A Growing Trend of Fed UP!!!!

[BreakingFree]

Originally Posted by revrandy

and it may not be sweeping but it seems most don't or won't talk about how they honestly feel for fear of repercussions... just some find their voice when they realize other folks are feeling the same...

This is true.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Cotton Mather

I appreciate your spirit, but I do not value unity over Truth.

I agree, but what truth are you talking about? The truth about who Jesus is? The truth about salvation? Prayer changes situations and also changes men.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

There is discontent on many levels, and not all of it among just the young ministers.

It exists because of a plethora of factors, not just because our elders are all crushing the life out of every young ministry.

There are also a lot of young men who are happy where they are.

If you are discontented, you will tend to talk mainly with those who share your view, so it might be difficult to access this on a broad scale based solely on your own fellowship.

I am no great apologist for the organization, so please don't take it that way. I have my own issues with the UPC and her politics.

I just don't think this is some sweeping epidemic, really.

Classic denial .... what does that sand taste like?

[ManOfWord]

Persecution sent the early church into all the world. Discontent might just usher in a great move of God OUTSIDE of those who think they have it all and are the protectors of the "holy grail" of the godhead.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

Persecution sent the early church into all the world. Discontent might just usher in a great move of God OUTSIDE of those who think they have it all and are the protectors of the "holy grail" of the godhead.

Discontentment might do that, maybe. But why do you deride your brethren in Christ as "protectors of the holy grail"? I don't attend a UPC fellowship but shouldn't we pray for them and not pull them down and expose their every flaw. Who do we think we are?

[Margies3]

Let me just interject a thought here:

The UPC is not the only organization going through this. In the county I live in alone, at least 2 churches that I know of have decided as a whole body to completely leave the United Methodist Church and several more are considering a move of that sort. Not just the pastor - in fact, in most of the cases, the pastor really wants to stay in the organization because that's where his retirement is being funded through. But the church bodies themselves are fed up and want out. They've had enough enough with the dominate heirarchy who have no idea what is going on at the local level yet are requiring things of the local churches that are impossible for them to do.

I also have heard of a couple of other church organizations that are running into the same kinds of issues.

So it really is not just the UPC.

[Judah]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Let me just interject a thought here:

The UPC is not the only organization going through this. In the county I live in alone, at least 2 churches that I know of have decided as a whole body to completely leave the United Methodist Church and several more are considering a move of that sort. Not just the pastor - in fact, in most of the cases, the pastor really wants to stay in the organization because that's where his retirement is being funded through. But the church bodies themselves are fed up and want out. They've had enough enough with the dominate heirarchy who have no idea what is going on at the local level yet are requiring things of the local churches that are impossible for them to do.

I also have heard of a couple of other church organizations that are running into the same kinds of issues.

So it really is not just the UPC.

I've seen that around our area as well. What I am seeing isn't that different from the "church" being called out of "religion" in the book of Acts.

[OP_Carl]

Sociologically, this generation has a greater propensity to complain and question authority than any previous generation.

Are you hearing more complaints because there is more to complain about, or because there are more complainers?

Most of us in America have zero clue how good we actually have it. We haven't been trained to not complain. A lot of us struggle with narcicism, which means the things that trouble us take on exaggerated importance.

I'm just asking that we consider the possibility that our means of measuring have changed, and that in itself can affect the measurement.

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by mizpeh

Discontentment might do that, maybe. But why do you deride your brethren in Christ as "protectors of the holy grail"? I don't attend a UPC fellowship but shouldn't we pray for them and not pull them down and expose their every flaw. Who do we think we are?

Because many of them so arrogantly believe that any move of God of any significance must come through them because of their godhead understanding.

Funny thing is that God doesn't seem to share the same idea and hasn't for centuries either.

[revrandy]

Originally Posted by OP_Carl

Sociologically, this generation has a greater propensity to complain and question authority than any previous generation.

Are you hearing more complaints because there is more to complain about, or because there are more complainers?

Most of us in America have zero clue how good we actually have it. We haven't been trained to not complain. A lot of us struggle with narcicism, which means the things that trouble us take on exaggerated importance.

I'm just asking that we consider the possibility that our means of measuring have changed, and that in itself can affect the measurement.

But if we do the same thing we've always done we'll get the same results we've always gotten... and look where we are today... ..

Makes a man think..