The other 33 rules for UPC preachers -In the interest of being fair and balanced...

Originally Posted by BoredOutOfMyMind

IF he divorced his wife and married another, they do look the other way.

As far as I know the AOG does not license divorced men.

I don't believe the UPC should either, regaurdless, they don't preach in our pulpit.

Originally Posted by Sheltiedad

In the interest of being fair and balanced... and to give some perspective... Given some recent statements on another thread, if a preacher is “lying” about the television issue, here is a complete list of the other rules in the same section of the manual that he may or may not be lying about. For consistency's sake, let's make sure we call them liars if they do not comply with any of the other 33 rules not involving television and video. (paraphrased by me to be less boring)

1. Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach by a member of a church without the local pastor's consent.
2. Ministers are not allowed to hold a meeting in a town with out the local pastor's consent.
3. No minister can start a church without the written consent of the District Board.
4. No minister or church pastored by a minister can relocate to a neighborhood where there is another church without written permission of the district board.
5. Ministers cannot accept an invitation to preach at any church that is “held in question” without getting the consent of the District Superintendent.
6. Ministers and saints of different congregations cannot interact in volunteer services or religious activities without the saint's pastors approval.
7. Any minister who resigns a church must sever all connection with that church or any of its members without the new pastor's consent.
8. Each minister holding a local license is required to pay their annual dues.
9. Each minister holding a general license is required to pay their annual dues.
10. Each ordained minister is required to pay their annual dues.
11. All ministers accepted into the fellowship must pay their dues beginning from the first of the quarter during which they are accepted.
12. All ministers are to pay their budget fee on at least a quarterly basis in advance.
13. All ministers have to pay their local district dues.
14. All ministers have to sign their affirmation statement stating their loyalty to the Fundamental Doctrine and the Holiness Standards every two years.
15. Ministers over 65 are eligible to become honorary ministers.
16. Any minister holding or seeking to hold credentials who speaks or writes in opposition to any Articles of Faith shall be called before the District Board.
17. No minister can be in a secret society except for labor unions.
18. No minister can mix bathe outside of the immediate family.
19. Ministers holding local licenses can't perform marriage ceremonies without permission.
20. Any minister who has been dropped or disfellowshipped shall not be received back for 1 year (not sure I paraphrased this one right, it is kinda confusing)
21. If a minister withdraws or is dropped from fellowship under questionable conduct, no other minister is allowed to let him preach or participate in any form in services except funerals or weddings.
22. Any minister who gets in trouble in another district can be tried in that district.
23. Any minister who commits an offense that affects more than one district may be refered to the General Board.
24. Any minister committing sins that are a great hindrance to the body shall be “silenced indefinitely” (that sounds kind of ominous!)
25. Any minister who knows the minister in rule 24 and lets him preach shall be “silenced” until proper restitution is made.
26. Any minister who used to have a license and has been dropped or withdrawn under question, falling into sin, etc. and seeks reinstatement later must prove himself for 2 years and then get endorsements and stuff.
27. All ministers not actively engaged in pastoring, evangelizing or teaching has to go to a church pastored by a UPC minister.
28. All ministers shall affiliate with the district in which they labor and reside.
29. A minister has to get a certificate of transfer to change districts.
30. A minister who is a student at a bible school cannot transfer into the district where he or she is going to school.
31. A minister cannot have a television in his home or advertise or minister on television.
32. No video except family pictures and church activities, etc. You must modify all video receivers so that they cannot receive television channels.
33. A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.
34. A minister can't own the church building.
35. A minister must keep confidential information confidential and not tell ANY other person!

That is the “Obligations and Rules” section in a nutshell. Obviously there is more legalese in there to clarify stuff further...

I don't see any problem with any of this. If you can't uphold the teachings of the UPC then by all means get out. TV is just the big issue now because it's being brought out because of the "big vote".

[DividedThigh]

Originally Posted by pelathais

The practicle application of the divorce/remarriage issue among UPC ministers is applied at the local district level. A minister who is "the victim" of divorce is usually allowed to stay and even remarry. The district board however can and usually does a "due and thorough investigation." This would include an examination of the divorce court's records and testimony from the "ex" and other family members.

There are remarkable circumstances that can be involved in different cases. That's why it usually is a case-by-case type of judgement.


You have a point, however, again I'm trying to see it from the "practicle application" angle. The sin of a minister watching Britney Spears do her thing is not as damaging to the ministry as if Britney Spears were a minister herself. I think most are trying to avoid having a situation where they have someone behaving outrageously and bringing shame upon everyone else.

Sexual sin on the part of a minister often involves a person using a "position of power" to gain sexual favors from another. This "position of power" line of reasoning is so prevelant that most states forbid sexual relations between psychologists and their patients and medical doctors and their patients. Many Universities have similar policies for sexual contact between professors and their students. In the military a commander cannot have sex with any one under his/her direct command.

There's just a principle involved about using a postion to get sexual favors. The UPC says, "Do that one time and you're outta here." I happen to respect that stand.

some district boards idea of investigation is to start rumors about the investigated and sew lies, fact, not my opinion, dt

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

A minister cannot accept a member into his church who came from another UPC church without a letter of release or transfer from his old church.

That one gets ignored all the time fo shure

Lots of them get ignored all the time.