The official website of the UPCI United Pentecostal Church International (
www.upci.org) states the following:
"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 4,358 churches (which includes 4099 autonomous and 258 daughter works), 9,085 ministers, and reports a Sunday School attendance of 646,304. Moreover, it is also located in 175 other nations with 22,881 licensed ministers, 28,351 churches and meeting places, 652 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."
Much of the following information is taken from Mead's Handbook of Denominations (11ed.) and from a book titled Jesus Only Churches, one in a series of Zondervan's, Guide to Cults and Religious Movements.
UPC Churches are known as "Jesus Only" Churches because they reject the Godhead (i.e., the Trinity). They also believe you must be baptized in water and speak in tongues in order to be saved. They hold to 'Holiness' standards of dress and appearance and recreational activities as do other 'Holiness' Churches. There are about 600,000 in the USA and about 3 million worldwide. The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) was founded in 1945. It broke away from Assemblies of God and other Pentecostal Churches. UPCI trace their roots back to the Pentecostal Movement at the turn of the 1900's. Some Pentecostals came to be known as "Oneness" or "Jesus Only" Pentecostals because they did not believe in the Trinity, and believed water baptism was necessary to get one's sins remitted, and the formula for being baptized was in Jesus' name only; not in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. UPCI also believe that speaking in tongues are evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and thereby one cannot be saved without speaking in tongues. Holiness is not the result of some act subsequent to salvation, but should be the norm at the moment of salvation for every Christian. This is the diabolic heresy of Lordship Salvation.
A Messed Up Bunch:
UPC go way out into left field when they reject the Godhead, and require speaking in tongues and baptism for one to be saved. "New Birth is achieved by faith, repentance, water baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit" (which is evidenced by speaking in tongues); 'Jesus Only' Churches, p51, E. Calvin Beisner.
The doctrinal views of UPCI reflect most of the beliefs of the Holiness-Pentecostal movement--with the exception of the "second work of grace"; the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity; and baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It embraces the demonic Pentecostal view that speaking in tongues is the initial sign of receiving the Holy Spirit. If this were true, then why DIDN'T the Apostle John mention speaking in tongues in any of his epistles? The entire purpose for the writing of 1st John is found in 1st John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." If baptism and speaking in tongues are necessary for salvation, then why didn't John mention either when the entire purpose of writing his epistle was so that we could KNOW we have eternal life? It's common sense folks.
United Pentecostal Churches and Water Baptism:
United Pentecostal Churches teach that water baptism is necessary to get to Heaven. This differs in teaching from other Pentecostal/Holiness Churches. Their mode of baptism must be by immersion and the "formula" (as they call it) must be "in Jesus' Name" only; not "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" of Matthew 28:19. They also attempt to use 1st Peter 3:21 to mandate baptism for salvation, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Lutherans pervert the Gospel by using this same Scripture. It's important for any Bible student to look at the surrounding Scriptural context in which a statement is made in the Bible. If you read the entire chapter of 1st Peter 3, you'll learn that Peter was instructing us in Christian living (i.e., wives obeying their husbands, husbands loving their wives, being a law abiding citizen, etc). Peter was not speaking about the salvation of the soul; but of the believer's life. -READ MORE on 1st Peter 3:21. Please read, What is Biblical Baptism? Also, here's an excellent free online book on the subject of baptism by Pastor Max D. Younce, A Biblical Examination Of Baptism.
United Pentecostal Churches and the Trinity:
UPC rejects the doctrine of the Godhead (i.e., the Trinity), and believe that 'Jesus Only' is God, not the Holy Spirit or the Father. These are references to Jesus, the UPC claims. On their official website, the UPC gives 60 reasons why they reject the Trinity on their "doctrine" page. This the reason why UPC are categorized as a cult in many religious manuals, such as Zondervan's GUIDE TO CULTS series. The Word of God teaches the Godhead. Also, please read The Wonderful Truth of the Trinity. The word "Trinity" may not be in the Bible; but the word "Godhead certainly is ... "For in him (Jesus Christ) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." How can anyone deny the Godhead in lieu of Matthew 3:16-17, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It is absurd for anyone to deny the Godhead with such an abundance of Scriptural support, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). There is only ONE God (Deuteronomy 6:4); but He has manifest (or revealed) Himself to mankind in three individual Persons. It may not make earthly sense; but it is solid teaching from the Word of God.
United Pentecostal Churches and Salvation:
United Pentecostal Churches believe that water baptism is necessary for salvation in order to get one's sins forgiven, and that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved (which they claim is evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit).
What they believe:
"New Birth is achieved by faith, repentance, water baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit" (which is evidenced by speaking in tongues)- SOURCE: 'Jesus Only' Churches, p51, E. Calvin Beisner.
