While I've been praying for God to reveal his will for our family - I would not classify myself as a one-stepper. I recognize that being raised in the UPC has certainly skewed the way I read Scripture - but I have be attempting to study with a fresh mindset to let the Scripture interpret itself. That said, I still keep coming away with the impression that "if any man have not the Spirit of God he is none of his" and that tongues are clearly the initial sign of receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I'm not saying that if someone truly repents of their sin and then dies before being baptized or receiving the Holy Ghost that he's not saved. BUT - the scripture clearly points toward true believers taking a step of obedience to be baptized in Jesus name and to seek the promise of the Gift of the Holy Ghost (
Acts 8). (I'm also not saying that people who live their whole lives only knowing repentance and baptism in the titles won't receive their reward...but I have to do what God has revealed for me and my family.)
Okay -all that said - I've been researching churches in my area for a while now, considering taking a step outside of the UPC, away from the man made traditions, obligations, and "expectations" put upon mature Christians. Even though my church "doesn't preach standards," there's still an expectation that "mature Christians" will tow the line. It's an environment I have a difficult time foreseeing raising my kids in.
Do you know how difficult it is to find a church that baptizes in Jesus name? There's an ex-UPC church in town that does, but the pastor doesn't believe that all believers should seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Finally, finally - I've found a church that according to their beliefs page on their website, preaches baptism in Jesus name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues. And judging from their pictures of their ministers, they don't teach traditional UPCI standards.
Unfortunately, in my area of the country, none of the ministerial associations listed in this thread are represented anywhere nearby. I've resorted to a Google search on "churches" and painstakingly clicking on every single dot that comes up in my area, and then reading web pages when I stumble across one that looks promising.
The church I've just discovered is about 35 minutes away. Not ideal, but I've driven farther to church in my past. Plus, it's in an area near where we've considered moving in the next 5 years. We're still praying about God's will for our family, and I'm not sure if/when we're going to visit it. But it's a weight off my mind to know that it's out there. An answer to prayer...even if it isn't the right place for us, I prayed that God would show us at least one option out there, and two days after having my face in the ground over this, I've finally stumbled across it. God is good.
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