A divided house
 

For years I have watched as the different Apostolic groups kept to themselves and watched as the different wings of the church divided themselves. We just can not keep on creating new organizations every time there is a disagreement over some petty issue.

We have a divided house, with the ultra con on one side and the ultra lib on the other. But it is even harder on those of us who consider ourselves middle of the road believers, we get attacked by both the extreme conservatives and the extreme liberals. We need to spend a little less energy attacking each other.

I keep on saying that a divided house can not stand, and the Apostolic movement is a divided house. All these divisions among apostolic brethren make us weaker. We need to unite and present a stronger front.

Some Apostolic ministers worry about keeping the church pure, and are obsessed about pulling out the tares, but Jesus said let the tares grow up together with the wheat. God will sort out the true believers from those who are not, he will know the wheat from the chaff.

We need to put aside our petty little differences and unite on a common ground. as long as we are divided by minor differences we will never make a great impact upon our world.

Re: A divided house
 

:thumbsup

Re: A divided house
 

What do you consider MINOR differences?

Re: A divided house
 

I agree more with Apostolics than Catholics. Then why are we throwing stones at other Apostolics?

Let's work together. Simple idea. Oh and you don't have to fund the local Apostolic church down the street, but stop trying to tear it down.

Re: A divided house
 

I am nobody to consider what is a MINOR difference, but I suggest that we need to see if something is not in the Bible, then it should be a minor issue, that should be decided by each local congregation.

Every item should be considered and see if an agreeable compromise can be reached with all the different apostolic groups.

in this way no individual church is forced to give up their local standards and no individual church is forced to accept standards that they disagree with.

A certain church compromised on the tongues issue by ruling that speaking in tongues would not be prohibited but at the same time speaking in tongues would not be required for membership. So you have in that church some members who speak in tongues and those who do not and neither is trying to impose their beliefs upon the other.
When it comes to speaking in tongues their motto is
"Prohibit not, Demand not."

Re: A divided house
 

If its that simple why has no one ever thought of it before?:highfive

Re: A divided house
 

I am a moderate. I have been viciously attacked for not being liberal enough and conservative enough

Re: A divided house
 

I have been called a hippie playing Church by the Apostolics and a legalist bringing people into bondage by the Charismatics.

Re: A divided house
 

One of the biggest early dividers was race.

I would argue that this is the big cancer that needs to be healed first.

Re: A divided house
 

I think this is an issue that needs to be addressed and acted upon.

How about if the churches start inviting preachers from other races into their pulpits.

white ministers should start inviting black preachers into their churches.
black ministers should start inviting white preachers into their churches.

once the members see their leaders acting in this manner, they will most likely follow their example.

One of my pastors used to take his whole church to another brother church.
we got into a bunch of cars and vans and went to visit the brethren in another city.
we had a good time mixing with members of a church of a different race.

Re: A divided house
 

The man who baptized me in Jesus name was a Black Charismatic Pastor. We associated for about 25 years till his death.

Re: A divided house
 

This would go towards helping PAW and UPCI brethren reunite, since not only did they divide racially, but also, went their separate ways into different organizations.

Of course, the unity they would need to rally around would have to be doctrinal unity; race would not be enough.

Re: A divided house
 

This is why i left all the groups and pastor a church with no fellowship. Im very conservitive to the altra cons but i like the attitude of the libs so i dont fit in with anyone. So i just help save the lost and buiold churches. I im happy staying out of all the politics

Re: A divided house
 

Organizations and denominations are man made vessels. The Kingdom of God is greater. Independents have a greater vision.

Re: A divided house
 

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Well, I am white and had a black pastor for 6 years. I saw racism rear its ugly head in that church when Obama was running. Most of those folks betrayed their faith to get somebody of the same skin color in there. We were telling them Obama is pro-homo, but they didnt care. SAD....

Another problem with that is culture. That is just as hard to fit into than fixing racism.

Re: A divided house
 

If more focus was on obeying the two most difficult commandments Jesus gave us - loving God, and loving our neighbor as ourselves... most likely we would not have the divisions that we do...

Re: A divided house
 

I have been a member of an independent church, and have seen another.

Independent churches tend to center around the Pastor and disconnect from the world. Kind of a monastic society.

I personally do not think this is good in the long run. You need to get some fresh air once in a while. You might benefit from inviting a fellow pastor from another church to come and preach for you and bring some new insights.

Re: A divided house
 

I don't believe the true Apostolic church is divided.

Re: A divided house
 

I've been part of an independent church for the past 7 years. We've fellowshipped with PAW, UPC and other indie churches. I do know of an ultra con church that, IIRC, is indie and doesn't allow any fellowship with any other church. It just depends on what type of Pastor is leading the church.

Just the other week, our Pastor interrupted our practice quick to tell us a popular speaker was going to be at a UPC church nearby that night. He was going and wanted to invite us if we wanted to go.

The church in which I was raised (UPC) was very active in fellowship with other churches. We would travel to other cities for special services and events all the time. I would not attend a church which did not allow or promote fellowshipping with other believers.

Re: A divided house
 

The true Apostolic is no divided?

How do you define true Apostolic?
Does that include people from different organization or just the one you attend?

How many believers from other Apostolic groups visit your church?
Do preachers from other organizations allowed to preach at your pulpit?

Re: A divided house
 

:thumbsup

Re: A divided house
 

Don't care one thing about the card in a man's pocket it's the doctrine he preachers that matters.

Re: A divided house
 

Because I often had to move, I had the fortune to be in different churches.
Some were UPCI, some from other groups and even a couple of independent Oneness churches.

I did not like the divisions I saw in the Body of Christ.
I did not like it when some ministers attacked others oneness believers outside of their group as lost.

I thank God that only a couple of my preachers had that kind of attitude.
but the attitude that if you are not in our particular group then you are lost still exists in some corners of the Apostolic movement.

We agree in most of our doctrines, it is not like we are talking about the Catholic church. We Oneness people have more things that unite us than what divide us, yet we tend to focus on our few doctrinal differences.

Re: A divided house
 

usually a dividing come from those thirsty for power in the name of some pet peeve...not always of course but usually....that is one of the reasons I do not believe in politics within a church...no one was running for office in the Bible....Of course this is just my personal opinion...

Re: A divided house
 

Right after you figure out how to solve this problem you need to tackle the whole Arab vs Jew thing in the Middle East!