UPC Membership

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Splain this the name is
The United Pentecostal CHURCH International not the United Pentecostal Ministerial International. It is call THE CHURCH! Pastor pastor congregations where the sign reads "First United Pentecostal Church." Ask the saint what CHURCH are you a member of they answer The United Pentecostal Church.
Churches are and can be affiliated.

Bump.

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Bump.

What exactly are you saying/asking?

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by rrford

What exactly are you saying/asking?

Point is the name is The United Pentecostal Church(not ministers or churches but rather CHURCH) Most UPC churches are named so and so United Pentecostal Church and most members think they are a member of a United Pentecostal Church. Thus the perception is NOT a group of preachers in a fellowship but rather a CHURCH or in many cases THE Church. Tus the Church concept is a valid one by perception.

[Margies3]

In the Methodist church, you actually "Join" the church. You stand before the congregation and make a vow to uphold the church with your time, your talents, your gifts and your service. Those people take that vow as seriously as some people take their wedding vows! They mean what they say!

In all the years I was in the UPC, I never actually witnessed anyone "join" the church. They seemed to think that attending regularly, tithing and being active was the same thing as being a "member".

Now don't get me wrong. I saw alot of people who were members of the Methodist church in name only. They were members but never showed up. They usually sent their offerings in regularly - because they wanted to keep their names on the books. I have no problem with the fact that UPC people don't get up and make membership vows. But I'm just saying that as far as "membership" goes, no one is actually a card-carrying bonified MEMBER, except perhaps the clergy.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

The UPCI is NOT a ministerial fellowship.......................











if you live in CA, because they don't fellowship each other.

great point!

[Felicity]

In my home district many people think UPCI is THE church. They don't know any other.

If you ask them what denomination they are or what religion or whatever they'll say ..... UPC probably almost invariably. If you go to a UP church then you would consider yourself as United Pentecostal.

Makes sense to me.

[whollyHis]

Originally Posted by Margies3

In the Methodist church, you actually "Join" the church. You stand before the congregation and make a vow to uphold the church with your time, your talents, your gifts and your service. Those people take that vow as seriously as some people take their wedding vows! They mean what they say!

In all the years I was in the UPC, I never actually witnessed anyone "join" the church. They seemed to think that attending regularly, tithing and being active was the same thing as being a "member".

Now don't get me wrong. I saw alot of people who were members of the Methodist church in name only. They were members but never showed up. They usually sent their offerings in regularly - because they wanted to keep their names on the books. I have no problem with the fact that UPC people don't get up and make membership vows. But I'm just saying that as far as "membership" goes, no one is actually a card-carrying bonified MEMBER, except perhaps the clergy.

Margie, things are different in the Apostolic movement. You don't 'join' God's church- you are'born' into it...least that's how I was always taught. Someone can correct me, if I am wrong...(And I am SURE they will...) LOL

[Revelationist]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Well the actually technical term "upci member" refers only to those men licensed by the organization, as the charter (to the best of my understanding) is a "ministerial fellowship" only.

This is the correct bottom line. The UPC is a ministerial fellowship. But when posting numbers for the world to see, the UPC includes the saints in the numbers to make the numbers look better. : )