We Who? Re: An Apostolic Declaration for the Third Millenium 1

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In a message dated 3/22/99 6:17:53 AM Pacific Standard Time,
stevstar@prodigy.net writes:

> As Apostolics entering the third millennium we affirm our Apostolic
>  heritage.  We affirm that God spoke to our Apostolic forefathers and
>  revealed to them the fullness of God in Jesus Christ and the importance
>  of water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.  We affirm that .....
 ...and so on...
 
 
  We who?  Why does Steve Starcher think he is the voice of the Apostolics?
Why does Steve Starcher proclaim himself to be "moderate" placing all others
left or right?  Why, when making an Apostolic Declaration of faith for the
third millennium does Steve Starcher refer to Howard Goss as an authority and
never once mention the Apostles Peter or Paul?  Why, when making an Apostolic
Declaration, does Steve Starcher refer to only **one** scripture in the Bible
(Acts 2:38) and then only to say, "allow Apostolics to interpret
the New Birth, Acts 2:38, in different ways," disemboweling Apostle Peter's
statement on Pentecost.  Why does Steve Starcher "declare" that "we"
Apostolics believe those that have not followed Christ into his death, burial,
and resurrection, through repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ in
water, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in
other tongues, are Christians? Why doesn't Steve Starcher speak for himself ? 
  Mike Reed


> An Apostolic Declaration for the Third Millenium

>The dawning of a new millennium is a momentous occasion which beckons
>Apostolics to reaffirm their unique Christian heritage, faith, life, and
>ministry  that they might seize the opportunities and meet the
>challenges of a new era.  The Apostolic Declaration for the Third
>Millennium is a reaffirmation of Apostolic Pentecostal Christian
>distinctives and a call for  Apostolic Pentecostals to retain their
>Apostolic Pentecostal identity as Christendom enters the third
>millennium.  Please read the Declaration and covenant with Apostolics
>throughout the world to make the third millennium an era in which
>Christendom is reformed according to an apostolic norm and the world is
>evangelized according to the apostolic gospel.

>An Affirmation of our Apostolic Heritage

>Tradition is the dead faith of the living.  Heritage is the living faith
>of our forefathers, the Apostolics who have proceeded us and bequeathed
>to us the legacy of Apostolic faith.  The Apostolic heritage is very
>rich and diverse.   An understanding of this heritage is essential if
>one is to understand the Apostolic movement as it exists today.   

>Our Apostolic forefathers were Christians in another way before they
>became Apostolic Pentecostals.  They believed that they were saved and
>were living for God to the best of their knowledge.  They possessed an
>openness to hear from God.  They did not believe they possessed all of
>God's truth and were willing to abandon cherished beliefs as guided by
>the Spirit.

>Upon receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, understanding the
>fullness of God in Christ, and discovering the importance of being
>baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, our forefathers did not want to
>separate from their Trinitarian brethren.  The first Apostolics only 
left the Assemblies of God when conditions were created that prohibited
>them from proclaiming the message  which God had revealed to them.  Even
>after the forced separation Apostolics and Trinitarian Pentecostals
>continued to fellowship and to acknowledge each other as Christians.

>Apostolics are in agreement on what constitutes the Apostolic faith.
>They have never been in agreement on how to express this faith
>theologically.  The merger of the two organizations to form the United
>Pentecostal Church is a good example of the doctrinal diversity present
>in the Apostolic movement.  Many ministers in the Pentecostal Church
>Inc. believed that water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and the
>baptism in the Holy Spirit were events subsequent to faith and to
>salvation.  Most ministers in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ
>believed that Acts 2:38 was the New Birth.  In the midst of these
>doctrinal differences these two organizations merged so that "The Whole
>Gospel" could be proclaimed to "The Whole World".  The Fundamental
>Statement of Faith of the United Pentecostal Church, if interpreted
>according to the original intention of its authors, allows for
>Apostolics to believe that Acts 2:38 is not the New Birth.  These two
>organizations also did not agree on an explicit definition of Biblical
>Holiness.

>Finally,  it  should be noted that Howard Goss, the first General
>Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church, made several attempts
>to gain membership for the UPC in the Pentecostal Fellowship of North
>American. Howard Goss was not reluctant to seek fellowship with
>Trinitarians while maintaining his distinctive Apostolic beliefs.

>As Apostolics entering the third millennium we affirm our Apostolic
>heritage.  We affirm that God spoke to our Apostolic forefathers and
>revealed to them the fullness of God in Jesus Christ and the importance
>of water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.  We affirm that the first
>Apostolics were Christians in another way before they became Apostolics.
>We affirm that it is consistent with our Apostolic heritage to:  1)
>fellowship with Trinitarians while retaining our Apostolic beliefs;  2)
>acknowledge others as Christians while maintaining that they should all
>embrace and obey the Apostolic gospel;  3) allow Apostolics to interpret
>the New Birth, Acts 2:38, in different ways;  4)  practice different
>forms of holiness ; and 5)  believe that Apostolic doctrines are not the
>final and infallible formulation of the Christian faith. We affirm that
>this is our Apostolic heritage and that those who embrace it in no way
>compromise the Apostolic faith.

>An Apostolic Declaration for the Third Millenium
>Copyright 1999, Steven A. Starcher