Missouri Molestation Case

[FRINGE_NUTTER]

It seems that no matter what the headquarters says, churches just do what they want to do. Not saying that is bad, just an observation.

Originally Posted by pelathais

As Sam has pointed out, it is the job of the local (usually state-wide or thereabouts in size) district to license and ordain.

And yes, at least going a few years back, if a man's wife backslid and walked out on him, he would not be necessarily "kicked out." He would certainly end up meeting the board to talk about it. If the board was satisfied then the man would not loose his ministry due to the actions of his wife (or vice versa). Of course if the minister in question was something of a trouble maker it could be that this would be the "straw that breaks the camel's back."

But the decision is local (at the district level) as long as the district board is following the general guidance of the UPCI Manual.

To answer your other question (sort of?): "The Manual" of the UPCI contains "the rules" that every minister is to follow. These can be broken down:

The Articles of Faith: what the UPC teaches and believes to be necessary for salvation and thus, also for Christian fellowship. Every minister is "expected" to preach, believe and practice the Articles of Faith. They are supposed to (in one way or another) get their congregations on the same page as the AoF.

The Judicial Procedure: This spells out how differences among ministers, among districts and other bodies and among officials are to be worked out. Basically, you must follow a Matthew 18 pattern for conflict resolution and the org will help if called upon to provide arbiters, etc.

The Local Church Constitution: What every local assembly must do to become and remain affiliated with the UPCI. Local UPC churches may or may not be affiliated." It's up to them. The trend has been that most churches have become affiliated to protect their property, etc.

And then there's more organizational stuff: departments, endorsed schools and ministries (like Tupelo's and Lighthouse Ranch) etc. And of course every resolution that has ever been passed unless it was subsequently done away with by subsequent resolutions and a series of "Position Papers."