Recovering Apostolic Pentecostal

[YeshuaFan]

Ok. By George I think I got it!

They would tie receiving the extra power to be bold witnesses to Acts and Pentecost, as all who have the tongues to them have that same power now!

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Hello brothers and sisters. I was raised my entire childhood in a UPC church, but I got involved with a Presbyterian (now my fiance) who opened my view to the Trinity, and helped for me to become more open minded with the Scriptures in regards to baptism, speaking in tongues, and other things. I struggled with accepting the doctrine taught by the UPC denomination, but I feel more secure in my faith now more than ever since I have been able to take a look at the Word without fear. However, most of my family still attends that church and it has caused a lot of tension, especially with the upcoming wedding. I still attend church with my mother once a week to keep the peace, and I truly believe she is at peace. But my grandmother has begun saying things behind my back, and she called my will be in-laws and my fiance heathens to my face, amongst other things. I have been under pressure from her, my bridesmaids, as well as many of my attendees. Because they are all opinionated, biased people, I feel uncomfortable explaining to them my faith when I know they will trash it. I do not want to put my pearls before swine, but with the wedding another 3 1/2 months away and my fiance 1000 miles, I feel like I have to explain myself. I know I should not have to, but that denomination breeds pressure. Additionally, I feel like a "baby Christian" because of the vastly different theological differences I now believe, despite being a Christian my entire life. Has anybody left a Pentecostal church, specifically the Oneness doctrine and stayed in church? All of the people that I know left the church have led immoral lives. They go from one extreme to another. I need advice from someone who left on how they handled the transition.

Thank you,
A Tired Bride to be

Does her family also live a thousand miles away? If so, have the wedding there at her Church. Ask that elders and apologists from that church be at the wedding to deal with the rude family members.

If that is not an option, elope to have it in peace.

Look for the bible translation for John 1:1 which has "face to face" in place of "with" because that is a better translation.

check out these sites, but don't discuss theology on them
Ex Pentecostal Forums
Leaving the UPCI? : ExPentecostal
Association of Former Pentecostals - Ex-Pentecostals.org
Ex-Pentecostal Thoughts
Ex-Pentecostals
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...i13i30j0i13i5i30j0i8i13i30j33i160.qoSh-eqx0TU

 

[Allmyhope]

Hello brothers and sisters. I was raised my entire childhood in a UPC church, but I got involved with a Presbyterian (now my fiance) who opened my view to the Trinity, and helped for me to become more open minded with the Scriptures in regards to baptism, speaking in tongues, and other things. I struggled with accepting the doctrine taught by the UPC denomination, but I feel more secure in my faith now more than ever since I have been able to take a look at the Word without fear. However, most of my family still attends that church and it has caused a lot of tension, especially with the upcoming wedding. I still attend church with my mother once a week to keep the peace, and I truly believe she is at peace. But my grandmother has begun saying things behind my back, and she called my will be in-laws and my fiance heathens to my face, amongst other things. I have been under pressure from her, my bridesmaids, as well as many of my attendees. Because they are all opinionated, biased people, I feel uncomfortable explaining to them my faith when I know they will trash it. I do not want to put my pearls before swine, but with the wedding another 3 1/2 months away and my fiance 1000 miles, I feel like I have to explain myself. I know I should not have to, but that denomination breeds pressure. Additionally, I feel like a "baby Christian" because of the vastly different theological differences I now believe, despite being a Christian my entire life. Has anybody left a Pentecostal church, specifically the Oneness doctrine and stayed in church? All of the people that I know left the church have led immoral lives. They go from one extreme to another. I need advice from someone who left on how they handled the transition.

Thank you,
A Tired Bride to be

 

[Allmyhope]

I have a daughter, son-in-law, & 2 grandchildren in the Apostolic/oneness Church & it breaks my heart!

I still have not figured out if it’s God The Father or Jesus Christ The Son that the Apostolic/oneness do away with & by who’s authority? 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: I tend to believe it’s both. Once they do away with Jesus Christ the pastor takes on the role as the mediator! He has even told them that he’ll stand in for them before God!

Everyone has to speak in tongues or they’re going to hell. For all the other gifts discernment, prophecy, healing, etc they have to go to the pastor. If you need financial advise, want to date someone (with a chaperone), or marry they have to get the pastor’s approval.

A self employed man who attends their church business had slowed & he was in danger of losing his house. He went to the pastor for advise & was told to sell his house. Our daughter & son-in-law got behind on their payments the pastor’s advise was file bankruptcy & they did. They lost their home & vehicles. He did not say don’t tithe for a few months in order to catch up your payments or let the Church help you because that would cut into his greedy bottom line!!! He sold them a vehicle which was in his name but after awhile he found some land he wanted to buy so they had to get rid of it. They ended up with a car with 17% interest! After several rent houses they ended up renting from him. Their pastor sold his place thinking he was going to buy another but it fell through. The pastor & his wife ended up living in a camper trailer parked at the Church he told them to move so they can live there.

