UPCI
 

I have never belonged...so my words are the words of an outsider...I HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN BY WRITING THIS BUT I FEEL WE NEED EACH OTHER MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.

I have read/heard and saw both good and bad....However my overall thoughts about the UPCI in general are:
1. They have done more to promote the gospel than any other Jesus Name group I know.
2. They have opened up many home missions churches throughout America more than any other JN group I know.
3. I stand in awe of their many missionaries all over the world...more than any other Jesus name group I know.
4. I honor their many programs for missions and can say UPCI missionaries are well taken care of...and that takes a load off the missionary.
5. I honor great men and women that have been and are associated with the UPCI.
6. I know there are some that are quite different in thinking than I am however I pray for them and hope if they know me they will pray for me.

Yes, I know there have been some that were "done wrong" but we are dealing with human factors and no one is perfect much less a big organization. Mistakes have been made and in the process some have been destroyed...however this is the results of all of us being human. That happens among the independents too...

I deeply appreciate the UPCI churches that open their doors to us along with any other group that opens their doors...I think we ought to love one another as much as possible. I am deeply aware there are people we cannot always be buddy buddy to but we can pray for them and wish them well.

I want to be friends with all those that want my friendship...I have no desire to murder anyone.

Often it is strange how people tell things that are not true...before taking sides with anyone we should learn the truth...we should go to the person...hearsay is cheap...truth is valuable…I even heard not long ago in so many words we were leaning toward trinity…lol…when I would say we have probably baptized more trinity people in Jesus name than any group in Brazil.

We believe what we believe but it has never been our intentions to hurt anyone.
So dear ones let us pray for all people but especially those of the household of faith not looking at what color card they hold…WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER.

Re: UPCI
 

Maybe I'm just way out of the loop, but I don't see how this could be true. You're saying that the UPC has done more, quantitatively, to spread the gospel than even the Assemblies of God, or Southern Baptists, just to name a couple of large organizations? More than Lutherans, Methodists, or Presbyterians? They are all Jesus Name groups. I guess I just don't see how the UPC has done more than any other Jesus Name group. I'm confused.

Re: UPCI
 

I think that what Sis Alvear meant by "Jesus Name" groups are those who baptize in the name of; Jesus, Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus Christ (there are several varients). All the orgs that you name do not baptize in Jesus name, they baptize in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost titles. They are not "Jesus Name" organizations.
I am not UPC, but must ackonwledge that they are the largest JN org. and therefore do more missions work than any other JN organization.
Sis. Alvear is correct in all of her statments in that regard.

Re: UPCI
 

I think that you may be "confused" over the "Jesus name" tag. She's probably got the Oneness branch of the Apostolic Faith movement in mind exclusively.

Why do you always try to make so much trouble... ah! ... nevermind.

Re: UPCI
 

Naaaa, I'm still confused. The UPC is not the largest Jesus Name organization. That's probably The Southern Baptist Convention. But there are many other Baptist groups, as well, dozens of them. But we have to consider many other Jesus Name groups, such as Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Church of God, Nazarenes, my goodness, the list goes on forever of Jesus Name denominations that are larger than the UPC.

Re: UPCI
 

I think your chosen nickname says it all...

What's so hard to understand. She was not speaking of any of those groups.

Re: UPCI
 

Yeah, I'm definitely confused. I think I'm starting to pick up that there are some denominations that attempt to own the name of Jesus and keep it for themselves. Very confusing. I was at a Methodist funeral recently and they ended every prayer, many of them, by saying, "In Jesus' Name."

Re: UPCI
 

Okay, okay. Sister A, starts a thread to say something nice about a group that she doesn't even belong to. We can allow her to do that and use conventional terminology understood in a conventional manner within the AFF lexicon, can't we?

Re: UPCI
 

My feelings are hurt. Sniffle. Here I am, all confused, and you're accusing me of trying to cause trouble. I don't understand. Now I'm even more confused.

Hopefully, my point in all this is fairly discernible. :)

Re: UPCI
 

I am speaking of Oneness Jesus name groups...

Re: UPCI
 

Beyond a doubt... But is it really a point worth fighting about? I mean it's not like she claimed that the UPC has done more to spread the gospel than any other Christian group. You see my point?

Re: UPCI
 

Now I'm really confused!! All those denominations I mentioned...Methodists, Southern Baptists, etc., are also oneness (the belief in one God) and use the name of Jesus.

Re: UPCI
 

While I am oneness I do respect any group...However that does not mean I agree with them. The Assemblies of God has done a tremendous work in Brazil. I did not start this thread to talk about all churchs only the UPCI. While many run them down we should not forget the good things about them.

Re: UPCI
 

Well, most of us on this forum know what I mean by oneness..

Re: UPCI
 

:lolIs there anything here worth fighting about? I'm either wondering why certain groups insinuate that only they value the name of Jesus, or I'm just trying to be a Troublemaker (you gotta love my avatar), or both.

Re: UPCI
 

:lolI'm a little dense.

Re: UPCI
 

...Please tell me you are not still arguing about the definition of that term. It was plainly stated what was meant. As long as we all understand what is being said then who cares? Doesn't it offend you just as much that some call themselves Baptists as if they are the only ones that baptize? Or some call themselves Holiness as if they are the only ones that are holy? Or some call themselves Catholic as if they are the universal Church for everyone? Or some call themselves church of Christ as if they are the only ones in the Church of Christ? Or some call themselves church of God as if they are the only church of God? Or some call themselves full gospel as if they are the only ones that have the full gospel? Go harp on some of those groups for a while. But it seems to me that no one besides ya has a problem with all these terms being used... Maybe ya should reevaluate your position don't ya think?

