Rules

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Branham attended Sowders' "School of the Prophets" before launching out on his own gig.

I think I remember that, but this Gospel Assembly in Arcadia Florida had a picture of Branham. The one with the double exposure, which they claim was Branham and the demon who instructed him.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

I think I remember that, but this Gospel Assembly in Arcadia Florida had a picture of Branham. The one with the double exposure, which they claim was Branham and the demon who instructed him.

Wow. Maybe it was a Branhamite church with "Gospel Assembly" on the sign, kinda like how most other Branhamite churches have names that the unwary might think was just a plain jane oneness pentecostal church?

[Sister Alvear]

Branhamite doctrine is hard to get out of people....

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Branhamite doctrine is hard to get out of people....

I can't figure out how it gets INTO people.

[Sister Alvear]

We have dwelt with people off and on all our lives...it is very strong in Brazil and was very strong when I was a young girl....many good people were destroyed by it...

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Esaias

I can't figure out how it gets INTO people.

People do not take to heart the words of Matt 7:21-23

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

They are Sowderites, followers of William Sowders from back in the 20s. Sowders said both the trins and Oneness were wrong, God is Two! His followers used to hold him up as the Messenger and Elijah and the last day prophet and so forth. Not sure how they view him now, though. Generally seemed like nice people. After church they all gathered upstairs for a big dinner every Sunday. VERY conservative, open meetings, every meeting just happened as it happened (no program, think Pentecostal Quaker type meeting). Learned a cool praise chorus there: "I got a hold of Something, Something got a hold of me... So pour out your Spirit Lord, and have your way with me."

I think they baptize in Jesus name.

No they don't

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

No they don't

Allow me to explain. William Sowders came about in the early Pentecostal movement. While the issues over the Godhead, and baptism formulas were hotly debated by two camps, Sowards felt the need to be the middle of the road. So, he taught Jehovah and Jehovah Junior, but with the baptisms he didn't want to baptize in the Trinitarian formula or the One God formula. His baptism has no name, meaning, that his ministers don't say anything over a neophyte.

[Bro Flame]

I've visited quite a few different Apostolic/Pentecostal/Used-to-Be Apostolic churches over my time in church.

Here's some things that stood out to me as different "rules" in said churches:

One church I know of requires all the saints that are used on the platform during service (whether as singers, musicians, etc.) to be at church 30 minutes early to pray. If they are running late or don't show up until service time, they can be "sat down" and not allowed on the platform that service.

Same church also has a strong view of the "be ye separate" doctrine and condemns "worldly amusements", such as amusement parks, fairs, carnivals, holidays, and so forth.

I had a friend in college that attended a UPC church. Her pastor didn't like for the women to get on the platform with their hair down. They had to wear it up in some fashion.

Likewise, I know of another church that doesn't like for the women to wear their hair up. They teach that if a women is being used on the platform or prays for someone during the service, her hair should be down. For instance, I remember my wife saying she went out to lunch with these young girls from said church, and they had to decide which one would take their hair down to pray over the food.

One church believes and teaches only the pastor (or "the man") has the authority to baptize people. No women are allowed in the water unless they're being baptized.

I know of churches that have strong stances against social media and preach that people are compromising if they sign-up for such online membership.

One church teaches that only the pastor, his wife, and a elect group with certain position and pedigree, should be involved with casting devils out of people. All other saints are barred from the sanctuary.

Some churches mandate white collared dress shirts for their ministers. It is frowned upon if the ministers wear different colored shirts.

One church I visited taught against men wearing ties because it was "nothing more than a cloth necklace". I remember seeing men removing their ties as they walked into the sanctuary as the word circled around that the pastor of the church didn't like them.

I have been to churches where pastors place precise restrictions on how long a lady's skirt must be, or how high her high-heels can be.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those are just some that's come to my mind this morning. I may can think of some more later.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Allow me to explain. William Sowders came about in the early Pentecostal movement. While the issues over the Godhead, and baptism formulas were hotly debated by two camps, Sowards felt the need to be the middle of the road. So, he taught Jehovah and Jehovah Junior, but with the baptisms he didn't want to baptize in the Trinitarian formula or the One God formula. His baptism has no name, meaning, that his ministers don't say anything over a neophyte.

Ah, I did not know that. Interesting. Explains why when I told the local Sowderite elder that we were baptized in Jesus' name he said "Well, that's all right".