Quote:
Originally Posted by CC1
Peacemaker,
I have no doubt that this is a somewhat multicultural church with many educated and well employed saints. With that said I am still willing to bet the farm that out of around 800 people 100-150 would follow their long time pastor to a new work in the same town.
While I myself have not been UPC for a long time I still have many relatives and friends who are including some in full time ministry. I still visit a number of UPC churches regularly and listen a lot to what my friends and relatives still in it say.
The biggest change I see since I left is that many of the larger churches have adopted a two tier standing of saints with those not adhering to the dress code being welcome but not allowed to participate beyond worship ( for example no teaching, singing in the choir, etc allowed for those heathen women with cut hair, makeup, jewelry, etc)
|
CC1 you aren't off like PM says you are. This is the predominant trend in the UPC among the premier churches and elite ministries.
Often these churches are told by pastor, ministers on staff, visiting ministers that they are "special" church, among the best of the best, and that they really are the only place in town where the presence and favor of God can be found like it is found there. An elitist mentality becomes a part of the culture of that church.
Prophecies that the jewel of the city church will one day experience a great outpouring, revival, move of God that will bring in the hordes of sinners and further validate their superior standing with God and validate their deeper spirituality are common, furthering the attitude that at any moment an Azusa Street type revival is about to happen. The slightest evidence of supernatural activity: a bonafide miracle, a significant number of people speaking receiving the HG, outbreaks like we saw on YouTube of folks shouting and getting crazy at Cracker Barrel stirs the emotions that it's about to happen.
The congregation begins to believe this brainwashing that they are THE church, the best place to find God and have the deep spiritual experience and revelations they receive, unlike any other in town. They become condescending to other churches in and out of their denomination and they proselytize often.
Then when something like this goes down, there is a crisis within the members of the church. Some realize it was a big farce and that the arrogance and self righteousness was wrong, they are humbled and learn from the experience. Others unfortunately are too intoxicated with themselves and although their hero and the icon of their superiority has fallen, they cannot give up on the idea that they are that special place where God visits in a unique and exclusive way.
Ergo, many will remain blind to what really caused the problem in the first place and keep hanging on to the dream. They even believe the fall of their pastor will be the very thing that will usher in that great move of God they were promised so many times.