Fact is... 99% of churches in the world don't look like the early church in model.
I believe firmly that the Lord is still moving with us, in spite of us.
EXACTLY!
I find that very comforting - just to know the Lord is interested in me and loves me in SPITE of my shortcomings.
Thank you Jesus, and please make me more like you!
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
Some of my fondest memories were as a child growing up in a UPCI church: Bible quizzing, travel, conferences, Buckeye Lake Campmeeting. As a young woman; Jackson College of Ministries, marriage, and ministry, home missions, evangelizing, and Pastoring.
I appreciate my heritage.
Lovely. Do you mind me saving this? I might need it later.
Fact is... 99% of churches in the world don't look like the early church in model.
I believe firmly that the Lord is still moving with us, in spite of us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover
EXACTLY!
I find that very comforting - just to know the Lord is interested in me and loves me in SPITE of my shortcomings.
Thank you Jesus, and please make me more like you!
Amen! I have a few things I could comment on, but since I am not perfect.......it would seem a bit ridiculous.
Fact is... 99% of churches in the world don't look like the early church in model.
I believe firmly that the Lord is still moving with us, in spite of us.
No doubt the LORD is still working through the UPC to get the Gospel preached, but the fact is still that the organization is being disobedient.
99% of the religious groups in this world don't believe in the Apostle's doctrine, that's no excuse for the UPC to be in existence as a denomination, in direct contradiction to the ecclesial structure provided to us by the apostles.
Rather than think we have it all together, why don't we strive to be perfectly apostolic? My home assembly may not be perfect, but we are trying, and one by one, our sacred cows are going. We have a plain meetinghouse, a pastor who is trying to get a plural eldership (we currently have one pastor and one deacon), a house church movement we are trying to encourage as a suppliment to Sunday morning and Wednesday evening service, and a group of people who LOVE studying the WORD! I love the spiritual conversations I can have with the people at my assembly. Food pantry on Saturday always ends with a Bible discussion going, and when we went fishing after this week's pantry work, we even considered bringing our Bibles along so to be able to reference our points in case we'd get into a Bible discussion. And what's great is to see different interpretations surface before a discussion, and then a general unity develop by the time the discussion is over. I tell you, I could talk Bible all day! My heart aches for the carnal fellowship I see take place in some assemblies, and the "uncoolness" of talking Bible. This Christian experience, and love of Scriptures and fellowship is supposed to be an organic occurrence that takes place in every Christian assembly. But with the hierarchy, as the "priest's lips hold the knowledge", and the lack of understanding of NT priesthood of every believer, the ability of the "lay" saints to discuss Scripture is hindered. The hierachial, denominational model has more reprocussions than many think, and it breaks down the very goal of fellowship, it holds the saints back from their full potential, and it puts apostolic assemblies in a model derived from the Catholics and Protestants.
No doubt the LORD is still working through the UPC to get the Gospel preached, but the fact is still that the organization is being disobedient.
99% of the religious groups in this world don't believe in the Apostle's doctrine, that's no excuse for the UPC to be in existence as a denomination, in direct contradiction to the ecclesial structure provided to us by the apostles.
Rather than think we have it all together, why don't we strive to be perfectly apostolic? My home assembly may not be perfect, but we are trying, and one by one, our sacred cows are going. We have a plain meetinghouse, a pastor who is trying to get a plural eldership (we currently have one pastor and one deacon), a house church movement we are trying to encourage as a suppliment to Sunday morning and Wednesday evening service, and a group of people who LOVE studying the WORD! I love the spiritual conversations I can have with the people at my assembly. Food pantry on Saturday always ends with a Bible discussion going, and when we went fishing after this week's pantry work, we even considered bringing our Bibles along so to be able to reference our points in case we'd get into a Bible discussion. And what's great is to see different interpretations surface before a discussion, and then a general unity develop by the time the discussion is over. I tell you, I could talk Bible all day! My heart aches for the carnal fellowship I see take place in some assemblies, and the "uncoolness" of talking Bible. This Christian experience, and love of Scriptures and fellowship is supposed to be an organic occurrence that takes place in every Christian assembly. But with the hierarchy, as the "priest's lips hold the knowledge", and the lack of understanding of NT priesthood of every believer, the ability of the "lay" saints to discuss Scripture is hindered. The hierachial, denominational model has more reprocussions than many think, and it breaks down the very goal of fellowship, it holds the saints back from their full potential, and it puts apostolic assemblies in a model derived from the Catholics and Protestants.
GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex
I am pleased to know that you have a great group of folks to share your Christian walk.
__________________
Isaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."(KJV)
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." Dwight L. Moody
I find that very comforting - just to know the Lord is interested in me and loves me in SPITE of my shortcomings.
Thank you Jesus, and please make me more like you!
If that truly is your prayer, and your assembly's prayer, may the LORD grant it! I believe that prayer, for the local apostolic assembly will be granted by a shaking off of all the vestiages still left behind from Catholicism and Protestantism. GOD will present to HIMSELF a glorious Church, without any spot, wrinkle or blemish. The question is will the assemblies in the UPC (and the other organizations) submit to this process, and be apart of this Glorious Church? Will the independent assembly I attend in Maine be apart of the Glorious Church GOD will present to HIMSELF? There's a process we have to submit to. I'm seeing the process taking place at my home assembly, and I hope we continue in it!
If that truly is your prayer, and your assembly's prayer, may the LORD grant it! I believe that prayer, for the local apostolic assembly will be granted by a shaking off of all the vestiages still left behind from Catholicism and Protestantism. GOD will present to HIMSELF a glorious Church, without any spot, wrinkle or blemish. The question is will the assemblies in the UPC (and the other organizations) submit to this process, and be apart of this Glorious Church? Will the independent assembly I attend in Maine be apart of the Glorious Church GOD will present to HIMSELF? There's a process we have to submit to. I'm seeing the process taking place at my home assembly, and I hope we continue in it!
GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex
Salvation is not a corporate thing... it's a personal thing.
__________________ Mrs. LPW
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
I am pleased to know that you have a great group of folks to share your Christian walk.
Well, I'm glad you're pleased, but our goal is to be pleasing to GOD.
You are apart of the UPC, and you love the UPC. Since we are on the topic, do you see or sense anything in your congregation that is attempting to get back to NT, apostolic Christianity? What strides is the UPC making to accomplish the goal of being that Glorious Church?
Let's study it out- let's take our different views, and see if we can't come to a unity on them. Some consider me an idealist, to where I believe Apostolics can come to a unity of the faith in anything, if they (and let the Holy Ghost)work at it. There is no reason why we have to be divided like the Protestants, with one brother being UPC, another ALJC and another indep.
Salvation is not a corporate thing... it's a personal thing.
Well, the ark was a type of the church in the OT, and if the ark sunk, then the people in the ark were going down with it. Also, GOD is coming for a Church- not for however many million individuals. These million individuals must be in one vehicle (the Church) to be saved. My assembly of 70 or so, is part of GOD's church, a family who worships together due to the lack of an apostolic assembly is part of GOD's church. GOD's church is all over the world in pockets and places we may not expect it to be. I am not saying the UPC is out of GOD's Church, but it has a different structure than the Bible permits it to have. Might this be as the servant who knew the masters will, did it not, and was beaten with many stripes? Might a UPC church member who knows no better be the servant who didn't know HIS will and was beaten with few stripes? I don't want the LORD to have to beat or judge me. I want to be careful, I want to judge myself, and thereby spare GOD's judgement on me, and I want my assembly to do the Master's will, so that we can prevent the beating with the stripes. It seems some see the error they are in, and they figure- "GREAT, well, at least I'm saved, and I may be a bit out of order, but I'll still make it to Heaven, and just get have to go through a quick rebuking of JESUS, but that's a whole lot easier than changing things from how they've always been."
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