United Pentecostal Church International

The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) is a United States-based international Christian denomination of the Pentecostal movement, and is headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Hazelwood, Missouri. The UPCI was formed in 1945 by a merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. Since it's formation in 1945, the UPCI has been one of the fastest growing denominations in North America, growing from 617 member churches in 1946, to over 4,300 member churches as of 2005. The UPCI in North America has over 9,000 licensed ministers, and reports a Sunday School attendance circa 650,000. The UPCI has a presence 175 other nations with more than 22,500 licensed ministers, 28,300 churches and meeting places, 650 missionaries, and a foreign membership of roughly 3 million. Total worldwide membership, including North America, is estimated to be over 4 million.

History

When the Assemblies of God adopted the doctrine of the Trinity at its Fourth General Council in October 1916, the Oneness Pentecostals withdrew from the organization. Two months later, beginning in late December, Oneness ministers met in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and on January 2, 1917, they formed a Oneness Pentecostal organization called The General Assembly of the Apostolic Assemblies.

In late 1917 or early 1918 The General Assembly of the Apostolic Assemblies merged with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and held its first meeting in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, later the same year. This organization adopted the name of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. In late 1924, a the organization split over racial concerns. During 1925 three new organizations formed: The Apostolic Churches of Jesus Christ, The Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance, and Emmanuel's Church in Jesus Christ.

In 1927 two of the new organizations merged. Meeting in a joint convention in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Emmanuel's Church in Jesus Christ and The Apostolic Churches of Jesus Christ joined under the name The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. This merger, which united about 400 ministers, was celebrated at the next General Convention held in Port Arthur, Texas, in October of 1928.

In 1931, a unity conference with representatives from four Oneness organizations met in Columbus, Ohio, in an attempt to bring more Oneness organizations under the same banner. This attempt was partially successful. The Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance ministers voted to merge with The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ, but the terms of the proposed merger were not accepted by the ministers of The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. A merger between The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World was completed in November of 1931. The merged organizations adopted the name of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ.

In 1932, the Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance changed its name to The Pentecostal Church, Incorporated, to better reflect its organizational structure. Neither of the two remaining organizations attempted another merger until 1936, when The Pentecostal Church, Incorporated ministers voted to work toward a union with The Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. Negotiations were unsuccessful. Eight years later, in 1944, the two organizations reopened negotiations which would eventually lead the to the formation of the present United Pentecostal Church International in 1945.

UPCI doctrinal beliefs

Overview

The UPCI's doctrinal views reflect the Holiness-Pentecostal movement, with some exceptions including the "second work of grace" and the Trinitarian formula of water baptism. The doctrine of the UPCI derives its central theology of salvation from Acts 2:38: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Repentance

The UPCI teaches that repentance is essential to salvation, as found in Luke 13:5. Repentance is defined as turning away from sin and turning toward God. According to the UPCI, true repentance requires forgiveness and cleansing of sins found in 1 John 1:9. As found in 2 Corinthians 2:10, members of the UPCI believe that repentance must be accompanied by Godly sorrow, as it is the motivator for true repentance. Repentance is also a prerequisite for receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking in Tongues (John 14:17; Acts 2:38). Lastly, there is a belief that the ability to repent is, temporary and may only be accomplished while one is alive (Hebrews 9:27).

Baptism

Baptism is a second essential component of UPCI doctrine. Members of the UPCI affirm a need for baptism as shown in Matthew 28:19 and point to Matthew 3:13-16 as evidence that even Jesus was baptized. The UPCI mode of baptism is complete immersion in water, completed in the name of Jesus Christ. This method of water baptism is a point at issue between Trinitarians and Oneness Pentecostals. Both sides include Matthew 28:19 to support their claims, with Oneness believers supporting 'Jesus Christ' and Trinitarian believers supporting "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," as it appears in Matthew 28:19. The UPCI believes that salvation cannot be complete without baptism, specifically without the pronouncement of the name of Jesus Christ over the proceeding.

Speaking in tongues

The UPCI embraces the classical Pentecostal view that speaking in tongues is the outward, observable, and audible evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The UPCI holds that speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation and that speaking in tongues applies to all comers, regardless of race, culture, or language, which they interpret from Acts 2:38. The tongue becomes the vehicle of expression for the Holy Spirt (James 3), and to a member of the UPCI, it symbolizes God's complete control over the believer. Speaking in tongues should also be accompanied by inward changes. These can be found in Galatians 5:22-23, and are commonly referred to as "Fruits of the Spirit".

The Bible

The UPCI claims this of the the Bible: "The Bible is the only God-given authority which man possesses; therefore all doctrine, faith, hope, and all instructions for the church must be based upon and harmonize with the Bible" (Manual of the United Pentecostal Church, 19). According to the UPCI, the Bible is the Word of God, and therefore inerrant and infallible. The UPCI rejects many extrabiblical writings (such as The Book of Mormon and the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures), and views church creeds and articles of faith as the thinking of men, and therefore fallable in comparison to the Bible.

Godhead

The UPCI teaches that the one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah revealed himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus Jesus Christ was and is God. For the UPCI, Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9).

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God and one person, rather than one God in three persons as in the doctrine of the Trinity. The UPCI believes their conception of the Godhead is true to early Christianity's strict monotheism, and views the trinitarian concept of God as scripturally incorrect, compromising the biblical teaching of God as one.

This is a major difference between the UPCI and and other Pentecostals and evangelicals, such as the Assemblies of God.

Holiness

The UPCI holds that salvation is accomplished by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and not by works (Titus 3:5). The UPCI teaches a code of conduct based upon what it believes to be scriptural teaching, although detractors allege that many of these beliefs are mandated by church officials. The UPCI professes holiness standards as a privilege and that obedience to those standards is for the benefit of the individual. This includes beliefs that women should be discouraged from cutting their hair and are encouraged to wear dresses or skirts, rather than pants, according to a scriptural mandate to "Not wear that which pertaineth to a man" (Deuteronomy 22:5) and "adorn ^* in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety" (1 Timothy 2:8-10). Men and women alike are discouraged from wearing excessive jewelry, scripturally "gold, or pearls, or costly array" (1 Timothy 2:8-10).

UPCI-affiliated educational institutions

At the national level, the UPCI supports eight educational institutions:

Many districts and churches also support educational institutions in their cities and states. These efforts are oftentimes admininstered by the local church.

Notable people within the UPCI

Daniel Seagraves Ed. D., author, and professor at Christian Life College.
Dr. David K. Bernard, author, and president of Urshan Graduate School of Theology. He is considered to be an expert on Oneness Pentecostalism.
Lee Stoneking, a well-known minister in the UPCI. Lee Stoneking's Website
Rev. Kenneth Haney, author, and General Superintendent of the UPCI

External links

Official website of the UPCI

Divisions in the UPCI

Links to UPCI churches

Christian denominations of North America | Christian denominations | Christian evangelicalism | Pentecostal denominations | Protestantism

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