I was quite shocked to see, in the COG website church locator, that Set Free and Pastor Phil Aguilar are COG. (California)Phil Aguilar is tatooed and Pierced from top to bottom. I have heard that he regularly curses in messages, and has no problem with drinking and smoking and womanizing. Do we really have to stoop so LOW to get preachers and churches in the COG nowdays?I know God forgives and redeemes, but I don’t see good fruit here. I have read and saw a lot of his teachings in the past, and can’t believe the COG would give him ordination.You’re thought?
Since I live under a rock I do not know Phil Aguilar. The piercings and tattoos do bother me. But that (if a sin) can be under the blood. He also could reach the people I could never reach. What does bother me is this statement from your post:
Yep, I checked and Set Free and Phil are listed. I also clicked on the Website and yep lots of tattoos but I did not see a bunch of piercings.I went to a u-Tube thing, but my system will not show a video, it is too slow since I am on line via cell signal.He says he has a PHD in Theology, OTCP will tell us iffn it is real.And of course the dude would not fit in MOST of our SE churches except as a novelty. We do a lot of that. He could visit but definitely would never get 100% of the vote as pastor, ‘down here’.I sorta doubt he is here on Acts also. But that is just a guess.As to language, I hear some pretty rough terms used in the pulpit that my mama would have given me a taste of soap had I used them. That will also increase as society changes and accepts ‘dirty words’ as part of civil conversation. I still do not know about Dr Phil, but I am out here on the first coast. Dean and ’em guys on the last coast may can talk more on the subject. I will be listening________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I’m going to check this out bc it seems a way bit fishy to believe that it’s common knowledge to have a CoG pastor/minister involved in that kind of behavior. AB Charles Fisher would simply nail his hide to the wall.________________Empty nest syndrome is for the birds!Email me at: [email protected] planters are focused on just one thing …introducing people to Jesus!
I looked at multiple sights and read numerous accounts of various things about Pastor Phil but I don’t find anything on him specifically that would be a reason to launch any type of ecclesiastical charges against him.In fact over the last 17 years of distantly knowing him I have never heard him say, do or act in any way out of line or out of character of his role as a minister.His church sits in a ultra-conservative setting for Calif. in Orange County & his high profile ministry gets a lot of attention for the type of ministry that it is. If you focused 99% of your ministry efforts on reaching addicts & street people you would run into all kinds of issues eventually & that is the heart of what they do; they simply help the ones nobody else wants to help.As to the accusations, a police raid found a bullet in his personal property while searching his home one time & he pled guilty to a misdemeanor for that finding. He was with a bunch of his guys on a motorcycle ride when a fight broke out with some hell’s angels. He was seen trying to stop the fight but the cops searched his home with a warrant for weapons & he did probation after pleading guilty for the bullet finding. One of his son’s was involved with a girl (not a wife) & had to step down from his ministry position. Phil has been married over 35 years & appears to have a strong marriage.I don’t know of any CA pastors who have ever said anything negative about him at least not to me.Tattoos are a little much but he isn’t running for Mayor & his ministry is quite selective about reaching those in extreme cases of life out of control, so maybe it fits the genre.No evidence of cussing was found & I would assume he would be in some trouble if some were discovered. If a bullet can get you a year of probation then lets hope they never get my address Blessings!________________Empty nest syndrome is for the birds!Email me at: [email protected] planters are focused on just one thing …introducing people to Jesus!
I hate to get off-topic, but can you explain that one? I’ve heard some crazy stories about nutjob government wacko lib laws, but this sounds like a joke out of North Korea or something. OH NO, THIS GUY HAS …… A …….
I don’t know anything about this dude, but according to a short bio I read (www.setfreefilm.com/pastor-phil-aguilar), he was imprisoned in his 20s for what I would assume was a felony (the bio said child abuse but didn’t specify beyond that). If that’s the case, the same laws that prohibit felons from possessing guns also typically forbid them from possessing bullets. That’d be my guess, but that’s all it is.According to another article I read (www.ocregister.com/2010/06/04/set-free-leader-saint-or-con-man) police found a lot more than just a bullet in his home, but could only link him to the one bullet.
