Hi guys! I'm new to this forum, so bear with me. I was wondering of everyone here had been a member of the UPCI or another church of the sort.

I was involved with the UPCI for 13 years, basically raised in it. I'm 21 now and I'm not attending anywhere but I sure did go thru a lot within the church itself. I don't blame God cause I know that it wasn't His fault, but those that claim to follow Him.

*shrug*

I look foward to getting to know everyone.

Hey my name is JoAnne

I was in an apostolic cult...well I am proud of you for breaking away! congrats! that takes alot of courage.

so how are you doing now??

JoAnne

I am a little bewildered by your comment about an apostolic cult that you claim you were involved in. Not all apostolics are alike. Just like not all Baptist, Lutherns, ect....are alike.

I am an active member in an UPCI church and I can say that we are a loving accepting congregation. Grant it, I have attended churches that weren't in-line with the word of God; just their blind thurst for power and control.

Please know that there are those of us that don't cast our personal convictions on others and we allow God to steer individuals on what their convictions should be. We have members in our congregation who very much look like the old time pentecostals and many that don't share the same personal convictions.

Know that Christ loves you unconditionally and that is exactly how his followers should love you as well. If not, then find a church that does lives the teachings of Christ within the confinds of the truth.

God bless you.

Is your UPCI church really that differnet?

Can your pastor be fired by the congreagation?

Is there a board at your church elected democratically by the congregation members?

Is there an annual published budget that is audited, which reflects any and all compensation paid to your pastor, his family and staff?

What "holiness standards" are not observed at your congregation regarding hair, clothing and general appearance?

I never said all apostolic churches are the same...I said I was in an apostolic cult....there is a difference.

any church can become a cult. but not all churches are cults...sorry for the misunderstanding

JoAnne

See [www.culteducation.com]

The distinction is usually the personality-driven nature of cults. That is, they are typically defined by a single living leader like Jim Jones, David Koresh, etc.

thats a good point "R", ya the cult I was in definately had a leading personality, Frank Spencer, talked about god's love, on one hand, but told outlandish lies about acts of god's wrath. Once he said that united states will soon come under marshal law. I told my dad, who worked for the government and had a security clearance, and he said that it was bull. I did not believe dad because I was so brainwashed. Logicly, if anyone would know about marshal law in our country, my dad would know long before some pastor did. But that did not occur to me.

He told alot of lies about healing..said that so and so is healed, but then the condition "came back" He said I was healed of my hearing loss, but then I would feel guilty because I was not healed. He would just blame me....saying I did not have "faith"...when ever I prayed about something and did not recieve it...I was told that I lacked faith.

He went on and on about revival...he lied that some methodist prophet said that Savannah was going to have a revial like no other.....lol we were forced to pray hours each day, despite our homework and other needs too....for revival. It never happened. So frank said...."god" told him that we were not suposed to have a revival of masses, but a "revolution" so he brought in these cultic gurus that told us that all the christian world was wrong, and that we need to break the curse of mortality. ok so now we were the only people that can save all humanity from physical death. we had to break the curse of adam and eve. Some how ....dont know how.....I believed him with all my heart....I thought I had purpose to save humanity.

but after hours of prayer ..daily, fasting for weeks, and radical alterations of belief, as well as being overworked to recruit, and felt a dire responsibility to save the world on top of going to one of the top art schools in the country and all its work......I went crazy. I started having very frightning halucinations, however I was so brainwashed, I believed that I was possesed and that I was going to hell. I consulted Frank, and he told me that it was my fault for seeking attention to myself. I believed him whole heartly and was off to kill myself....when my mom and my best friend rescued me. I was put in a crisis center and was put on anti-psycholtics. Somehow the stress I was under caused me to go into full blown psychosis. I was not the only one at this church that gone crazy. 3 other people that I know of went into full psychosis as well We were not a big group, at the most...it was like 45 people.

so not all apostolic churches are cults, but if yours sounds like mine....get out while you can.

JoAnne