Left the UPC...Now Back Again - Page 8

Renee29 · #71 07-29-2013, 08:58 PM

No, he doesn't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revelationist

Does he have a scripture for that? After all the people are the church, not the building.

Renee29 · #72 07-29-2013, 09:00 PM

My Pastor would never tell anyone they were going to hell for not doing standards. It's also never been said from the pulpit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

The problem is not with rules, I put plenty of rules in the church we had, I wanted to keep everything properly and in order. but I never once equated my rules with salvation. I was clear from the beginning that the rules were to keep things proper and in order and had nothing to do with salvation.
In our church there was no threating people with hell because they broke our church rules.
No one would dare to come to our church dressed like a bum or chew gum in our church, but there were no sermons sending people to hell because they chewed gum or didn't wear your best to the service.

Renee29 · #73 07-29-2013, 09:01 PM

Explain what you mean by scary?

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

This is a scary statement. If the platform is the "highest calling in the church" then I feel sorry for that church.

I don't see the platform as any kind of "calling". Maybe I am just not understanding old time Pentecostal thinking in this area.

Jason B · #74 07-29-2013, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Every time I watch a webcast or podcast of a UPC service, especially from the Texas District, I see all the PASTORS watching from their thrones on high behind the main speaker -on the platform, nodding in agreement on que at every poignant statement the speaker makes. Yes, the platform is a very special place. Every UPC man wants to be there and every UPC woman wants to be married to a man who is there.

It makes me gag.

Amen to that. I don't mind it but it does seem to take on the auora of "I'm important, look at me." For a time our church had wing back preachers chairs, and I was told to sit in on (we only had 2, which meant I would be sitting in one, and the preacher would be preaching). Made me feel like a cat on a hot tin roof. I was glad to sit there (I was young, early 20s) but also really really uncomfortable. It didn't last long, as I much preferred the pew, and after we got a new pastor that practice pretty much went away. Personally it reminds me of a state of the union address where everyone nods/claps pretty much on que, with little feeling or emotion (unless one of their agendas come up).

I just hate the predictability and peaching for a response. I used to love to go to camp meeting, and its been about 10 years since my last Texas camp, and I'd kind of like to go back, IF the preaching was truly about he Word of God, not scoring organizational brownie points, and if the desire was really to draw close to God, rather than the annual pentecostal fashion show & social affair.

Basically, love the theory of camp meeting, but can't stand the practice.

CC1 · #75 07-29-2013, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renee29

Explain what you mean by scary?

A belief system that holds a church platform as "the highest calling" is so far away from the gospel of Jesus Christ I find it scary. If I had not wanted to avoid being offensive I would have said "absurd". My intention is not to attack you in any way personally. I just find this kind of thinking "scary" because it has absolutely no basis in the bible.

There is no mention of Jesus categorizing his followers by a dress code and having a place to minister from being "the highest calling" with only certain followers allowed there. There is also no mention of this in the early church as you look at the Epistles.

If a pastor chooses to have a legalistic platform code beyond common morality and decency he is doing so out of a tradition, not because the platform is a place of the "highest calling".

Renee29 · #76 07-29-2013, 11:24 PM

Yes, I agree with what you are saying. He will even admit some of it's tradition. However, he is like a 4th or 5th generation UPC preacher. It's so ingrained in him that I don't think he can change. I do believe he does the best he can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

A belief system that holds a church platform as "the highest calling" is so far away from the gospel of Jesus Christ I find it scary. If I had not wanted to avoid being offensive I would have said "absurd". My intention is not to attack you in any way personally. I just find this kind of thinking "scary" because it has absolutely no basis in the bible.

There is no mention of Jesus categorizing his followers by a dress code and having a place to minister from being "the highest calling" with only certain followers allowed there. There is also no mention of this in the early church as you look at the Epistles.

If a pastor chooses to have a legalistic platform code beyond common morality and decency he is doing so out of a tradition, not because the platform is a place of the "highest calling".

Revelationist · #77 07-30-2013, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Every time I watch a webcast or podcast of a UPC service, especially from the Texas District, I see all the PASTORS watching from their thrones on high behind the main speaker -on the platform, nodding in agreement on que at every poignant statement the speaker makes. Yes, the platform is a very special place. Every UPC man wants to be there and every UPC woman wants to be married to a man who is there.

It makes me gag.

Only the 1st class can sit their. One pastors wife was overheard telling telling her daughter that the young man she liked was not of the same class she was. ( in other words he would never ocupie one of those chairs. )

Sasha · #78 07-30-2013, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renee29

I have in the past because I'm a musician. I'm not currently because I am not needed in music, but if I was needed in music again I would.

And if the standard was to be vegetarian, do you also feel that's fair?

Or swearing off chocolate? Red meat? Ice cream? Internet? Being out after 10pm? Wearing purple? Wearing buttons?

Where does the madness end? Like I said, I understand platform standards, but why do they have to carry over into our every day private lives, and do you feel that's fair to put on those who want to serve vs those who don't?

Sasha · #79 07-30-2013, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renee29

My Pastor see's the platform as the highest calling in the church. To be a part of the platform you have to follow the articles of faith because that's the org we belong to. I don't agree, but don't have a problem with having platform rules either.

I don't recall the AoF talk about 'platform standards'.

Sasha · #80 07-30-2013, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revelationist

Only the 1st class can sit their. One pastors wife was overheard telling telling her daughter that the young man she liked was not of the same class she was. ( in other words he would never ocupie one of those chairs. )

Friends of mine once invited the new, young, assistant pastor and his wife over for dinner and fellowship. The asst. pastor was happy and told the pastor about the kind congregants and was told...

"We aren't to mingle with the saints. You are ministry and WE will take care of you."

The young minister left within two months for greener pastures.