Position Paper

United Pentecostal Church International

Weldon Spring, Missouri, USA

www.upci.org

RACIAL AND ETHNIC AFFIRMATION

Adopted by the General Board in 2008

Inasmuch as we are commanded to make disciples of every nation, and

Inasmuch as the Scriptures declare that “by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), and

Inasmuch as the stated mission of the United Pentecostal Church International is to take the “Whole Gospel to The Whole World”

We earnestly contend that the following is true: the United Pentecostal Church International practices and teaches racial equality and our fundamental conviction is that the “Whole Gospel” is to be preached to “every creature.”

In support of this earnest contention, we submit the following:

1. The Word of God assures us that racial and cultural differences have no bearing on an individual’s worth to “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him” (Romans 10:12).
2. Racial prejudice, bigotry, and/or discrimination are inconsistent with the truth of the Gospel. These do not represent God’s design for the Apostolic church and must be boldly and lovingly confronted and universally denounced as unrighteous living, in the same manner as was declared by the apostle Paul when he observed Peter’s behavior toward the “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14).
3. No person should be denied entry or membership, nor discouraged from attending churches or schools on the grounds of race, color, or ethnicity where there is a pastor licensed with the United Pentecostal Church International. “God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35).
4. The use of racial slurs and other negative pejoratives used to describe people of a different race, color, or ethnicity is not conversation becoming of a Christian and undermines the holiness message and testimony of the United Pentecostal Church International. “But now ye also put off all these … filthy communication out of your mouth” (Colossians 3:8).
5. Because acts of racial prejudice are a sin against both our brother and the body of Christ, we declare such behavior worthy of correction and These things are to be observed without partiality. “But if ye show partiality, ye commit sin” (James 2:9 NKJV) and “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (1 Timothy 5:20-21).
6. Because we are a body of Apostolic believers, the United Pentecostal Church International must continue to take deliberate, intentional steps toward inclusion in all areas of the fellowship and at all levels of the organization. We recognize that the need for inclusion is a basic human need that must not be ignored so that unity and harmony can be maintained as we see the numbers of disciples of diverse ethnic backgrounds being added to the church.

7. The United Pentecostal Church International is committed to making sure that it operates in harmony with its true passion and purpose by attempting within all reasonableness to ensure inclusion of all special events and other nonelected functions to reflect the unity and diversity of the United Pentecostal Church International.
8. As the largest and leading Apostolic holiness movement in the world, the United Pentecostal Church International is dedicated to overcoming any appearance of racism within the church by making a deliberate effort toward inclusion and a firm open stand against racial bigotry and segregation. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).
9. Finally we declare that as children of God it is not enough to avoid evil. We must proactively take advantage of every opportunity to do what is right especially to those who are of the house hold of (See 1 John 3:10, Galatians 6:9-10, James 4:17.) To do otherwise is sin.

UPCI Articles of Faith Creation of Man and His Fall

Amended 2022

All people are created by God in His image (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, all human beings have intrinsic worth to God and should be treated accordingly with dignity. Human life is a sacred gift from God: thus we honor the sanctity of life of humans born and in the womb (Psalm 139:13- 16).

However, we live in a world affected by the Fall. In the beginning, God created man innocent, pure, and holy; but through the sin of disobedience, Adam and Eve, the first of the human race, fell from their holy state, and God banished them from Eden (Genesis 3:1-24). Hence by one man’s disobedience, sin entered into the world (Romans 3:23, 5:12).

Sin is not only an affront to God, but it also has dire ramifications for humans. From Cain’s murder of Abel onward, the story of humanity is filled with injustice and wrongdoing. However, as redeemed people, we strive to reflect God’s love and care for all people (Matthew 5:46-48 & Romans 5:5). Therefore, our treatment of each person should reflect that all humans, both males and females, have value to God regardless of race, ethnicity, ability, or national origin (Galatians 3:26-28).

It follows then that the church consists of people who have been born again and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Revelation 5:9). The church on Earth should seek the unity and inclusion of the church in Heaven.