Very interesting dude! Saint or Sinner? God knows.I try to take folks at face value and their word until their ‘consistent’ actions prove otherwise.There is a lot of distance between Florida and Anaheim. Now I might go where the Pizza man doesn’t deliver, if HE directs me. Other wise my wife yells when I get lost in St. Louis or Detroit. And I have done both! ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I am very close to minister friends of mine that used to be in the Set Free churches. You see, Pastor Phil was over a network of churches of about 40 ish churches around the west coast called SET FREE. They did biker rides and what they call Takeovers , where they would do some outreach. It sounded great, but something happened. They said Phil got very controlling of its member’s and pastors and very dominant and aggressive.Have been told of staff meetings and displays of Anger. Also a lot of money was came up missing and accusations about womanizing were regular.His son, Geronamo was working in the ministry there, and is now in prison for molesting teens while a youth pastor. Just a whole lot of controversy.Anyway, many Set Free churches closed and my friends now have a new ministry in the southern part of the US called SET FREE by JESUS. They are not part of Phil’s set free anymore. Why would the COG bring someone in like this. What happened to all Phil’s churches that he was under? I believe in redemption, but you have to walk in such a way that does not bring reproach. Look at the requirements of Deacons and Bishops in the Bible. Does this sound like someone you would want to ordain? Praying for Phil and hope he has repented, but i don’t see how COG could ordain this.
Re: I know first hand
Re: I know first hand
Fred Brannen a friend of mine and who was overseer of Africa (missions) told me that over the years several groups of churches came to him to be accepted into the organization. At the time a lot of investigating had to be done, most were turned down because they were not what they represented. I have heard the same from two overseers who ‘claimed’ there was a lot of checking before someone (or group) was accepted in, as it should be.Knowing what little I do know about the process I would guess that this guy was also checked out and at the time was clean enough to be accepted into the COG.I have grand kids and friends with tattoos, of course none as many as old what’s his name here. But more than I ever saw in the military. I am not proud of the ‘INK’ but I sure love them grandkids. I am sure God can do that also.I am not contradicting the OP, because I dont’ know enough to do that. But I do know people who would not give the man the time of day, just because of how he looks. I know ladies down south he could scare into a heart attack. But only /God knows his heart. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
I don’t know anything about this dude, but according to a short bio I read (www.setfreefilm.com/pastor-phil-aguilar), he was imprisoned in his 20s for what I would assume was a felony (the bio said child abuse but didn’t specify beyond that). If that’s the case, the same laws that prohibit felons from possessing guns also typically forbid them from possessing bullets. That’d be my guess, but that’s all it is.According to another article I read (www.ocregister.com/2010/06/04/set-free-leader-saint-or-con-man) police found a lot more than just a bullet in his home, but could only link him to the one bullet.I don’t see any piercings on the dude. He does have a lot of tattoos, but one would assume those came prior to his conversion. Perhaps the OP’s expectation is that they wash off in baptism. CPC 30305(a)(1) No person prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800 ) or Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 29900 ) of Division 9 of this title, or Section 8100 or 8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code , shall own, possess, or have under custody or control, any ammunition or reloaded ammunition.(2) A violation of this subdivision is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year or in the state prison, by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.(b)(1) A person who is not prohibited by subdivision (a) from owning, possessing, or having under the person’s custody or control, any ammunition or reloaded ammunition, but who is enjoined from engaging in activity pursuant to an injunction issued pursuant to Section 3479 of the Civil Code against that person as a member of a criminal street gang, as defined in Section 186.22 , may not own, possess, or have under the person’s custody or control, any ammunition or reloaded ammunition.(2) A violation of this subdivision is a misdemeanor________________I’m not saved because I’m good. I’m saved because He’s good!My website: http://www.bradfreeman.comMy blog: bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/
Wow. Sad. 1950’s religious thinking persists.1 Cor 9:19
Re: I know first hand
correct
You are correct. He got a lot more tats after his conversion. In fact he now has them on his face i do believe and he didnt before. He wants to look as much as he can like the world. Sad. We are supposed to change the culture, not the opposite. The COG has changed so much, we probably wont recognize it in a few more years. Probably leaving this movement in the future. Just sayin.Yes, i can hear the crown now saying IM Religious Old fashioned, etc, but its ok. i am grieved for the COG now days. We have left our first love to embrace anything and everything.
Re: correct
You are correct. He got a lot more tats after his conversion. In fact he now has them on his face i do believe and he didnt before. He wants to look as much as he can like the world. Sad. We are supposed to change the culture, not the opposite. The COG has changed so much, we probably wont recognize it in a few more years. Probably leaving this movement in the future. Just sayin.Yes, i can hear the crown now saying IM Religious Old fashioned, etc, but its ok. i am grieved for the COG now days. We have left our first love to embrace anything and everything.Music