I've read many article and comments this week regarding UPCI. I know that many people were hurt by misguided and close minded individuals, but the organization shouldn't be labeled as a cult because of those people.

I wasn't raised in the church and was a trinitarian while growing up. It wasn't until my late teens that I became interested in the "Oneness" doctrine. I did receive extensive bible studies and I did receive the revelation of the oneness of God.

I attended an ultra-conservative church where every aspect of the members lives were dictated by the pastor. I questioned many of the standards that he imposed on the congregation and I didn't feel that many of those standards were a heaven or hell issue.

I left that church when I moved to Houston where I started to attend what many would consider a liberal church. The pastor didn't preach on standards every month and he allowed the members to discern their own standards. For instance, a woman isn't singled out if she wears makeup or trims her hair.

There are many in our movement that feel that there will be others in heaven besides people of our faith. We feel that one will be judged according to their knowledge and if you weren't exposed to this doctrine, how will a loving God keep those from going to heaven if they've lived a holy, christian life. I'm the only one of my family members, excluding an aunt, that believe this doctrine and I have many family members who serve God and keep his commandments.

For those people who have been hurt in any way because of some pastor or member of the UPCI, I want you to know that you are loved and I'm sorry that you experienced so much pain.

I believe that God wants us to come together in these last days and truly demonstrate His love to reach the lost. It will be such a wonderful sight to see people from all walks of life and church affiliation together in heaven one day.

May God bless and keep you.

Kenneth

See [www.culteducation.com]

The UPCI has not been labeled a "cult."

It is a controversial organization with a troubled history.

See [www.culteducation.com]

I am 27 years of age, and I have been around the UPC all of my life. There was a time in my teenage years that I did not attend a UPC church at all. I would meet the people of the church in town, and they never once put pressure on me to come back to church there. They did, however, show me love and support in a very Christ like matter, and that love did draw me back to the church. I recently moved across the United States, where my wife's family lives. I am thousands of miles away from the church that I attended (there was no pressure on me to attend any certain church, because it is only my wife and I here). I am now attending a UPC church in Idaho, and it is the best thing to ever happen to my wife and I. The UPC is far from a cult. It is a blessing. I do not believe that you have to be UPC to go to heaven, but if thats your choice, that is what it is - a choice. I know that there are some churches out there (UPC along with other denominations) that misrepresent the true love of the church toward people. Lets just try to look at churches one at a time, and not use a broad brush to paint a very large group of people.
God Bless

UPCI doctrine excludes all Christians that don't agree with their beliefs from salvation and heaven.

Note the following defining doctrines of the UPCI:

1. The so-called "Oneness" doctrine that denies the Christian belief in the trinity and says that those who accept this historic belief are somehow "pagans." Leaders of the UPCI, such as the late Nathaniel Urshan, have stated this publicly.

2. That baptism is necessary for salvation, specifically through the so-called "Jesus name only" baptism formula practiced by the UPCI.

It is largely through the combination of these two unique doctrines that the UPCI excludes virtually all other Christians from salvation and heaven.

Of course the UPCI will state this is per the "bible," but that is per its interpretation of the bible and various verses essentially used to proof text these doctrines. And they will also say "it's your choice," which basically means if you don't follow their beliefs you have chosen to go to hell.

I was in Oneness Pentecostalism for over 20 years, most of the time in UPC churches. I am now a confirmed Lutheran. The Oneness Pentecostals believe that if you do not reject the trinity, you are going to hell. If you are not baptized according to their “Jesus Name” formula, you are going to hell, and if you do not speak in tongues (receiving the Holy Ghost) you are going to hell. Many Oneness Pentecostals will lie about this and try to make you believe that they are not this extreme. Do not believe them. In the past few years, they have been trying to put on a smiley face, playing down their extremist doctrines, but they have yet to change in general. People leaving these places have serious emotional problems for years trying to recover from the doctrines.

This denomination does little more than create divisions among God's people...something God hates!

I went to one of these churches about 2 weeks after I got saved and they told me point blank that if I didn't agree with them I would burn in hell forever.

I won't set foot in a UPC church ever again because I consider them to be a cult. They obviously can't read and understand what the Bible teaches on several subjects.

I wanted to express my concern I felt while reading some recent postings, especially the confirmed luthern brother. While I sensed there were still much pain from your experience with the church you attended, the UPCI churches isn't trying to decieve anyone with putting on a smiling face. I believe God is doing a great thing in the oneness movement by allowing the members to experience and witness the grace of God on others who don't share the same doctrinal beliefs. We all must examine ourselves and treat each other with respect and love and Christ instructed us. To bash people of God is a great offense, so be careful because you don't want to touch God's annointed. If you were ever to come to Houston, TX, perhaps you could stop by Life Tabernacle and see what God is doing with His church. We don't bash anyone...just love them as Christ loves them. God bless you and keep you as you search for answers.

"Touch not God's annointed"?

This proof text is often used by those who hope to dismiss criticism, which is not really either scriptural or in context.

Paul accepted criticism as did Peter, read Acts and Galatians.

I receive frequent complaints regarding the UPCI, usually it's about a pastor who rules over a congregation like a tyrant.

UPCI pastors have little if any meaningful accountability to their congregations through democratically elected boards, financial disclosure through annual and audited financial statements etc.

The cultyness (if I may coin a new word) of UPCI seems to vary between different churches, and it can even depend on which pastor is in charge during the specific period of time in question. The one I dealt with, when examined as an individual unit and not part of a larger UPCI organization, appeared to me to be within the realm of "unsafe group", "cult", or what have you.

In this situation it could be incorrect to reference all of UPCI as a singular, unified cult. However, IMO that shouldn't preclude specific UPCI churches from being potentially evaluated as such on an individual and time-specific basis.

I attended a UPCI church run by a District Superintendant.

Among their many practices were "uncut hair" of the women.
It was preached that the pastors wife had special powers from god
because she had never cut her hair.

This is a distinctive feature of the UPCI.

In her book, "Power Before the Throne", Ruth Reider explains why women of "uncut hair" have angels from god bestowed upon them, as angels are attracted to "uncut hair", and thus they obtain spiritual power.

A rational person might consider that cultish.

But my opinion was somewhat different,

considering that the UPCI family that headed the district,
amassed great personal wealth, to include homes, cars, boats, extensive real estate holdings, to include a vacation home in Jamaica, and salaries for each of the family members.

Combined with the fact that tax exempt status,

the ability to write income tax deductions

and the famous "wall of seperation" between church and state

makes the whole operation the biggest tax dodge racket in the US
and a very lucrative one

the fact that it is all done in the name of Jesus,
makes it worse than a cult in my opinion