What do you think?
 

One Apostolic group in Brazil teaches their pastors this:

Do not mix with the people. Do not invite them to your home.

How do you feel about this doctrine? Yes, it is considered doctrine.

Sis Alvear, how can we distance ourselves from needy people?
I understand if someone is false to avoid them, but what if they are genuine in their desire?
I personally will eat with anyone. They are welcome in my home. I want to reach them. I could care less what they believe right now. What they believe AFTER they leave my home is what is most important.
We must reach them. I believe that this includes having them to our homes and mixing with them, at least where it is possible and will not put us in a compromising situation like being at a party where there is alcohol, drugs, etc.
NI

Our home is also open to all...I love people and I would never distance myself from them. Just wondering if we were so far off or is this ideal above off?

off to a wedding....

That's absurd. What is a pastor for then?

I know of pastors that don't have any "friends." I don't understand this...

I'm trying to remember the reasoning behind this.

What group is that?

I think this is very sad. I want the saints I pastor to feel welcome in our home anytime.

The relationship of preacher/saint is fragile when they become common. Every individual comes into the church with different raising, priorities for the home, greater significance for events or words or even kidding around.

When you finally have to discipline over something that to you may be important, (being late, not paying tithes, gossip) the friendship will cause them to feel that you have breeched the cherished friendship or they will hate you for the embarrasment.

Maintaining a "Professional like" relationship will keep the roles straight when they need you, and you need to breech the gap for their benifit.

Making it a doctrine is a little questionable to me, but teaching the wisdom in it is very important to new ministers.

Very Good.

I never meant being buddy buddy with the saints. But I think that they should feel comfortable to come to my home anytime.

I enjoy occasionally fellowship with the saints.

I cannot imagine the first church leaders thinking they were some class higher than those they were reaching for.
My personal relationship with our people has never hindered the people from knowing I am their missionary. I have lived among them for 40 years. They are not afraid of me and neither do I give them salaries to preach.
I am sorry but I do believe their are roles that God calls us for in life but my role as a missionary does not keep me from bringing people into my home and becoming their friend.
I sometimes think Names and titles goes to peoples heads...

Sis. Alvear, you are so right about this.

bump

Well what group? Should I say on the net?

I believe in respect...but I do not think I am on some lordly level above my people...yes, I agree some may even take advantage but I still cannot find Bible for telling someone saints are not supposed to come to their homes...

Sis. Alvear with all due respect, but how would you know this?

Did someone else's saint confide with you?

Sister, if it were just known by particular actions perhaps you shouldn't. However, it is taught as DOCTRINE then it is for public consumption. I don't think you would be violating anything by that.

Some pastors live so high above their saints that the saints would not feel comfortable in the pastors home.

This is common doctrine to many. I attended an Apostolic Church where the Deacon had never yet been to the Pastors home after 3 years. I went there once basically inviting myself.

Yeshua was a shepherd who actually LIVED WITH the sheep. He was not trying to distance himself from them. And is he still not our Shepherd today? What if Yeshua was really the way these hirelings are? What if when THEY wanted to spend time in fellowship and prayer the Lord said to them "we must not get to buddy buddy you and I".

What if when they prayed he said "We cannot be intimate like this it does not appear professional".

But formalism seems to rule over love and intimacy.

Sister Alvear, Oh for more with your heart!

Oh for a heart to be like Jesus...not like the popes of Rome...

That should never be.

I guess this shows the weakness of having one Pastor Church. No time to spend with the Sheep except preaching to them from the pulpit. No wonder they wander. They are looking for what Yeshua said was the mark of Christians. Loving each other.

I agree we need personal time, family time but not in the setting I am talking about.
Jesus needed quite time, even took his disciples away several times but not what we see in our church world today...

Acts 2:42-3:1

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.


NIV

Acts 4:32-37

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
NIV

copied from NIV but you can read it in King James...and I do not mean we have to live in some commune somewhere but from the context the so called church is far removed from the first church...

Preach all the holiness you want to preach and those that know me KNOW I believe in holiness but that alone is foolish without obeying the rest of the pattern.

Jesus is our example and so are His followers do a little study on them and you will not find them alone in thier little world living like some eartly king for they knew to be HIS follower they had to become SERVANTS to all...
Now let's all be truthful there is nothing so special about serving someone you think you are higher, smarter than he or she is...

I believe in respect. I have deep respect for my pastor but when I was just a stringy brown haired kid along with my sisters and my father was a drunk he took us to school, had us over at his house, brought things for us. He and His beautful wife always came to our home and we were always welcome at his home along with anyone else.
IF I am a misssionary today it is because I had a pastor that his home was always open and if we were there he knew how to make us kids, the young people and whoever welcome.
No, I am not a professonal so that is probably the difference. I think there is a difference in being a professonal and being God called.
Since I belong to no organization life has been difficult and hard at times...Brother Alvear and I lived once in an old car for several months it would have been hard to invite people over! We have lived in houses that had no water and all kinds of places...but where ever it has been we have loved people and many times we have stayed and even lived with our people.

Today we have a home a pastor paid for but it is always open to anyone...I am not even home this weekend as our son is sick and we have took him to a little place to rest but in my home is a sister from far south Brazil, an indian...in my home is a little sister and her boy that came from a jungle area for our regional convention and decided to stay over, in my home is a young boy that is from Brother Raul Jr's church staying a few weeks with us, in my home are some of our kids and whoever will fit in as there is a need...

Am I bragging? No, a thousand times no...but many years ago I had a choice to make and I chose to follow HIM that chose to have his disciples with him and teach them...many of our best preachers today are those that have spent time with us...
Yes, I do understand the other side of the coin...but for me it is not the Jesus Way...
I do not mean to hurt anyone by any means but if we really want to live like our Teacher lived we are just going to have to do thngs different...

Hey King.....Ive been in your castle many times.....As a matter of fact...we will be there Friday!:thumbsup

Not having read ahead...IM sure you have just started WWIII

heeheehee

Really? Find a place and start. Should be interesting.

Amen. What you have described is the way of death to self. It is the way into the Kingdom. It challenges me.

Come over and see...my friend.

Calvary is death to the flesh...

So many people fail because their flesh has not died...we all like to be important, looked up to...

Sister Alvear, If we had occaision for them... you would be forever a Saint. I want YOU on my side interceeding to Jesus on my behalf.

I am a long ways from being a saint...but I do have strong belief's about the first church and have tried to live "first church"...love you folks.

:thumbsup

Do you think what I wrote was ignorant?