No one that I have ever known of advocates blind loyalty, or blind following.
That would be patently unwise.
I tell our leadership that I never expect blind loyalty, as I have no use for someone who can't think; what I do expect is undivided loyalty.
As for following authority when a man is wrong, there are so many variables and scenarios that it is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all answer.
Here are some general thoughts on the subject and principles I have followed in my own life:
I have known men I could not respect, but I try to never disrespect the office of the ministry.
I have found myself under pastoral leadership that was morally compromised; I extricated myself from the situation, but did so in a manner that did not implicate me for rebelling against an office that God set in the church.
I once was in a situation as an assistant pastor to have documentation placed in my hands that proved blatant, egregious wrongdoing on the part of the pastor I served under. This was brought to me by a board member, who asked me what we should do.
I told him to put it in a safe deposit box and tell no one about it, that we would pray and keep our spirits right and let God judge the matter.
God did, in His time, and it wasn't too long. The man hung himself. But I was not guilty of lifting my hand against God's anointed, and the way God worked it out, there were far fewer casualties than there would have been had I taken it into my own hands.
If you findyourself under leadership that you cannot submit to, quietly and humbly remove yourself, without trying to take any refugees with you.
God has a way of keeping thiose who want to be kept.
Do it in such a way that you will have no regrets later.
Man! That's good stuff there!!
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And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. [Zechariah 14:9]
Ignorance of the Identity of the One True God is not a valid reason to practice idolatry.
Coop, are you aware that there are some of the churches that are in the UPCI that are UPCI affiliated? In case you did not know that it only means that reguardless of what the Pastor does the district and general boards can remove, select pastors for this assembly. There are alot out there that are not affiliated to the organization. Those can do whatever. But the Pastor may be asked to leave the organization it he does something out of bylaws.
The main thing is that in those unaffiliated ones the pastors act as if they are so they are tougher on the standards and such. IMO. I have been a few different UPCI churches over the past years, from state to state. Boils down to another way for the pastor and the organization to have a grip on the saints. The crazy thing is if the Pastor does what both boards want then that Pastor is pretty much set in place for a long time, unless he chooses to leave.
People could tell the pastor to keep the standards to himself, but with the seasoned saints and people that have heard for years, "obey them that have rule over you..." will likely corner the newbies and try to "cult"urize them. I am not saying the UPCI is a cult, not even close to saying that, but how some of the people act about this stuff is cultish. Conform or else. I know of an instance where on a Sunday night service a lady the HG and three days later on Wednesday Sis. Seaoned Saints told her, "now you need to not cut your hair and wearing pants,shorts, etc. that is not appealing to God. And it is sin." That made the lady very confused and only held on for a couple months then she left, never saw her again. That is sick.
as nutty as Coops thread opener was, this post is way nuttier.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
as nutty as Coops thread opener was, this post is way nuttier.
You must have missed the part where I said I was repeating something that a UPCI Licsensed member told me. I was repeating that and not stating fact. I did not put that in the first post, but check out the lastone. And you will see it is not nutty, but creamy smooth.
You must have missed the part where I said I was repeating something that a UPCI Licsensed member told me. I was repeating that and not stating fact. I did not put that in the first post, but check out the lastone. And you will see it is not nutty, but creamy smooth.
well, then somebody else was wrong. but that part about it being another way for, how did you put it?
"death grip on the saints"
really? sombody actually told you that ? you didnt come up with it on your own?
well, if that was not your idea then somebody else is kind of goofy.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
can remove, select pastors for this assembly. There are alot out there that are not affiliated to the organization. Those can do whatever. But the Pastor may be asked to leave the organization it he does something out of bylaws. 
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