Blacks and the UPCI

[PraiseHymn]

Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen

Hey, there's another Dominican around! My mom's family is all Dominican, and my great-great grandmother was the first to leave Catholicism for Pentecost (trinity). She was white Dominican, though, and very racist... she was old-school though, past 100 when she died.

Anyways, I don't know if this was already asked to the starter of this thread, but why are you going UPC? Why leave the COOLJC? Why join another organization?

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

The Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith is not a progressive movement (just take a look at our web page www.cooljc.org) With 550+ churches, only 10 of them have members over 1000 (with 5 of them belonging to the Chief Apostle himself). We are a one man band organization. MY Bishop (who is the Chief of the Organization) is 86 years old and everyone is just waiting for him to die. No one wants to embrace his vision at all as an organization. Everyone is wanting to change the entire organization to the point where the ones with the true standard are becoming a miniority. We use UPCI tracts and sunday school books. Its sad we dont have our own publishing house. We pull about 10,000 to 15,000 at our Holy Convocation and now only utilize arenas and colesiums when we gather BUT we still have no progression at all. Instead everyone battles over issues like women preachers (which we dont believe it) headcoverings (which we require them on women) divorce and remarriage (which we dont believe in) earrings and make up. I mean, its crazy. Its time for me to move forward as this organization thus far has no intent on reaching the world but insisit on MAJORING in the MINORS!!!!! Thats why I am ready to leave.

[PastorD]

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn

Why do I (we) wear robes?
In all honesty, out of tradition (plus we look good in them). In the African American church, we love to "dress up" for church. Preachers wear robes as a status symbol. A shepheard. A person who is in charge, who leads, who is a person of authority and to be respected (just like how a judge wears a black robe). Its not a requirement. Its not a heaven or hell issue. Its just a tradition. Just like African Americans and womens church hats. Our women just love to dress up and put a hat on to make the outfit more lavish or outstanding. Again, just tradition. Clergy collars to us are not catholic. Back in the day, when people were beheaded for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in order for them to survive an execution, the people would put a metal shank around there kneck and wrap a white scarf or sheet around there kneck so that it would hide the metal shank. When the axe would come down to behead the person, it would get stuck and there head COULD NOT be chopped off. Its a symbol of a person who defends the faith (in the Lord Jesus Christ). Catholics and Protestans alike where it and it has nothing to do with being trinitarian or oneness. Just like the nuns habit has nothing to do with being catholic. Our women in our church cover there heads too and we did not get it from the catholic church. Just an FYI. Google clergy collar and read up on the history of it.

Bottome line....The UPC as a whole (some would say a hole) has not received a passing grade on the racism test. On some local levels it is good, but in the majority--no.

In Atlanta, I think you will find some good options. Alonzo Terry is building a great church--he happens to be black. AB is there too! He even wears the collar--he is white.

As for the protocols of the black church....I love them. I am white and have preached in a robe on many occasions. I even own a 'turn around' collar as some call them.

I do have a question tho......I have always heard that facial hair for black males is something to do with masculinity. I could be totally wrong (or have been misinformed), but that it is something with not being effeminate. Educate me please....

God bless.

[timlan2057]

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn

Its time for me to move forward as this organization thus far has no intent on reaching the world but insisit on MAJORING in the MINORS!!!!! Thats why I am ready to leave.

And you're thinking about becoming UPC?

Uh ... don't you think you're jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?

[PastorD]

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn

The Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith is not a progressive movement (just take a look at our web page www.cooljc.org) With 550+ churches, only 10 of them have members over 1000 (with 5 of them belonging to the Chief Apostle himself). We are a one man band organization. MY Bishop (who is the Chief of the Organization) is 86 years old and everyone is just waiting for him to die. No one wants to embrace his vision at all as an organization. Everyone is wanting to change the entire organization to the point where the ones with the true standard are becoming a miniority. We use UPCI tracts and sunday school books. Its sad we dont have our own publishing house. We pull about 10,000 to 15,000 at our Holy Convocation and now only utilize arenas and colesiums when we gather BUT we still have no progression at all. Instead everyone battles over issues like women preachers (which we dont believe it) headcoverings (which we require them on women) divorce and remarriage (which we dont believe in) earrings and make up. I mean, its crazy. Its time for me to move forward as this organization thus far has no intent on reaching the world but insisit on MAJORING in the MINORS!!!!! Thats why I am ready to leave.

Why does all of this sound so familiar?

Does the UPC have more than 10 churches with 1000 or more?