Re: UPCI
 

The good Sister, as always, is reminding us of the GOOD side of things. :thumbsup

Re: UPCI
 

You have raised a valid point. I am heading, right now, over to www.baptistfriendsforum.com and I'm going to tell them off. Man, I'm really mad now! :lol

Seriously, the term, "Full Gospel" has always been terribly irritating to me. "We're 'Full Gospel', you other poor schmucks are only half-gospel!"

I don't care for labels, in case you can't tell. They're terribly exclusionary and unfair.

Re: UPCI
 

We should always remember the good....I always remember what Brother Phillips said, It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all...

Re: UPCI
 

I understand now that you are just being "dense" on purpose to try to prove a point. So the joke is on me.

But the point is still not lost that there is a distinct and OH SO IMPORTANT, difference in the orgs that you mention and those who practice baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ. Yes, many of the "oneness" trinitarians use the name of Jesus in prayer, some what hypocritically, to be honest and true to their refusal to use the name of Jesus Christ in baptism, they should also refuse its use in all cases including prayer. They should close all their prayers in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

I wonder if there is anyplace, any online source, or a book, put out by the trinitarian orgs. that claim that they are "Jesus Name." I think NOT. They would not want to identify themselves with those of us who are follwers of the Name.

To any honest observer, trinitarian orgs. cannot be called "Jesus Name."

Re: UPCI
 

lol.

Maybe labels are unfair. It just depends on how one takes them I think.

Personally I think labels are useful. And besides naming or labeling was one of the first jobs God gave man to do. Man had to name the animals. I guess it might can be said that naming or labeling things is in our nature ;)

Re: UPCI
 

Nevermind anything I previosly posted... have at him TroubleMaker. I hate the kinda attitude shown above just as much as you do.

Re: UPCI
 

Maybe Troublemaker is really someone else pretending to not know what Sister Alvear means...of course that would make him an Ultra Con because we all know only the Ultra Con's deceive others like that....right?:nah

Re: UPCI
 

He/she would have to be awful dumb not to know...for after all this is an Apostolic oneness site. All may not be oneness but all know what oneness is when we refer to it.

Re: UPCI
 

Anything else good about the UPC?

Re: UPCI
 

Case and point!!!! :ursofunny

No wait, is it "Case and point" or "Case in point"? Now I'm confused again!

Anyway, you've made my point perfectly!! You have a monopoly on the name of Jesus. All those other idiots are hypocrites! :lol

Re: UPCI
 

:lol I knew you'd come around! You know, this thread wasn't going anywhere so I thought I'd help it out. So hey, jfrog, are you oneness, twoness, or threeness? Are you Jesus name or non-Jesus name?

Re: UPCI
 

Full Gospel (at least in my understanding) means a Gospel that includes physical healing and the Holy Ghost Baptism(Pentecostal Experience) and the gifts of the Spirit in contrast to some churches who teach salvation but also cessationism. I agree, when we say that we are Full Gospel it can be seen as a putdown of others.

Re: UPCI
 

C'mon guys. We (myself included) do so much UPC bashing here.
Why not allow someone who is familiar with missions work and with various Oneness Pentecostal organizations say something good about the UPC?

Be honest, there's lots of good people in the UPC and the UPC as an organization does lots of good stuff.

Re: UPCI
 

I'm searching for what to believe ;)

Re: UPCI
 

I have no problem chiming in with you. I've often said that I hate the system and love the people.

Re: UPCI
 

I hate some of the people sometimes too... And before anyone bashes me for that... Stop for a second and ask yourself whether everyone here actually loves them all the time or whether jfrog is the only one honest enough to admit he hates some of them sometimes... ;)

Re: UPCI
 

Picky, picky, picky. Ok fine, I love some of the people.

Well, 2 or 3 of them, anyway. :lol

Re: UPCI
 

"Deliberately obtuse" is the more accurate term.

Re: UPCI
 

I am deeply thankful for God's wonderful people no matter what color card they carry if they carry one at all...God has a big family and I am in awe that He included me...

Re: UPCI
 

Okay, I know this is off topic, and I appologize, and I DO appreciate Sister's point, BUT this bothers me so much that I have to reply

If the NAME of the father, son and Holy Ghost is Jesus, then doing something in the name of (or by the authority of) the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is the same as doing it in the name of (or by the authority of) JESUS. Doing something in the name of the President of the U.S.A. is the SAME as doing it in the name of Barak Obama.

Trinitarian churches honor the command to do ALL things in the name of Jesus, they just interpret Jesus words with regard to baptism differently. Based on a oneness belief, the two statements of gramatically identical.

Now back to your originally scheduled thread, already in progress.........

Re: UPCI
 

No, no, no, no.......that's WAY too simple and makes WAY too much sense. You obviously aren't very learned in the scriptures, or denominational politics, for that matter. You see, if we make a monstrous, huge flippin' deal out of nothing, then we can have a separate denomination and create more positions of power. You've gotta get with it, Snicker. There are deep, deep, deep, deep hidden truths in the bible and have only been unlocked by certain people. All the other poor suckers are going to hell. God desires to burn forever those idiots that couldn't figure out the Godhead.

You're making way too much sense and making sense isn't acceptable in religion.

Re: UPCI
 

Yes! The "U" in "UPCI" gives me a good chuckle! :toofunny

Re: UPCI
 

I stand corrected. I am not dense after all! I am "deliberately obtuse." Wow, that sounds WAY better than "dense." This reminds me of when I was a paperboy. I preferred to call myself a "Newspaper Distribution Engineer."

So am I being "deliberately obtuse" when I call on you......again.....to respond to my response in the Winterfest thread when you said you were "striving to be righteous"?