This pastor has kind of adopted our son-in-law so his claws are buried deep. Our son-in-laws parents were into drugs. He tried to get them to go to Church but they wouldn’t until his Dad did some construction work on this man’s Church. When the pastor moved back up to his home town our son-in-law & his family followed him. I told him once that he had this pastor upon a pedestal because he seen him as saving his parents & the only way he would ever leave was if something bad happened. His dad did meth & it eats from the inside out. Between the meth & a few back injuries his dad was in horrific pain. He went to Church seeking healing but it did not happen. I feel like his pain drove him insane. Not only was he threatening his own life he was going to take his wife & youngest son with him. He told his wife today is the day & they left called the cops. He killed his self on my birthday! The bad happened but our son-in-law (& family) are still there!

This denomination/pastor’s rules their congregation. Some may not be as strict as others but from what I’ve seen there’s not much difference!

The men can not have beards must have short hair.
The women can not cut their hair but pile it up on top of their heads in a short style! They get this from 1 Corinthians 11 but fell to read the whole chapter! Verse 16 But if any man seem contentious, we have NO SUCH CUSTOM, neither the churches of God! Head coverings & hair length are customs! The Bible warns against customs, traditions, fables, old wives tales and so forth!
Women can not wear pants. Who wears the pants in your family is NOT Biblical —- that’s an old men’s tale! The Geneva Bible published in 1557 otherwise know as the breeches Bible says in Genesis 3:7 they sewed together figge tree leaves together, and made themselves BREECHES. The 1612 KJV changed breeches to aprons. So they had his & her’s pants in the garden! I never understood why people fight over an article of clothing that was brought into the world because of sin? Don’t see the Churches fighting over boots, hats, belts, it’s all about pants because of a old men’s tale/saying!
Then I find out about shaming! That’s where the pastor calls out a person in front of the whole congregation for something he believes they did wrong!!!

I don’t have to go to a Priest or a power hungry pastor because I have a personal relationship with my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!!! He set me free from all the bondage that this denomination puts on the people!!!

This is just scratching the surface but I think My rant needs to end!

Bottom line —- I believe it’s all about position, control, power, & money! That song —- my oh my got some wonderful slaves fits well! I wish my daughter & Family like you could break away from the madness!!! Please don’t go back!!! Prayers for you & your new life!!!

 

[Allmyhope]

I have a daughter, son-in-law, & 2 grandchildren in the Apostolic/oneness Church & it breaks my heart!

I still have not figured out if it’s God The Father or Jesus Christ The Son that the Apostolic/oneness do away with & by who’s authority? 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: I tend to believe it’s both. Once they do away with Jesus Christ the pastor takes on the role as the mediator! He has even told them that he’ll stand in for them before God!

Everyone has to speak in tongues or they’re going to hell. For all the other gifts discernment, prophecy, healing, etc they have to go to the pastor. If you need financial advise, want to date someone (with a chaperone), or marry they have to get the pastor’s approval.

A self employed man who attends their church business had slowed & he was in danger of losing his house. He went to the pastor for advise & was told to sell his house. Our daughter & son-in-law got behind on their payments the pastor’s advise was file bankruptcy & they did. They lost their home & vehicles. He did not say don’t tithe for a few months in order to catch up your payments or let the Church help you because that would cut into his greedy bottom line!!! He sold them a vehicle which was in his name but after awhile he found some land he wanted to buy so they had to get rid of it. They ended up with a car with 17% interest! After several rent houses they ended up renting from him. Their pastor sold his place thinking he was going to buy another but it fell through. The pastor & his wife ended up living in a camper trailer parked at the Church so he told them to move so they can live there.

This pastor has kind of adopted our son-in-law so his claws are buried deep. Our son-in-laws parents were into drugs. He tried to get them to go to Church but they wouldn’t until his Dad did some construction work on this man’s Church. When the pastor moved back up to his home town our (at that time future) son-in-law & his family followed him. I told him once that he had his pastor upon a pedestal because he sees him as saving his parents & the only way he would ever leave was if something bad happened. His dad did meth & it eats a person from the inside out. Between the meth & a few back injuries his dad was in horrific pain. He went to Church seeking healing but it did not happen. I feel like his pain drove him insane. Not only was he threatening his own life he was going to take his wife & youngest son with him. He told his wife today is the day & they left called the cops. He killed his self on my birthday! The bad happened but our son-in-law (& family) are still there!

This denomination/pastors rule their congregation. Some may not be as strict as others but from what I’ve seen there’s not much difference!

