Pacific Revival Center - Wolves Among The Flock

"Pacific Revival Center"
Wolves Among The Flock
by Deception In The Church

There is a church that is trying desperately to ingratiate itself with the rest of the body of Christ on Guam. This article is a warning that they are hiding behind the fact that they "went out from us" long ago (1 Jn. 2:19). The church is affiliated with the UPCI (United Pentecostal Church International). It has recently changed its name to Pacific Revival Center. They allowed their church to be prominently displayed in the Pacific Daily News in the Lifestyle section, have advertised "miracle" and "revival" meetings in the PDN and with public signs, at which unseemly pleas for money were made, and have helped initiate a semi-regular "Worship & Praise" ¹ event that they are inviting all churches on Guam to participate in.

Please be aware that the UPCI holds to heretical doctrines. On top of this fact, they have now added the elements of the Third Wave which include demonic "manifestations", Latter Rain/Manifest Sons Of God and other false doctrines of the counterfeit revival movement to their already heaping platter of unbiblical views. Beware of association with this group!

The following is a short synopsis of their doctrines as taken from their official web site on the Internet. Read their doctrinal views in their own words to determine if you think you should be in fellowship and "unity" with this group. This group has gone far beyond the bounds of normal charismaticism. They are more properly associated with hyper-charismatic or cult groups. Here are three views, in their own words, where they departed our company long ago:

“The doctrinal views of the UPCI reflect most of the beliefs of the Holiness-Pentecostal movement, with the exception of the “second work of grace,” the historic doctrine of the Trinity, and the traditional Trinitarian formula in water baptism. It embraces the Pentecostal view that speaking in tongues is the initial sign of receiving the Holy Spirit.“ (http://www.upci.org/main/about/)

These are four deviations from the basics of orthodox Christian doctrine. The Scriptures are clear that there is only one work of grace through Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24, Acts 4:12), one God in three persons that comprise the Trinity (Ga. 4:6, Mt. 28:19, 1 Jn. 5:7), that we are to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19) as well as in the name of Jesus Christ, and that tongues are not the only evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer (1 Cor. 12:29-31).

The following statement shows that they have separated themselves from the unity of believers. They hold that the rest of Christianity, which holds the Trinity as one of the five essential doctrines of Christianity, has departed from Biblical revelation.

“In distinction to the doctrine of the Trinity, the UPCI holds to a oneness view of God. It views the Trinitarian concept of God, that of God eternally existing as three distinctive persons, as inadequate and a departure from the consistent and emphatic biblical revelation of God being one. The UPCI teaches that the one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah revealed himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus Jesus Christ was and is God. In other words, Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9).” (http://www.upci.org/main/about/)

UPCI also views God as one but "manifested" in three ways. The historic doctrine of the Trinity as laid out in Scripture presents us a picture of God as being one "What" and three "Whos", with each "Who" possessing all the attributes of
Deity and personality. The following is from their official doctrinal statement:

". . . Father
God is a Spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the Creator of all things, and the Father of all humanity by creation. He is the First and the Last, and beside Him there is no God (Isaiah 44:6). There was no God formed before Him; neither shall there be after Him (Isaiah 43:10)."

". . . Son
Jesus is the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans 1:3) and the very God Himself according to the Spirit (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 16:16); the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16-17); God with us (Matthew 1:23); God made flesh (John 1:1-14); God manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16);He which was, which is, and which is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8);the mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus Himself testified of His identity as God when He said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:7-11) and “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). It took shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:22), but God the Father was a Spirit and had no blood to shed. Thus He prepared a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 10:5)and came to earth as a man in order to save us, for in Isaiah 43:11 He said, “Beside me there is no Saviour.” When He came in flesh the angels sang, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11)."

". . . Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is not a third person in the Godhead, but rather the Spirit of God (the Creator), the Spirit of the resurrected Christ. The Holy Ghost comes to dwell in the hearts and lives of everyone who believes and obeys the gospel, as the comforter, Sustainer, and keeper (John 14:16-26; Romans 8:9-11)." (http://www.upci.org/tracts/doctrine.htm)

UPCI also holds to the view that water baptism is a part of the salvation process -- is necessary for salvation, and must be administered in the name of Jesus only as evidenced by the following:

". . . Water Baptism
Water baptism is an essential part of New Testament salvation and not merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of entering into the kingdom of God (God’s church, the bride of Christ), and therefore, it is not merely a part of local church membership. (See John 3:5; Galatians 3:27)." (http://www.upci.org/tracts/doctrine.htm)

