It occurs to me that I am bringing a lot of my own baggage to this discussion (and AFF in general) lately. It must be the holidays. I have to relive some rather painful stuff every year and then I am forced to sit quietly by while rank sinners (read: "Holiness Preachers") are publicly praised by local and district leaders - even national leaders, knowing full well that most of those heaping the praise were fully cognizant of the crimes.
I pray that your path is rewarding for you, Jermyn. Life really is too short to live with a bunch of nonsense, biting your tongue all of the time. Though, I trust that the pastor you left was kind and well intentioned. Why these guys; guys who would otherwise be truly great men, feel the need to kowtow constantly to the angry rabble within the org is beyond me.
I have family and friends who have recently left the same church as you did (if that's the church you're talking about). These are "6th Generation" Apostolics, FWIW. It's funny. They're adopting a "lifestyle" consistent with the "1st through 4th Generation" of Apostolics and thus, are being pushed out of a self proclaimed "Apostolic Church."
They're dropping the man-made "standards" that some of their grandparents adopted. For this, they too must find another church and another pastor.
I never felt I could approach my pastor about anything. Looking back, I probably could have but did not feel that way at the time. Was it my fault that I felt he was unapproachable or could he have made himself seem more approachable?
Sat under a pastor like that for 20 years. Could not question him on anything.
If you did you'd get your head handed to you on a platter and then be the topic of next sundays sermon.
That type of pastor is a reproach unto God.
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God has lavished his love upon me.
Assume you are listening to your pastor preach, and then suddenly he makes a statement that you believe is contrary to the actual meaning of scripture (though he uses scripture to justify his position and you have scripture to justify the position you have, which is completely opposite of his/hers). You may be just as well informed of a position in which your pastor is taking a completely opposite stand on, but you feel he is in error.
1. Do you politely schedule a meeting with the pastor and discuss the disagreement over the teaching and try to come to a mutual understanding without trying to convert one another to each others' position?
2. Do you ignore it, and let it go, and pray that God would correct him/her assuming you yourself are not the one truly in error?
3. Do you leave the church without any explanation, because you can't believe that someone would be so ignorant as to make non-biblical remarks from the pulpit?
4. Or option #4 (fill in the blank how you would hand it if the aforementioned options are not feasible to you)
Would telling him if he kissed your wife one more time, you was going to deck him be considered challenging your pastor?
The heresy hunters are still with us. Only now, instead of stakes, they use their books and radio programs to destroy those they consider heretics.... I'm concerned that heresy hunting may be turning into leukemia because some cultwatchers seem more intent on destroying parts of the body than healing the body....
Would telling him if he kissed your wife one more time, you was going to deck him be considered challenging your pastor?
Or...., One could just skip the warning him "challenge", and go ahead to deck him WHILE he was kissing your wife, then you could probably get two in one shot.
__________________ As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.- Gal. 6:14
Would telling him if he kissed your wife one more time, you was going to deck him be considered challenging your pastor?
How about decking him the FIRST time he kissed my wife? Would kicking "God's anointed" in the chest nuts (multiple times) be considered a sin?
On second thought, I don't know if I would deck him on the spot. He MAY find his bank account drained (imagine that!) at some point in the near future.....
Last edited by RandyWayne; 11-29-2011 at 09:03 PM.
Or...., One could just skip the warning him "challenge", and go ahead to deck him WHILE he was kissing your wife, then you could probably get two in one shot.
The heresy hunters are still with us. Only now, instead of stakes, they use their books and radio programs to destroy those they consider heretics.... I'm concerned that heresy hunting may be turning into leukemia because some cultwatchers seem more intent on destroying parts of the body than healing the body....
Or...., One could just skip the warning him "challenge", and go ahead to deck him WHILE he was kissing your wife, then you could probably get two in one shot.
Depends if my wife was kissing back. If so, it WOULD be two in one shot.
The heresy hunters are still with us. Only now, instead of stakes, they use their books and radio programs to destroy those they consider heretics.... I'm concerned that heresy hunting may be turning into leukemia because some cultwatchers seem more intent on destroying parts of the body than healing the body....
Naa.. he just kissed all the ladies... but mine after that...
Honestly if I was ever in a situation like that (never was thank God!) I would probably have grabbed him (discreetly) between the legs and squeezed for all it was worth. Then whispered something in his ears on the order of "...if you ever do this again, it won't be just my hands involved". Then it wouldn't ever happen again because we would never be back.
I'm sorry but in a situation like this I would NOT be a pacifist. I would make this guys life a living hell, the slimy worm that he is.
Honestly if I was ever in a situation like that (never was thank God!) I would probably have grabbed him (discreetly) between the legs and squeezed for all it was worth. ...
Uhhhhh. Eew!
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty