract” in force between God and man. Every word is true and unchanging.

Reason 4. The Bible is your manual for living. Its Author is your Creator. God knows why you exist and the best way for you to live. No matter how much money and time you spend on “self-help” books, you’re far better off getting back to your “God-help” book. God is the ultimate expert. He loves you and wants you to succeed. Ultimately, He cares about your eternal destiny.

Reason 5. As a child of God, you should keep up on all the blessings your Heavenly Father desires for all His children. God’s promises in His Word are not reserved for a few “super saints.” They are for every believer. Most Christians do not have any idea how “rich” they are in Christ. By some counts, 7,000 promises are yours. Others have found many more. Find them and claim them. The Maker of Bible promises will never die, has all the resources to fulfill every guarantee, and is not running for political office.

Reason 6. The Word of God is powerful. It is powerful for many reasons. The Bible is the Word of the eternal, omniscient, omnipotent God. Every word of man is conditional and temporal, but God has the final word. The Bible is our powerful defensive and offensive spiritual weapon (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). It is a word of healing and deliverance (Psalm 107:20). People who curse God or refuse to admit He created the world would be shocked to know He sustains the universe by His word of power (Hebrews 1:3).

Reason 7. The Scriptures should be your “food for thought.” The thought processes of the world have become so evil and depraved you must overcome the ideas and philosophies from darkened minds by daily planting the incorruptible seed of the Word of God in your heart (Romans 8:5-8). Everyone knows that positive thinking is better than negative thinking. Imagine how your day would brighten if you met every challenge with a divine promise and every situation with a divine truth.

Reason 8. Those who neglect the written Word of God will soon have serious questions about the living Word: Jesus Christ. The spirit of Antichrist is certainly evident and prevalent in our culture, but truth about Jesus’ past and present and future is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. Remember, we are saved through faith in Jesus and “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, KJV).

When Peter stepped out of a fishing boat in a storm and walked on water, he didn’t begin to sink until he took his eyes off Jesus (Matthew 14:22-31). Believers are in serious trouble when they do not constantly read the Word, which reveals Jesus. Like Peter, those who do not keep Christ in plain view will be dragged down by the storms of life.

Reason 9. Every person has a desire to know about the future. It is amazing to what lengths people will go to see beyond the present. This innate interest feeds fortunetellers, astrologers, palm readers, clairvoyants and other charlatans. Their lack of accuracy is pathetic, yet millions continue to seek their counsel. You have in your possession the greatest Book about prophecy ever written — the Bible. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19).

When people speak of the future with fear and panic, they have taken their future out of the hands of God. They have neglected the words of Jesus: “Set your troubled hearts at rest. Trust in God always; trust also in me. There are many dwelling places in my father’s house; if it were not so I should have told you; for I am going there on purpose to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1,2, NEB).

Reason 10. How would you like to hear God speak to you? How would you like to sit down and listen to the teaching of Jesus, the greatest Teacher who ever lived? You can every day by opening the pages of the Word of God. It really is a letter to you. As you read it, the Spirit of God will quicken and reveal life-giving truth to you.

Reading God’s Word should never be viewed as a laborious task or even a duty. It is a wonderful privilege to open the Book every day and receive divine insights into the nature of God, the purpose of man, and the truth about time and eternity.

The Word of God is vital if you are going to live a victorious life. I pray this letter stirs a fresh desire in your heart to know divine truth. Remember: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [emphasis mine] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, KJV).

Charles T. Crabtree is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

Articles Featuring Charles T. Crabtree

Charles Crabtree has frequently written for Today's Pentecostal Evangel and been featured in the magazine in other ways. For your gateway to all of these materials, click here . For even more material, go to this list on ag.org .

Thomas Trask, Charles Crabtree Appreciation Web Site Online

Express Your Appreciation


Please express your appreciation for the ministry of Thomas E. Trask, who steps down as general superintendent of the Assemblies of God in October, and for Charles T. Crabtree who steps down as assistant general superintendent at the same time. Click on on the links below to visit their sites and leave your comments of appreciation and memory.

Thomas Trask Appreciation

Charles Crabtree Appreciation

Thomas E. Trask and Charles T. Crabtree's Final General Council Messages as Assemblies of God's Top Leaders

August 8th and 9th, Thomas E. Trask and Charles T. Crabtree preached their final General Council messages as General Superintendent and Assistant General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God. But you haven't missed it if you weren't in Indianapolis. Watch or listen to Thomas Trask and Charles Crabtree’s farewell messages on a special page that has recorded the historic 52nd General Council for posterity.