The Assemby of God has grown at 4 times the rate of the UPCI.
In fact the World Almanac in 2008 that list the estimated number of members was not listed for the first time.
I have the last 10 Almanacs and this is the first year.
The Assemby of God has 4 times the number of Churches and many more ministers.
In the 1970's it was thought and preached the UPCI by the year 1995 would be larger than the Assembly of God.
The UPCI from what I see is not growing if anything by 1 or 2 %...
The two bolded parts are not exactly the same thing.
NecK, Does the church you attend have any affiliations at all and if so, do you have stats for that org.?
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
Everyone knows the UPCI is not the only body of believers on this earth... I can never quite understand the need for those outside of the organization to critique our growth... they should be concerning themselves with their own. If we all concerned ourselves with our own walks and our own soul winning and our own unsaved loved ones and our own families, and stopped comparing ourselves among ourselves, we'd actually be DOING something for the Kingdom.
__________________ Mrs. LPW
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Everyone knows the UPCI is not the only body of believers on this earth... I can never quite understand the need for those outside of the organization to critique our growth... they should be concerning themselves with their own. If we all concerned ourselves with our own walks and our own soul winning and our own unsaved loved ones and our own families, and stopped comparing ourselves among ourselves, we'd actually be DOING something for the Kingdom.
Pointing out the UPC's flaws has been a mainstay of these forums since the very beginning.
There is discussion about UPC - we are familiar with it because we have a history with it or are a part of it now. I think there's a little going on!
P.S. Love your avatar - don't you just love Tyler Perry's work!
Sister, you can whitewash it all you want, but the UPCI has been a constant target on these forums. Anyone with half an eye could see this is the case.
I really like that Curtis Payne fella. He reminds me a lot of me.
Sister, you can whitewash it all you want, but the UPCI has been a constant target on these forums. Anyone with half an eye could see this is the case.
I really like that Curtis Payne fella. He reminds me a lot of me.
I'm just saying I can't talk about Baptist because I'm not familiar with it! The reason UPC comes up so much around here is because we are all a part of it some how.
You don't talk about your family?
__________________
Master of Science in Applied Disgruntled Religious Theorist Wrangling
PhD in Petulant Tantrum Quelling
Dean of the School of Hard Knocks
If the church is to be effective, in my opinion, it should be set up like a school.
There is kindergarten for the beginners, and then progressive stages of learning and development all the way thru college.
Then, the college graduates begin to teach.
And the cycle goes on.
This is one area of shortcoming that I've seen in many of our churches - the lack of training.
In many churches, the only instruction is given from the pulpit, and when you have such a diverse group, it's hard to address the needs of everyone in the pew.
I know that some will say that the anointing will cause the preached word to speak to everyone in a different way, and I believe that, but I also believe that it's a strong scriptural edict to have "teaching" in our churches, not just "preaching".
People perish not only from lack of preaching, but from lack of knowledge.
This is often times how I feel about "teaching" in the UPC church. While I tend to agree with your post MP, I also have mixed emotions about it. The church my husband was raised in was big on teaching...in fact, they did much more teaching than they did preaching. We had all sorts of classes for "young marrieds, women's class, child training, etc...". My problem with this particular church (and a few others I've attended) is that these people have twisted the scriptures and through their "teaching" have caused a lot of problems. They basically taught us that none were more holy than we were, because of the wisdom of the elders in our church were far more wise than any other's in the district...no one measured up to our church. We were taught to judge and criticize other UPC churches and of course other religions. We were taught to isolate ourselves from family and friends that were non-UPC and only fellowship at church. This is stuff that was taught on a regular basis and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Standards were "taught", but you could not ask questions about them. I could go on and on and on, but I don't have the time or the energy.
MP, I know this is not what you were implying when you say you feel that we need more "teaching". However, I feel there are two sides to this and felt like sharing.
I'm just saying I can't talk about Baptist because I'm not familiar with it! The reason UPC comes up so much around here is because we are all a part of it some how.
You don't talk about your family?
That doesn't change the fact that more gets said about what's wrong with the UPC than what is right with it. I've seen the org. get nitpicked to death on these forums. Everything from standards to the manual to evangelism to foreign missions to the internet to tv, etc. The list of negativity goes on and on, while the list of positive things is almost non-existent.
That doesn't change the fact that more gets said about what's wrong with the UPC than what is right with it. I've seen the org. get nitpicked to death on these forums. Everything from standards to the manual to evangelism to foreign missions to the internet to tv, etc. The list of negativity goes on and on, while the list of positive things is almost non-existent.
Just curious, but have to ask. In your assessement are you also including the ones that had nothing good to say about UPC that left to start their own organization or are you just holding it against the ones that have left period.
There are some on here that discuss the downfall of UPC that are still very much a part of UPC.
__________________
Master of Science in Applied Disgruntled Religious Theorist Wrangling
PhD in Petulant Tantrum Quelling
Dean of the School of Hard Knocks
Just curious, but have to ask. In your assessement are you also including the ones that had nothing good to say about UPC that left to start their own organization or are you just holding it against the ones that have left period.
There are some on here that discuss the downfall of UPC that are still very much a part of UPC.
To be honest with you, I am just venting. I am getting to the point that I am growing weary of reading so many negative things about the Church. I know I have done my share of complaining in the past. No denial there. It's just that I have begun to see the Church as being under attack, from without and from within. There seems to be something afoot that is bent on destroying the Church, using any means possible, including those who are its members. It seems to be moving beyond the actions of individuals to discrediting the Church as a whole. I am not just talking about the UPC either. We seem to be disintegrating into splits and factions, each with its own ideas, purpose, and goals. There is an old saying that says, "United we stand. Divided we fall."
going on!
This is often times how I feel about "teaching" in the UPC church. While I tend to agree with your post MP, I also have mixed emotions about it. The church my husband was raised in was big on teaching...in fact, they did much more teaching than they did preaching. We had all sorts of classes for "young marrieds, women's class, child training, etc...". My problem with this particular church (and a few others I've attended) is that these people have twisted the scriptures and through their "teaching" have caused a lot of problems. They basically taught us that none were more holy than we were, because of the wisdom of the elders in our church were far more wise than any other's in the district...no one measured up to our church. We were taught to judge and criticize other UPC churches and of course other religions. We were taught to isolate ourselves from family and friends that were non-UPC and only fellowship at church. This is stuff that was taught on a regular basis and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Standards were "taught", but you could not ask questions about them. I could go on and on and on, but I don't have the time or the energy. 
Linear Mode
