EA, I don't find this to be true at all. I think some tough decisions and honest communication needs to happen, but I don't think the org is dead by a long shot. Hopefully, it will will find the balanced, common ground so many people are looking for.
On a related note, I would be interested to see how the numbers among young ministers and members are in the other established organizations. We live in a country that has people turning away from all religion in great numbers...particularly among the youth.
Bro, I hope you're right.
I just look around Facebook and see hundreds upon hundreds of ministers, my age, who have already left.
I am not blessed with a lot of fellowship from my age group. And Bro, I'm 41.
__________________ The world has lost the power to blush over its vice; the Church has lost her power to weep over it.
I just look around Facebook and see hundreds upon hundreds of ministers, my age, who have already left.
I am not blessed with a lot of fellowship from my age group. And Bro, I'm 41.
In many of the circles I run with, the last few years have been times of explosive growth. I know that there are ebbs and flows and sometimes things vary from region to region, but I don't think the org is dead. I think we absolutely must evaluate ourselves honestly and prayerfully, but if we do so, the potential for growth and really standing out as a true beacon among so much nauseating "Christianity" is there.
__________________
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
Shaw does a great job here. He identifies our problems well and shows how our proposed solutions don't even come close to even addressing the problems we cite.
I just look around Facebook and see hundreds upon hundreds of ministers, my age, who have already left.
I am not blessed with a lot of fellowship from my age group. And Bro, I'm 41.
More than likely Ed there is another group fixin" to be leaving the borg soon.
As long as the UPc continues to be mired in "keeping our apostolic heritage" sacred, it will continue to see a departure of younger more progressive thinking ministers.
These younger ministers are finding that they can network among themselves and ask open questions that are not allowed to be asked at Gen or District Conference.
__________________
God has lavished his love upon me.
I can't believe that a man sitting under David Bernard said this:
Quote:
To those holding the fort at all costs—and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on what exactly the fort is—we may wake up one day to realize the fort is empty. We need to be careful that we don’t spend all our energy trying to stamp out every heresy that pops up throughout the Christian world. If we are constantly defining ourselves by what we are against, we will run out of ammo. Further, we cannot paint with a brush so broad that Trinitarian, non-Apostolic, heretics get the same paint as Apostolic innovators. Our voice will grow hoarse to the very people we are trying to help.
To the more innovative among us, we should use discretion when chasing after the latest quack church that pops up. They typically know a little more about technology than we do, but be careful. You could wake up like Samson only to discover the Spirit has departed.
When we get through blowing holes in the emergent church, we still need to talk about this.
well... honestly I am more interested in what is happening with this move to get rid of a precieved "Emergent" movement in the UPCI.
I fear sometimes in the UPCI we tend to look at a guy who has decided to "do church" differently than everyone else and say he has left doctrine without ever looking at the doctrine he is preaching.
As to your question.... I wonder if that might not be part of the problem?
Ferd, we need in the upci a new more stringent Affirmation Statement to rid our ranks of these weak on the doctrine.
Many were purged from the body back in 92 after the AS was voted in.
We need to strengthen the language and allow for no crossing out things you don't agree with.
Away with these emergent ones.
They are a pox upon us.
__________________
God has lavished his love upon me.
I pray that things are balanced out and that each generation realizes how much they need each other. I am young and probably more "progressive" than some, but I shudder at the thought of a bunch of us young, relatively inexperienced guys going out and doing our own thing. I think we need the wisdom and stability of a generation that has been able to hold its anchor for decades. However, we need that generation to trust us and embrace the kinds of changes that are logical, natural, and that do not change the message. I think it is not only necessary, but possible, particularly when men like Bro. Shaw say what he is saying.
__________________
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
I pray that things are balanced out and that each generation realizes how much they need each other. I am young and probably more "progressive" than some, but I shudder at the thought of a bunch of us young, relatively inexperienced guys going out and doing our own thing. I think we need the wisdom and stability of a generation that has been able to hold its anchor for decades. However, we need that generation to trust us and embrace the kinds of changes that are logical, natural, and that do not change the message. I think it is not only necessary, but possible, particularly when men like Bro. Shaw say what he is saying.
Exactly. Amen.
__________________
"Resolved: That all men should live to the glory of God. Resolved, secondly: That whether or not anyone else does, I will." ~Jonathan Edwards
"The only man who has the right to say he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ." ~Dietrich Bonheoffer, The Cost of Discipleship
"Preachers who should be fishing for men are now too often fishing for compliments from men." ~Leonard Ravenhill
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