Reform the United Pentecostal Church

Sign our petition to redress grievances and bring reform to the United Pentecostal Church International.

Our platform:

Remove variances of holiness standards between churches and make an official position that the church can stand behind in unity.  Matters of conscience are often heaven or hell issues in varying congregations even within the same district or region.

Make all espoused doctrinal beliefs official positions of the church.

Revise the Articles of the Faith which state that the church shall have no doctrine but the Bible, because the church holds many doctrines as a body outside of the Bible and within the teaching of leaders.  Or, accept the teaching of leaders and make it church doctrine. As it currently reads that "we should not contend for our views to the disunity of the body", this petition is designed to create unity by harmonizing our positions nationwide. 

For example, one pastor may say that wearing a wedding ring is a sin and another that it is not.  In either case, one position damns the other.  The variance is already there and pastors are contending by presenting a unified doctrinal position and by making matters of conscience not addressed in the Bible or Articles of Faith, compulsatory requirements for service, membership, and more.

Unless a condition of paid employment, or in the case of regular volunteers working with children, no UPCI church shall require a member or congregant to sign a commitment form or contract regarding matters of personal conviction, outside of the core doctrine of the gospel, as a prerequisite for service to Christ and his church.   Our contract is with Christ and His blood, not to controlling standards of men.  Membership and service in volunteer lay ministry and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ shall not be met with a prerequisite of allegiance to anything other than the Word of God.

Before being allowed to work with children, however, all volunteers and paid staff shall undergo criminal and background checks to ensure the safety of minors.

Respect the matters of television, wedding bands, sports, beards, dress, hair, as matters of conscience and personal conviction as opposed to anaethmatic doctrine.  Encourage a higher standard, but do not inhibit free expression and personal growth.  Abandon legislating from the pulpit.

Let there be a recognizable and universally accepted route for those aspiring to the ministry that allows a structured approach common to all districts.

Membership in a UPC church shall be allowed on the basis of the conversion experience alone and the continued confession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Baptism in Jesus Name, and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, believing in one God whose Name is Jesus.

That there be a standard procedure for redress of grievances of the saints within the congregation relative to a pastor or elder, to a board of elders, or presbytery, and by way of appeal a review board comprised of both appointed elders and elected congregants.

That the income statements of all UPCI churches are published and distributed to each member in good standing on an annual basis, whether or not they tithe. 

That there shall be financial oversight comittees provided by the district to each congregation to ensure proper management of church finances. This board being composed of 3 ordained elders and 3 elected representatives from the district body.

That all capital campaigns be audited by a third party unaffiliated accounting firm, and the progress of such be presented quarterly to the congregation by mail.