JCM Reunion / AMC Conference Check In Thread

[Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by michael phelps

ok, this is the post of the day in my humble opinion!

ditto !!!!!!!!!

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Huh?

You can't figure it out?

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by lisafitzh2o

Renda, I am SO glad I finally got to meet you in person... you are just as funny and wise in real life as you are in cyber space.

Chris and I were laughing just yesterday 'cause I reminded him of the time I felt someone patting my arm... and it was you saying, "You're so tall!". HAHAHAHA

Lol - - well, I guess I should admit that it probably has something to do with me being SO short!

You two are a beautiful couple and I could feel the love and committment between each other and your love of God and his people in just the short time I spent with you. Gotta love that!

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by lisafitzh2o

Oh heavenly days...

I happened to see a thread entitled "JCM Reunion/AMC Conference" and (silly me) thought it was going to be a thread reminiscing the fun things that happened there. I should have known it would turn into a debate. I hated debates in high school, hated them in college, and am now reminded why I rarely get on AFF. Some people love them... it's just a personal thing. I despise conflict.

I am UPC, have been all my life. I don't cut my hair, don't wear makeup, don't wear jewelry, my picture has been posted on here, and I haven't heard any complaints (so far). But let me tell you something... I'VE HEARD JUDGMENTAL JUNK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE. Some "ultra conservatives" look down on those who don't look like them... as we have heard over the last 63 pages of this thread. On the other hand, I know of people who are no longer conservative who look down on us because "we are still in the bondage of UPC and standards".

Here's the thing... there is nothing any of you are going to say on this thread that will make a person (on either side) sit up and say, "Oh wait... I see where you're coming from. I no longer feel the way I did before. Hark! I have just been enlightened!".

Yes, I went to JCM... a non-accredited Bible college, and I'm sad that some of you consider it a waste of your time. I personally was able to use my JCM credits to go on to a college (yes, a REAL college) and get a Master's Degree in education, taught public school AND was a principal for 3 years. And yes, I went to the Reunion... and had an amazing time. I was reunited with my roommates that I haven't seen in 20 years... and it was as if no time had passed. I laughed during those days until I thought I would throw up. Nobody (that I was aware of) was looking down on anyone else. And here's another thing... unless you were IN that room, you can't begin to comprehend what went on there.

So now, I am disappointed for two reasons: 1) this thread didn't turn out like I thought it would; and 2) THAT I MISSED OUT ON GETTING MY PICTURE WITH THE AFFers!!!

I attended a "Rival" bible school out west which was constantly trying to "keep up" with JCM. Heck, we even grabbed one of your "stars" to do our music (he was the reason I stayed at the time). But it didn't get us to the JCM "cool" status and our music conference had hundreds rather than thousands. And our concert recordings....I did solos and I've never even heard the recordings so I don't even know what happened to them.

Point is...we strived for equality and never achieved it. True, there's never been a finer bible teacher than Dan Segraves and he led us, but still....we just weren't that "cool."

I'm saying all this to say....when I hear JCM attacked, I take it personally and I don't even really know why. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the entire system that was, of course, flawed. But the good it did in the lives of people is immeasurable. If nothing else, it laid the foundation for lifetime friendships and nothing is more valuable than a friendship. And at the very worst, JCM inspired a generation of UPCers to re-think the way they performed church music. I, for one, am thankful we went from singing, "Thank God I am Free, Free, Free, From This World of Sin", to "I'll Make It Home Someday", and "There is Hope......regardless of how much Lanny whitened it.

And I'm also SICK of all the JCM-gay talk. Yes, there were gay people at JCM, but guess what, there are almost certainly gay people in your church...you just don't know it. Or worse yet, you know it but you ignore it because he plays great music. Very reliable studies have shown that those who strike out the most at gays actually have homosexual tendencies themselves so before you type an anti-JCM-gay thing, go look in the mirror first.

So I, for one, stand up and applaud Jackson College of Ministries. You all had a great thing going and I have nothing but good things to say about what once stood as a beacon of inspiration for us all.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Steinway

"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is." - Winston Churchill

Originally Posted by Neck

The problem is not what truth is... but who is proclaiming it, protecting it and manipulating it.

Originally Posted by Timmy

Huh?

Originally Posted by Neck

You can't figure it out?

Guess I'll have to try.

Truth is what it is. That's not the problem, sure. (Not sure why anyone might think it was.)

But there are people proclaiming truth (seems OK to me), protecting it (good), and manipulating it. These three things are "the problem". I really can't figure out what you meant by the first two, but those people manipulating truth could be troublesome, for sure. (Who did you have in mind, by the way? )

That's as far as I can take it. Sorry.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by notofworks

I attended a "Rival" bible school out west which was constantly trying to "keep up" with JCM. Heck, we even grabbed one of your "stars" to do our music (he was the reason I stayed at the time). But it didn't get us to the JCM "cool" status and our music conference had hundreds rather than thousands. And our concert recordings....I did solos and I've never even heard the recordings so I don't even know what happened to them.

Point is...we strived for equality and never achieved it. True, there's never been a finer bible teacher than Dan Segraves and he led us, but still....we just weren't that "cool."

I'm saying all this to say....when I hear JCM attacked, I take it personally and I don't even really know why. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the entire system that was, of course, flawed. But the good it did in the lives of people is immeasurable. If nothing else, it laid the foundation for lifetime friendships and nothing is more valuable than a friendship. And at the very worst, JCM inspired a generation of UPCers to re-think the way they performed church music. I, for one, am thankful we went from singing, "Thank God I am Free, Free, Free, From This World of Sin", to "I'll Make It Home Someday", and "There is Hope......regardless of how much Lanny whitened it.

