Quote:
Originally Posted by returnman
Somewhat like yourself but later, spent almost 20 years in the NW between WA and OR. Was in WA when the Westburg resolution went thru and recall very well the "weak on the message" comments from pastor at that time. As you pointed out...your church was pretty conservative and still regarded as lib by some churches in WA. I came to realize later that most of those so-called con churches where more about control and ruled out of fear that the saints might get drawn away if allowed to fellowship very far from the closed loop circle of just a few "like minded men."
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Which might be why camp meeting were always on the west side. No one on the west side wanted to come to the east side where all us liberals were. Even when they bought property in the middle of the state, they had to let it go because they could not get enough support from the west side.
Looking back though, I was always swimming against the flow, many times I did not know I was. I was the first drummer in the state, we put together a singing group in the early 70's and took my drums to family camp at one of the last years at Black Lake. I don't remember if I was allowed to play for the whole camp that year, but we did a few specials. Heard later from pastor Hurst that he got a lot of flack from some of the con's. That drums had no place in church. LOL I continued to take my drums to sectional and district functions. within 5 years most every church had a drummer.
My first assistant pastor position with Frances Mason in Everett, I approached the pastor about combining our youth with Federal Way and others to have a skating Party where we rented the whole skating rink. Pastor Mason had to study and pray about it but in the end could find nothing wrong with it, so started a change on the west side.
Towards the end of my time attending and being part of UPCI, I had already let my credentials laps, but was the unofficial asst. to Gary Blaylock in North Seattle for 10 years. I had grown a full beard, and went to a sectional meeting in Belleview the Kerns church. Brother Woodson came up to me and ask what that was on my face? I responded with "well sir one morning I got up and looked in the mirror and saw these tiny black things growing out my face, and ask myself what would happen if I did not torture myself with this razor, and low and behold this is what happened". LOL Pastor Kern came up to me and ask the same question and I started to tell him the same thing, but looked at his face and knew he would not get the punch line and just said "it is a beard".
The last UPCI service I attended, was in Hermiston, I had been playing my sax, but when I grew my beard out was not allowed to play. The next Sunday pastor Bankston preached against facial hair. There was a visitor with a beard also. After service Bankston came up to me and said, he was not preaching at me but preparing some of the young men that were thinking of ministry. I simply said that was fine but I myself would not have presented a message like that on a Sunday with visitors.
The point behind this post, is to reflect the mind set of those that push non biblical standards, and salvation that divide the kingdom of God. The very thing that the brethren pledged not to do when forming the organization of UPCI.
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