Bombshell- Considering going back to the UPC - Page 11

jen4yeshua · #**101** 03-09-2013, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commonsense

Totally agree!! I want to go to a UPC assembly..........but I'm too old for the 2nd class citizen nonsense. I miss the worship, Oneness teaching, and fellowship but

Quote of the day : "Peer pressure masked under conviction".

And going back into the organisation I can see that not conforming to the standards for the sake of fitting in really separates the wheat from the chaff. If a person is going to judge my family based on our non conformity to anything that is extra biblical, then they are a shallow ninny who is not really likely to enrich my life or the lives of my husband and children.

AreYouReady? · #**102** 03-09-2013, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jen4yeshua

And going back into the organisation I can see that not conforming to the standards for the sake of fitting in really separates the wheat from the chaff. If a person is going to judge my family based on our non conformity to anything that is extra biblical, then they are a shallow ninny who is not really likely to enrich my life or the lives of my husband and children.

jen4yeshua · #**103** 03-09-2013, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

FlamingZword · #**104** 03-09-2013, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jen4yeshua

And going back into the organisation I can see that not conforming to the standards for the sake of fitting in really separates the wheat from the chaff. If a person is going to judge my family based on our non conformity to anything that is extra biblical, then they are a shallow ninny who is not really likely to enrich my life or the lives of my husband and children.

I was told once that based on my apperance I was either backslidden or lost.
No questions were asked about my beliefs or my doctrines, but just based on how I looked I was automatically cast into the pits of hell.

I do not think I would even be considered a second class citizen by many upc churches, they might even slam the door in my face.

jen4yeshua · #**105** 03-09-2013, 10:33 PM

That's sad

The way I see it, a church is made up of individuals. Often it's the internal politics of a church as well as who is allowed to have dominance that exacerbates this kind of culture. If there are many leaders who secretly disagree with certain aspects of the organisation, then I think change will occur. In the meantime, I will make the most of the good relationships and spiritual depth that I have access to in my network of apostolic. I will also focus my attention on the mission field that I don't need a license to minister in.

Hoovie · #**106** 03-09-2013, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Badejo

I believe that salvation by grace through faith is completely compatible with water baptism in Jesus name, a Spirit filled life, and holiness unto the LORD.

If someone truly has saving faith (living faith of James 2) that faith will be given expression, both in water baptism, and in a life which bears the fruit of the Spirit.

Amen! (looking for that LIKE button!)

*AQuietPlace* · #**107** 03-10-2013, 06:15 AM

At this point, the best thing you could probably do is go visit a couple of times. That will give you a better idea of whether or not it would work out.

CC1 · #**108** 03-10-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I don't agree that not being in leadership makes someone a second class citizen.

In churches without dress codes they often have some standard or doctrine that just be believed and obeyed to be in leadership.

You certainly have the right to be wrong!

Jason B · #**109** 03-10-2013, 10:54 AM

I'd definetely visit before making any decisions. Recently we had a birthday party for one of my daughters, and some old freinds came from various pentecostal backgrounds. We had great time and really enjoyed the fellowship with all those people, and love to be around all of them. Its tough sometimes because fellowship shouldn't be the first reason to pick a church, if it were I'd have stayed where we were before. BUT fellowship is a big factor, and since I'm not likely to find any place where I totally agree with all doctrine, fellowship becomes by default a big factor in choosing the right church.

Not that this is done without prayer. We've been considering some things and praying about things for a couple months. At this time I don't feel a release to leave whnre we are, but nor am I sure this is where we will continue to be. Since we only have Sunday AM service, we've considered visiting churches on Sunday night on occassion. But I don't have a lot of patience for "church shopping" which is why we have changed churches and found something else relatively quick. When I was UPC we attended 1 church for the whole time, then since we left the UPC we've been in 3 churches over 5 years. Some of changing churches has to do with moving, and our driving distance (which was also a factor in the past) and some with beliefs, then there was that one instance where things seemed a little too Jim Jones like for my taste.

I've struggled to feel completely a part of a church since leaving the UPC (though for a while began to get that comfort level with RC), and my wife is the same way. Not that we don't like the people we go to church with now, or the church, or anything negative in any way, we just don't feel a close connection. We're friendly with everyone, but don't feel that "bond". Its hard to explain, unless its experienced.

CC1 · #**110** 03-10-2013, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Badejo

Not that we don't like the people we go to church with now, or the church, or anything negative in any way, we just don't feel a close connection. We're friendly with everyone, but don't feel that "bond". Its hard to explain, unless its experienced.

The UPC is a closed culture / religous sect so of course there is a "bond" that is different than other churches.

The commonality is the extensive rule book of do's and don'ts, the rigid dress code, etc. It forces a "bond" or closeness.

Also because of the "closed" culture a church of 200 UPCers will have a higher percentage of deeply committed Christians than maybe a church of 400 who are not legalists. This is simply because the church not off in the ditch with a rule book allows people to attend and follow Christ at different paces. They are preached and taught truth, God's morality, fruit of the spirit, etc but they are not inspected and hounded to be at a certain point in their walk all of the time and not forced to adhere to some extra biblical dress code.

I think the loss of "fellowship" gained in a closed religous sect is the thing people miss the most when leaving the UPC. That feeling of "belonging" to the club. Being a part of a group of people who proudly wear a "badge" (dress code) that labels them as good Christians. All of a sudden they are in a world where their Christianity is judged by their honesty, integrity, fruit of the Spirit, etc rather than how they look.