Bitterness Towards the UPC?
Over the last few years since I began my web site (actseighteen.com), several have emailed me and/or discussed my site in various forums concluding that I have some sort of bitterness toward the United Pentecostal Church. I suppose it is only a natural reaction of some to conclude that if you stand against certain things, particularly things that are important to them, then you must be driven or motivated by some sort of anger or bitterness. In fairness, much of what one finds out there on the Internet about the UPC does often sound angry, bitter and personal. However, I have received many more emails from those who feel that my site is quite fair, balanced, objective and charitable.
The truth is, I have no axe to grind whatsoever. For the most part, my years in the UPC were wonderful. Some of the finest Christians I have ever known are devoted members of United Pentecostal churches. While I am no longer UPC, and in fact agree with them little on their distinctive teachings, I am grateful to God for my experience there, and there is no question in my mind that God used the UPC to shape me and mold me into the Christian I am today.
It was the UPC that taught me to seek and love truth, regardless of the price I must pay to receive it. It was the UPC that taught me to passionately pursue Jesus. It was the UPC that taught me that the Bible – God’s written Word – is to be treasured and understood as the final authority on all matters of faith and practice. It was the UPC that taught me that nothing in this world holds a candle to Jesus Christ. It was the UPC that taught me that personal holiness, modesty and self-denial are relevant today and an important part of true Christian living. Most importantly, though, it was in the UPC that Jesus found me, forgave me and gave me eternal life.
Simply put, I have a great fondness for the UPC. The purpose of my web site is not to bash the UPC – what purpose would that serve? My passion is to lead others to a deeper walk with our Lord. I firmly believe that the more Christians understand God’s word and learn to properly apply it, the deeper and more satisfying their walk with God will be. More importantly, the better understanding a Christian has of His word, the better equipped he will be to please God and bring glory to His name -- the very purpose for which He created and saved us.
Jason Young
9 Comments:
Jason,
I am a member of the UPC and never once did I take your web site to mean you were bitter or angry. In fact, you helped me see things more clearly, which has helped me get so much more out of my bible reading which - obviously - has helped me grow closer to God and walk with him. I came to realize that I reached a point in my walk where I just stopped questioning and finding for myself, and started believing everything I was told because "God is here, it must be right." I recently came out of an abusive UPC church into one that is completely opposite. There, I am finding healing and a deeper, more meaningful Christian walk. If I did not have the utmost respect for my pastor, I probably would not be UPC anymore, but I truly believe he's got something that most UPC churches do not have, and I love him and his wife dearly. He has a passion for truth, just like you. Keep up the good work, I believe you are helping people.
Brother Jason, what church do you attend? And do you maintain the doctrine of Oneness, Jesus' name baptism, and speaking in tongues?
I spent 8 years of my life under a very authoritarian Apostolic pastor. I now attend a healthy UPC church, and the pastor is not very authoritarian at all, which I believe is the exception, not the rule. I'm really happy at this church, but the standards are beginning to bother me.
Standards never bothered me before, but now that I'm getting older and fatter, I really want to wear makeup and cute little jogging suits. It's not that I want to be seductive; I'm happily married. I just want to be pretty and professional looking.
Last night, we had a special saints meeting and the pastor taught about all the UPC standards. He basicaly said if you cut your hair, you're rebellious. I'm sure you've heard it before: the whole rebellion = witchcraft deal. I've heard this before, and I'm really bothered by it. In fact, I came across this website because I was doing my own research on uncut hair.
I stay in the UPC because of the doctrine, and because of the concept of being separate from the world. And also because there are so many wonderful christians and powerful moves of God.
I like what you wrote about believing in standards, but not to the point where it becomes legalistic. The problem is I can't find a church that practices this balance.
Every church I know that loses the standards, also loses the doctrine eventually.
Typical plot of the adversary! People who oppose TRUTH prefer to turn the topic to other matters, so now people are focussed on your motives and emotions rather than what words you are speaking. Even behold the manner in which people speak "bitterness towards UPC" ? Since when did an ORGANIZATION become the focal point of SPIRITUALITY? Shouldn't the measuring stick be whether we are, or are not, bitter towards Christ?
Hi Jason,
I go to a Foursquare Church in central Pennsylvania, a kind of Pentecostal Church. I don't know if it is the same as the UPC or not (I don't care much for heirarchies...) but our church teaches none of those super legalistic things that 'sbb' was talking about. In fact, the pastor's daughter is a cosmotology student as well as the leader of the worship team. The church's main message is "Knowing God, Loving People", and they stick to it pretty well.
Some long time friends of our family attend a Pentecostal Church in central Virginia, however, and they, the girls at least, seem to live by an almost Amish set of standards. They wear their hair extremely long and pulled back in a tight bun, never ANY makeup, and always ankle-length skirts (never pants) despite the very hot weather of the Virginia summers.
I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about this difference? Maybe I'm just getting things confused, but my church does not advocate rebellion, but it also does not advocate passing judgement on others based on their appearance.
