Introductory Remarks

I am writing this paper as an examination of the beliefs and practices of the United Pentecostal Church, International with the ultimate purpose of making an appeal to my brothers, sisters and friends in the United Pentecostal Church that might lead them to understand and believe the biblical Gospel. Paul stated:

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:1-4 NIV

I am inspired by Paul in my sentiments toward those in the UPCI. I do not quote this passage with condescension, but with true concern for the welfare of the people in the UPCI. I do not want what I am writing to be construed as a personal attack on any person. I truly do not want to make any enemies or be one who creates animosity. This is not a personal vendetta. I have many good friends within the UPCI. The UPCI has helped me in various ways in my ministry. Many prayers have been offered for me and my family by those in the UPCI, and we treasure them. Many fine pastor have shared their pulpit with me. I have received financial as well as personal help and care from those in the UPCI. I believe that some of the most dedicated and ‘God-fearing’ people are part of the UPCI. God has been so very merciful to me, and I need to be merciful to my brothers and sisters. I make it clear that there are many in the UPCI which I respect and wish the rich blessings of God.

I will make great efforts to state what I feel are the issues, probable replies, and offer counter responses. The tone of this writing will be to stay with the issues and not attack any person. At the same time, I will quote individuals in order to accurately document my claims. I also will comment on specific actions that are pertinent to my assertions. I trust all will understand that this cannot be avoided in establishing any thesis.

This writing is about the Gospel. The Gospel I did not know. It was a chilling experience when I first realized that the Gospel I was taught in the United Pentecostal Church is not the biblical Gospel. I was genuinely stunned to discover that the UPCI version of the Gospel is "different" from the Gospel which I (and a multitude of others throughout history going back to the Apostle Paul) read in the New Testament. I have come to this understanding of the Gospel through the study of Scripture, and most certainly of all, the help of the Holy Spirit and those through whom God preaches His Gospel. I want to make this Gospel known to those like me who honestly and sincerely believe and fight for what I once believed. My motivation is that they - the members of the UPCI and those of the same faith - may know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the Scriptures.

I believe that there is a faith once delivered to the saints for which we must contend. (Jude 1:3) I also believe Scripture when it says we should speak the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15) God help me as I attempt to strike this balance and may God forgive me of my weaknesses and limitations in presenting His glorious Gospel. I know that he has nailed my misunderstanding and failed efforts to represent Him to the Cross with the rest of my sins.

While I was a minister of the UPCI I heard many ‘prophetic’ voices calling ‘other Christian groups’ to repent. They were very adamant that others hear them and respond to the sins being pointed out by UPCI preachers. It is my hope that those same ‘voices’ will be willing to repent of their failures to measure up to God’s Word as they are pointed out.

I know that this writing will make me the "enemy" of many in the UPCI. (It will be primarily because it is too hard for some to examine their traditionally held beliefs in the light of clear Scriptural teaching.) With all my heart I do not intend it for that purpose. In a perfect world people would be able to present their faith without personal vilification and be received in that same spirit. But, we are not in a perfect world. That’s the reason we need the grace of God. I offer grace to those who will even hate me or become angry over what I must write and say.

I greatly respect that Apostolic people are generally not apathetic to the issue of truth. They will stand up and fight where they believe truth is compromised. I admire that and commend them highly. I know that the nature of this examination will strike so deeply at the traditional doctrines which have been held for several generations, that I will be perceived as a traitor, compromiser, and a "tool of Satan". This is not inflammatory language, but is simply the way it will be received. The fact is, such a matter as the Gospel should shake us to our foundations. The discovery of flaws about what we believe about the Gospel should and must challenge us to the very core of our being. In such engagements convictions are marshaled, emotions run high, and each believes they are on the right side of saving their loved one’s souls. The truth is, this is a matter of the saving of all of our loved one’s souls. Let us recognized that neither side has a market on convictions and the concern of saving souls. The issue is and remains: Who is preaching the message which will truly lead to God’s salvation? 

