On behalf of the UCA Board and the UK International Conference committee, I’m delighted to announce the opening of registration for two 2024 UCA conferences:
Each conference will feature that special UCA conference blend of thought-provoking presentations, practical workshops, and plenty of time for fellowship, food, and getting to know this year’s Conference Partners. Mutual encouragement is the order of the day, and interesting cross-pollinations and collaborations have resulted from past conferences. We are united by our convictions that the God of the Bible is the Father and that Jesus is his human Messiah. Come and make new connections with like-minded believers. You can register now at the above links; don’t delay, as space is limited.
The programs for each conference are still being built:
There will be a future post here about volunteering opportunites at the US conference.
We will shortly be emailing past Conference Partners, inviting them to be a part of one or both of these events. For the UK International Conference, see the terms here. For the US Conference see here.
Christian Centered Counseling (CCC) is a team of online counselors who believe that the Bible offers the guidance we need for our lives, including the solutions to our problems. Life is hard and there are times when we all need a little help. Counselors come alongside those struggling to help them through the difficulties of life. CCC believes those seeking counseling can find freedom and healing so that they can grow in sanctification.
Counseling is bible-based, spirit-led, 100% online, and confidential. Furthermore, CCC is a biblical unitarian organization, which means their counselors understand and sympathize with the exclusion and persecution unique to those who believe the Father alone is God and Jesus is his human Messiah.
The UCA is delighted to again have the Williamsburg Christadelphian Foundation as a Conference Partner. They state that their mission is to help “individuals and families grow their faith in God and His Son. . . We help nurture trust in God and Jesus that endures through all the ups and downs of life. WCF sponsors programs and special initiatives around the world that:
Root faith in the word of God, learning from the faith lessons of faithful people in the Bible
Nurture faith by supplying tools that spur a whole faith to develop – one of head, heart and hands.
Inspire stronger growth by connecting people of faith, fostering a spirit that edifies all.
Show faith to others by enabling generous service for Christ.”
Be sure to stop by the WCF table at the conference to find out more about how this amazing organization is serving as salt and light in this broken world.
Allegiance to the King (A2K) is once again a UCA Conference Partner. A2K continues their work to connect and fellowship with people far and wide, building faithful followers of our King.
A2K has two missions:
To promote faithfulness and allegiance to our Lord Jesus and our Father God.
To grow the number of unitarian churches worldwide.
To serve isolated unitarian Christians, A2K has built an online unitarian church called Christian Virtual Fellowship (CVF) which has proven to be a significant blessing to many. Connecting over the internet can be difficult, but A2K has worked diligently to learn and grow through the process, achieving a successful model with members from all over the world. When Christians come to a unitarian view of God through online resources such as the UCA, they often find that there are no local unitarian churches for them to connect to. Christian Virtual Fellowship provides a church home for these isolated brothers and sisters.
A2K also works to both plant and grow local churches including actively supporting the planting and growth of other unitarian ministries’ churches.
With a host of great teachers, A2K produces many teaching resources and makes them available online. Check out their website (https://allegiancetotheking.org/) to peruse the hundreds of videos they have published on topics from Christian living, teachings on our God and his Messiah, and on the Kingdom of God.
Thanks to A2K for participating and supporting this conference. We are blessed to work alongside you.
Founded in 1921, the Church of God General Conference (COGGC) is a denomination of churches active in North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. Their largest concentrations of churches are in Mozambique (400), Malawi (100), and the United States (80). COGGC provides resources and support to pastors, churches, youth, missions, and the Atlanta Bible College. For more than a century now, they have provided a stable and experienced platform to help individuals and churches spread the truth about the kingdom gospel and the name of Jesus Christ.
Pastors
The Church of God (COG) provides pastoral education and training through the Atlanta Bible College. Once prospective ministers graduate, they participate in a hands-on internship program, serving at a local church. Next they apply for licensing, which involves a comprehensive process that takes into account the applicant’s personal history, doctrinal beliefs, references, and the recommendation of their mentor. Once getting a license and finding a church to serve in, pastors are encouraged to join the annual ministers’ conference, the monthly prayer group via Zoom, and the Facebook group for mutual encouragement. Lastly, the ministerial leadership team provides a “pastor’s pastor” to provide individual confidential counseling.
Churches
Over more than a century of ministry, the COG has always and continues to provide a wide range of resources to member churches. These include low-interest loans, funding for building projects, church health surveys, and free background checks for volunteers. Churches also benefit from literary resources, including biblical articles (Restitution Herald), ministry updates (Progress Journal), Sunday school lessons (Adult Quarterly), evangelism tracts, as well as several in-house published books. Additionally, churches can participate in a wide range of events, including Christian Workers’ Seminar, FUEL, and General Conference. Also, the COG keeps track of the history of their churches and noteworthy individuals over the years through maintaining archives, holding the annual Heritage Conference, and publishing a biographical encyclopedia.
Youth
The most exciting week of the year for youth in the COG is FUEL. Held at Manchester University in Indiana, FUEL is a high-energy event with 200 teens and youth workers. Campers participate in sermons, classes, worship, sports, and lots of other activities. Counselors meet with the youth a couple of times each day to develop relationships and mentor them. In the fall and winter, youth can attend reFUEL and the Young Adult Getaway. Additionally, the Atlanta Bible College invites high-school students to stay on campus and attended classes during their annual invitational.
