THE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH INTERNATIONAL (2)

The Beginning (1)

Victor M. Eskew

 

          The United Pentecostal Church International is a relative newcomer within the denominational world.  It had its beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century, that is, the last half of the 1800s.  It began with what is called “The Holiness Revival.”  Many were growing dissatisfied with mainline denominations.  They saw ungodliness practiced among the members.  Wealth was replacing a spiritual mindset.  Too, there was a lack of simplicity in the practices of the churches.   The nation’s lower-class and middle-class were the primary ones who grew discontent.  Therefore, they sought “perfection in Christ” elsewhere.  Many of them came out of The Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist churches.

          These individuals did something wise.  They opened the book of Acts and began to study the establishment of the church.  Jesus had promised to build a church during His early ministry (Matt. 16:18).  This church was founded in the city of Jerusalem (Acts 2:5).  Those who heard Peter’s sermon on Pentecost day longed to know what they needed to do to be saved (Acts 2:37).  “Then Peter said unto them, 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” (Acts 2:38).  “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).  These individuals were saved according to the words of Christ found in Mark 16:16.  These saved were added by the Lord to the church according to Acts 2:47.  This is the first time the church is spoken of as being in existence.  This was the true church.  This was the church for which Jesus died.  This was the New Testament church.  This was the first century church.  This was the “one church” to which all the saved were added from Pentecost onward.  Again, it was wise for these individuals to start with the church found in the Bible.  When a church is patterned after that church, it is still that church even though it is two thousand years removed from the first century. 

          As those seekers looked into Acts 2, several things stood out to them.  First, the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit on this day.  “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).  Second, they read Peter’s words regarding these things being the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel.  “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:  and I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:  and the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and terrible day of the Lord come” (Acts 2:16-20).  Third, they noted Peter’s promise to those who repented and were baptized.  They were told:  “…and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).  Finally, they read about the “many wonders and signs” that were done by the apostles (Acts 2:43).

          As they read Acts 2, they were convinced that it was the Holy Spirit and His marvelous power that brought enthusiasm and excitement and life to the church.  Therefore, they began to study the subject of the Holy Spirit and His work in the life of the church.  Their studies caused them to hunger for the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  They longed for the ability to speak in tongues following conversion.  Too, they emphasized the need of the church to possess miraculous spiritual gifts like those mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. 

          It is true that the first century church was blessed with miraculous powers of the Holy Spirit.  However, those who believe they exist today have not studied the subject enough.  We will find that the miraculous age was limited to the first century.  Those miracles served a definite purpose.  Once the purpose was served, the miraculous gifts of the spirit came to an end.  Paul is clear about this in 1 Corinthians 12-14.  It was the very reason he exhorted the church to develop and practice the quality of love.  They were arguing about which gifts were the best gifts.  It created division in the church.  Paul let them know that those gifts would end.  “Charity never faileth:  but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Cor. 13:8).  The miraculous gifts would no longer be something over which they could have strife.  What would matter then is that they loved one another.  We will develop this Biblical teaching more in later articles.

          The Pentecostal movement brought into existence many denominations:  the Assembly of God, the Church of God in Christ, the New Apostolic Church, the Church of God (Cleveland, TN), the Pentecostal Holiness Church, The Foursquare Gospel Church, Open Bible Churches, the Zion Christian Church, and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God to name a few.  There are over 700 Pentecostal denominations in the world.  They have about 279 million members.  The United Pentecostal Church International has approximately 42,000 congregations in the world.  They boast of having 5,100,000 members.  In articles to come, we will look at some of the basic teachings of this denomination.  We will give book, chapter, and verse answers for any errors that are advocated by them.  As we have shown, millions of souls lie in the balance.