25 Year Anniversary

Sherri · #1 08-13-2016, 10:16 PM

I've been off AFF for a few years, but wanted to jump back on to share something:

This summer marks the 25th year that we have been out of UPC and been independent. After 25 years, I still have mixed emotions. I know we absolutely did what God told us to do, and I have no regrets. But I still have emotional ties to so many people and memories from that era of our lives. I still love my heritage and thank God for my upbringing. I have many UPC friends and family members.

Gdd has been good to us, and I hope that we have proven to some doubters that it is possible to leave the Mother Ship and still love God with all your heart, still preach Biblical truth, and try to live a holy life before God, with fear and trembling. There are so many truths that I know now that I was never taught during those years of upbringing, but they will never take away from the truths that I learned in my formative years. But I now know that we did not have "THE truth" as we were told. That is one arrogant mindset that I had to repent of. We all still have things to learn.

So, for those of you who have doubts about those of us who have "gone Charismatic" (whatever in the world that means), just want to let you know that some of us have survived and are better for it. 25 years later, and still going strong for Jesus! And we are NOT Charismatic.

houston · #2 08-14-2016, 01:54 AM

FlamingZword · #3 08-14-2016, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

I've been off AFF for a few years, but wanted to jump back on to share something:

This summer marks the 25th year that we have been out of UPC and been independent. After 25 years, I still have mixed emotions. I know we absolutely did what God told us to do, and I have no regrets. But I still have emotional ties to so many people and memories from that era of our lives. I still love my heritage and thank God for my upbringing. I have many UPC friends and family members.

Gdd has been good to us, and I hope that we have proven to some doubters that it is possible to leave the Mother Ship and still love God with all your heart, still preach Biblical truth, and try to live a holy life before God, with fear and trembling. There are so many truths that I know now that I was never taught during those years of upbringing, but they will never take away from the truths that I learned in my formative years. But I now know that we did not have "THE truth" as we were told. That is one arrogant mindset that I had to repent of. We all still have things to learn.

So, for those of you who have doubts about those of us who have "gone Charismatic" (whatever in the world that means), just want to let you know that some of us have survived and are better for it. 25 years later, and still going strong for Jesus! And we are NOT Charismatic.

Jesus established a universal church not an organization. The UPCI is an organization, it is not the "Mother Ship". It was founded by men and has rules and bylaws established by fallible human beings upon a certain date over 18 centuries after the original Mother ship was established. God permitted such organization to be created but no the UPCI was not created by God, otherwise we would have to say that the Mormon church or the Jehovah's witness were also established by God.

Every organization wants to grow and have more members, that is why the line that God created our organization is bandied about. It is power and finances that make the churches become exclusive and put themselves as somehow superior to all other churches.

We need to go back to the Bible, not to an organization to find "THE TRUTH" of the original Church as it was established by the true apostles under the guidance of Jesus' spirit.

Steve Epley · #4 08-14-2016, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houston

n david · #5 08-14-2016, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

I've been off AFF for a few years, but wanted to jump back on to share something:

This summer marks the 25th year that we have been out of UPC and been independent. After 25 years, I still have mixed emotions. I know we absolutely did what God told us to do, and I have no regrets. But I still have emotional ties to so many people and memories from that era of our lives. I still love my heritage and thank God for my upbringing. I have many UPC friends and family members.

Gdd has been good to us, and I hope that we have proven to some doubters that it is possible to leave the Mother Ship and still love God with all your heart, still preach Biblical truth, and try to live a holy life before God, with fear and trembling. There are so many truths that I know now that I was never taught during those years of upbringing, but they will never take away from the truths that I learned in my formative years. But I now know that we did not have "THE truth" as we were told. That is one arrogant mindset that I had to repent of. We all still have things to learn.

So, for those of you who have doubts about those of us who have "gone Charismatic" (whatever in the world that means), just want to let you know that some of us have survived and are better for it. 25 years later, and still going strong for Jesus! And we are NOT Charismatic.

CC1 · #6 08-14-2016, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

I've been off AFF for a few years, but wanted to jump back on to share something:

This summer marks the 25th year that we have been out of UPC and been independent. After 25 years, I still have mixed emotions. I know we absolutely did what God told us to do, and I have no regrets. But I still have emotional ties to so many people and memories from that era of our lives. I still love my heritage and thank God for my upbringing. I have many UPC friends and family members.

Gdd has been good to us, and I hope that we have proven to some doubters that it is possible to leave the Mother Ship and still love God with all your heart, still preach Biblical truth, and try to live a holy life before God, with fear and trembling. There are so many truths that I know now that I was never taught during those years of upbringing, but they will never take away from the truths that I learned in my formative years. But I now know that we did not have "THE truth" as we were told. That is one arrogant mindset that I had to repent of. We all still have things to learn.

So, for those of you who have doubts about those of us who have "gone Charismatic" (whatever in the world that means), just want to let you know that some of us have survived and are better for it. 25 years later, and still going strong for Jesus! And we are NOT Charismatic.

Sherri, I have known you for almost 40 years and i think you are very charismatic, even when you and Eddie were UPC!

Sister Alvear · #7 08-14-2016, 07:17 PM

We love Sherri and Eddie....Wish everyone that ever left the UPC had the spirit they have! So many leave join something else and spend years running down what they were once a part of....

FlamingZword · #8 08-14-2016, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

We love Sherri and Eddie....Wish everyone that ever left the UPC had the spirit they have! So many leave join something else and spend years running down what they were once a part of....

It would be nice if the UPCI also had some of that spirit, for often UPCI preachers blast away and send automatically to hell anyone who leaves their man made organization with their man made rules.

Sherri · #9 08-14-2016, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

You know you're right there behind us.
It's a slippery slope.

CC1 · #10 08-14-2016, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherri

You know you're right there behind us.
It's a slippery slope.

ROFLMBO!!!

I know that is true because years ago I saw Elder Epley at a AMF conference and he was quite the rebel as he was the only preacher there NOT in a black suit! He was a rebel and wore brown in a sea of black.