Missions
The missionary agency of the COGGC is called Lord’s Harvest International (LHI). The organization supports churches and individuals in ten countries around the world. Some of these are war-torn, others are afflicted with chronic governmental corruption, and still others have oppressive policies towards biblical Christianity. LHI sends missionaries on short-term trips, provides resources to build churches, helps with humanitarian support, and supplies translated literary resources, including Bibles, books, and tracts. For more information about LHI, visit lhicog.com.
Atlanta Bible College
Currently there are two campuses in Georgia: (1) at McDonough the main building serves as the hub for English-speaking in-person and online instruction, (2) at Johns Creek the Korean extension provides classes in the Korean language. The goal is both to train future pastors as well as educate anyone who wants to know more about the Bible and Christianity. Students can earn a one year foundation certificate, an Associate’s degree, and/or a Bachelor’s degree with focuses in Bible, theology, or missions. Apply online or check out the fall semester schedule.
If you would like to learn more about the Church of God General Conference, visit them at COGGC.org. You can sign up to receive the Restitution Herald either digitally or in the mail for free. If you would like to donate to the work they are doing, you can that here.
Personal Note
I would be remiss if I didn’t include a note about how much the COG has benefited me personally. Although I’m part of an independent ministry, I have benefited immensely from attending COG events, graduating from their Bible college, and associating with their pastors. The organization strikes the balance between providing support to those both inside and outside the denomination without controlling individuals or groups. The executive director, Seth Ross, is a competent leader who genuinely seeks to serve God courageously and authentically. I’m excited to see what the Church of God does now that they have begun their second century of ministry!
The Unitarian Torch is the internet’s best place to learn about Hungarian Unitarian Christianity, a group that has survived repeated persecutions since it was founded in 1568 by Ferenc Dávid. He founded it as a restoration of the pure Christianity of Jesus. Surviving mainly in Transylvania, Romania, these Christians have preserved a rich legacy of unitarian sermons and orders of services, hymns, and stories.
The Unitarian Torch website represents Dr. Robert Kokenyesi’s effort to bring this unique group of Christians to the English-speaking world.
The Unitarian Torch’s three main objectives
to serve the English-speaking Hungarian and Transylvanian diaspora by providing them with sermons translated into English
to serve the English-speaking unitarian community by providing them with inspiration by making available orders of services as well as children’s literature (stories)
to raise awareness about the uniqueness of the Transylvania Unitarian Church by explaining the organization of the church, holidays, and other hard-to-come-by aspects of the church
Dr. Kokenyesi is inspired by the example of Hungarian unitarianism’s survival amidst 450 years of enormous religious, economic, and political persecution. He hopes that by bringing this wealth of literature into the English language, many others will learn about this courageous group and likewise find inspiration and illumination.
The UCA is delighted to again have Spirit & Truth as a Conference Partner.
Spirit & Truth providesVirtual Fellowships on Zoom multiple days each week. If you’re not part of a local congregation, consider attending one of their online fellowships, where you will meet fellow believers who want to pray, hear the Bible taught, and follow Christ together.
One of their best resources is the Revised English Version (REV) Bible, a whole Bible translation that has been an ongoing project for over 20 years now. In addition to the translations, this project has produced an incredible amount of insightful commentary that particularly addresses difficult passages and traditionally misunderstood ones. The REV translation promotes important theological truths, such as belief in the Father as the one God, Jesus as God’s human Son and Messiah, the sleep of the dead, and the kingdom of God. Both the REV translation and the associated commentary can be viewed online or in the app. Check it out and try using the REV alongside other versions to further support your Bible study and enjoyment of the Scriptures.
I first encountered Spirit & Truth via their content-rich, long-running website biblicalunitarian.com. I returned to this site often as I wrestled with disentangling my understanding of Scripture from the distortions of later church traditions. They popularized the helpful term “biblical unitarian” to convey the understanding that God is the Father alone, and that his unique Son Jesus is a man who did not literally pre-exist as a spirit or a “divine Person” before being miraculous conceived and born.
They have recently launched Spirit & Truth Kids, whose goal is to provide children’s books, curricula for parents to teach the Bible to their kids, and Christian resources for children, including coloring books, recommended TV shows, and much more. The first volumes of two different book series have been released, with a third series to be released in early 2024. Each series will see new volumes regularly released over the next couple of years. The two available now are Faith Lessons for Little Ones: Volume 1 and Oliver’s Tales: Seeking Wisdom. Click on a link to check them out. If you know anyone who has kids and would enjoy reading a children’s book from a trusted source where they won’t have to avoid certain sections or re-word sentences that contain errors from church tradition, send them the link and let them know about the Spirit & Truth Kids initiative.
Be sure to stop by the Spirit & Truth table to get to know them and to find out more about what they’re doing.
