Doctrinal Distinctives:
1. Oneness of the Godhead: The God of the Bible is One. He is not triune in nature, but
One. His name is Jesus.
2. Threefold Salvation Plan: Repentance. Baptism by immersion in Jesus' Name. Baptism in
the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. Acts 2:37-38
3. Standard of Dress: Based on the biblical principles of modesty and gender distinction.
Also, long hair for the ladies. (This is a complicated, though non-"heaven or hell",
issue.)
Some Scripture:
*Please also see section below, Further Scripture*
1. Oneness:
Colossians 2:8-10 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according
to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to
Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him,
who is the head of all principality and power.
John 14:8-9 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus
said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has
seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and
tremble!
2. Threefold Salvation Plan:
General
Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and
let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to
all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
i. Repentance
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand."
Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere
to repent,
ii. Water Baptism in Jesus' Name
*In Matt 28:19, Jesus tells His disciples to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit". In, Acts 2 we read of the Apostles fulfilling that command by baptizing
in the name Jesus, rather than in His titles.*
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were
washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our
God.
Acts 8:16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name
of the Lord Jesus.
iii. Spirit Baptism
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had 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
the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire,
and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those
who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For
they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid
water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And
he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few
days.
3. Standard of Dress
Deuteronomy 22:5 "A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put
on a woman's garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God.
1 Timothy 2:9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with
propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
1 Corinthians 11:5-6,15 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered
dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is
not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let
her be covered. (...) But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given
to her for a covering.
History:
The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) has been among the fastest growing
denominations in
North America since it was formed in 1945 by the merger of the
Pentecostal
Church, Incorporated, and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. From 617 churches listed in
1946, the UPCI in North America (
United States and
Canada) today lists 4,142 churches, 8,801
ministers, and reports a
Sunday School attendance of 498,903. Moreover, it is also located
in 170 other nations with 22,881 licensed ministers, 28,351 churches and meeting places, 571
missionaries, and a foreign constituency of over 3 million, making a total worldwide
constituency of more than 4,036,945.
The UPCI emerged out of the Pentecostal movement that began in Topeka, Kansas in 1901. It traces
its organizational roots to October 1916, when a large group of ministers withdrew from the
Assemblies of God over the doctrinal issues of the oneness of God and water baptism in the name
of Jesus Christ.
The basic governmental structure of the UPCI is congregational with local churches being
autonomous: the congregation elects its pastor and its leaders, owns its property, decides its
budget, establishes its membership, and conducts all necessary business.
The central organization embraces a modified presbyterian system in that ministers meet in
sectional, district, and general conferences to elect officials and to conduct business of the
organization.
The UPCI headquarters building, located in Hazelwood, Missouri, houses offices for its general
officials, the Pentecostal Publishing House, and a Christian bookstore. Among its endorsed
institutions are seven Bible colleges, a children's home, a residency for troubled young men,
ministries to those addicted to
alcohol and other
drugs, a chaplaincy for
prisoners, and it
endorses chaplains to the
military.
*I did not write this, my source: http://www.upci.org/about/index.asp*
Further Scripture:
1. Oneness:
Mark 12:28-30 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together,
perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the
Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with
all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I
AM."
Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His
name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."
Isaiah 44:8 - Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'
"
Isaiah 43:15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.
Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer
is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a
Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be
upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty.
*This doctrine is a revelation.*
Luke 10:22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is
except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to
reveal Him."
2. Threefold Salvation Plan:
General
Luke 24:46-49 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the
Christ to suffer and to rise rom the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
Jerusalem. And you are
witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the
Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the
city of Jerusalem until you are endued with
power from on high."
Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us
go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith
toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and
of eternal judgment.
i. Repentance
Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and
believe in the
gospel."
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to
repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in
nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the
sorrow of the world produces death.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to
teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant
them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and
escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
ii. Water Baptism in Jesus' Name
Matthew 28:18-19 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me
in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him
to stay a few days.
Acts 22:16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins,
calling on the name of the Lord.'
iii. Spirit Baptism
Luke 3:16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier
than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire.
Acts 19:1-7 And it happened, while
Apollos was at
Corinth, that
Paul, having passed
through the upper regions, came to
Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as
heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?"
So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of
repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that
is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.
John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the
Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that
they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only
been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the
Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 8:9-11 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is
in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if
the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the
dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or
Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption.
Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out
demons; they will speak with new tongues;
*The canonical status of this verse is debated.*
3. Standard of Dress
1 Peter 3:3-6 Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold,
or putting on fine apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves,
being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose
daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.