The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) is a Oneness, or Apostolic, Pentecostal denomination formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ in St. Louis, Missouri. Its central doctrine, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ alone rather than the Trinitarian formula, together with a Oneness understanding of God as a single person rather than three persons, distinguishes it from Trinitarian Pentecostal bodies such as the Assemblies of God. From 521 congregations in 1945 the UPCI reports growth to more than 45,000 churches and preaching points and close to 6.2 million constituents in 203 nations and territories. Doctrine and social teaching are set by resolutions of its General Conference and General Board, published as position papers.
History & Origin
Formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ, uniting the two largest Oneness Pentecostal bodies in the United States.
Facts
Belief
Doctrinal StandardsSourced to the subject's own accountAffirms Oneness theology, holding that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are titles of the one person of Jesus Christ rather than three distinct persons. 2 Position on SexualitySame-sex orientation or practice is held to bar full membership or participation 3 Sourced to the subject's own accountThe General Board adopted "The Biblical View of Human Sexuality" in September 2015, naming homosexuality among a list of improper expressions of human sexuality alongside fornication, adultery, polygamy, bestiality, incest and transgenderism, citing Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27, while stating the church's mission toward those affected is reconciliation rather than condemnation. Sexuality Position DetailSourced to the subject's own account"The Biblical View of Human Sexuality," adopted by the General Board in September 2015, defines homosexuality as "sexual attraction and behavior between members of the same sex or gender" and states "God's Word is very clear regarding homosexual behavior," quoting Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27 and noting Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that the unrighteous, including homosexuals, will not inherit the kingdom of God. The paper closes: "our mission is not condemnation but reconciliation; we implore everyone to be reconciled to God." 3 Origins
FounderSourced to the subject's own accountNo single founder. Formed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ in St. Louis, Missouri. 2 Trajectory
Membership Over TimeIts 2023 Senior Pastor Survey found the United States and Canada constituency had reached one million for the first time in the organization's history. 4 Membership Over TimeThe UPCI counts 5.75 million constituents worldwide in more than 200 nations and territories. 4 Membership Figure As Of Membership Figure As Of Basis of the Membership Figure Basis of the Membership Figure Attributions
Church FamilySourced to the subject's own account History
Separation or DivergenceSourced to the subject's own accountFormed in 1945 by the merger of the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ, itself rooted in the Oneness Pentecostal movement's break from Trinitarian Pentecostalism in the 1910s over the doctrine of the Godhead. 2 Practice
BaptismSourced to the subject's own accountBaptism is administered by immersion in the name of Jesus only, on the pattern of Acts 2:38, rather than using the traditional Trinitarian formula, and is held together with speaking in tongues to be part of the new birth. 2 Liturgical LanguageSourced to the subject's own account Organisation
GovernanceSourced to the subject's own accountDelegated representation from congregations up to a general conference 2 OrdinationSourced to the subject's own account Learn More
The 1945 Merger That Formed the United Pentecostal Church International
In September 1945, delegates of two separate Oneness Pentecostal bodies, the Pentecostal Church, Incorporated and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ, met in St. Louis, Missouri, and voted to merge into a single organization, first named the United Pentecostal Church. The union brought together two groups that had each carried the same distinctive teaching since the "Jesus' Name" controversies that split early twentieth century Pentecostalism: that baptism should be administered in the name of Jesus Christ alone, following the pattern of Acts 2:38, rather than in the Trinitarian formula of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that God is a single, undivided person rather than three coequal persons.
At the time of the merger the new church counted 521 congregations. Its own account of its history reports that growth since has been sustained and substantial: the UPCI today lists more than 45,000 churches and preaching points, some 45,000 credentialed ministers, and close to 6.2 million constituents, with an organized presence in 203 nations and territories. That places it among the largest Pentecostal denominations of any kind and the largest body within the Oneness, or Apostolic, wing of the Pentecostal movement specifically, a wing that remains institutionally and doctrinally distinct from Trinitarian Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies of God, with which it shares a Pentecostal emphasis on the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues but not the doctrine of the Trinity itself.
