The Narrow Path Ministries

Hello,
Recently I attended a UPCI unaware, the sign on the door simply stated their name followed by Pentecostal Church. I really was impressed with the group of people, although a small gathering 20 or so, it was multi-ethnic, friendly and seemingly very sincere.
The pastor was charasmatic, presented a well delivered a scripturally sound/balanced message.
In a word, the experience was refreshing and thought provoking. I picked up a piece of literature and discovered the UPCI identification. Looked it up to get an overview of their beliefs, so I have the basics on that. Is attending a congregation that embraces 'oneness' to digress and after 28 years of being indocternated in the Trinity? In reference to tongues being the evidence of baptism of the H.S. am I automatically disqualified if I don't have tongues as a prayer language? Some of the other things are rather superficial to me, makeup, jewlery, but I do cut my hair and I am a girl but not a girlie girl.
My wardrobe consists mostly of jeans, field and stream overshirts and boots. I woudn't wear that to church but I wouldn't be in a dress either. What do they do with people like me if I were to continue to go, would they give me the boot if I didn't conform to the dress code and develop a prayer language?
Any insight would be great, I feel somewhat checked. I was just so excited about hearing the Word of God from the pulpit, it is not the norm around this neck of the woods.
Thanks a lot, Cindy

Thanks Cindy, for your inquiry.

My wife and I occasionally attend a UPC, and are always blessed by it. The pastor is a humble man who loves people. He also travels far into the North and brings the gospel to the aboriginals there. Local churches have been established. There seems to be a real spirit of worship in these churches, and it is easy to get caught up in it. There is a freedom in worship, and no one will fault you for expressing your own worship to its fullest.

They are Modalists ("Oneness" as they call it) in that they believe that God is a single, divine Individual who expresses Himself in three modes: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that God's name is "Jesus." Sometimes they compare this to an actor on a stage who wears three different masks. They believe that the Son of God did not exist prior to Jesus' birth, for prior to His birth, He existed as God only, and not as the Son.They believe that you must be baptized in Jesus' name in order to be regenerated. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will not do, for all through the book of Acts, you find baptism only in the name of Jesus or Jesus Christ.

They are not going to say anything to you about your short hair or the way you dress. But my guess is that if you get baptized in Jesus' name by them, they will then encourage you to let your hair grow, and never to cut it again — also to wear long dresses, and to avoid jewelry. They believe that once you are "baptized in the Holy Spirit", you will speak in tongues as the early Christians did throughout the book of Acts. This may accompany your immersion, or it may happen later.

Also, you may greet sisters with a hug, but you must greet brothers with a handshake only.

If you feel comfortable with them, I encourage you to continue to attend. You will soon become aware of the various customs, and again, you are not expected to abide by them until you are baptized by them. Even then, they will probably give you plenty of time before personally stressing any of these customs with you personally. Even if you didn't conform after that, I doubt if they would "kick you out."

Cindy,

I've interacted some with members of two different United Pentecostal churches. Several close friends of mine have been much more closely associated with them, either as members, or having attended for an extended period of time. (One of the two churches is no longer UP, but as far as I can tell, still holds the same beliefs and practices; and one of my friends' experience with them goes back to when they were UP.)

As Paidion mentioned, they're modalists. For many Trinitarians, that's a deal breaker. I believe they're wrong; but for me it's not the modalism that's the deal breaker, but the fact that they believe Trinitarians aren't saved, simply because they're Trinitarian. Several of them have tried very hard to convince me I'm lost and need to be saved, on the sole basis that I believe in the Trinity.

On the dress issue, my observation and my friends' experience differs markedly from Paidion's. They're very legalistic, not only in matters of dress but in their entire outlook on spiritual things. If you attend for any length of time, they will strongly suggest that you bring your appearance into line with their norm. If you neglect to do so, at some point you will be told not to come back.

They're of the belief that one can't be saved without speaking in tongues. If you don't speak in tongues, then to them you are not saved, and as long as you're around their goal will be to convince you of that and get you saved.

They won't associate with any other churches or Christians around here because they believe we're all apostate.

I think, the longer you attend, the less sound and balanced the pastor's messages will seem to you. But all that said, I'll say the same as I'd say about any other person or group: If you find those of your acquaintance to be genuine Christians, then feel free to fellowship with them to whatever extent they'll allow. Depending on how well your beliefs mesh with theirs on what they consider key points, you may find that's not very far.

backwoodsman wrote:I believe they're wrong; but for me it's not the modalism that's the deal breaker, but the fact that they believe Trinitarians aren't saved, simply because they're Trinitarian.

Backwoodsman, that is true of SOME UPC people, but not all. One of their ministers has been a friend of mine for many years. We used to communicate a lot over the Internet about a lot of issues, and he said that he knew UPC people who thought Trinitarians cannot be Christians as long as they hold to that "false doctrine". He said that he was not one of them. On the other hand, he said that he knew Trinitarians who believe that UPC people cannot be Christians as long as they hold to the "false doctrine of Oneness"!

So if Cindy should avoid fellowshipping at a United Pentecostal Church on the basis that some of them think Trinitarians are not saved, then she should also avoid fellowshipping at a Trinitarian church on the basis that some of them think that people who believe in the Oneness of God, are not saved.

I think, the longer you attend, the less sound and balanced the pastor's messages will seem to you.

On the other hand, it could be the exact opposite for Cindy!


Don

Paidion wrote:he said that he knew UPC people who thought Trinitarians cannot be Christians as long as they hold to that "false doctrine". He said that he was not one of them.

I'm happy to hear that. I'm no UPC expert, but based on my experience, and as far as I can tell from reading online, he's the exception, not the rule. Does he feel the same on the other points on which UPCs separate themselves from other believers, like baptism and tongues?

So if Cindy should avoid fellowshipping at a United Pentecostal Church on the basis that some of them think Trinitarians are not saved, then she should also avoid fellowshipping at a Trinitarian church on the basis that some of them think that people who believe in the Oneness of God, are not saved.

Refusal to fellowship with other believers is the problem, not the solution.

Which brings us back to United Pentecostals. Those I've known consider me, and almost all other Christians, unbelievers because of several beliefs on which we differ from them. Even if we're willing to fellowship with them, they're not willing to fellowship with us. The obvious question is, how far down that road can they go before one can no longer realistically consider them believers? In an extremely legalistic, exclusive system like that, some are true believers in Jesus, and the legalism is just something they're mired in that stunts but doesn't prevent real Godliness. But others depend for their salvation on the legalism, rather than on Christ. How much better would it be for them to throw away the legalism and just follow Jesus?

In my opinion, it's not legalism. It's simply their understanding of the gospel.