How much information should the saints expect from their pastor?

[kylady]

There are some of us saints that... do care what "all Apostolic organizations" are saying that is "truth" these days.. I used to be another denomination for 12 years of my life.. and now I have been a Pentecostal for over 34 yrs.. and just in the past couple of years.. it has shocked me to see the sudden changes that has taken place in "pentecost" in general.. no matter what organization one is in.. We were glad as a family for the Lord to lead us to a church that preached Acts 2:38 and holiness as well.. Now in some cases you cannot tell a pentecostal from any other denomination... I never thought I would live to see the day that certain changes would ever take place in any Pentecostal church .. no matter what organization they are a part of.. We should care what our church takes part in... what our pastor takes part of.. because we are representing Jesus to a lost and dying world.. and it does matter what we do in that process... There are some that care where our organization is headed... It is not all about the resolutions of this recent conference.. It is where are all of us going to spend eternity.. and we just want the truth preached.. no more and no less...

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I am curious, our pastor is the DS and an active participant in the politics of the UPC at these General Conference...things.

David Bernard wrote a letter to his constituency, yet I haven't heard one single utterance of what happened at GC, much less any position of where the church or the pastor stands in light of the new developments, i.e....the television resolution.

I think the people of the church, if they are the ones who proudly and loudly wear the UPC badge, should have an expectation of their leadership to tell them what is going on in the org!

What say ye?

Many people, whether their church body/building is in the UPCI or not, if the Pastor is...do wear that badge proudly [sometimes arrogantly] that they are "UPC". I do think the Pastor needs to first pray and decide where he stands on the issue, what he has preached through the years, and if they agree tell them nothing has changed for this church. If the Pastor has changed his stand he needs to make the church aware and why and then ask those who do not stand with him to please not cause andy trouble in the church and their letters of referral to another assembly will be written positively to keep peace in the body.

Just my humb;e opinion

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

But imagine the shock of a person who believes they are UPC and believes certain things about the UPC only to find out several years later the UPC changed and your Pastor kept the news from you

Imagine the ignorance of people whose beliefs and convictions change when an organization votes.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I find it very interesting how that many have characterized what comes out of the General Conference as being junk, warts, dirty politics, yada yada yada?

Is this really the perception of what GC is all about, airing dirty laundry and such?

Coonskinner, what if none of your church members knew who George Bush, Hilary Clinton, Fred Thompson, the pledge of allegience, and who the first president was?

Ask any of your congregation if they are UPC and I bet to a person they will say "yes"!

It is a shame garden variety saints don't know or are made not to care what goes on in the organization they have assumed an identity in order to represent!!!!!

Coonskinner, what if none of your church members knew who George Bush, Hilary Clinton, Fred Thompson, the pledge of allegience, and who the first president was?

If I were a history or civics teacher that would bother me.

I am a preacher of the Gospel, not the organization's ambassador to my city. It isn't a desire for secrecy, just indifference and irrelevance that keeps me from talking that stuff.

Ask any of your congregation if they are UPC and I bet to a person they will say "yes"!

Some might, but probably not most. You see, we were independent for years. I joined the UPC--they didn't. It is a fellowship of preachers.

The name UPC is nowhere on our sign or in our literature. I don'tpush that identity on them. We were what we were before I joined back up, and we will be what we are if i ever get out. It is irrelevant.

Their sense of connection and identity are with the men of God and churches we fellowship, not a building in Hazelwood.

I never set foot in a UPC church until I was 16, but had been Apostolic all my life.

That makes a difference in the way I view things, probably.

Honestly Carp, I have not had good reasons to have great trust in organizations. I appreciate the good things about the UPC, but that's not the rock I stand on.

Neither is it a signifigant portion of my identity or that of the church I am privileged to pastor. I like it that way.That way if the org goes off the rails, we aren't so much affected.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by dizzyde

I guess the difference of approach is I don't think very many of the saints at our church would identify themselves as UPC, they would say they are Apostolic or Pentecostal.

Bingo.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by anapko81

With all due respect sir, but if you are a member of the UPC, wouldn't it make sense that your congregation are members too? For a pastor to simply ignore an issue that they may or may not agree with simply because you're not interested in the politics is cheating your people. Maybe some of your people want to know what's going on, that's why you go to the GC! So, pastors that ignore the results of resolution 4 simply because they disagree with it does a disservice to their congregation.

The UPC is a ministerial fellowship.

If they hear about something and ask, I don't mind telling them, but I find it pretty much irrelevant to anything I preach and teach.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by anapko81

I agree with The Mrs and Praxeas on this and I disagree with Coonskinner. It's like going to church and always believing you believe one way only to have yourself rattled 20 years later that the pastor went in another direction. Good points Praxeas and The Mrs!! If I belong to a church and pay tithes and other support, I deserve to know what is going on in my church!

Some of us don't change what we preach and teach based on a vote at GC. That is why it is irrelevant.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by anapko81

True, but most signs in front of the church say United Pentecostal Church, or UPCI affiliated, what's the difference? What are you saying, the pastor can be UPC, but the people can be whatever they want? I agree, it's of no value to "burden" the church with the "politics" of the organization, but, if that sign states, UPC or UPCI affiliated, then the congregation is UPC!

Our sign doesn't say it.

[Coonskinner]

If you work a union job, and you are a member, are your kids automaticaly members?

No.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by anapko81

Brother, I don't question your integrity. The first post of this thread simply stated from Carpenter that DB wrote a letter to his constituency of the events from GC. He said that they haven't heard a word from their DS. His comments were that if these people "proudly" wear the UPC badge, they had a right to know what's going on. You are saying along with Coonskinner that you don't burden the people with the politics cause they aren't in the UPC, you, as the minister, are the only one in it. If you disagree with a resolution, it will filter in your sermons. But to deny information to the people will provide irreparable harm to them.

I preach what I have always preached, resolution or no.

That won't change.

Our people know about missionaries, and go to district meetings, etc.

But I have learned that what I don't make a big deal out of is generally not a big deal to them.

And I choose not to make the goings on in the political realm a big deal.