ADDENDUM

The UPCI’s Racial and Ethnic Affirmation: A Biblical and Historical Discussion

David K. Bernard, General Superintendent

The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) teaches that racism is a sin. We must preach and teach against racism in all its forms; eliminate all discrimination and prejudice; and promote intentional inclusion at all levels of participation and leadership. We strive for our churches and ministers to reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of our society and for our leadership to reflect the diversity of our churches. Much has been accomplished in recent years, but much more needs to be accomplished.

To this end, we desire to increase awareness and sensitivity regarding matters of race and culture and to create a welcoming environment. We should speak with moral clarity on important social issues while maintaining Christian ethics, humility, and kindness. We are strangers and pilgrims whose principal citizenship is in Heaven (I Peter 2:11).

In the UPCI Manual, the Position Paper titled “Racial and Ethnic Affirmation” opposes racism, prejudice, and segregation. It states that the UPCI “must continue to take deliberate, intentional steps toward inclusion in all areas of the fellowship and at all levels of the organization.  [It] is

dedicated to overcoming any appearance of racism within the church by making a deliberate effort toward inclusion and a firm, open stand against racial bigotry and segregation.”

Biblical Perspective

The Bible teaches that every human being is of equal worth in God’s sight. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). The church has diversity of members but is one body; by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body (I Corinthians 12:12–13). In Christ, there is no unequal treatment based on race, social class, male and female, religious background, or national origin (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). We are to conduct our lives and ministries without partiality, discrimination, or favoritism (I Timothy 5:21). It is wrong to be prejudiced against someone because of race, class, social standing, lack of education, or poverty. “If you show partiality, you commit sin” (James 2:9, NKJV).

In the apostolic church, people of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds worshiped together and served in leadership. The ministers in Antioch included Barnabas, a Jew from Cyprus; Simeon Niger, whose surname means “black” in Latin, probably referring to skin color; Lucius of Cyrene in North Africa; Manaen, of a noble family; and Paul, a Jew and Roman citizen from Tarsus (Acts 13:1). The Book of Acts recounts how the apostolic church grew by overcoming social, cultural, and ethnic barriers. Jesus commissioned His disciples to become His witnesses in Jerusalem (home city), Judea (home province), Samaria (neighboring province, people of different ethnicity), and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). The church progressively expanded from Palestinian Jews to Hellenistic Jews, Samaritans, and ultimately Gentiles of various

nations, ethnicities, and races. (See Acts 6, 8, 10, 15.) In the process, it confronted and overcame prejudice and discrimination based on culture and ethnicity. (See Acts 6, Galatians 2.) Consequently, the New Testament church encompassed Middle Easterners, Africans, Asians, and Europeans, and this diversity was reflected in its leadership. (See Acts 13:1; 20:4.) It gave prominent roles to people who had low status in ancient societies including women, youth, foreigners, the poor, and even slaves.

The church in Heaven will have diversity in unity (Revelation 5:9; 7:9). Heaven will not eliminate our individuality and distinctiveness; people from every ethnicity and language will worship God together.

Historical Perspective

The modern Oneness Pentecostal movement began with an interracial vision of the oneness of the church based on the oneness of God. In contrast to segregation in the secular and religious cultures, interracial unity was particularly noteworthy from 1918 to 1924 and again from 1931 to 1938. Sadly, the movement failed to maintain this vision fully, and most of the responsibility for this failure rests upon the white majority. We the spiritual heirs of the early leaders express our sorrow and repentance for this failure, and we recommit ourselves to the original interracial vision of the Oneness movement.

When the modern Pentecostal movement began in the early twentieth century, American society was characterized by racial prejudice and segregation, yet the Holy Spirit overcame these barriers. The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, which spread the Pentecostal message around the world, was started by an African American, William Seymour. Blacks, whites, Hispanics, and people from many nations worshiped together. Blacks and whites served in leadership under Seymour. Frank Bartleman, who was the chronicler of the revival and who embraced the Oneness message, noted, “The color line was washed away in the blood.”