The men have to wear short hair no beards.
The women can not cut their hair. Even so, they pile it up on their heads in a short fashion! They get this from 1 Corinthians 11 but fell to read the whole chapter. Verse 16 But if any man seem contentious, we have NO SUCH CUSTOM, neither THE CHURCHES OF GOD. Head coverings & length of hair are customs! The Bible warns us against customs, traditions, fables, old wives tales and so forth!
Women can not wear pants. Who wears the pants in your family is an old men’s tale —- It’s NOT Biblical! The Geneva Bible published in 1557 —- Genesis 3:7 they sewed figge tree leaves together, and made themselves BREECHES. They had his & her’s pants in the garden! The KJV changed it to aprons in 1611. I never understood why there’s such a fight over an article of clothing that was brought into the world because of sin! They don’t fight over boots, hats, belts, and so forth!

Then there’s shaming where the pastor shames a member in front of the whole congregation because of something he sees as wrong!

This is only scratching the surface but my rant needs to end!

What it all boils down to is it’s about position, power, control, & money! That song —- my oh my got some wonderful slaves fits well! I wish my daughter & Family would break away from the madness!!! Please don’t go back!!! Prayers for you & your new life!!!

 

[Major1]

I have a daughter, son-in-law, & 2 grandchildren in the Apostolic/oneness Church & it breaks my heart!

I still have not figured out if it’s God The Father or Jesus Christ The Son that the Apostolic/oneness do away with & by who’s authority? 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus: I tend to believe it’s both. Once they do away with Jesus Christ the pastor takes on the role as the mediator! He has even told them that he’ll stand in for them before God!

Everyone has to speak in tongues or they’re going to hell. For all the other gifts discernment, prophecy, healing, etc they have to go to the pastor. If you need financial advise, want to date someone (with a chaperone), or marry they have to get the pastor’s approval.

A self employed man who attends their church business had slowed & he was in danger of losing his house. He went to the pastor for advise & was told to sell his house. Our daughter & son-in-law got behind on their payments the pastor’s advise was file bankruptcy & they did. They lost their home & vehicles. He did not say don’t tithe for a few months in order to catch up your payments or let the Church help you because that would cut into his greedy bottom line!!! He sold them a vehicle which was in his name but after awhile he found some land he wanted to buy so they had to get rid of it. They ended up with a car with 17% interest! After several rent houses they ended up renting from him. Their pastor sold his place thinking he was going to buy another but it fell through. The pastor & his wife ended up living in a camper trailer parked at the Church so he told them to move so they can live there.

This pastor has kind of adopted our son-in-law so his claws are buried deep. Our son-in-laws parents were into drugs. He tried to get them to go to Church but they wouldn’t until his Dad did some construction work on this man’s Church. When the pastor moved back up to his home town our (at that time future) son-in-law & his family followed him. I told him once that he had his pastor upon a pedestal because he sees him as saving his parents & the only way he would ever leave was if something bad happened. His dad did meth & it eats a person from the inside out. Between the meth & a few back injuries his dad was in horrific pain. He went to Church seeking healing but it did not happen. I feel like his pain drove him insane. Not only was he threatening his own life he was going to take his wife & youngest son with him. He told his wife today is the day & they left called the cops. He killed his self on my birthday! The bad happened but our son-in-law (& family) are still there!

This denomination/pastors rule their congregation. Some may not be as strict as others but from what I’ve seen there’s not much difference!

The men have to wear short hair no beards.
The women can not cut their hair. Even so, they pile it up on their heads in a short fashion! They get this from 1 Corinthians 11 but fell to read the whole chapter. Verse 16 But if any man seem contentious, we have NO SUCH CUSTOM, neither THE CHURCHES OF GOD. Head coverings & length of hair are customs! The Bible warns us against customs, traditions, fables, old wives tales and so forth!
Women can not wear pants. Who wears the pants in your family is an old men’s tale —- It’s NOT Biblical! The Geneva Bible published in 1557 —- Genesis 3:7 they sewed figge tree leaves together, and made themselves BREECHES. They had his & her’s pants in the garden! The KJV changed it to aprons in 1611. I never understood why there’s such a fight over an article of clothing that was brought into the world because of sin! They don’t fight over boots, hats, belts, and so forth!

Then there’s shaming where the pastor shames a member in front of the whole congregation because of something he sees as wrong!

This is only scratching the surface but my rant needs to end!

What it all boils down to is it’s about position, power, control, & money! That song —- my oh my got some wonderful slaves fits well! I wish my daughter & Family would break away from the madness!!! Please don’t go back!!! Prayers for you & your new life!!!

I have heard this kind of horror story for years. Your family members are involved in a cult.

It amazes me that people fall for this kind of thing over and over again.

May the Lord bless you and give you peace and deliver your family.