Thanks so much,
Dana M. Osburn I
I was raised in a christian home... where my mother taught me standards of holiness, 10commandment and GOds love, I rebelled as a teenager because i wanted a life like the fun kids at school and for a season of my life ,,,, i did just that... later on a friend took me to a UPC church where i got the holy Ghost and was baptized... things were great for about 2 years... i was obedient to standards but i also had a family that was very Godly and they attended a different church, that didnt believe in the same dictatorship.... I began to see to many political things and our church did not grow because of many spirits that had been there....I prayed one day that God would give me a new mind that i could see things for what they were and in a year i converted to a Foursquare faith.... I love GOd with all my heart and i know that with out the name of Jesus i would have no remission for sin!!! PRAISE HIS NAME!!! yet i know that I never want any one to experience the abuse that i seen from so called men and women of GOd.... i choose to wear make up and jewels and pants ... but in moderation.... i know that if i consult the Father in all i do.... he leads me.... I also have many friends still in that faith, and i have to say.... i see the clothes and the supposed sacrifice but i dont see the DELIVERANCE... and its so sad because of THE FEAR that binds them. Jason Gods word says that if we search for wisdom and understanding like we would for a treasure, he will show it to us... Praise Jesus that he blessed you with knowledge, inteligence and the ability to speak his word clearly.
God bless you brother
Hi Bro. Jason
I am a third generation pentecostal preacher. I have been in the UPC all of my life. I had a terrrible bout with my former pastro becuase of the "STANDARD ISSUE". He was so much a dictator, that he even attempted to get physical wiht me when I told him that I wasn't signing the letter sent to ministers of the fellowship yearly. At that point I realized that this problem in UPC was bigger than standards, bigger than rebellion. This problem has grown to far out of hand, and I became that prophet to blow the trumpet in my city and in my church among the Apostolics. Though I was viewed as a rebel and a divider of the faith, God actually used me to rescue many saints who were almost dead. Today, among those rescue, we have a 100% attrition rate. So.... obviously something Godly had occur. Thanks for this site. It should not be about bashing the UPC, but Brother create a space where the hurting can come for healing, and a place where the those in despair may find refuge. Be a lighthouse to those who have no place to go.
God bless you brother
"He striped me, to strap me"
Bro. Jason: I think you have a marvelous website. I belong to a UPC church with a wonderful, wise and compassionate pastor that never preaches the "standards" but expects it from the elders. I do things to comply but really I don't believe in it. I think all things should be in moderation. But you know what? God is getting ready to blow all this ridiculuous stuff away by the greatest revival we have ever seen. When this begins, all this stupidity will be set aside.
Keep going - Sis. S.
Jason,
I have been a member of a non-dinominational church since I was saved but if you ask them what kind of church they are, they tell you it's a Pentecostal church. No doctrine what so ever. Nothing but teaching you about the Bible. I love my Pastor and have a very deep admiration for him and his wife. His messages alwasy seem to speak to everyone in the church. and he starts out every sentense with "the Bible says" and it's always about using the word of Jesus to help you get through life. As a new Christian they were very helpful and do nothing but teach what the bible has to say, taking it into context for the time it was written. I stumbled across your web site as my wife swithced to a oneness UPC style church and it has caused serious problems in our marriage. She no longer wears my wedding ring and I have lost my place as the head of our house hold spiritually. I have been trying to reserch things for myself and have read many of your topics on UPC doctrin to her to no avail. She is walking blindly and accepting whatever her new pastor tells her. Not to mention she questions my salvation now. If this is indicative of most UPC churches I believe that the doctrine and fear mongering they do is giving most Christians a bad name. I love my wife and feel completely helpless as a husband. It disheartening to see a loved one be led astray this way. To lose one's critical thinking is like a horrible disease. one last thought is that I don't believe that isolation from world by belonging to a UPC is what Jesus really wants of us. Jesus didn't isolate himself from the outside world when he walked our earth. It is what is in your heart that is what matters and if you have to isolate yourself to keep your salvation then you need to do more work on your heart. Thanks again for all that you do on this site Jason.
God Bless
Edward Hollen
Hello,
I am a UPC member though there are things that I do not like in a church. Let us all accept that pastors or leaders in each church are just humans. That means, they also commit mistakes. That means, not everything that they teach or feed us should be swallowed. That is the reason why we have the Bible - to search further for the truth.
We should not depend only on what we hear from our pastors or leaders, but we should search for the truth ourselves and confirm the teachings we receive if they are correct or not.
But even if I have some complaints or I do not agree 100% to the pastor, that does not mean I am going to axe myself out from the UPC. The doctrine is good, expecially the Oneness faith. The water baptism in the name of Jesus and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
There are really many questions regarding the standard of holiness. But I think, it is more of your conviction. If you feel what is being taught is not correct and you do not see a Biblical basis, then do not follow it. If something is being taught, but it opposes the teachings in the Bible, then do not follow it.
I really cannot say anything against the doctrine of the UPC. Problems are that some pastors in some churches become very authoritative and more of a dictator.
God bless everyone!
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