My rule of thumb is anybody calling themselves a Prophet probably isn't.
As a general rule I agree with you, a very few exceptions.
__________________
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Only 50. I mean the prophets of ancient biblical days of Moses, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elijah, and up to courageous John the baptist. These prophets were not money grabbing, high profile living {materialism} SENSATIONALIST of today: God backed these prophets, but mostly the dollars of today back these fellas today.
The UPC has two sets of rules: one set for average, run of the mill, garden variety pastors whose daddy's weren't preachers, or aren't well connected among the "elite" of Pentecost. When they violate the manual, or if they have family issues or personal issues, then the letter of the law is adhered to, or there isnt a single call or letter of encouragment or anyone who says, "he needs a friend, I'm going to reach out to him, he must be hurting."
When the blue bloods or well connected hit the low places in life, a vast network of support, a circling of the wagons, the pastor's daddy's friend has a job waiting for him or someone who is willing to help restore a fallen brother. And a lot of preaching about leaving this matter to the family. Of course they had spent countless hours crucifying, defaming and butchering the "lesser" guys when they were hurting or publicly humiliating folks, sitting them down, asking them to leave their church, when they had their fall.
When there's a bloody trail from the local church, the district and at HQ of folks that weren't extended grace, weren't given second chances, character was defamed, sometimes for innocuous violations like: cut hair on women, jeans on women, asking questions because a doctrine wasn't understood, speaking truth to power, or simply not maintaining "Apostolic Identity", it's not surprising that there are a lot of people who aren't willing to just simply say, "we're all human".
I've seen it many times that larger than life pastors who rule with an iron fist and manipulate the system to favor them politically, when their children fall or they themselves fall, suddenly become big believers in mercy. I don't rejoice at the fall of anyone or the hardships brought on by sin to a family, but when you've been on the receiving end of unfair and unjust treatment simply for asking honest questions, for simply not playing the image upkeep game and simply being real, it's tough to not feel vindicated.
How was it said to me: "if you want to be liberal, that's fine, but in the UPC it's going to come with certain consequences." Well I guess if you want to be political, judgmental and set yourself up as the protector of "Apostolic Identity" all the while being a major hypocrite, that's your right, but there will be consequences.
This!
__________________ Words: For when an emoticon just isn't enough.
Posted by: Enigmatically Ambiguous
The UPC has two sets of rules: one set for average, run of the mill, garden variety pastors whose daddy's weren't preachers, or aren't well connected among the "elite" of Pentecost. When they violate the manual, or if they have family issues or personal issues, then the letter of the law is adhered to, or there isn't a single call or letter of encouragement or anyone who says, "he needs a friend, I'm going to reach out to him, he must be hurting."
Yes, absolutely. Spot on. The well-connected preachers use the manual and affirmation statement as weapons against those who deviate - even sightly - from the formal or informal rules. At the same time they flout their own liberties with no fear of reprisal.
For instance, well-connected pastors and officials have been known to show up at the affiliated churches of garden variety pastors who allow ladies to wear pants on the platform. After they verify (read "spy), they report their findings, replete with pictures, to the District Board. A few years ago, a District official threatened to remove a Texas pastor because he had posted a list of his favorite TV shows on his blog.
I have experienced this kind of bullying, personally. Presbyters have called places where I was scheduled to preach to report that I was "liberal" and that the host pastor may want to reconsider letting me preach. Meanwhile, both the host pastors and presbyters routinely violate the manual and the affirmation they sign by attending MLB games and owning full seasons of TV shows, not to mention a host of other violations too long to post.
I have learned that we have a problem with the liberties of our peers but expect everyone to tolerate our own.
__________________
I'm (sic) not cynical, I just haven't been around long enough to be Jedi mind-tricked by politics as usual. Alas, maybe in a few years I'll be beaten back into the herd. tstew
The UPC has two sets of rules: one set for average, run of the mill, garden variety pastors whose daddy's weren't preachers, or aren't well connected among the "elite" of Pentecost. When they violate the manual, or if they have family issues or personal issues, then the letter of the law is adhered to, or there isnt a single call or letter of encouragment or anyone who says, "he needs a friend, I'm going to reach out to him, he must be hurting."
When the blue bloods or well connected hit the low places in life, a vast network of support, a circling of the wagons, the pastor's daddy's friend has a job waiting for him or someone who is willing to help restore a fallen brother. And a lot of preaching about leaving this matter to the family. Of course they had spent countless hours crucifying, defaming and butchering the "lesser" guys when they were hurting or publicly humiliating folks, sitting them down, asking them to leave their church, when they had their fall.
When there's a bloody trail from the local church, the district and at HQ of folks that weren't extended grace, weren't given second chances, character was defamed, sometimes for innocuous violations like: cut hair on women, jeans on women, asking questions because a doctrine wasn't understood, speaking truth to power, or simply not maintaining "Apostolic Identity", it's not surprising that there are a lot of people who aren't willing to just simply say, "we're all human".
I've seen it many times that larger than life pastors who rule with an iron fist and manipulate the system to favor them politically, when their children fall or they themselves fall, suddenly become big believers in mercy. I don't rejoice at the fall of anyone or the hardships brought on by sin to a family, but when you've been on the receiving end of unfair and unjust treatment simply for asking honest questions, for simply not playing the image upkeep game and simply being real, it's tough to not feel vindicated.
How was it said to me: "if you want to be liberal, that's fine, but in the UPC it's going to come with certain consequences." Well I guess if you want to be political, judgmental and set yourself up as the protector of "Apostolic Identity" all the while being a major hypocrite, that's your right, but there will be consequences.
Respectfully, I doubt it.
I bet Terry Black doesn't even lose his license.
__________________
I'm (sic) not cynical, I just haven't been around long enough to be Jedi mind-tricked by politics as usual. Alas, maybe in a few years I'll be beaten back into the herd. tstew
Linear Mode