". . . Formula for Water Baptism
The name in which baptism is administered is vitally important, and this name is Jesus. Jesus’ last command to His disciples was, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). We should notice that He said name (singular) not names. As previously explained, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not names of separate persons, but titles of positions held by God. An angelic announcement revealed God’s saving name in the New Testament: “She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The apostles understood that Jesus was the name to use at baptism, and from the day that the church of God was established (the Day of Pentecost) until the end of their ministry, they baptized all nations (Jews—Acts 8:16; Gentiles—Acts 19:5) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." (http://www.upci.org/tracts/doctrine.htm)

UPCI holds that "spiritual baptism is necessary to put someone into the kingdom of God". Who exactly does the "putting" is not mentioned. This ignores the verses in Scripture that state that at the moment that a person puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, they are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, 2 Cor. 1:22, 1 Cor. 12:13). The Scriptures are clear that this is one process, not two "works of grace" (2 Tim. 1:8-10, Eph. 2:8-9, Eph. 1:13). The two or three instances where the Holy Spirit indwelled believers in the Bible after salvation were as a result of their not having had the gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them, merely the gospel of John unto repentance, baptism and the news of Messiah. They had not heard of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Subsequent to those few occasions mentioned in Acts, the Holy Spirit always indwells believers at the moment of salvation (Eph. 1:13, Joel 2:28). The Biblically unsubstantiatable doctrine of a "Second Blessing" is compounded by UPCI in their belief that the evidence for the baptism of the Holy Spirit in all believers is tongues. This goes against Scripture that teaches that all believers do not evidence the same gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:29-31). Any "evidence" or "manifestation" (this word is used only once in the Bible) of the Holy Spirit is given not for show or "proof" but for the "common good" (1 Cor. 12:7-11). What follows is their official view on these two unbiblical doctrines:

". . . Baptism of the Holy Ghost
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the birth of the Spirit (John 3:5). This spiritual baptism is necessary to put someone into the kingdom of God (God’s church, the bride of Christ) and is evidenced by speaking in other tongues (other languages) as the Spirit of God give utterance." (http://www.upci.org/tracts/doctrine.htm)

Stated above we have five major departures from sound doctrine into false doctrine. UPCI denies:

(1) The Trinity (Ga. 4:6, Mt. 28:19, 1 Jn. 5:7).

(2) The imediate baptism and sealing by the Holy Spirit the moment a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:13, 2 Cor. 1:22, 1 Cor. 12:13).

(3) That water baptism and repentance go hand in hand (Acts 2:38), but that salvation is obtained only in Jesus Christ by grace through faith (Acts 16:31, Rom. 10:9); it is an important public statement of faith (Acts 2:41), a sharing in the death of Christ (Rom. 6:3) and a picture of the death and resurrection into new life (Rom. 6:5).

(4) Baptism is to be administered in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as commanded in Scripture (Mt. 28:19) as well as in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 19:5), but not exclusively either way.

(5) The evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is the fruit of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7) and, subsequently, any or all gifts of the Spirit, given not for show or "proof" but for the "common good" (1 Cor. 12:7-11), as the believer grows up into Christ (Eph. 4:15), in grace (Rom. 12:6) and earnestly desires them and seeks after them (1 Cor. 12:31, 4:1).

There are other doctrinal deviations from sound doctrine within the belief system of the UPCI. This is the reason they have long been considered to be beyond the pale of Christian orthodoxy. One of the classic signs of a cult is denial of the doctrine of the Trinity.

Other cults that have denied the Trinity are: Branhamism started by William Branham, another of the many "Jesus-Only" Pentecostals such as the UPC; many Apostolic churches including Apostolic Overcoming Holiness of God; Jehovah's Witness; Mormons; Children of God/The Family; Christadelphians; First Church of Christ, Scientist; Living Waters; Pentecostal Assemblies of the World; Pentecostal Churches of Apostolic Faith; Shepherd's Chapel, Arnold Murray; Swedenborg Foundation; Unitarianism;United Church of Jesus Christ and many others. The majority of cults, and of course other religions, deny the doctrine of the Trinity.

Pacific Revival Center of the United Pentecostal Church International has recently deviated further into the Third Wave counterfeit revival and its unbiblical and dangerous doctrines. For more information on the "revival" movements emanating from RHEMA, Toronto, Brownsville and other places, read my web pages at:

Dear Christian saints ... stay away from this church!

¹ Addendum: Recently PRC members have dropped out of the "Worship & Praise" music group mentioned above. Please support any efforts of the true body of Christ to come together in unity for corporate worship, and especially for evangelism, always being like the Bereans, checking what is said and done against the authority of the Word.