My Background

My background will evidence that I am not an outsider finding fault, nor a person passing through the UPCI with an axe to grind. I am a fourth generation Oneness Pentecostal on four sides. My grandfathers were both Oneness Pentecostal preachers. My father has been a Oneness Pentecostal preacher and pastor for over 50 years. My wife’s grandfather was a Oneness Pentecostal (UPCI) pastor. My connections with the UPCI are not shallow nor have they been brief. I have loved and believed the "fundamental doctrine" of the UPCI for many years. I have been a licensed minister for nearly 21 years. I was ordained in the UPCI 16 years ago. I have preached and taught in over 200 UPCI churches in over thirty states. I spoken at camps and conferences. I taught for 5 years in the oldest and most established Bible college in the UPCI. I have presented papers at the Symposium on Oneness Pentecostalism sponsored by the UPCI. The current church which I pastor (for over ten years) was planted as a UPCI home missions work. The truth is, the UPCI has been my home and I have been raised and nurtured within it.

I have maintained a deep, personal relationship with many people within the UPCI. I have a great love and respect for many in the UPCI. Some have been like a fathers and very good friends. They have helped me and shared with me. I do not treat that as a light thing. In fact is has been the kindness of some which has prevented me from allowing myself to examine these issue openly. I have known that in order for me to follow the Lord and my conscience guided by the Scriptures, I would have to take positions that would not be pleasing to my friends and colleagues. I do not want to be rejected as a person. I do not want to "cause trouble." It is not my desire to unduly challenge the faith of anyone. But these issues are so vital to the Kingdom of God and the integrity of Scripture I cannot choose according to personal or emotional concerns.

It has been with great struggle that I have had to face many of the issues about which I am writing. It has taken me several years to honestly face them. I have come to realize that God has been leading and urging me to address the matters I am writing about, but I could not bring myself to it. Ultimately, my integrity and honesty with God could not be maintained without serious heart-searching study on these subjects. My conclusions or observations are a result of the Scriptures challenging my beliefs. Many of the things which I write against are former beliefs which I held very strongly. But God has faithfully, graciously, but insistently moved me to realize that I had either no biblical standing for these beliefs, or had misinterpreted Scripture.

I want to express that it is devastating to have Scripture shine the light on your theology and doctrines and show them to be wanting. I would avoid certain texts of Scripture, or found myself (as I was taught) putting a unnecessary spin on certain portions of Scripture to make it say what the UPCI and other Pentecostal taught. I did this so habitually without facing the reality of what I was doing. But the plain teaching of Scripture has won out. I cannot deny that a person is justify by faith in work of Jesus Christ. This truth has be emblazoned in my soul despite all the defenses and arguments that I could raise against it.  

Enemy Because of the Truth?

I am not a novice. I had been a minister of the Gospel (as I understood it in the UPCI) for 23 years. I do not approach these subjects without theological education or training. I have a Master of Divinity degree and am studying for a PhD in theology . I am not on an eccentric tangent or promoting an agenda out of a destructive ulterior motive. It would be much easier and much less painful to my family if I would go quietly and never speak out on this subject. I do not have anyone "indoctrinating me," telling me what to write, or urging me on in a schismatic spirit. This is the response of my conscience before God to those who call me brother. I am not under psychological stress or peer pressure. I am not taking this stand because it will profit me or ingratiate me with a group outside the UPCI. Truthfully, in the four years since leaving the UPCI it has not gained me a position, my income has decreased and it has not won me a larger congregation. I am simply a preacher and pastor who has had his eyes open to the truth of Scripture concerning the Gospel.

I believe it is vital to the members of the UPCI to know what I know. They are just like me. Many love God with all their hearts, and yet they have assurance in something less that the powerful message of the Gospel: That they are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ for good works. While it may seem that this is already the faith or teaching of the UPCI, I will endeavor to show that it is not. For those who already have understood this as the Gospel and hold to justification by faith, I rejoice with you. But, realize that it is not the message nor the Gospel as the UPCI defines it.

