Quote:
Originally Posted by GrowingPains
Delta, sorry bud, but you thrive at blanket generalities. It's not enough to throw all cons under the bus, you seem to shoot for the entire UPC and ALJC. Remember that young people are often times kids... that makes a huge difference as they experiment with authority and impositions in their life. Many teenagers struggle and many also thrive. Hopefully your counsel is helping them thrive.
Feel like they're hellbound? What are they doing that makes them feel so unsure of their salvation? Maybe a healthy feeling of conviction of part of that "fear and trembling" and making our "calling and election sure."
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My experience is from the UPC. I mention ALJC because many view them as more liberal on standards and hard line preaching than the UPC.
You are right that with the teens they are full of drama and everyday can hold a lifetime of emotions. Still, this pattern is not just with young people. We are dealing constantly with people who are seriously damaged by their understanding. Back when I was UPC we went through a period of time in our church that wasn't so bad but the culture was such that people felt like they couldn't make it. Even though the preacher was closer to the gospel than ever there was still that culture that folks constantly struggled. It was all about the moves at the altar and hype and speaking in tongues and the truth is that I can't find anyone who was changed.
I had a young man who had received the "Holy Ghost" about 12 years ago during one of our great revivals tell me that nothing ever upset him more than what happened at our altar service. He then proceeded to tell me how he just prayed because everyone swoops in and lays hands on you and that they are so emotional that you just feel that for their benefit you have to just go through with it and "get the Holy Ghost". This guy is now a true born again Christian and is ministering to others. He feels like Pentecostalism is mind control and emotionalism.
I talk with others who have left, educated intelligent people, who were raised in the UPC and loved
Acts 2:38 and believed it just like I did. I hear them talk often about how they aren't sure that all that stuff was even of God and most will hesitate from speaking in tongues or anything of that nature because they don't to be chasing after something that might not really be God. These are not backsliden people but ministers of the Gospel and strong Christian leaders.
I realize it might seem like generalizing but I came from a very general UPC church. My pastor was on the board in Mississippi for many years, I have been to youth camp and camp meetings all my life. I have associated with many Pentecostals from all over the USA and I have a fairly good knowledge of the movement.
My own sister has admitted to me that out of her entire graduating class at CLC of around 35 - 40 students there might be 4 who are still associated with any apostolic group.
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