And I'm also SICK of all the JCM-gay talk. Yes, there were gay people at JCM, but guess what, there are almost certainly gay people in your church...you just don't know it. Or worse yet, you know it but you ignore it because he plays great music. Very reliable studies have shown that those who strike out the most at gays actually have homosexual tendencies themselves so before you type an anti-JCM-gay thing, go look in the mirror first.

So I, for one, stand up and applaud Jackson College of Ministries. You all had a great thing going and I have nothing but good things to say about what once stood as a beacon of inspiration for us all.

I have heard rumours of the Ignorant American but have now encountered it!
I guess all those who are against beating wives, pedophilia, & drugs are those who still in the closet doing those things?
Come on, that is one weak argument having no foundation.
Why some are against homosexual & those who practice it is that it is an abomination to God & should be to a child of God & society is cramming it down our throats.
As well, it is making inroads into the Church, how do I know? People are not shocked or repulsed anymore by the sin.
Remember society is on a downward slide towards reprobation and it is the Church's responsibility to stand against it.

As for the slam that it is in every Church, I think that is a pretty broad brush to swipe don't you think?

Our God is a God of compassion & thank God for it but he is also a holy & righteous God too & don't think that he winks at sin.
His longsufferrring is salvation, not a license to sin.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by notofworks

I attended a "Rival" bible school out west which was constantly trying to "keep up" with JCM. Heck, we even grabbed one of your "stars" to do our music (he was the reason I stayed at the time). But it didn't get us to the JCM "cool" status and our music conference had hundreds rather than thousands. And our concert recordings....I did solos and I've never even heard the recordings so I don't even know what happened to them.

Point is...we strived for equality and never achieved it. True, there's never been a finer bible teacher than Dan Segraves and he led us, but still....we just weren't that "cool."

I'm saying all this to say....when I hear JCM attacked, I take it personally and I don't even really know why. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the entire system that was, of course, flawed. But the good it did in the lives of people is immeasurable. If nothing else, it laid the foundation for lifetime friendships and nothing is more valuable than a friendship. And at the very worst, JCM inspired a generation of UPCers to re-think the way they performed church music. I, for one, am thankful we went from singing, "Thank God I am Free, Free, Free, From This World of Sin", to "I'll Make It Home Someday", and "There is Hope......regardless of how much Lanny whitened it.

And I'm also SICK of all the JCM-gay talk. Yes, there were gay people at JCM, but guess what, there are almost certainly gay people in your church...you just don't know it. Or worse yet, you know it but you ignore it because he plays great music. Very reliable studies have shown that those who strike out the most at gays actually have homosexual tendencies themselves so before you type an anti-JCM-gay thing, go look in the mirror first.

So I, for one, stand up and applaud Jackson College of Ministries. You all had a great thing going and I have nothing but good things to say about what once stood as a beacon of inspiration for us all.

I enjoyed this post. I attended JCM 77-80 and it as indeed the cool place to be. IBC did not exist, ABI was in the stone ages (boys and girls had to sit on opposite sides of the cafeteria during lunch!) and Gateway was...well... Gateway. WABC (Stockton) had a good but bland reputation.

One other thing that made JCM stand out to anyone visiting the UPCI Bible Colleges in the mid to late 70's era (I can't speak for after 1980 as that is when I graduated) was the quality of our food.

JCM was the first Bible college to have a soda fountain in the cafeteria so that you could get your own cokes and drink as much as you wanted. Also I believe the first to have a salad bar every day. In addition the food was very good for the budget they had. Much better than anywhere else is what we constantly heard from visiting preachers / officials who visited all of the bible colleges.

I purposefully did not address academics here as that would make the post twice as long and it is already long! I just wanted to hit on some things most people probably don't realize.

IBC became the successor "cool" UPC Bible College once the ultra con took over JCM and did away with such evil things as using the gym, sports, video, etc.

[Sherri]

Originally Posted by CC1

I enjoyed this post. I attended JCM 77-80 and it as indeed the cool place to be. IBC did not exist, ABI was in the stone ages (boys and girls had to sit on opposite sides of the cafeteria during lunch!) and Gateway was...well... Gateway. WABC (Stockton) had a good but bland reputation.

One other thing that made JCM stand out to anyone visiting the UPCI Bible Colleges in the mid to late 70's era (I can't speak for after 1980 as that is when I graduated) was the quality of our food.

JCM was the first Bible college to have a soda fountain in the cafeteria so that you could get your own cokes and drink as much as you wanted. Also I believe the first to have a salad bar every day. In addition the food was very good for the budget they had. Much better than anywhere else is what we constantly heard from visiting preachers / officials who visited all of the bible colleges.

I purposefully did not address academics here as that would make the post twice as long and it is already long! I just wanted to hit on some things most people probably don't realize.

IBC became the successor "cool" UPC Bible College once the ultra con took over JCM and did away with such evil things as using the gym, sports, video, etc.

A soda fountain??? That must have been at the new school. I don't remember anything that modern at the Farm.

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Guess I'll have to try.

Truth is what it is. That's not the problem, sure. (Not sure why anyone might think it was.)

But there are people proclaiming truth (seems OK to me), protecting it (good), and manipulating it. These three things are "the problem". I really can't figure out what you meant by the first two, but those people manipulating truth could be troublesome, for sure. (Who did you have in mind, by the way? )

That's as far as I can take it. Sorry.

The problem is that what so many call truth is manipulated, then proclaimed and thus protected. But what they are proclaiming and protecting is nothing but manipulated aspects of truth...

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Neck

The problem is that what so many call truth is manipulated, then proclaimed and thus protected. But what they are proclaiming and protecting is nothing but manipulated aspects of truth...

I see. So I wasn't even close.