We are thrilled to again have Compass Christian Church from Louisville, Kentucky, as a UCA Conference Partner. You may remember Pastor Will Barlow from his interview with Mark Cain on the UCA podcast (50. Church Plant) where he described how God had directed the formation of this new church. He described the process of faithful planning which took many months, coming to fruition in the Fall of 2022.
To connect with their group of husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, engineers, a nurse, soccer coaches, writers, programmers, Bible nerds (just to list a few), follow them on Facebook where they stream their services. And if you’re in the Louisville area, be sure to check out the Sunday morning service or another event at this dynamic, young church. I have been to a few services there, and I love Will’s preaching, the genuine worship, the welcoming believers, and the whole vision of the church.
We are overjoyed to have a local body of believers represented this year as a Conference Partner. May we return the blessing to them through our prayers and support. Be sure to stop by the table at the conference to meet them and find out how this church plant is going.
Both the Christological Controversies and Scripturae Contra Trinitatem focus on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and were inspired by John Locke, the 17th century Enlightenment thinker, philosopher, and physician. Locke once suggested that trinitarians themselves, unawares, have already disproved the doctrine of the Trinity: “There is scarcely one text alleged by the Trinitarians which is not otherwise expounded by their own writers . . .”
Locke claims that if you were to take each proof-text used by trinitarians to support the doctrine of the Trinity (e.g. John 1:1–18, Romans 9:5, Colossians 1:15–16, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:2–12), and broadly examine what trinitarian commentators, expositors, and scholars have written, you will discover in nearly every case, there exists a respectful number of dissenters within the trinitarian camp who argue against the “orthodox” interpretation, siding with unitarian Christians’ interpretations of these key texts.
Both Christological Controversies and Scripturae Contra Trinitatem are the fruit of investigating whether John Locke’s claim was correct as it applies to the NT epistle to the Hebrews. Watch for future editions in this series which examine other books of the Bible.
As for Little Known Facts About the Trinity, one reviewer said the author “hurls 38 succinct but devastating arguments against the doctrine of the Trinity.” It’s an easy read, very accessible to the average Christian, and is a great introduction and teaching tool if you want your trinitarian friends to better understand the unitarian position.
Thank you to New Covenant Press for partnering with us and for the excellent work furthering the truth of the singular and amazing God of our exalted Lord Jesus. Stop by their booth to see these books and more at #UCAcon2023.
Living Hope is one unitarian Christian ministry with both a global vision and the diligence to bring it to life. A network of biblical unitarian churches and home fellowships, LH has passionately pursued Christ’s mandate to make disciples of all nations through its teaching, missions, publishing, and church-planting programs.
One of the most significant aspects of Living Hope’s ministry is the wide variety of means by which it engages our world with the gospel, curating a range of educational content in the form of online classes, live-streams, recorded video series, podcasts, articles, and books (both in print and electronic).
From its headquarters in Latham, New York, USA, Pastor Sean Finnegan faithfully leads weekly church services, while large-scale community events welcome both LH members and also unitarian Christians from all backgrounds and denominations—countless families have been served by their annual Family Camp, Teen Camp, and Kingdom Fest (fantastic ways for unitarian groups and families to bond closer together and also to meet new like-minded believers!). LH also supports local fellowships in the U.S. (in the home and/or online), as well as global communities of unitarian Christian believers. Of special note is LH’s progress on the African continent. In the Congo, for example, LH directly supports local ministers and coordinates an educational program for children. Earlier this year, Living Hope was also able to send $145,000 over to Pastor Armel Ngo in Brazzaville, Congo to build a church (and he is almost ready to hold regular services).
Living Hope has also debuted a new logo featuring a dove–a symbol of their commitment to the experience of the gifts of the spirit and the hope that came to Noah after the flood. Their new website, the fruit of over two years of work, features a new environment for classes that keeps track of student progress, allows for short quizzes, and a discussion forum. It also features a new map feature. Users of the site make accounts and mark themselves either explorers or members (both free). Explorers don’t necessarily agree with Living Hope’s statement of faith, but still want to use the site. Members agree with our beliefs and have the option to put themselves on the map. Similar to the UCA map, the Living Hope map allows people to find people in their area and directly get in contact with them. Because of the greater amount of doctrinal agreement to put oneself on the map, users are more likely to find people compatible for fellowship.
To help empower individuals to evangelize and lead bible studies with their friends and neighbors, Living Hope has also recently developed Forge studies. These free leader guides require no preparation and walk a small group through a chapter of the bible, a doctrine, or an aspect of Christian living. LH’s goal is to make it possible for individuals to become small groups; small groups to become sustainable home fellowships; and home fellowship to become healthy thriving churches.
How can you get connected to the incredible work that LHIM is doing for the message of the one God and his human son? LH’s resources include the Living Hope Webcasts (live-streamed church services), Weekly Bible Teachings, free online classes on a variety of biblical topics—all of which can be delivered to you via email updates so you don’t miss out on new content.
If you’d like to meet some of the invaluable talent behind LH’s efforts, including Pastor Sean Finnegan, stop by their booth at the UCA Conference.
A tremendous Thank Youto Living Hope for both partnering with the UCA’s 2023 Conference and for standing alongside the UCA and its members to share the unitarian Christian message far and wide!
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