Welcome to Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, a podcast dedicated to helping modern-day believers live out the teachings of the First Century Church.

This podcast is part of the teaching ministry of Dr. David K. Bernard.

Dr. Bernard is dedicated his life to studying the Bible and helping believers apply its message to their daily lives.

In apostolic life in the 21st century, Dr. Bernard answers your questions about what the Bible

teaches and how those teachings apply to everyday life.

Thank you for joining us for this episode.

One criticism that is occasionally leveled at the United Pentecostal Church International and

other church organizations is that in the view of some, there is no precedent for such

entities in the New Testament.

Even some oneness Pentecostals believe organizations like the UPCI are just manmade and that they possess no spiritual

authority.

They would point out that the Bible doesn't contain any record of general superintendents or communications directors for that matter, or any of the other titles that are used by the UPCI and similar organizations.

So in view of the critics, these are bib, these are all just extra biblical inventions

of men. How do you respond to these arguments? And what do you see is the benefits of an

organization like the UPCI? Why should an apostolic church or believer want to belong to something

like this? First of all, biblical, religious organizations or church organizations are biblical.

But second, the precise form is not required.

What I'm saying, in other words, is the principle of organization is clear in scripture.

We must have some kind of organization for the local church and some

kind of organization for the broader church. That does not mean you have to belong to the United

Pentecostal Church International to be saved, to have a valid ministry or anything like that.

However, I would like to say, if you read the book of Acts, was the church

...