How the UPCI Sets Doctrine: General Conference and General Board Resolutions
The UPCI does not govern by a single fixed creed alone; its positions on contested social and moral questions are set by written resolutions of two bodies, its General Conference and its General Board, published afterward as standing position papers that name their own adoption date on the title page. "The Biblical Ideal of Marriage and Family," first adopted by the General Conference in 1990 and readopted in 2012, defines the family as founded on "one man and one woman, married by law in accordance with all biblical injunctions," and commits the church to opposing any broadening of that legal definition, though it stops short of stating a rule for divorce or remarriage among members.
"The Biblical View of Human Sexuality," adopted by the smaller General Board rather than the full Conference in September 2015, addresses a wider list of subjects than the 1990s paper had: fornication, adultery, polygamy, homosexuality, bestiality, incest and transgenderism are each treated in turn as improper expressions of human sexuality, each with its own scriptural citations. Both papers close on the same note, that the church's aim toward those who fall short of its teaching is reconciliation rather than condemnation, a pairing of firm doctrinal statement with an explicitly stated pastoral posture that runs through both documents.
Connections
Associated With
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "Bernard, General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, the largest Oneness Pentecostal body worldwide."
Source David K. Bernard (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "Bible schools affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International, Christian Life College (1965 to 1966), Gateway College of Evangelism (1968 to 1974) and Jackson College of Ministries (1974..."
Source Lanny Wolfe (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "by the Pentecostals of Alexandria, a United Pentecostal Church International congregation in Alexandria, Louisiana, dramatizing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus with worship music..."
Source Abreaction, Messiah and Bill Clinton (Mockingbird Magazine)Mockingbird Magazine staff writer
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "a Bible college affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International, one of three such UPCI affiliated schools where he headed music education across three decades."
Source Lanny Wolfe (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "the run as "The Official Organ of the United Pentecostal Church International..."
Source The Pentecostal Herald Catalogue (Apostolic Archives)
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "A United Pentecostal Church International announcement, dated March 18, 2024, reporting results of its 2023 Senior Pastor Survey: one million constituents in the United States and Canada for the..."
Source The UPCI Now Has One Million Constituents in the US and Canada (upci.org, 2024)United Pentecostal Church International
This source names United Pentecostal Church International directly: "Wikipedia's article on the United Pentecostal Church International, whose infobox lists "Pentecostal Life" under Publications, confirming the periodical's current name and its status as a..."
Source United Pentecostal Church International (Wikipedia)
Belongs To Church Family
Entity-backed identity for the church-family value this denomination already carries, resolved to the church-family group it names, phase 3 bucket conversion (docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md, w-bucketconv-divmore2-0929). The original fact with its own citation stays on the entry unchanged.
Branch Of
The UPCI is the largest Oneness Pentecostal denomination, holding baptism in Jesus' name alone and the Oneness understanding of God as its defining doctrine.
Source About the UPCI (United Pentecostal Church International)the holders' own account
Governed By Polity
Entity-backed identity for the polity value this entry already carries, resolved to the live entity it names, phase 3 bucket conversion (docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md, w-bucketconv-divmore-0929). The original fact with its own citation stays on the entry unchanged.
Objects and Practices of This Tradition
UPCI's own official periodical, launched the same month as the church itself in December 1945 and published without interruption under this name and then Pentecostal Life since; stance holds because this is the denomination's own institutional organ, not an outside account of it.
Source The Pentecostal Herald Catalogue (Apostolic Archives)
Uses Liturgical Language
Entity-backed identity for the language enum value this record already carries, resolved to the live divinity language entity that value names, per the phase 3 entity-backed browse bucket conversion (docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md, owner decisions 2026-09-28, w-bucketconv-divlang2-0929, mapping corrected). The language fact itself, with its own citation, stays on the record unchanged; this relationship only adds the durable entity identity the value already names.
Sources
1. United Pentecostal Church International (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
2. About the UPCI (United Pentecostal Church International)
United Pentecostal Church Internationalthe entry's description and its listed denominational lineagethe holders' own accountView the Source 3. The Biblical View of Human Sexuality (United Pentecostal Church International)
United Pentecostal Church International, 2015the stated position on sexuality and its supporting detailthe holders' own accountView the Source 4. The UPCI Now Has One Million Constituents in the US and Canada (upci.org, 2024)
United Pentecostal Church International, United Pentecostal Church International, 2024View the Source The Biblical Ideal of Marriage and Family (United Pentecostal Church International)
United Pentecostal Church International, 2012the entry's descriptionthe holders' own accountView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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