Resolution Six

This has become such a divisive issue, but I feel it is important to be addressed by the constituency of ninetyandnine.com's readers.

Don Ryan, a great friend of mine, has a great discussion going on here and here. I wanted to chime in on this without taking over his blog.

Salvation issue?

Here's my thought process - the preached word leads one to salvation. Not the advertisement. I feel like advertising on TV or any other method is okay. Beer cans, not so much.

From my understanding, I believe that the manual does not only prohibit ministers from having TVs, but also the members of the UPC churches. I could be wrong. It’s been some time since I sat down with the manual and coffee for some deep reading.

My question is…

…how do we advertise on something we do not condone or approve the use of?

Go with me here for a minute

If a soul visits a UPC, TV-advertising but non-TV-watching, church for the first time purely because of that TV advertisement, gets saved, goes through discipleship classes, and still has his TV but wants to be used on the platform in ministry, etc... YET the church does not allow TVs on the platform in ministry.

What are we going to say then, if the ban on TVs in the home is not lifted? “Sorry, the tool we used to draw you in is not appropriate for further consumption. Unplug or sit on the pew.”

Separation of UPC and “Just Believe” Churches

Frankly, if the separation of the UPC church from the denominational Christian world depends on an electronic device not known to man at the time the Apostolic church was born on the day of Pentecost, then I believe we have deeper issues.

There needs to be more teaching in the UPC about the principles at stake here, not just the devil box itself.

• time consumption
  
• visual filth (no linky needed, I think we all know)
  
• effects on learning
  
• Philippians 4:8 is simply not a standard by which networks measure their publications

In conclusion, people will do what is in their heart to do, whether it is ‘legal’ or not. As Don succinctly stated in this post, “…if you want TV bad enough you don’t need a TV to get it.”

Side Note

The manual also states to avoid amusement parks. Since there are church sponsored trips to amusement parks, this is obviously something no one is enforcing. But we don’t see a resolution to change that portion of the manual.

I welcome your honest feedback – please do not agree/disagree with other commenters by name, though. Fair enough?

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!