In its October meeting, the International Pentecostal Holiness Church Council of Bishops approved a position paper on the use of alcohol. “From its beginnings, the IPHC has been opposed to the use of alcohol and various other substances. Our view has been that such use is not only detrimental to our health, but also a hindrance to our witness in the world,” says Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham. “I am grateful for this position paper and the emphasis it gives us related to the Bible and our witness to Jesus Christ.”
According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 26.9 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month, and 14.1 million adults ages 18 and older had an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In this paper, authors Bishop Tommy McGhee, Dr. Terry Tramel, and Dr. Dan Woods address the rampant use of alcohol in our society as well as the church’s response to its abuse.
“The IPHC has been remarkably consistent in its stance on the need for members to refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages for over one hundred years,” the paper states. “What has not always been clear is the reason for the denomination to maintain such a standard. That is the primary purpose of this paper.”
For more information about this position paper and other IPHC positions, please visit our website.
