first of 2 stories on this today




Mark Stevens, Associate Pastor at Glad Tidings Assembly of God of Omaha 7415 Hickory St.

In Their Own Words: A Survey of Uptown Religious Leaders | Metro Neighborhood News | Omaha, NE



MNN: How do you religiously or spiritually identify yourself?



Stevens: We are a Pentecostal church belonging to a worldwide Pentecostal Fellowship of churches.
MNN: Why do you identify yourself as Pentecostal?


Stevens: We believe in and practice the “full Gospel” message. The universal church was instituted by God when His Holy Spirit ‘fell on’ and ‘filled up’ 120 disciples in an upper room as recorded in the book of Acts 2:1-4 on the Jewish festival day of “Pentecost.”


That “in-filling” or “endowment of power” was accompanied by a sign from God as proof of that in-filling, which was the Holy Spirit empowered ability to “speak with new tongues.” This was a fulfillment of Jesus’ promise as recorded in John 16:7 and Mark 16:17 and a fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by the prophet Joel as recorded in the book of Joel 3:1-5 and recited in Acts 2:15-21. As we teach, preach, and guide people into receiving that in-filling to receive the promised empowerment with the accompanying sign which is still available today, we are hence referred to as “Pentecostals.”


MNN: What is one stereotype or myth that is out there about your religious or spiritual identity that affects you?



Stevens: Since the Holy Spirit of God fills us, the manifested sign of that empowerment is speaking with “new tongues” or “other tongues.”

The Apostle Paul refers to it as our “heavenly language.”


Because believers who have received this in-filling have the ability to pray to God in this heavenly language, most people who have heard of this or have heard this “other language” being spoken and are untrained in the scriptural doctrine behind this special gift from God, characterize us as “kooks,” “extremists,” “cultists,”

or living outside the bounds of scripture. Some even have a fear of us because they don’t understand that God is a personal God and is willing to inhabit His believers to relate to His people to the degree He does.



MNN: Do you find Omaha a welcoming place for you to follow your spiritual or religious path? Why or why not?


Stevens: Omaha has a “religious” climate to it. People, for the most part, acknowledge that there is a God or higher power, but they have created that God in their own image of what they think the attributes of that God are or should be, rather than studying the Holy Scriptures to learn and understand what God Himself tells us He is and what His nature is, His great love for us, and about who Jesus is and why He did what He did for mankind.


I’ve said all that to say that we have not been inhibited in our growth and community outreaches, or been targeted with any negative or hurtful activity,


but we are in a sense “tolerated” by non-Pentecostal or non-charismatic church communities


and not readily received for inter-faith activities or dialogues because of their misunderstanding of our passion and love for God and Jesus the Christ


and all that they have for us as believers, and our belief in the power and authority of the scriptures as given to us by the Holy Spirit through ordinary men inspired.




MNN: Is there anything else you want people to know about you or your religion or belief system?
Stevens: Our passions and love for God is expressed in how we relate to others. This love has transcended all racial barriers, as it should. We have over twenty-five different people groups attending Glad Tidings Assembly.




The Gospel is not a “white-man’s” Gospel. It was given to all of mankind by a loving Savior who died for all “peoples, tribes, and tongues.”


Those that attend witness for themselves the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God the Father, and the authority of Jesus to break bondages, deliver people from the hopelessness in their lives, and lighten the burdens of life, because of His great love and compassion for us as released through us here.





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my comment: most of what Mark says I agree with, however, the statements that troubled me were



we are in a sense “tolerated” by non-Pentecostal or non-charismatic church communities


With little to no discernment happening in many churches, he's right.

Lord of Hosts church (among others) promote NAR and WOF and other Hyper Charismatic types and not as much of a thought goes through people here's minds if what the NAR and WOF folks is saying is true or biblical.


in a age, where False Prophets run rampant, being tolerated” by non-Pentecostal or non-charismatic church communities isnt good.

the non-Pentecostal or non-charismatic church communities in Omaha and elsewhere speaking out against false teachers and false prophets must happen


and preventing churches from promoting goofy stuff like the NAR and Word of Faith "gospels" that are in many churches nowadays




I mean, we dont want people deceived, RIGHT?











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1 John 4:1

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.


1 Timothy 4:1

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.


2 Timothy 4:3-4

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.