You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

It's 3 weeks away, but wanted to extend a warm invitation from our General Overseer, Bishop Ronnie Banks to any and all that may be within driving distance of Nashville.

September 3-7 is the 80th General Assembly of the Emmanuel Churches of Christ (Oneness/Pentecostal), and will be held at the headquarters church in Donelson, TN (Nashville). Business Sessions for delegates and Credentialled Ministers will be held during the day, but services are open to the general public.

Services will be 6:30pm Monday night, and 7:30pm Tuesay-Friday nights. There will be great music and preaching each night, and a great time of fellowship. Church address is 3020 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN 37214.

Your invited to join us for a great time in Jesus!

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

Just a bump to remind anyone within driving distance of Nashville, you're invited to come join us for our General Assembly that starts 2 weeks from tonight. We're expecting a great time, missionaries from around the world joining us, and powerful services. I'm honored to be preaching the Thursday night service, but every night will be great. If anywhere nearby, please come join us.

Services will be 6:30pm Monday night, and 7:30pm Tuesay-Friday nights. Church address is 3020 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN 37214.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

Bro. Robbins, as an organization is this one in the liberal, moderate, conservative, or ultra conservative range of the Oneness Pentecostal world?

Based on you I am guessing more toward the conservative and ultra conservative?

It's a mix. Seriously. Kinda cool.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

Actually your assumption is wrong, which is why you should never, ever assume anything :heeheehee, lol.

I think I've posted this in other threads, so hopefully the readers will forgive me for the repeat... but the Emmanuel churches are about as wide of a spectrum as you can get, especially considering our small size within the United States. Some interesting information about us....

- We have more women pastors within our organization per capita than any other Oneness organization in the world. Our founding Overseer was actually a lady.
- We have a mix between denomination churches, as well as affiliate churches. There are some churches within the org, that the pastor is apppointed by the Presiding Bishop, the property is owned by the org, any loans for building, etc is under written by the denom, and there are various rights and privileges and safety nets for those churches. But we also have affiliate churches where the pastor holds credentials with us, is able to vote in the International General Assembly, but the church is autonomous in every way.
- We are in KY, TN, MS and AL in the United States, but are in almost a dozen nations, with around 180 churches in Honduras alone. Those are affiliate churches, under a national bishop.
- Our churches range in regards to "the standards". There are churches that you will go into, and no hair cut, no jewelry, the men would never think of wearing shorts or tank tops, etc. And then there are other churches, like the one I am a member of (the headquarters church), and it looks like a baptist church in some ways. 90% of that congregation's ladies have shorter hair, wear make-up and have no issue with jewlery. Each church has it's own culture regarding the standards, and those are items left between that congregation and the pastor in how they "live out" sanctification and lifestyle holiness.
- I am the youngest minister within our organization, and the only Evangelist that we have right now. We have extremely aging congregations, and aging pastors....we are actually in a shortage of ministers right now.
- I minister in all our churches, I don't care what their stand on the standards is... as an evangelist, it's not my place to preach on "lifestyle holiness" issues anyway, that's not my role when helping our churches. When I teach in my local church even, that's not my place... I'm not the pastor.
- The organization experienced a two splits over it's history, the major one being when the pastor of the headquarters church in the 80's was found guilty of murder, embezzlement of funds, and arson of the church. The org is just now beginning to rise above that pain and horror they went through.


Hope that answers your question. It's no secret to our pastors and churches that I'm a conservative man, but I know my place, and what my role is within these churches and this organization. They respect me for my stand, and I respect them for where they are in the Lord... and it really does work for us... honestly, quite beautifully....

At General Assembly in September, you'll see ultra conservatives hugging and loving on those some would consider liberal... shouting together, worshipping together, and doing a work together for the kingdom. That's why I'm a part of this group of great and wonderful folks.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

And in most UPCI churches there are several per congregation.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

They were never 'holiness' churches from way back. I remember seeing the founder in the 60's and she didn't look Pentecostal then.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

Do you guys still teach sanctification the second definte works of grace? This was the only Oneness group I knew of that taught that?

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

Never heard of any Oneness group that did, wow.

Re: You're Invited - 80th General Assembly ECOC
 

That is not within the Articles of Faith no.... however, Sanctification prior to Holy Ghost baptism is still preached pretty heavily in some of the churches. The Articles of Faith simply state that we believe Holiness to be God's standard of living for His Church... therefore, you can see there is great liberty (maybe that's good, maybe that's bad) for the individual congregations to take their own interpretations of that doctrine and how it should be preached/lived.

To Brother Epley's earlier comment, yes, Sister Pierce (from all I've learned) did not preach Lifestyle Holiness very much... or not to the degree as other Oneness organizations at that time.

The Emmanuel Churches though are a very, very different animal than they were even in the 80's.... our government, culture, etc. is very different. That is obvious when you look at our churches that are very conservative, and then go down the road and see one that isn't conservative at all... used to, Sister Pierce wanted everybody to look and act just a like... that's not expected in this day.

Also, our government changed a lot. With the bringing in of affiliate churches and not requiring all churches to be owned by the denomination was something she probably would have never, ever, went for.... the orginzation is almost night and day difference than it was in it's beginning... but there again, that can be said of many org's.