The UPCI manual states in part Article VII, Section 2, Paragraph 6 "No minister shall be permitted to hold license or ordination with any other religious organization or association," this clearly is not violated by having membership in fellowship which licenses or ordains no one.
Again I guess I will take on the role of the AFF resident WPF defnder. even though I am not yet a member. First, it has been stated many times that the WPF is not an organization any more than the AWCF, IAF, etc are organizations. Both of the "fellowships" which I mention charge dues/membership fees, and have structured departments (more loosely structured than the WPF, but structured none the less.) and were vehemently opposed by the UPCI at their inception. (Especially the AWCF) Both were accused of being competing organizations, and both have proven them (the UPCI) wrong over the years.
The reality is, that while many here doubt the veracity of the WPF founders, and or question their integrity and ethical purity, no one can actually prove that the actions these men have taken are out of hatred, jealousy, greed for power, or any other trumped up charges that have been made. One can only believe that what these men have stated as their motivation is indeed the truth, until such time as it is proven otherwise.
In answer to your question Mrs. LPW, there are many reasons why someone may wish to be in both groups. First, they may be in a situation where they cannot leave the organization because of indebtedness of their church (such as a Home Missions church) or because of family ties. or because their congregation prefers to fellowship in the UPCI, and the Pastor sees the WPF more as a point of fellowship for him rather than his congregation. Again to be fair, one must be required to drop their membership with the YMCA, AWCF, IAF, NCO, or any other "religious" association if the rule will apply to the WPF.
This is not factually accurate. The UPCI manual does not currently prohibit membership with another religious "fellowship." The only prohibition comes from holding license or credentials with another organization. The AWCF, IAF, NCO, and the WPF do not issue license or credentials which allows UPCI members to currently be "members" of such religious associations.
In fact there are many UPCI ministers who belong to the AWCF, IAF, and probably some have even joined the NCO, without any problems with their UPCI membership. (I know DA takes exception with the NCO reference however, it is a "fellowship" of sorts or more accurately IMO a religious association.)
Where you are correct is being ALJC & UPCI would not be acceptable because both issue license and credentials which are specifically prohibited.
One small thing here, the WPF has not bought any property for a headquarters. They have leased some office space to handle logistics. The AWCF, IAF, and other groups all have headquarters as well.
I see one point of factual correction.
the property controled by the WWPF is leased not purchased.
beyond that I see no real corrections.
I suspect there are members of the WWPF that were against dual membership in the AWCF and UPCI not long ago no?
Let me state clearly that I believe the motives of these men in starting the WWPF, is to create a fellowship/organization of like minded conservitive men.
they believe the UPCIs drift is away from the path they hold to.
I am not trying to project anything more.
that being said, the UPCI has every right to take this stand. They SHOULD take this stand and I would be personally upset if they did NOT take this stand.
You have a clear situation where the WPF has already set forth its own goals and desires. They have a clear path in what they seek to accomplish.
When the goals of the WWPF are at cross purposeses with the goals and desires of the UPCI,you will have men belonging to both groups voting in the UPCI. These men will ethically be placed in a bad situation.
It only stands to reason that the UPCI would protect themselves from such a situation!
I wish the WWPF all the best. I pray for their success in reaching the lost, just as I do the UPCI, AMF, ALJC (except one church back home but that is another story)....
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
As more info on this filters down ... I am still curious to see what DB's role was in the passage of this last GB resolution.
In his last letter the Southern Texas District, he was the first leader of national stature to allude to formulating the legal basis for the argument against this type of double dipping.
He said, 'To fulfill this plan, the WPF will need to identify ministerial license in some way in order to qualify members, qualify officers, conduct votes, and enforce adherence to its Articles of Faith. However, the Manual of the UPCI states that its ministers cannot be licensed with another “organization or association” (Art. VII, Sec. 2, Par.)
I think he's defining license not as a card, per se... But in qualifying it's constituents.
If he was influential at this week's meeting ... it brings up a whole new set of questions and analysis of his role in the org in the last 15-20 years.
Dan, I dont have any informatoin on DB and his roll, but I am pretty certain that he was not the only one pushing for this.
I suspect there were a number of men on the General Board who all felt this way.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
well, I think we can all speculate that he was PART of the group pushing this.
i also know that the sentiment in the board by at least a solid number was that they simply would not be allowed to be part of both.
If he was Ferd ... think of the irony... if he did.
He was the chief apologist at the 1992 GC for the affirmation statement. The document that push out the libs ... and bred the vitriole in cons when it wasn't enforced ... only to come to our present situation where if he was instrumental in this ....his role would now push out the conservatives ...
This would mean that DB, through his passion for "truth" and the org, has effectively/inadvertantly helped in the exodus of hundreds of ministers .... while making the org reflect his moderate ideals
He was the cheif apologist at the 1992 GC for the affirmation statement. The document that push out the libs ... and bred the vitriole in cons when it wasn't enforced ... only to come to our present situation where if he was instrumental in this his role would now push out the conservatives ...
This would mean that DB, through his passion for "truth" and the org, has effectively/inadvertantly helped in the exodus of hundreds of ministers .... while making the org reflect his moderate ideals
That is a very interesting observation..
I like moderates.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Most certainly he wasn't the only one ... Was he part of the hawks at the meeting? Did he give a legal basis for this?
I don't think you can characterize those with that position as "Hawks". They actually are probably the moderate / liberal forces in the UPC seeing that the discord should not continue, that these discontented men should make a clean break from the UPC and go where their heart is.
even though I am not yet a member. First, it has been stated many times that the WPF is not an organization any more than the AWCF, IAF, etc are organizations. Both of the "fellowships" which I mention charge dues/membership fees, and have structured departments (more loosely structured than the WPF, but structured none the less.) and were vehemently opposed by the UPCI at their inception. (Especially the AWCF) Both were accused of being competing organizations, and both have proven them (the UPCI) wrong over the years. 
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