Travelling in a car does not affect the running of GOD's Church. They also drove in chariots in JESUS' day, and they had boats, ect... Flying in an airplane rejects nothing in Scripture, neither does it add to any Scriptural mandate.
Appointing General Superintendants and other such offices that are not authorized in Scripture and is wrong. Also, if GOD does not have a denomination, as you say, then would it be reasonable to say a denomination is not HIS? A demoninational system is not authorized by HIM? ect... A denomination puts man at the head. The UPC works through elections and other such things? Where do we see this in Scripture? The UPC sets standards that bind and that hinder fellowship. The UPC also charges a fee for liscensing it's ministers, where do we see this in Scripture? Where did the apostles align themselves along denominational lines? Can the structure of a thing, affect the working of the thing? Can a car being built some according to the pattern, and some deviant from the pattern, make the car different? Yes, and it will run different, and it will be different. Not the best example, but it's late.
GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex
Again, nothing you state above is stated in scripture. Just because God doesn't mention it doesn't mean He is against it, just like the lack of the mention of cars doesn't mean God is against cars.
We don't see a lot of things in scripture that we have in the church today, like altars, testimony services, ladies meetings, and Holy Ghost shoutdowns, but just because you don't see those things mentioned in scripture doesn't mean God is against those things taking place.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
Again, nothing you state above is stated in scripture. Just because God doesn't mention it doesn't mean He is against it, just like the lack of the mention of cars doesn't mean God is against cars.
We don't see a lot of things in scripture that we have in the church today, like altars, testimony services, ladies meetings, and Holy Ghost shoutdowns, but just because you don't see those things mentioned in scripture doesn't mean God is against those things taking place.
Yup we don't see altars in Scripture, except in the OT and we don't see altar calls... hmmm... could we do without them? You bet!
Testimony services- the apostles didn't tell of what GOD was doing in and through them to exhort their brethren? They sure did (although it was probably in a house church/dinner-table type setting).
Ladies meetings- The older women are told to teach the younger women, having the ladies get together for fellowship is great for them.
HG shoutdowns- I have no clue what that is. A move of GOD though in the assembly is very much Biblical.
We could go through each knit-picking thing, but none of these are so great matters as to how the very Church is RUN. Bishops, elders, deacons, the 5-fold ministry, are all very Biblical. General Superindentents are just as unbiblical as Popes and Cardinals, and a compendium of rules that bind or break fellowship is as unbiblical as a catechism, and the LORD detests such things.
Just my two cents for what it's worth. As one who was raised on the mission field, I tend to speak from a global perspective. With all of its imperfections, I'm not sure that any one organization has done more to spread the Apostolic message throughout the world than the UPCI. Speaking specifically of Liberia, which was ravaged by civil war, in addition to the spiritual support, the UPCI was at one point the only international agency providing humanitarian aid to the country. There have definitely been problems as with any other group of people (even amongst the twelve disciples there were bad apples), but all in all I do deeply respect what has been done for the advancement of the Apostolic doctrine.
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There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
Yup we don't see altars in Scripture, except in the OT and we don't see altar calls... hmmm... could we do without them? You bet!
Testimony services- the apostles didn't tell of what GOD was doing in and through them to exhort their brethren? They sure did (although it was probably in a house church/dinner-table type setting).
Ladies meetings- The older women are told to teach the younger women, having the ladies get together for fellowship is great for them.
HG shoutdowns- I have no clue what that is. A move of GOD though in the assembly is very much Biblical.
We could go through each knit-picking thing, but none of these are so great matters as to how the very Church is RUN. Bishops, elders, deacons, the 5-fold ministry, are all very Biblical. General Superindentents are just as unbiblical as Popes and Cardinals, and a compendium of rules that bind or break fellowship is as unbiblical as a catechism, and the LORD detests such things.
GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex
Alex, I have read your posts with some interest. Honestly, I believe some of your approach is a function of your age. I do love to see passion for God and the word of God in our youth though.
I have read a lot about your church's endeavor to mirror the early Apostolic church and I am just curious about how far you all go towards "having all things in common" in the financial sense or selling all and bringing the proceeds to the church. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need (Acts 2:42-45).
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There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
You still haven't shown me where God detests the UPCI, or church organizations in general.
It's so quite that I can hear crickets!
BTW, you rock, H1!
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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
Man, I have been missing this one! Too bad I am too tired to read all the posts right now, to see how we got where it is now. Guess it's gonna have to wait until tomorrow.
I'll give you one guess!
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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
Just my two cents for what it's worth. As one who was raised on the mission field, I tend to speak from a global perspective. With all of its imperfections, I'm not sure that any one organization has done more to spread the Apostolic message throughout the world than the UPCI. Speaking specifically of Liberia, which was ravaged by civil war, in addition to the spiritual support, the UPCI was at one point the only international agency providing humanitarian aid to the country. There have definitely been problems as with any other group of people (even amongst the twelve disciples there were bad apples), but all in all I do deeply respect what has been done for the advancement of the Apostolic doctrine.
That was worth more than two cents, brother. Excellent post!
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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
Alex, I have read your posts with some interest. Honestly, I believe some of your approach is a function of your age. I do love to see passion for God and the word of God in our youth though.
I have read a lot about your church's endeavor to mirror the early Apostolic church and I am just curious about how far you all go towards "having all things in common" in the financial sense or selling all and bringing the proceeds to the church. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need (Acts 2:42-45).
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
We do this in my assembly. We don't live on a compound or anything, but we do have a private roadway, where the meetinghouse, pastor's house and deacon's house are (there's another house of a man who is not apart of the assembly). We're not communists, but neither were the apostles. We take up offerings for saints in our assembly in need, we have a food pantry, clothing is often given to saints in need, if someone needs a place to stay, the meetinghouse has an apartment (which I use every week, since I live over an hour away), and if someone needs someone else's van for moving something (as a brother and I might be doing this weekend) then it is offered. We hold our things in common. We're a family. There are boundaries, I can't just take a brothers van to move something without asking, or I can't just take something of someone else's, but usually if there is a need and something is asked of someone, it is provided. I have no doubt other apostolic assemblies work like this, and that the principle of "holding things in common" is still practiced. This is an individual thing, though, not an organizational thing. So I can't say UPCers DON'T hold things in common, because some do and some don't. I can't say INDEPS DO hold things in common, because some do and some don't. However, I can encourage my brother to keep this principle, and if they are doing better than myself and my assembly, I/my assembly can better learn from their practice of this principle.
Too bad I am too tired to read all the posts right now, to see how we got where it is now. Guess it's gonna have to wait until tomorrow.
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