Letter from Bro. Chester Wright to Bro. Haney

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

One of the problems, as I see, it that the UPC has set itself up as judge and jury of every other Christian and movement on the face of the earth. They have set themselves up as the receivers, holders and protectors of the "holy grail" of salvation & sanctification doctrine. Therefore, no one else is right enough, holy enough or pure enough (outside of them) to really reach the world.

It is one thing to claim special revelation, even about the godhead etc, and then try to spread that wonderful news. It is completely another thing to state that everyone else who doesn't accept that revelation is going straight to hell, not passing "go" etc.

So when someone like me, who still preaches Ac. 2:38, but is a one stepper comes along, I'm a wishy washy compromiser who loves trinitarians etc, etc. My Youth pastor wear jeans on the platform, has a 3 day growth of a beard and plays electric guitar and really seems to enjoy it as well.

Some can't stand that and would rather be someplace where all of that is relegated to the camp of the devil and criticized as worldly etc. Fine....as Carp said, write the epitaph...."I will not be, I will not be moved" and God will move on as He has done throughout history all the while the little group has bemoaned how things are not as they used to be. When the CLOUD moves, follow it or all you'll have left is rotten worm infested manna. The principles of the word of God don't change like righteousness, holiness, Christ-likeness etc. Methods do. And I'll take a sold out young person in jeans and a 3 day old growth beard any day over a self-righteous bigot who thinks that they're better than everyone else.

In the church I pastor, everyone is welcome! People find Jesus, get delivered, grow in the word, and struggle with their flesh just like every other church on the planet. Women wear pants make up etc. Sexual impurity is not rampant and people aren't getting drunk except in the Spirit every now and then.

The bottom line is reaching the lost! Relevant, irrelevant, lib or con....just reach the lost and leave the rest to Jesus! If the UPC would spend a 10th of the time it does riding the fences it would double over night. Sadly, though, I don't think that is going to happen, because too many people are worried about someone's 3 day beard growth and jeans with an untucked shirt trying to be relevant! The Lord must truly weep when He sees the condition of our world and the fights which take place IN the church instead of fighting the devil outside the church.

Great Post MOW, I took a look around the congregation during the preaching yesterday and observed 3-400 people. It kind of made me sigh and like I said, I got pretty frustrated and disappointed how in the same breath it was being said that, "...there needs to be a church in this city that holds (the standard, righteousness, the things of God sacred, etc.)" and that God hates (all the stuff I mentioned).

There will be a church in the city of .00045 people (compared to the population) who expects to reach the city...with very specific, limited, and exclusive parameters?

Give me a break, they don't want to reach the city, they want to be exclusive IN the city with their .00045 people (450/1000000). ...gimme that old time religion, gimme that old time religion, gimme that old time religion, its good enough for us to maintain our .00045 (or .045%).

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by A_PoMo

Haha! And those see through socks that went up the knee! haha!

Seriously, without looking it up I'm pretty sure they went barefoot. Wouldn't that be a hoot at a church, to make everybody go barefoot! haha.

I was talking with a conservative 'holiness' lady recently who had heard of achurch where the pastor kicked off his sandals and taught from the platform barefoot and she was mortified!

How ironic (assuming my assumption is true).

If a UC UPCer did that, it would kill the move of God and the service. We all know that God only annoints those in the longs (long sleeves, long pants, long hair, long skirts, long faces...you get the point )

[sisjean7]

I obviously have not had a chance to read everyone's opinions but, I have been ministered to by Bro. Jeremy Foster at a local youth camp and also at a local youth service and the Lord uses him in an awesome way. Many young people received the Holy Ghost at youth camp and the Lord's Spirit took control at the youth service. Those service have been some of the greatest I have been to. but I guess I would say that since i am in the age range that the District superintendent says they are trying to reach. (20-29) lol

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

One of the problems, as I see it, is that the UPC has set itself up as judge and jury of every other Christian and movement on the face of the earth. They have set themselves up as the receivers, holders and protectors of the "holy grail" of salvation & sanctification doctrine. Therefore, no one else is right enough, holy enough or pure enough (outside of them) to really reach the world.

It is one thing to claim special revelation, even about the godhead etc, and then try to spread that wonderful news. It is completely another thing to state that everyone else who doesn't accept that revelation is going straight to hell, not passing "go" etc.

So when someone like me, who still preaches Ac. 2:38, but is a one stepper comes along, to them, I'm a wishy washy compromiser who loves trinitarians etc, etc. My Youth pastor wear jeans on the platform, has a 3 day growth of a beard and plays electric guitar and really seems to enjoy it as well.