[Sept5SavedTeen]

Originally Posted by PraiseHymn

The Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith is not a progressive movement (just take a look at our web page www.cooljc.org) With 550+ churches, only 10 of them have members over 1000 (with 5 of them belonging to the Chief Apostle himself). We are a one man band organization. MY Bishop (who is the Chief of the Organization) is 86 years old and everyone is just waiting for him to die. No one wants to embrace his vision at all as an organization. Everyone is wanting to change the entire organization to the point where the ones with the true standard are becoming a miniority. We use UPCI tracts and sunday school books. Its sad we dont have our own publishing house. We pull about 10,000 to 15,000 at our Holy Convocation and now only utilize arenas and colesiums when we gather BUT we still have no progression at all. Instead everyone battles over issues like women preachers (which we dont believe it) headcoverings (which we require them on women) divorce and remarriage (which we dont believe in) earrings and make up. I mean, its crazy. Its time for me to move forward as this organization thus far has no intent on reaching the world but insisit on MAJORING in the MINORS!!!!! Thats why I am ready to leave.

Ok, but as for the UPC;
Women preachers- they DO believe in
Headcoverings on women- they DON'T believe in
Divorce and Remarriage- they DO believe in
Earring and makeup- They're slowly allowing

As for a publishing house and a big headquarters, well, that's fine I guess, but it's no reason to join a group. Plus the UPC is currently going through a split. I just left the UPC church to go to an indep church, and I feel freer now than I ever have! I don't "get" denominations, they're unbiblical... I say just put your eyes on JESUS, and don't let these orgs and isms get in the way... Anyways, though, I am interested to read your thoughts on the things I mentioned above. Everyone has an interpretation to give.

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

[Theophil]

Originally Posted by timlan2057

And you're thinking about becoming UPC?

Uh ... don't you think you're jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?

LOL! Good one.

[Sept5SavedTeen]

Originally Posted by PastorD

Why does all of this sound so familiar?

Does the UPC have more than 10 churches with 1000 or more?

Probably, but is a church with 1000 or more a good thing?

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen

Ok, but as for the UPC;
Women preachers- they DO believe in - they do??? Wow, none of the ones I ever went to did. Interesting!
Headcoverings on women- they DON'T believe in
Divorce and Remarriage- they DO believe in - in theory they don't. Only in practice.
Earring and makeup- They're slowly allowing

As for a publishing house and a big headquarters, well, that's fine I guess, but it's no reason to join a group. Plus the UPC is currently going through a split. I just left the UPC church to go to an indep church, and I feel freer now than I ever have! I don't "get" denominations, they're unbiblical... I say just put your eyes on JESUS, and don't let these orgs and isms get in the way... Anyways, though, I am interested to read your thoughts on the things I mentioned above. Everyone has an interpretation to give.

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

I didn't know how to answer just a couple of points except to do it this way.

[PastorD]

Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen

Probably, but is a church with 1000 or more a good thing?

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

I'll probably regret this, but why would a church of 1000 not be a good thing?

[PraiseHymn]

Originally Posted by PastorD

Bottome line....The UPC as a whole (some would say a hole) has not received a passing grade on the racism test. On some local levels it is good, but in the majority--no.

In Atlanta, I think you will find some good options. Alonzo Terry is building a great church--he happens to be black. AB is there too! He even wears the collar--he is white.

As for the protocols of the black church....I love them. I am white and have preached in a robe on many occasions. I even own a 'turn around' collar as some call them.

I do have a question tho......I have always heard that facial hair for black males is something to do with masculinity. I could be totally wrong (or have been misinformed), but that it is something with not being effeminate. Educate me please....

God bless.

In all honesty, I really did not grow up with a notion that facial hair had anything to do with masculinity. I think it was more of a right of passage from childhood to adulthood. As a child, I always dreamed of having facial hair because of the many styles you could wear it. Almost like our hair cuts (baldys, fades, afro's, temp-fades, ceasars, etc etc etc). With facial hair, you could do a gotee with connecting side burns, mustache and go tee, thin sideburns and gotee no mustache. I mean the combinations are endless. Older guys always told me that once I started growing hair, it was going to be awful because shaving is a nightmare (we get razor bumps etc) and uh, I'dhave to agree. I hate to shave and wish I had that baby face again lol. IN our culture, you can do what you want with your facial hair and we even conform when we join the military or have a job that requires us to be clean shaven. Plus, with our juicy lips lol they look even the more JUICY and BIG if we cut our mustache off ha ha ha. We dont like that (lol).

As for going from the pot to the frying pan, I agree with everytihing that the upci teaches with a few exceptions (facial hair, tv, hair versus litteral head covering, women preachers and the marriage and divorce issue). Other then that, I am game for the change (to an extent) I know what I believe and that wont change.