The three most significant theologians of the early Oneness Pentecostal movement were Frank Ewart, an Australian who immigrated to Canada and then to the US; G. T. Haywood, an African American pastor of a large interracial church in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Andrew Urshan, an Assyrian immigrant from Persia (Iran). By 1918, most Oneness ministers joined a new, interracial organization, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). The oldest surviving list of Oneness ministers, from the PAW in 1919–1920, contains 704 names. About 25 to 30 percent were African American, 29 percent were women, and several Hispanic names appear.

Once again, both blacks and whites served in leadership.

By this time, Trinitarian Pentecostals were segregated racially, as were other major religious organizations in America. All social institutions, including business, the military, political parties, and labor unions, were influenced by racism. Oneness Pentecostals were one of the most integrated groups in society. Unfortunately, the external pressures of a racist society as well as some internal influences of prejudice caused a division. Persecution from unbelievers often resulted when blacks and whites worshiped together, and evangelism was often hindered. No conferences could be held in the South because of Jim Crow laws that prohibited blacks and whites to meet, lodge, or eat together. Travel was difficult and expensive, so most Southern ministers could never attend official conferences, and some began to organize fellowship

conferences in the South. As a result, in 1924 most white ministers left the PAW and formed three regional organizations. Two soon merged to form the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ (ACJC), while the remaining smaller one became the Pentecostal Church Incorporated (PCI).

The desire for unity was so great, however, that in 1931 most ministers of the PAW and ACJC reunited in a new interracial organization with a merged name, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ (PAJC). The initial governing board was composed equally of whites and blacks. Sadly, the same social pressures continued to work, and by 1938 most black ministers left the PAJC and rejoined the PAW, which had continued as a small group. While there were some blacks and some whites in each major Oneness organization, they were now mostly divided along racial lines.

If Oneness ministers could have remained united for another twenty years as a countercultural witness to biblical holiness, perhaps they could have influenced the Civil Rights movement. At the time, however, most Pentecostals felt marginalized from society and believed they should abstain from “worldly” political involvement. Nevertheless, some black Apostolics participated. For example, Bishop Smallwood Williams was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Council in Washington, DC, prayed at the funeral of President Kennedy, and worked with President Johnson to pass civil rights laws.

The UPCI was formed in 1945 as a merger of the PAJC and the PCI. Most of the ministers were white, but the first list included some blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and other minorities. From the 1970s onward, the UPCI began taking significant steps to recapture the biblical unity of the apostolic church and the early Oneness movement. For a detailed chronological list from 1975 to 2020, see “A Timeline of Racial and Ethnic Affirmation.”

In 2006, Urshan Graduate School of Theology, the UPCI’s seminary, invited the leaders of the seven largest Oneness Pentecostal organizations in the US to attend what became the annual Apostolic Fellowship Summit (AFS). This first meeting featured a frank presentation and discussion of interracial beginnings and divisions. A UPCI representative who was the grandson of a UPCI founder expressed historic repentance by washing the feet of the presiding bishop of the PAW, who then reciprocated. This commitment to reconciliation became the basis of the new fellowship. In recent years, the AFS has sponsored the National Apostolic Day of Prayer to foster the spiritual unity of Oneness believers.

The UPCI as a Multiracial Church

From its base in the US and Canada, the UPCI seeks to establish an international, multiracial, multiethnic fellowship of self-governing national churches. The Global Council, composed of leaders from each country, coordinates international operations. Here are statistics as of 2020:

• Worldwide the UPCI had 2 million constituents in 198 nations and 34 territories with over 42,000 churches and 41,000 ministers. The vast majority of its constituents were nonwhite.
• About 60 percent of the Global Council were from outside the US and Canada, including the secretary, and 35 members were black.