Some can't stand that and would rather be someplace where all of that is relegated to the camp of the devil and criticized as worldly etc. Fine....as Carp said, write the epitaph...."I will not be, I will not be moved" and God will move on as He has done throughout history all the while the little group has bemoaned how things are not as they used to be. When the CLOUD moves, follow it or all you'll have left is rotten worm infested manna. The principles of the word of God don't change like righteousness, holiness, Christ-likeness etc. Methods do. And I'll take a sold out young person in jeans and a 3 day old growth beard any day over a self-righteous bigot who thinks that they're better than everyone else.

In the church I pastor, everyone is welcome! People find Jesus, get delivered, grow in the word, and struggle with their flesh just like every other church on the planet. Women wear pants make up etc. Sexual impurity is not rampant and people aren't getting drunk except in the Spirit every now and then.

The bottom line is reaching the lost! Relevant, irrelevant, lib or con....just reach the lost and leave the rest to Jesus! If the UPC would spend a 10th of the time it does riding the fences, on reaching the lost, it would double over night. Sadly, though, I don't think that is going to happen, because too many people are worried about someone's 3 day beard growth and jeans with an untucked shirt trying to be relevant! The Lord must truly weep when He sees the condition of our world and the fights which take place IN the church instead of fighting the devil outside the church.

Bump..............for anyone!

[tv1a]

The largest church in the upc/wpf doesn't even reach 1/2 percent of their population. With all the upci churches in the Columbus Oh area they are lucky to have as many mbrs as were there on the Day of Pentecost. I doubt there are 5,000 upci/wpf constituents in the entire state. An recent article in the Indiana Persprectives doesn't list the upci even in the top 10 denominations. The WV upci district is bad about parishoners church hopping and putting churches within blocks of each other. A few months ago on the wv website they were promoting a concept of putting churches in areas where there are no upci churches. In the meantime, they have no problem undermining the called and chosen work in that area by allowing upci churches down the street. Organization jealousy is pathetic.

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Great Post MOW, I took a look around the congregation during the preaching yesterday and observed 3-400 people. It kind of made me sigh and like I said, I got pretty frustrated and disappointed how in the same breath it was being said that, "...there needs to be a church in this city that holds (the standard, righteousness, the things of God sacred, etc.)" and that God hates (all the stuff I mentioned).

There will be a church in the city of .00045 people (compared to the population) who expects to reach the city...with very specific, limited, and exclusive parameters?

Give me a break, they don't want to reach the city, they want to be exclusive IN the city with their .00045 people (450/1000000). ...gimme that old time religion, gimme that old time religion, gimme that old time religion, its good enough for us to maintain our .00045 (or .045%).

[CC1]

Originally Posted by tv1a

The largest church in the upc/wpf doesn't even reach 1/2 percent of their population. With all the upci churches in the Columbus Oh area they are lucky to have as many mbrs as were there on the Day of Pentecost. I doubt there are 5,000 upci/wpf constituents in the entire state. An recent article in the Indiana Persprectives doesn't list the upci even in the top 10 denominations. The WV upci district is bad about parishoners church hopping and putting churches within blocks of each other. A few months ago on the wv website they were promoting a concept of putting churches in areas where there are no upci churches. In the meantime, they have no problem undermining the called and chosen work in that area by allowing upci churches down the street. Organization jealousy is pathetic.

If The Pentecostals of Alexandria have 3,000 people in their church that is
6 1/2% of the estimated 2006 population of Alexandria which is 45,836.

If they just have 2500 people that is approx. 5 1/2%

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by CC1

If The Pentecostals of Alexandria have 3,000 people in their church that is
6 1/2% of the estimated 2006 population of Alexandria which is 45,836.

If they just have 2500 people that is approx. 5 1/2%

What do you think the average will be of those who take the wide way compared to those who take the straight way?

[tv1a]

According to scripture, it isn't anyone's business. God separates the wheat from the tares. Anyone attempting to do that prematurely is playing God.

Originally Posted by mizpeh

What do you think the average will be of those who take the wide way compared to those who take the straight way?

[CC1]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

What do you think the average will be of those who take the wide way compared to those who take the straight way?

By "the wide way" are you referring to old time Pentecost and the size of many of the women in it?

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by CC1

By "the wide way" are you referring to old time Pentecost and the size of many of the women in it?

Are you having a hard time typing with both feet stuck in your mouth today?