Quote:
Originally Posted by CC1
I have addressed this in the past.
I have said that I believe if you take the same size PCI exUPC type church and a UPC church the UPC church will have a greater number of sold out, dedicated people in it.
That is very natural since the bar is so high to become a part of a UPC congregation. You must conform to all of the legalism, rules, restrictions, etc.
exUPC /PCI type churches have a much different approach to church and discipling people. People are accepted and are part of the church regardless of what point they are at in their walk with God. There are many opportunities for discipleship and many avail themselves of them while some others may not even for extended periods of time. Most of these churches have minimums of classes one must take before operating in a leadership role (choir, teaching,etc).
Is he "ferver" and "dedication" of a church of 1,000 UPCer's greater than that of the same size exUPC PCI type church, you bet!! Would I trade my church for that, NO!!!
Because the ends do not justify the means. I realize that my church is made up of a lot of people at a lot of different places in their journey with Christ.
It is also made up of a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds. Some are more comfortable with demonstrative worship than others.
I for one don't believe that most of the demonstrative worship in old time Pentecost is neccessary or even beneficial. In my opinion most of it is tradition, emotion, etc.
I have seen as many lives truly changed at my church that some consider "dead" as I saw in old time Pentecost with all of the whoopin and hollarin going on.
You can shout your hair down and spin the helicopter till you drop and still be a devil. I have witnessed it first hand. Having a crowd scream "amen" every two seconds and waving their arms around may make the preacher feel better but I don't think that is what God is really looking for. A person can be just as serious and sincere with God without the theatrics.
Bottom line is that I would rather go to a church of 4,000 that is embracing people at all stages of a walk with Christ than a church of 1,000 sold out people bound to their religous culture through forced legalism and psychological conditioning.
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Good post CC1! I agree that the level of commitment one sees in the UPC is very much influenced by their emphasis on standards which must be adhered to, and their belief that they have what the other churches don't have such as holiness, truth, anointed worship and preaching, etc. In other words they have a cause!
I also agree that there is a lot of hype involved in their worship. The need for instant gratification through constant shouting by the congregation during the preaching tends to promote theatrics and wild statements made that ignite the crowd but has little to do with sound biblical truth. This is problematic in my opinion.
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