As I said, I will now become the enemy of some. But apostle Paul stated in writing the believers in Galatia: "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" This quotation is apt because Paul was dealing with the issue of deviation from the one true Gospel. I desire to offer truth. Whatever rejection or alienation that results is not of my design or desire. I know this will come. But my motivation is to humbly present what God has helped me to see in His Word. As Martin Luther cried out at the Diet of Worms at the trial of his faith, "My conscience is held captive to the Word of God. "

There will be those who will cry, "Heresy!" That is to be expected even though it would be a baseless charge. I simply join with Paul in claiming,

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. (Acts 24:14-16)

Explanation of My Method

I have given a great deal of thought to what the real essential differences are between what I believe Scripture teaches and what the UPCI claims to believe. First, I see the most significant difference is how we view the basic nature of the Gospel. I ask myself and others this question, "The UPCI claims to teach the true Gospel and believes that they (and those who believe the same as they) are the only Christians who preach the true Gospel. Yet it is obviously not the same "Gospel" which faithful Evangelicals have preached since the Reformation. How did this come to be?" Another way of asking this is, "The UPCI differs so uniquely and radically from what Evangelicals have believed since the Reformation (And for that matter since the birth of the Church). How do we account for this?" From another angle I ask, "The UPCI holds to a clear, distinct and irreconcilable teaching about the Gospel from that Gospel preached by those who are traditional Evangelical descendants of the Reformation. Why is there such a difference?"

This difference is of the most profound nature that both cannot hold their positions and claim to preach the same salvation or be part of the same church. That is serious and sober indeed. This was the great quandary with which I was faced while wrestling with the teaching of Scripture and UPCI doctrine. I once was very convinced that the UPCI was the true church and all others were either in "darkness" (have not come to all the 'light' yet) or apostate. However, the more I studied Scripture, I saw I was wrong. The UPCI was the one departing the Faith, rather than a present ‘revelation’ of the original Gospel.

In order to answer these questions, it is important to offer some opinions about why this difference exists. I believe that there are several reasons why the UPCI has departed from the biblical Gospel. My method for offering these reasons will progress through several stage. The first will be to address the way the UPCI interprets the Bible. This is the most fundamental explanation for the UPCI teaching. However, even deeper causes are the theological assumptions that motive this way of interpreting the Bible. I will attempt to address the traditions that inform their theological assumptions along with the historical context which influenced and shaped the new teachings which emerged in the UPCI. Next, I will walk through the essential doctrines of the of Gospel comparing and contrasting those of the UPCI with the Reformers and the Bible. The outline of those doctrines will focus on: 1) Scripture alone is the sole and sufficient authority for salvation 2) The Sovereignty and Holiness of God; 3) The sinfulness of Sin and our desperate need of Salvation; 4) The Promise of God that His work through Jesus Christ is exclusive and sufficient for our salvation; 5)This salvation is by the grace of God alone; 6)We receive this salvation of Christ through faith alone; 7) Our salvation is for the glory of God alone. I will close with my reflections of where the UPCI can go from where it is to a reformation birthed by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I take this approach because of the inner connection between the various essential doctrines. My first realizations were that the UPCI understood and defined cardinal truths of Scripture after those who have not accepted the Reformation and the understanding of the Gospel which grew out of it. Their doctrines of Faith, Grace, and Justification are more compatible with the Roman Catholic Church than Protestants. I began to realize that their divergent view of the Gospel is rooted in a different understanding of the Work of Christ and the nature of the Atonement.

Consequently, I could not help but then ask if there were other even more fundamental differences which determine this understanding of the Work of Christ. I came to see that what Scripture teaches about the nature of Sin is more profound that I was generally taught under the influence of the UPCI. And even more, the Scriptural revelation of the Holiness of God is more radical than that expressed by teachers in the UPCI. All these main areas of Biblical doctrine are held in a significantly unique configuration, with their individual emphasis; and, I believe, that this contributes to the particular doctrine of salvation as held by the UPCI. Even more, it gives us insight as to why the UPCI does not believe the Gospel as taught in Scripture.