Originally Posted by blueaugust (Post 378921)

Now I am a UPC pastor from the Philippines and I think it's not the UPC pastors that they are after but rather the scattered oneness apostolic independent churches. And unlike the Independent churches in North America, to which I find a lot of sincere people with right attitudes and spirits, a lot of the independents here in the Philippines are a tumultuous bunch. They are independent because they refused to submit themselves to authority and have left the UPC because of immorality and local church financial issues.

If they are the target of WPF, then I have to say that they would have a hard time organizing this people as this professing pastors themselves doesn't respect each other nor are they willing to cooperate with each other because of leadership issues. PAW has tried to organized them a year or two ago trying to give a whole lot of money as incentives to these men but the effort was really futile. Up to now there is no sizeable organized PAW churches in the Philippines.

And also, even if WPF be successful in organizing this bunch, The highest number of people that these pastors could gather would just be around ten thousand people (maximum) and not 30 thousand as the original poster has said. Compared to the UPC Philippines 2,500+ pastors, 2,500+ churches and preaching points, and around 300,000 constituents, that's the best number this independents will come up with.

As an added info for all brothers in North America, most of us UPC pastors in the Philippines are progressive moderates that doesn't have any strong convictions against T.V. We are even wondering as to why there's all this fuzz about people in the US and Canada leaving the organization just because of the TV.

A lot of us are also privately offended when Bro. Johnny King came here in the Philippines on one of our district conferences in Manila, trying to impose, during his preachings, his convictions against video cameras, still photography, and even short sleeves. But we still welcomed him and showed him true Filipino hospitality as we know that he is a brother in the Lord and is someone who has also worked hard in the Lord's harvest...

Excluding Apollo Quibuloy, a guy who is teaching that he is the returned Son of God that has ushered the Millennial Kingdom some years ago; and Wilde Almeda that teaches that he is the only pastor that God has called for the whole world, teaching that Christians shouldn't go to a doctor nor a hospital; and knowing the fact that these two independents do have regular T.V. shows; there really aren't any oneness apostolic organization besides UPCI that the WPF could take advantage of here in the Philippines.

The third week of February is our General Conference here and I would gladly give an update if ever there's any news of this matter in here...

Please remember that I am not degrading all independent pastors in general for this matter. It's just that I have first hand experiences with these people I'm talking about...

And also for the record, the Philippines is a well evangelized country and that Apostolic Teaching is already widespread, with nearly all towns and cities having at least one apostolic local church. You guys might be shocked to know that plans are now being laid for the Filipinos to take the place of American Missionaries in evangelizing other Asian countries that are still bound to paganism. It's for the reason that Filipino Missionaries doesn't really cost that much to support unlike their American counterparts...

Ooooopppss! I think the last paragraph should be on a new thread and not on this one... :D

Originally Posted by George (Post 379011)

If the Filipino church is so sufficient they can send their own missionaries to other parts of the world, the only reason they would join WPF is for promised money. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Foreign language is "money."