Life Church - Memphis
 

We just got home from a 2 day conference at The Life Church in Memphis. It was a conference on Church Growth and was really good. They are probably as close to what we're doing here as any other church around here. They are a lot bigger than us though - about 2500 right now. They started 12 years ago with 7 people. They certainly do everything with excellence, but they also are all about the power of God!

The Sr. Pastor is a GREAT communicator! There is one ex-UPC guy on his staff who Eddie just met last week - really great guy. There were some UPC and ex-UPC pastors at the conference, so it was nice to catch up with a few friends.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

That's awesome. Are there many other churches around the country similar to yours?

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

LOL!! I have no idea. We just try to be balanced.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

What do you mean by this? Can your church be described as being "Oneness" or "Trinitarian"? From Life Church's statement of beliefs they are definitely not Oneness.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

I'm just talking about their style of services; not doctrinally. I think the senior pastor is from a Church of God background, but I'm not sure on that.

They are very missions minded; the sr. pastor was a missionary to Kenya at one time, which is also my husband's background. The "look" of their church is alot like ours. Their music style is very similar. The worship is very familiar. He preaches alot like Eddie. It just felt very much like home. Granted, I didn't see anyone get baptized so I don't know how they do that. I have no idea what their doctrinal statement is; I've never looked. I do know that they really love the Lord and I could worship freely with them.

As for us, we don't describe ourselves as "oneness" or "trinitarian" since neither is a biblical term. We do baptize in Jesus' name and I do believe that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. We don't believe that there are three separate individual "persons" representing one God. We believe He is one being, expressed in three ways.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Thanks for a courteous reply. It is my understanding that at one time you were in the UPCI. If this is correct, would you mind describing any thing that is different about your church and ministry style in contrast to when you were UPC? Respectfully...

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Sherri, I don't post much on here but I do thank God for your posts and would like to keep in touch with you guys. We were in the ULTRA-CON - "Apostolic" movement and UPC for almost 20 years and left the UPC officially in December 1999.
I am so in agreement and with all that you have said here. I try and tell my old friends that these terms were devised to DIVIDE the Body of Christ and they are NOT Biblical terms. I so CRINGE when I hear someone say - I'm ONENESS! If they only knew how ignorant that sounds to educated people that know the Word of God. They acknowledge "Trinitarian" doctrine even more than the "Trinitarians" do!
Well..... LOL.... Thats my rant for the night!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all you do. Please add me to your email or church/ministry mailing list.
Thanks,
Bishop W. Wayne Pugh
Church Alive International
P.O. Box 3511
Loganville, GA 30052
770-237-3939
www.ChurchAliveAtlanta.com

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Please PM me your email address and I will get them to put you on our email announcement list. We don't do a lot of regular mail stuff. We ARE having a pastor's conference in September. Bishop Garlington is the main speaker, so it will be awesome.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Thanks- I love Bishop Garlinton!

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Eddie teaches the exact same things he taught when we were in UPC, which explains why we never fit there. LOL! We baptize exactly the same way; we have lots of people filled with the Holy Ghost. We don't push "standards", but we do teach holiness, moderation, and modesty. But Eddie never taught standards when we were UPC, so that's really no different either. We strive to be BALANCED in all things - "balance" has always kind of been our catch-word. We just love God and He is blessing us. I don't know exactly if this answers your question.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

I understand that completely & that is just how we do it, but I DID preach all the standards and was pretty rough on people. I have had a LOT of apologizing to do the last 10 years for being so rough on people to make them CONFORM to what I thought was Biblical! I know where you guys are and we are there too.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Eddie doesn't wear a collar though. LOL!! He's more of a jeans/casual shirt type. Since he got freed from neckties, I don't think he'll ever want to wear them again!

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Thank you, again, for a candid, courteous reply. I think your church and the one I pastor are very similar, as well as your husband's ministry style.God is blessing our church, I believe for the same reasons. We have, too, a very similar background. This is the reason for my questions. God bless you, Sherri and Eddie, hope to meet you some day.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

LOL - I do wear a collar on the First Sundays when we celebrate Holy Communion. If I knew HOW to upload another pic on here - I would! LOL
I do have plenty WITHOUT THE COLLAR! I just tried to upload about 10 and they all say the file or pic is too big soooooooooooo I don't have a CLUE how to change it!

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

This is a great site for doing that:

http://www.shrinkpictures.com/

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

My first wife attends a wonderful trinitarian Spirit filled church but although I am a "one stepper" I don't feel comfortable committing myself to a church that does not baptize in the name of Jesus as SOP not the exception. It may not be salvational but I believe it is the Biblical formula and I want to follow the Bible as closely as possible. Of course I have never been to a baptismal service at this church so perhaps they say ".....in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is Jesus Christ". In that case I would be happy. They have baptized probably 20 people or more in the past year she has gone there but their baptismal services are at a special time and different church as they don't have a baptismal tank.

Re: Life Church - Memphis
 

Are you still going to Christ Church since y'all moved, CC? Just wondering if she goes to the other church on Sundays or off service times. Being nosy here! Are y'all going to different churches?