Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

:nah:nah:nah



Speak for yourself and your church

Personally you are living in the past like most or just refuse to see the change that has and is happening.

As for me and my UPC we have moved beyond the whining complaints of the Holier than thou revolutionist.

I will say it again, some will chose to hate UPC no matter what we do...

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

It is telling that you automatically equate anyone with issues and disagreements with the UPC as "hating".

Hate is a very strong word and words mean things. You should think more before posting.

There are many conservatives on AFF who disagree with me and my church but I seriously doubt many or any of them "hate" Christ Church or other PCI type churches. Why can't you offer the same courtesy and reasonableness.

Painting those who differ from you in the extreme is an old worn out tactic of religous sects.

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

Scotty, those who are licensed in the UPC have to sign a document every year affirming the articles of faith. Including belief in teaching water and spirit doctrine, standards, no cut hair, etc, etc.

Just over a year ago I was just like you. I really thought that the UPC had moved past all that stuff. We took our youth group to the Pentecostals of West Monroe and started a similar Wednesday night youth service to reach the youth of our city. We were growing at such a fast pace that we could barely keep up with what was going on. I had a meeting with the youth pastor at the largest UPC church in the USA to find out what they were doing and how we could reach our city.

I guess I had become so isolated within my little progressive group that I didn't realize that there were folks out there that were scared to death of what was going on and really did believe the manual of the UPC to the letter. I am talking about folks who taught me in Sunday school and who were my best friends growing up. They turned their backs on what was happening because of the fear that we wouldn't look "UPC". I was told by a board member that he didn't care if there were 5 people in the church that we were going to be what the name said on the sign and that mean't following the UPC articles of faith. These are folks that I thought were very progressive.

We were very popular for a while. But once they saw that we would not teach the standards and hype up kids to think they were having a holy ghost shoutdown experiance we found ourselves on the hit list. We became the enemy. We were just not holy enough and they didn't care how many lives were changed if they weren't shouting and wearing skirts it didn't count. There was a smear campagn waged against every one of our new youth by the parents and "core" youth that didn't like what was happening.

Yes, only a year ago I was just like you and I never would have believed people would stoop to such levels in order to preserve an "identity".

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

Have you made better use of your time? Do you really have family bible studies in place, are you at the church fixing something? Just because we think somethings, does not make it a Spirit led conviction. A Spirit led conviction takes us to Calvary. Not fixing things at the church.

Fixing things at the church is fine, but the H.G. isn't interested in the plumbing.

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

Now, why did you have to go and say something that made sense. You know common sense isn't allowed in the church.

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

So then why is it so prevelant on here?

And why when others do it, it is "discussion"

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

aawwww...how cute ,,,,how long did it take you to word that together in order to look immature..

My sacarsm is constructive

Yours is just idiotic

I am through talking to you brother, your biased bigotry is annoying

God bless you

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

What do you really mean, Scot-tay?!!!
:killinme

Re: Should standards be an issue when witnessing?
 

I am not broadbrushing the people in the movement. I have given you specific examples that show this is what the UPC is.

1) The hair doctrine is preached and expected to be followed. Mangun, who is considered very progressive, mentioned it at BOTT this year. If the UPC has changed, I want to see what would happen if a woman sang while wearing pants and short hair at campmeeting. What would happen if the GS's wife decided she would get her hair styled?

2) The UPC has no statment on justification by faith. Yes, I know that many in the UPC will say that we are saved by faith but will then turn around and say that to aquire or appropriate our faith we must do certain things.

Scott, I think that the UPC will change and get rid of the standards as well as the three-step doctrine but it has not changed yet. The folks in the pews may be "past" all of this but the leadership of the organization has not.