• In the US and Canada, the UPCI had 4,883 churches (including daughter works and preaching points) and 10,725 credentialed Hispanics, African Americans or blacks, Asian Americans, and Native Americans comprised about 30 percent of constituents, 15 percent of credentialed ministers, and 6 General Board members.
• The seven major ministries (divisions) had both black and Hispanic members on their general boards or committees: Global Missions, North American Missions, Division of Publications, Ladies Ministries, Men’s Ministries, Children’s Ministries, and Youth
• 12 other general boards or committees had black members: Building the Bridge Ministries, Judicial Procedure Presiding Officers, Loan Fund, Military Chaplains, Multicultural Ministries, Music Ministry, Parliamentary Committee, Resolutions Committee, Single Adult Ministry, Tabulating Committee, Urshan College and Urshan Graduate School of Theology, and World Network of Prayer (director). Most also had Hispanic or other nonwhite members.
• 15 District Boards had black members; 18 had Hispanic, Asian, or Native American
• On the district level (2018), 261 district board members, department directors, and committee chairs were nonwhite, for an increase of 58 percent in six years.
• Black preachers and singers have regularly ministered at General Conferences for 40
• North American Youth Congress, with 36,000 participants, is one of the nation’s most interracial religious events.
• Blacks and other nonwhites serve as executives and employees at World Headquarters and as administrators, faculty, and staff at Urshan College and Urshan Graduate School of Theology.

In addition to messages preached in local churches and at General Conferences, the UPCI World Headquarters has issued statements on various social issues and news events. Following the tragic events in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, the UPCI held a forum in St. Louis at its General Conference, which discussed interracial unity in the church despite political and social turmoil. This dialogue was published in the Forward, the periodical for ministers. In subsequent years, when communities were torn by social upheaval after race-related killings, the UPCI called for truth, justice, and peace. It conducted several video forums after events in 2020. Some churches and ministers have been at the forefront of ministering to affected families and communities. The UPCI also issued a statement about the importance of respect for immigrants and refugees. The UPCI promotes interracial unity in its publications including books, curriculum, and the Pentecostal Life. In 2021 the UPCI will release Mosaic, a training curriculum for multicultural, multiracial evangelism.

Despite proactive efforts to promote justice and inclusion, we live in a sinful world, and the sin of racism sometimes finds its way into the church in tragic and heartbreaking ways. We sincerely regret and empathize with everyone who has experienced the pain of being treated differently in any way because of race when attending one of our churches or interacting with constituents. We are committed to fulfilling God’s purpose for racial inclusion and harmony as we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Resources

• David Bernard, A History of Christian Doctrine, 3: The Twentieth Century (Word Aflame, 1999).
• James Tyson, The Early Pentecostal Revival: History of Twentieth Century Pentecostals and The Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, 1901–1930 (Word Aflame, 1992): by a PAW
• Talmadge French, Early Interracial Oneness Pentecostalism: T. Haywood and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (1901–1931) (Wipf & Stock, 2014): by a UPCI minister.
• Kenneth Stewart, “How Should the Church Deal with the Cultural Conflict Regarding Racism?” Pentecostal Life, available at UPCI.org
• Alonzo Terry, “Racism Is a Sin,” Pentecostal Life, available at org
• “Faces of the UPCI,” UPCI YouTube
• “The Church in a Time of Racial Tension,” Panel Discussion, UPCI YouTube
• “A Timeline of Racial and Ethnic Affirmation,” org, Resources, Statement Archive.
• “Minority Participation in the UPCI,” org, Resources, Statement Archive.
• “Racial and Ethnic Affirmation,” org, Resources, Statement Archive.
• “Race, Culture & the Church,” UPCI YouTube
• Statements, org, Resources, Statements Archive.

Author’s Note

I grew up in Seoul, Korea, where my parents were the pioneer missionaries of the UPCI. They established churches for Koreans and interracial English fellowships for American soldiers.

Some members later became ministers in the UPCI, PAW, and other Apostolic groups, including a presiding bishop of International Bible Way Church. In 1992 my wife and I started a church in Austin, Texas. When I resigned as pastor in 2009 to become general superintendent, the church had about 1,000 constituents, of whom 50 percent were white, 26 percent were Hispanic, 18 percent were black, and 6 percent were Asian or Native American, with about 30 nationalities.

During my pastorate, the mother church started 16 other churches in the Austin area with an additional constituency of about 1,000. The pastors included six Hispanics, one African American, and one Asian, and two churches were started by women pastors. During this time the church trained 60 people who received UPCI ministerial credentials, including eight women and 19 ethnic minorities, for a net 40 percent of the total.